Carnivals, Costumes, and Lots of Tissues
By: Maiji

A LITTLE DISCLAIMER: Most of the characters appearing in this fic are the property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Studio Pierrot, Fuji TV, and Shonen Jump Weekly.

'Dum-da-dum-dum-dum-di-DUM-DUM!!!' cried Kuwabara, leaping into the living room with a
flourish. 'TA-DA! The Amazing Psychic Kuwabara Kazuma!!! What do you guys think?'
Everyone stared.

Botan peeked over the magazine she was reading. The Amazing Psychic Kuwabara Kazuma was
donned in a neon green cloak, a purple and yellow striped shirt, a bright blue sash, orange jeans
(don't ask *me* where he got those), oversized hiking boots, and a red-polkadots-on-white turban
that also sported a bright pink and beige feather the size of a regular computer mousepad.

'It's you,' replied Botan, and went back to reading her magazine.
'If you don't mind my asking, Kuwabara-kun,' said Kurama, after he had gotten over the
shock,'But *why* exactly are you dressed like *that*?'
'Oh,' said Kuwabara, 'I suppose I *am* dressed a little too nicely for a typical summer
day.'
Yusuke immediately had a coughing fit.

'Answer the question, stupid,' said Hiei.
'I was getting to it, *SHRIMP*,' responded Kuwabara with regal disdain. 'Well, you see,
you guys all know that my family's been psychic for generations, right?'
'Right,' said Kurama.
'Apparently it doesn't run in you, though,' said Hiei.
'Shut up. Anyways, you know how there's a Summer's Carnival practically every year
at that big park close by?'
'Yes,' said Kurama.
'Well, it's always sort of been like a family *tradition* that we have a fortune-telling
booth there.'
'Oh,' said Kurama. 'And this time you're helping?'
'Yup,' replied Kuwabara with pride. 'This is gonna be my first time, 'cause usually I'm
cramming for tests or going out with you guys to help save the world.'
'That's wonderful!' said Yukina enthusiastically.
'Yeah, but isn't it?'
'You're going like *that*?!' asked Yusuke, when he had finally stopped coughing.
'Yeah,' answered Kuwabara. 'My dad already approved the outfit.'
'I see,' said Yusuke.
'Now you understand why I opened a hair salon?' said Shizuru.
'When are you starting?' asked Botan.
'Today,' responded Kuwabara. 'It was supposed to be a surprise, but I wanted you guys to
see my costume *before* so you wouldn't be overwhelmed by its splendor at the carnival.'

