Madhuri Pavamani's Blog

Thursday Thoughts My One Year Blogiversary

Outsider – Niko and Songhay Character Interview and Excerpt

Last week I posted my review of Outsider, Kayti Nika Raet’s latest installment in her series, The Outsider Chronicles.

This week I’ve been lucky enough to snag a sit-down with my favorite characters from the series, Niko and Songhay.

As I’m putting the finishing touches on this, I realize that if I wanted to make life really interesting, and possibly a little uncomfortable, I would have invited Ben to this little get-together. Alas, I was not so forward-thinking…and Ben would have probably said no anyway.

But I digress.

And these two are getting a little restless so let’s do this already.

Full name: Harmony Ann Niko and Songhay Miller

Age: 18 and 19

Occupation: Slither Hunters (Order of the Black Rose), with many forays of the revolutionary sort.

First off, how are you?

Niko: I’m fine. It feels odd taking time off to talk incessantly about myself. There is still so much that needs to be done.

Songhay: Yeah, she really didn’t want to come, but I’m used to these kind of things. Thank you for inviting both of us. Now I get to learn some new things about her.

Can you tell us a little about Outsider?

Niko: Outsider is when we finally decide to take control of the city and change things. Hopefully we can make things better for the Grey-men and people living in the slums. For everyone really.

Songhay: It’s also when she finally admits that she likes me.

Niko: …

Niko: I don’t think that’s how you were supposed to answer the question, Songhay.

Songhay: I’m sure they were curious.

What’s the deal with the water?

Niko: The water was poisoned after a mistake was made when we tried to kill off Slithers once and for all. I’ve heard that it is less potent than it was in the beginning. Maybe in a few decades it will be clean again but for now it has to be treated before it’s drinkable.

Songhay: It’s the center of everything in this world

And the Slithers?

Niko: Slithers. Ugh.

Songhay: Slithers are kind of interesting actually. They look like us but they’re not. No one knows where they come from or how many there actually are. How are they created? Do they even breed…

Niko: Stop talking. Right now. I don’t want to think about Slithers having sex.

Songhay: There’s a lot of unanswered question, but I think we’ll find out more about them soon.

And Alice?

Niko: I don’t think she’s deliberately a bad person even if she is shockingly self-centered. To show even an ounce of vulnerability in the Greenery is dangerous. I think there’s a lot she doesn’t let people see because it doesn’t fit with the persona she’s trying to project. Right, Songhay? You said she was interesting.

Songhay: I didn’t think you’d remember that. She’s interesting in that she wants to be seen a certain way but she’s also looking for someone to see her as she truly is. She probably hates that we’re talking about her right now.

Niko: Probably.

Ok, so which is it – Niko or Harm?

Niko: It’s Niko, everyone calls me Niko except for my brother. Out in the slums, I didn’t want the Council to find me so I went by Harm. There was no real thought to it, I just broke off the last part of my name.

Songhay: Maybe I should start doing that, Niko. How about I go by Song from now on? What do you think?

Niko: No. I’ve heard you sing before.

Songhay: Really? You heard me sing? And I thought no one had been listening…

Niko: …

Songhay: …

Niko: Don’t go by Song. I like Songhay better.

Share something with us that the other does not know about you.

Songhay: I THOUGHT she didn’t know about my singing, but I just recently found out she’s been spying on me.

Niko: I wasn’t spying on him. I was in the area and happened to find out that he couldn’t sing.

Songhay: And here I was thinking I had discovered a new career option.

Niko: I think you should stick to hunting Slithers for now.

Songhay: And now that we’re done avoiding the question… Tell me your secret.

Niko: It’s not a secret.

Songhay: But you’re avoiding it. Which is only going to make me more interested, and must mean it’s about me.

Niko: It’s not about you at all.

Songhay: Really? Then tell me. What don’t I know about you?

Niko: I like to paint. I haven’t done it since we left Amaryllis City though. How’s that?

Songhay: Maybe you should pick it up again.

Niko: Maybe.

Songhay: I still think you have a secret about me.

Niko: I don’t.

If it’s true that “we don’t always get what we want”, then what’s next? What do we wind up with instead?

Songhay: Then we have to make a choice. Either we’re going to settle and tell ourselves that that is enough, or we’re going to fight for it, even if the odds are against us, because we can’t see ourselves living with anything else. Fighting is the scarier option, we’re fighting with the very weapons that if we lose, have the ability to tear us apart.

Niko: But that’s only if our wants are completely binary, having versus not having. What we want more than one thing? What if we want them both equally and for different reasons? What if having one thing feels like losing the other? What if you’re selfish?

Songhay: Is it selfish to do something that will make you happy when it makes others happy too?

Niko: I don’t know if that would make everybody happy.

Songhay: I guess in the end, you can only do what’s right for you. Whatever the consequences.

And finally, a little Proustian back-and-forth for both of you:

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Niko: …

Songhay: I like it when things aren’t quite perfect. That makes it interesting.

Niko: Being in someone’s arms, knowing that you’re completely safe with them.

What is your current state of mind?

