TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[abraxasmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the very first test drive meme for Abraxas! This meme is run a little bit differently than most in that you'll be asked to choose one of the two different arrival scenarios below for your character to take. If you have any questions about this mechanic or anything else related to the TDM, please take a look at the questions below or ask one of your own here. For general game questions please still use the FAQ.

Arrival

You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.

You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.

There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.

A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.

If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.

Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card baring the image of one of the arcana.

An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.

"I beg your pardon," he says, so absorbed in the pages of the book that he doesn't bother to look up, "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. One of my apprentices will explain everything in a moment, but please refrain from yelling and thrashing about until then. You're quite alright, and screaming gives me a hell of a headache."

Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the heavy tome, until he stops on one specific page, stares at it for a moment, and then exclaims:

"Aha!"

Scenario One: Welcome to Thorne

Ambrose's expression brightens, eyes twinkling with delight. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.

"Success! It's a success!" he exclaims, slamming the book shut and scurrying towards you.

Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem quite relieved at his jovial outburst, and the one that handed you the tunic stops to take the tarot card down from the marble slab. If you show any curiosity about the card, they'll let you take a longer look, but won't let you touch it.

"Please, come with me, you're an honored guest here," he says, motioning for you to follow him towards the castle, "As promised, my pupils will explain your current situation. And, ah - if you had any magic of your own, or other special abilities you can't access right now, fear not, they'll return within the week. The summoning takes a lot out of you."

One of the apprentices steps forward and rattles on and on about the castle, Thorne itself, the names of a bunch of royals and nobles, and of course, your reason for being here. The Kingdom and the world itself is in great peril, and tales of your exploits have reached far and wide across universes. If asked about these exploits, the apprentice will simply smile and shrug. The High Mage was happy to see you and that's good enough.

Once inside the castle you're taken to the North Wing, which has been set up as living quarters for you and your fellow newcomers. There are four people to a room, but each generously-sized bed has opaque curtains that can be drawn around it. You can meet your roommates here and discuss your shared situation (everyone appears to have arrived within the last few days), or you can wander around and meet the others.

There's also a dining hall stocked with all sorts of fancy food to meet every possible dietary need, and a library filled with epic tales and legends and the history of Thorne. Given that this is the Thorne library, it may be a biased account that makes the Kingdom look a fair bit better than the rest of the world sees them. Last but not least, there's a study hall where a few junior mages (younger and less experienced than the apprentices from earlier) might be willing to teach you some simple elemental magic. Think holding a small flame in the palm of your hand, or blowing a door shut with a gust of wind.

You may also notice that your sign is embroidered on your tunic: the same image you saw on the card from before with the name of the sign itself beneath it. If you ask the castle residents, they'll tell you a little bit about your sign (and will mostly stick to the positives, although some might point out the negatives).

Last (and, if you ask anyone else in the castle, least) there is a worn stone staircase leading underground to the dungeon. You can go there, if you wish, but all powers are restricted in the dungeons and spending too much time with the prisoners will lead to some suspicion being cast upon you. If you ask anyone why the prisoners are being held there, you'll be told that they pose a great threat to the Kingdom (and, by extension, the entire world).

Scenario Two: Imprisoned

The High Mage scowls, grinding his teeth as he slams the book shut. "Another failure!" he barks at the apprentices, "You lot wouldn't know your ass from a hole in the ground, would you?"

All four of them lower their heads, and two of them mumble an apology that Ambrose either doesn't hear or refuses to acknowledge. "Well, don't just stand there," he says, waving a hand in the air, "We've put all this effort into getting this wretched creature, we may as well put it to good use."

One of the apprentices drops a baggy, rough-feeling tunic, a pair of pants, and some worn sandals in your lap and glares down at you until you put them on (if you refuse, they'll tell you they can kick you back down that well if you don't want to cooperate). They're glaring at the High Mage as much as they're glaring at you (when they're sure he isn't looking, anyway). You might catch one of them long enough to ask them why they're so upset with you, but all they'll say is that the High Mage knows something they don't, and he's awfully upset about it.

Once you're fully clothed, another apprentice clamps some heavy iron shackles around your wrists and leads you on. The High Mage is far ahead of you already, muttering some long string of Thornean curses before he stands up straight and pauses, spinning to face you.

"One more thing," he says, holding one hand in the air and chanting something under his breath, "Can't have you getting too troublesome."

