HALLOWEEN SPOOK-TACULAR 2022 (NIKOLA, JAHEIRA, COMPLETE)

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It had been a while since Nikola's latest adventure, and this had involved him going to aid the Viking part of the invasion force that the Ironheart Pact faction which he and his family were secretly affiliated with in their assault on their Luminous Covenant enemies. Thanks to his strategic expertise and the relentless nigh feral ferocity of his Viking allies, he was able to come out of said skirmish in a relatively unscathed way. Since then, during the period of respite that followed, Nikola had once again gotten back to attending to his duties towards his family and the associated business group as well as the associated multinational business conglomerate. These included things like attending business meetings, meeting other high society families, along with getting acquainted with their heir(s) and heiresses, overseeing as well as signing off on the developmental processes for new product lines, and so on.

Additionally, he had also gotten back to his usual ongoing and ever-burgeoning mad science research efforts during this time as well and in these endeavors and in the handling of his daily life routine, he was assisted as always by his trusted and exclusively personal, 6-unit strong, maid squad made up of monstergirls of all sorts, this squad also being his personal bodyguards in any combat situations too. So, in this manner, time marched on for him till present wherein he was relaxing in the company of said maid squad, with all of them currently lounging in recreation room section of his mansion in Crocus, the capital of Fiore which was his home base of operations. In this situation, Nikola and his maids had decided to start expanding their recreational horizons aka enjoying themselves via participating together in a slew of miscellaneous activities such as playing pool, vintage wine tasting, reading classical novels of various genres and so on in addition to simply watching the newest movie to be released in said room.

However, this peaceful setup of Nikola's and consequently his pleasure-filled mood was abruptly interrupted by the distinctive notification tone from his newly acquired “iLac” that he had set for any incoming job request notification and more recently, also for any other equally important notifications, that tone being the “Voices of War”, which was the exclusive and special DLC soundtrack given only to frequent players of one of his now most favorite iLac mobile game apps, namely “Oda Nobuna’s Ambition”, as noted by his head personal maid, “Jeanne”

"Master Eisenstein, it would seem that our merrymaking is to be put on hold for a while...for it would seem you have your next job in your magus work...though, it would be more apropos to call this a relaxing outing instead of an actual task..."

To that, Nikola nodded and remarked, albeit a tad reluctantly since attending these festivities would take him away from the pleasurable company of his maids for some time

"Indeed...Halloween season is upon us for this year, and I suppose I should avail myself of this opportunity while it is still present within my reach..."

However, regardless of how much he did not want to leave his beloved maid squad behind, he had no choice but to galvanize himself for leaving the pleasurable company being offered to him by his maids to attend to this, since even a workaholic like him still comprehended very well the importance of downtime, if only once in a blue moon. To that end, he addressed each of the members of his monstergirl maid squad in turn gently, as was his usual routine

"Ladies…though it pains me to leave your rather pleasurable company for attending to a triviality such as this…I am afraid it must be done, for in the eternal pursuit of my research, it is imperative that I have some variety to my leisure, so as to not dull the effect of said downtime...and so, I shall be attending this year's Halloween festival in our fair city of Crocus, albeit alone this time since you all have a lot of work to handle here at the estate in the meantime."

With that, Nikola gently disengaged himself from the company of his maids and after readying himself for whatever the festival had to offer and with the appropriate seasonal attire, this time his choice being himself as a mad scientist, he headed off to the event locale mentioned in the notification on his iLac. Little did he know that once there, he would be in the company of a rather intriguing character who would affect him profoundly afterwards.

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OOC:

Nikola's Appearance:



Word Count:

• Post Word Count: 756
  
  
• Total Personal WC: 756 of 2000
  

Crocus was one of her favourite haunts, a place where she could sidle up to a mark, have her hand in their pocket and be gone in a flash, thanks to the always bustling crowds. It was all so easy and she doubted that today would be any different. Festivals always tended to lower people’s guard and that was absolutely perfect for the shapeshifting woman. She’d already had a great deal of success while visiting the various stalls, with her jewel balance having already multiplied numerous times due to the amount of easy targets. It was all going rather well and Jaheira was thoroughly enjoying herself. The Slayer had a few drinks, made some cash and toyed around with a few guys and girls who’d caught her eye. What more could she honestly want from a trip to the Capital?

Using her human form rather than her natural one, the black haired woman had dressed for the occasion, a witch outfit covering her body. It was a tad revealing and had managed to capture the eyes of a few wandering folk but that was simply a part of the game that she was playing. The results were amusing and more than once had she heard the sound of flesh against flesh as a jealous girlfriend struck their partner. Her Slayer senses were on full alert at all times, able to tune out the unimportant sounds and focus on those that mattered. Unlike those around her, her shields were fully up and the slightest hint of danger would have her simply disappearing into the shadows, a useful ability that had aided her many times in her long life. She doubted that she’d run into such a threat here but there was always that chance. Arrogance was a sure fire way of getting caught, a lesson she’d learned long ago.

