"Friend Bruce, I suggest you take a pen and notebooks," said Thor. "Your technology may not work at optimum levels on Asgard."

Tony said in a loud forceful voice, "Why does Bruce get to go to Asgard?"

Fury smiled at him like he was a small child. "Because Dr. Banner can't be killed by normal means. Thor and Jane want to have their wedding on Asgard, but Thor needs to know if people from our world can even cross the newly constructed rainbow bridge."

"If Bruce comes back alive and well, then other people can go," said Tony.

Fury gave Tony a hostile stare with his one eye. "Thor just said that our technology may not function at optimum levels. Do you really want to be another world with your arc rector not working?"

Natasha said, "Your arc rector failed when you entered the wormhole. Miss Foster, Miss Lewis, Dr. Selvig and any one else the bride invites for her wedding will hopefully be able to make the trip. I, already, have a dress picked out. Thor, you will be inviting the Avengers?"

"Since Tony can't go, I don't think it would be proper to invite the other Avengers," said Thor. "However, Jane hasn't made her list, yet."

Natasha's smile returned. "Tony, you can miss one wedding."

Thor said, "Your troll will love Asgard."

"A quick trip there and back," said Bruce. "No troll."

Thor put a large hand on Bruce's shoulder. "We shall see."

Bruce packed a backpack with warm clothes, several composition books and enough pens and pencils for several days, in case, Thor was forced to partake in several feasts celebrating the return of the heir apparent. He didn't like the idea that he was chosen to make this trip because he was tossed out of airplanes, shot and didn't get sick when treating Diphtheria or Ebola. Given all that, he coming back alive wouldn't necessarily mean that Jane Foster could make the trip. Then again, if he couldn't make the trip that meant Jane wouldn't be able to since she had a weaker constitution. However, if Bruce could make the make the trip, they would need further testing.

Realizing he might be invited to one of those feasts, he would need to wear something nicer than his baggy professor clothes. After taking the elevator to the upper floors of Stark Tower, he knocked on the door of the penthouse.

Tony answered the door then said, "Are you here to rub your good fortune in my face?" leading his friend inside the penthouse.

"I need something to wear to an Asgard feast," said Bruce, ignoring Tony's pouting. "Thor's friends wouldn't have armor my size, besides can you see me in chainmail?"

Tony put an hand on Bruce's shoulder. "You would look hot in chainmail."

"The weight of walking around in such heavy clothes could upset me enough to bring out the other guy," said Bruce. "And destroying a royal feast would not be good manners."

Tony smiled.

"It isn't funny."

"Yes, it is." Tony walked over to the black leather sofa. "A bunch of Asgardians holding you down while Thor says 'You must sing lullabies to the troll.' Thor starts singing loudly and badly and they end up singing a raunchy bar song and the Hulk joins in."

Bruce sat on the sofa and put his hands on his face. "I still need something appropriate for a royal feast."

"Only chainmail will do." Tony smiled. "I don't have any in your size."

Bruce took his hands away from his face and leaned forward on the sofa. "You have chainmail?"

"At the manor, nothing here," said Tony. "When are you leaving? I may be able to weld you something."

"I'll wear my parka and ski pants." Bruce didn't lose control all that often but fumbling around in a suit of armor that weighed nearly as much as he did would definitely set him off. "I hear the grand hall gets cold. Castles are terribly drafty places. But thanks for the offer."

He didn't know if cold enough for a parka and ski pants, but he heard stories of frost giants and Asgard made him think of ice and snow. Thor was a god and could run around in armor no matter what the temperature. Either way, he would have the warm clothing if he needed it. The wild boars, the ice monsters and being inside a drafty castle without a cellphone or computer. This trip sounded like a whole bunch of no fun. Why did Tony want to go?

Bruce flew to New Mexico on a S.H.I.E.L.D. jet with Thor sitting beside him. Jane met Thor at the airport and greeted him with a hug. After the hugging ended, Bruce said, "Hello, Jane. It's nice seeing you, again."

Jane smiled awkwardly, "Hello, Dr. Banner."

Jane drove them to the portal.

Once they were in the center of a circle etched into the rocky ground, Thor yelled for Heimdall. Bruce was surrounded by white light like the blinding rage of the hulk but without the rage. The opposite, in fact, calm beautiful light engulfed him.