'Uh, yeah, right,' said Yusuke. 'Thanks. I think.'
'That reminds me,' said Kuwabara. He left for about three minutes and came back with a
large bag.
'What's that?' asked Keiko.
'Well, my dad was kinda wondering ...' Kuwabara hesitated.
'Yes?'
'... If you guys would mind helping out. He wants to see the rest of the carnival this
year, and so does my mom, and he wasn't sure if I could handle all the customers myself. Of
course I *can*, but you know how it is.'
'Oh,' said Yusuke. Then he stopped. 'You mean there's more where *that thing* came
from in the bag?!' He pointed at Kuwabara's outfit.
'Uh-huh,' said Kuwabara, opening the bag. 'Okay, let's see-'
'Hold a sec, Kuwabara!!!' said Botan quickly, as she jumped off the sofa and threw
the magazine on the floor. 'Since this will be your first time, allow an *experienced* person
to help you,*please*.'
'Yeah, but I don't know anyone-'
'What about Botan?' suggested Yusuke
'What?!' said Botan. Keiko looked at her.
'Botan?' said Kurama.
'Botan?' echoed Kuwabara, looking confused.
'Botan-san?' said Yukina.
'Well,' said Yusuke. 'When I was resurrected the first time, Botan had a little fortune-
telling shop downtown. I'm not sure if it's still there, though.'
'Now wa-a-a-ait a sec,' said Botan. 'Just because *I* suggested Kuwa-chan should find
a pro, I didn't mean *me*.'
'I didn't know you could tell fortunes, Botan,' said Kurama.
'Well, I can't really,' mumbled Botan, studying her fingertips.
'What do you mean?' asked Yukina.
'Well, heh heh ... I kinda borrow the Reikai Book of Souls. It works, though!!!'
Sweatdrop on the back of everyone's head.
'Okay, fine, so I cheated,' said Botan. 'But if *I* have to help him, SO DO ALL OF YOU.'
'Sorry,' said Keiko. 'This would be my first break in weeks, because of all my exams,
so-'
'I refuse to help out at the booth,' stated Shizuru bluntly.
'Fine with me,' said Kurama. 'I'll help, as long as *I* choose *my own* outfit.'
'Same here,' said everyone else. They all looked at Kuwabara expectantly.
'If my dad agrees, I guess it's all right,' decided Kuwabara. 'It's *his* booth,
after all.'
Everybody cheered.
'Okay,' said Botan, wearing a pair of thick white gloves that went all the way up to her
elbows.
'Let's see if there's anything worthwhile in here ...'
'Of *course* there're worthwhile things in there!!!' yelled Kuwabara. 'Generations
of Kuwabaras have worn these painstakingly handcrafted heirloom outfits!!!!'
'Handcrafted by whom?' asked Yusuke, holding up a large square of bright orange and red
checkered fabric. 'Is this a tablecloth or something?'
'Of course not!!!' replied Kuwabara. 'It's a pure silk cloak. See, you wear it like
thi-'
'Uh, that's okay, Kuwabara,' said Yusuke, throwing the pure silk cloak back into the bag.
'What a waste of silk,' said Hiei. He had fallen asleep when Kuwabara was talking, and
since it was unanimous, he was drafted.
'Why you little-'
'Kazuma-san, what's this?' asked Yukina. She held up a sickly mustard-green male kimono.
Behind her, Keiko inspected a set of crimson prayer beads.
'Oh,' said Kuwabara. 'Those belonged to my grandfather, Kuwabara Asaizu. He was a famous
and excellent demon exorcist. He wore that kimono with those beads every time he went on
business.
He always used to say that it matched his complexion perfectly.'
'I see,' said Yusuke.
'Don't look at *me,' said Shizuru.
'Did you ever wish you were adopted?' asked Botan.
'This would be perfect for you, Kurama!' declared Kuwabara, pulling out a neon
purple and grey-yellow shirt.
'Uh,' said Kurama, 'Thank you very much, Kuwabara, I'll put it into consideration.'
'This stuff isn't even worth the energy of burning them,' said Hiei in disgust, as he
picked up a skyblue kimono that had little green and orange zigzags on it and grimaced.
'Oh *YEAH*?!?!?!' yelled Kuwabara. 'Just wait 'till I pound your stupid little head i-'
'Kazuma-san,' interrupted Yukina. 'There's nothing I want to wear in here.'
'Don't worry, Yukina!' cried Kuwabara immediately. 'We'll find something!!!'
'I have an idea,' said Kurama with a sigh. 'Why don't we just wear Makai clothing. They
look traditional enough. And we wouldn't have to go through this whole bag.' He winced at the
sight of an old fox skin.
'Ouch,' said Botan.
'Ah, yes,' said Kuwabara, following Kurama's line of sight. 'That was from a villainous
youko that my great-grandfather-' He stopped as he realized everyone was glaring at him. 'Oh,
sorry, Kurama!!! I forgot about- well, it's, um, well, kinda, lemme explain, well-'
'Uh, thank you very much, Kuwabara-kun, but I don't think I want to know.'
Of course, Kuwabara didn't hear.
'Yeah, well, it wasn't you, 'cause I think it was a female youko who-'
He stopped as Kurama left the room, looking sick.
'I thought even *you* were smarter than that,' said Shizuru.
'Does it ever occur to you that you have a SHUT-UP function in your mouth?' said Yusuke.
'Yeah!' said Botan. 'That could have been someone Kurama knew!'
'Isn't there a fur-selling booth at the carnival every year?' asked Keiko.
'Oh dear,' said Yukina.

Much later ...
'Okay,' said Botan. 'While Kuwa-chan's in the kitchen, everyone say how they *really*
feel about their outfits.'
'Very Kuwabara,' replied Kurama, looking at his own outfit in resignation (somehow,
Kuwabara had persuaded them to at least try on what was in the bag).
'Hey!' protested Shizuru.
'That's not a very positive attitude, Kurama,' reprimanded Botan.
'It's true, though,' said Yusuke. 'I think the Makai outfits are a better idea.'
'Yeah, I guess you're right,' sighed Botan.
'Ulgh,' said Hiei. 'I'll be glad to get out of *this* thing.'
'But I think you guys look great!!!' said Kuwabara.
'You would,' replied Yusuke. 'We're going with the Makai clothing. And you had better
too.'
'Please, Kuwa-chan,' said Botan. 'Just trust us on this one.'
'All right, fine,' said Kuwabara, somewhat annoyed.

Much, much later ...
'I wouldn't have thought there'd be so many people here,' said Kurama, looking around at
all the carnival-goers.
'I still don't why *I* got dragged into this,' grumbled Hiei.
'No, Kuwa-chan, I think you should set the tent over here,' yelled Botan.
'Okay,' Kuwabara yelled back. 'I already stuck one of the poles in over here, so wait a
sec-'
'I think it's this pole, Kuwabara,' said Yusuke, but Kuwabara didn't hear and got
tangled anyways.
'Wish you guys luck,' said Keiko.
'They'll need a ton of it,' muttered Shizuru.

