One afternoon, a pet shop welcomed a rather unusual guest.
He had handsome, sexy blonde hair and a tall, muscular build, but... well, he didn't seem the brightest.
"We don't have horses here. Only cats, dogs, and birds," the shopkeeper said, giving the man a sideways glance, wondering where this guy had come from. Was he trying to mess with her?
How could her little shop possibly have a horse?
"Then find me the biggest thing I can ride!" the blonde man said seriously.
The shopkeeper was at a loss for words.
Just then, a voice came from outside, breaking the tension.
"Need a ride?"
The man eagerly ran over.
...
In the car.
"I've never done anything like this before," Jane said shyly to Thor. In her life, she'd never had an experience where she ran off with a man just because of a wild conversation.
"Have you ever done something like this before?"
Thor smiled knowingly and nodded. "Many times."
In Thor's long life, such things were common. Playing it safe? Not a thing.
Thor, the God of Thunder, had one rule in life: Charge forward!
He looked at Jane with admiration. Though she was mortal, she had a wisdom and courage that surpassed others.
"But you're brave," he added.
"They stole my life's research. I've got nothing left to lose," Jane said bitterly.
Not long ago, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Coulson had played the antagonist, taking all of Jane's research for himself.
"Yes, but you're smart, smarter than anyone in this land," Thor continued to praise her, and Jane gave him a small smile.
"Land?"
Jane found the word amusing, as if they had been transported back to medieval Europe.
"Do I seem strange to you?" Thor asked, knowing his way of speaking was unusual for regular people, smiling at himself.
"Yes!" Jane burst into laughter at Thor's odd expressions, which made Thor glance over at her again and again.
"Strange good or strange bad?" Thor asked, grinning.
"I'm not sure yet," Jane replied honestly.
Just then, the car ran over a rock on the barren road, wobbling out of control for a moment.
Once it steadied, they both burst into laughter, an indescribable connection sparking between them.
After a while, Jane looked at the mysterious man she was becoming fond of and asked seriously:
"Who are you, really?"
Thor thought for a moment but didn't answer directly.
"You'll find out soon."
Soon, Thor thought as he gazed down the road ahead. He'd soon retrieve his hammer, Mjolnir, and regain his godly powers. Once that happened, there'd be no need to explain himself in detail to Jane. He could simply show her.
"You promised you'd tell me!" Jane said, a little upset.
Thor changed the topic. "You're searching for a bridge, aren't you?"
"Like an Einstein-Rosen bridge?" Jane perked up, excited to talk about her research.
"More like a rainbow bridge."
Jane shook her head, incredulous.
"God, I hope you're not crazy."
...
Night had fallen, and two unexpected visitors stood outside the research base housing Mjolnir.
On a small hill, they watched through binoculars.
Lying flat on the ground, Jane observed the scene before speaking:
"It wasn't a satellite crash... They would've taken the debris, not set up a perimeter."
Thor, eager and impatient, took off his cumbersome jacket and draped it over Jane before fixing his eyes on Mjolnir, which glowed in the distance.
"You'll need this," Thor said.
"What?"
Jane was confused about what he was doing.
"Just wait here. Once I have my hammer, I'll get your research back for you."
"Deal?"
Jane was dumbfounded. She didn't think Thor charging into such a heavily guarded area was a smart idea.
"No, look at the place. You think you can just waltz in there and take what's ours?"
Thor paid no mind to the guards. His hammer was just within reach, and he was already imagining his triumphant return.
"No, I'll fly out."
With that, Thor sprinted off into the night and vanished.
"He's coming," a voice muttered inside the base.
"Coulson, he's on his way!" the man shouted.
Inside, the place was already stirring. A researcher looked at the screen, reporting to a bald man:
"The signal we're getting isn't strong enough to break through the clouds. That thing is emitting too much interference. Not much tech will work. There's a commercial plane overhead…"
The bald man, a high-ranking Hydra agent within S.H.I.E.L.D., angrily tapped at his malfunctioning phone, irritated, before ordering the plane to reroute.
Suddenly, one of his subordinates pointed at another screen.
"There's something in the western defense zone…"
The bald man grabbed his radio and commanded, "Delancey, Jackson, check the western perimeter…"
"Wait."
A voice from behind made him turn around. It was Coulson.
"Tell them not to bother."
The bald man was puzzled. "Why?"
"No reason. A blonde giant will come charging in to claim the hammer soon. Just let the guards slow him down a bit. Don't be too serious."
"Coulson? What is this supposed to mean?" The bald man was unsure. Was Coulson seriously going to hand over the hammer? Who's the real Hydra agent here, me or him?
"I don't need to explain. I'm in charge here. Just do it, Agent Sitwell," Coulson said calmly before turning to leave.
Back with Thor, he had already scaled the fence and was scouting the area.
After a moment, he made his move.
Waiting until a guard passed, Thor dashed behind a car, hiding.
Repeating the same tactic, he got closer to the white tent where Mjolnir was being held.
He slipped inside.
Immediately, Thor came face to face with a guard.
"Who are you?" the guard asked, quickly calling in: "Target at the entrance…"
Thor lunged forward with a punch, knocking the guard down with a swift blow.
The whole base was soon blaring with alarms, and guards rushed toward him.
"Don't shoot! I repeat, don't shoot! Just slow him down and let him reach the hammer," Coulson kept ordering, waving to Hawkeye overhead.
"We're really not going to do anything?" Hawkeye asked.
"No need. Just watch," Coulson replied.
As the sky rumbled with thunder, and the rain poured heavier, a researcher ran over to report, "That thing's emitting massive electromagnetic waves. Our systems can't handle it…"
Watching the increasingly chaotic screens, Coulson muttered, "My God, is he really Thor?"
Dodging guards and taking down obstacles, Thor's excitement grew as he rounded the final corner.
He could already feel it—his Mjolnir, his power, so close!
But…
His smile slowly faded, replaced by shock, confusion, and sorrow.
Disbelieving, he rushed to the pit where Mjolnir once rested, running his hand over the empty space.
Yes, where Mjolnir once stood, unmoved by anyone, it was now gone! All that remained was an indentation proving it had ever been there.
"My hammer… Where's my hammer?" Thor cried out in anguish, his voice echoing into the sky.
"You're looking for a hammer, boy?"
A sharp voice rang out next to Thor. He turned in surprise.
And then, he saw a sight he'd never forget.
The hammer he loved, that belonged to him alone, was now being held aloft in the air... by a smiling young man!