After revealing his magic to me and officially making me his pupil, Master Flare stepped up his training even more than before.

And even now, just a month since I began learning Sun Magic, I can safely say this…

Magic is hard.

I can see now why the absolute monsters in the show are always so ridiculously driven, you have to be or else you'll just stagnate and never reach your full potential. Thankfully, I had my own motivations to keep me going.

My new family, and my future one at Fairy Tail.

When I'd been bullied and alone when I was in middle school, I could always come home and watch my favorite show. I fell in love with the world, the characters, and the idea of Fairy Tail, the guild and its members, always moving forward and never giving up, even when things got rough. I loved that, it's what kept me moving, what kept me motivated and helped me smile through the pain.

I had come into my own in high school, getting real friends and becoming a complete theatre geek, but Fairy Tail never left my heart. I still watched every episode, and if I'd had the money, I probably would have owned every single issue of the manga, but I had to content myself with the anime since I didn't have that luxury.

Fairy Tail had become as permanent a place in my life as breathing at that point, it was a habit to come home and watch the newest episode before I did my homework. It might have been an addiction at some level, but I don't exaggerate when I say that Fairy Tail saved my life, which is ironic now that I really think about it.

I might have a divide between my first life's memories and this one, as if they were partitioned off to allow me a second life without making me a young adult in a kid's body, but I still owed Fairy Tail. I owed those wonderful people who helped me through three years of hell, helping me overcome my grief and depression.

For them, I would become as strong as I possibly could.

Then in true Fairy Tail fashion, I'd push even further until I could stand side by side with the likes of Natsu Dragneel, Erza Scarlet, Mirajane Strauss, Laxus Dreyar, and Gildarts Clive. I owed those guys my first life, the least I could do is live this one in honor of that.

I shook my head as I walked up to my house, smiling widely as I pushed open the door and yelled excitedly for Mom and Dad. The two rushed into the living room at my yelling, their faces confused as I beamed up at them.

"Helio Dart, what did I say about yelling in the house?" Mom said sternly, I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly, curse my childish impulses!

"Sorry Mom, but you've got to see this! It's the first spell that Master Flare taught me! He said it was the very first stepping stone to becoming a powerful mage!"

He also told me it was the first step in my magic changing my body to fit it, but he didn't explain what exactly would happen.

I shook my head, running over to the table by the door with my parents' sunglasses on them, I handed them over and made them put them on before I explained.

"Watch this, Mom, Dad! This light shows me things like invisible ink and cleaned up stains and stuff!" They seemed to shiver a bit before I cast the spell, was it really such a cool concept to them? I shrugged as I gathered the energy in my hands.

"UV Light!"

The ball of light appeared in my hand and I shined it around the room before I made the biggest mistake of both my lives, even more than getting killed the first time.

I shined it on the couch.

I screamed and put out my spell, closing my eyes even though the light couldn't affect me.

'The horror! The horror!'

Mom walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, "Honey, are you alright?" I shuddered and broke away from her touch.

"Mom, I'm burning the couch, and the coffee table…and possibly the entire living room…" I turned around and walked out the door, "I'm going back to Master Flare for now… I-I can't look at you two…"

I shut the door and shuddered even more.

"I need a bath…" I paused and thought about using my bathroom before I shuddered even harder.

"A bath far away from my parents."

Then I stopped and remembered the look on Master Flare's face when I told him I couldn't wait to show my parents.

That bastard!

"On second thought, I think I'll just bathe in the river and sleep outside tonight."

That was the last time I would ever use my magic in the house, I'm fairly sure I'd just scarred myself for life.

A few months after that, the changes Master Flare mentioned began.

As summer faded into autumn, then autumn into winter and the clouds and chill began to roll in, I noticed that even when the other monks' tans began to fade as the sun was hidden more and more behind clouds and fog, Master Flare and I stayed golden brown.