As she walked through the busy festival, her crimson eyed gaze would fall upon a beautiful young woman, seemingly drunk and shouting about how wealthy and important she was. It was a rather bizarre scene and the brown haired male accompanying was practically pulling his hair out, trying to calm down the raging girl. A smile crossed the features of the thief and her form silently vanished, allowing her to travel without having to worry about colliding with anyone. There was a crowd surrounding the pair, the perfect distraction for her and without wasting a moment, the hands of the thief would start to pluck the wallets and purses out of the pockets of everyone she could get close to, placing them into the witches cauldron accessory that she was carrying just for that job.

When she was satisfied, she’d quickly get the heck out of there before anyone realised what was going on, moving to a different part of the festival area, where she could uncloak in peace. It had again gone without a hitch and as she glanced briefly at her accessory, the amount of jewels and credit cards made her smile. It was the most successful hit of the day so far and probably enough to call it a day. She reappeared beside a stall that seemed made just for her, with a woman wearing an outfit that was very similar to her own.

The event runner turned her gaze towards Jaheira, a smile on her face, seemingly unsurprised by the woman’s sudden appearance and the reason why soon became clear. “So, how’s business?”

With a smirk of her own, Jaheira briefly rattled her cauldron. “I’ve been somewhat successful. How about you? How’s your potion?”

“Weird. It seems to affect everyone differently which I just don’t get.” The woman answered with a shrug. “Must be more magical than I thought.”

The two shared a laugh at that point, both of them waiting for someone else to try the potion.

(640 Words)
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Nikola made his way to the even registry booth and then set about signing himself up as one of the participants for this year's Halloween festival in Crocus. The clerk at the booth looked at him in a semi-confused way, obviously trying to silently figure out what Nikola was supposed to be dressed as without actually asking

"If you are wondering what my costume is supposed to be, I am dressed up as a mad scientist this year."

Nikola said to the clerk with his usual smug, knowing smirk playing as it usually did on his thin lips and said smirk grew wider still when he saw the clerk react in a visibly surprised manner and the few words she let slip in that state confirmed it

"How did...you...?"

To that Nikola remarked with his usual deep, rumbling chuckle issuing forth in the accompaniment of a bemused expression on his face now

"Anyone could have figured it out seeing as how it was written all over your face, as the saying goes, miss. Now then, please sign me up for these three events, if you would."

Upon hearing those words from him, the clerk snapped out of her surprised stupor and then quickly signed him up for the three events he had requested, again in a rather obvious ploy, only this time being for covering up her perceived ineptitude. Once that was done, Nikola took the festival pamphlet with all the information about the goings on and fixtures said locale had to offer him in the way of entertainment tonight, and after pocketing it, he headed off to the Witch's Brew stall which was the first of the events he had signed up for since it had a surefire acquisition of the skull token at the end, regardless of the outcome of the activity itself.

Well now, that was a rather amusing start to tonight's fun...I wonder what will happen next as I go forth?

Nikola mused silently thus as he strolled up to the booth for this event and after going through the explanation given by the stall vendor, this one being dressed up as a witch, he took up one of the plastic bottles from the stock she had on hand and poured himself a full-size portion of the Halloween-themed punch. Then, he wasted no time in taking a extra-long draught which allowed him to finish draining his bottle in a single breath, after which point, he waited for the effects to kick in if there were any. The next few minutes passed without incident, but then without any warning or preamble, Nikola felt himself undergoing a feral transformation, one which totally changed his appearance to that of an albino kitsune of the male variety, complete with a rather fine set of ultra-fluffy ears and a tail to match.

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OOC:

Nikola's Altered Appearance:



Note: All credit for this fanart image depicted here goes to Xong from DeviantArt/Patreon.

Word Count:

• Post WC: 472
  
  
• Total Personal WC: 1228 of 2000
  

The member 'EISNIK003' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Normal Dice' :

At first, Jaheira simply watched the male as he approached the cauldron and had a drink. She had every intention of robbing him and as his transformation started, the shapeshifter began to move in towards him, her hand slowly moving towards his pocket. The event runner said nothing of course, being fully in on the act and simply continued with her work. He seemed an easy enough target and knowing just what the potion was capable of, Jaheira believed he was the perfect mark. He was dressed as a scientist or something, which was rather unusual compared to most who walked around but that hardly put her off. Just another fool to be exploited by her.

Yet her hand never reached his pocket and the reason why was simple. The sight of his completed transformation stopped her dead in her tracks, a smile crossing her features. He’d turned into one of her own, a kitsune, which caused her to pause and instead simply remain by his side, instead of going for his wallet. It was so rare that she ever got to see another of her kind and just the sight of him in such a form was enough to put her off from robbing him. He might not have been a true one but that didn’t matter to her, he was just a pleasant sight for her.

“What did you say was in the potion again?” She asked the event runner, an eyebrow raising in amusement.

“I’m not telling you. Maybe if you had a taste yourself then you can figure it out? Your sense of taste has always been good.” The smart mouthed woman replied, sticking her tongue out at Jaheira.

It was a good thing that they were friends or Jaheira might have just spanked her then and there.