If you had powers, the slight connection you still had to them slips away completely and you're left with nothing as the four apprentices drag you towards the castle. They may answer a few of your questions (with some insults and curses peppered in), but they won't tell you anything important.

Once you arrive at the castle you're brought to the dungeons and thrown into a locked cell. There are four people to a cell, and two sets of bunk beds with a thin and lumpy straw mattress. If you're over six feet tall, these beds are going to be awfully uncomfortable. You might as well meet your roommates. Once per day you're dragged out to an enclosed courtyard for one hour of recreation (with some crude weights, benches, and balls lying around but not much else), where you can meet the rest of the prisoners, but you can also talk to your immediate neighbors in the cells on either side and across the hallway. Just don't yell too much or the guards will snap at you to be quiet.

Everyone in the dungeon is fed one meal a day, and for a prison meal it's decent: a bit of meat, a bun, and a salad. It would seem that the Thornean chefs take too much pride in their craft to send bad food to the dungeons. The meals are all served in equal portions, though, so the smaller prisoners may be overfed and the larger ones may be getting hungry. Feel free to fight for food or share with your cellmates.

Crudely embroidered on the back of every prison tunic is the same image that was on your card and the name of the sign beneath it. A guard may explain a bit about the sign, and tell you some negative stereotypes they hold about yours.

You may be blessed with a visit from one of the more welcomed newcomers, and they may sneak you some extra food or a small book to read or they may share some of the information they've gathered. However, rumors travel fast and some people believe the honored guests in the castle above are somehow responsible for the lot of the prisoners below. And although you may hope for kindness, there's nothing stopping them from being cruel to you if they wish. The guards will certainly turn a blind eye if one of them wishes to take out their frustrations on you.

---

Questions

How do I choose a scenario for my character?
Pick whichever situation appeals to you most. Whether your character is honored or imprisoned has nothing to do with their personal morality, or how highly they regard themselves and their own accomplishments. Anyone can be put into either situation.

Can I try out both scenarios?
You can! But please keep in mind that only the one you eventually choose can be game canon, if you decide to keep any of your TDM threads.

What happens if my character refuses to comply with Ambrose?
Prisoners will be dragged against their will. Honored guests will be forgiven for their moment of panic or anger if they have one, and Ambrose and the apprentice mages will try to calm them and persuade them further. If they put up too much of a fight and/or start actively attacking anyone, Ambrose will warn them once that he's willing to put them back in the well where they came from (see below), and if they continue to fight he will make good on that promise.

My character intends on causing a lot of trouble (destroying parts of the castle, murdering the castle staff, etc.), what would happen to them?
Characters who make too much trouble for the mages and other staff would be thrown back in the well (which will mean drowning in the void, not returning home). Brawling with other PCs and causing minor damage is fine and will be greeted with a cranky attitude (if they are an honored guest) or a punishment like denial of food or temporary solitary confinement (if they are a prisoner), and there will be plenty of opportunity for destruction and murder later, but for now the Thorneans have no desire to keep huge liabilities around.

Ambrose will take it especially personally, as this experiment was his idea and too much trouble would risk the summoning spell being scrapped and potentially result in him being demoted. Rest assured it does not take much for him to throw someone back in the well at this point in time.

Is the power loss for the prisoners permanent?
No, although honored guests will regain their powers first due to the lack of interference from Ambrose, the prisoners will be able to regain theirs soon enough as well.

Can the prisoners talk about anything private, or will they be overheard at all times?
There are guards patrolling the dungeon, but they aren't always within earshot. Most of the attention is being focused on the new guests, so the prisoners will have some opportunities for privacy.

Can my character leave the castle?
For now they will be prevented from leaving the castle, even if they are an honored guest. A bit of a gilded cage, isn't it? They'll also find that any powers they regain cease to work outside of the castle walls (this is also a temporary effect) so flying outside is not an option.

Can my character eventually side against Thorne if I choose to make them an honored guest/can they side with Thorne if I choose to imprison them?
Yes, characters in Scenario 1 will be able to betray Thorne, and characters in Scenario 2 can work themselves into Thorne's good graces.

How much will my choice of scenario affect my character's plot later on?
This choice will have a major impact on gameplay throughout the first few months of the game, and potentially a bit beyond that depending on where our players guide the plot. This decision - and every other major decision you make in game! - will also be used to flavor some mod surprises that will be coming down the line.