"Much like puberty changes our bodies to make us into men, magic sometimes changes its user to make our bodies better acclimate to it" He explained to me, "Like how the mythical Dragon Slayers take on traits of dragons, Sun Mages are perpetually affected by the solar energies that we generate with our magic, you will notice more in the coming months what I mean, my pupil"

It started with my skin staying golden brown, then progressed from there, my magic always making me rise with the sun, my body remaining pleasantly warm in even the harshest weather, being able to stare at the sun without any sort of pain, my golden blond hair fading into a lighter shade as it was bleached by my own magic, and even my eyes gradually becoming a more pine green than the lighter green I'd gotten from my parents.

I figured it wasn't too bad a trade, sure sleeping in now only happened when I was injured and my magic was depleted, and I was almost impossible to wake up during the night, but it was far better than what happened to some people I remember, like Wally and his brother Richard.

I did not want to become a blockhead, thank you very much!

My magic teaching went rather slow, Master Flare making it clear that he was teaching me the basics and spells that weren't meant for combat before we stepped up to magic that could damage me.

By my eighth birthday, on top of UV Light, I'd picked up a couple more spells, like Flash. It does exactly what it sounds like, a flash of light that would blind people around me and allow me to escape or defend myself with the hand to hand combat he'd been teaching me. He'd also taught me a rather weak spell for practice with combining heat and light together, Sunburn. Like the name implies, it causes a sunburn on whoever it is cast on if it's cast with the correct amount of magic. Underpowering it basically turns me into Mom's personal tanning booth, and overpowering it, according to Master Flare, can leave debilitating burns on whoever it's cast on.

When I asked Master Flare why my teaching was going so slow, he'd looked at me with that wise air I'd come to associate with him, and he simply replied. "Because my pupil, if you learn too quickly, you'll never master your basics, and in pitched combat, your basics will be what you fall back on the most." He had then smiled paternally when he saw that while I accepted that answer, I didn't particularly like it. "Also, it will help prevent Magic Overload like I had as a child when my Master taught me too quickly. So until you're nine or ten years old, you will have to learn the weakest spells, or the ones that rely more on the sun itself over your own magic power."

"I suppose that makes sense then, Master. Magic Overload doesn't sound pleasant." I had vague memories of Ultear having it, and that Brain had tortured her to drain the magic, telling Ur she was dead and then handing her over to Master Hades of Grimoire Heart.

"It is not," Master Flare grimaced in what I presumed was remembered pain. "I cannot accurately describe the experience myself, but suffice to say that I am focusing on your physical training, and taking your magical training slowly to ensure you do not suffer as I did at your age."

I nodded in acceptance as he then came at me with his staff, which I barely managed to parry with my wrist encased in solar energy. "Understood Master." I replied, falling back into my fighting stance, "Thank you for sparing me the experience." I said sincerely as I quickly slid away from his next strike.

"Of course my pupil." He said affectionately before his speed picked up and I was quickly and unceremoniously slammed into the floor with a staff poking the back of my head. "You still have much to learn in physical combat that will more than make up for the pain of Overload."

I groaned into the mat as I slowly raised myself up, cursing that damn staff and Master Flare's ridiculous amount of strength. "I assure you I figured that out on my own Master." I said as I painfully stood on both feet.

My slave driver of a Master simply chuckled at my pain as he made me retake my stance and proceeded to beat me into the ground for the fifth time that day, and it wasn't even lunchtime yet.

When December x773 rolled around, my Master gave me my Christmas present early.

Well he said it was a Christmas present, but I was more inclined to believe it was a punishment of some sort at the time.

"You're making me do what?!" I asked incredulously, my voice raising in pitch as I recoiled away from him.

Master Flare simply laughed as he put a hand on my shoulder, "Easy my pupil, I would not send you against the others if I did not believe you could handle it." He smiled wisely, "The way you are learning now is simply countering me specifically. If you wish to become a truly competent fighter Helio, you must fight against many opponents, magical or not, for if you only fight me, then you will only be good at fighting me." He gently guided me onto the mat in front of a younger looking monk, or at least I assumed he was, they were all bald and in good shape, so I couldn't really tell how old they were unless they were wrinkly. "Now that you've mastered the basics of our style, you will practice the more advanced forms against more opponents so that you don't develop any bad habits." He patted my shoulder, "I will keep an eye on your matches Helio, I won't let you come to grievous harm through inaction." I relaxed slightly at his assurances and bowed to my opponent, who introduced himself as Yuan, before we slid into our stances.