Turning to the man, she’d look him up and down and chuckle. “Nice tails, Buddy, you wear them well.” It was difficult for her to not just stare at him, naturally attracted to his fluffy form. A few moments passed, before she wrenched her eyes away from him and onto the cauldron. “I think your latest experiment might have gone awry.” A gentle jibe at his outfit but one meant entirely in jest.

Unwilling to pass on the challenge that the event maker had thrown down, Jaheira would waste no time in taking a cup and filling it to the brim, before downing it in a single breath. She could drink with the best of them and had no issue at all with consuming the oddly coloured concoction. Unfortunately for her, not a whole lot happened then and besides a few moments of blurriness, there didn’t seem to be any real change in her.

Until she saw something standing behind the event runner, causing her to chuckle again. “I don’t know what’s happening but I swear that there’s a ghost standing behind you. I’m pretty sure that I’m not drunk.”

As she turned her head to look around, she began to see spirits everywhere, ghosts of all shapes and sizes, following people around. Just what was in that potion?

(521 Words)
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The member 'Jaheira' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Normal Dice' :

Nikola was deeply immersed in his fascination with examining the effects of the potion on him that the greeting that the woman had given him just then. However, the reaction of the event overseer to her snapped him out of his reverie and then, he focused his attention on what the woman was saying to him after which he replied in kind, with the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips

"Oh? Why, thank you. I too think that this one rather fine specimen of a transformation I have been granted by this potion...so, with that in mind, I would be inclined to disagree with you that this experiment of mine was a failure...for you see..."

Nikola paused there for effect and then, with a slightly wider and toothier smirk than what he was showing till then and his eyes positively gleaming with eccentric delight, both of which were strongly typical of a true mad scientist like himself, he resumed

"...I happen to be quite an ardent admirer of kitsunes and the like, not only because of a strong scientific interest in their biology, ecology, and so on...but also since I find their fluffiness to be irresistible, indeed...so experiencing a transformation into one, even if for a brief while, is truly a dream come true for me."

With that, he fell silent and await whatever reaction the woman would have to his remarks while still having that look of exuberant admiration of and fascination with his transformed self as he continued to examine it.

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OOC:

Word Count:

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So his outfit wasn’t just for the event. It was a curious tidbit of information and the shapeshifter pondered if she could use that to her advantage at some point. He seemed so enamoured with the potions effect and spoke about her kind with such passion and admiration that she had no doubt that he was being sincere. Jaheira couldn’t help but ponder about just what his reaction would be if she suddenly decided to return to her natural form then and there. Of course, it wasn’t something that she had any intention of actually doing but she was curious nonetheless. Her shapeshifting was the ultimate defence and an easy way out of most situations. The fewer people who knew her real face, the better.

“Have you by any chance visited the country of Midi?” She asked with a smile. “There are countless rumours and tales of kitsune roaming around in that nation and they are thought of as almost deities. If I desired to search for them, that is where I’d go.”

Jaheira knew better than anyone that the rumours were true and she lovingly called the country her own. She’d been born and raised there, along with her sister and the family tree since then had grown and grown. The black haired woman had decided to explore the world rather than settle down but she still held her family in high esteem. Perhaps one day she’d return and take up a matriarchal role but for now? Her lust for life was simply too strong. There was still so much that she needed to see and do.

She’d then go on to ask, her curiosity well and truly piqued. “Is it just kitsunes that interest you or does the thought of other mythical races send your mind and heart racing too? I must admit that your intrigue is rather infectious.”

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Nikola was once again snapped out of his reverie of admiring the effect of the potion on him by the woman's words and so, he focused his attention on her again to remark

"Indeed, I have...and if memory serves, I do believe they call the benevolent divine kitsune in Midi by the name, 'Tenko', while the more malicious kitsune from the wild are referred to as 'Nogitsune'...whereas in Dongxia, they refer to all kitsune types in general as 'Huli Jing'...the 'Tenko' are said to have effulgent golden fur and 9 tails as their two signature phenotypic traits and are marked with sacred sigils as well all over their bodies which they are said to have acquired after living for at least 1000 years...while the 'Nogitsune' do not possess these traits at all...In Dongxia, the kitsune are believed to be bloodsucking monsters that live only to cause trouble to humans..."

Nikola replied to the woman thus with a thoughtful expression on his face as the memories of his encounters with various kitsune during his travels to both Midi and Dongxia before the start of the world war that was currently going on and so, he paused for effect there for a minute or two and then resumed his remarks

"Regardless of what they are called, however, kitsune from both Dongxia and Midi seem to demonstrate supernatural powers that are virtually identical for all intents and purposes...that said...not all legends, at least about their malevolence, can successfully hold up to the rigor of systematic analysis and confirmation...and are, in fact, born from the irrational fear that humans have towards these magnificent entities...'tis truly a lamentable shame...for in my experience, just as a rose by any other name smells just as sweet, a kitsune by any other name is just as magnificent a specimen in every sense of the word...and so, I do firmly believe that they not deserve such censure and fear as what is directed towards them."