After they finally managed to get Kuwabara out of the tent lining and set the tent
up again at the spot Botan indicated, Kuwabara pulled out a large, blank sign.
'We always used to call it 'The Amazing Psychic Kuwaabaras',' said Kuwabara,
'But now that I'm the only Kuwabara working today, we can't, so ...'
'Good reasoning,' said Botan, glad that Kuwabara finally seemed to be getting some
good taste, 'So what do we call it?'
' ... We'll call it 'The Amazing Psychic Kuwabara and His Little Friends',' finished
Kuwabara, getting ready to write on the sign in permanent marker.
'Uh, hold on a sec,' said Kurama, stopping Kuwabara. 'I think we should have a vote
on what name we want.'
'Okay,' said Kuwabara. 'Whoever wants us to be 'The Amazing Psychic Kuwabara
and His Little Friends' raise your hand.'
Of course, no one did.
'Fine,' grumbled Kuwabara, 'Let's see what better name *you* guys can come up
with.'
'He's right, you know,' said Yusuke, 'But I don't like *his* idea, either.'
'A name for a fortune-telling booth must be secretive and mysterious,' said Botan.
'Like the 'Cavern of Crystals'!!!'
Everyone looked at her.
'Oh, all right,' she said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. '*You* try to
think of one and see how easy it is!'
'I think it should be something neutral,' said Kurama, 'Not naming any names, but
giving a hint to who or what everyone is.'
''The Amazing, Handsome, and Brave Man, The Beautiful, Innocent Ice-Maiden, The Short,
Despicable Fire Demon, and Friends',' suggested Kuwabara.
'I don't think that's what Kurama meant,' said Yusuke, as Hiei strangled Kuwabara with a
leftover tent pole.
'So what *DO* we want to call it?' asked Botan.
Kurama mumbled something sarcastic about the 'Special People'.
''The Inhuman Ones',' suggested Hiei. 'Well, except for Dead Meat in the middle.'
'Hey!' protested Kuwabara.
'Come on, guys,' said Botan. 'Get serious.'
'How about 'The Farseekers'?' suggested Kurama. 'I mean, we *have* all travelled pretty
far.'
'That sounds nice,' said Botan.
'Kurama, you're a genius!' cried Kuwabara. 'That sounds so poetic!'
'Well,' said Kurama sheepishly, 'I stole it off a book title, really ...'
'Here we go again,' sighed Botan. 'We'll be here ALL DAY just trying to think of the
name!!!'
'We might as well put 'Anonymous' on the sign for all the work we've been doing,' said
Yusuke.
'How about 'Of the Three Realms'?' suggested Yukina. 'Because there's at least one
of us from each of those realms: Makai, Ningenkai, and Reikai. Right?'
'That's a great idea, Yukina!!!' cried Kuwabara, and had Kurama write it down in elegant
script.
They decorated it with little pictures of firebirds, black dragons, silver foxes,
ice crystals, open books, and sprouting vines, then hung it outside on the tent.
'Not a bad name,' said Hiei, which was a tremendous compliment, coming from him.
However, our dear Kuwa-chan didn't see it that way.
'How dare you say something so unnice to Yukina!!!' yelled Kuwabara. They got into
a big fight.

'Kuwabara,' said Kurama, 'I do not think nailing Hiei to the sign is a good idea.'
'Why not?' asked Kuwabara, as he wrote the words, 'Thing of the Makai' on Hiei's
forehead.
'LET ME DOWN, YOU @#!$%&*$#@!@##$?!!!!!!' yelled Hiei.
'Well,' said Botan, 'At least we're getting a lot of attention.'
Indeed, many people stopped and stared as Yusuke bashed Kuwabara up and got Hiei down.
'Hiei-san, are you all right?' asked Yukina, rushing over. 'Do you need me to heal
you?'
'Go away,' said Hiei.
'How dare you be so rude and impolite to Yukina!!!!' Roared Kuwabara, rising from
the ground. 'I,Kuwabara Kazuma the Man, will make you apologize!!!'
'I'd like to see you try,' retorted Hiei.
'*OKAY-------*!!!!!' yelled Yusuke. They both stopped and looked at him.
'Would you two stop fighting like little kids?' said Kurama. 'You'll scare away
what few customers we might have.'
'Yeah,' said Botan.
Kuwabara and Hiei reluctantly went back into the tent, glaring daggers at each other.
Kurama sighed. 'Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be a long day?'
'I don't know,' replied Yusuke sarcastically. 'Where would you get a crazy idea like that?'