"Now, begin!"

As my ninth birthday came and went, Master Flare had stepped up my training even more, I was beginning to think my physique was actually unhealthily healthy for a prepubescent child, and I was getting to the point that I could hold my own against a few of the younger monks in the temple in hand to hand.

Still though, I couldn't deny the results, no matter how much I wanted to. I was definitely far stronger than I had been two years ago, and I was still growing with each day, even if I wished Master Flare would go easy on me sometimes.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Master Flare's presence behind me, his magical aura felt like a summer's day, despite the fact it was early September, and for someone who could sense it, it felt quite reassuring.

"There is much on your mind, my pupil." It wasn't a question. Master Flare had the old, wise mentor trope down to an art form, sometimes the man even helped me solve problems I hadn't had yet! I loved the guy like a second father, stricter and more enforcing than my real Dad, but he loved me all the same.

I shrugged in response to his statement, "I'm just reviewing old memories, Master; they will pass with time." He nodded and sat beside me, the two of us were meditating on the Eastern balcony, facing the rising sun. While I didn't worship it for obvious reasons, I still found the exercises that the monks went through day by day to be incredibly relaxing, and good for training. So I showed them all the respect they deserved, regardless of how silly I thought the whole thing was.

"You've been doing this for years now, my pupil. You know how to clear your mind and reach into yourself, purge those thoughts from your mind, and focus yourself inward." He said serenely, I smiled faintly and did as I was told, focusing in on myself, feeling out my magic container.

I'd been working on expanding it even before I'd become Master Flare's student, and now with two years of serious magical training under my belt, it had come quite a long way from that pathetic little thing it had been when I first reached out to it six years ago. Of course, like my prepubescent body, there wasn't really a whole lot more to be done with it until I started maturing more, lest I risk Magical Overload, or worse, rupturing my container and destroying my ability to wield magic. So it was simply an exercise of touching my magic and letting it flow through my body then back into the container over and over again, warming my body beyond its now normal increased heat, and bringing with it a wonderfully calming and liberating experience.

We continued like this until the sun was over the horizon, rousing us from our meditation and signalling that it was time for our lessons to truly begin. Wordlessly, so as not to disturb the other monks that were meditating around us, Master Flare and I headed back towards the dojo, where I learned magic and was mercilessly beaten into the ground by my master.

"Now," Master Flare began as soon as I shut the rice paper screen door, "today is going to be different, I shall teach you the most advanced of our magic's effect spells, and once you're able to perform it adequately, we will move on to attacking people with your magic." Holding myself still out of sheer willpower, I forced myself to pay full attention to Master Flare, getting distracted just resulted in large amounts of pain when we began sparring practice.

"What spell will I be learning, master?" I asked, my curiosity and excitement bringing a slight smile to my master's face as he began to explain.

"Well, my pupil, this spell, while being unable to hurt people takes a lot more magic than even some of the more advanced sun spells, it is a healing spell, known as Solar Power" I couldn't help my excited smile, nor could I help the shaking in anticipation that took over my body as he explained. "While Healing Magic is indeed a lost art, Solar Power allows the caster to bolster their own body with the energy of the sun itself, speeding up the user's healing process dramatically." He smiled at my excited expression, but it quickly turned into a stern glare, "However, such a spell does not come without a cost, Solar Power is a very draining spell, and as such should never be used in combat, and is best used during the daytime, as you don't have the reserves to substitute the sun's rays with your own magic just yet. It is powerful, and when you master it, you should be able to heal broken bones in mere minutes, but as you are now, the most it will manage is sprains and minor burns. I will give you an example of the spell's power." With that, my batshit crazy master walked over to the fireplace, and stuck his arm in, keeping a serene smile on his face the entire time.

