Twenty || 'Nia, Di' || Hiatus
āI don't have anything to say to you. Back off.ā
Normal ||A Light That Never Comes | Linkin Park
Fighting ||Bourne Vivaldi | The Piano Guys
Emotional | Death ||Run to You | Pentatonix
Anger | Out of Control ||Seven Devils | Florence + the Machine
A more complete playlist here
'Nah, you don't know me; lightning above and a fire below me
You cannot catch me, cannot hold me,
You cannot stop, much less control me'
- A Light That Never Comes, Linkin Park
ā Full name ā
Nia Dione
ā Alias ā
"Orion, the Hunter. Quaint. How did they even come up with this?"
Orion
ā Gender ā
Female
ā Sexuality ā
Bisexual
ā Role/Group ā
Member, Sonic Boom
ā Occupation ā
Coffeeshop Barista/Part-time Bartender
ā Item ā
Pendant necklace
ā Face Claim ā
Izumi Nase, Kyoukai no Kanata
'But if you close your eyes,
Does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?'
- Pompeii, Bastille
ā Side ā
Minimum? This can be quite neatly summed up, actually-- "Haha, fuck no." Like most in Sonic Boom, Nia ideally wants nothing to do with the place, much less the people. But they, unfortunately, want everything to do with her; so better to go down fighting than not at all, right?
ā Height & Weight ā
5'7", 120 lbs
ā Hair color ā
Black
ā Eye color ā
Dark brown naturally, deep purple/ultramarine with her Error
ā Distinguishable Facial Features ā
There's a mildly conspicuous mole under the corner of her mouth, but nothing else otherwise.
ā Birthmarks/Scars/Tattoos/Piercings ā
First of all, the entirely unwanted components: the XCI just above Nia's left hipbone, and the score of scars along her person (torso/ribs and back especially). She's been on the front lines long enough to have had more than a few close shaves, you know? To distract from the general unpleasantness of it all, Nia got some ink done and settled -- on her back and right side. As far as it goes, she tends to get them after extreme encounters; so any more in the future? It's up in the air. "But god knows how unforgiving they are."
ā Physical Description ā
For her stature and everything, Nia's got a pretty decent amount of muscle mass-- which is to say, she's fairly fit and toned. But even then she doesn't look like she should be able to do whatever magic it is that she does with her Error, and by extension collapsible spear. Because as physically able as she is, Nia's always given a bit of a quiet and soft first impression; people tend to think that she's an excessively nice person, unable to hurt a fly (or do any form of exercise). Which is, well. It's always amusing for strangers to talk to her, as apparently easy to approach as she is. She doesn't really understand it, seeing as she gives absolutely no shits. But maybe people just have a thing for extreme indifference or something.
If you see her around among the normals, Nia's usually in the business of subtly covering up skin via loose clothing. Less questions if they can't see the scars, really. Otherwise, she doesn't care too much. Her face is usually apathetic to a fault (especially when she rips you a new one), although considerably (or arguably) less in much liked company-- Sonic Boom and the rare few. She doesn't much appreciate the game of sadism that it's been in the past for Core members to attempt wrestling an expression out of her. It's amounted into quite a few scars to date.
'And you never let 'em kill you, you take everything they give you
And throw it right fuckin' at 'em and tell 'em it doesn't build you
And no it don't ever break you, and no it can't overtake you'
- Battle Cry, Angel Haze ft. Sia
ā Habits/Quirks ā
ā¦ Her knees crack almost every time she kneels/crouches etc.
ā¦ Compulsively makes coffee/drinks (she's a barista) when uncomfortable/feeling off
ā¦ Seems to always have a source of sound around her (speakers, crowd, something)
ā Likes ā
ā„ Stars, space, constellations, the galaxy (astronomy)
ā„ Noise, music of most kinds
ā„ Large open spaces
ā„ Light in the dark (ie. fire, fireworks)
ā„ Tea and lattes
ā„ Screwing around with Sonic Boom (or anyone friendly enough)
ā„ Acts of small kindness (truth the most of all)
ā Talents ā
ā The guitar/drums: she has a set for one and an acoustic for the other. Kid doesn't much like it when people touch them.
ā A survivor; extremely mentally stable and resourceful. You'd definitely want her in a zombie apocalypse.
ā Perceptive (in short, she calls you out on your bullshit).
ā Fighting; she has no idea where this even came from. She was literally forced into self-defense one day, and things just fell into place.
ā Fears ā
ā Uselessness; being unable to deliver if or when gravely needed.
ā The combination of absolute darkness and extreme silence (in the event that she is not able to make sound).
ā Being buried alive; it's in ink that she'd rather be cremated than in a casket.