After that, Nikola turned his attention to and responded to the last of the woman's queries up till then

"Interesting query, indeed...I suppose feline spirits like nekomata and reptilian entities such as lamia along with various jelliform entities like royal slimes and insectoid entities such as those rulers among them do rank among the top most echelon of those specimens that can leave me spell-bound in scientific admiration...but really, being the secular seeker of truth that I am, I happen to always be endlessly fascinated by all manner of supernatural entities without any level of exception or discrimination."

With that said, Nikola then asked the woman a query in return as he was curious about that remark she made earlier

"So that sighting of a spirit or specter you mentioned earlier as being behind the event runner was something innate to you...or perhaps, was it an effect of the draught of potion punch you imbibed just now?"

Then, Nikola fell silent and waited to see what the woman would say and do in response to his remarks.

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OOC:

Word Count:

• Post WC: 504
  
  
• Total Personal WC: 1988 of 2000
  

It amused the kitsune greatly that she was being somewhat lectured about her own race by the scientist but Jaheira didn’t mind. He’d certainly done his research and there was little that she could have pointed out that was in any way untrue. The millenia old being was definitely no angel and many of those stories could well have been about her or if not her, those who shared her blood. Her family had many members, some who walked the path of righteousness, some who walked the path of evil and there were some who kept right in the middle. Of course, with such a long lifespan, most of her kind who survived long enough would explore all three. Jaheira had come to realise that in the end, the only right path was one that was chosen that was made without regret. She’d spent centuries robbing humans blind and having her way with those she fancied? Did she regret that? Hell no. She wouldn’t change a thing.

“I’ve always thought of them as more playful tricksters rather than cold blooded killers.” She eventually said, completely making up that opinion on a whim. “They may steal your heart or break it and yet they can also be the most faithful of wives. There are so many contradictions regarding the species that you could probably spend your entire life studying just them and still find some new tidbits on a daily basis. I’m no scientist myself but I confess that studying such creatures would be more than a worthwhile endeavour.”

Again, his passion about his work was clear to see from how he acted and spoke. “You must have seen a great deal of entities I bet. No doubt you have a lab where you study all kinds of exotic life?” She questioned with interest.

It was only then that he asked her a question in return and after testing out her new and unusual power, she gave her opinion on the matter. “I believe that is thanks to my friend's potion. I’ve never been able to see the spirits of deceased beings before and they’re all over the place from what I can detect right now. Some people have one spirit following while others have many. Curious for sure but not hopefully something that will be permanent. I’d rather not have dead spirits ruining the party wherever I go.”

The sounds of music reached her well honed ears at that point and a smile crossed her features. He was a nice enough guy and the conversation had certainly aroused her intrigue by now, so she offered him her arm. “How about we have a look around for a bit and see what this festival has in store for us? If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll run into something that you can test and experiment on. You never know at festivals like this. It’s the season for spooky stuff, after all.”

She briefly paused, hoping that he would accept her proposal, before asking. “What’s your name? I’m Jaheira, sorry for not asking earlier but I just got caught up in the conversation. Are you a member of one of the guilds that seem to be everywhere around here?” There was a touch of distaste in her last question. She’d never been fond of such organisations and Jaheira doubted that would change anytime soon. The thought of trusting others in such a way was simply not something that she was prepared to do.

(579 Words)
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Nikola nodded to Jaheira's remark about how kitsune were known to be as wily as they they were faithful towards those whom they could grow attached to and so, he remarked

"Indeed, they certainly would make for good partners...though, in my case, I would want one in my retinue as more of a comrade or subordinate in addition to being a research specimen...but you are right in that they are some of the more mysterious entities in this world."

Then, Nikola turned his attention to her query about his lab and here, he chose to be a tad more reserved and just a little disingenuous, though nothing about his facial expression or his words betrayed this fact overtly

"Indeed I have met quite a few intriguing specimens over the years...but regarding my lab, like any other true researcher of all things mysterious in this world, this world itself acts as my lab and every encounter I have with another being serves as an experiment of some sort, so I guess the short answer to your query is both yes and no, the latter being because I do not possess a specific building of any kind which serves this purpose...but I do tend to have caches of equipment and research specimens stored in various parts of the world, each being hidden away from...shall we say...overly curious and uninvited interlopers."

After that, he remarked about the potion she had drunk to continue that part of their conversation till then

"I see...well, it is held commonly by most researchers like myself that the astral plane and the being that may inhabit it exist alongside this material world of ours...albeit perhaps on a completely different frequency and wavelength...which is why we cannot normally perceive them...without some sort of special power, device, or environmental setup which expands the frequency and wavelengths that we can perceive with our eyes through mechanism or another...so, perhaps there was a reagent of some sort in that potion which has temporarily expanded the thresholds of these two parameters for the rod cells and cone cells in those rather mesmerizing eyes of yours..."

