Year: 2008

Location: New York City

Status: One freaked ninja. possibly homicidal.

Kurogane cowered as yet another dark shadow passed ominously overhead. Bundled up in a large gray winter jacket and red scarf he huddled in his small space that he had (forcefully) cleared so he could actually breathe. Crowds of screaming people adorned street after street as small debris rained from the sky.

"This is the most obscene thing I have ever seen."

Fai, who was standing next to him, grinned like a 100 watt bulb. "Oh have some holiday spirit! while we're here we might as well come. this is the largest parade all year."

Kurogane shot him a dirty evil look from the confines of his red scarf. "Screw Macy. Who was Macy anyway? were they really so important that thousands of people would line up on the sidewalks to watch giant inflated creatures float down the street when it is so goddamn cold?!"

"Ah, aaaaaaaaaaaah!" chided the infuriating voice of Mokona from the depths of his front pocket. "Kuro-rin is saying naughty words! As punishment Mokona thinks he should buy Mokona some liquor."

Fai laughed in a carefree way, while Kurogane's eye twitched. He had a limit, and it was fast approaching. Another balloon passed as confetti continued to rain down upon New York. He could only imagine how well a drunk Mokona (and possibly drunk Fai) would go over here. Actually they probably wouldn't be noticed, but there was no chance in hell that Kurogane was going to carry Fai all the way back to the refrigerator box they were using as a house while so many people watched.

"Mokona wants to be in the paraaaaaade!" whined Mokona from the pocket. "Everybody loves Mokona, so why is Mokona stuck in a pocket?"

Kurogane roughly jammed his hand into the offending pocket, only to have it squeak loudly and have it slobber all over the hand. He jerked it out quickly, earning some odd stares which he promptly ignored.

"Unh...Kurogane-san, people are staring at you funny." Sakura peaked out from behind Syoran. In the thick crowd she seemed to get easily frightened and therefore stuck to Syoran like glue. He seemed to be enjoying it.

"Don't worry Sakura, It' just 'cause everyone thinks he's funny looking."

"You're funny looking, Idiot. And don'y tell me you actually enjoy this? I thought you got nervous in crowds and had some sort of fear of giant inflateable turkeys."

"A what?" asked Syoran and Fai at the same time. (Only with Fai making a ridiculous face and scratching his head.)

"A Turkey. It's an ugly looking bird that you eat, y'know- like a chicken?"

"A what?"

"Imagine pasting feathers all over Mokona. Except then you eat it. Not that we couldn't eat Mokona, we'd just be royally screwed."

"He seems to have given this a lot of thought..." whispered Syoran to Fai. The four of them stood watching as yet another marching band passed. Syoran hummed to the tune absentmindedly while Sakura stood there with a glazed look on her face. After about all of ten seconds Syoran sighed. "I'm kind of bored now."

"No really? we've only been standing here an hour and a half!" Kurogane rolled his eyes.

"How can you possibly be bored, the Macy's parade is so cool!" Shouted Fai, waving his arms over his head excitedly as a starlet in a puffy red coat rode a fancy car down the street of screaming people.

"You would like this holiday. Giant deformed things wandering down streets, people screaming everywhere, everybody eating until they pass out or throw up. Yep sounds like your kinda holiday."

"Are you mad because I got the wishbone?"

"No, I'm mad because you used up all our money on one thanksgiving dinner and now we're sleeping under a refrigerator box that was tossed out of the subway station."

"Hey, do you think they'll let us join the parade?"

"DON'T IGNORE ME!!!"

"Kurogane isn't this supposed to be a day where you remember what your thankful for?"

Kurogane stopped and blinked. "You just called me Kurogane."

Fai just looked at him. "Well isn't it your name? You scream it a lot. So what are you thankful for?"

Kurogane thought for a minute before replying. "I'm thankful that so far you and the small white thing haven't done anything stupid, because frankly I don't like this place. It's like the Hanshin Republic only with crossdressers and angry taxi drivers."

An evil grin snuck it's way onto Fai's face. It was the most terrifying grin Kurogane had ever seen in his entire life, and the fact that it was Fai who was grinning like that made it even more creepy.

"What did you do?"

He shook his head, the evil smile still intact.

"Are you going to tell me, or will I have to beat you up or something?"

Syoran gave a snort behind him, which he quickly turned into a cough. Suddenly Sakura let out a yell, and began pointing at something in the parade.

Kurogane's jaw dropped open and his brain went into shock. Because floating down the street towards him was a giant ninja balloon that looked suspiciously like a chibi version of Kurogane. On the side of the balloon were the words, "BIG PUPPY" and "BEWARE OF DOG."

Mokona was laughing hysterically from Kurogane's pocket, as Kurogane grabbed the front of Fai's coat and yelled "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! How did you even get that into the parade- I thought you said you weren't going to use magic anymore?"

"You're welcome." Fai said blithely.

Kurogane seethed. "Do you really want me to punch you? Because I totally will; even in public."

Fai smiled brilliantly. "Shut up."

"....Did you just tell me to shut up?"

He noticed that he was still grabbing the front of Fai's coat and let go quickly.

"Whipped." Syoran snickered.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Sang Fai in a ridiculous voice as the Kuro-balloon passed them and promptly ran into the back of the giant banana balloon. Mokona just pulled a camera out of it's mouth, thinking that this would make a good laugh for Yuuko.

Confetti continued to rain down upon New York, and no one paid any attention to the group of four mashed into the crowd on the sidewalk.