Odin.
Guardian of Earth.
A close friend of his master, the Ancient One.
So why was he looking for Garfield? Garfield thought seriously.
Did Hela finally decide to trade herself for a future where she doesn't die?
Impossible… but also completely possible. That woman was a war maniac and a lunatic, she absolutely might do something like that.
No.
This had to be about Odin himself.
…
At Kamar-Taj, Garfield squatted on the edge of a low table cluttered with teacups. Opposite him sat Odin, radiant and solemn, clad in golden armor.
One was the All-Father of the Nine Realms.
The other was an orange cat. Garfield spoke first, without ceremony.
"Odin, great Father of the Gods," He said earnestly.
"What do you want me to do? Let me say this first… I don't catch mice."
Odin stared at the cat, he felt… conflicted.
Relieved, because his rebellious eldest daughter, imprisoned for over a thousand years, had finally shown willingness to negotiate and end this family tragedy peacefully.
Annoyed, because she had specifically named this orange cat as the key figure in the talks.
Why did it have to involve the Ancient One's apprentice?
Odin couldn't simply take Garfield by force. And worse, Garfield came with Pandora.
That troublemaker looked harmless now, like a fallen tiger bullied by dogs, but if she ever regained her true strength and reached the Realm of Death again…
Odin didn't want that headache.
Women like Pandora and the Ancient One,
You can't afford them.
You can't provoke them.
You can only avoid them.
"Garfield." Odin said slowly, "May I call you that?"
Something was wrong with his tone. Garfield immediately became alert.
"You're an elder." Garfield replied humbly.
"I don't really know what you need, but let me say this first, our cat isn't very capable. Some things might not work out."
A classic move.
Lower status and expectations. Refuse the ladder before it's offered.
But Odin was Odin, the king who had conquered and ruled the Nine Realms through wisdom and strategy. Two sentences wouldn't fool him.
"Garfield." Odin said calmly,
"Do you remember meeting Hela some time ago?"
Garfield shook his head. "I don't remember. It's been too long. A cat's memory only lasts a month."
Odin stared at him.
"I think male cats should follow certain trends." He said evenly. "Otherwise, they become inconvenient to keep."
Garfield froze, this old man is ruthless.
Did I offend him somehow? He wants to castrate me?!
As the famous Great Devourer of the universe, Garfield immediately chose survival.
Lowering his head, he said obediently. "I remember now. I did go there."
"I saw Hela imprisoned at the bottom of the sea. She was lonely. I felt bad for her, so I talked with her."
Then he raised his paw solemnly.
"And I, Garfield, swear, I absolutely have no improper thoughts about Hela. If I do, may lightning strike me down!"
CRACK
A thunderbolt tore through the sky above Kamar-Taj.
The deafening roar shook the entire sanctuary.
The Ancient One stared at Garfield with an expression she hadn't worn in centuries.
In a voice that sounded unusually youthful, she said. "Next time you swear, change locations."
"If Kamar-Taj collapses, I will not repair it."
"…Understood, Master." Garfield lowered his head in silence.
In his heart, he screamed.
What's wrong with the universe?!
I was only bragging! I really don't have any thoughts about that lunatic!
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
PhantomDream