Nikola said in his usual professional and yet nonchalant manner, though now with an amused smirk now playing upon his lips and paused briefly before adding

"Alternatively, it could also be that there are simply no astral bodies present to speak of...and the potion you have imbibed contains certain reagents that are activating the portion of the right hemisphere of your brain which has the effect of making you simply think you are perceiving the presence of some entity or another around you...and this has also been proven scientifically, of course...so I suppose if we really want to know more, we will have to perform chemical analysis on this potion at a deeper level."

Nikola paused there again briefly and after linking his arm with Jaheira's which she offered to him just then and remarked

"That said, I do also happen to be a professional physician, so if you really are that worried about your newfound condition, I do have the means to remove it from you...if you so desire, Ms. Jaheira...and I am certainly in the mood for further exploration of the festival grounds here in your company in search of more exotic encounters and experiences to study for as long as we have the time and inspiration to do so, so let us be off then."

With that said, Nikola strode off to the next activity locale in perfect step with Jaheira while also continuing their conversation in that same cordial yet professional tone he had been using with her all this while, though only as a convincingly genuine façade to hide away his true mad scientist self from unwanted detection and instead as a means to portray himself as just a regular and completely innocuous physician-scientist magus

"As for my name, you can call me Johann Faust or just Dr. Faust, if you wish, Ms. Jaheira...'tis truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance...and I am indeed part of a guild, though my membership therein is something I have taken on for the sake of convenience and professional expediency rather than an active interest in some lofty goal or another...and how about you? Do you happen to also be part of a guild, perchance?"

Just as Nikola was asking that, the next activity locale could be seeing coming up, this one being a rest area of sorts with seasonally themed strains of music drifting through the air to entertain the masses of festival attendees who were milling about the area, so he suggested briefly

"Ah, it would seem we have reached some sort of break stop where festival attendees can pause to rest before continuing this delightful evening...so perhaps we should stay a while and enjoy this music as well?"

With that said, Nikola fell silent once more and waited to see what Jaheira would say and do in response to his remarks and actions till then.

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OOC:

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He seemed to be a font of information and she quite happily sat back and listened to his answering of her previous questions without much of a response. That didn’t mean that she hadn’t been listening though and she shrewdly tried to read through the lines whenever she had the chance. She couldn’t help but think that he was stretching the truth in some of his answers but who was she to talk about that? The kitsune lied pretty much every time she opened her mouth and had no intention of changing that any time soon. The truth was all well and good but it so often got in the way of her desires, not to mention a good profit.

“A pleasure to meet you too, Doc.” Jaheira replied to his introduction with a smile, creating the nickname for him on the fly. “I don’t blame you for not feeling too close or indebted to your guild. I honestly have no interest in them at all myself and I doubt any of them would have me for too long, even if I did.” She chuckled to herself but it was something that she honestly believed. No doubt her sticky fingers would get her in trouble with her fellow guild members soon enough and she couldn’t be bothered with all the hubbub that came with being in one anyway. The black haired woman had been exploring alone for a long time and still enjoyed it now. She’d end robbing her guild blind, like she did everywhere else she went.

As the two reached what looked like a break area, the dark haired woman nodded her head at his question and replied. “Sure. I could do with a drink after a hard day at work.” That was putting it mildly. There probably wasn’t a single booth or person that the kitsune hadn’t tried to nick something from. It was her best result in weeks and she was going to have a hell of a time spending it once the festival was done. Time would be short of course, for as soon as knowledge of the thefts were reported, there was going to be hell to pay if she was caught with her stash.

Leading the two of them to one of tables, she would take a seat, motioning for him to take the other. The music was rather nice, neither too bombastic or chilled and her slayer enhanced senses could easily pick it up over the hubbub of talking and children playing. It was a great spot and gave her plenty of time to survey any other potential targets. When an event organiser walked by with a tray, Jaheira stopped him and took the first glass that she could grab onto. Normally, she’d be a bit more picky but she was in such a great mood and could drink an entire lake, as parched as she was.

The waiter would then wait for the good Doctor to take a glass of whatever he desired from the tray, while the kitsune drank from hers. After a moment, her eyes would light up and a smile crossed her features. “It’s not bad. Stronger than I’d have thought from a festival like this.”

(538 Words)
(1370 TWC)

Nikola nodded to Jaheira's remarks about her preferences and opinions regarding guilds and remarked in return

"That makes sense. To be or not to be a guild member is, after all, a strictly personal choice for various reasons."

Then, after Nikola had taken his seat next to Jaheira at the rest stop with the music playing, he waited for her to take her drink from the passing waiter's tray and then took his own in turn afterwards. Once that was done, he remarked about her utterance regarding having a drink after such a long day of work

"Indeed, it is one of the finer pleasures in life, and one that I too happen to enjoy after I return home from my hospital. Though, I must say, I am more of a vintage wine connoisseur myself...but I do like indulging in stronger alcoholic beverages every so often as well, like I am doing right now, for instance..."

With that said, Nikola fell silent and leaned back in his seat while observing the crowds that were milling about in the rest stop and took a few sips occasionally in a slow manner so he could really savor the flavor of his drink.

