Gray couldn't stop smiling all the way home. He couldn't believe it. A silver piece. He never thought he'd ever see money like that in his young life. He could hardly wait to see the look on his mother's face once she saw it.

"Mother I'm home." He said almost breaking the door to their house down in his excitement.

"My you're in a good mood." She observed. "Anything interesting happen at Macao's shop?"

"You could say that."

"What happened?"

"Well he couldn't pay me the eight copper pieces he owed us for the fabric."

"Oh...I see." She said in disappointment.

"So he gave us a silver piece instead."

"What?"

"Uh-huh! Look it's real silver." He gave her the coin which she gazed at in amazement.

"My goodness. This is silver. And Macao gave us this?"

"Yes. I tried to give it back to him but he insisted that we have it. He said that I earned it."

"Oh God bless that man. He's been a saint to us for years."

"I know and I'm going to try to pay him back for this. I don't know how I'll do that because we're poor as dirt but where there's a will there's a way."

"We'll worry about that later. Right now I want you to take that silver piece, go to the market, and buy enough food to keep us sustained for awhile and with whatever money you have left from that I want you to use it to buy some leather. I'm going to use it to make you a new coat."

"I don't need a new coat Mother."

"Yes you do. This one you're wearing is worn out and dirty. You need something new with stronger material and sewing a new a coat for you would make me very happy."

"What about you? Is there anything from the market you really want?"

"No dear. I don't want anything."

"Are you sure? Because I would really like to get you something very nice."

"Alright if you happen to see a rose at the market I would like to have that."

"But Mother roses don't grow this time of year."

"I figured but that's the only thing I want for myself so there's no point in getting me anything special."

"Still I'll try to find one at least."

"Just worry about getting enough food and please be home before dark."

"I will."

Gray walked down to the village market and bought a good amount of food for him and his mother. After that he bought enough leather for his mother to make a proper coat and then he went to find a rose for her but just as he suspected it was much too cold for roses to be growing therefore there were none to be sold. He felt disappointed that he couldn't bring her back something special. After all she had sacrificed so much for him. She deserved at least one little thing that made her happy.

As he was walking home from the market he spotted Rufus at the side of the road. He became scared at first, worried that he would harass him like he normally did but this time his focus seemed to be on something else which made him feel very relieved. However as he drew nearer down the road he realized that what had Rufus so distracted was a short old man who appeared to be crippled and was wearing very unusual clothes.

"Beggars aren't welcome in this village." Rufus told him.

"Please I meant no harm." The old man said. "I'm just passing through."

"Well that comes at a price."

"Forgive me I have no money."

"That's too bad."

He kicked away the stick that the old man was using to walk with causing him to fall down.

"You can't get something for nothing old man. Looks like I'm going to have to teach you a lesson about that."

"Please don't hurt me."

But Rufus just started kicking the old man. Gray knew that he should just keep walking. He knew that if he got involved he would get into a lot of trouble. He really didn't need Rufus or his father to hate him more than they already did. But he didn't walk away.

"Stop." He said.

Rufus ceased kicking the old man and turned his attention to Gray.

"Did you say something?"

"No!..I mean yes...I think you should stop." He said meekly.

"Stop?"

"Yes because...Because he's just an old man. He's not doing anything wrong."

"But out you heathen! Or you're next!"

Now the little voice that represented Gray's fear was shouting at him to just leave and he almost listened to it but when Rufus turned around he saw the old man trying to crawl away.

"Oh no you don't!"

He then slammed his boot right on to the old man's hand, seemingly crushing it and making him cry out in agony.

"Please!" He wailed. "Let me go! Have mercy!"

Finally Gray couldn't take it anymore. Without thinking he grabbed the old man's walking stick and used it to hit Rufus on the back of the head, knocking him out. At first he was very stunned by this action. He had never hit anyone before. Not once in his life. He wasn't sure what to think of what he had done. But he didn't think long on it because the sound of the old man coughing snapped him out of his thoughts. He immediately went to his aid.

"Are you alright?" He asked helping him to his feet and handing him his stick.

"I'm fine. Thank you young man."

"Are you sure you're okay? Is anything broken?"

"Only my foot but it was like that before I met that man."

"Do you need any help getting home?"

"Oh I don't have much of home. I'm a wanderer."

"Do you have a place to stay for the night?"

"No but I'm sure I can find an abandoned barn to stay in. There's plenty around here."

"Why don't you stay with me and my mother for the night? Our house is smaller than a barn but it has a fireplace so it'll be warm."

"That's kind of you but I have no way to pay you. The only thing of value I have are the clothes on my back. Oh! And this little thing."

And in his left hand, as if it appeared out of thin air, was a single rose.

"But no I couldn't possibly give you a rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. It's only a mere flower, not worth letting a dirty, crippled, old man stay in your home."

"No. No. It's perfect!" Gray said. "Actually I've been trying to find a rose to give to my mother but they're out of season. How did you manage to find one?"

"I guess I was lucky."