Don't get too anxious about this choice, though; this is just one choice you'll get to make in a game that has a lot of them, and every character in both scenarios can work their way towards many, many individual goals and outcomes. You're not locking yourself out of anything in the future via the choice you made on the TDM. It will primarily impact the immediate future with the far-reaching effects being up to each player.

Are TDM threads mandatory for my application?
No, you may use other samples, but we encourage you to post to the TDM and get a feel for this game and its mechanics before you join. If you do not have a TDM thread you will still need to choose one of the two scenarios on your application.

What if I haven't settled on a sign yet?
You can ignore sign-related prompts if you're undecided (or try out different signs in different threads).

Can a put a character on the TDM if their canon is less than 30 days old?
Yes. For this app round, anything that's at least 30 days old when the game opens on June 12th can be applied from.

Do the apprentice mages have names?
Their names are Jeffrey, Grigory, Noelle, and Jolene.

---

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Comments

Phoenix Wright | Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney | The Lovers

[iobject]

Welcome of an Honored Guest

Phoenix is just so very, very confused. But he specializes in bluffing through confusion.

So he maintains some level of calm as the apprentices dress him in a silk tunic, cracking a joke about being pulled from the void as naked as the day he was born and asking them light questions about where he is and what's happening. He has to get as much information as he can, after all.

And when the apprentices finally take him to his room to freshen up, he thanks them for their help, and waits for them to leave before turning to face any new roommates he has.

"Well," he says. "Were you pulled out of a fountain too?"

Study Hall

Phoenix explores the castle with the casual air of someone who has a good poker face and a high tolerance for nonsense. Of course he pokes his head into the study hall when he hears there's magic going on. At first he thinks it's just the tricks that Trucy specializes in, but a novice takes great offense when he makes implications to that effect and insists on teaching him a trick. Phoenix sits down, a slight indulgent smile at the corner of his mouth as he follows the novice's instructions; of course the novice insists on teaching him a simple fire spell as soon as he says his name.

Phoenix's smile falters when he tries to follow instructions... and then he's actually holding a ball of fire. His whole body tenses, his eyes wide, his hand far away from him as fire flickers in his hand.

"Oh, I guess this isn't a trick after all," he says, trying to maintain composure but his voice wavering a little with his shock. "...My daughter would love this."

Dungeon

He's a defense attorney. He can't not go to the dungeon and talk to the supposed 'threats to the world'. So he comes down as soon as he learns that the dungeons even exist, bearing a basket of food. The guards give him dirty looks, but he pretends he doesn't notice as he comes to a cell, smiling as he puts the basket down.

"Hey there. I know we don't know each other, but I'd like to help. Do you want some food?"

welcome

[dadlands]

Sunny doesn't intend to speak so quickly into the new person's arrival-- he knows nothing about him, wants to at least observe before he gives anything away-- but the question sent his way dashes any dreams he might've had of taking his time. The look he gives the man is mistrusting, that being said, but Sunny can't help it. It's a big leap from "the realm between life and death" to wherever this is.

He takes a few moments of silence, enough for it to be awkward (though he doesn't seem to notice any awkwardness at all, either).

Finally, however, Sunny offers a, "Yeah." Then he looks away again, busying himself with taking out all the objects in the room's compartments out and laying them on his bed. "But I went into a lake, not a fountain.

"'Great peril'..." Sunny looks at a comb, running the end of his index finger along its points. "Did they use that on you, too?"

[iobject]

Phoenix maintains a mild smile during the awkward silence. He has dealt with much, much weirder people than 'guy who takes too long to talk', and he can't really fault a guy for being wary of random conversation after popping out of a fountain.

"That the world was in great peril and tales of my exploits reached them? Yeah." Phoenix wanders the space. It seems aimless at first glance, but really, he's just carefully taking everything in the room in. "Not sure exactly what exploits they're talking about. I'm a lawyer. I don't exactly do a lot of... world-saving."

Saving individuals? Yes, he does that. And he's very proud of his work. But he wouldn't immediately think of himself as really good 'save the world' fodder.

[dadlands]

"'Lawyer'," Sunny echoes, testing the word on his tongue. It means nothing to him, but he's never heard it used in actual conversation before. "...I've only heard about people like you in books."

Which is to say whether the man can save the world or not is beyond him. All the knowledge he has of lawyers comes from faded images on browned pages of children's alphabet books. L is for Lawyer, and all that.

Nevertheless, he decides not to beat around the bush. The lawyer doesn't think he can help, so-- "What do you think 'saving the world' means?"

