Machi Tobaye (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
machitobaye) wrote2015-05-16 05:14 pm
machitobaye) wrote2015-05-16 05:14 pm
Entry tags:
[OOC] Application for Ryslig
OOC INFORMATION
Name: Raile
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
railehatesfun and Railerat on AIM
Other Characters: None
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Machi Tobaye
Age: 14
Canon: Apollo Justice (Ace Attorney)
Canon Point: Post-canon
Character Information: Wiki ||Case descriptions (The case is GS4 case 3, aka Turnabout Serenade.)
Personality: The 'other half' of Lamiroir--Lamiroir says at one point in the game that she and Machi together are 'Lamiroir,' and in a way this is quite true. Prior to the murder and trial, the two were never separated and had almost a symbiotic relationship--they were always seen together, hand in hand, 'The Siren of the Ballad' and 'the Pixie of the Arpeggio.' He is very devoted to her and still remains so, whether she realises it still or not. On his own, Machi is generally a very smart, gentle boy, but does not do well around people he does not know. In fact, with the exception of Lamiroir (and possibly Daryan), his attitude towards others could best be described as either "indifferent" or "uneasy," depending--at worst, he's actively uncomfortable, visibly nervous and sometimes easily startled; Machi is shy around strangers and hard to get to know because of it. The very first time Apollo meets him, he speaks to Lamiroir in Borginian and excuses himself--she expresses surprise and concern because he would be alone, then explains that Machi "is not good around strangers," and wishes to go out for a breath of fresh air. This sets the tone for all interactions with him to follow--including (or perhaps especially) those in which he is Apollo's client.
Lacking Lamiroir's guidance certainly doesn't help. Despite being fourteen, Machi looks (and in many ways, is) much younger. An exceptionally tiny boy, he's about 4'6" in show heelsthe heels are canon and weighs at most 80 lbs. His small stature and delayed puberty make him look more like ten than fourteen. But he's somewhat arrested emotionally as well--he was very reliant on Lamiroir in an emotional sense, he still tends to experience his feelings in a childish way: one at a time, instead of the more complex mixed or conflicting emotions that come with maturity. This is especially notable because it stands in such sharp contrast to how jaded his perspective can really be. In many ways, Machi remains a child, but in others, Machi is very much an adult. He's a sharp boy, and though his emotional outlook can be a little simple, he is very, very aware of resource scarcity: money, food... time. Everything is paid for in some way, and no one is more aware of this than Machi Tobaye.
Coming from a world where a lot of people are either fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, Machi is a little bit of both--possibly fifty percent on each side, possibly a little more of one than the other. Either way, he's in significantly more conflict than most and struggles with his actions a lot. Machi sees himself as bad, but refuses to identify himself as such, trying very hard to be the good person Lamiroir wants him to be. He tells lies (a lot) and manipulates others, but is also completely and unnecessarily honest, alternating erratically between the two and creating a very hypocritical (and possibly dangerous) persona in the wake of his conviction. It's not clear whether in his heart Machi is fundamentally bad or good, but it's obvious that whichever of the two manifests depends as much on the people around him as the events he strings together from it... and that there will always be that other part of him as well, just not always demonstrated. For Machi, it's not so much a question of moralities as it is a question of loyalties. He wants to do the right thing. He just doesn't know what the right thing is yet.
Lamiroir alludes to his 'darkness' at the end of case 4-3. Lying and smuggling may only be symptoms of a larger problem. Earlier in the trial, Lamiroir mentions that the darkness she fears isn't the darkness of her vision, but that "the real darkness... lies in my heart. I do not know my past. Perhaps I committed some terrible crime." She continues, "I can think of no other explanation. Why else would an agent of Interpol approach me?" Sadly, the darkness she feared was not in her, but in Machi. He is not as innocent as he seems. The theme of darkness, literal and otherwise, continues through the trial--referenced again and again by Lamiroir, Apollo, and even Valant Gramarye. But it is only at the end that Machi is identified as its bearer. Apollo, upset at having found Machi guilty of a crime (if not the crime of murder), attempts to apologise to Lamiroir, because "Machi was [your] partner on stage! Your friend!" Lamiroir's response is preceded by silence before she finally speaks. "Yes. I thought of him as my own son. Even now, I do. Yet... something got ahold of him. Something evil. I see that. And he must pay for what he has done. Is that not how it should be?" And indeed, it appears to be. Even at the end of the game, when the player's (Apollo and/or Phoenix's) defendants throughout that particular game are revisited--as are a few other characters of note, some good (like Adrian Andrews) and others (like Morgan Fey) less so.) Machi, however, is conspicuously absent; we neither see nor hear any trace of this particular character again after his trial, not even when it is revealed that Trucy and Apollo are Lamiroir's biological children. Now given the courage to pursue surgery for her sight and revealed to be Thalasssa Gramarye, she says "For so long, I thought I was alone... but now I know I have children. Two dear children."