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Word Count:

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• Total Personal WC: 1033
  

Jaheira was happy to simply back and relax for a few minutes, enjoying the atmosphere and watching the mortals as they walked past her. They all wore such entertaining getups and she pondered if any of them had ever actually met the creature or being that they were dressed as. Probably not but it was a question that amused her none the less. No doubt they would run at the first sight of trouble, which the kitsune could understand. Survival and bravery weren’t the same thing, after all and sometimes a wise retreat was more effective than a gallant defeat. She’d had quite a few partners who’d gone out on their shields, so to speak and to this day she still didn't fathom the reasoning why. Dying just to make a point was foolish in her opinion.

Her silent musings eventually ended when a pair of teenage girls wandered past their table, looking as white as sheets out of fright. They were literally shivering and Jaheira couldn’t help but focus her enhanced hearing towards their conversation. The two sounded petrified, talking about a so-called tunnel that could bring a person’s deepest fears to light. It was an amusing notion and the kitsune couldn’t help but be curious about the place. Perhaps it was somewhere that she and the good doctor could visit? No doubt he would be interested in such things or at least she assumed he would be.

Turning to him, she’d then reveal her findings. “According to those two girls who just walked past us, there’s a fear inducing activity that could be worth a visit. I must admit that I’m interested in visiting such a place. I think of myself as being pretty unflappable and I’d like to test that theory. What do you say?”

A waiter chose that moment to wander by and say. “Good luck. It can turn the sturdiest soul into a quivering mess. If you keep going west from her, you’ll find it soon enough.”

“Is that a challenge?” The kitsune asked with a chuckle as he walked off.

(346 Words)
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The minutes ticked by slowly and rather peacefully as Nikola relaxed alongside Jaheira while having his goblet of potent alcoholic beverage in hand and taking a few sips occasionally.

Hmm, I wonder which activity we should try next at this Halloween festival?...that 'Tunnel of Terror' sounds intriguing...and could maybe even give me some much needed muse for the creation of some more exotic subordinates...

Nikola mused thus silently while enjoying the comfortable silence between him and Jaheira when their respective silent reveries were broken in an instant by the rather loud chitchat of some young girls who happened to be passing by them. They were both discussing the efficacy of the very same attraction that Nikola was about to suggest to Jaheira as their next destination, a thought that made Nikola chuckle aloud briefly, the sound of his baritone yet melodious voice lingering in the air for a split second afterward. Just then, he heard Jaheira speak up while suggesting that very same destination for them both as well which made Nikola utter that same rumbling chuckle again and then he remarked with an amused smirk now playing visibly on his face

Oh my, I suppose it is true what they say...great minds do indeed think very much alike in many regards...very well then, we shall take up fate's challenge to us and visit this 'Tunnel of Terror' attraction to see what it has to offer us in the way of entertainment, Ms. Jaheira."

As if to add to the building dramatic tension in the current milieu, just as Nikola replied thus to Jaheira's suggestion, a random waiter passed by and this one apparently saw fit to warn them about the terrors that allegedly awaited festival attendees at the "Tunnel of Terror" attraction which would be the last stop on this Halloween festival tour that they were doing together. Then, he heard Jaheira's amused remark to the waiter asking whether said attraction would be a challenge and so, Nikola remarked, all the while acting and speaking in a perfectly sober manner with nary a hint of even a flushed face despite having imbibed such a potent alcoholic drink, showing that he could hold his liquor like a champion with the best of them

"Challenge accepted then, as the saying goes. So, whenever you are ready, we can be off to visit that third attraction on this little tour of ours, Ms. Jaheira."

With that, Nikola fell silent and drained his goblet dry after which point, he waited for Jaheira to finish hers if she wished to and for whatever responses she would have to the currently unfolding situation.

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Draining her glass with an experienced hand, Jaheira gracefully climbed to her feet and began to lead the way. The alcohol hadn’t done an awful lot to her, as used to drinking as she was and there wasn’t even the slightest hint that she was inebriated in any way. Still, it was nice to have quenched her thirst and the kitsune made a mental note to perhaps return later for another drink or two. The bartenders definitely knew their craft and she’d be more than happy to sample a few other of their concoctions. Licking her lips slightly, she savoured the taste, trying to detect the exact ingredients of the drink as they walked.

The sounds of screaming soon enough caught her attention and more than a few more frightened looking people ran past. It truly did seem that the tunnel had something creepy about it and although the kitsune was hardly nervous, she couldn’t help but be curious. Surely a couple of cardboard cutouts weren’t enough to scare people? Surely? That was what she thought anyway and as the rather looming attraction came into view, she rolled her eyes just slightly. It looked exactly as she’d thought it would be. Intimidating and made for children. Nothing to worry about at all.

“Not exactly the most frightening looking place, is it?” She asked the doctor, turning her gaze towards him for a moment. “I confess that I was expecting something a little more spooky. The men and women who passed us looked as though they were scared out of their wits. Either they are too easily spooked or something’s up.”

