thesonancetests

[thesonancetests]

oc intro: dax oberon [nonsense]

Dax ducked and dodged and turned into the next row of apartments, narrowly missing someone trying to clear out the garbage disposals. He laughed a little. The whole thing was so absurd. His heart was thumping and his hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, but he was having so much fun.

name: dax oberon

age: 13

gender: he/him

sexuality: in denial

ethnicity: pretty much really white

appearance: black hair, really short [5″0′], green eyes, really pale on good days, babyfaced, Grin™

occupation: student

associates: nix trillin, mikaela soren, eventually tillia starn

personality

ESTP, chaotic neutral, enneagram type 7

capricious, playful, bold, passionate, short-tempered, impulsive

can be reckless at times but his friends hold him back

loves a good laugh

super competitive streak

ridiculously stubborn but sometimes that works out for him

hates being called a child but he really is one inside and out

often gets into trouble due to his impulsive nature

can hold a grudge for 9823826 years

prefers to speak directly instead of in metaphors

constant need to rebel against his parents

strengths

bold, not afraid to do what needs to be done

willings to take risks

very detail-oriented

quick reflexes

down for an adventure or to try new things

nimble and agile in general

escape artist

weaknesses

very impatient

can be very insensitive

acts before he thinks

has no structure to whatever he does

defiant, refuses to submit to authority

can get sulky when he doesn’t get his way

catchphrases

“oh well.”

“...sure.”

“it’s not my fault!”

“it’s not like I wanted it to happen!”

likes

pranks

puzzles

SNEAKERS

numbers

large, open spaces with things he can climb on

dislikes

being pranked

coffee

carrots

being forced into small spaces

hobbies

freerunning and parkour 

doing maths and solving puzzles

playing pranks (usually with Nix, sometimes on Mikaela, definitely on members of the Council)

fun facts

his only goal is to be taller than Nix

he’s allergic to cats

he gets really sleepy when it’s warm out

adhd

he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child

the impulsiveness adds to his already-reckless nature

finds it hard to fit in or conform to societal routine but he has learnt to live with it

gets bullied by peers or singled out for it by adults sometimes but Nix and Mikaela will NOT let that stand

fidgets a lot

interrupts a lot but he doesn’t really intend to be rude

can’t sit still, has to be occupied

family background

his parents tend to baby him a lot

they hold him to a high standard and expect him to study and work hard

but they don’t allow him to do all the “fun things”

they get tetchy over his ADHD, so they try to over-compensate for him by forcing all his studies upon him

sends him to a lot of tuition and extra lessons

he hates that his parents make all the decisions for him

has a need to constantly rebel against them

they do buy him a lot of things though

like sneakers

the sonance tests

he sees it as a chance for him to do something on his own and make a name for himself there

and also experience new things because he needs to do something fun

actually starts taking it seriously

his competitive streak acts up a lot

wants to prove his parents wrong because they said he couldn’t do it

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[thesonancetests]

oc intro: mikaela soren [nonsense]

She dabbed her paint-stained fingers on the cloth, tinting the fabric orange and red and yellow. She had never seen a sunset either, except in one of Nix’s books. It was hard painting something that you had never seen, but she reckoned she was doing pretty well.

When this was done, she would take it to Nix. She would like it, she was always talking about how she wanted to see what a sunset looked like. And then when Nix was finally done critiquing the way the colors blended together, maybe she would finally tell her how she felt.

name: mikaela soren

age: 16

gender: she/her

sexuality: bisexual

ethnicity: she has no idea, but her mother’s side of the family was very proud of their Persian heritage

appearance: dark curls, 5′4″, blue eyes, brown skin, very charming smile, freckles, very symmetrical facial features

occupation: student

associates: Nix Trillin, Dax Oberon, reluctantly Tillia Sng

personality

ENFP, chaotic neutral, enneagram type 7

outspoken, charismatic to a fault

fun-seeking, spontaneous, always down for an adventure

“bisexual as hell”

flirty with pretty much everybody

here for a good time, not a long time

has the most charming smile and will use it to get what she wants

has a chronic need to both stand out and fit in

always picking a fight with those who dares to pick on her friends

tends to skip classes just to hang out with Nix

strengths

knows exactly what people want to hear

down to try new things with enthusiasm and curiosity

very observant, notices all the small details

knows how to chill out and relax if need be

strangely creative and can think outside the box

communicating with others, very clear speaker

climbing

weaknesses

actions are led by emotion

can be easily overwhelmed and as a result withdraw

worries about her personal relationships a lot

illogical and idealistic at times

impatient and irritable at her worst

quick to take risks and escalate situations

swimming

catchphrases

“right?”

