Chapter 13: Festival!!

The warm, salty breeze ran through her long black hair making it flutter behind her as she smiled happily, leaning out against the rail. She pressed her face against the warm air, welcoming it fondly as it brushed against her skin. Gaara breathed in this same air, and grinned softly as it seemed to spread through his body, making the tips of his fingers tingle.

The small boat slowly reached the dock. Soon stairs had been pulled out and the passengers were filing out, lugging their belongings behind them. Kitai and Gaara mingled behind them, waiting for the line to diminish.

"Ready?" Kitai's face glowed with happiness. Gaara nodded. They bolted down the ship, fleeting past the preoccupied sailors and arrivals they crossed the dock and ran into the busy port of the large city.

"I win!" Kitai exclaimed ecstatically. She laughed happily as she danced around Gaara. Watching her, he didn't notice the strange looks from the people around them, or the furtive whispers they gave each other. He only noticed how happy she seemed. She twirled to a stop next to him and threw her arm around his neck.

"How does it feel, Gaara?" she sighed as she looked up to the sky, "After five years we have traveled through every major country in this ocean." Gaara couldn't help grinning widely. Her happiness was very contagious.

"Welcome to Kiro no Kuni," he said happily as he also looked up, "The land of Mist."

Traveling non stop for five years would definitely slowly wear some people out. But, for Gaara and Kitai, it had only pumped more energy into them. Waking up in a different place every day gave them a reason to jump out of bed (or out of a tree). They lived where they wanted to and how they wanted to. Working only when necessary in fields or running errands, they were able to hop from village to village, country to country.

Now, they were both seventeen, and were considered adults in most places. Gaara had grown exponentially. He wasn't short anymore and was taller than most guys his age. His clothes were nearly exactly the same, with only a different type of collar or a different shade of pants. Kitai (unbeknownst to Gaara) had developed into a rather beautiful girl. Her womanly figure replaced the childish one she had five years ago, and men's eyes tended to wander towards her. She nearly always wore black, just like her jet black hair that graced the upper part of her back, which brought out her startlingly blue eyes.

Looking at them you'd never guess that they were trained in the secret arts of Ninjutsu.

"Where should we go?" asked Gaara. He and Kitai stood at a four way fork in the road. Kitai grinned, closed her eyes and spun around. She slowly stopped and faced one of the paths.

"This way," she announced happily. Gaara shrugged as they walked down the path, neither really caring where it ended up.

Gaara and Kitai had wandered into this nameless city, just as they had for so many others. However, they were surprised to find joyful laughter mixed with the sounds of so many different stalls and rides as a huge festival progressed. Kitai's eyes were bright with excitement as she watched children chase each other happily as parents dreamily told them to slow down, too preoccupied in the festivities themselves to notice their children.

Gaara was also preoccupied in watching all the different people around him. He had never been to a festival before, he always thought of them as a stupid excuse to go out and get drunk. But he couldn't help grinning as the parents snapped out of their daze and scolded their children after they ran into a group of elderly women. He wondered if Kitai had seen it. He turned to his side and was surprised to find no one there. A huge cat face suddenly appeared in front of his. He jumped back in surprise as it laughed happily.

"Got you," Kitai giggled as she took off the mask. She grinned at him. "Don't I look just like a real Anbu with this on?"

"Where did you get that ridiculous thing?" Gaara asked, masking his amusement with contempt. Kitai grinned at him, knowing him too well to be fooled by his feeble attempts to hide his feelings.

"You didn't think it was so ridiculous when you nearly jumped out of you pants a minute ago," she said mockingly.

"You caught me off guard." He shrugged as he snatched the mask from her hands and examined it unenthusiastically.

"Whatever," Kitai said as she snatched it back. "I think it's cute." She put it on the side of her head with a goofy grin. Gaara couldn't keep the smile from inching onto his face.