ā Flaws ā
ā Sporadic recklessness in combat
ā Sometimes too apathetic, unable to cope well with extreme emotion
ā Has trouble relying on anyone, even among Sonic Boom
'Burning their lies, burning my dreams,
All of this hate and all of this pain --
I'll burn it all down as my anger reigns, 'til everything burns.'
- Everything Burns, Anastacia ft. Ben Moody
ā Weapon ā
A double bladed spear that collapses into three parts, connected by a chain. Bearing in mind this fictitious universe, Nia's spear is --as of yet-- made of some extremely strong metal able to withstand much blunt trauma. It is also, apparently, relatively lightweight (she is able to carry it with one hand) and rarely needs excess sharpening. Although Nia is more than capable of using her Error without it, her spear makes for an easier conduit for control; or, in other words, the transferring of kinetic energy. As per her size (and relative weight), she tends to favour speed, unpredictability, and calculated precision when in close-combat; breaking the spear into parts absentmindedly in a bit of a confusing flurry. Or, really, she makes it up as she goes.
It's a bit of a mystery, where this spear of hers came from. As far as she's concerned, a nondescript shady, cliche-like acquaintance gave it to her one day a long time ago. Nia's not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak. "A presumptuous thing, isn't it?"
ā Error ā
Converting sound into (kinetic) energy:
In the simplest of terms, Nia's basically able to absorb sound and turn/amplify it into a form of energy-- most often kinetic, which she then transfers into objects/spaces around her. Most cases involve her speeding things up, whether it be her spear or herself (but never to the point of supersonic, barely even a blur at best). Large solid surfaces (such as walls or concrete flooring) tend to buckle and crack when her Error is applied, emulating extreme strength or the effects of an earthquake; depending on the level of sound around her. Occasionally (if she's close enough) Nia can 'blow' people/static objects backwards with little more than a touch. She can, in addition, turn an object's motion back into a form of sound; but on a scale of control much less than her ability to do so the other way around. As you can imagine, this is a fairly combat-oriented ability that has little application anywhere else, and is typically pretty passive unless she's on the field.
Nia's Error operates on a touch-basis: she can only transfer the K.E. or convert it into sound efficiently if she can physically touch the object in question. Her spear, then, is the conduit for her control; by using it she extends her reach, and is able to constantly apply her ability. Without sound Nia can't do much of anything supernatural, and even with it a low volume amounts to a miserable amount of kinetic energy. As finely honed as her capabilities have become, it still gets a bit crazy when there's too much noise around (ie. a seat in some rock concert, ear-splitting explosions, a particularly strong sonic scream etc). Floors will start to crack (rather spider-like) and objects that she touches will randomly shoot off in that case; and she'd be as hindered in combat (not being able to keep up with herself) as she would be helped. Since she's not using anything from herself in conjunction with her Error, it takes an exceedingly little amount of her own energy to generate. Simply put, she can last a long time. Her weakness lies in the lack of sound.
Although she fares best in an environment full of natural noise, Nia can work off of earbuds/headphones if she must. Not much Error in those fights than tactics, skill, and bursts of unpredictable speed at the right moment. You'll notice a conspicuous dampening effect around her when she uses this ability, usually in the moment that it is activated (it's usually done in rapid bursts).
ā Personality ā
In one sentence, Nia is pretty much basically an apathetic realist with an intense, almost fearless way for retaliation against Minimum and, by extension, Core. The time when she gave a shit about most things passed a long time ago; this kid's sharp-edged and damn ruthless to the point where most people would never be, given the motivation to go there. At best, Nia's mildly frosty, offhandedly blunt, and distantly kind; at worst cold, insensitive, uninterested, and uncontrollable. She's got little to nothing for strangers of all kinds-- carelessly sarcastic and rude to everyone if she doesn't have a reason not to be. She's a veteran. In this business, you can't invest in things if you want to keep your sanity. Nor can you have a strict moral code if you want to keep yourself alive.
A glaring point here has much to do with Core. In that, she intensely dislikes them. Like, really hates them. Has definitely gutted a few, would incapacitate others if she could. And she doesn't even like fighting. For someone who rarely feels any large amount of emotions at all, this is pretty defining. Nia's been out there acting on it, beating on Minimum for years. Hell, she's carried this hate for so long that she's tired, in too deep to dig herself out but bone-weary of blind hope. She's not even sure of what she's fighting for anymore, it's just, god-- "When has anything ever changed?" And so, all Nia's really doing is her part. Going through the motions, not knowing how to stop, waiting to kick the bucket (or for everything to end, one way or another).
In most Hiatus circles, Nia's probably most well known for her natural affinity to surviving. She's strong, physically and mentally, without hesitation or fear-- willing to do almost anything in pursuit of a goal. Morals? Violence? Fuck that, she's always been apathetic. There's no value in being unconditionally kind when it ends up biting you in the ass half the time anyway. Nia's logical, perceptive. She's smart, she sees sense, just never cared for trivialities and roundabout tactics like subtle manipulation or sugar-coated lies. She's difficult to trick and an even harder piece to move on the board, but falls to her own amusement for unpredictability and begrudging respect (as much as she hates playing the game, she knows the rules all too well). Nia's a cold, slow burn, so to speak.
