For the week following his Mana discovery, Michael was basically a shadow of his formal self. From an intelligent, sometimes disconnected young man, to a quiet boy who is always looking downward and rarely speaks. 

His family had noticed it instantly, obviously. However, their reactions were all different. Rose tried to pep Michael up by telling him "if you train enough maybe your Mana will be really strong". Michael wasn't helped at all by her words, since he knew her true thoughts, and he knew that she wasn't being sincere.

Gabriel, had tried telling Michael about different paths he could take in life, ones that are "befitting of a Lillith". Such as teacher and researcher, or maybe a politician or an actor. All positions of influence. All positions that Michael knew he would hate to be in.

Miriam had become more rude in her teasing. She frequently called him names and pushed him around a little. Obviously she never did it in front of her parents, and it rarely got really violent. However, her bullying didn't help Michael's already depressed mental state. She just made him feel more worthless than he already felt. 

Benjamin's attitude was closest to how he normally acted. He treated Michael like usual, he didn't help or hurt him. He felt that Michael, as a man of the Lillith family should deal with his own problems. If he wanted to be depressed he could be depressed, if he wanted to excel then he would excel. Benjamin was the attitude that Michael appreciated most since it was the most consistent and genuine. 

Michael's school life had even taken a hit. He was zoning out more and more. Sometimes his teacher, Cassandra, had to call on him multiple times to get his attention. During a surprise quiz he had even missed a few questions, getting only a 95% as opposed to his usual 100%. 

On a particularly bad day, Cassandra finally had to tell him to stay back after class.

" Michael, please stay a moment? "

Michael listlessly stopped by the door and walked towards his teachers desk. Cassandra noticed that his face was even paler and pudgier than usual while his hair wasn't gelled quite as neatly as was usual. It was as though Michael had stopped playing outside as much and had stopped grooming himself as well. 

" Michael, I have noticed a drastic change in your recent self. I am very worried. "

Michael only kept his head down, while his teachers face scrunched up even more in worry. She wasn't used to Michael, sweet happy Michael, being so down. She was starting to assume the worst of his home life.

" Michael, you can tell me anything, you know? Even if you have super important secrets, you can tell me and I promise not to tell anyone else. So please, tell me what is wrong? "

Michael mumbled out something that his teacher couldn't quite hear. So she asked him to repeat himself. 

"I said, I have a weak Mana! " 

That last time Michael shouted, as though letting out some of his pent up emotions. His teacher, seemed completely taken aback. Michael was always a confident child who bragged about how powerful his Mana would be. So, to hear him yell something like that with such conviction and shame, it was heart breaking. 

" Michael, surely you're over exaggerating. Why don't you tell me about your Mana. "

At his teacher's suggestion, Michael spent the next few minutes describing his Mana to his teacher. While she was listening Cassandra realized what had happened. It was a cliche among many, many families around the world. They will have a child with a seemingly weak Mana, who they instantly give up on. Some, abandon the child while others, like Michael's family seem to pity/ disdain him.

 Michael's teacher seemed to think for a few moments before she grabbed a piece of paper off of her desk and handed it to Michael. 

" Michael, I want you to help me with an exercise. "

The young boy looked at her apprehensively, however, he realized that all she wanted to do was help him and he trusted her. So, he nodded his head in agreement. 

Cassandra smiled at his trust in her.

" Alright, I want you to imagine the sharpest thing you can. Then, I want you to keep that image in mind while using your Mana on that paper. "

Michael nodded his head. Already, he knew what her goal was and he couldn't help but to get his hopes up. He knew that if he was able to make something like paper extremely sharp, then his Mana would be much more powerful than he thought. 

Typically, Michael's Mana is instantly activated. This time however, he had to concentrate for a solid minute. Eventually, Michael could instinctively feel when his Mana had activated. He felt the paper in his hand change, it had become solid, like metal. When he looked at it he noticed that it had gained a metallic sheen. Michael had imagined an heirloom sword created by his Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather. Even though his main focus had been on the sharpness of the sword, the paper had also picked up aspects of the material. 

Cassandra had been able to make these observations as well as Michael, though it took her slightly longer since she hadn't had her hand on it to feel its hardness.

