11436/The Unforeseen Consequences of Being Awesome

The Unforeseen Consequences of Being Awesome
Date of Scene:	02 June 2022
Location:	Central Park Zoo
Synopsis:	Thor saves the mild mannered Megan Morse from a rampaging fire giant, little knowing just what he has inspired...
Cast of Characters:	Thor, M'gann M'orzz

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Thor has posed:
    The spirits of Summer stir.
    For Winter held on o'erly long with its tenuous grasp upon the world and weather. Like a tempest the temperature railed one end of the spectrum to the other. Sweaters one week, shorts the next, madness in the form of the meteorological. Yet finally, finally, this was the week that it felt as if Summer finally awoke. Which brought people out to look upon the world, to see the vibrant emergence of life and for others to hear the call of wild nature.
    Which is why so many wandered to the Central Park Zoo. The animals were awake and alive and some exulted in the warmth and the feel of the world. Their habitats had been readied for the tourist season, food was good, and the visitors were aplenty. Children and couples and families rushed about, excited to see how even the arctic creatures celebrated. Otters leaping and diving, penguins swimming happily back and forth in front of the window as people looked on with amusement. All told it was a fine day.
    Though in these months the fabric between worlds thins. As the Summer solstice draws near in only a handful of weeks, the ley lines that filter one world from the next grow a hint weaker.
    Which is when some in other realms indulge in tourism.
    Though when the nine foot tall flaming figure emerges from the currently under construction 'Snow-Cone Hut', rising to its fully armored height and dusting off one shoulder. It grunts as it glances behind itself, each footstep leaving a blazing footprint in the ground, "Hnh. Ironic."

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
Martians have an incredible array of powers, really its downright unfair in the final tally. But while they can seemingly do almost everything there is one glaring hole in their repertoire: Magic. Sure M'gann can sense and interact with the astral plane where the psychic and the mystic often overlap, but to the surging of the ley lines and the thinning of the veil between worlds she might as well be completely blind.

So it is, oblivious to the looming threat that she is able to enjoy a carefree day at the zoo learning about all of the exotic Earth animals. Many of them are just so weird and fascinating, from a Martian perspective, but they also give her ideas for new an innovative ways to use her shapeshifting.

Today finds the freckled redheaded young woman in her human guise of the mild mannered Megan Morse, dressed like your average university aged student. The pants of cooler seasons have given way to a breezy shin length tan skirt and turtlenecks and sweaters have in turn been replaced by a puffy sleeved white blouse. Her expression is one of delight as she flits from one exhibit to the next.

That is of course until the loud noises and shocked gasps draw her attention to the emerged of the nine foot tall flaming armored figure. She should do something, she knows she should do something and yet can't help but stand transfixed at the sight of the flame as an ancient pathological fear, the control mechanism implanted in her people by the Oans long ago, grips her mind.

Thor has posed:
    It's like a ripple flowing outwards. The gasps, the murmurs, then a shriek and one person pointing. Phones come next, whipped out and pointing as the tall armored figure starts to stride forth. Its armor seems like molten rock carved into the approximate shape of plate mail by a smith or sculptor who only distantly had heard of human form. Rough and craggy, with a two handed sword strapped to its broad back. No signs nor insignia are in place save for in the large broad area of the chestplate that shows either a torch with great flames rising upward... or a troll doll with angry eyebrows.
    "Is that... cosplay?"
    "So tall."
    "One of those mutants?"
    "Honey take the kids to the car..."
    Then another shriek as an older man stops moving his snack cart across from the seal area toward the penguins when he looks up and up and up to see the tall figure bearing down on him.
    Only for the gravelly rough voice of the giant to rumble in an oddly reverberating voice, "Out of the way, peasantry!"
    And that is when the food cart is smashed to the side causing the plastic cups to fall over and the hot dog bin to crack open, spilling the food out all over the pavement as the fire creature steps toward where Megan Morse stands transfixed. More people scream. Others begin to flee.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
M'gann knows she should move, she should help the people around her. Her eyes search this way and that for a place to get out of sight and change so as not to compromise her identity, but nothing stands out. Maybe once all the people have fled she could just become invisible and shift then, but time, time is an issue as the creature bears down on her.

