Frozen (Open)

Back to the north. After an eventful outing all the way to West City, Morrigan had returned to the bitterly cold region posthaste. The temperature was certainly unappealing even to her, but it had its merits. She never got sunburn this deep into the snowy plains, for one. The harsh conditions also promoted fruitful training. And still, she anticipated her re-meeting with Nervan and Illuma, along with their friend who she’d been promised a fight with. After some time though, between visiting the remnants of Battle Island and roving Central City where she was forced to keep her power under wraps, a change of scenery seemed in order.

It had been some time since last she visited Jingle Village. The people who lived here seemed to be in perennially good spirits, which Morrigan felt clashed against her comparatively drab demeanour. Which wasn’t to say she was unwelcome. Quite the opposite in fact. Bundled in an emerald green robe over her red gi jacket, the white-haired woman was actually greeted very warmly by the locals. She was sure they treated most strangers well, but nowhere else did she get so much attention for her outfit. It was the strangest thing.

Walking the town without aim, Morrigan looked for someplace to settle nearby. Not for a lack of options, but everyone seemed eager to extend their hospitality. Such trusting people, so much so that children were allowed to wander the street and badger her as she wandered. Answering their excited questions with brief, deadpan answers that only seemed to make them laugh, Morrigan was just starting to grow tired before she sensed something. A warm buzz at the back of her neck, standing out sharply in the cold air.

Turning her head in the direction of the power, she scanned the skyline just in time to spot a dot. A pink one, which she thought an odd colour for any bird this far north. Never mind that it would have had to be a very strong bird to alert her at all. No, it was a person, and they seemed to have started falling. Turning to the children still not-so-subtly following her, Morrigan posed a question. “Do you want to see a trick?”

She vanished the second they registered it. There, that would keep them entertained for a time and she could make her way over to whoever had dropped from the sky. Clearing out of the village in only a few seconds, Morrigan skidded to a halt as it became a background behind her, following her senses through the snow. Not much further and she’d laid eyes on the unfortunate soul, raising a brow at his appearance. A Majin? She was becoming increasingly familiar with them as of late.

“You look cold,” She gently spoke, displaying her keen powers of observation after closing the distance between them. Lowering herself into a crouch, she tried to establish eye contact with the smaller creature, looking decidedly unconcerned for his wellbeing. “Quite the fall. Have you run out of energy?”

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Upon further observation, cold might have been an understatement. The purplish Majin hardly seemed to have the strength to get his couple of words out. Morrigan knit her brows at the second, scrutinizing him intensely for a few long seconds. Despite having no recognition for him, her gaze softened soon, and she let out a soft gasp upon realizing what the Majin had meant to tell her. “I see, you want help. Think nothing of it, you do not look very heavy.”

Shuffling to his side, she gently took him from under the arm first, just to pull him from the snowbank. Assuming he didn’t have any protest to her aid, she pulled off her green cloak and draped it over the icy Majin. It wasn’t a heavily insulated garment, but it was better than no shirt at all. Although she was more tolerant than most of the biting air, Morrigan prickled without her outer layer and decided not to delay, reaching around the Majin’s midsection to lift him up. Heavy or not, carrying him was more than likely a trifle to one such as her.

“I take it you are not overly familiar with these parts? You’re poorly dressed to be this far north, it must be said,” Morrigan addressed him as she started back to the village with the stranger beneath her arm. She wasn’t even sure she expected a response to her (admittedly unfair) criticism, though it would do well to know he was still conscious. For as emotionally uninvested as she sounded, she did have the barest concern beneath her cold exterior.

---

To the squeaking Majin under her arm, Morrigan hummed affirmatively. Of course if he had been this far north before he wouldn’t have made the mistake of wearing so little now. It was a silly question, given any forethought. She did have to wonder if he’d even been so far as Central City to have such a severe reaction. Maybe he was new to the planet? She didn’t think all Majins were so cold-adverse, but her familiarity wasn’t really there yet.

As their short trek brought them into the village’s glow, Morrigan looked down to her new company, his energy at least somewhat renewed. Enough for him to speak at slightly more length, and that she could feel his stomach growling through the robe wrapping him. “You live and learn,” She replied plainly, catching the eye of a few distant onlookers taking interest in their predicament. “The people of this village are accommodating to a fault. They will have something warmer for you to clothe yourself with, I’m sure.”