The light became the black of night and he was on a bridge. Thor was holding his backpack. Something was wrong. He was taller than Thor. He put a hand to his face. Green. He blinked a few times. "Thor, what just happened?" That deep voice was his.

"I have your backpack," said Thor. "How do you feel?"

"Good, healthy," Bruce took a deep breath, large lung-capacity, the Hulk's lungs.

Heimdall walked over to them and gave Thor a big hug.

Thor patted Heimdall's shoulder. "This is my friend, Bruce."

Bruce cradled his backpack in one arm. "Thor, how does one greet a god?"

"'Greetings Heimdall' works," said Thor.

Heimdall took Bruce's hand and clasped it. "You fought along side Thor. That makes you Thor's brother."

Brother like Loki. Bruce cringed.

"I shall take Bruce to the palace," said Thor. "He is a bit shaken by the trip across the rainbow bridge. We shall talk later."

Thor put an arm around Bruce and led him past the gatehouse to a beautiful city. The stretchy pants Tony made him wear, in case, they were attacked by dragons or frost giants still held. At least, he didn't have to approach the city gates naked. But purple, Tony, really?.

"I hate to impose but Tony wanted to pack me armor and I refused." Bruce hated the sound of his voice. His deep voice was the least of it - he was nine feet tall and green. Still the bridge had healed him like Fiona was healed in Shrek. Maybe, he could find a female ogre to love him. It was Asgard and ogres did live here or he believed they did. Bruce never claimed to be an expert on Nordic myths. "I need undergarments and chainmail."

"While you are here, you are my guest," said Thor.

"Is there somewhere warm?" asked Bruce.

"You can sit by the fire while I talk to the smith," said Thor. "Or I can give you a robe to wear since you may wish to help design your garments." Bruce held in the shiver while still holding his backpack close to him. "A robe is good. On second thought, you can talk to the smith and a tailor alone. I need time to think. Besides, you know more about Asgardian fashion than I."

"As you wish." Thor led Bruce into a beautiful palace past waterfalls that dwarfed anything on Earth. Bruce decided, once he had warm clothing, he would just sit in the shade of a tree and observe the waterfalls for hours. He had seen Victoria Falls in Africa, but the blue of the water, the green of the trees, the quiet of the forest made this place magical. He was in Asgard, the world of the gods. He now understood Tony's jealousy.

They walked down one pathway then another. "I have the perfect chamber for you," said Thor. "It used belong to an ogre."

"What happened to the last tenant?"

"His wife found out he was bedding a chambermaid," said Thor. "Never cross a female ogre."

Finding a female ogre was out. And he though he had anger issues - had anger issues. He was happy now. He was green, nine feet tall and unattractive, but he was happy. Too happy to try to bring out the Hulk. Was that even possible, seeing that he was the Hulk? He didn't want to think about it - it would probably make his head hurt. He just wanted to write about waterfalls, giant trees and palaces made of crystal.

Thor gave him a hug before saying, "Farewell."

Bruce jumped onto well-packed straw mattress. "Farewell, Friend Thor." He opened his backpack, put on the glasses he had made for the Hulk and took out a pencil and composition book. The pencil broke - snapping in two - when he tried to write. He took out a pen. Holding it gently, he began to write. Stephen Hawking could write only moving his eyes. Bruce had no reason to complain. His body was whole and brimming with health and vigor. One broken pencil wouldn't keep him from writing his observations about visiting an alien world.

He wrote page after page about trees, flowers, rock formations, and the rainbow bridge. Finally, he started yawning, put his glasses on the table and went to sleep on the straw mattress, pulling the heavy blankets over his large body. Thor woke him the next day. From the light shining through the window much too early. "Mommy, can I have a few more minutes?"

"I found you a robe to wear." Thor threw a multicolored robe onto the bed. "Still green, I see."

"I'm going to sit outside wrapped in my blanket and enjoy the waterfall unless there are any animals out there that make the Chitauri look like field mice."

"Just some wild boars, giant snakes and some harpies," teased Thor. "And the occasional small fuzzy animal with big sharp teeth. Nothing you couldn't handle."