100YR Job: Saving Fiore from The God of Storms

Hera had been summoned to the country of Veronica, and it was raining outside. Hard. It had been for several days; and several weeks. She wondered if it would ever let up. As she usually wore open toe sandals; water splashing on her toes was common place everytime she stepped outside.

The nation was known for it's rolling hills; with little trees and mainly just grasslands and mountaintops. However the natural beauty had been overcast; some say magically in the entire country. Which was mindblowing. A nationwide storm was something exceptional no matter where you were. For now though it just seemed like she was going to be stuck here. She thought about it all. Being indoors like this gave her time to really think about how she'd even gotten here. Flashbacks to the Magic Council calling her to Era; she thought for jail time or something worse. However, it appeared they wanted her to actually combat a magical threat that they didn't want anywhere near Fiore.

Far south of the Calm Sea, lie the nation of Veronica. Or as she liked to call it right now, "Rainland" it seemed like it would never stop. A huge mountain of room service food was ordered and stacked up as she literally walked up to the window with a slice of key lime pie. Staring out at the raindrops hitting the window pain, she knew that magic could do amazing things. But a storm such as this....that spanned across an entire country. It was a magical force unlike anything she'd ever dreamed or heard of. Something of this nature....she was supposed to take it on.

There she stood, smiling at the window. The young seventeen year old with long pink hair, and a Fairy Tail mark on her shoulder. In light red. She wondered. Would this be her greatest battle yet? It sure felt like it could be. First, she'd saved their island. Tenroujima. The sacred island of the Guild. From a supernatural beast that had escaped it's home in Seven somehow. It was like this being, a force unlike any she'd ever faced. Although, this one seemed...way more cataclysmic in nature. As she stood there, smiling out the window. She heard a voice behind her.

"You're actually excited about this huh?" Rose said as she stood to her feet swishing her tail; standing on the bed. Which was rather plush. The Exceed hopped on the bed, having fun for a moment as she just literally jumped in place on the bed, all the while talking. "If something like that is really making a nationwide storm...then you might actually be able to go all out against it." Rose knew that was the real reason why Hera was smiling. As she bounced up and down on the bed in the background as Hera stared out the storming windows. Her hotel overlooking downtown Capital Town. The palace way off in the distance, the royal family had actually paid for her week long stay here. When the creature made another appearance; the royal navy would contact them. She wondered what kind of hell those sailors were facing out on the high seas right now.

As the thought crossed her mind that it was named the "Calm Sea" usually. The one that separated Fiore and Veronica. Well right now it should be called the damn "Hell Sea" or something like that she thought to herself. Shaking her head as she walked back over to her bed with her pie and sat down on the edge of the bed while Rose hopped around behind her on the bed. The hotel room's TV listed flood warnings in the entire south of Fiore, and in the entire nation of Veronica.

She shook her head and flopped backward down onto her bed; arms open in angel style as she stared up at the ceiling. Pink hair laying out with her as she looked over at Rose with her eyes. The cat bouncing and bouncing.

"I wonder if this......thing.....they call the Storm King is just sitting at the bottom of the ocean right now." she said as she lay there, staring up. She wondered. Such a being, such power would have to be incredible to have such an effect.

After everything she'd been through with the guild she wondered if she really could take on a foe like this. She wondered if she had the strength. Hell, she even thought about trying to talk with the damn thing if she could. There had to be an alternative to simply just....kicking it's ass. After all if it was a being as old as what she thought it could possibly be; it could likely talk and think. It might've had a good reason for raising it's magic to such high levels. Maybe it was angry, or lonely.

Where had it come from? Had it always been on this planet...or was it otherworldly in nature. As a member of Fairy Tail, she had a lot to prove. Not only to herself, but to everyone who saw her as nothing more than a wild card who couldn't be trusted. She would earn back the trust of everyone who shunned her; and prove them all wrong about her guild.

As she lay there smiling to herself, she would look up and watch the TV for a little while. It was still happening, the Basilisk Fang attack on Lamia Scale. Damnit Sol....I can't believe you'd be a part of this senseless killing.....no way. she shook her head, as she understood that there was a reason this battle had broken out; and she knew that Famine would be at the center of it.