[iobject]

"In books?" Phoenix rubs his chin at that, his brow creasing. "I can't tell if that's a really good sign or a really bad one."

Hopefully, that just means that this man has never gotten wrapped up in the judicial system or dragged into litigation. Hopefully.

Phoenix gives a small shrug at the question. "I'm not sure. They didn't give a lot of information on that. I guess my first thought would be what you read in story books, like slaying a dragon or something." He lets out a laugh, and it softens the lines of his face. "But I guess that's silly."

[dadlands]

"If the problem was a dragon," Sunny muses, "I don't think they would need an army."

Which is what they are, aren't they? Though Sunny hasn't spoken to anyone since arriving besides his apparent roommate, he's seen enough people in the same tunics and trousers as him in the few hours he's been here. The sigils are different, the symbols beyond his understanding (he only knows that his own means "Strength", whatever that is), but he knows what uniforms represent, and uniformed people brought together in a time of great peril reeks of power struggle.

By now, he's emptied everything on his side of the room and positioned them on his bed: a few more tunics, simple grooming items, blankets, bedsheets, the whole basic amenity package. Sunny furrows his brows at them.

"I think they want us in a war." His gaze lifts again, observing the other man openly. Sunny doesn't care much for the specifics of awkwardness in staring. "...and if that's true, you don't have to be able to slay a dragon to save the world."

[iobject]

The smile fades from Phoenix's face. He casts a concerned look towards the door. "...Yeah, I suppose you're right. This doesn't look like the number of people you'd need for some heroic dragon-slaying quest."

An army. Phoenix isn't so sure he likes the sound of being drafted into some otherworldly army.

"In my limited experience, wars aren't usually to save worlds. They say they are, but it never seems to be true." He's been lucky. His country has remained in relative peace during his lifetime, and he's only had to deal with domestic troubles like murder and corrupt legal systems. That said, a man used to fighting with words doesn't like battlefields. "Have you ever fought in one?"

Dun-dun-dun...geon.

[stealsthetruth]

You know... After all the practice she's had picking locks, and perfecting her rope escape tricks, and generally just daydreaming about scenarios precisely like this? Kay really thought that breaking out of a lousy prison cell would be a snap. After all, what kind of self-respecting Great Thief can't even pull of a basic jail break? Kind of makes the whole situation embarrassing, actually.

(Yep. Definitely just embarrassing, and not upsetting or disheartening or distressing in any way at all! No sir. She's 100% fine.)

Anyway. To top that all off, she's bored. So bored that her attention is already on the cell door before Phoenix even walks into view, picking up on the sound of footsteps. Her curiosity is further piqued at once since he's 1) a new face, and 2) he's not one of those grouchy mean guards.

She hops off her bunk, cocking her head slightly. Despite her general curiosity about the situation and absolutely desperate need to break up the monotony of being stuck in this cell, she's still understandably wary.

She frowns uncertainly. "That depends. Who are you, exactly?" And what kind of grub are you offering anyway?

IT'S KAAAAAAY

[iobject]

God, he really doesn't like seeing a teenage girl locked up in prison. Not only has he had to defend more than one, but ever since taking in Trucy and fulfilling a part-time guardian role for Pearl, he can't help but feel it especially keenly. Like some mostly-dormant dad instinct has been kicked into gear, forcing him to fret over the safety of any minors in the vicinity, and now it will never turn off.

But he doesn't try to clue her into that. If he's learned nothing else, it's that teenagers and young adults hate when strangers try to parent them. So instead, he just smiles, laughing softly.

"Smart. I'm Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney. Not so sure about what kind of legal system they have around here, but I've made a profession out of getting people free from cells." He holds out the basket. It's full mostly of meat pasties--the kind of food that's delicious and indulgent and buttery, but packed with enough protein to fill up underfed stomachs. Are they feeding her enough in here? Surely she's still growing. "And you are?"

SHE'S HERE! ...TO CAUSE PROBLEMS ON PURPOSE??

[stealsthetruth]

The words "defense attorney" spark a clear reaction. Kay's eyes go wide, and she jolts slightly, shackles clanking with an obnoxious noise that is disproportionately loud in comparison to the motion.

"You're a defense attorney?!" she repeats, in equal parts surprised and in disbelief at her own good luck. "A-ah... Right, I'm Kay! Kay Faraday! Mister Wright, right?" And now she hurries closer to the door. "M-maybe you help me get out of here! I don't know how I even got here in the first place, but these jerks locked me up for no reason!"