He pulled it out after a few seconds, his arm now a mix of an angry red black and disgusting bubbles of skin forming on his hand, with that damn smile still on his face. I looked at him with wide eyes as he simply moved his arm around, as if it were some sort of amazing new invention he wished to show off from every angle. "Now, observe, my pupil." He said, cupping his hands together,"Solar Power."

A magic circle appeared in his hands and underneath his skin, his body glowed a faint yellow as he basked in the mid morning sun, the burns on his arm disappearing as though they were never there.

I was slack jawed in amazement at the spell's effects, I was reminded once again just how lucky I was to have gotten Master Flare, insane slave driver he was, to teach me his magic.

Master Flare smiled at my excitement, before sitting cross legged in the middle of the dojo, I joined him without a word, sitting across from him, my attention completely on him. "Now my pupil, the first step to casting Solar Power is simple, meditate in the sun's beams, feel how they warm the skin and imagine your body absorbing them as a sponge does water…"

As usually happened when we meditated, I felt the world fall away from under me as I felt my magic respond to my imagination, I envisioned myself like a plant undergoing photosynthesis for sustenance, the sun providing me with the necessary energy to heal myself as I let its light flow through me. I felt a slight tap on my shoulder and Master Flare looked at me proudly as I opened my eyes, I looked down at my hand and saw it, along with the rest of my body was glowing with a warm light that I recognized immediately.

"Very good, Helio." Master Flare said proudly, "Now for the difficult part of learning Solar Power." He pulled out a small but sharp knife. "You can't learn how to heal yourself if you don't have anything to heal, can you?" He asked with a mischievous spark in his eye.

"Uh Master… couldn't I just try to soothe my aches and pains after a spar instead?" I asked nervously, Master Flare shook his head firmly.

"Not until you can properly cast the spell, it helps to have a small, superficial wound to practice on rather than a more hidden pain at first. When you can heal small cuts completely and not leave a scab behind, then you can use it after your spars." He looked at me sternly, "I shouldn't have to tell you how dangerous this spell could be to you if you didn't fully understand it before you attempt to use it on a wound you cannot clearly see." I nodded in acceptance, but he kept looking at me sternly.

"Yes Master Flare, I understand." He finally nodded at me and handed me the knife.

"Now in order to heal yourself, you will of course first have to injure yourself, cut your palm open, just a small shallow cut will do…"

Two weeks and a concerning willingness to slice myself open later, I finally managed to heal progressively bigger cuts quickly and efficiently, leaving only a small white line behind on only the deepest of cuts.

Master Flare nodded at my newest achievement and cleared me for using it after spars.

Of course, to ensure I did it properly, he was my exclusive sparring partner for the next week.

Because I was now getting more and more advanced at physical combat, he stopped holding back as much.

Thankfully, Solar Power is very good at healing bruises, otherwise I wouldn't have been sitting for a month.

One month after first learning Solar Power, I stood across from Master Flare in the dojo, he was holding two buckets of water with an almost noticeable aura of amusement as I tried to figure out what the hell we were doing.

"Uh, Master? What's with the water buckets?" I asked bluntly, there's really not a way to beat around the bush here honestly, I was just too damn curious to not question it. Master Flare finally smiled at me as he began to speak.

"In just a moment, that will be self evident." He said mysteriously, "Because today my pupil, I shall show you the first and most simple attack spell of our magic, Flare." He looked at the target, and a small magic circle flared up on his hand. "Flare." The attack shot across the room, a jet of pure sunlight that slammed into the target, causing a large flash.

Thankfully, our magic keeps us safe from large flashes of sunlight, and I could tell he'd managed to burn a hole through the bullseye. I felt a smile cross my face in anticipation, I loved magic!

"This spell is simple to learn Helio, manifest your magic around your hand like you do when you use Sunburn, but I want you to compress it into pure sunlight, make it dense enough to hold together, and fire it at the target." He explained to me, I nodded as I did just that.

"Flare!" I called out, my newly formed spell looked pitifully tiny and it wobbled slightly as it left my hand, but if flew true and hit the bullseye of my own target, leaving a small scorch mark. I grimaced but I knew my first casting wouldn't be perfect.

"Again."

