Chapter 50 - S-Rank Promotions

"Alright ladies, I already told this to Ishtar and it appears she didn't tell you. You are forbidden from telling anyone else, but...there is a good chance you may eventually having children with me.", I told them.

Spitting their coffee out, Aqua and Loki looked at me to see if I was joking. Gods and Goddesses knew that making children was impossible for them, but I was an exception as a being that stood above them. When they realized that I wasn't joking, they smiled at each other.

"Maybe you should consider pulling out with them.", Freya said pointing at both of them, "Do you really want a little Aqua and Loki running around? One of them is enough."

"Hey!!", Loki spat, "I resent that!"

Telling them to settle down, I said the chances were good but that it wasn't a guarantee. Saying their chances were just as good as the mortals, they were content with that. Loki and Aqua acted like giddy school children while Freya and Ishtar were content with just relaxing there. Spending some time with them afterwards, I sent them each back to their residence so no one caught on to what was happening.

---Earthland---

Walking in the front door, Juvia came barreling over to see me. Jumping into my arms, she pulled out the latest Sorcerer Weekly magazine to show me the cover. On the front was me sitting a deep red chair with all girls sitting around me.

"They sold out of the magazine in less than an hour.", Lucy told me running over with a smile.

"I bet, having so many stunning women on the cover is sure to rack in the money.", I chuckled, "I get to see that anytime I want, so I got the better end of the deal."

Carrying Juvia to the living room, I plopped down to relax with them for a bit. They had several weeks off of modeling so we were going to plan a vacation when someone knocked on our door. Running over to the front door, Millianna said she would answer it for us.

"Eek!!", Millianna shrieked, "You reek of alcohol!!"

"Nah...I think you are crazy.", Cana laughed, "Is Mael home?"

"Yeah...what do you want?", Millianna replied.

"Gramps wanted me to run this message over to him...", Cana said.

Yelling over that I was home, she stumbled in past Millianna and into our living room. Looking around as she walked into the living room, she seemed impressed with things.

"You all have a really...really nice house!", she said, "How do I sign up?"

"This isn't a club you know.", Erza stated, "This is where we all live, we are a family after all."

"Ah...family.", Cana replied looking a little upset.

"You mentioned something about a message from Makarov?", I spoke up to change the subject.

"Oh yeah...he has a message for you, let me get it.", Cana remembered, "Where is it..."

Watching her fish around in her bra for the message, I couldn't help but chuckle. Clearly no matter what world you went too, women used their bras as extra pockets. Opting not to ogle her, I focused on looking through the destinations we could go to. When she said she found it, I stuck my hand out and felt something very different from a message handed to me. Glancing over, I found her bra in my hand.

"Cana!!", Lisanna shouted.

"Oppies.", she playfully laughed, "Sorry Mael, that's not for you."

Tossing it onto her head and returning my attention to our vacation options, I heard her let out a sigh.

"You aren't very fun, most boys would have flipped out a little you know.", she sighed, "Here's your damn letter!"

Stomping out of the house, she slammed the door behind her. I didn't give her any attention because I knew she was pretty hammer, and I didn't take advantage of drunk women like that. Opening the letter from Makarov, I read it over and sighed.

"Something wrong?", Minerva asked.

"Yep, we are going to have to put our vacation plans on hold.", I replied, "Looks like all of you are eligible for S-Rank promotions."

"Really!?", Sorano shouted, "You mean we can take more dangerous missions now!?"

"Why did you sigh though?", Mirajane inquired.

"Apparently the requirements this year changed. Outside the first two challenges, there is a test from the Kingdom of Fiore that you will need to pass as well.", I advised.

The King in this alternate reality of Fairy Tail wasn't the same kind hearted man I knew. In his youth, he watched his parents die at the hands of several Dark Guild Mages. He accepted that mages were a necessary part of the world, but he chose to leave dealing with them to non-mages around him. It was so bad that he sent his own daughter away when she first used magic, she lived somewhere in the countryside now away from his sight.

At the behest of his counselors, he implemented a new law to help curb the destruction caused by mages out on quests. Moving forward, those below S-Rank could only take quests that were in a fifty mile radius of their Guild Hall. S-Ranks would be allowed to go where ever they were needed without these restrictions.

"In order to gain S-Rank status, mages must display a sense of awareness for their surroundings and the people that live around them. Potential S-Rank mages will have a written test followed by a trial period where they will be supervised by a member of the Magic Council Knights or the Kingdom's Mage Knights.", I read to them, "If at any point their performance drops below the set standards, they will be unable to test for a promotion for...five years."

"Five years!?", the girls shouted.

"Do they realize how ridiculous some of the Mage Knights and Council Knights are!?", Erza spat, "Some of them are very corrupt, and will accept bribes to have people arrested."

"I heard in the countryside they run villages like they are noblemen...", Lisanna added.

"Hey now, there is no way you ladies will fail this. Once you all have S-Rank, lets go to Caracole Island.", I said sliding the card in front of them.

It was effectively a miniature Hawaiian Island so I was more than happy to vacation there.

