The following text is a fan fiction. Obviously, since it's on a site called fanfiction… Anyway, the only character I own is Jeanne de'Vajell. Everything else is property of Hiro Mashima. Please, comment, critique even flame of you like. But if you upset me, I'll sic Gajeel on you.

I was scared.

I was sitting down, eating lunch, in my newly claimed corner of the nearly finished guild, and I was scared.

I'm not ashamed of it: I can openly admit that I was terrified, if only because I wasn't the only one. Erza and her team had been gone for about four days now - they were in Akane, Loke's thank you to Lucy for saving him. (Side note: since I haven't seen him since that night in Basalm, but Lucy hasn't been uber depressed, I assumed he got his place back into the stars. Suck it, Leo, I was right!) Laxus and the Raijinshuu were also not here; we hadn't even seen the latter in months. Mystogan never stuck around, and Gildartz had been on a quest for years.

So it was really only the Master that I believed could protect us all from the horror in our doorway.

Gajeel Redfox was staring at us all.

Of course, everyone who was there were not happy. At all.

"The hell is this?"

"Did you come for seconds?"

"Master, what is the meaning of this?!"

I couldn't speak. I was too scared. This was the man- no, the monster that had attacked our guild, the reason we were remodeling it! What's more, he left Levy, Jet, and Droy for dead, practically crucified in front of my doorstep!

Behind him, was a pale girl with short, blue hair, who I quickly learned was called Juvia. I knew this, because she referred to herself in the third person. After much research -or rather, listening to other people's conversations- I learned that she was part of the Element 4, and was a key point in Lucy's kidnapping.

What the hell were they doing here?

Master appeared in between us and the intruders. "Children, they are here to join us. After much thought and consideration, I've decided to allow it."

Everyone was in an uproar. While they were all clamoring their protests, I looked toward Team Shadow Gear. Levy was hiding behind Jet and Droy, looking scared out of her wits, and the two boys were looking just absolutely pissed. I didn't think they'd actually do anything, though. Not at that moment, anyway, right in front of the Master.

If Master Makarov trusted them not to stab us in the back, then I could trust the Master. But that didn't mean I wasn't scared. Gajeel had already broken my ribs before, and I did not doubt he could do it again. And if Juvia was a member of the Element 4, then she would be quite the formidable foe, as well.

I raised my hand to my glasses. I didn't like looking through the pasts of my nakama, but could I really say that I thought of these two as such? They had already done so much to us; it'd be nice to have leverage for once.

On the other hand, if they ended up befriending us, I'd feel terrible for knowing what only they should know.

However, they might not even have a whole lot to hide. Only a few weeks ago, they didn't seem to have any sort of conscience. Gajeel, especially.

Gritting my teeth, and glancing to the sides to make sure no one was watching me, I slipped my glasses a little down my nose, just enough for me to see the auras over the edge. Juvia first, I had decided.

And I saw another lonely childhood. The images flashed by within no time. It had always rained wherever she was. She was bullied for it in school. Everyone treated her coldly. She was just a gloomy rain-woman… She made her own dolls to be her friends. The more she was rejected, the more "friends" she made. She couldn't even hold down a boyfriend, because they couldn't accept this part of her. Nobody accepted her. Always alone. Just her and the rain.

I looked away with an aching heart, pushing my glasses up again. When would I learn? You really can't judge someone on first sight. I suspected that Jose used her loneliness as leverage to keep her, maybe threatening her with abandonment if she ever thought to leave. Unless that bastard actually took pity on her, and truly did accept her for her, and not her powers.

But, of course, I'd never know for sure. Not unless she decided to share the story with the guild, or if I asked her myself.

Definitely not happening.

I looked to Gajeel. Did I really want to go through this again? What if he too had just as lonely a past?

Attends. This guy? Who was known to call us Fairy Asses? Who had laughed maniacally at the thought of hurting others? Come on, even someone with a crappy past wouldn't be as sadistic as him, right?

Determined to get something on this monster, I slid my specs down again. And the images started flashing.

The first one was a young boy crying at the mouth of a cave, sobbing for 'Metalicana.' His nose was runny, and his red eyes were bloodshot. He wandered about, looking for someone to fill the hole his dragon left. He looked so… pathetic.

He was standing on the roof of a house in Magnolia, late at night, and close to South Gate Park. I could see the backs of Levy, Jet, and Droy walking away from him. An evil, sadistic grin grew on his face before he leapt at his victims, cruelly beating them before dragging them to the park and pinning them to the tree. He transformed his arm into a pole with a design off the end and ran it across the cobblestone road, heating it up. He used this makeshift branding iron to mark Levy's midriff.

He was sneering at Lucy, who was pinned to the wall the same way Shadow Gear had been, and he threw iron knives at her, like a sick game of darts. She laughed through her pain, and I could hear her confident voice.

"You would end up spending every day cowering in fear of the most terrible guild in the world. For the rest of your lives."

His reply resounded in my head, clear as glass.

"Interesting theory. Let's test it."

And he threw many knives, straight for her.

He was eating metal on a scrap heap, and the Master was talking to him. More dialogue rang through my head.

"I… I destroyed your guild."

"I don't care about that any more."

"And your members…"

"You hurt them. And no matter what happens, I will not forgive you for it." The Master radiated an anger I had seen only once before, and Gajeel seemed terrified.

I replaced my glasses once more, before burying my head in my hands. The first thing I realized after witnessing the horror Levy and Lucy both went through, was that I had witnessed it. Which meant it was now a weakness for him. Which should mean… he regrets it. The next thing to run through my mind, how did such a sweet little boy turn into… into that? I could only assume that Phantom Lord's atmosphere did it. His sobbing face flashed across my mind again, and I was suddenly stricken with the desire to hug him.