"Would you be willing to let me have that? To give to my mother?"

"Of course. But are you sure you really want to let me into your home in exchange for this?"

"Yes. A rose might not be worth much to a lot of people around here but it's worth more than gold and jewels to my mother and seeing her happy is worth more than anything to me."

"Then I guess it's a deal." He smiled.

"Great. I'm Gray by the way."

"Call me Makarov."

So the two of them went back to Gray's house. Alina happily agreed to let Makarov stay the night. She even invited him to have dinner with them and it was a wonderful dinner thanks to the food Gray had bought with the money. They had baked bread, seasoned meat, and fresh greens with milk to drink.

"This meal is fantastic." Makarov said. "My compliments to you good lady."

"Thank you Makarov. I do hope everything is to your liking?"

"It's wonderful."

"I'm glad. Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you. You've done quite enough. You and your son. Quite a young man he is."

"I know." She said smiling at her son who smiled back.

"Oh I almost forgot. I have surprise for you Mother." He said.

"What is it?"

He then presented her with the rose that Makarov had given him. Alina's eyes seemed to sparkle with awe when she saw it.

"Is that...Is it really?"

"Yes it is." He said.

She gently took the rose from him and brought it closer to her face so she could inhale it's perfume.

"I can't believe you were able to find one."

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. Oh it's so beautiful. Thank you very much."

"You're welcome."

She kissed her son's forehead and went to put the rose in some water.

"My what a generous and selfless young man you are." Makarov said to Gray. "Your mother must be so proud to have a son like you."

"I guess."

"You guess?"

"It's just that sometimes I feel like a burden to my mother. Like all I do is make life harder for her."

"Do you?"

"Not on purpose but.. It's too complicated to explain. You'd have to live here to know what I'm talking about."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Alina came back to answer the door and the very moment Gray saw his face he knew he was in big trouble. It was Duke Lore, Rufus's father.

"Duke Lore what are you doing here?" Alina asked.

"What do you think? Your boy attacked my son again and he has the bruise on his head to prove it."

"I know that and I also know that he did it to stop your son from tormenting a crippled old man. Now you have no good reason to be here so get off my property."

"After I speak with him."

"That's not going to happen. Now leave!"

"You can't shoo me away this time Alina. I brought my men and they're armed so if you don't want anyone to get hurt I suggest you bring your boy out here."

Alina didn't even want that monster to even look at her son. Not after the years of tormenting him. But she saw the men outside and she feared for Gray's safety and Makarov's. So all three of them came out of the house and faced the duke. He scanned Gray with his unfeeling eyes, taking in his appearance.

"My you've grown quite tall." He said. "I expected you be a short little imp for the rest of your life. How old are you now?"

"I'll be twenty next year."

"I see. Hmm it seems that you've inherited your mother's charming physical traits. I don't see your father anywhere in you. A pity, her looks are wasted on someone like you. You're really more suited to his traits." He turned his attention back to Alina. "I'll never understand how any woman could have allowed herself to be impregnated by such a demon and then give birth and actually love the beast he spawned."

"You're no better than he was." Alina said. "You use and torment people without any remorse just like he did."

"You know I think I've just about had it with that loose tongue of yours." He said. "And now that I think about it no one really buys fabric and thread from you anymore so you have no purpose here. I think it's time I sell you into slavery."

"No!" Gray cried. "No! Please! Don't! What do you want?"

"What do I want?"

"Yes! I'll do anything just don't sell my mother into slavery!"

"You have no money. You have no influence, no land, no title, or power. You have nothing." But a horrid grin rose to his face when he thought of an awfully cruel idea. "Kiss my boot."

"I don't understand."

"You asked for my price. Kiss my boot."

"In...In front of my mother?"

"Kiss my boot!" He demanded. "Or I sell your mother tonight!"

Gray looked at Alina before lowering himself to the ground and reluctantly, shamefully kissing the duke's dirty boot. He laughed and cruelly kicked Gray in the jaw, knocking him backward.

"Gray!" Alina and Makarov went to his side while Duke Lore and his men left cackling in the night.

Once inside she wiped the dirt and blood from her son's lip.

"I'm sorry Mother." He said. "I know I looked pathetic when I did it but I just couldn't let them sell you."

"You weren't pathetic. He's pathetic. Pathetic for preying on a good boy like you just because I wouldn't be his harlot." Alina put down the cloth and bowl of water she used to clean him with. "I think I'm going to get some air. Please excuse me."

Without a word she stepped outside of the house and poor Gray hung his head in shame.

"She's going out there to cry." He told Makarov. "To cry for me. She's been doing it ever since I was a boy and she never let's me see because she doesn't want me to know how much it hurts her to see me as the village pariah."

"You're both very brave for putting up with this kind of treatment for so long."

"Yeah but I don't know how much longer any one of us can take it. We're probably going to be tortured by the man for the rest of our lives."

"Maybe not." Makarov said.

"What do you mean?"

"Perhaps it doesn't have to be this way."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not an ordinary man are you?"