An elderly fellow, standing by the attraction, gave her a rather cold smile. “That’s what they all say before going inside. They all talk about how they are so brave and that nothing will make them scream and shout. I’d be careful if I were you, as the atmosphere in there is unlike anything you’ve experienced before and there’s magic in there which will drag out your deepest fears and insecurities. Knowing all this, will you still…”

He was rather abruptly cut off as Jaheira took it upon herself to clamber into the nearest car, awaiting the doctor. “I’m not afraid of a few old wives tales. Fear is just something that has to be overcome and stamped out. If this tunnel can pull out my fears then I’ll handle it. What do you say, Doc?”

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After finishing their rest at the music area which was also one of the activities, Nikola headed off alongside Jaheira to their final chosen activity, the "Tunnel of Terror". It did not take them too long to reach the activity locale and once they did, he heard Jaheira remark about how the attraction was not too terrifying to look at and so he replied

"Indeed, it is not, Ms. Jaheira. Also, like yourself, I seem to have raised my expectations gauge too high for this last activity's quality. That said, there does seem to be something deeper lurking here, so let us sally forth and delve into its very depths."

With that, Nikola fell silent and waited for Jaheira's remarks in return, but then he noticed that an old man nearby had interrupted their conversation, obviously with the intent to rattle them further, but then Nikola watched as Jaheira cut off said old man by simply getting into the nearest car which was part of a railway system that was designed to carry festival goers through the attraction. So, Nikola followed suit and entered the car, seating himself on the empty seat right next to hers and then remarked

"Well said, Ms. Jaheira, and of course, you are correct. Fear, though a vital element to survival, cannot be allowed at all to overwhelm one's psyche since that would be far more dangerous in the long run. Now then, let us see what this attraction has in store for us, shall we?"

With that said, he fell silent and nodded to the manager of the attraction who was standing by to activate the railway system and said manager did just that, sending the car that Nikola and Jaheira were seated in moving along the tracks through the tunnel.

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Rolling for the tunnel.

The member 'Jaheira' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Normal Dice' :

The tunnel didn’t move all that fast and at first, there wasn’t much of anything besides a little gloomy music and a few pop up cardboard cutouts. The kitsune was completely at ease and she rolled her eyes slightly at the pitiful attempt at trying to scare her. She’d definitely been in far creepier places and this one ranked somewhere near the bottom. Those people that she and the doctor had passed had been so petrified of what they’d seen but where was that fear inducing imagery?

After a couple of minutes, the speed of the train suddenly started to increase and there was a far more ominous feel to the tunnel. She could feel the taste of foul magic in the air and the cardboard pop ups were replaced by far more realistic looking imagery. The kitsune saw herself locked in a cage, hands, feet and tails bound in chains, used like a whore in a brothel or an animal in a zoo. It was frightening indeed and there was noticeable change in the currently black haired woman’s body language. Her hands folded across her chest and she briefly started to shake. This was far more like it and she now began to understand why those mortals had been afraid.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Jaheira tried to close the images out but whether it was because of the magic in the tunnel or something else, it didn’t seem to make any difference. The images were just as strong and vibrant in her mind's eye, knocking her confidence and messing with her mind. She tried to regain her centre, understand that they were simply illusions and nothing more. Jaheira reminded herself of her own powers in that field and it was then that she started to relax. The kitsune recalled her own and the doctor’s words about fear being all in the mind and slowly but surely, she began to recover.

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As Nikola beheld the railway system and the car that he was seated in alongside Jaheira take them through the attraction, the initial few segments were rather lackluster in impact as far as being able to awaken the feeling of fear in their respective psyches and this was an observation that left him even more curious about why the festival goers who had come before them had ran off looking as obviously frightened as he had witnessed them at that time

Hmm...this certainly bears further investiga...

As Nikola started to muse thus silently in his attempts to study the attraction's psychological effects on the festival goers who decided to brave it, he quickly noticed that as they both were carried further inside, Jaheira started to act in a rather strange manner. More precisely, he saw her fold her across her chest and even saw her begin shaking, both of which were telltale behavioral signs that he had witnessed often in numerous patients of his attesting to the feeling of some stimulus or stimuli of a truly fearsome or disturbing nature having overwhelmed the psyche of the victim. That said, he then saw her recover slowly but surely after that segment passed but Nikola could not guess what she had seen as he had not seen it himself

This attraction's secret mechanisms are powerful enough to even affect Ms. Jaheira?...Well now, this is truly a fascinating phenomenon, indeed...as for me...knowing that this attraction brings out the deepest fears of its victims means that...

Nikola mused thus silently again and now, he began to look forward to experience the attraction's effects on himself as well, but he knew exactly what to expect since he was very well acquainted with his two deepest phobias, and this was something that caused an obvious ear-to-ear smirk signifying his unadulterated glee and excitement at the prospect to appear on his visage and his eyes to fly open fully wide with his pupils fully dilated, both making him look like the stereotypical mad scientist as he waited for the railway to carry them both onward to the next segment of the attraction

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Note: Rolling for Nikola Eisenstein's part of the "Tunnel of Terror" Activity.

