Last chapter was kind of...too mushy at the end. I tried to make this chapter less mushy! Enjoy! :)

Maya stood with an excited Pearl at the waiting station, blushing profusely. Needless to say, she was in fact very nervous. How would Phoenix react when he saw her? The two hadn't seen each other in two years...surely they would both look a bit different. The night before, Maya had gotten little to no sleep, numerous questions filling her head. Would Phoenix hug her? Would he comment on her new set of unusual clothes? Would he kiss her on the cheek? Would he even be happy to see her?

"Mystic Maya, you look absolutely gorgeous! Mr. Nick is going to be so happy when he sees you!"

"Well," Maya muttered, "I would hope so." She sighed deeply and began to rub her temples. Five minutes until the train comes...then in two hours I'll see Nick and Trucy...

"Mystic...Maya?" Pearl grinned, hugging her cousin from behind, squeezing her tightly. "You really do like Mr. Nick, don't you?"

Maya nodded, her blush returning. She gripped the present that was wrapped carefully in tissue in her hands. She had gotten Trucy a bright pink magatama that was intertwined with a purple lacy ribbon instead of the usual white boring string. "Yup."

"I knew it! I can't believe this is actually happening! Oh, wow!" Pearl hugged Maya even tighter, then, blushing herself. "Are you going to...make an advance on Mr. Nick?"

"Pearly! Don't talk like that! Especially in public!"

"Oh, Mystic Maya, please!" Pearl replied, releasing her grip from her older cousin. "All this time you've loved Mr. Nick and you didn't say anything?"

"I couldn't, Pearly!"

Pearl threw her hands onto her hips, "And why the heck not?"

"B-Because..." Maya was speechless. She hadn't really a clue why, actually. What had Maya so worried? It's not like Phoenix had feelings back for her. Well, in Maya's mind he did, but in reality the chance was slim. But now that she thought about it, slim wasn't impossible. "What if he doesn't like me back, Pearly? Then what do I do?"

Pearly pinched Maya's lips closed, "You need to stop thinking those things, Mystic Maya! He obviously likes you! So can it, okay?"

"Fine," was Maya's muffled reply.

CHOO CHOOOOOOOO!

"The train is here!" Pearl shouted. She grabbed Maya's hand and they made their way to the train. Pearl handed her ticket to the driver, as did Maya.

"Welcome aboard, ladies!" shouted the conductor. He tipped his hat to them, and they began to walk to the end of the train, to find a seat.

Once they had found a seat, an announcer came onto to the intercom.

"We will be arriving to your destination in two hours, ladies and gentleman. Sit back and enjoy the ride."

Pearl could barely contain her excitement as the train finally had started to move. "What are you going to do when we get there, Mystic Maya?" she squeaked.

"Get myself a burger!" Maya said, enthusiastically. She laid the wrapped magatama beside her on the seat, having one hand hover over it protectively, to ensure nothing bad would happen to it. She wanted Trucy's present to be perfect; it was Phoenix's daughter after all.

"You don't want to see Mr. Nick first?" Pearl was shocked.

"Of course I do!" Maya answered, quickly. She felt a blush to her cheeks.

Pearl grinned, thinking, There's the Mystic Maya I know and love! "Then your liking of burgers will have to wait!"

"...Very true, Pearl." Maya agreed, laying her head against the window. Outside the scenery of the trees were just a blur as the train had passed them. She closed her eyes. She would get to see Phoenix in about one hour and thirty minutes. She had a feeling she would be pestered by Pearl most of this trip...and she was right.

"You know," Pearl said, tearing into her miso ramen that Maya had bought for them, "when you and Mr. Nick get married, Trucy will be your daughter!"

Maya nearly spit her ramen out onto the table. "M-Married?"

Pearl nodded, "Well...when two special someones love each other, they get married, right?"

"Y-Yeah, but-"

"Exactly. So get married to Mr. Nick! You'll be happy then, right?"

H-Happy? Have I seemed sad? I didn't even notice it myself...

"What do you mean by 'happy then'?" Maya questioned. She stuffed a chopstick full of ramen into her mouth.

"Well...you've seemed so sad lately. I was thinking it was because of Mr. Nick withdrawal!"

Maya looked genuinely shocked. Perhaps she had seemed a bit sad...but she didn't think it was really that bad. Of course she had missed Phoenix, the letters couldn't do justice when she could tell that Phoenix was laughing at a certain part when he had written the letter. She wanted to see the laugh in person. She wanted to be able to smell his crisp linen smell she had always admired at six o'clock in the morning. She wanted to see him. And she was finally going to be able to.

"I'll admit that I was," Maya said, frowning slightly, "But I'm not so much, anymore!" She finished the bowl and set it aside.

Pearl smiled, "Well, good." She pointed at a clock that was positioned at the front of the train. "Only 30 more minutes, Mystic Maya!"

"I don't know if I can do this, Pearly." She tugged on the ends of her hair, nervously.

"What? Mystic Maya! Of course you can! Mr. Nick and you are going to get married!"

"No we're not!" Maya almost shouted, feeling her cheeks flare. She rubbed her temples. She had really heard enough of this 'marriage' scenario. Even if she did want to marry Phoenix...that would mean that either she would have to leave Kurain or that Phoenix and Trucy would have to move to Kurain.

"I guess you would have to start a lovey-dovey relationship with Mr. Nick first, wouldn't you?" Pearl asked, her index finger on her chin.

"Correct, Pearl."

"Then get a move on!"

"It's not that easy!"

Pearl scoffed, "You two already like each other! You're special someones!"

"Ladies and gentleman, the train has now stopped. If this is your destination, you may now get off."

Pearl then clapped her hands, excitedly. "This is it!"

Maya grabbed the wrapped magatama and followed Pearl to the exit of the train, knees shaking. This really IS it...