Together

Chapter 51

"It's still as cold as ever up here," Happy shivered.

"Yet, you still wear so little? You can only blame yourself," Carla said.

"Even though it's this cold, there's still these many people lined up," Lily noted. "Seems like we're on a battlefield all over again."

Lucy chuckled. "Though there are these many people, not all of them will have the chance to meet the nine tailed fox."

"How so?" Kouha asked.

"Only those who wield enough power can approach the shrine. Otherwise, they just came here for nothing," Lucy answered.

"Seems like some of them just realized that," Sharrkan pointed towards a group of people who were walking away, dejected.

"Will we be able to enter?" Yamraiha asked.

"Who knows, old hag," Sharrkan replied.

"Shut up!" she yelled, hitting his head with her staff.

"I'm sure we'll be able to get in," Aladdin smiled before turning to the side. "Maybe."

"Aladdin, you're not being persuasive here," Alibaba said.

"But then again, if one of us happens to lure it out, then doesn't that mean everyone will be able to see it?" Morgiana asked.

"I don't think it's going to be that easy," Ja'far noted. "Based on the old scrolls I was reading back in the Kou Empire library, that fox hasn't come out in the last five hundred years."

"That long?!" Aladdin and Alibaba yelled, their mouths dropping to the floor.

"Deities and demons tend to live individually," Lucy explained. "They would never go along with someone else unless they themselves decide to. Furthermore, they don't involve themselves in human affairs anymore. That's why people don't often see them around."

"Yet, people still want it," Sinbad pointed out.

"Yes. Normal fox spirits are suitable for combat and companionship but the nine tailed fox is a whole other story," Lucy answered. "If it wished to, it could burn a whole city down in flames easily in less than a day."

"Sounds impressive," Masrur mumbled.

"It is," Lucy smiled. "And judging from the shrine's energy, I would guess that the nine-tailed fox enshrined there is the rarest of its kind."

"How does a rare one look like?" Happy asked.

"That you will have to find out for yourself," Lucy held a finger up to her lips.

"Lucy's a meanie," Happy pouted.

Lucy stuck a tongue out playfully. Looking around, she saw just how many people had gathered. She also recognized some from Fiore and guessed that they were here on missions. Wealthy clients would give anything to get their hands on the nine tailed fox after all. She breathed in a scent of the cold air and widened her eyes. She whipped her head around, her eyes darting amongst the people.

There's no way he could be here, she said to herself. I'm just imagining things.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Kouen asked, a hand around her waist. "Are you feeling unwell? Should we go rest first?"

"I'm fine," Lucy smiled up at him. "Just had my mind caught up on something."

"As long as you're fine," he smiled.

"Hey," Sinbad whispered to Kouha. "Why is Kouen always worried about her? Judging from the looks of it, she seems powerful enough to handle herself."