A Grand Time

December 12, 2016:

A subtle 'wizards duel' takes place in Grand Central Station while music fills the air.

Grand Central Station

Characters

NPCs: Security, Random mortals

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: Let It Go - Vivaldi's Winter


Fade In…

Nancy is at it once again. Playing her cello in public places without a busker license. It's not that she doesn't have every intention of getting a license, it's just that they take time and money and only let a person play in one place all the time. Boring.

Today's location that Nancy will get kicked out of is Grand Central Station. The gentle strains of her instrument mingle with the hustle and the bustle of the crowd. With it being so close to the holidays, Nancy is performing tunes that have a more festive ring to them, using a looping machine to perform Carol of the Bells.

Despite his reputation for all things lies, tricks and evil, one thing the Trickster of Asgard does love is good music. He'd been wandering grand central dressed in a nice business suit and just sort of people watching when the mello notes of a cello catch his attention. Making his way over, the tall man with laughing green eyes stops nearby to listen and admire.

Nancy doesn't notice Loki in the crowd that has slowly formed around her. Mind you, that would likely be because when she isn't focussing on the looping machine, her eyes are closed as she just enjoys the music, letting it flow through her being. The look of bliss on her face is enviable. There is a joy there, a feeling of pure happiness and peace as she plays that has some people saying they wish they could play. Coins and bills are dropped into the case in front of the raven haired cellist, but she doesn't even notice. For her, the music is all.

Loki listens with nearly the same intensity that the woman seems to play with, letting the music just sort of take over for a moment as he loses himself in it. It takes him a moment, but when he realizes people are dropping money into the case he follows along, stepping forward a dropping a heavy gold coin into the case alongside the rest of the bills and change.

Wanting to hear more, and more clearly, the Trickster steps back and subtly weaves a bit of magic in a dome around the area in which Nancy plays. An invisible to the naked eye sound barrier that dampens the background noise and acts as a natural amplifier for the cello. Loki sighs softly, leaning agianst his cane and listening once again.

Finishing the piece she was playing, only now does the goth girl open her eyes and notices the world around her. She nods her head in gratitude to the soft applause. Looking in her cello case briefly, she sees the gold coin. Okay, it's New York and there are super heroes. For all she knows, Tony Stark could have left that just to mess with her head. No…. Tony would have been much more obvious about it. Okay, think about that later. Nancy takes a deep breath and is about to start playing again when a little girl comes up to her and whispers in her ear. Nancy looks to the cherub, all dressed up for the holidays as if she's off to go see Santa, a pained look on her face. The little girl nods excitedly and Nancy finally nods in reply. With a quick look of apology to her audience, she starts playing "Let It Go" from Frozen, though she mixes it up with Vivaldi's "Winter" so her little goth fingers don't set themselves aflame from having just played a Disney tune.

There was once a time when Morgana actually enjoyed the Yule season. That was a very long time ago though… Now it only serves to remind the sorceress that humans are nothing more than a parasite. A plague to be eradicated.

Normally, she avoided such public and packed areas. However, they were perfect for creating chaos and watches roaches squirm and flee in panic. For several moments now, the little blackbird as flitted about at the top part of the station, hoping along the banister. She watched the human hustle back and forth like rats. She knew the moment the God cast his magic. It almost made her want to smile. Almost.

Instead, she drifts from her is magic of her own. And the song chosen is perfect. Taking cue from the music, ice begins to creep along the floors and from it, nasty little snowmen, perverted and horrific versions of Frosty, begin to crop up and run amuck. Let's hope they don't sink those sharp icy teeth into people.

The well dressed man in the business suit opens his eyes at the end of the song, and then scowls at the little girl as she interrupts the music. But soon enough the girl is playing again and Loki is content once more to listen. Mortal music is so fascinating. And then…that tingle in the back of Loki's head. Someone is casting. He spins, eyes quickly sweeping the area and scowls once again.

Not wanting the music to stop, and not wanting to alarm the mortals, Loki glances up at the central clock in the middle of the floor. He taps his cane agisnt the floor, and causes the stone to gently warm to beach sand in the summer levels, that sweeps outward from his cane to meeting the approaching ice as it spreads, hopefully stopping the frosty ankle biters at their source.
Initially, the ice creeping on the floor while Nancy is playing that particular song has people amazed. She must be one of those mutant types. Doesn't one of them make snow and ice? The little girl is absolutely thrilled and looks to Nancy as if she is indeed the embodiment of Elsa. Okay, a darker version with a taste for clothing that is a bit more revealing then her favourite princess, but the little girl will forgive that.