“holy shit”

“yikes”

“damn”

likes

crunchy snacks

the smell of paint

cosy fabrics like cashmere and wool

talking to new people

being up high

dislikes

small spaces

thunderstorms

bullies

fake friends

hobbies

painting (frowned upon by the general community as a waste of resources)

singing, she sings in the shower a lot and Nix secretly thinks she has the voice of an angel but she also likes to annoy her three brothers with her singing

thinks reading is neat but doesn’t have the patience to finish a book

botany, will visit the fringes of The Diome to study plants and paint the flowers and can identify most species of flora

snacking

fun facts

has a bigger appetite than all three of her brothers combined

can speak in a wide range of forgotten languages

wants to meet a dolphin in person

is allergic to groundnuts

friends

Nix Trillin

has a crush on Nix for sure, getting teased always by Dax for it

still is in denial about her crush

doesn’t know Nix’s entire backstory, but knows enough

has heated arguments with her sometimes, but she says it brings them closer together

likes to gift Nix her artworks

Dax Oberon

sees him like a little brother (as if she doesn’t have enough brothers)

“wee child” 

always having to cover for his ass and his bad excuses

visits Dax sometimes to talk shit about Nix when she’s mad but Dax will always tease her about her crush

Dax likes her singing a lot

Tillia Sng

jealous of her when Nix seems to grow closer to her

Tillia finds it amusing and tries to talk to Mikaela but she’s secretly really nervous because Mikaela is so outspoken

eventually grows closer because of a shared experience

the sonance tests

wanted to join because she was bored and craved adventure and something new and fun and exciting

is winging the tests

weak at swimming, but fantastic at climbing

not naturally athletic, but hey she tries

knows practically everyone inside the Tests eventually

most people trust her, but she’s careful not to trust so easily

really only wants to stick with Nix and Dax

would rather save her own skin rather than save anyone who’s not a friend of hers

very smart when it comes to finding a way out

doesn’t really know the truth about the Councils but knows that Shady Shit™ goes on in there and doesn’t like the restrictions imposed by them

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[thesonancetests]

oc intro: nix trillin [nonsense]

She tugged on the lapel of her jacket, pulling it closer to her skin. Up here the wind spoke to her and the city shone in the night, and every building sparkled with the light of the stars that she wished she could see. She was alone once again.

She spent a few minutes breathing in the view from where she stood, then she ran. Running was a song that she knew every lyric and beat and rhythm to. Her legs knew exactly how to move, and she felt at ease.

With the wind caressing her face and her long black jacket whipping behind her, suddenly everything felt right with the world. She let herself go to the rhythm of the run, to let her worries slip behind her and allow the quiet world to envelope her. There was no one up here to tell her what to do and what not to do, and for a moment she could just forget everything that was wrong and bad.

name: nix trillin 

age: 16

gender: she/her

sexuality: bisexual

ethnicity: mixed, half-chinese, half-”who the fuck knows”

appearance: long brown hair, black eyes, tall nose, permanent resting bitch face, Short™ [5′1″], “nothing impressive”, multiple piercings that she did herself

occupation: student

associates: Dax Oberon, Mikaela Soren, Lykel Trillin, eventually Coline Zobel and Tillia Sng

personality: 

ISTP, chaotic neutral, enneagram type 8

individualistic, aloof, highly independent, determined, secretly witty

prefers to keep to herself

would rather throw herself out a window than talk about her emotions

would rather people not know about her “dark past, tragic backstory, all that bullshit”, doesn’t want people to look at her with pity

quick to judge, benefit of the doubt who?

high empathy, low compassion

strengths

analytical and rational

able to remain calm and composed in times of crisis

Walking Bullshit Detector™

will stand up for what she believes in, even if it offends others

super loyal once you’ve earned her trust

does not give up easily

isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty

good at reading expressions and body language

weaknesses

stubborn as fuck

has a hard time opening up and letting people in

big trust issues, very suspicious of people who she doesn’t already trust

can be too fixated on her mission

can be hurtful at times with her words

can be too attached (fatal flaw in The Sonance Tests)

once she has an impression of someone it is very hard to change that

catchphrases

“you’re lying”

“what the fuck”

“it’s really not”

likes

boots

oversized jackets

books, literally cannot get enough of them

iced tea

running

her father’s cooking

dislikes

being told what to do

sappy stuff

small talk with strangers

bullies

that One Specific Shade of Blue™ [#0000ff]

hobbies

running, parkour, freerunning, physical activity in general

reading, will read books from all kinds of genres

studying old literature

learning anthropology and human culture

fun facts

scared of balloons even though she’s never seen one (has read about)

is a self-proclaimed expert on color theory

has a very low spice tolerance

thinks art is very neat and would like to learn how to paint

totally doesn’t have a crush back on Mikaela

her mission

to find out the truth about her brother, Lykel, when he was thrown out of the Diome eight years ago

the Councils threw him out for treason, but she firmly believes that it’s Bullshit™ and they are hiding something

joined The Sonance Tests to get closer to people like Coline Zobel who she believes might know what happened to her brother

her memories from that year when her brother was Wasted (thrown out) are wonky, lots of missing pieces

angry and frustrated that she cannot remember what happened

family background

Lykel Trillin (brother), Vander Trillin (father), Jean Trillin (mother)