"Yes I am."

"No you're not. You have special abilities don't you? Power, magic."

Gray became worried when he said that. How did he know that Gray had magic? He never told anyone and he had not tried to use his powers since the horse incident so no stranger could possibly know that.

"I know you were born with magic Gray. Dark magic which you inherited from your father."

"How do you know my father?"

"He was a former student of mine. I taught him how to use magic with the hope that he would use it for good but he became selfish with it and made it dark."

"Magic? You teach magic? Wait a minute...You're not just some common old man are you?"

"That is correct. I am an all powerful wizard, one of the most powerful in the world and it was no coincidence that I came to this village. I came looking for you."

"Me? Why?"

"When I heard your father had a child with the ability to use dark magic even from birth I feared that said child would be raised to be as horrible as he was. So I came here pretending to be a crippled beggar and I allowed that dreadful young man to attack me in front of you. To see how you would react and I didn't find that rose. I used magic to make a appear as not only a thank you to your mother but to see if you would help a poor man for a humble reward."

"I'm not seeing the point here."

"You're nothing like your father which takes a huge weight off my back."

"What would you have done if I was like him?"

"You don't want to know. Believe me."

"You said that you gave my father his powers?"

"In a way."

"Then if you can give magic you can take it away right? Can you take away my powers? If you did no one would fear me anymore."

"Alas I can't do that. It's not as simple as give and take."

"What do you mean?"

"I tried to take your father's power years ago but he was too strong. He had mastered it too well. Only an ancient item of magic or a curse could strip away power like that."

"Do you have an item like that?"

"No but I've searched for it for centuries."

"What about a curse?"

"I can't cast a curse. I mean I can but every curse requires the person who casts it to pay a terrible price and in many cases the price is just too horrible to pay."

"Then what do I do?"

"I can't take away your powers." He said. "But I can teach you how to use them."

"But it's dark magic and I don't want to use that."

"What if I told you I could show you how to use it for good?"

"How can dark magic be good?"

"Any kind of magic can be used for good it just depends on what kind of person is using it. Let me teach you how to turn your father's curse on you into a gift. One that can help you be better than him and give you and your mother a better life."

"Can you really do that?"

"I can teach you but that's all I can do."

"But why would you want to help me?"

"Let's just say it's to make up for my mistake. In a way I'm responsible for your father abandoning you and for the fact that you were born like this."

"Okay. What would I have to do?"

"You'd have to come live with me for a year."

"A year? But what about my mother? I can't just leave her for a whole year. She needs me to help her with her work."

"I will send your mother everything she needs to provide herself. She will be taken care of I promise."

Gray wasn't sure what to say. He always thought his powers were bad and had no good use. In fact everyone said that he was a monster because of his powers. But if this man could really help Gray use magic for good and help him give his mother a better life than he should take this opportunity.

"Alright." He said. "I'll do it."

"Excellent."

...

At the hospital the children were getting checked for burns while Elkis explained to the police what happened.

"So do you know what started the fire ma'am?" The policeman asked.

"No. I was asleep, the boy I'm fostering woke me and up said there was a fire."

"A child had to wake you to get you to realize that there was a fire?" He said suspiciously. "Don't you have smoke detectors?"

"I can't afford them."

"Did you leave the children alone with any lighters and matches?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" She said getting annoyed.

"Did you leave any heaters running?"

"No."

"How about the oven?"

"The stove?"

"No."

"Microwave?"

"How do you leave a microwave running long enough to catch fire?"

"It happens very often actually."

"Oh really? Name one example."

"Well there's...There's...Uh...I can't think of one right now but it does happen."

"Ugh I don't have time for this. I need to check up on my kids."

"Ma'am I'm not done with you."

"Let me handle this." A third voice said and Elkis rolled her eyes when she recognized it. It was Gren who had the same grin on his face. "Hello again Miss Scarlet."

"Are you stalking me or something?"

"I'm a detective dearie. If something's not right I have to investigate it. Comes with the job."

"Well right now I really can't deal with you okay? So just do me a favor and leave me alone."

"You ought to be a little nicer to me Elkis."

"And why is that?"

"Because you might need my help with something in the future."

"I don't need help from someone like you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes because I know for a fact that whenever you try to help someone there are always strings attached."

"Indeed they are but whoever said it would be your strings I'm pulling?"

"I don't follow."

"Just keep in mind that I'm the only person in this town who knows every little secret, trick, and tactic performed by the underhanded and corrupt. That includes the mayor and you better believe me when I say that once she gets word of this she is going to be a challenge."

"Why would she be involved in this?"

"I think we both know why. That is if you really believe that she hates you so much that she can't stand to see you happy."

"I never said that I believed that."

"Doesn't mean it's not true, does it?"

She didn't answer.

"I'll leave you to comfort your children now and I'll try not to bother you but if you ever need my assistance my door is always open."

He gave her a teasing grin and left the hospital. Elkis watched him cautiously then went to check on Nasha and Greige.