Once Upon A Time

Chapter 17

It was a long year of hard training. Makarov was a strict and firm teacher but also gentle and patient. He made sure that Gray understood everything there was to know about magic and how everything he did, thought, and felt had an effect on the power in him.

"Magic responds to emotions." He had told his student during one lesson. "Which is why you must try not be impulsive when using it. You must be reasonable and think before using it. Consider the consequences."

"Okay." Gray said understanding.

"Magic can also effect how you see yourself."

"How so?"

"Let me ask you something Gray, how do you see yourself?"

"I don't understand."

"What do you think of yourself? What do you see when you look in a mirror?"

"Well..." He said nervously. "To be honest I see myself as something ugly. Something that just can't be loved or accepted."

"You mustn't think of yourself that way. If you do your magic may end up turning you into exactly that. An ugly creature that is unloved and unaccepted. You must learn to see yourself as what you really are."

"And what's that?"

"That's for you to figure out. Only you can really know for sure who you really are."

"Well it's hard to see myself as anything other than ugly or unwanted when I have spent twenty years being called that by a whole a village of people."

"I understand but you can change that. Once you have mastered your power you and your mother can move away from that place and start a new life. One where you'll be regarded as a hero for using your magic to help others. That is if that's what you want. I can only teach you how to use magic it's your choice on what you do with it."

"Would it be so bad if I used my magic to benefit myself?"

"Hmm...That's a tricky subject. The desire to use magic for selfishness is hard to resist. I myself still struggle with it. But it helps to remember that all magic comes with a price and the more selfish you are with it the higher the price goes up."

"Does that mean helping people with magic would come at a price?"

"In a way but you would be paying that price by sacrificing your own time and want to help someone who needs it. Who deserves it. Even fairy magic has it's own price."

"It does?"

"Well maybe I shouldn't say it has a price. I mean it's not free. Fairies most of the time can only lend their magic to others if they've done something to deserve it and that's pretty much what light magic is. It rewards those who deserve it most."

"What about dark magic?"

"Dark magic was originally created to punish mortals who had selfish and greedy hearts but much like humans, the creatures who used dark magic became ensnared by their own selfish desires as well. Some still only use it as a punishment for the wicked but there are very few  of them now."

"Is that what you think I should do? Punish people?"

"I was thinking that maybe you could give them a chance to redeem themselves. Let them see what their wrong ways will cost them if they don't change for the better."

"I'm not sure if I want to do that but I do want to help people. Because then maybe they'll finally accept me and my mother."

"That's not how helping people works Gray. You don't do it to earn their gratitude or favor. You do it because it's the right thing to do."