Chapter 90: SHIELD's Shame

In the endless depths of the dark universe, a magnificent golden palace stood firmly in the radiant star domain known as Asgard, like an unshakable anchor in the sea. Outside the palace, a long bridge spanned across the vast ocean, leading to a distant location.

At the bridge's entrance, a warrior clad in golden armor, with gleaming golden eyes, stood like a statue, exuding an overwhelming presence akin to a towering mountain.

"Heimdall, has Thor successfully descended to Midgard?"

Behind him, an elderly man with white hair and a single eye approached, smiling.

Heimdall turned around and immediately knelt on one knee upon seeing the figure. "My King."

The king of the gods in Asgard, Odin, the All-Father!

Odin waved his hand dismissively and, like a grandfather wanting a casual chat, sat down on the steps in front of Heimdall.

Heimdall, seeing Odin seated, dared not remain standing on the higher platform and moved to stand in front of Odin with his sword at his side.

"King, there was a slight issue during Thor's descent, but nothing major," Heimdall reported.

Odin nodded, then patted the empty spot next to him, signaling Heimdall to sit. Heimdall, although maintaining a serious demeanor, couldn't hide a look of confusion on his face.

Noticing this, Odin asked, "What's on your mind? Speak freely."

"My King, all of this was clearly Loki's doing. Even Thor's actions were instigated by Loki. Why is Thor the one being punished in the end?" Heimdall asked, puzzled.

Odin took a deep breath and replied, "Heimdall, do you believe Thor is ready to be king of Asgard?"

After thinking for a moment, Heimdall shook his head. "No, he isn't. In terms of strength, he hasn't even reached the level of the All-Father. In terms of cunning, he can't compare to Loki."

Odin shot Heimdall a look of mild exasperation. That's my own son you're talking about, did you have to be so blunt?

Realizing the look he was getting, Heimdall quickly bowed his head. "You asked me to speak my mind, King."

"You're right," Odin sighed. "Honestly, I don't know how I ended up with such a simple-minded son. Apart from fighting, he understands nothing."

Odin shook his head in exasperation. He had once believed Thor was the best candidate to inherit the throne of Asgard, but being king meant more than just strength—it required wisdom, diplomacy, and cunning to maintain peace across the Nine Realms.

Thor, however, had been tricked by a few words from his brother Loki into charging headfirst into the Frost Giants' domain, nearly getting himself killed. If Odin hadn't intervened in time, Thor might not have made it out alive.

He owed a great deal of thanks to Heimdall, whose all-seeing eyes could monitor every shift and change in the Nine Realms. Heimdall was also the guardian of the Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that could transport Asgardian warriors to any corner of the Nine Realms.

Heimdall glanced at Odin, despite having served him for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, he still couldn't grasp what Odin was thinking.

After a moment, Heimdall asked another question. "King, should we do nothing about Loki?"

"No need. This is a matter between the two brothers. Loki will eventually come to terms with his true identity. This is a good opportunity for them to fight it out," Odin said casually, like a grandfather discussing a family squabble.

"But, My King... their sister still remains on Hel..." Heimdall's voice carried a tone of apprehension when he mentioned Thor and Loki's sister.

Odin's expression darkened. "That's exactly why I sent Thor to Midgard. I want to see how long the seal will hold."

"If she does break free from the seal..." Odin's voice trailed off as he glanced back at the palace behind him, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. "Then Ragnarok may truly be upon us..."

At the mention of Ragnarok, Heimdall's golden eyes widened in shock. He urgently asked, "How is the seal on Midgard holding up?"

Odin looked at Heimdall, half-jokingly, and replied, "It's starting to show signs of weakening."

"But don't worry. As long as there aren't any major energy disturbances on Earth, the seal should hold for a while longer."

Hearing this, Heimdall breathed a sigh of relief. After all, they were gods who could live for thousands of years. When Odin said "a while," it probably meant a long time.

In that time, Thor could mature into the king Asgard needed, leading them to confront her...

Right?

"Heimdall, keep guarding the Bifrost. Loki will probably make his move against me soon, and I need to prepare," Odin said as he stood up.

"As you command, My King."

Watching Odin walk away, Heimdall couldn't shake the strange feeling that Odin seemed oddly eager for Loki's inevitable betrayal.