"Oh my!! Hot Stone Massages, we are going here!", Irene laughed reading the activities on the card, "Ah it's been so long since I was on a beach for vacation."

"Wouldn't a hot spring be better?", Brandish replied.

"On the beach you could wear cute swimsuits.", she said with a smirk, "I am sure Mael would appreciate that, a lot."

Shrugging my shoulders, I said I might enjoy it...especially since I could apply sun lotion on them. Throwing the other options out, everyone agreed to Caracole Island unanimously.

"So when do we leave for the S-Rank Promotion trials?", Juvia asked.

"First thing tomorrow.", I responded.

Running upstairs to get packed, the girls wanted to make sure they had everything they needed for the trials.

---Next Morning, Outworld---

Setting sail at first light, I used a body double to take my place on the ship while I had my meeting Sindel. Knowing full well that this might be a trap, I casually walked through my portal without concern. Stepping out into rather beautiful amethyst cave, the walls around us were chalk full of the precious gems.

"This is a welcome surprise.", I said with a smirk, "It's hard to believe that Outworld had such a beautiful place."

"There are a lot of beautiful things in Outworld that people don't know about.", Sindel teased me.

"Haha, that is true.", I replied, "So I suppose you have a reason for our meeting today?"

"Of course, I want your help getting out of this marriage of mine. I sure you know that my homeland Edenia was taken from us by-", she said before I hushed her.

Giving her a grin, I said I didn't need her to act like a mourning widow. Telling her I knew her real personality, I said it was unnecessary for her to manipulate the situation to what she wanted.

"I think you know the reason why I agreed to this meeting.", I chuckled, "Let's not waste each other's time here."

Letting out a sigh of relief, she started laughing.

"Haha, you are far wiser than the Gods of this universe.", she mocked Raiden and the others, "To think an Otherworlder of all people would catch me."

"You like powerful men because you get power in return.", I said, "While you initially fell for Shao Kahn, his consistent losses at the hands of mortals has lessened your love. On top of that, you grow frustrated day by day because he doesn't truly rule. He is a conqueror, not a King."

"I couldn't have said it better.", she admitted.

"Having watched your husband's authority wane under the constant losses against Earthrealm, you now want out before you go down with him.", I stated, "Frankly I don't blame you, you want the authority...you really don't care how you get it. That said, you also want to be tied to his downfall to win back the trust of your people. After all most of them think you sold them out."

Clapping her hands, she was seemingly very impressed I caught on to all of that.

"My daughter and Lu Kang can rule Outworld, I don't want to rule this place.", she spat, "Edenia is my birthright, I will not trade it for anything."

"That's fair enough, but you don't seem to see the big picture. We have an annoying bug to squash before we can take out Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung. Kronika, the Keeper of Time, she will simply undo your hard work in reclaiming your lands.", I advised.

"Who is this Kronika?", she asked.

"You probably don't know her, but you do know her children...Shinnok and Cetrion?", I said.

"So she is an Elder God...", Sindel muttered.

"No, she is a being of equal or greater power than them. She is a Titan, a race of entities that existed since the creation of this universe.", I stated, "You may not believe it, but you have actually lived through countless lives prior to this one. All of them were born from her manipulating the universe to the way she desired it to be."

Looking at me with hesitation I put my index finger on her head and showed her the previous lives she had lived, excluding specific parts about who specifically was pulling the strings. I kept her in the dark about that simply because I could use it against Cetrion and Kronika in the future. In moments she witnessed her countless deaths, betrayals, and what was to come if nothing changed. Falling to her knees as I removed my finger, it took her several minutes to come to terms with it all.

"I see now...there really is no real way I can keep my Edenia for long. No matter what I do, it will be taken away from me.", she growled grabbing the ground in anger, "To think I have been no more than a mere pawn in someone else's game!! I am not some mere piece for them to use as they see fit!! I am a Queen, I am an Empress, I am a Goddess!!!"

"Now you see why I have come to help you.", I said, "All I want from you is assisting me in taking Shang Tsung's head, and your hand in marriage. I have no interest in taking Edenia from you, take it and do with it what you will."

"After showing me that, I am just to trust you?", she pointed out.

"Haha, what I offer you is a seat at the Elder Gods table. I know they will not heed my warning, and will be end up under my boot. If you want your proof, I suggest you come with me to the Elder God meeting in a few days.", I told her, "I will give you the power you seek to take your realm back, that should suffice no?"

Staring at me, I could see that she didn't fully trust I would honor my bargain. I didn't blame her, what I showed her was the entire timeline of the Mortal Kombat Universe. She saw everything that occurred, including how untrustworthy many of the Gods and Elder Gods were. Before leaving her to ponder what I offered, I gave her a warning.

"Keep a close eye on your back, Shang Tsung or Quan Chi may put a dagger in it. I would hate for one of my potential partners to have an abrupt end.", I chuckled as I got up and walked away, "I await your answer."

"I will see you at that meeting.", she proclaimed, "I am done being a pawn in Kronika's game."