Chapter Four

And she was yet again reminded that everyone viewed her as fragile.

"You better take good care of this girl while I am gone, do you hear me Nobu?"Nao repeated as they stepped off the train, they walked a few feet ahead of her, which made it all the more easier to hide her embarrassed face. She felt like a little helpless girl all over again.

"I understand,"Nobu sighed annoyed. He glanced back slightly, surprised at the drastic change. That weird amusing girl disappeared, leaving behind a distant quiet woman. "I am sure she can do just fine on her own."He added, not missing how she looked up quickly, as if awaiting what else he had to say. His lips quirked up slightly. Her spirits were down to the ground it seemed, his mother's previous comment had further helped only wipe the floor with them. In a sense, her emotional state was fragile.

"I'll be back in three or four months, until then I—."

"Until then mother, she'll be in good hands. Promise."Nobu hugged her tightly, he hated at times how she was so 'needed' by others, often requesting her help as if there weren't other powerful guilds around. He barely had time with her, it had been that way since she'd blown up all over Ishgar. For almost, no, his whole life had been this way. "You take care of yourself, love you."He kisses her cheek lightly.

She 'aw'ed and caressed his cheek. "And I love you too, Cakepie."

A light snort brought his attention to Lucy. "I am glad you are finding this funny."He rolled his eyes but smiled. At least that lame pet name had lightened her a bit.

"OK Lucy, I'll be leaving now. If he disturbs you in any way, let me know..."She widens her eyes at Nobu in a threatening manner before disappearing into the large mob of people awaiting the train.

"Follow me,"Nobu cleared his throat awkwardly as a coat of silence took over them. He pulled his small suitcase behind him. "So..."He clicked his tongue. "How long do you plan to stay with us?"He asked. After a few minutes of no answer, he turned and realized the blonde was nowhere behind him. "Lucy?"

He dropped his suitcase and emerged into the crowd of people. "Lucy!"He called out, bumping and pushing others. It was early morning, there were plenty of people who were ready to take on the day. "Lucy!"

"Right here!"

He sighed in relief, for a moment there he had grown scared. Of facing the consequences, his mother would have punished him for his terrible babysitting skills. He walked toward her, she was impatiently tugging her cart that was topped with several suitcases. It would seem like she had packed her whole house. Girls. He shook his head.

"Need help?"He asked. She looked up at him, annoyed, hurt flashing in her face. He retrieved his extended hand. "OK then."

He waited for her to very painfully slow pull her own luggage. She wasn't in the mood for small talk, evidently, and he himself was a very reserved man. But, there was a scratch in his mind that lured him to keep talking. It was like she was a burnt out candle.

He grabbed his trampled over suitcase. "Great."He muttered. He dusted the case off and pulled it along the way. "Maya should be arriving soon."He mused yo himself as he checked the large clock tower.

"Who's Maya?"Lucy asked. And thank god she had finally spoke.

"My girlfriend, I asked of her to pick us up and drive us to the camp."Nobu answered, he didn't know what kind of reaction he had been awaiting, but he was disappointed when she merely nodded in understanding.

"Is she a trainee as well?"She asked instead.

"No. She's a cook in the camp though. There aren't going to be any girls your age, mother prefers training young girls, averaging from three to ten."There it was again, that hurt flashing in her face. "There are some guys though, ranging from three to twenty or so like myself."

And he'd lost her again, what was up with her? He wanted to scratch his head really badly. A magic wheeler could be made out in the distance, Maya's black long hair whipping in the air. With a screech it stopped right in front of them. Maya jumped down the seat and right into Nobu's arms.

"Nobu-kun!"She grinned and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him deeply. Nobu hugged her waist gently.

Lucy felt like an idiot, like a freaking sign everyone saw but never really paid any attention to. She hadn't come here to make herself a third wheeler, she chucked her book she had been reading in train at the back of Nobu's head. She could have gone along with a better way of separating them, but this option seemed a lot more fun.

"Oi!"He turned, rubbing at the pain in his skull. Maya jumped down from his arms, she roughly reached his chest in height. Maya stared in awe at Nobu.

"What happened to you honey!?"She asked flabbergasted. "You—You didn't kill her.."She pointed accusingly. "Who are you and what have you done with my Nobu?"

"What do you mean?"Lucy asked, fearing for her life. Had she someway been set up?

"I mean, no one could look at him a certain way in the camp or he'd beat them up. I found it hot, but this is so much better!"She grinned and threw her arms around him. "I love it!"

Nobu almost blanched, she was right. He probably would have cut her hand off, or he should feel angry. But he didn't. Perhaps because imagining himself being whooped by his mother wasn't too appealing at the moment.

"Come on,"Nobu ignored his talkative girlfriend and began tossing Lucy's luggage into the wheeler.

"Everyone is really excited to meet you,"Maya smiled warmly at Lucy. "Myself included."She was such a giddy woman, she wished to share her enthusiasm. "My name is Maya, but you can call me May."She shook Lucy's hand a little too fast and hard, almost swinging the blonde up and down like a piece of tissue.

"My name is Lucy,"Lucy returned a small smile. "It's a pleasure meeting you, May."

"You're so cute, let's get on going to the camp. I'm quite exhausted from the ride here, can you take over babe?"Maya kisses Nobu gently, not waiting before jumping into the magic wheeler herself. "Nao-sensei is very picky with apprentices. So tell me, how did she find you and pick you to be the next trainee? It's very tough to get her approval because of the dangers and all."

"Dangers? What dangers?"Lucy asked, staring at Nobu's broad back as the magic wheeler lurched forward.

"Gildarts didn't really fill you in did he?"Nobu sighed. "This is going to be a long talk, which I am very tired to do, Maya, explain to her what it means to be Nao's trainee."

"My pleasure!"Maya grinned.

And suddenly Lucy was regretting getting in the same wheeler as her, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She certainly did like talking.