Nancy, however knows it's not coming from her. She thinks she knows who it is coming from though and pauses in her playing to look up, catching her breath as a look of hope crosses her features. But as soon as the cold came it pulls away again. As the cellists bends her head to resume playing, there is a sadness to her features that is echoed in her music.

Ooh. Really now? Warmer then, is it? So be it.

The floor starts to warm, and Morgana makes sure the walls follow suit. Except, where the heat in the floor may stop at a 'comfortable' level, the heat from the walls continues to climb until the start of heat waves can be seen. And then it keeps going.

About six feet away, a woman with hair so black it looks purple, dressed in a long, purple wrap 'business' dress, leans against one of the pillars. She toys with the pendant, and emerald green eyes dance with excitement. It's not often she's offered a challenge!

One word about Wizarding duels and she might cut out a tongue.

And now the warmth is getting even more so. Someone is messing with her music and her jaw sets in anger. Just in case it is Iceman, she sends out her sphere of nullification out as far as it will reach. True, it's only in a sphere that reaches out from her thirty feet, but she hopes it will be enough to get any mutant that might be causing this to stop. Luckily, both her power and her music are so ingrained into her life that she can perform both at once.

But magick is not something her field can affect. When she was spending more time with magick powered folks, she was starting to get a feel for how she could maybe effect them too, but that was a long time ago. Okay, so no change, which means no mutants. Nancy's jaw is set, trying not to let her anger affect her music. The melody ends and she instantly slips into the next piece. The surrounding people don't know what is going on but are looking at Nancy with anger and distaste, thinking somehow that she is the source.

Oh good, she's playing again. Hrrm…it's sadder now. And is it just me or is it getting warm in here? Damnit, by Odin's short and curlies I just want to hear some music you infernal witch!

Loki sighs heavily once again, shaking his head softly before once more tapping his cane to the ground. Once more the crystal on top pulses with an inner green light, and a faint shimmer appears over the walls, a twin layer of forcefields with a gap between them to contain the heat and keep it from reaching inside the train station.

Ah ha! Something about using a scientific method to stop another's magic attack makes Loki happy. But hey, at least the music is still playing. Angry this time. So much for the relaxing interlude. Loki stops listening for the moment and starts scanning around, trying to find the source of today's annoyance.

A very amused and very feminine laugh drifts through the air, easily heard by all. It seems to emanate from nowhere and everywhere all at once. This is fun! The human playing her music is clearly being looked at as the target of it all, which pleases Morgana to no end… The rest of the humans are growing increasingly uncomfortable… And there's another magic user of strength enough to hold Morgana's interest playing games. A pleasant surprise for the day!

The shielding goes up and the woman in purple looks over her shoulder, almost as if she can see it, and smirks. Clever clever man. In the next instance, she lets go over the climbing heat and instead decides to tweak the humidity in the station, making the air grow thick and moist (Yes, I used the word moist. Go on and giggle). Hope the wiring is up to code!

Now that she knows it isn't mutants, Nancy is pissed and it shows in her music. The fact that people are thinking that somehow she is doing this only infuriates her all the more. People start to leave, the mother of the little girl dragging her away from the 'mutie'. And still Nancy plays. Her eyes are open now, looking around the station, anger written on her features which only adds credence to the crowds belief that somehow the cellist is doing this. The laughter coming from no where causes those within the station to feel all the more uncomfortable, and those that were Nancy's audience to panic about what the cellist might do next. And panic spreads panic, the fear spreading in the lobby of the station like a virus.

Cold to hot, hot to moist, angry music and now the mortals are all riled up. Soon the hero-types will be showing up and there goes the day. Well fine, its Let it Snow is what the mortal girl wants, then let it snow. Another tap of the cane to the floor, a nice sharp rap this time, and another pulse of green light from the crystal and all that built up moisture starts to dissapate into the a gentle snow flurry.

Yes, yes…its snowing in Grand Central Station. Loki sighs softly as this newest development starts to register with the mortals as the Trickster himself continues to look around. Come out come out where you are, little witch.

Emerald green eyes flit to Nancy as she grows angry. It starts to snow and Morgana flicks her eyes up. Angry human… snow… The woman in purple smirks as she pushes from the arch way and starts to wonder through the crowd ever so calmly as if there's nothing at all strange happening.

Even as the snow starts to kick up and wind is added, taking it from pleasant snow flakes to a small storm, those graceful steps never falter. She seems to be heading for the doors though her eyes linger on the man with the cane and she smirks, a brow arching.