And now that they're talking, a wave of relief washes over her, catching her vaguely off guard... Unaware as she was until this moment that, oh, right, she's actually been boxing away the worst of her distressed emotions about all this?? Whoops.

All of Phoenix's best friends cause problems it's cool

[iobject]

He is simultaneously amused and a little heartbroken by how excited she is. God, how miserable must she be in a small little room like that with heavy shackles? Lonely and confused and far from home.

But a good attorney keeps a smile on, so that's what he does. "Kay. It's nice to meet you, Kay."

And now that she's suddenly opened up, he sees more similarities between her and Trucy. Even in a cell, she seems to have bombastic energy. he thinks they might have been friends, if circumstances had allowed them to meet.

He puts down the basket, pushing it close to her. It might be easier for her to eat if she doesn't have to take food directly from him. "Yeah, I heard that a lot of people are down here for reasons no one has really told me about. Things don't work here like they do where I come from, but I'm going to do my best to help you, okay? Just tell me everything you know about how and why you got here."

He can't promise to have her released, not when it looks like there's not any recognizable legal system here, but he can promise to do everything in his power to do it. And maybe that'll involve stealing a key from someone if all else fails, but he'd really like to avoid that if possible.

LDFMKDSL true. True.

[stealsthetruth]

Phoenix has shown her more genuine kindness in just these few short minutes than literally everyone else she's encountered since she got here, combined. It's enough to make her a bit misty eyed? Although she blinks those tears back before they can show for very long.

All that, plus they've gotten introductions out of the way now... In Kay's book, that's more than enough to launch Phoenix completely out of the stranger category and immediately into the 'trusted confidante' column. She makes a contemplative noise, finally crouching and reaching for a pastie to munch on while they talk.

"Let's see... It's not a very long story. Umm... I woke up surrounded by this awful dark water... Then a bunch of weirdos in robes pulled me out of the water and into this even weirder temple looking place. And there was this guy there, he had fancier looking robes than all the rest. I think maybe he was their leader? A-anyway, he was flipping through this book of his for a little while, while I just stood there, when out of nowhere he suddenly shouted something like, 'another failure"! And then they all called me a bunch of rude names and threw me down here!"

Scowling by this point, she takes an aggressive bite out of the pastie, wracking her brains for any other details she might share while she pauses to chew. The food, she notes for the record, is really good.

"Ummm. I think that's it! That's all the information I have. I've been stuck down here ever since!"

[iobject]

He does spot those tears for the moment they're visible, and God, is his heart breaking for this kid. He has to smother the instinct to take her hand and pat her cheek with a quick internal reminder that this girl just met him and he's not her dad.

"Hmmm." He rubs his chin as he thinks about her story, his brow furrowing in thought. "That... sounds basically like how I and everyone upstairs got here too, but they insisted we were honored guests instead. They said 'tales of our exploits' have made it back here, but no one's actually been able to tell me what those tales or exploits are supposed to be."

Because honestly, he's not so sure what in his life he's done would impress a bunch of mages.

"My theory for now is that the 'honored guests' are people they brought here on purpose for one reason or another, and the people they're imprisoning are people they brought over by accident." It's just a theory, but it's all Phoenix has to go on right now. He crosses his arms in front of him, cocking his head to the side. "It doesn't exactly explain the vitriol, though. You'd think if they didn't want to bother with people they got accidentally, they'd just let you go outside and make your own way."

dungeon

[coerthantorment]

Estinien is doing one-handed push-ups in his jail cell when Phoenix arrives, as one does. He slows as this new arrival speaks, eying the basket he's carrying. Much bolder than the other visitors he's seen. He remains quiet for a moment longer, regarding Phoenix skeptically, before pushing himself back onto his knees and dusting off his hands.

"You'll do yourself no favours, consorting with heretics," he warns. "...But you've come this far, so there's little purpose in denying you."

He will take your food, even if this is probably a stupid idea.

[iobject]

Phoenix gives a shrug and a chuckle. It's a soft laugh, but there's a rough edge to it.

"If they can kidnap me from my home and family, then they can put up with me feeding people."

His smile stays solid as he holds the basket. It's full of meat pasties--buttery and rich, and full of protein and fat. The kind of stuff that fills a stomach and keeps people moving.

"What's your name?"

[coerthantorment]

As much as he doesn't want to see anyone martyr themselves, Estinien is enthusiastic about the chance to claim any additional calories he can while not at the expense of other prisoners. He's been trying to stay fit by continuing his training, but there's a limit to how much he can do when he's also battling hunger.

