Evangeline

Past: Live

Year 3

Evangeline was sitting at a table with Gray and Laxus when a small red-haired girl walked into the guild to join. She felt incredible sadness coming from the girl. She also noticed the white eyepatch covering her right eye. The girl was also very thin and had scars all over her body. It didn't take a mind reader to figure out the gist of what had happened to her. Evangeline tightened her grip on her cup to the point that it shattered. Laxus, who was sitting next to her, carefully took the remaining shards of glass from Evangeline's hands and checked them over for cuts. After not seeing any, he drew her close to him.

Laxus had seen too many kids like the one who had just entered the guild. Abused by sick people who couldn't find anything better to do with their time. It made him angry. He and Evangeline had gone on enough jobs to stop child trafficking rings that they had both become accustomed to the signs. He just hoped this new girl hadn't had anything too horrible happen to her. He turned back to look at the girl who was now talking to his grandfather. He gave the girl her stamp signifying she was a member, then she stalked off to a table in the corner. He gave his grandfather a questioning glance, and Makarov shook his head.

Gray was confused. He knew the girl who just joined looked rough, but he didn't know why Evangeline and Laxus reacted the way they did. Laxus glanced back at him, and sighed.

"Ev, let's go home for now," Laxus said quietly to her. She nodded. "Gray, you come too. We will explain." Gray nodded. The three stood and left the guild. Evangeline didn't want to leave yet, but she knew that she couldn't approach the girl right away. It didn't take long for the group to get back to the Hastings house.

"So why did you react that way, Ev?" Gray asked as soon as they were all sitting on the couches in one of the living rooms. Evangeline sighed.

"Gray, as you get older, you learn things you wish you didn't have to know. This is one of those situations. The past few jobs that Laxus and I have gone on are to fight against people who do bad things to kids," Evangeline started to explain. Gray frowned.

"Like what?" he asked. Evangeline smiled sadly at her still decently innocent little brother. Laxus took over.

"They beat these kids, Gray. They hit them and kick these kids, and they do other terrible things to them. The new girl looks like she got out of a situation where she was abused. She's missing an eye, and she has scars all over. She's gone through a lot," Laxus said. Gray kept frowning.

"How could they, though? I don't understand," Gray said.

"They are terrible people, Gray. Some people do terrible things and they need to get put in jail," Evangeline said. Gray nodded.

"They shouldn't be able to do that to kids," Gray said. "It's not right."

"It's not. Now, the new girl might seem odd at first because she doesn't feel safe in the guild yet. She might need some time to open up to people. Don't force her to do or say anything she isn't comfortable with. If she opens up to you, don't tell us what she tells you unless she's in danger, okay? If she trusts you, then make sure you keep that trust," Laxcus explained. "It's like you when you joined. You were combative because you were hurting and lost. Then you found Ev, and she made everything better."

"Okay," Gray said, nodding. "I can do that. Can we go back to the guild now?"

"Not until we finish our stupid math homework Mom and Dad left," Evangeline huffed. They were out on yet another job, and they decided that Evangeline and Gray needed to start subject study. That included math. Laxus also joined in because Evangeline made him.