Where is Machi?
What is Machi, even? What is he to Lamiroir? What is he to anyone?
Cute and shy as he is, he's very troubled, and this translates directly into his actions--he can be a little unpredictable, and even though Machi always knows what he's doing, he almost never makes this information available to others without repeated pressing. At his darkest, Machi can be downright mean, even cruel, and while Machi as a whole tends (and tries) to be forgiving, he's fairly petty and somewhat spiteful besides.
The same arrested development that endows him with childlike good will also leaves him hypersensitive to the actions of others... for both good and ill. And gentle though he is, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Machi's great love is the piano. He directs himself towards music deliberately and often ignores other people in favour of the piano, preferring the company of music to the company of other human beings. Machi himself is very withdrawn and stoic (read: unresponsive to or afraid of dealing with people); however, his playing is far more expressive and emotional, and carries a lot of feeling that he himself could never express. In fact, it could be theorised (possibly incorrectly, possibly not) that he expresses himself through his music rather than through verbal or visual communication--i.e. normal communicative means. Regardless, he's definitely a prodigy.
Ironically, Machi has a problem with facing his problems--he avoids them, runs away, or pretends not to know they're there instead of taking on even simple dilemmas out of fear of doing the wrong thing. He doesn't like confrontation, and violence is something he seeks to avoid. This probably has something to do with the above, as well as his very limited and unusual life experiences, which leave him ill-equipped to deal with certain 'normal' human choices or interactions, let alone unusual and more drastic or complicated situations. His inherent kindness is as much a strength as a weakness here, since it may be taken advantage of--on the flip side of this, his paranoia and self-doubt can prevent him from seeking help when he actually needs it, or making friendships when they are available.
And in part because of the extreme stress and pressure he feels in these situations, he can make the very wrong decision. (See: the entirety of Turnabout Serenade.)
He does become braver and more normal-acting when you get to know him (or rather, he gets to know you and becomes comfortable around you--it helps when he knows what to expect, which takes a while), but his (mis)understandings of things still hold him back, as does his inability to trust other people--or even himself. This, coupled with his perpetual stoicism and sometimes irrationally rigid adherence to rules that may or may not have a bearing on the situation, means that he is sometimes impenetrable--very often right when he needs to be understood the most.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
Sensitive
Deceptive/Dishonest
Avoidant
Conflicted
Careful
Stubborn
Anxious
Lonely
Secretive
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, or EITHER? FITS
Opt-Outs: Werewolf, Nymph, Demon, Faerie, Vampire
Roleplay Sample: Test drive
Name: Raile
Contact:
Other Characters: None
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Machi Tobaye
Age: 14
Canon: Apollo Justice (Ace Attorney)
Canon Point: Post-canon
Character Information: Wiki ||Case descriptions (The case is GS4 case 3, aka Turnabout Serenade.)
Personality: The 'other half' of Lamiroir--Lamiroir says at one point in the game that she and Machi together are 'Lamiroir,' and in a way this is quite true. Prior to the murder and trial, the two were never separated and had almost a symbiotic relationship--they were always seen together, hand in hand, 'The Siren of the Ballad' and 'the Pixie of the Arpeggio.' He is very devoted to her and still remains so, whether she realises it still or not. On his own, Machi is generally a very smart, gentle boy, but does not do well around people he does not know. In fact, with the exception of Lamiroir (and possibly Daryan), his attitude towards others could best be described as either "indifferent" or "uneasy," depending--at worst, he's actively uncomfortable, visibly nervous and sometimes easily startled; Machi is shy around strangers and hard to get to know because of it. The very first time Apollo meets him, he speaks to Lamiroir in Borginian and excuses himself--she expresses surprise and concern because he would be alone, then explains that Machi "is not good around strangers," and wishes to go out for a breath of fresh air. This sets the tone for all interactions with him to follow--including (or perhaps especially) those in which he is Apollo's client.
Lacking Lamiroir's guidance certainly doesn't help. Despite being fourteen, Machi looks (and in many ways, is) much younger. An exceptionally tiny boy, he's about 4'6" in show heels
Coming from a world where a lot of people are either fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, Machi is a little bit of both--possibly fifty percent on each side, possibly a little more of one than the other. Either way, he's in significantly more conflict than most and struggles with his actions a lot. Machi sees himself as bad, but refuses to identify himself as such, trying very hard to be the good person Lamiroir wants him to be. He tells lies (a lot) and manipulates others, but is also completely and unnecessarily honest, alternating erratically between the two and creating a very hypocritical (and possibly dangerous) persona in the wake of his conviction. It's not clear whether in his heart Machi is fundamentally bad or good, but it's obvious that whichever of the two manifests depends as much on the people around him as the events he strings together from it... and that there will always be that other part of him as well, just not always demonstrated. For Machi, it's not so much a question of moralities as it is a question of loyalties. He wants to do the right thing. He just doesn't know what the right thing is yet.