As responsive as she evidently is, Nia remains to be surprisingly self-sacrificing and stubbornly loyal if she grows to care. She hides a healthy competitive streak for anyone of value, and is relentless in teasing or protectiveness. It's never the most obvious, but her small kindnesses only come to less than a few. And she is always reliable. Nia's difficult to see through (god knows it's not like she tries), but a worthwhile friend to have; if you can make it to that.
'I've been settling scores, I've been fighting so long
But I've lost your war and our kingdom is gone.'
- Run to You, Pentatonix
ā Romantic Interest ā
N/A, at the moment.
ā Most Precious Person ā
A friend by the name of Asteria, the only other survivor of their previous gang-- the Wicked. Aster has been in a comatose state since the night of the Wicked's slaughter, hospitalized under the care of a doctor (another friend) that hides the fact that she is a Hiatus. Nia visits sometimes, but holds little responsibility for her well-being; Aster has others to help manage. They were close, once, but it's been years now.
ā Family ā
"They're all dead, so what does it matter?"
Castor Dione (Younger brother) - deceased
Alya Dione (Younger sister) - deceased
Mira & Nash Dione (Mother/Father) - presumed dead
ā History ā
Nia has always made her own way in the fucked up society of Minimum; half-buried in unwanted responsibility and ostracized with parents rumored to be Hiatus. You see, they had simply disappeared one day --leaving behind three children and more than a few unanswered questions--, with no note, no explanation. Only documents leaving Nia and co. in the care of their godparents. And that, well, that only happens to the Errors, to people that Minimum want gone. Nobody, after all, wants to really leave the safety of their homes unless they were Hiatus, and nobody besides Errors ever just disappeared. And with no leads (and the lack of people who actually wanted to know, as unproductive and gullible as the normals are), there was no finding the truth-- only endless speculation, endless optimism and hope that never really bore fruit.
Or at least, it seemed, when they left things to others. Alya and Castor, the infinitely more idealistic duo, were only young pre-teens when they decided to champion a cause: to figure out what happened, laws and protocol be damned. And Nia, well. She had always been the one to support them, finding jobs to pay rent or teaching them ways to survive (as mildly bitter and caustic as those lessons were), and god knows someone has to weed out the corruption before it came to her siblings. And if it was any consolation, she'd had as much of a need to know as they did.
So Nia, at fifteen, was suckered into the underground life; hoping to find something of use.
Because nobody knows more in Minimum than the Error gangs, and it was so difficult to not be a Hiatus when every normal opportunity seemed to fall through (ie. the case of her godparents, who were too burdened by their own financial situation to really help). As naturally resourceful as Nia was, she still had no idea what the fuck she was doing; kid ended up joining the first group that she came in contact with, conspicuously not the knowledge-based Candy Crush. Instead, she got shuffled into the Wicked, a mediocre but ambitious group not unlike the Wonderland of today.
And there she seemed to thrive, coming into her own Error and talent for violence (building on her none-too-small cache of self-defense already); blindly believing that destruction meant answers. That targeting corporate and lawful practices might bring about some information. Or, in other words, that inefficiently hammering at Minimum might make it force out some secrets (much like Mario with his mushrooms and boxes). No guarantee, of course, that any secrets would be the one that she hoped for. But Nia was a child, willing to concede if it meant that she didn't have to lead for once. Besides, she was so exceptionally good at what she did, you know? Her ability was damn powerful for her age, and it felt good to be part of a movement, a family that was bigger than the one that always depended on her.
The one that was growing steadily more distant as she grew more detached. The one that didn't understand the turn of things, of how infected Nia had become with her idea of grandeur. The one that had never been able to stand back and watch, or listen.
The one that still believed in fables and constellations, that remembered what it meant for a star to burn so much (before it blew itself up; a supernova).
Nia was seventeen when her siblings started developing Errors by second-hand exposure. She didn't notice at the beginning; not like she was even around very much (or that either kid particularly wanted her to know). They knew that Nia'd rather mother them to death than let them be of use, and god forbid coming even close to combat-- no, it was a much better bet to watch over her from afar. Protect Nia from herself and from what she was doing; so to speak. Bite the bullet. Castor and Alya had protective abilities, after all, and seemed to inherit some of their sister's gene for power. So basically they started tailing Nia on her frequent missions of destruction, keeping out of sight and mostly away from any immediate danger until (theoretically) shit hit the fan. Then, they'd sweep in all knight-like and make her realize the error of her ways, and maybe she'd start going back to school or something. Better that than them having to bandage her wounds again, or to have the constant worry that she'd just disappear, too.