She picked up a slice of pie, and watched the TV, it reflected in her eyes as she ate without breaking her view. It was a pretty terrible thing to watch; that many snakes being unleashed upon a city. Some people had no chance, and were probably bitten by a poisonous snake just running on the streets. It was amazing to think that...her Dad used to be on the same team as Famine, the Master of Basilisk Fang itself. As a matter of fact, Famine had started the Guild. She'd have to get Rita alone one day and ask her about it's founding; how it all happened. How she became the mage she is now, and stopped being the one she was before.

"To think someone like this used to be a member of Fairy Tail...." she shook her head, as the legend of Famine was known far and wide across Earthland, given she was a famous Fairy Tail mage before her fall. As Hera watched the news crew literally get attacked by snakes live on camera; the cameraman even falling to the ground as snakes overtook the camera. They cut back live to the studio with an aerial shot of the carnage unfolding.

She just so happened to be out of the country or she'd be there to give both Rita and Sol a piece of her mind.

"She used to be so sweet....." Rose said as she stopped bouncing and walked to the edge of the bed. Staring at the TV and watching Rita closely. A bit of sadness laced across her features the whole time she watched. Eventually, Rose would turn around as the memories got the better of her. Ignoring the voices on the TV blaring through the hotel suite. "They don't know Rita at all......what she's been through to become that." as Rose said this, Hera got interested turning and looking at Rose with a "!" above her head. As she did this, Rose would look serious for a moment.

"You know what happened?" she asked. Forgetting that Rose was also apart of the team with Simon, Rita, her Dad, and Lance. As she asked though; she could tell Rose didn't want to say anything as she just stayed quiet. "Well?"

Rose sighed to herself as she said that it wasn't a matter that was as simple as just "telling her", which confused the heck out of Hera and made her pout, crossing her arms. She wondered why it was such a sensitive subject for her; but as she watched the news reports continue to roll in about Hargeon Town; she realized that she would have to steel herself to not only save Veronica, but Fiore as well. As this thing was headed north apparently toward her home nation.

She couldn't let such a massive force hit her country while they were dealing with something like this already. She'd decided. She would stop the Storm King at all costs. Regardless of whether or not Rose wanted to tell her about Rita. Even though she still had that pout on her face.

"Well...if we can manage to stop the Storm King. Then I'll tell you the whole story." Rose said as she closed her eyes, opening one to see the effect this statement had on Hera. Who immediately jumped up on the bed and pumped her fist into the air bouncing around. As Rose couldn't help but to let off a sweatdrop watching the antics off the 16 year old. She really did care about those connected to her Dad in any way. Even Rita. After what she'd done, she only thought that Hera would want to destroy her utterly but...she was surprised time and time again by the young lady.

"Then I'll just have to kick it's ass extra hard!!!" she said as she hopped off of the bed onto the floor of the hotel and began jogging in place. Rose couldn't help but to smile as she would make a paw into a fist and give Hera a head nod. The thunderous rain outside made Rose want to sleep however, as she yawned. Hera would continue to stretch and shadow box the air, doing random fighting moves out of pure excitement from the joy of the match to come. Rose couldn't help but to wonder if Hera knew what kind of world ending threat they were about to head into.

The rain continued to pour onto the hotel, and the entirety of Veronica; as from outside the rainy window Hera was shown mimicking martial arts moves to the best of her ability and laughing joyously toward Rose.

"DO you think that we have a chance against this thing?" she said as she stopped herself mid-punch and looked over at the cat on the bed who swished it's tail at her question. Rose would look up from the question and looked shocked. Did Hera question her place with her? No, she questioned her own strength. She never ever accepted it like her father did. Which is why she struggled to be the strongest mage she could. After all, she wondered if her magic was even safe to use most times; and hesitated when it counted most.

Ironic because most of the time, if it wasn't involving magic Hera would just dive head first into a situation without thinking. Only when magic was involved did she use her brain at all. Or so Rose thought. This question itself proved her wrong in a way.

"Hera, I don't think the Storm King.....or any other thing or King stands a chance against you if you were to fight like we both know you can." as she said this, Hera would look both excited and then confused. Before realizing what Rose was talking about and sighing to herself, looking at her own hand as she just stared at it.

