Chapter 3: The Official Cat Sitter

"Let me introduce myself. I am Thor, son of Odin, God of Thunder, and future king of Asgard," Thor declared proudly. "I'm sure you've heard of me; after all, your world's Norse myths were inspired by Asgardians who once visited Earth."

In a bar in California, Thor introduced himself to a pre-bald Nick Fury, exuding the natural arrogance that seemed to come with being Thor. He couldn't help but notice how much the personality of the "original" Thor was influencing him in this life.

"System, how long have Thor been in this world?" Thor asked.

"Fifteen hundred years."

Maybe, it wasn't a possession, Thor realized. Maybe his twenty-odd years in his previous life really was just the beginning of his journey here.

Nick Fury looked at him, bewildered. His worldview had been shattered enough for one day. First, aliens, and now, a god from ancient mythology. But given the whole ordeal with Carol Danvers, Fury managed to take it in stride.

"Well, it's an honor to meet you, then," Fury replied, shrugging.

The three of them—Thor, Carol, and Fury—soon set out together to follow clues related to Project Pegasus, heading to the nearby Air Force base.

The sequence of events went much like the original plot, with Fury's sharp instincts leading him to contact his superior—who, it turned out, was acting suspiciously.

During their retreat, Thor swung Mjolnir, channeling a powerful surge of electricity through the building's circuits. The base went dark instantly. In the darkness, Fury picked up a stray cat, grinning at it like a child.

"Careful. That cat's dangerous. You should probably stay away from it," Thor warned, eyeing Fury, who seemed utterly oblivious as he scratched the cat's chin.

Given the supernatural events he'd witnessed today—Carol firing energy blasts, Thor short-circuiting the whole base with a hammer swing, and the bear-sized Skrulls running around—you'd think Fury would be more cautious. But this little creature, a Flerken named "Goose," looked too much like an ordinary cat, and Fury was all too eager to adopt the role of "official cat caretaker." Cats are fun in the short term and addictively fun long-term. Thor gave up trying to warn him; he'd find out soon enough. Although, Thor thought, is Fury with both eyes even "Fury"?

Meanwhile, Carol, piloting the getaway plane, turned to Thor and asked, "So, why exactly are you helping us? Neither the Kree nor the Skrulls have anything to do with Asgard, and from what I've seen, you're just… here. Isn't the heir to the throne of Asgard supposed to be busy?"

It was a fair question, especially since Thor had thrown himself into helping her with surprising enthusiasm. If Fury was here on duty, then Thor definitely looked like someone with a bit too much time on his hands.

Thor answered smoothly, "If this were just an internal Earth conflict, you'd be right; it wouldn't concern me. But as a realm under Asgard's protection, Earth deserves a response when other planets' forces show up unannounced."

Thor noted that Carol clearly didn't trust the Kree, and that the connection between Earth and Asgard was no secret in the wider universe.

Nick Fury, who'd been teasing Goose, picked up on the underlying meaning of Thor's words and asked carefully, "So, when you say Earth is under Asgard's protection, does that mean it belongs to Asgard?"

Thor recognized Fury's concern and reassured him. "No, Earth is independent. Humanity has its own guardians. The strongest of them is on par with my father. That said, they don't usually intervene unless the world is in extreme danger. So, no, Earth is not a colony or part of Asgard."

What he said was the truth. If Carol hadn't been around, and Ronan had still tried to meddle with Earth, Kamar-Taj would've made sure he regretted it.

At this, Fury visibly relaxed but still keep his vigilance hearing that earth itself has a protector on part with Asgard God.