She can feel her human form sweating as the flaming creature gets closer, a sign that her body temperature is rising towards a point where she may soon lose some of the cohesion of her perfectly shapeshifted appearance.

In the back of her mind she can hear her darker impulses whispering, the fiercer more ruthless White Martian side of herself that she does her best to keep buried but has been increasingly more active lately since that incident even as she struggles to keep it suppressed, particularly in situations like.

M'gann looks up at the approaching creature even as the others flee around her. 'Come on flee faster.' She thinks to herself, at this rate she might have to reveal herself and make those who see forget, but that would be a violation of The Rules, her self-imposed code of Ethics. However as the situation becomes more and more dire there may be little choice.

Thor has posed:
    It's as the tall creature raises what passes for its eyebrows, great gnarled stone twists of burnt rock, its expression shifting to one of... annoyance? It lifts a hand that trails embers, open-handed as if getting ready to lash out or push young Megan aside.
    Which is the moment from on high there's a rush of wind and a sudden /WHOM!/ as a shape slashes to the ground and impacts hard with the asphalt between Megan Morse and the creature that menaces her. The ancient hammer Mjolnir sizzles with a faint flicker of power as it causes a web of cracks to appear in the pavement, creating a pattern on the ground while above the sun is partially blocked by the hovering silhouette of the one known as Thor.
    So often garbed in the clothing of Midgard these days, it is rare to see the Thunderer as he floats there in the sky, crimson cape flowing around him like some ethereal spirit guarding his form. Then the armor of black and silver that hugs the contours of his broad frame. An imposing sight, twinned with the severity of gaze and stern countenance of features.
    Then the words are given, "Hold there, villain."
    Words enough that is has the tall creature drawing blade, its two-handed sword ringing with the /shing/ of steel as the weapon is drawn and made ready.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
M'gann blinks several times stumbling, that was unexpected. She looks down at the hammer which has brought the monster up short, then up at the creature, and then at the blond man floating in the sky aglow with the halo effect of being silhouetted by the sun.

There is definite relief in her expression as she is seemingly saved, freed from the need to potentially sacrifice her personal ethics. And then the creature is drawing its wicked blade, "Watch out!" Mild mannered Megan Morse cries to the man in the sky.

Thor has posed:
    With another abrupt /whom/ the hammer leaps up off the ground and into the hand of the man who floats down onto the ground amongst the spilled hot dogs and hurled food cart, the hammer starting to spin in a whirl as he holds it off to the side. His other hand is held out and in the direction of the tall flaming giant who now brandishes the great blade.
    Yet it is not violence that is hurled between the two at first, instead it is words for the giant growls, "If you would have me spill your blood, Thunderer, then spill it I shall!"
    A snort comes from Thor as he turns his head slightly, "Ware, young lady." Those words sent in Megan's direction. "The Fire Giants of Surtur's realm are no friend to Midgard. Where is your warband, giant? You know not to come alone lest you face the wrath of this realm's defenders."
    The sword's grip is shifted so the blazing tip is pointed at Thor, "I need no warband to put you in the ground, Asgardian. I am here to visit my niece and none shall stop me." Though the giant speaks its own tongue, those around hear the rough crackling and gravelly voice speaking their own language.
    Which has Thor stopping the spinning as he straightens up, standing taller. "Your niece?"
    "Aye, she foolishly has chosen to live here amongst these..." The giant sweeps its gaze over the surrounding people, some still remaining and filming, others hiding behind various displays and food stalls. "Mortals."
    "Then you know better to cause such mayhem if your intents are peaceful."
    "What! The merchant was in my way! Moved much too slowly..."
    Though now the sword comes down slightly.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
M'gann watches the hammer, crackling with lightning, soar back up from the ground to the waiting hand of Thor high above. 'That was so /cool/!' She thinks to herself. 'I could do that if I had a hammer, why don't I do cool things like that?!' There is the matter of the sheer presence too, if there is anything Thor, and really most Asgardians, know how to do it is to make an entrance!