"Without holding back....is what you mean." Hera said both to Rose and to herself as she stared at her own hand; a bit of passion in her eyes.

For a few more moments, Hera would continue to stare at her own hand as if something was going to change. But after awhile, she only looked up and would smile. This look said it all.

"I'll give it a real shot.....I'll go all out. I just hope I don't destroy the Calm Sea." she said to herself as she would lower her hand and then look around the room; as something amazing happened.

The rain stopped.

As the sound of it went slower, then slower, and then lighter, and then lighter. The water splashing against the window eventually became small trails of water running down it as sunshine began to pour in through the windows of their hotel room. At first, Hera was happy to see the sun; as she was happy to see any kind of sunshine; due to her loving the heat but her short lived excitement was cut off when she realized that something was wrong. The Storm King hadn't been defeated or even engaged yet. This could only mean one thing----

Before she could even think about it though. A series of knocks hit her door. Without hesitating, she crossed the room and opened it. There stood a group of three knights. One of them would bow to her slightly, as the other two mimiced him. She comically did the same kind of bow which caused Rose to facepalm in the background on the bed.

"Miss Reyold, the King of Veronica requests your presence." and with that, they would step back from the doorway. "We shall wait here for you to prepare yourself. Take as much time as you need." as he said this, the other two guards would look at each other and then both at him from behind. Obviously, they didn't want to be seen on guard duty at the most expensive hotel in town. She guessed from their point of view it was kind of a sucky job. But she would only smile at them.

Needing only to put her shoes on; she would disappear from the doorway comically leaving a cloud of smoke she moved so fast; and then stood back in the smoke she caused from moving so fast with a beaming smile; sparkling a bit as she held the door open with one hand.

"All done!" she said one hand on her hip. As she did this, the guards would literally have sweatdrops above their heads comically as she would step out of the room; Rose floating out behind her. Bobbing up and down. As she would begin following the three guards down the hallway towards the elevator; Rose would put a hand to her chin as she floated with them, following near Hera mid-air as Hera would look over at her and raise an eyebrow. "Something wrong?" Hera would say as she looked over at the Exceed. Who would look up and then shake her head.

"It's just, such a sudden stop in all these storms. If it was happening based off of the magic power of the Storm King then...something must have happened to make it stop. This could be very bad." she said as they reached the elevator. "If something that big decides to move around underwater....." as she went off into her own mind again, the guards in the elevator with them would all turn to look at Hera, raising their helmets visors a bit so they could see more clearly. They were all young men, except for one young woman among them with dark hair.

As the elevator door hit the bottom floor, Hera would wonder why they were staring at her like this. But then she realized they were all emotional. Her face got somewhat serious as she met all their eyes. Rose also didn't say a word, merely rested on Hera's shoulder. She would then put a hand on her hip as they moved out of her way for her to exit the elevator.

The slit in her long kung fu robes ran up her thigh, exposing a bit of leg on it's way up as the young lady in black and gold would turn and bow deeply to them giving them a shocked look.

"Miss....we just....you came from out of the country to risk your life against some crazy thing." he would sigh to himself and look almost ashamed that they couldn't handle it themselves. She wondered how long he'd been a member of the Knights here in Veronica. It looked like a national police force, so she wondered how far and wide he had traveled. One thing was clear though, this young man cared about his nation with a passion. They all did. As both worry and sadness overcame their features.

"Well, that's what Fairy Tail is for!" she commented as Rose would fist pump once in the air as the guards would all look at one another and then laugh a little as they cheered up a bit on the way out of the hotel.

"So mages where your from have something called Guilds?" she explained it as best she could as they walked after that question was asked. They seemed fascinated and liked the idea. "Well the mages here just run around and do whatever the want...there are barely any here though." the guard said as they walked outside finally. The town seemed to still be wet, but people were putting away their umbrellas now; as sunshine peaked overhead. Clouds rolled away as if...magically. But it also seemed natural as well. Did this thing really have such a reach that it could drown an entire nation in a downpour if it wanted too? That thought alone chilled Hera to the core.....and she was one hell of a fire mage.