Lamiroir alludes to his 'darkness' at the end of case 4-3. Lying and smuggling may only be symptoms of a larger problem. Earlier in the trial, Lamiroir mentions that the darkness she fears isn't the darkness of her vision, but that "the real darkness... lies in my heart. I do not know my past. Perhaps I committed some terrible crime." She continues, "I can think of no other explanation. Why else would an agent of Interpol approach me?" Sadly, the darkness she feared was not in her, but in Machi. He is not as innocent as he seems. The theme of darkness, literal and otherwise, continues through the trial--referenced again and again by Lamiroir, Apollo, and even Valant Gramarye. But it is only at the end that Machi is identified as its bearer. Apollo, upset at having found Machi guilty of a crime (if not the crime of murder), attempts to apologise to Lamiroir, because "Machi was [your] partner on stage! Your friend!" Lamiroir's response is preceded by silence before she finally speaks. "Yes. I thought of him as my own son. Even now, I do. Yet... something got ahold of him. Something evil. I see that. And he must pay for what he has done. Is that not how it should be?" And indeed, it appears to be. Even at the end of the game, when the player's (Apollo and/or Phoenix's) defendants throughout that particular game are revisited--as are a few other characters of note, some good (like Adrian Andrews) and others (like Morgan Fey) less so.) Machi, however, is conspicuously absent; we neither see nor hear any trace of this particular character again after his trial, not even when it is revealed that Trucy and Apollo are Lamiroir's biological children. Now given the courage to pursue surgery for her sight and revealed to be Thalasssa Gramarye, she says "For so long, I thought I was alone... but now I know I have children. Two dear children."
Where is Machi?
What is Machi, even? What is he to Lamiroir? What is he to anyone?
Cute and shy as he is, he's very troubled, and this translates directly into his actions--he can be a little unpredictable, and even though Machi always knows what he's doing, he almost never makes this information available to others without repeated pressing. At his darkest, Machi can be downright mean, even cruel, and while Machi as a whole tends (and tries) to be forgiving, he's fairly petty and somewhat spiteful besides.
The same arrested development that endows him with childlike good will also leaves him hypersensitive to the actions of others... for both good and ill. And gentle though he is, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Machi's great love is the piano. He directs himself towards music deliberately and often ignores other people in favour of the piano, preferring the company of music to the company of other human beings. Machi himself is very withdrawn and stoic (read: unresponsive to or afraid of dealing with people); however, his playing is far more expressive and emotional, and carries a lot of feeling that he himself could never express. In fact, it could be theorised (possibly incorrectly, possibly not) that he expresses himself through his music rather than through verbal or visual communication--i.e. normal communicative means. Regardless, he's definitely a prodigy.
Ironically, Machi has a problem with facing his problems--he avoids them, runs away, or pretends not to know they're there instead of taking on even simple dilemmas out of fear of doing the wrong thing. He doesn't like confrontation, and violence is something he seeks to avoid. This probably has something to do with the above, as well as his very limited and unusual life experiences, which leave him ill-equipped to deal with certain 'normal' human choices or interactions, let alone unusual and more drastic or complicated situations. His inherent kindness is as much a strength as a weakness here, since it may be taken advantage of--on the flip side of this, his paranoia and self-doubt can prevent him from seeking help when he actually needs it, or making friendships when they are available.
And in part because of the extreme stress and pressure he feels in these situations, he can make the very wrong decision. (See: the entirety of Turnabout Serenade.)
He does become braver and more normal-acting when you get to know him (or rather, he gets to know you and becomes comfortable around you--it helps when he knows what to expect, which takes a while), but his (mis)understandings of things still hold him back, as does his inability to trust other people--or even himself. This, coupled with his perpetual stoicism and sometimes irrationally rigid adherence to rules that may or may not have a bearing on the situation, means that he is sometimes impenetrable--very often right when he needs to be understood the most.
5-10 Key Character Traits:
Sensitive
Deceptive/Dishonest
Avoidant
Conflicted
Careful
Stubborn
Anxious
Lonely
Secretive
Would you prefer a monster that FITS your character’s personality, CONFLICTS with it, or EITHER? FITS
Opt-Outs: Werewolf, Nymph, Demon, Faerie, Vampire
Roleplay Sample: Test drive