No one get their hopes up. She's enjoying this little dance far too much to actually be leaving. It does make one wonder what she's up to next though, doesn't it?
Snow? Now it's snowing. And it's not Iceman. Nancy has had enough, reached her limit. She stops playing and starts scooping up the money in the cello case, shoving bills and coins into her jacket pocket before depositing the instrument. The people around the station are starting to run now, racing for doors and exits, the sounds of screams echoing off the walls.

With a slam of her case, Nancy stands and starts looking around the station. Only two others seem to not be panicking, a man and a woman, both in business attire. She isn't sure which one is doing what, so she continues to watch, eyes darting from one to the other.

Security arrives, running into the scene, pulling their weapons on the cellist as she has already been identified as the culprit. "Freeze!" Good timing, the snow turning into a small blizzard as they tell the mutant to freeze. The roll of her eyes says that Nancy thought this might be coming, lifting up her hands to shoulder height. "Just peachy."

Well, besides Loki and Nancy, no one else in this train station is moving so calmly, so that must be the witch with a b thats causing all this fuss. "Calm yourself. I wish you'd keep playing. You are quite talented." Loki says to Nancy, giving the goth girl a warm smile before once more turing to deal with the mayhem of a blizzard in Grand Central Station.

Another tap of the staff, and the large clock in the center of grand central starts to act like a giant vacuum, sucking the high wind and swirling snow towards itself and forming into a giant festive snowman. Funny how the magic duel seems to have come full circle.

Loki turns briefly to the two security guards. "You two, protect the girl. Anything happens to that cello and you'll spend the rest of your lives as rats." the Prince says, his voice taking that no-nonesense tone of command, edged with the anger of the threat.

That anger causes Morgana to roll her eyes. "And you had been doing so good…" She sighs. "Oh well, I suppose all things must come to an end." The illusion of the modern day woman fades away just as all the exits burst open, a clear dismissal of the humans. Except the girl who seems to have facilitated in Morgana's amusement.

In the span of a few heartbeats, she goes from where she was standing to appearing next to the security, and pushing out a mix of compliance and the general feeling of being wrong while tweaking their minds. "Now now… It's not her fault. Who you want is escaping with the rest of the crowd. Hurry now. Before she gets away." Her eyes seem to glow and shimmer with the slight exuding of power. "You never saw us, did you? Good.. Run along now."

She turns back to Nancy and Loki, eyes narrowing. "Be thankful you were able to amuse me, child." She summons a pure gold coin to her hand which is rolled along her fingers until it turns into several bills which is dropped at the girls feet. "You play well. For a human."

The man in the suit at least likes music, but that doesn't nessecarily make him not the one causing the mayhem. But that smile. Well, he is rather charming. And wants her protected. Well, she is only human, after all. He must be the good guy.

The security guards are not quite sure what to do, this is really above their payscale, but apparently the person they want is outside. Their eyes glow green for a moment from the effects of the witch queen's influence and then they race out the door with the others, chasing the mutant that has caused all this.

Nancy watches the woman, trying to stay calm. Her field of nullification is at full force with her anger, not that it is doing her a bit of good with all the magick being bandied about like it was nothing. "I know. Wasting my talents doing busking. Heard it before." The roll of bills falls to the ground and Nancy looks down. Surprisingly, she looks up at Morgana, seeming unimpressed. "You think I do this for the money? Bitch, Tony Stark gave me millions."

So much for the minor protection of the security guards. When Morgana's illusion is dropped, Lokis fade as well, revealing the green robes over black lether armor that he normally wears. The cane lengthens, becoming a full fledged staff that clicks on the tile floor as Loki approaches. "Leave the mortal alone, witch." he commands imperiosuly to Morgana, coming to a stop close enough to protect Nancy if need be. Don't ask why. I doubt Loki could explain himself at the moment, but the music was nice and Morgana ruined it, so that makes Nancy right and Morgana Wrong. Or something. Reasons.

"Who are you?" Loki finally asks Morganna, after studying her for a moment.

Morgana. "My but the Gods have fallen, haven't they." She arches a brow at Loki. "You play guard dog for the humans now… I don't answer to such. A shame, really. There was a time when you and yours were worshipped and revered." Her eyes flit to Nancy and her nose wrinkles. "Hm. No less of a parasite than the rest of your kind after all. So sad." There's a sad, disappointed shake of her head.

As she starts to walk away, mist curls around her feet and starts to work its way up her body. "Who am I? Figure it out, Fallen One."

With Morgana fading away, Loki turns back to Nancy and sighs. "Well played. Till next time human." he says, before starting to walk away himself. Between one step and the next, the Trickster vanishes.

And there stands Nancy, in the middle of Grand Central Station. Alone. Having just been the damsel in distress between an unnamed god and …. someone able to magick toe to toe with him. "Well… that was a thing."

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