The Classic Crow

AN: SWEET! I got to update WAY faster than I thought I'd be able to!
Right, sorry about the cliffie there! My brother wanted to use the computer and I have a severe case
of hero worship towards him!


~#Chapter 9#~


Kurama pouted, he was sitting in front of Karasu, but the crow had stolen the reigns, saying he knew a short cut.
"The beach wont take us to your house" he murmered and was further irritated after the other had obviously ignored his
comment. The horse kept going, it was now at a trot along the sandy beach.

"Look," said Karasu, "the sun is just right!"

Kurama peered at the water, "I see nothing"

"That is because youre not really looking"

He pointed and Kurama followed with his gaze...It was faint but...was there a glowing trail in the water? Karasu urged the horse on and
it complied.
"WAIT!" cried Kurama, "theres coral here! it could-"

"Relax love, her shoes will protect her"

Kurama leaned back against him blushing as the horse walked through the water and stepped onto the trail. "How?" he whipsered

Karasu smiled, "there are stones here, they are covered with algae that reflects the suns light and shows a path. It would be nearly
impossible to find without the glow"

"Why doesnt the horse slip?"

"I couldnt say, I found this path a long time ago and was puzzled as well. However I have learned not to question it, it will only confuse"

Kurama nodded in compliance, "Oh, that makes sense...I think"

They stopped as the trail ended at a cliff, covered with a strange prickly looking bush. "Now what?"

Karasu dismounted and took some water in his hands, "just watch"

He threw the water on the bushes and they drew back, disappearing into a cocoon(spellcheck?) like thing...
"Like a sea anenomi(I cant spell today/_\)" breathed Kurama

Karasu smiled and got back onto the horse, "yes, I first noticed this when I was out here one night, when the tide came in, the bush disappeared.
Of course I was puzzled, so I came to investigate. The withdraw when exoposed to water, which is strange, I thought, because it would seem
they only grow near the ocean"

Kurama's eyes widened, "They hide a cave!"

Karasu grinned, "precisely, and if you look up"

The fox did and gasped, IT WAS HIS SPOT! Where he would sit before he would go stare at the House of Crow!

"We're so close!" he said, "how?"

Karasu chuckled lightly, "perhaps you dont quite grasp the concept of 'short cut'?"

Kurama frowned and they went inside they cave.


~~*Back at the Chapel*~~

"An abomination!!!" Cried Leiko "THAT IS WHAT MY HORRID NEPHEW IS!!"

Yasuo tried to calm her, but all his efforts were in vain.

Yusuke and the others tried to hide their snickering and Juri cried her eyes out. The place was in mass chaos after Kurama had run out with Karasu,
although nothing had turned riotous(is that even a word? *checks dictionary*...no, but bear with me!)

"What should be done?" asked Mayor Enma of Ogre Estate, "I dont believe they have broken any laws or ordinances...though swearing
in a church is frowned upon..."

"I dont see why the fuss!" said Yukina, "He will be happy!"

"NO HE WONT!" exclaimed Minako, Botan's mother, "that horrid man! Who knows what he'll do!"

"THATS NOT FAIR!!" Yelled Hino, Hiei and Yukina's father, "We may not know that much about him, but Lord Karasu and his father AND
grandfather were good to this town! If it werent for their help and generousity, half of the building wouldnt even exist! They have never and
I mean NEVER done anything to bring any accusations against them!"

He was met with murmers of agreement.

"Yes," said Yasuo, "Darling, I have no idea why you would hate Lord Karasu or your own nephew, the son of my dear brother! But what
you are saying, what you are trying to do is uncalled for!"

Mayor Enma sighed, "its the truth, Lord Marushi Corvin, Lord Shino Corvin and Lord Karasu Corvin...All good men, strange yes, but honest,
generous and well mannered..."

Leiko growled, "They arent great! No one is suspicious?! WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY WERE TRULY UP TO!"
Nobody answered, so she continued, "You people assume they were winderful because they put up some sort of illusion! It was a disguise!
"They ran this town, They knew it! Well no more!!"

About sixty percent shouted in agreement, nuch to the dismay of the more reasonable guests.

