Queens. Lucas's Apartment.
"A hammer? From the sky? In New Mexico?"
Lucas's super-brain spun like a hard drive defragmenting. The memories of Thor 1 flooded back in 4K resolution.
"Iron Man 1 is done. Obadiah is dead. Now we're in Phase 1, Movie 2."
"If the hammer is down, then Goldilocks is down too."
Lucas smirked. He felt a competitive itch.
"Current Thor is depowered. He's basically a WWE wrestler with a drinking problem. Hawkeye could take him."
"But Peak Thor? Infinity War Thor with Stormbreaker? That's a different beast."
"Still," Lucas mused, "I should go say hi. Maybe test my Magic Superman physique against an Asgardian."
"Speaking of magic," Lucas thought, "I need a teacher."
"Kamar-Taj is risky. The Ancient One sees everything. She might deport me from this dimension."
"Wanda Maximoff got her powers from an Infinity Stone (or Chthon, depending on the retcon). Not really replicable."
"That leaves Asgard."
"They have magic. They have libraries. And right now, they're desperate."
"If I help Thor get his groove back," Lucas plotted, "maybe I can get a scholarship to the Asgardian Academy of Magic."
He turned back to the TV. The news footage showed SHIELD scientists measuring the hammer.
"Wait," Lucas paused. "Why is this public? In the movie, SHIELD locked that site down tighter than a drum. No press. No cameras."
"Is this the Butterfly Effect? Or is Fury playing 4D chess?"
He opened his laptop. The internet was buzzing with theories. Aliens? Banksy art project? Viral marketing for a tool company?
"Nobody believes it's magic," Lucas chuckled. "Of course not. Science has killed the gods."
"This is interesting," Lucas cracked his knuckles. "Time to update the diary."
[Today, I saw the Hammer on the news. Surreal.]
[It feels like mythology crashing into reality. This isn't just a movie anymore.]
[But seriously, SHIELD? Broadcasting the location? That's sloppy. Or maybe it's bait for HYDRA (aka Snake Shield).]
[Anyway, nobody can lift that thing. It's got the density of a dying star and a password protection spell from Odin.]
[Well, almost nobody.]
[Besides Thor, there are a few who are worthy.]
[And then there's the guy who pretends he can't lift it, but secretly practices his hammer combos in the mirror. (Doge Face)]
New Mexico. SHIELD Base.
"YES!" Coulson fist-pumped, breaking his usual stoic demeanor. "It worked!"
Fury allowed a rare, thin smile to crack his poker face. "The bait was taken."
"This confirms it," Fury said. "We can influence the narrative. We can prompt him for intel."
"Let's see what he wrote," Hawkeye leaned in.
They read the entry.
[Snake Shield] - Fury noted this. "He keeps calling us that. Need to purge the ranks again."
[Dying star density] - "Confirmed," Coulson nodded. "That matches our readings."
[And then there's the guy who pretends he can't lift it...]
The room went silent.
"Wait," Hawkeye frowned. "Who is he talking about?"
"Someone who pretends?" Fury narrowed his eye. "Someone we know?"
"Practices combos in the mirror?" Coulson read aloud.
"Is it... Cap?" Hawkeye guessed. "Steve Rogers is the most worthy guy I know."
"Cap is still frozen," Fury reminded him. "Unless Lucas knows he's waking up soon."
"Or," Fury looked at the screen, "it's someone else."
Malibu. Stark Mansion.
SMASH.
Tony swung a sledgehammer into a wall, ripping out piping.
"Sir," Jarvis interrupted. "The diary has updated. Shall I display it?"
"Hit me," Tony said, wiping dust from his goggles.
The holographic text appeared in the chaotic room.
Tony read the last line.
[...pretends he can't lift it, but secretly practices his hammer combos...]
Tony froze.
"Pretends?" Tony blinked. "Who? Me?"
"I tried to lift it in the simulation," Tony muttered. "I couldn't budge it. Was I... worthy and didn't know it?"
"No," Tony shook his head. "I'm a narcissist. I'm definitely not worthy. Yet."
"Then who?"
"Captain America?" Tony guessed. "My dad always said he was perfect. The Boy Scout."
"If Rogers can lift it," Tony grumbled, "I'm never going to hear the end of it."
"Jarvis," Tony ordered. "Add 'Lift Magic Hammer' to my To-Do list. Right under 'Invent New Element'."
"Very good, sir," Jarvis replied dryly.
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