Jane Foster settled into the manor. Maya Hansen and Betty Ross were a bit surprised by her arrival but said nothing. During the day, Jane trained with Thor to master her newfound powers. At night, she stayed in her room, pouring over astronomical texts from Asgard—knowledge so advanced it was reshaping her worldview.
By the third day, however, Jane firmly requested to move out. "It's too noisy at night!" she complained, arriving each morning with dark circles under her eyes.
Thor merely shrugged. "What can I say? Young people…lots of energy."
In his free time, Thor sparred with Natasha, who joined him to refine her combat skills. Suppressing his power, Thor fought her with purely physical techniques. Natasha, ever the skilled Black Widow, could almost match him, sometimes even gaining the upper hand. Perhaps only Captain America himself, freshly awakened and still adapting, could surpass her prowess on Earth.
After all, Thor had 1,500 years of battle experience!
…
Meanwhile, in Asgard, a significant event was unfolding.
Ten years ago, a wound Loki received in Jotunheim had stirred doubts about his origins, but he'd always resisted facing the truth. Recently, however, Jane's wielding of Mjolnir shook Odin so deeply that Loki realized Odin was watching Thor, even in exile. Seizing the moment, Loki accessed the Casket of Ancient Winters in the treasure vault, and with its icy magic, he uncovered the truth of his origins.
"Why? Why did you take me from Jotunheim after causing that bloodshed?"
"Why?" Loki's voice was laced with a rare bitterness. Even though Thor often challenged him, nothing had provoked this level of anger.
Odin sighed heavily. "Because you were an innocent child…"
"No! There's more to it than that. Tell me the real reason!" Loki demanded, his voice rising. "Maybe that's why you didn't leave me to die. But to bring me to Asgard as a prince?"
Knowing there was no way to avoid it, Odin reluctantly explained, "I hoped that one day our two realms could unite. With you, peace could finally be achieved."
The truth cut deeper than any lie. Loki's face contorted with resentment. "Then why didn't you tell me this from the beginning?"
Odin looked at him helplessly. "I kept it from you to protect you…"
"Protect me? From what? Because I'm a 'terrifying monster that comes out at night'?" Loki sneered. "I finally understand why you've favored Thor all these years. I was never anything but a tool to you. You'd never let a Frost Giant sit on Asgard's throne."
In his rage, Loki's argument with Odin took a toll on the Allfather, sending him prematurely into the Odinsleep. Now in possession of Gungnir, Loki assumed temporary rule over Asgard. Determined to prove himself, he decided to make his mark in a way Odin could never ignore.
…
Back on Earth, Natasha's voice broke the silence after another training session.
"Enough! I can't keep doing this. Every time you lose, you show up at night trying to get revenge. I've never met such a sore loser!" She collapsed onto a lounge chair, groaning.
Overhearing, Jane, who was practicing thunder control, froze for a moment and muttered, "Scumbag."
"Oh, by the way, the director's sending me to Stark Industries to check up on your 'nephew' and evaluate his skills and character," Natasha said suddenly. "But I have a feeling you'd know more than anyone else."
Thor's eyes sharpened. So, the events of Iron Man 2 are starting. He realized that Tony must be struggling with palladium poisoning by now, likely falling back into his old reckless lifestyle.
Meanwhile, the military was undoubtedly pursuing Stark's technology, given its perceived accessibility. Thor's power came from within, but an armored suit anyone could wear was a tantalizing prospect for those eager for an edge.
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