Could the All-Father have developed some odd personality trait after living so long?

Boom!

A thunderclap suddenly erupted from the sky, striking the ground right at Heimdall's feet. Heimdall quickly pushed those bizarre thoughts out of his mind, resuming his post on the platform, his gaze fixed on Midgard...

In Front of Gwen's House

Gwen stepped out of the car, holding Pikachu in her arms. "Pikachu, you're staying at my place tonight. I've already prepared a little bed for you."

"Pika...chu..."

Pikachu's ears drooped, clearly not thrilled about going home with Gwen.

Alan couldn't help but laugh at Pikachu's weak demeanor. "Pika, it's okay. Gwen likes you a lot."

"Exactly! And I've got lots of snacks in my room. I'll let you have them all later," Gwen added enthusiastically.

Hearing about snacks, Pikachu's ears perked up instantly.

"Pika...chu?"

"He's asking if you're serious," Alan translated.

Gwen grinned. "Of course I'm serious! Plus, if Alan's not around, I won't stop you from eating as much as you want."

Gwen's promise lit up Pikachu's mood immediately. Moments ago, he wasn't keen on going with Gwen, but now he seemed eager to get to her house as quickly as possible.

"Alan, Pikachu can't wait! I'm taking him home," Gwen said with excitement.

Alan nodded. "Alright, I'm heading back then."

"Bye, drive safe!" Gwen waved. "See you tomorrow!"

With a rev of the engine, Alan drove off, the sound fading as he disappeared into the distance.

Gwen glanced down at Pikachu in her arms. "Pika, when we get inside, pretend to be a plush toy, okay?"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded earnestly, taking his role seriously.

"I'm home!" Gwen called out cheerfully as she stepped inside.

But in the next moment, her smile froze. "Dad, why are you home so early?"

Sure enough, waiting for her wasn't just her mother but also her father, George.

Seeing Gwen's surprised expression, George explained, "I finished up all the cases, so I came home early."

Gwen forced a smile. "Welcome home..."

The reason she felt nervous about seeing George was because she was still holding Pikachu. If it were just her mom, she could have easily talked her way out of the situation. But George wasn't someone you could fool that easily.

George quickly noticed Pikachu in her arms and walked over, looking puzzled. "Is that a new plush toy you bought?"

"Yes, I just got it!" Gwen replied immediately.

Her mom came over too and looked at Pikachu approvingly. "It's actually pretty cute, this plush toy."

Saying that, she reached out to touch it.

Pikachu knew these were Gwen's parents and wisely refrained from using any electricity. But Gwen, fearing an accidental zap, quickly stepped back to avoid her mom's hand. "Mom, your hands seem a little dirty," she said hastily.

Gwen's mom paused and looked at her hands. "Really? I just washed them."

"They're perfectly clean," George commented, reaching out himself.

While Gwen managed to evade her mother's touch, she wasn't as lucky with her dad. As she turned her body slightly, George took the opportunity to pinch one of Pikachu's cheeks, complimenting how soft and plush it felt as he squeezed.

Poor Pikachu could only endure it, continuing to act like a stuffed toy.

Gwen took a step back, finally rescuing Pikachu from her father's grip.

Seeing that George wasn't quite satisfied yet, Gwen quickly said, "Dad, Mom, I've got some things to take care of upstairs, so I'm heading to my room."

Without waiting for a response, she bolted up the stairs.

"Is it really that soft?" Gwen's mom asked, approaching George.

George nodded. "It's really soft, furry, and squishy."

Hearing this, Gwen's mom looked at her hands regretfully. "Guess I'll wash them even more thoroughly next time."

Once inside her room, Gwen locked the door behind her.

"Pika...chu..." Pikachu hopped down from her arms, rubbing his cheeks with a disgruntled expression.

Gwen quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, Pikachu. I should've checked with Red Queen to see if my dad was home first."

"Wait a sec."

She dashed over to her desk and pulled out a bag of chips. "Here, this is for you!"

Pikachu's eyes lit up as soon as he saw the chips, completely forgetting about his earlier ordeal.

Watching Pikachu happily munch away, Gwen finally relaxed and picked him up, placing him on the little bed she had prepared.

"So, how do you like the bed I made for you, Pikachu?" she asked.