Botan shoved a stack of violet-coloured papers at him and Kurama. 'Don't just stand
there, help me hand out these flyers!'
'Violet?' said Kurama, raising an eyebrow.
'Violet,' said Kuwabara in a scholarly voice, 'Is the colour most often associated
with the celestial sky, the heavens, and of course, strong psychic powers such as the
ones I posse-'
'I know that,' interrupted Kurama with a sigh. 'But why did our *flyers* have to be
violet?'
Yusuke put things into perspective. 'Just be glad he didn't make it something like
pink and purple polkadots.'


Later ...
'I *KNEW* SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!!!' fumed Kurama, stomping angrily
into the tent.
'Uh, what happened?' asked Botan, looking up nervously.
'What do *you* think happened?' said Yusuke. 'Some guys thought Kurama was a girl and I
was his boyfriend.'
'Ha ha,' said Hiei in a flat voice. Kuwabara didn't say anything.
'Kurama-san looks like a tomato,' said Yukina. 'Are you alright? Your temperature is
getting very high.'
'But you're wearing a *male* Chinese outfit,' protested Botan. 'Shouldn't someone have
been able to recognize *that*?'
Silence.

'AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!' shrieked Kurama, and ran out the back of the tent.
'*Botan*!' said Yusuke.
'Sorry,' said Botan meekly.
'I can't believe *you* were that stupid,' said Kuwabara. Yusuke gave him a look.
'Is Kurama-san going to be alright?' asked Yukina in concern.
'He'll be fine in a few minutes,' said Hiei. 'As long as someone else doesn't mistake
him for a girl.'
'I_HEARD_THAT,' came Kurama's voice from outside the tent.


Then, suddenly, in a blaze of pure genius and inspiration, Kuwabara had an
idea that was actually somewhat sensible.
'Hey, Kurama,' he said, calling out the back tent flap. 'Why don't you wait on the
customers with me? When you're bored Botan can take the next shift.'
'Alright, Kuwabara-kun,' answered Kurama with a sigh, coming back in. Everyone
smiled in relief.
'What do I do?'
'Just come over here and sit down,' replied Kuwabara, setting up another table.
'Botan'll give you her copy of the Reikai Book of Souls.'
'Won't someone see it?' asked Yukina.
'Don't worry,' Botan told her. 'The book is like the Reikai videos; only people
with psychic energy can see and read the words. And don't forget, you're on the next shift.'
'Oh,' said Yukina.
'I can't wait 'till we can close this booth,' sighed Kurama.


Much later ...
'I WAS AT THE !@#%*(&%#$@ BOOTH FOR TWO HOURS,' yelled Kurama when he changed shifts
with Kuwabara. 'AND ALL THE CUSTOMERS WERE *MALE*!!!!!!!!' He lay
his head down on the table.
'It can't be *that* bad,' said Yusuke. Hiei snorted. Then they heard the sound of
someone else coming into the tent.
Botan stomped in, red-faced and angry.
'What happened?' asked Yusuke. She Glared at him.
'WHAT HAPPENED?!' she shrieked. 'MORE GUYS WENT TO *KURAMA'S* BOOTH THAN *MINE*
!!!!!' She looked like she was about to burst into tears.
Kurama looked at her.
Yusuke and Hiei exchanged glances.
'Is that why so many customers were leaving with vines around their necks and hand
prints on their faces?' asked Hiei.
Kurama and Botan looked at him.
And both parties began bawling.
'*WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*!!!!!!!!!!' they wailed.
Yusuke looked at Hiei.
'What?' said Hiei.


Much, much later ...
'For gawd's sakes, that's the fifth box of tissues you two have gone through!!!' said
Kuwabara. 'Are you finished yet?'
'Kurama-san and Botan-san don't look too well,' said Yukina with concern. 'Should
we close the booth?'
'NO,' said Botan, wiping her face with her twenty-seventh tissue. 'I'm going out again,
just don't put Kurama out at the same time!'
Kurama looked at her. 'You give me a tremendous moral boost,' he said sarcastically,
reaching for his twenty-eighth tissue.
'Is everything alright?' came Shizuru's voice. 'I think I hear crying in here.'
'Yeah, everything's fine,' replied Kuwabara.
'Then we can come in?' asked Keiko. Everyone looked at Kurama, who slowly slid
beneath the table.
'It's okay,' said Yukina. 'Kurama-san and Botan-san were just crying.'
Everyone looked at Yukina.
'Was that the wrong thing to say?' asked the little koorime.
'I think we should close the booth,' said Yusuke.
'Thank you,' said Kurama from under the table.

***********************************************************************
~~The End~~


Well, that's the story. Like it? Hate it? Please send all comments and criticisms to my
email address (C & C would be *very* nice, people!!!):
black_squirrel@hotmail.com