And they set out to The Hoiuse of Crow with the mob mentality that Karasu had predicted.

~~*Karasu and Kurama*~~

Inside the cave was amazing, there was a trail that they were taking, sculpted into a stalagtite(-_-;) The cave was illuminated with light,
shining through the water from underneath the cave wall. The aquamarine colors bounced of the walls and made an eerie glow that took
Kurama's breath away.

"This is beautiful" he sighed, "truly...wow"

Karasu smiled, "It took my a long time to make this trail and completely hollow this rock out, but it was worth it"

They went higher up, until Kurama could smell pine in the air, "what is that?" he asked

"Pine"

"I know that! Where is it coming from?"

"There, our exit"

Kurama blinked, "its a rock.."

Karasu shook his head and jumped off the horse, "no imagination these days" He sauntered over to the rock, "watch"
Karasu shoved the boulder with both hands and it easily moved to the side, showing entrance to a thick beatiful pine forest.

Karasu led the horse out and instead of getting back on, he walked in front of it, on a path only he could see. "Are we in your forest?"

"Yes" said Karasu, "We will be home very shortly"

Kurama felt a warmth in his chest when Karasu referred to his house as THEIR home...He smiled, "how long did that take?"

"About ten minutes"

"T-TEN MINUTES?!"

"Yes"

"Thats a forty five minute gallop!"

"...so?"

Kurama laughed, "thats quite a short cut"


~~*Brun*~~

Spain...It was certainly warmer than Germany, easier to get food too. It had taken him eight years, but he made it. He got out,
away from that Hell, and now, there was talk of something extraordinary! A man from Portugal was claiming the world to be round!
And the queen was financing his journey around it! OH! He wanted to go, he was seventeen, and he knew a few thing about sailing and cooking...perhaps...perhaps he could go?

"3x|_|53 /\/\3," he said to a shop keeper sweeping outside his store, "8|_|7 \/\/|-|3123 15 7|-|3 |)0(|
The elderly man stared at him, "huh?"

Brun mentally berated himself, he thought for a moment, trying to remeber the spanish he knew..."Excuse me, but where is the dock?"

The man smiled kindly, "ahh, I see want to go on the voyage aroung the world eh?"

Brun nodded sheepishly

"Well you're in luck young man! Theyre desperate for a cabin boy!"

Brun smiled, "REALLY?! I could actually go?"

"OF course! Names Diego, Diego Hernandez! At your service!"

"Uh, Mateo...Mateo Sanchez" A lie, but only a small one, after all, he didnt know if they would even let him join the crew if they knew he
wasnt Spanish.
"Well Mr. Mateo, where's your stuff? Cant go on a long boat ride empty handed!"

"...I dont have anything...I uh..I came here from...Far away, my mother...hated me and I had to run away.."

Diego's eyes softened, "come on in kid" he said ushering the boy through the door. Once inside he went behind the counter, "take anything you think you need"

"I dont have any money!" cried Brun...or Mateo, "I cant pay!"

Diego laughed, "Youre a good boy! can tell! So dont you worry! Its on me!"

Mateo looked down, his long black hair fell in his face, "thank you" he murmered, his eyes brimming with tears, "thank you so much!"

~~*Karasu and Kurama*~~

They reached the gate, but something was wrong... IT was different then Kurama remembered.

The gate was still high, but it had been made of bars, it wasnt solid, and the ,etal looked strage, like it had been blackened and there were strange carvings on it...they couldnt even be put into words...but they scared him, for some reason, Kurama felt dread begin to bubble.
"How long did you work on that cave?"

Karasu turned to him, "what?"

"How long did it take you to finish that cave?"

"...about thirty-four years"

"You're twenty-five"

Karasu walked over to the gate chuckling, "that is the popluar belief, yes"

Kurama wet his lips, he was trembling slightly, "how old are you?"

Still two feet away from the gate, Karasu stopped and turned around, "Far older than you would think"

The giant gates flew open.


AN:OK thats all for now! LOVE YOU ALL AND YOUD BETTER DAMN REVIEW!! PLEEEEEEASE!

Bye Loves!