( TDM #7 )

[spellbindmods]

TDMs can be used for anyone interested in the game and/or testing out a new muse.

Test Drive samples are encouraged to be used for your application sample, though they are NOT a requirement.

Feel free to use one prompt, multiple prompts or make up your own!

These threads can be considered game canon upon game opening if you so choose.

Telepathy and magic can be used at any point in time on the TDM, from Prompt A to your wildcard prompt. A specific prompt exists, however, that makes sure all characters have an equal chance to use this mechanic within the TDM. You're encouraged to have characters use telepathy and their magic accidentally or even purposefully on any TDM prompt.

If you aren't set on your character's power yet or want to try out a few, you're still able to use the test drive. Maybe your character is a late bloomer and hasn't fully unlocked their intuitive drive yet. In the case of multiple powers, only prompts that contain the power you choose for your application will count as potential game canon threads.

While only one character can be apped or reserved during a cycle, feel free to post with more than one character if you like! This is for those who are uncertain of their first choice or who would like to try out different characters within the setting.

IMPORTANT: This world is low-frequency. No canon powers or abilities are allowed! Also check out the setting information for more info about Shehui.

You blink and that's all it takes. At first, the picture doesn't come in clear, like you're waiting for a screen to fully load -- more aptly, it's like you're waiting for a camera to focus so you can find image clarity. Before you happened to rapidly close your eyes and open them, your life was normal...well, normal for you, anyway. Fighting an alien, making a quesadilla, dying. And then that blurry picture suddenly takes over. There's a lot to take in here -- you feel weird, your surroundings are weird. Everything is just weird. For starters, there's that new piece of jewelry inserted in the space above your chest. That certainly wasn't there before you opened your eyes. A ▢ Perhaps the signet in your chest isn't the most pressing matter right now. You notice that the building you're in (Chips!) is pretty large -- but even that isn't the most demanding thing capturing your interest right now. It's the video game you're in front of. Maybe it's Duck Hunt, or a zombie killing game that involves those huge red and blue guns. There are a variety of arcade games in Chips!, after all -- but are you Player 1 or Player 2? B ▢ After a strange incident a couple of days ago, the area around Anmung tower has been essentially dead. This may or may not be lucky for you -- since you're on the top of the observation deck, and all. If you're afraid of heights...oops. It's not that people aren't allowed to be up there, it's just that there aren't too many people. The view is still pretty good, though! C ▢ Let's say that you just want some answers and information about the strange signet you now have. You may find some success in asking around, but be warned: not everyone in Shehui will know what the fuck you're talking about. If you're lucky enough, you may eventually run into a coven member that will be able to explain. D ▢ Since your character didn't show up via any special means, they may not know that magic is a bit taboo in Shehui. If their new magic manifests, it might be a bit of an issue. Locals certainly won't like it, and they'll definitely attract the attention of more than a few monitors. The good news? This is also a pretty good way to snag the attention of a coven member who is here to help! E ▢ Let's get back to some fun stuff. Your character is enveloped in darkness for a brief moment, something clasped in their hand. Lights, camera, action -- the glowing screen that suddenly flashes on turns out to belong to a karaoke booth TV! You and and someone else have been locked in this booth for an hour -- at least there's a mini bar and some snacks! F ▢ For something not so fun, the snowfall has stopped in Shehui, except for those residences and businesses who want to keep paying for it. A lot aren't willing to cough up the credits, so it's safe to say the streets aren't. Everything is frosty and slippery, from melted snow to frozen water littering the sidewalks. Watch your step or you could hurt yourself...or bump into an unexceptional stranger! G ▢ Finally, you may have had the fortunate luck of ending up in the coven's apartment complex. There are names on the door to all apartments, if you want to go exploring. Whether you find the name of someone you recognize, or maybe you just want some shelter from the cold weather, knock knock...is anyone home? H ▢ Wildcard! How will your character react to this strange world?

GAME NAVIGATION

Comments

Apollo Justice | Ace Attorney

[justiceobjects]

B.
[If there's one thing Apollo hates, it's heights, but he's here now and already regretting it. He told himself coming up the elevator that this would be the best way to get an idea of just how big this strange city is, not to mention a better look at that weird dome over everything, but in retrospect he really should have picked up a map. Or whatever device around here showed people maps. He would've gladly shaken a futuristic smartphone until some useful information fell out of it.

It's with a deep breath and trembling legs that he exits the elevator, taking one step closer to the railing. One step, then another... then a much smaller one... then a slight shuffle of his feet. It hasn't gotten him further than a couple of feet away from the central elevator. There's not much Apollo can see from here, but he can't seem to push himself any further. In fact, he's starting to go pale just from the proximity.]

... Yep, that's enough sightseeing for me. I'm ready to go home now.