Coming further into the settlement, Morrigan strode past the villagers — even at a glance appearing more concerned than the girl carrying the Majin — with purpose towards an inn. Anywhere else, she may have been conscious of her lack of zeni to pay for lodgings. Naturally doubting that the cold, purple stranger was any better off. Just as she’d said though, the people here were good, making way and even going to open the doors for their guests.

“Let’s get you inside. I’d like my cloak back too,” Morrigan murmured, not overly fond of the people leaning in to offer their help if needed. Her grip on the Majin slacked slightly while she entered the establishment, enough that he could weasel out without resistance should he find the strength to move again.

---

Morrigan was surprised — even if it didn’t show through her stoic expression — at Megis’ rapid recovery once they’d found themselves somewhere free of the choking cold. His demeanour was most unexpected too, though that could really have been chalked up to ice putting a damper on it. She caught her cloak, noting it to unfortunately be a little damp from the snow melting off of Megis. Looking back up, she quirked a brow as he manifested his own, boasting about how he wouldn’t again be bested by the elements. “...okay.”

Unlike the rejuvenated Majin, she was not at all relishing the attention and stepped aside to a rustic fireplace, hanging her robe nearby. When she turned back, he seemed to have magically provided free beverages for the patrons of the inn. She couldn’t help but wonder where these tricks had been when he was freezing his antenna off, but it was as she’d said. Live and learn.

Morrigan’s gaze follows Megis across the room. She’s not the only one, a mixture of awe and delight radiating from the locals, but she’s very obviously the least amused by his theatrics. Crossing her arms across her stomach, the martial artist hummed in quiet reception of the name as it was written. Where the candidate’s declaration might strike others, it goes completely over her head, her blank stare going unchanged.

“Was there an election soon? Or are you simply intending to depose President… Ah, President…” She trailed off, looking cluelessly into space. The pink-haired man’s name was… Cho Ohm? No, that was wrong. Puzzling over that for a few seconds, to the amusement of a few townsfolk, Morrigan eventually turned back to Megis. “Well, I’d hope you know who I mean. Are you, then?"

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“Derry,” She echoed with a slight nod. Truthfully, the name rang absolutely no bells in Morrigan’s mind, but Megis sounded sure and didn’t seem to confuse anyone else present, so she accepted his answer without fuss. However, she was beginning to notice something in his words and how he projected them. His aim to captivate the masses was becoming transparent, but the aloof woman didn’t much care to comment besides mumbling pedantically. “This isn’t my village.”

Part of her was tempted to point out that Megis hadn’t been here before either, and a flashy display of magic didn’t particularly prove his pure intentions. To what end? None, really. Honestly was her nature, but the numerous people in the room did diminish her desire to talk. That is until the Majin implied that she didn’t care for her planet, which managed to provoke the strongest visible reaction out of her yet. That being her eyes narrowing down at Megis.

“I would be mindful about making such bold claims. I don't see the two as related, Megis. Who the president is has no bearing on my life whereas the safety of the planet does, but I would sooner hold myself responsible for it than shoulder it on another,” With a clipped edge to her voice, she dropped her arms to her side, coming close to a glare at the Majin. The fire flickered nearby and a slight tension struck the onlookers. Though her cold gaze loosened quickly, melting back to her even-keeled neutrality. “I am curious what you would intend to do though.”

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Morrigan was beginning to think she didn’t much like Megis. It was fine that he wasn’t overly grateful for her help earlier, but he kept talking about things she poorly understood, and now disparaged her strength? It was hard not to be a little vexed. How was she supposed to know the president was supposed to defend the planet? She thought it was little more than a managerial position, just on a very large scale. All that kept her from reasserting a glare at the Majin was the mention that this Derry was apparently much stronger than her, a fact that sparked much interest. She’d look into that on her own time.

“If you say so,” She dismissively put the matter to rest — unsure if she even could vote, being an unregistered ki user. Maybe she’d ask her brother what he thought. To that point, Megis turned out to have a thought on the matter as displayed by another newly materialized canvas. Morrigan hummed more attentively, leaning in to read his board. “Truthfully, I find the accords unnecessary as well. I couldn’t speak on how effective they’ve been though,” She mused, placing a hand to her chin.

The thought of not having to suppress her strength to such a measly amount just to visit the city sounded nice. Did that have to mean making Megis president though? She found him fairly… erratic, to put it in just one word. “Out of curiosity,” Beginning carefully, she took her eyes off of Megis’ canvas to look him back in the eyes. “Do you know of anyone else who has announced their, ah… candidacy, I think is the word? I don’t imagine they stand out quite as much as yourself.”

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