her father has become very withdrawn ever since the incident eight years ago, retreats into his study and works from home, rarely speaking

he doesn’t talk to anyone, and only eats and works

her mother is working more and more at the pharmacy, only coming home every so often

it’s taboo to speak about Lykel and whatever happened to him at home

Nix misses the days when her family would get along and everything would be okay again and she didn’t feel so damn lonely

the sonance tests

reckons its her biggest chance to gather intel on her brother and figure out what Bullshit™ the Councils are up to again

decides she’s gonna make it or break it, very determined to survive

has very few allies due to her distrusting nature

very athletically capable due to her sneaking out and running and climbing 

strong willpower and clear head helps

constantly wary, sleeps with her weapon

can be too attached, so will try to save everyone she loves

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[thesonancetests]

wip intro

TITLE | the sonance tests

GENRE | sci-fi, hints of ya

THEMES | utopian fantasy that is not as ideal as purported, revolution, the fight for survival, biomes, friendship, learning to be loved, finding trust in unexpected places, lgbtq+ romance

TROPE | whole gang shares one brain cell, morally grey characters become the reluctant heroes of the story, the villains could be anybody out on the streets, genius character but they’re a dumbass, enemies to lovers to awkward exes who have to work together reluctantly, redemption arcs all around, none of that fragile masculinity shit

SETTING | The Diome, a controlled environment within a dome-shaped forcefield where humanity chose to live after the apocalypse to survive the ravaging, ever-shifting landscape outside (one moment you could be trekking through a rainforest, and the next you could be braving a sandstorm)

WARNINGS | swearing, like a bunch of swearing, some death

GOAL | 50,000 words

STATUS | first draft

CURRENT WC | 23,944 words

Nix was ten when her brother was thrown out of The Diome for a crime she was sure he didn’t commit. The funniest thing is she can’t remember anything about that day. Six years later, she’s joined The Sonance Tests to find out the truth about him.

Tests that would determine if a human body can survive better when in control of their senses. Tests that could save the world again. Can the human body survive without feeling cold or heat? Can the human body adapt to reptilian senses? Can the human body live without light?

The world has ended once, and now it’s about to end again. We are running out of space and resources. Every youth has no choice but to join the Tests.  Trust the Councils to find a way to kill off half the younger generation while chalking it all up to the greater good. 

Can Nix make it through the tests without falling prey to the corruption that runs deep within the system? Can she find out the truth about her brother and why he failed to complete his mission eight years ago? Can she find out who’s on her side before it’s too late? 

CHARACTERS

NIX TRILLIN - 16, she/her, confused. she has a mission, but she can’t escape her past. big trust issues, and very suspicious, but she just wants to be loved honestly. cynical, sarcastic, would rather throw herself out a window than talk about her feelings. likes running, including running from her problems. scared of balloons but has never seen one. 

MIKAELA SOREN - 16, she/her, bisexual as hell. charming to a fault, biggest smile on the planet, gets what she wants. flirty as hell which makes Nix very blushy. tired of not feeling important. just here for a good time, not a long time. might have a little crush on Nix but denies it vehemently.

DAX OBERON - 13, he/him, super bored. hates being called a child but he really is one inside and out. he has adhd and an obsession with sneakers, and the constant need to rebel against his parents. keeps sneaking out, has a competitive streak that cannot be tamed. impulsive like a forest fire.

COLINE ZOBEL - 28, she/her, undercover genius. the brains of the revolution, but can’t make pasta for shit. the inside source for the uprising, maintains contact with the people outside the Diome. always looking over her shoulder, constantly lying but is actually a nice person when you get to know her.

LYKEL TRILLLIN - 26, he/him, just wants a nap. got thrown out for a crime he didn’t commit when he attempted to expose the corruption in The Councils, now is determined to take them down. hates the taste of sand. big mom friend energy. not above talking about his emotions. likes puns and jokes.

TILLIA SNG - 17, she/her, lots of ambition but zero social skills. cannot maintain a smile, it hurts her cheeks. wants to go into science like her parents, but makes it clear that it’s her own decision. dies a little inside every time she stares into space and makes accidental eye contact with someone.

CPT. LIANA TIBERIUS - 29, she/her, Coline’s old flame. captain of one of the strike teams for The Councils, annoyed at incompetency. lowkey cannot stand kids. wishes she could have a drink.

TAZE OPENMET - 18, he/him, could stand to learn some empathy. leader of an opposing alliance to Nix’s inside the Tests, really knows his way around someone else’s sore spot.

other notable characters

BINGER, METANA, THALIA - Lykel’s crew outside the Diome

LT. LYON BLAKE - an unpleasant man, bullies Corvus

CORVUS - member of Liana’s strike team, too smiley

LYKEL & JEAN TRILLIN - Nix’s parents

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tag list: [ask/comment to be tagged] | those tagged will be updated with excerpts, character bios, moodboards, playlists, etc. and on the progress I’ve made with this wip

updates

@liminalizewips