Pikachu nodded while still eating the chips. Whether he was nodding for the chips or the bed, it was hard to tell...

In the Car

Alan spoke, "Red Queen, check the news about that meteorite from earlier."

"Got it, Master."

"I've found it," Red Queen responded promptly.

Several images appeared on the car's central control screen, followed by Red Queen's explanation: "The landing site is in New Mexico, but it's not a meteorite."

"It's a hammer."

"Oh?" Alan raised an eyebrow. "Looks like my guess was correct."

"Odin's son, Thor, has been banished to Earth."

Earlier, when Alan had seen the strange lightning phenomenon from the mountaintop, he had already suspected that Thor had arrived. According to the timeline, Thor's arrival on Earth coincides with the events of Iron Man 2.

It seems he remembered it accurately.

"Has S.H.I.E.L.D. made any moves?"

"Yes, Master. Nick Fury has sent Agent Coulson, who is currently en route and is expected to arrive by noon tomorrow."

Alan thought for a moment and said, "Red Queen, in a bit, drive the car back home. I'm going to check out that hammer."

"Understood, Master."

Alan casually pulled over to the side of the road. Stepping out, he summoned his Emperor Armor. With Red Queen guiding him, Alan shot into the sky, flying directly toward the location of Thor's hammer in New Mexico.

The appearance of the Emperor Armor naturally caught the attention of both S.H.I.E.L.D. and Tony Stark.

"Sir, the Emperor has appeared," J.A.R.V.I.S. reported.

Tony, who was busy in his workshop, immediately paused when he heard J.A.R.V.I.S. and looked at the large projection screen.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., where's he heading?" Tony asked curiously.

"It seems to be New Mexico, to the site where the meteor-hammer landed."

Tony nodded but then did a double take. "Wait, J.A.R.V.I.S., what did you just say?"

"A meteor-hammer, sir."

"A meteor-hammer?"

"Yes, sir. The thunder from earlier was caused by the meteor-hammer entering Earth's atmosphere. It has now landed in the desert of New Mexico."

J.A.R.V.I.S. then pulled up related images. Although the satellite photos were quite blurry, the vague outline of a hammer could still be made out.

Tony hadn't paid much attention to the event earlier, so J.A.R.V.I.S. hadn't mentioned it in detail.

After looking at the images, Tony turned to Yinsen. "Yinsen, what do you make of this?"

Yinsen walked over and shook his head with a resigned smile. "I've become numb to these things. Ever since we left that hellhole, everything keeps shattering my worldview."

"A hammer falling from the sky? Meh, nothing surprising anymore."

Yinsen's indifferent attitude made Tony chuckle with a hint of envy. "Good point. Who knows, maybe its owner will soon show up on Earth too."

"Maybe is a new villain," Tony mused, "which means I need to speed up my new energy project."

Bang! 

Tony hammered a section of the wall, continuing his extensive project of creating new elements. It was no small task.

---

At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Nick Fury watched as the Emperor flew in the direction of New Mexico. "Could his target be the hammer as well?"

Fury's expression darkened. S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't even touched the hammer yet, so how could someone be getting ahead of them?

All extraterrestrial artifacts that landed on Earth were considered S.H.I.E.L.D.'s property. The fact that someone might beat them to it gave Fury the feeling that his house had been robbed.

"Where's Agent Coulson now?" Fury asked.

"On his way, sir. He's expected to arrive by noon tomorrow at the earliest," Agent Hill responded.

Fury frowned. "Why is he so slow?"

"He's driving."

Fury: "???"

"No, this hammer is no ordinary object. We need more manpower. Send Barton over as well."

"Clint just got back..."

Fury shot Hill a look. "We need him now."

Hill realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself. "Understood, sir."

"But, sir, what if by the time our agents arrive, the Emperor has already taken the hammer?" Hill asked.

Fury's expression turned cold. "Then use all available resources to track him down and retrieve that hammer."

This was a matter of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reputation!

In Nick Fury's eyes, anything that fell from the sky belonged solely to S.H.I.E.L.D. If someone else got to it first, it would be a disgrace to the organization.

...

❇❇❇

Like it ? Add to library!

Want more chapters ? Give Power Stones! 

Support me ? Join Patreon !

patreon.com/RedX43 - Read Up to 80+ Advanced Chapters There!

❇❇❇