D. Psychometry
[It's a market day on one of the local streets, colorful banners vying for attention amid the holiday decorations. Businesses have booths set out on the sidewalks to entice shoppers to check out their wares, and there's a brightly-dressed Apollo among the crowd, awed at the sheer amount of cool new things on display. The way he's gaping at everything, he practically screams 'clueless tourist'.

The booth Apollo stops at sports a collection of decidedly odd statues and carvings. They were possibly imported from another place, but how was he supposed to know? If the wares were meant to represent animals, they were nothing like creatures he had ever seen before, and frankly, he's fascinated.

Apollo picks one of them up... and to an outside observer, he just stops in his tracks. He's staring at the little statue like he's about to burn a hole through it, but otherwise Apollo is barely moving a muscle. It'd be hard to tell if he's even breathing or not. The statue finally slips through his nerveless fingers, shattering on the street, making Apollo stumble back instinctively from the shower of ceramic-like pieces that hit his shoes. The shopkeeper rounds on him accusingly, and that seems to break Apollo out of his stupor, though he still looks a bit out of sorts.]

Sorry! Sorry, I just - you know, clumsy fingers, ahaha. Ha. ... I'll, uh, I'll pay for it.

(b)

[deusex]

[ Mikazuki has never really been up here before — strange how it didn't really occur to him as an idea, but the fancy strikes him at just the right moment to be there to witness Apollo's little episode. The height doesn't necessarily bother him overmuch; it wouldn't really be ideal for someone like him to be afraid of something like height — not that Mikazuki ever seemed fazed by anything, to be honest. Except fish, really. But let's not talk about that.

He's standing on the glass panels that line the edge of some parts of the circumference of the viewing platform, peering down below his feet at the tiny little houses. ]

Are you sick?

[justiceobjects]

Huh? Me? N-No, I'm fine!

[There was no one else close by, so the kid had to be talking to him, right? As quick as Apollo is with reassurance, it's a reasonable assumption to make. Even the spikes in his hair are starting to droop, like his hair gel decided to give up the ghost right along with his courage.

And speaking of courage, Apollo is pretty sure he'd just keel over and die if he had to come anywhere near those glass panels. So much for any intention to get a look over the side. This entire viewing platform seemed to be designed to be as frightening as possible, but then again, they probably hadn't counted on anyone afraid of heights to come within five feet of the place.]

How can you just stand at the edge like that? That glass is the only thing between you and a long fall! This whole tower is a death trap!

[deusex]

Other people are standing on it too.

[ it's true, there are some kids who are running around the place quite unchecked by their carers, and others who are taking photos.

Mikazuki glances down beneath his feet, considering what Apollo has said for a moment. ]

Unless you weigh a lot, it's not a problem.

[justiceobjects]

[... well, he can't deny that one. Even if it made him shudder to see it, those kids were fearlessly running over and even playing on the glass sections, seemingly without any concern at all for how high up in the air they were. None of the other visitors seemed nearly as concerned as Apollo was, either.

Yeah, Apollo was envious. He'd love to be able to hang out up here without his mind coming up with worst-case scenarios that would've been at home in a natural disaster movie.]

Uh. Even so, I think I'm still better off enjoying the view from back here.

B

[gotyourbach]

You haven't even seen anything yet!

[A chipper-sounding teenager leans around from behind him, planting a hand right in the middle of his back to give him a slight push forward. Kaede was just heading this way when this guy decided to quite literally drag his feet. How is she supposed to get any exploring done like this?]

Come on!

[justiceobjects]

Hey, wait-!

[Apollo ends up stumbling forward before he can find his balance again, at which point he's ended up a few inches closer to that horrifying railing and the long drop beyond it. Not that he was measuring the distance or anything.

He then turned to face her, trying for an annoyed glare, but if anything the ashen cast to his face wasn't going to make it very effective.]

I'd rather sightsee from back here, thanks.

[gotyourbach]

Hmmm...

[She hums thoughtfully, peeking over his shoulder as if that might somehow give her a better idea of what, exactly, he's seeing, then she plants her hand right in the middle of his back again for another friendly shove.]

It's okay to be scared. But you can't just hang out back here! You made it all the way up here, right? What's the point of just hanging back now?

[justiceobjects]

[There's really nothing to see, though it's entirely possible that one could measure Apollo's certainty that death is creeping closer and closer by the look on his face. It does make him awfully easy to push around, though, the next shove likewise propelling him forward.]

H-Hey! Didn't anyone ever tell you not to push strangers?! I only made it up here because I had my eyes closed on the elevator!

[... though maybe he should've kept that one to himself.]

[gotyourbach]

[She giggles a little. She can't help it? This guy is definitely at least a couple years older than she is, and he's still scared of heights... Well, he's doing his best, she guesses.]

Like I said, it's okay to be scared! Just imagine Chopin's Military Polonaise! Try to imagine it filling your head and wrapping around your heart... you'll be full of courage in no time!

