While Thor gives her a look of honest bafflement, Tony takes over with a nod.
"According to your own data gathered last night, as well as the sensor data that we've gathered from satellites in the area, that's exactly right Dr. Foster. Thor here didn't just show up out nowhere to be hit by your van. He was teleported, however inadvertently, into your path. Meanwhile, you lot were out there last night chasing the signs of the Bifrost itself… Asgard's very own Rainbow Bridge."
Jane looks excited beyond belief. Erik, not so much. The older of the two scientists frowns at Tony's showmanship, looking more than a little suspicious and bewildered. "… How are you so certain about all of this, Stark? It seems a little farfetched, doesn't it? The existence of aliens?"
Tony just scoffs at that.
"Farfetched? Don't be ridiculous. Of course aliens are real. It's more surprising that the gods of Norse Mythology are real than that aliens are real, but at least it explains where the myths came from in the first place."
Selvig still looks unconvinced, so Tony does him the favor of reasoning it out a bit more.
"Now, there is still a possibility that Thor here is an escaped experiment, of course. But that just means someone on the planet has developed the ability to teleport to outer space and then back again and sent him on a boomerang journey of sorts that we didn't detect the first half of. Seeing as we definitely picked up him coming down, it doesn't make sense that we wouldn't detect him leaving in the first place. Ergo, the most likely outcome is that he's telling the truth, at least about his extraterrestrial origins."
That finally gives Erik pause. Tony can see the older man's rational mind going over everything Tony has just said with a fine-toothed comb, before he finally slowly nods his head in agreement. A second after this, Thor lets out a bark of laughter.
"Hah! You have the silver tongue of Loki herself, Tony Stark! I must confess, it is strange to me. On the one hand, it is clear that you Midgardians have come a long way since the last time we visited your planet in our youth. But at the same time, to think that you have all but forgotten your pasts and have to be convinced that the Nine Realms and Asgard even exist is… quite odd indeed!"
Tony hums, nodding along almost absently. "Yeah, about that Thor. You mentioned before that your father is King of the Nine Realms. Just gotta ask… is Midgard counted among those?"
Raising an eyebrow, Thor shrugs.
" But of course! Midgard enjoys the protection of the All-Father, just as all of the Nine Realms do!"
Did it? Tony almost wants to scoff and get into it with the Asgardian Prince… but that wouldn't really fit his purposes. Instead, he smiles mirthlessly.
"See, that might be a problem, Thor. We humans have sort of done away with most of our monarchies. We don't really accept the rule of distant kings anymore, and we're not usually inclined to follow their orders. Is that going to be a problem?" To be fair, Tony knew it wouldn't be. But he still wanted it on the record as early as possible all the same. Thor looks taken aback for a moment before slowly shaking his head.
"Ah. Hm. That is… well, my father does not usually exercise his right to rule the Nine Realms that much anymore. I suppose … it would be more appropriate to call him the Protector of the Nine Realms?"
Then, Thor's face splits into a grin.
" Haha! You know, it's funny because I was due to be crowned King of Asgard yesterday before those dirty Frost Giants disrupted my coronation ceremony! I always thought father was making a mistake, being so hands off with the Nine Realms. Still, seeing how you Midgardians live these days… perhaps he had a point after all! You've truly made something of yourselves!"
From there, Thor suddenly lights up. "Aha! I know! We shall have a contest, you and I!"
Tony raises an eyebrow, leaning back a little bit at the God of Thunder's… boisterousness. He'd almost forgotten how intense Thor could be at times. And this was a very young Thor indeed. Funny, the God of Thunder was supposedly already a thousand years old. And yet, the next eight years would age Thor a thousand more unless they could stop what was to come for him.
"A contest?"
"Indeed, Tony Stark! I can tell you are a great warrior of much esteem, based on how your elders and the womenfolk defer to you! Let us have a test of strength against one another!"
And then, Thor pushes his emptied plates aside and slams his elbow down onto the table, his hand raised up as he effectively challenges Tony to an arm wrestling match right there in the middle of the diner.
Tony stares at Thor's offered hand for a moment before quirking the corner of his mouth up and huffing in amusement.
"You know, I'm not actually considered a warrior here on Midgard."
Thor blinks, confused. Tony just points at Jane, then Erik, then himself.
"Dr. Foster. Dr. Selvig. Dr. Stark. I'm a scientist, just like them. I just happen to have a lot more wealth, power, and influence then they do."
Faltering, Thor starts to look put out. However, just before he can pull back his hand and rescind his offer, Tony snaps his own hand out, his elbow also hitting the table as he braces and meets Thor's palm with his own. Giving the surprised God of Thunder a vicious, toothy grin, Tony just shrugs.
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