This time it flew in a straight line from the beginning and hit the bullseye again, that's the best thing about most magic, with enough control over it, it hits where you aim it, unless it's dodged or another person's magic acts upon it. Master Flare nodded once again, and I cast again, this time setting my target alight with the heat. My eyes widened and I rushed to one of the buckets and quickly splashed a little on the small flames. I turned and smiled sheepishly at Master Flare who simply smiled at me.

"We're going to go until you burn through it without leaving flames." He said firmly, and I nodded back.

"Of course Master."

I turned back and focused once again on the target.

"Flare!"

By my tenth birthday, Master Flare had taught me a respectable amount of attack spells, if not as many as I could learn, according to Master Flare, and the spells he showed me out of the only book about our magic.

Unfortunately, as I found out, our magic was annoyingly underdeveloped. Sun Magic didn't actually have all that many spells for it, there were a few useful ones beyond what I'd already learned, and then there was the complete overkill.

Sure, I'd learned the basic forms, UV Light, Flash, Sunburn, Sunny Day, Flare, Flare Punch, along with Solar Power, but there was a concerning jump from those basic ones to ridiculously overkill.

Supernova was absolutely overpowered as fuck, knowing canon, the only times I would ever need to use what is effectively a goddamn nuclear weapon were against the most powerful members of Tartaros, Alvarez, and Acnologia himself.

Thankfully through strict experimentation, I had discovered something that previous users of my magic hadn't.

Sun Magic used all forms of solar energy, not just sunlight like my predecessors assumed.

Solar Flare, a spell that was one of the more practical of the more powerful spells, had given me the idea when Master Flare told me it could mess with delicate magical instruments if used near them, something that solar flares in my first life did to electronics if they were strong enough.

Supernova proved my theory when Master Flare had told me of it, he said he wasn't powerful enough to cast it, and I'd realized it was essentially a nuclear weapon, just with radiation hazards that lasted minutes, rather than months or years.

So I began working on my own spells, or at least making my own theories of their use seeing as I hadn't been a nuclear physicist in my last life and only knew the bare basics of nuclear fusion and I didn't yet have the raw power to force the issue.

This is where I ran into problems.

There was a very good reason why Sun Magic was as underdeveloped as it was.

It was a very structured magic, unbending when you didn't know what you were doing, and as such I asked Master Flare how to create new spells for them.

"I am afraid my pupil, that I do not have an answer for that. I have never needed to, nor did I ever have the desire to." His answer was disappointing, but I was forced to accept it. Spell creation would need to wait for the future, and I had to be okay with that.

Seeing that I would be forced to wait whether I liked it or not, I immediately scribbled down ideas for spells to make later on when I learned how to make them and could take advantage of the knowledge. Things like proton storms to take out weak enemies with radiation sickness, notes on possibly adding some facsimile of fusion into my existing attacks, and a spell idea that would undoubtedly be useful in the future. A spell I'd tentatively named Solar Storm, a spell capable of distorting the local magnetic fields, and hopefully making it difficult for lightning mages to use their magic effectively in the mess it would produce.

That was all a ways off for now unfortunately, Dad's magic shop didn't have any books that helped, and Master Flare couldn't either, so I was forced to be patient until I met someone who knew how.

Until then though, I was unfortunately limited by what my unfortunately ignorant predecessors had developed.

Hopefully Master Flare and I could craft them together, his experience and superior magic power combined with my knowledge on how the sun actually works meant I could quite possibly manage S-Class before x784 if I worked hard enough.

Unfortunately, all those grand plans came crashing down around my ears in August x775, when my father finally managed to awaken me from my Sun Magic enhanced slumber and my senses were immediately assaulted by the acrid smell of smoke, along with a mix of wood and meat that almost smelled appetizing to my half awake senses.

I should have known something would go wrong.

A/N: And so turns the wheel of fate, Helio's little dream has crashed down around him, and he's getting his own personal Fairy Tail main character backstory to go with his determination to join Fairy Tail and help his favorite characters.

EDIT 1/17/2022: Made a few changes, I realized a few continuity errors with where the story was going and had to make some changes. Sorry!