[justiceobjects]

... I hate to break it to you, but I have no idea which the military bolognese one is.

[Apollo had to wrack his brain as it is to try to remember any Chopin songs. There was a #5 one... but wasn't that Beethoven? Yep, he's clueless, but at the very least it's a good distraction.]

Besides, I already have a way better method for that kind of thing.

D

[cadventuretime]

[As luck(?) might have it, there was another person standing next to him during the whole "stares-at-statues" thing. Noticing the moment, she takes a step forward, draping an arm across his waist as he tends to the aggressing shopkeeper.]

Heeey, don't worry about it. He's got the money, right?

[Before Apollo can respond to this invasion of his physical space, she leans in on him and whispers:]

That was magic just now, wasn't it?

[justiceobjects]

[Apollo's definitely startled by her appearance, to the point that he nearly drops his wallet as he's fumbling it out of his pocket. In his defense, it became a lot harder to play it cool after having a green girl show up to ask about magic. While Apollo did see a few decidedly non-human people in the crowd here, he still hadn't quite been prepared for this.

He forks his ID card over to the unimpressed shopkeeper for payment, his posture tense. As tempted as he is to shake her off, he really, really doesn't want to cause a scene. While his card's being scanned, he mutters back to her,]

How am I supposed to know? Do I look like a magician to you?

[cadventuretime]

[She chuckles.]

No, but you might be a witch.

[Despite his discomfort--or maybe because of--? She takes a look over the display and reaches for an object that is an exact replica of the one that Apollo just dropped.]

Hey, mister! We don't want to have any hard feelings about the whole dropping thing, so why don't you go ahead and add this one on his tab too. He'd be happy to pay~

[She gives Apollo a wink.] Right?

[justiceobjects]

Uh, what?

[The utterly incredulous look Apollo is giving her only continues when she picks out another statue. ... Aaaand the shopkeeper was already swiping his card for it. Great.]

Yeah, sure. Thanks. [He agrees a little weakly, already knowing it was too late to argue. When Apollo gets his ID card back, he's prompt about putting it away, but much slower to take the bag with the Weird Alien Statue in it. As wary as he is of a repeat of his earlier zoning out, nothing happens while it's safely wrapped up in the bag.]

Okay, let's get out of here before my bank balance takes any more of a beating.

[cadventuretime]

Sure thing, sweetie~

[That face. That reaction. She has to keep for busting a gut laughing. Which, considering that she's a zombie, is likely to be figurative and literal.]

[After they stepped out, she leans over and laughs.]

Hey don't look at me like that, I helped you out! The people here in Shehui are very community-based. So doing things for them even when you don't want to will help you out in the long run.

[A deft hand reaches into the bag and pulls out the statue.]

But if you don't want this, I can think of a good home for it.

[Smile smile.]

[justiceobjects]

[Apollo is breathing a little easier now that they're away from that booth, but he's still entirely unamused by how much fun this girl is having at his expense.]

Yeah, sure you helped. Thanks for the heads-up, but next time I'd rather contribute in ways that don't involve my wallet.

[He then gives the statue a doubtful look, shaking his head quickly.]

You keep it. I don't want to go anywhere near those things. When I picked up that other one, I... I saw something.

[cadventuretime]

Yeah, sure. I can make that promise.

[Dooon't believe that.]

Really? They look pretty similar to me. Was the other one painted better or something?

[justiceobjects]

No, it wasn't anything like that. What I saw was somewhere else.

[Apollo crosses one arm over his chest, bringing his other hand up to press a finger against his forehead. He's deeply in thought, but his gaze might as well be a hundred miles away.]

I was looking at it from a table. A worktable? There were other statues and tools, but... sitting at it was a woman with dark hair, in a sort of shimmery-looking outfit, like nothing I've ever seen before. She was just sitting there crying, practically sobbing her eyes out.

... I didn't see anything more than that. I must've dropped that statue, since the next thing I knew, it was in pieces.

[cadventuretime]

Whoooooa...

...

SO you saw a Soap Opera actress?

[justiceobjects]

[Apollo paused, looking back to her with a groan.]

How am I supposed to know? All I could tell is that it didn't seem like an act. There's something very sad about those statues.

[cadventuretime]

Huuuh...

Like what? And its lucky you're sharing this with me. If you said that to most people, they would think you are crazy.

[justiceobjects]

I don't know what's sad about it, exactly. I just know what I saw.

... And maybe it is hard to believe, but it felt real. Besides, you were the one talking about witches earlier. You never did explain what that was about.

[cadventuretime]

Well, sure, that seemed like the likely...

Wait, you haven't talked to the know-it-all? You know, the one with the red hair?

[justiceobjects]

Uh, no, no redheads. Why, was I supposed to?