I stood up quickly. Bons dieux, did I really just think that? What's more, I was disgusted with myself. To think I wanted leverage. Well, I got it.

Putain moi.

And now I wanted to hug the both of them.

Bonne mère, if the others didn't think of me as weird now, they certainly would if I did that.

Actually, I was already getting some strange looks, due to my sudden action. While I was Viewing, Master had calmed the masses, and Gajeel and Juvia were sitting at a table on the edge of the crowd. Many decided to continue their work or meals, but there were still a few death glares sent to the duo's way. Shadow Gear were nowhere to be seen.

Well, I couldn't just sit back down after my sudden movement. There were quite a few eyes on me already. I had to do something! Give my action a purpose.

So I walked over to our newest members.

Attends. Quoi? No, Jeanne, turn around! Get back to your lunch! Or go to the request board! ...Why am I still walking towards them?

When I reached their table, nearly everyone was staring at me. I should've just sat down. Juvia was looking a little nervous, and Gajeel looked like he was planning how to eat me.

"Ano." My voice was hoarse, probably out of fear, so I cleared my throat. "If Master trusts you two, then I guess I can, too. Welcome to Fairy Tail." I bowed my head for a brief moment, not really wanting to break eye contact.

Juvia gave a little happy smile, which kind of warmed my heart after seeing mini-her sobbing before, as she said, "Juvia thanks you." She bowed low, lower than she really should've.

Gajeel, however, narrowed his eyes. "Why the fuck were ya starin' at us?"

I breathed in sharply. 'What can I say? Not the truth; hell no! Um… you're new! Everyone's staring! It's a warning and I lied! I don't actually trust you! I didn't realize I was! ...Oh, dieux, why won't my mouth work?'

Thankfully, Juvia answered for me. "Gajeel-san, everyone's staring at us," she said softly.

Gajeel slowly shook his head, red eyes narrowing further still. "They've been shootin' us warning glances. This one's been just starin'. Like she's expectin' somethin'."

"That's just something Jeanne-san does! You'll get used to it!" a voice called out from behind me. I think it was Laki, but I was too freaked to really tell. Redfox knew my name now! Ah, merde! I didn't want to get that personal with them!

"Well, don't let me catch you at it again, John. I don't like it," Gajeel warned.

"Gajeel-san," Juvia whispered, with a slightly disapproving tone.

"Pardon," I mumbled, before leaving quickly, and just exiting the guild.

On my way to the door, I heard some people muttering.

"She was just saying 'welcome.' He didn't have to be so rude."

"Whaddaya expect from a guy like that?"

"Gods, and I thought I couldn't like him any less."

"He's just so unlikeable!"

But, was he, really? Surely that emotional little boy still resided in there, somewhere?

I walked down the street, contemplating what I had seen, and once more wondering why I could. What on Earthland did I do to suddenly see the hardships of everyone? I've got so many images of so many crying children in my head! And it wasn't fair that they were hurt! None of them deserved anything that had happened to them! And what made everything worse, was that if I ever came across les bâtards who had hurt any of the people I've Viewed, I wouldn't be able to do a damn thing. Not only because of my lack of strength, but because usually the problem would have already been solved, or it was something beyond their control; they just couldn't move on and let it remain in the past. Either that, or I'd have no business butting into their personal problems, and it really was something they would have to do on their own.

Suddenly, I felt a huge, unfamiliar magical presence heading my way at an alarmingly fast pace. I stiffened, and stood still in the pathway.

"Oi."

I shrieked as I spun around, grabbing my bow and activating the siphoning. The loaded barrel was suddenly shoved against the throat of Gajeel.

"Oh mes dieux! Désolé! I'm so sorry!" I cried, pulling back my weapon, and immediately shooting it harmlessly into the air. I hugged it against my chest, maybe subconsciously afraid that he'd try to take away the weapon that could've seriously hurt him. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that! I almost shot you! How would that look, right after you just joined? Not to mention, I'm the one who'd look bad, since it could be seen as retaliation against your behavior from earlier! Plus, that would have felt like a nasty throat punch. Have you ever felt those? It hurts like a bitch! Mais, attends, you should've been able to avoid that, you're definitely much faster than me. Did you purposely stay still? Pourquoi diable ferais-tu ça? Et aussi - oh, pardon. Sorry, I'm babbling, I do that when I'm freaked. I should shut up now. In fact I will, did you want something?" My face felt so warm, I just knew I was as red as a tomato.

He just stared at me, and my crossbow for a while. Quite a while. Too long of a while, in silence. It was getting awkward, fast.

"Um, if you're not gonna say anything…" I stepped back, prepared to walk off again, when he finally spoke up.

"Thanks."

I paused. It was gruff, short and terse, but I could tell: he meant it. I probably wouldn't get an apology for the way he had spoken earlier, but honestly? I didn't need it. A private 'thank-you' was fine.

I smiled gently at him. "De rien, just… don't give us cause to regret it. It'll take awhile for us all to trust you two."

I thought it'd be better if I didn't single him out. I was about to turn, when he spoke up again.

"Oi, John, do you really have a thing for starin' at people?"

I was silent a moment, thinking over my next words carefully. "Not as much as I used to. Or, at least that I've noticed. And… my name is Jeanne."

"Too fancy, too many sounds. John."

D'accord. At least he wasn't removing the 'de' in my surname. I shrugged, waved him off, and headed towards my evening combat class.