"Alright, now, try using the edge of the paper to cut this- " Cassandra grabbed a metal ruler off of her desk " -Make sure you are careful. "

While Cassandra was holding the ruler Michael slowly aimed the edge of the paper above the other object. He then dropped his arm, as well as the paper, over the ruler. 

Neither Michael or Cassandra were expecting the paper to feel no resistance when cutting through the ruler. Even the heirloom sword wasn't sharp enough to cut through metal with it's weight alone. Both teacher and student stared at the paper for a few moments, contemplating what this could mean for Michael's future. Clearly, his Mana wasn't weak if it could make paper cut through metal. 

"Alright, deactivate that effect, we will experiment some more. "

Michael and Cassandra spent the rest of Michael's recess experimenting with his Mana's abilities. They found out that Michael's Mana could change the temperature of an object as well as the weight. He could also change the aspects of a material; his shirt for example, it was a stiff cotton polo. However, he was able to make it feel like silk on his skin, and give it the defensive properties of steel. They also discovered that there seemed to be no limit to the amount of concepts he could put on a single object.

That thirty minutes of experimentation did more for Michael's confidence than anything the rest of his family had done. For the rest of the school day Michael looked like his old self again. He couldn't wait to get home. 

That day, like the last week, had only Michael's family'd drivers waiting for him, as opposed to his mother and father. They had been using the excuse that they were busy, which Michael knew wasn't true. He knew that it was simply another way his family was isolating him for "protection". 

But, he knew that that would change soon. 

The instant he got home, Michael ran into his families heirloom room. It contained dozens of unique and sometimes powerful artifacts gained or created by the Lillith family. Michael instantly went for the sword he was using as a concept earlier. He planned to really show off so that his family would be impressed.  

And so, Michael ran into his mansions family room, both his parents and siblings were there, and they saw that Michael was holding a double edged long sword nearly as tall as he was. 

" Mom, dad! Watch! "

Michael stopped in front of his astounded family and started to concentrate. He was going to make the sword catch fire, while not letting it be damaged, like a magic sword. When he had been experimenting earlier he discovered that as long as he made an object be immune to fire it wouldn't be damaged when he lit it on fire. He had also shortened the time it took to put concepts on an object, from the minute to make a paper sharp, to only fifty seconds to light something on fire. 

Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough. Before his Mana could activate Michael had the sword swept out of his hands by his mother while his father picked Michael up like a doll. Before Michael could even tell what was happening his father had spanked him twice, and he didn't stop for another 5 smacks. 

By the end, Michael was crying like a six year old who had been spanked. He cried and sniffled for about a minute, he had never been spanked before. Not even when he had broken a very, very expensive vase that his father had bought. 

When Michael looked around at his family's faces he saw a smirk on his sister's face, indifference on his brother's, worry and anger on his mother's, and pure anger on his father's. Before he even had time to think, his father had lifted him back up and sat him down on the couch. 

" Why did you do that?! "

Michael, who was still sniffling, did his best not to crumble under his father's stare

" I-I wa-wanted to show y-y-you my M-Mana. I l-learned a new tri-trick earlier. "

Both Rose and Gabriel narrowed their eyes when he said that he learned a new trick. If that meant what they thought it meant, then Michael would be in big trouble.

" What do you mean "learned a new trick"? " 

" I-I practiced o-on break. "

"YOU WHAT?! "

" Michael, do you have any idea how stupid you were being? You could have gotten the family in serious trouble. You know that it is against the law to practice your Mana without a certified teacher with you. Do you understand how much trouble you could have put the family in? "

Michael once again had tears streaming down his face from his father's tongue-lashing.

" I-I jus-just wanted to sho-show you my-my Mana. It-it isn't w-weak. "

When Michael said that his family's eyes once again filled with pity. 

"Son, I know you want your Mana to be strong. However, what you did was very, very dumb. You were very unlucky to get a weak Mana, but, it is something you will have to live with. "

Michael realized that his parents didn't care if his Mana was strong or not. They had already written it off. He realized, while being hugged by his mother, that he was no longer truly a Lillith. He was simply the embarrassing shadow that all of the Lilliths would have to live with.

That night, Michael once again didn't sleep. However, he wasn't staying up from sadness. No, he was up practicing his Mana. He knew that if he ever wanted to prove his family wrong he would have to work harder than he ever had before.