She is then left blinking again though when the Fire Giant speaks of visiting its niece. As she looks between them it is written all over her face the thought 'wouldn't a nine foot flaming girl stand out too much to be living here?' Perhaps an odd thought for someone who is a consummate shapeshifter herself, but that is something /she/ can do not fire giants, she thinks.

"You can't just come here and bully innocent people!" Megan finally shouts at the Fire Giant defiantly, the behavior far too reminiscent of her own race of powerful conquerors seems to strike a nerve.

Thor has posed:
    "The young lady speaks right." Thor says as he gestures with the hammer toward her, his blue eyes turning to fall upon her as he gives a single approving nod. "Muspelheim's laws grant you authority there, but here on Midgard you hold none save what is given to every soul no matter their birthright."
    Though the tall monstrosity glowers, scowling as literal smoke slithers wispily from its ears. Its own stark coal-like eyes swiveling to take in the image of this young woman who dares speak out against it and its interests, then it turns back toward Thor and snarls in that resonant deep tone it has. "Aye then, your ways are not ours. I shall grant restitution?"
    "Indeed, that would be a start." Though for the moment Thor turns and steps away. A few strides take him toward Megan where he gives her a nod and looks her over. "Are you well, brave child?" For what Thor has seen was a young woman strongly standing defiant and then shouting against the aggressor. For there is esteem in the tall man's gaze.
    Yet he is only there for a moment before he is moving to the older an who was knocked down and offering him a hand to raise. "And you sir, how do you fare?"
    Quiet words are shared between the two which end with Thor laughing a little and then turning back toward the giant. He gestures again with the mystic Uru hammer. "This man has lost tools for his livelihood, you shall reimburse him. Then. I shall walk you to this niece and you will go. Peacefully. Is this understood?"
    And though the giant grumbles, a deep rumbling deep in its chest... it gives a nod in agreement.

M'gann M'orzz has posed:
It is all quite a sight, the very model of a dashing prince, a being of power showing restraint and compassion, settling a potentially deadly encounter without collateral damage. On some level M'gann is left reflecting on how she does her own hero-ing and on other issues she has encountered on Earth.

Sure the Green Martians are regarded as Heroes thanks to Martian Manhunter, and yet their overall reception is still kind of chilly compared to say the House of El or other more human looking individuals. She's not even really a Green, that itself is a disguise. But here this Asgardian is embodying all of the characteristics that the humans seem to adore, being so /like/ them but even grander!

"I am fine, thank you!" Megan beams a smile at Thor when he comes to speak to her, brief though it may be.

When the Prince of Asgard and the Fire Giant come to their agreement and prepare to depart to wherever his niece is, M'gann is left with much to think about, ideas already beginning to percolate through her brain as she considers how she can be a hero more like Thor.

Thor has posed:
    It is all too brief, for she can likely tell the Asgardian is trying to keep the focus of the Giant on him and keep his efforts aimed in a particular direction. For despite all of its grim severity the monstrosity from Muspelheim is actually digging into one of the belt pouches at its waist...
    And then producing a trio of gemstones that glitter in its gauntlet. "Here then, merchant. Buy the finest wheel cart you can find. And know you enjoy the tolera..."
    For a moment the giant shoots a /look/ over at Thor who is now glowering most sternly.
    The giant clears its throat, "You enjoy the apology given you by Turis of Muspelheim." And with that those gemstones are set down before the older merchant who looks first at Thor to see if it's okay to take them, then gives a nod to the giant.
    Which has the Thunderer starting to shepherd Turis onward. Though he takes a moment to spare a smile to Megan as he passes and repeats gently. "Very brave." And with that he is walking with the giant, the two of them moving toward the distant wrought iron gates leading out of the zoo. Though their words can be heard for a small bit of time as they walk.
    "You know Ulik of the trolls visited here but two weeks ago."
    "Indeed, Ulik? Madness."
    "It was."