He takes one of the pasties and then sits back again, scarfing it down before any of the guards can question it. He appreciates Phoenix's sentiment, at least. It'd how Estinien imagines he would feel if he were on the other side.

"Estinien Wyrmblood," he says, which is probably not that surprising given he is clearly some kind of elf. Though he's on his knees, he seems unnaturally tall to match.

[iobject]

The funny part is, Phoenix still isn't so sure this guy isn't human. He's met so many people with weird implants and names, he can't be sure that this guy is actually an elf or just a hipster who's into body mods.

"I'm Phoenix Wright." He smiles as Estinien eats. "Did you come out of a fountain too?"

[coerthantorment]

Estinien nods.

"That much we all seem to have in common," he says. "What difference has decided our station, however... that's yet a mystery. I'd wager it lies within that book of his."

He glances down the hall for the sight of the guards. For the moment they are out of sight.

"...Though I imagine taking it from him would be no easy task."

Study hall

[sleightadvantage]

The moment she'd caught sight of those familiar spikes of hair from across the room, Trucy's face had lit up. Without so much as a 'sorry' to the poor woman in the midst of teaching her, she'd dashed away, tunic flowing behind her, and came to rest behind her dad, where she stands now, a flame lighting each of her own palms.

"Your daughter does love this!" she proclaims excitedly, waiting for him to turn around.

[iobject]

Phoenix jumps with a yelp, quenching the fire in his fist as he turns to see who's talking, and his face breaks into the biggest and most genuine smile he's had since falling out of that fountain.

"Trucy! There's my baby girl!" He wraps his arms around her catching her in a bear hug. In a moment he'll contemplate whether or not he really should be happy that she's here, whether it's better to be in a strange world with him or left by another father figure in a world that's familiar and predictable, but right now he's just overjoyed to see her. "I didn't know you came here too!"

[sleightadvantage]

"Yep!" If by 'came here' he means 'pulled out of a weird fountain by creepy robed figures', anyway. The flames disappear from her hands, and she returns his hug in full force.

Learning magic like this was great--beyond her wildest dreams great, in fact--but being here alone, with no familiar faces and only vague answers to her questions--well, that kind of put a damper on things. Her grip tightened around him, and she buried her face against his tunic. "I'm really happy to see you."

[iobject]

Phoenix buries his face in her hair, kissing her head. "I'm happy to see you too, Truce."

That's his baby girl, still smiling and making the best of a situation that's as weird and scary as this. She's so strong that he's sure she would have been okay by herself, but he's so happy she's there with him and he with her. She's the strongest person he's ever met, but he thinks she's had to be strong enough for a girl her age.

He pulls away enough to see her face, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes as he brushes her hair behind her ear. His heart is full seeing her big blue eyes staring up at him. "I bet you're having fun with all this magic. Are you ready to take your act to the next level?"

[sleightadvantage]

She pulls away, too, grinning up at him. "Absolutely! I've already thought of five ways I can use these fireballs in a show, and only three of them are actually dangerous! I just wish I had my props..." Not that she hasn't already taken stock of various items in that castle she can use, and perhaps already has one or two small things from the dining hall up her sleeves...

(Making the best of a less than ideal situation: the Trucy Wright way.)

"What about you? Now you can really heat things up in the courtroom!"

dungeon eyyyy lover buddies

[touchtonedetective]

"Actually, they feed us pretty well down here. Food's real delicious for a dungeon! Way better than the gruel of vague origin I was expecting at first," Masumi says, leaning against the wall and doodling in the air with her finger... although if he looks closely, it almost looks like she's trying to imitate the magic Ambrose uses. Huh. "Honestly, I'd really like something else, but I'm pretty sure the guards would freak out if they found it down here with me so it's probably not worth your trouble, haha."

High school girl or not, Masumi had put up a hell of a fight on her way to the cells. She doubted that any of the guards would take kindly to seeing something that even vaguely resembled a weapon in her cell.

Dungeon

[silentsavant]

The long-haired youth with sharp red eyes and a scar on his brow studies the man with slicked-back hair who turned up with good intentions he has trouble comprehending. After a pause spent judging him and the basket he carries, he challenges him and his offering of food with eye contact given from a lowered head. His voice is soft and quiet.

"Surely you've noticed by now that the guards aren't taking your kindness very well. Why put yourself at risk providing meager handouts to a complete stranger?"