"Well then shall we get to the palace?" the female guard said, she seemed more anxious than the other two. Like this supernatural weather and rain truly had her spooked. "We can't keep the king waiting now that the rain has stopped we have an opportunity to plan and make something happen...." she added as they all agreed with a nod and set off towards the palace.

The capital city here was...gorgeous. As the sun glinted off of high gilded towers. She admired it as much as she could...with that giant castle looming off in the distance as she literally couldn't help but too stare up in awe at it as it only got bigger the closer they got to it. Looking up ahead in the streets she could see other guards passing by them, waving and a few of them even nodded at her as if they knew she was the mage from Fiore that they had heard about. This emboldened her as she began to feel the purpose pull on her.

The camera would zoom up and show the castle, Rose still riding on Hera's shoulder as they approached.

As they approached the castle, they would quickly make it inside. She wondered how the King was holding up with all this nonsense. As she eventually found herself in the throne room...after what seemed like an endless amount of walking through who knew how many ornate hallways, she found herself face to face with the King in a room full of arguing people.

It was super loud in here---so naturally Hera was comfortable. As she entered the room however, it drew quiet as she was escorted before the King. Walking up, she decided to remain quiet; blushing for a bit and taking in his long dark brown hair and royal attire on the throne. He seemed to be quite pissed off at everyone for arguing like this.

With a downfall  that surrounded the entire nation however, she didn't blame them.

WHAT? I wonder how much of this place is flooded now....oh man. Hera sweatdropped at the mere thought of it. She might be able to help with that, if they would only trust her. That would be a long shot though; it seemed everyone in here was probably on edge. Likely due to the 24 hour rainfall that had been hitting. Only now was the sunshine beaming through the royal halls.

"So you're the mage from Fiore.....you think you can kill a God?" the King said to Hera directly.

"What do you mean by a God?" she asked, hoping they had some kind of footage or something like that. But all they had was a description; since in Veronica people didn't have as much technology as others. They relied on alchemy and other methods.

"Well......it's like a giant cloud. It's eyes and everything, claws, fur....it's all made of lightning." a voice said loudly from somewhere. As another argued that; that was just nonsense and that it was a giant Water Dragon of some kind. Causing Hera to sweatrop and sigh as she didn't know which story to believe. As Rose sat on her shoulder with a simultaneously aggravated expression with her eyes closed. Eats moving every now and then. "When you say you can face something like this....."

"I've seen worse. Trust me." she said as she adjusted the sunglasses on her head. "Your highness um....I....well where I come from my magic is uh...well......ah...." she didn't know how to say it as everyone in the room furrowed their brow, and didn't like her fumbling over her words at all. Which didn't seem like the same young lady from a moment ago almost. When it came to her magic, Hera just....felt sometimes it could be a burden not only to her. But those around her. But it felt so right to use it to help people. She just had too. She was getting better. Maybe this battle...with the Storm King would send her over the edge. If only she could master Grandine's art and use it to somehow control her fire. As her mind raced through all of this, Rose spoke up.

"She was taught magic by a Dragon...." Rose said as the talking Exceed spoke up. Drawing murmuring from the crowd as they had never seen the Exceed of legend up close and personal like this. Truly a marvel to them as it seemed like something out of a kids storybook; but no one ever believed they'd ever see one. "So, we need to go out to sea...we'll be flying overhead." as she said this, the crowd erupted.

After about ten minutes of them yelling at one another again, Hera just listened in as it got quiet again.

"This being is something out of this world...it cannot reach the city." the King finally said with authority. "We shall accompany you with the royal navy." he said as several people disagreed with only the looks on their faces. Not willing to risk such judgement from the King in an intense situation. However, Rose was.

"I don't think that's a good idea your highness." as the cat on Hera's shoulder spoke up. Hera didn't move, her arms remained crossed as it was what she was thinking. There was no telling how intense this battle was going to get. The king however, protested immediately that they would not allow a foreigner to come in and just 'save the day' while they did nothing but watch idle by. As he yelled at them, Hera could only shrug.

"Either way you'll be criticized your majesty.........that crown gets heavy sometimes huh?" she smirked at him a bit, one hand on her hip as it drew silent. But a look of admiration and understanding crossed the king, gilded in white furs, a red robe, and a golden crown laced with red in color.