The member 'EISNIK003' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Normal Dice' :

Taking deep breaths, Jaheira continued to fight off the images that kept popping up in her mind. It wasn’t easy and there were moments where she just wanted to wail and scream. She’d been so confident and now all of her hubris had been torn to shreds, leaving just her fears and insecurities behind. The kitsune hadn’t felt so frightened for an incredibly long time and as she struggled against her fear, it began to stir up memories of her past. Jaheira hadn’t always been the expert thief and master manipulator that she was today with her once being as mauve and innocent as any other young kitsune. Her maiden days, while exciting, weren’t always the nicest encounter and she’d had a fair few close shaves in her time.

Eventually though, her breathing eased once again and she was finally able to open her eyes and look around at the tunnel. The images were starting to lose their effect and her willpower soon enough began to grow. Rather than fear, she began to feel irritation and anger for falling for such magic and that seemed to help her push away the unpleasant memories and thoughts that plagued her mind. Anger was always better than fear and as she recalled that, the emotion began to grow more and more within her, burning away the weeds of worry and despair.

Turning to the scientist, Jaheira raised an eyebrow at the bizarre expression on his face. If she didn’t know better, the black haired woman would have said that he was enjoying the experience. He looked like a complete and utter maniac, insanity written all over his face. She didn’t utter a word and simply watched him, the train still moving along the track at a steady enough pace.

One thing was for sure. She’d think twice about ignoring other people’s advice and warnings next time. This had ended up being far more than she’d bargained for.

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Just as Jaheira was thinking, Nikola was indeed truly enjoying himself as he immersed himself fully in the illusions of his own two fears which the tunnel was bringing forth now, the first being his phobia towards bestial dogs and wolves which manifested in the form of such beasts appearing and disappearing all around him and every now and then even racing towards him with their maws wide open as if trying to swallow him whole. The other was, of course, the illusion of climbing and falling from a great height which was obviously designed to trigger his acrophobia, or fear of heights. That said, despite being under the influence of these illusions, Nikola was able to cope quite well due to the power of his intensely rational and logical mind which was using his keen senses to direct the full magnitude of his immense mental strength to fend off the attraction's attempts to scare him witless.

Now this is more like it!! Ah, how intriguing this mechanism is!! I wonder...what sort of phenomenon is this? a magical one? a generic supernatural one, perhaps? Whatever it is, it seems to be working by scanning my mind for my deepest fears and then manifesting them into reality by some means...

Nikola mused silently thus with that same manic expression of boundless glee still playing on his face, all the while being unaware that Jaheira was currently staring at him in that quizzical manner of hers. However, soon, Nikola saw the illusions of his two fears fading away as well as the car carrying him and Jaheira moved onward past this particular segment towards the exit of the tunnel which signaled the end of their ride as well as their experience at this specific attraction. Once their car reached the end of the railway track carrying it, the festival staff member waiting for them there went through the usual protocols of welcoming the guests back and assisted them in disembarking from the rail car and let them both go free. Once that was over, Nikola turned to Jaheira and remarked

"That was a truly intriguing experience, all things considered...but I remember it seemed to have a much more adverse effect on you than it did on me, Ms. Jaheira. Are you sure you are feeling better now, perhaps? If not, we still have time, so we can stop and rest as long as necessary before going to the festival overseers' booth where we each can collect our souvenirs, those three "Skull Tokens" which are apparently the symbols of our participation in this year's Halloween festival..."

Nikola spoke thus while arranging his face into a convincingly genuine show of true concern for Jaheira's well-being when in reality, he was merely curious to hear her take on the "Tunnel of Terror" experience because of scientific interest in its mechanisms and so on, but his body language and facial expression showed nary a sign of his true motives at the moment. Then, he fell silent, awaiting her response to him, whatever that may be.

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To say that Jaheira was a little miffed as she clambered out of the cart was an understatement. Now that it was over and the fear had passed, the kitsune was beginning to feel rather foolish about her own reaction to the tunnel. The doctor had barely seemed to bat an eyelid and yet she had almost been paralysed by fright at times. In a way, she was curious about the difference in just how each of them had reacted but that was brushed aside rather quickly by her own experience. It was one of those things that could remain a mystery in her opinion and she’d be quite happy to be anywhere other than around the tunnel for as long as she could avoid it. If there was a similar event next year, then she’d definitely be choosing a different activity to do.

“I’ll be alright.” She eventually said, a slight frown forming across her features. “I have no idea why what I saw there affected me so strongly but it’s not something that I’ve felt for a long time. I’m sure that I’ll feel better after walking around for a bit and the idea of collecting our souvenirs and bringing this ordeal to a close suits me fine.”

Without any time wasted, Jaheira would gladly wander off with the doctor back towards the large booth where the overseer resided. The event had been quite enjoyable up until the last part and the tunnel had somewhat tainted the happy memories that she’d forged, however, she’d made a lot of cash and meeting the doctor had been enjoyable. In time, she’d recover well enough and the day would just become like any other in her centuries old memory. She certainly had a deeper appreciation for the time of year though and the kitsune would make sure to return for another festival if she was available. Not because of the tunnel but because of just how successful she’d been in her thievery.

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