"Let's stay here for a while," he said as he stepped forward, "I've never been to a festival like this before." Kitai beamed as she took his arm and urged him forward happily.

The sun was setting rapidly as the day winded down. The festival, on the other hand, only seemed to grow with the rapidly approaching night time. Kitai had taken this opportunity for another of her "life lessons." She and Gaara had played nearly all the carnival games, from catching goldfish to throwing rings on glass bottles, and eaten nearly everything that was worth eating. Gaara had never had such a good time before.

"It melts in your mouth," Kitai was saying, "Try it! It's really good!" She held up the cotton candy as Gaara gingerly picked some off. He placed the sticky wooly stuff into his mouth and was amazed at the strange sensation he got as it melted into sweet liquid. He and Kitai strolled away from the stand as they picked at the large fluff of cotton candy that Kitai was holding. They stood in content silence as they watched people pass by.

"Festivals are so much fun," Kitai commented.

"I guess," shrugged Gaara, although his face was glowing after an afternoon of pure enjoyment.

"You know," said Kitai cynically, "One of these days I'm gonna make you holler out a completely ridiculous statement, just so I can see what you'd look like if you would just explode every now and then."

"You can try," Gaara responded coolly as he placed another piece of cotton candy in his mouth.

"Oh, you just wait," she said ominously as she licked the remaining candy off her fingers, "In the meantime, nature calls. I'm gonna go look for a restroom. You wait here, okay?" Gaara nodded as Kitai wandered across the street. He watched her enter the small shop.

"Is there a restroom I could use here?" Kitai asked the man behind the counter. He grumbled something that Kitai interpreted as "in the back," so she gave him a slight bow as she walked past a group of guys who were all wearing gaudy neon blue jackets. They all sniggered at her as she walked into the Ladies Room.

Minutes later, Kitai sighed as she shut the restroom door behind her and stepped out into the hall. The same group of boys was still standing in the same area, and they were all looking at her. She ignored them as she walked past them, but one of them stepped into her way.

"Hey," he said coolly, "Haven't seen you around here, baby." She gave an exasperated sigh as she glared at him icily.

"That's a lousy pick up line," she said coldly, "Could you move, you color blind idiot?" He frowned as his buddies sniggered behind him.

"Since you're not from around here, I'll let you in on a little secret," he leaned menacingly closer, "You've just insulted the leader of the toughest gang in the city, the Iwa-gumi." Kitai rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't care if you were the Prime Minister," she frowned. The other boys began guffawing loudly. She glanced at them. "And if you're the strongest gang in the city, then this place is more pathetic then I thought." They all stopped laughing. The leader was now clearly showing his frustration as a vein throbbed on his forehead. No one insulted the Iwa-gumi.

"This wench is more stupid than she looks," grumbled one. "I say we educate her." They all nodded in agreement as Kitai balled her fists, ready to take these losers on.

"You guys want something?" Gaara had appeared behind the group. They all looked at him, clearly ticked off.

"Who the hell are you?" growled the leader boldly. He tried staring down Gaara, but Gaara gave him one of the coldest, most frightening glares that he had ever seen. It was enough to make a strong man's knees buckle. All the gang members were suddenly paralyzed.

"H-hey man," one said nervously, "We aren't doin' nothin'."

"Get lost," Gaara said in one of the coldest voices he had spoken in a long time, "You pathetic losers aren't worth my time." The gang was only too happy to oblige. They scurried out of the small restaurant hurriedly.

"Now what'd you do that for??" Kitai complained suddenly. Gaara gave her a surprised look. "You know I could've taken them on."

"Hmm..." Gaara turned around and started walking out.

"Hey! Don't brush me off!" Kitai evened strides with him. "I can't have you saving me all the time. It makes me look pathetic. I have to retain my dignity!" Gaara couldn't help grinning at her annoyance.

"Okay," he gave in, "I won't butt in next time."

"Thank you," she said happily. "Now, we need to go ride something fast."