"You're worth more than the value of truth," they'd say. Something heroic to turn it around. That stuff always works in the movies, doesn't it?
(Because it better work, not like they had a plan B or anything.)
In the end, they were caught out within a week by Aster (or Asteria) --Nia's closest friend among the Wicked--; who spilled the beans almost immediately. But, well. Even if you put a stop to it all, the kids would probably go about some other, probably more-conspicuous way of doing the same thing. And by virtue of Aster's ability (an elusive, desire-based illusion type; showing people what they want to see, from a typical work day to a fantasy), Castor and Alya blessedly didn't know a thing yet. So, with a few added watchmen and safety measures, Nia let them go on. Perhaps (most definitely) with a hint too much trust in their sense of self-preservation, and ability to take care of themselves first.
But then again, you can't really prepare for the event when someone else will royally screw everything up. Even Nia doesn't really know what happened, just that some asshole (with a super inconvenient ability like Error-amplification or something) had to lose control near the Wicked's hideout; setting off some kind of ability-enhancing bomb to basically everyone around. But more than that, it made almost two dozen Hiatus unable to hold themselves back. And no matter how tame they used to be (which was not by much), the area still swarmed with the beginnings of a bloody rampage-- so obvious that even Core eventually came knocking. And knock they did.
Fortunately enough, Nia's Error has always been pretty easy to subdue: all it takes is a convenient pair of noise-cancelling headphones (if she can't hear anything, it's equivalent to there being no sound at all). So, like the survivalist trooper that she is, kid managed to get the hell out of the underground labyrinth that was home to the Wicked early; or as soon as she saw the signs. You can't help if you're caught in the pit of vipers. Aster, though-- Aster had never been that lucky. Her control was tenuous at best, and even if she wasn't in the direct line of fire, Nia knew it couldn't be good. And also, the slight complication that she'd been on Dione-watch that day...
"Fucking hell" sounds about right. Seventeen was not shaping up to be a good year.
She found the three of them eventually-- Aster unconscious (presumably knocked out) and the children surrounded by what seemed to be stray golems of some kind. It didn't matter. Castor and Alya were obviously running out of steam, and there was only so much Nia could do--
--and there was a burning, a pressure in her stomach where there wasn't before, a hole, a gun-- 'Jesus fucking Christ'--
And she suddenly couldn't do much of anything at all, trapped between death and the animal that always becomes people called adrenaline. Even Nia couldn't follow her instant retaliation, the blur that she became to tear a bloody gash along Yuuki's shoulder. But by the time she paused to think, Nia'd already had Aster slung over one shoulder and half of the surrounding buildings toppling down in a miniature earthquake; hoping to some god that Castor and Alya could see the distraction for what it was--
Nia had already been lucky twice that night, once to escape from the Wicked, and again with the overabundance of sound everywhere.
She was not lucky again.
She can't even remember correctly anymore, whether it was one of Yuuki's bullets, or Mitsuki's creepy as fuck dolls, or the golems, or even the concrete slabs splitting. Perhaps it was none of the above, because her siblings seemed to fucking glow and disappear-- like a dying flame, or a star that had burned too bright. Like they had overextended their abilities-- to create barriers, to the likeness of an angel-- and just burnt out, if that was even remotely possible.
Or maybe they're not even dead, but they probably are. You don't heroically say 'Goodbye' and 'Live' in such a dramatic manner unless you're about to.
But Nia has, really, no idea-- bullet shells in her body and a floppy Aster demanded it. And so, she slunk off in a direction, any direction, trying to move to a place that was not here. By luck, she ended up (collapsed) by the Ocean, met Ryota of Sonic Boom, and lived.
It felt shittier than it sounds.
Because after she finished covering all her bases-- getting Aster to a facility, recovering herself, and joining Sonic Boom-- Nia realized that Minimum was really, now, just another empty place. A pit of nothing. She had grown up with something, lost everything, and now there was just a little bit of inconsequential things left.
It didn't really make sense, but she was as lost as lost could ever be. Drifting in time. Going through the motions. Figured out why her parents disappeared (because it really was a hit on their heads, they were Errors of some gang or other).
It seemed anticlimactic, for all the shit she went through. And this is when she lost hope, but learned how to champion a cause (an epiphany, like seeing the shadow of a planet again).
A year and a bit went by, sure. Nia met a dude, Liam, challenged him, met at a truce. She made connections and did things (cut open a few more of Core, turned her fire into a slow burn).
Made friends, made enemies (probably more enemies, she's kind of an asshole).
It's all a bit boring, isn't it? Eventful, but not. Her world has been quite blank, almost stagnant, since the end.
But it's not about to be anymore, is it? (A supernova in the air.)
ā Other ā
Answer Here