Thor Odinson was unaware of the heartstrings he'd pulled back in the town. His mind was focused on the mission.
He arrived at the crater perimeter. Unlike his "Other Timeline" self who snuck in through the rain and mud, this Thor walked up to the main gate in broad daylight.
"Halt!" A SHIELD agent barked, raising his rifle. "Who are you?"
"I am Thor," he announced, chest puffed out. "I wish to speak to your leader. The one called Nick Fury."
He paused. He almost added "Son of Odin," but decided against it. Humility was part of the test, right?
The agent blinked. A random hobo asking for the Director by name? That was new.
Inside the command tent, Fury watched the monitor.
"Well," Fury muttered. "He didn't break in. He knocked."
"That's a twist," Hawkeye commented from the corner, polishing his bow. "In the video, he was a ninja. Here, he's a tourist."
Hawkeye was still processing the fact that he was a potential God-Slayer. He had saved the video. He was going to show it to his grandkids one day. Look, kids. That's Grandpa killing a Norse God. Eat your vegetables.
"It confirms the multiverse theory," Coulson noted. "The 'Stealth Thor' was one possibility. This 'Diplomatic Thor' is another. He seems... smarter."
"Agreed," Fury nodded. "Let him in."
Fury decided to play this cool. He knew everything about Thor (thanks to Lucas), but Thor didn't know that. This was a chance to project power.
A few minutes later, Thor was escorted into the tent. He looked around at the high-tech equipment with mild curiosity, like a man looking at a child's toys.
"Greetings, Prince of Asgard," Fury said smoothly, turning in his chair. "I am Nick Fury."
Thor's eyes widened slightly. "You know of me, Midgardian?"
This was unexpected. In his experience, humans were ignorant of the wider cosmos. They thought stars were just lights in the sky.
"We make it our business to know," Fury lied effortlessly. "You are Thor Odinson. The God of Thunder. And you're here for your hammer."
"You... you know of Mjolnir?" Thor asked, genuinely impressed.
"We know it's not from around here," Fury said, leaning back. "And we know it has a temper."
Fury was enjoying this. Usually, he was the one in the dark, scrambling for answers. Now, thanks to the diary, he held all the cards.
"You are well-informed," Thor nodded, a hint of respect in his voice. "This makes things easier. I wish to reclaim my weapon. To return it to its rightful owner."
"Will you allow this?" Thor asked, his tone surprisingly polite.
In the back of his mind, Thor was remembering the video. The arrow. The death. He wasn't going to give them an excuse to shoot.
"Of course," Fury smiled, the picture of benevolence. "SHIELD isn't in the business of theft. If it's yours, take it."
"We are a welcoming planet," Fury added, lying through his teeth. "We believe in property rights."
If he didn't know about the invasion fleet waiting in the wings, Fury would have buried that hammer in a concrete bunker so deep even Hela couldn't find it. But avoiding an intergalactic war was worth losing a magic paperweight.
"Go ahead," Fury gestured to the crater. "It's all yours."
Thor looked at Fury. He looked at the hammer.
"He's letting me take it?" Thor thought. "Just like that?"
"It feels... too easy."
"Maybe this Egghead is honorable," Thor mused. "Or maybe he knows he can't stop me."
"Thank you, Director Fury," Thor nodded. "I will remember this courtesy."
He turned and walked towards the crater, his heart pounding.
This was it. The moment of truth.
Was he worthy? Or was the diary right about his father's disappointment?
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