"Ame!" Lily yelled, and ran after her, chugging along at a steady run until she caught up with the girl. Damn everything else, but she was strong, strong than even some of the boys their age, and she could run for miles without tiring, and she was proud of it. Still, on the hot summer day, she was soon coated in a sheen of sweat, her sleeveless white zip-up, from Erza's new Heartkruz fashion collection, just a touch too tight for the weather. She stopped to wipe the sweat off her brow and unzipped the vest just a little. She felt more comfortable around Ame, though she wasn't comfortable in her own body. That was the only explanation she could think of for being so relaxed. "And, um, trains are fine, we can travel any way you want," wiping another arm across her forehead. "I've never actually, um, been on a train . . ." she added quietly, biting her lip and keeping her eyes on her feet.

The station was only ten minutes away walking, but the heat was brutal, and trying to stay dry was proving to be a useless exercise. As they stepped onto the platform, Lily stopped to pull her hair into a high knot on her head to keep it from sticking to her face, revealing her long, slender neck -- perhaps the only attractive thing about her. She looked up at Ame, and was surprised to see worry on the other girl's face. She immediately felt uncomfortable and looked back down, unconsciously fiddling with the straps of her backpack. "I, um, I can buy the train tickets, since you let me come on this mission, if you want . . . " she said.