Niko: Torn

Songhay: Determined

What is your most treasured possession?

Niko: A secret written on a piece of paper.

Songhay: Three words said in a hospital.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Songhay: I think you guys already know the answer to that one.

When and where were you the happiest?

Niko: I don’t think I’ve reached that point yet. Not truly.

Songhay: Under the willow tree, when I had a knife to my throat.

Niko: I would think that’s something more scary than happy.

Songhay: Maybe at first, but it turned out all right in the end.

What is it that you most dislike?

Niko: Lies.

Songhay: Arrogance.

Niko: But you’re arrogant.

Songhay: We both are, but we don’t think that gives us the right to lord it over everybody else. We know what we’re good at and don’t see any need to hide it.

What is your greatest fear?

Niko: That I’ll lose the people closest to me.

Songhay: Same. I’ve already lost enough.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Songhay: After my first fight I brought my sister, Roosevelt, a ton of food and we ate until we were sick.

Niko: When I managed to buy a dragon made of sugar for my younger brother, Jared.

What is your greatest regret?

Niko: That I never thought to ask my parents about their past.

Songhay: That I thought becoming a fighter was the only way to save my sister.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Niko: Losing everyone.

Songhay: Not being able to protect those I care about.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Niko: The ability to push me to be more than myself.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Songhay: Passion. A woman who’s passionate can do anything she sets her mind to.

Niko: Intelligence.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Niko: Lying.

Songhay: When people think that you’re too stupid to notice that they’re screwing you over.

What do you most value in your friends?

Niko: Honesty. I prefer a truth that might hurt me over a lie said to protect me.

Songhay: Honesty, but I understand why people sometimes lie.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Niko: Friendliness. It’s been my experience that people are only friendly when they want something from you.

Songhay: Acquiescence. When it’s done merely to please people or avoid conflict.

How would you like to die?

Niko: Not by a Slither. I want it to end suddenly, and before everyone else. My mother died slowly, whittled away over the years by something none of us had the power to fix.

Songhay: Definitely, not by a Slither. Of old age and after everyone has accepted that it’s time.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?

Niko: Hm, that sounds hard. I think I might want to come back as a thing. Something uncomplicated, that knows its purpose.

Songhay: This might seem corny, but as someone or something she can treasure. I think if I could do that I would be really happy.

You like them, non?

Want a little more of Niko and Songhay? Read the following excerpt from Outsider:

Standing together in the suddenly quiet living room Songhay chuckled nervously. “If Jared hadn’t gone with them I would think Ben was about twenty seconds away from being murdered.”

She went over to the window and peeked out. The street was empty, if someone was watching them it was from nowhere she could see. “He’s a bit gruff but I think we can trust him.”

“You should be careful about him.”

“Who? Abraham?” She shook her head, giving him an amused smile. “Didn’t you hear what I just said?”

The darkness had made his features almost indistinguishable but she could see that he hadn’t returned her smile. “I wasn’t talking about Abraham.”

Amusement disappeared in an instant. She walked away, navigating through the dangerous jungle of furniture and birdcages shrouded in darkness.

“We should go through the back door,” she said. “We’ll attract less attention that way.”

He followed behind her, navigating through the house much better than she had. “Harm,” he said. He grabbed her arm, pulling her to a halt. “Harm, listen. I lived outside of Cherai nearly my whole life and even though it’s nothing like living in the city you still hear things about the people who live in this neighborhood. Especially about the Kings, about how powerful they are, and the things they do to stay that way. They say that he killed his brother to inherit.”

Her breath caught in her throat. She closed her eyes, blocking out the hallway, the furniture and Songhay’s warm hand around her arm.

Ben did have a twin brother named William, a brother who he barely talked about. He also had a picture of him but Ben usually took it away whenever he found her looking at it. It was obviously something he wasn’t ready to talk about and she refused to pry.

She shook off Songhay’s grip. “Rumors, Songhay. You’re giving me rumors. And we’re both Outsiders so you know what I think about those.”

He slipped his hands behind his neck, knitting his fingers together. “Just be careful. I don’t think you know him as well as you think you do.”

If she was being honest she didn’t know either of them that well and the recent revelation about her parents had taught she should never assume she knew anything about anybody. She didn’t say any of that out loud.

“I’ll be careful.”

He bit his lower lip. He looked as though he’d been hoping she would say something else.

“We should probably go,” she said softly. “It’s been longer than five minutes.”

He kissed her.

It wasn’t like the last time, when he had killed a Slither for the first time and tasted of victory, triumph and arrogance. This time as he gently cupped her face all she tasted was sadness.

“I’m better for you,” he said into her ear.

“I know.” They were similar. Similar backgrounds, similar ways of viewing the world. He even managed to slip past the walls she had erected around herself. “But…”

He made a sound, a laugh tangled in a sigh, both falling in disappointment. “Of course.”

He stepped away from her, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Forget I said anything.”

She wanted to reach out to him. Outside as a fighter he had been undefeated but now in the city he had lost two fights in one day. She kept her hands by her side, there was nothing more she could say.