"So, where're you going?"
Gaara shifted back to look at her, relieved as his face started to lose color. Mara waited, patient and shifting from one bare foot to the other.
"…not really anywhere interesting…"
"Oh c'mon!" She pouted, putting her experience to good use. "Anywhere in this place is interesting!" Mara turned on the ball of her foot, turning a couple of complete circles, seemingly to rotate without any outward action, her arms wheeling as she slowly spun. Gaara, already confused, was now completely lost, and his slack-jawed expression stated so. The crazy girl kept speaking as she turned, wondering and wandering eyes focusing on the homes around them as she spun.
"Before I came here, I'd never seen anything but a tent before! Dad calls them 'houses' or 'apartments', but I don't believe him. That's not a good enough word for something like THESE!" She FINALLY stopped spinning, and Gaara, poor Gaara, his head sent reeling by the constant spinning and the jabbering of this blonde haired weirdo, was halfway spinning all of his own. At least her halted motions allowed him to settle his swirling head.
Not for long though!
Suddenly jerked forward, Gaara was almost dragged headlong out of the crowd, trying his best not to pull back against her. His thoughts were a jumble, swarming with thoughts and pieces of Mara's one sided conversation. Mad confusion revolved in his head, doing his best to try and ignore the fact that he was being hauled through a forest of legs, robes, and dress folds. Gritting his teeth, his eyes shut, turning his head and bracing for the worst…
The motion stopped as quickly as it began. Mara, seemingly fresh as a spring daisy after dragging her new companion through that over-populated hellhole, released Gaara's arm. Her grin remained set, even after he wobbled, looking physically sick, and fell to the ground.
"…uurrhhh…" Gaara watched the world spin 'round as the Shukaku buried in his subconscious roared in laughter at his vessel's motion sickness.
Mara ignored his complaint, throwing out a dramatic arm and pointing at the largest building in sight.
"…I think these things should be given a NEW name!" She proclaimed, sounding more like she was going to go conquer a country then anything else. She got no response, save a couple of eyebrows from the few villagers not at the Trading Day's festivities. A little worried, she looked down at Gaara and cocked her head to the side, her hair swaying as she did so.
"…what'cha doin' down there?"
All shyness and awkward moments left behind in the sea of legs they ran through, Gaara could now respond with a look that suggested a humor as dry as the dirt he was sprawled in.
"…I'm sun-bathing."
"I'll sunbathe too!" She cried, flopping into the dirt beside him. She stared up at the endless blue for a moment before her attention returned to her original goal; renaming the permanent houses.
"…You see those 'houses' over there?"
The icy green tilted, bringing the object in question into view.
"…yeah?"
"Those're no longer houses!" She chimed, her voice springy and light.
He blinked just once, sitting up and looking back down at her.
"…what're you talking about?"
"They need new names!" She replied, sitting up and dusting her auburn wrappings off. Gaara challenged this with a contradictory look.
"Oh really, like what."
"…oh…I dunno…" She put a finger to her chin, furrowed in thought. The red-headed male looked on, getting used to the silence.
"…..I'VE GOT IT!"
Gaara yelped, flailing as he hit the dirt again. Mara's intense blue eyes were focused solely on the target building in front of them, her tone triumphant as she wound up for the outburst.
"They should be called, SHABAH-WABAH-DINGY-DONGS!"
Gaara, already on the ground, was floored once more. Immediately on his knees, the confusion was stark on his face as any control he had was lost. His hands pulled at his hair, staring up at Mara in a mixture of shock and deep bewilderment.
"What on EARTH is a Shabah-wabah-ding…whatever it was?"
"It's a game, Gaara! You gotta' give these 'houses' a new name. The word 'house' is too boring."
…a game…
Immediately a little more hopeful, he followed Mara's example.
"Um…Foobal-booties!" Her giggling reaction upped his eagerness a little more, enough to venture out another suggestion.
"Snickerwaddles!"
"That's good for a beginner." Mara rubbed her chin, consulting him with a playful eye. "Gimme' some more!"
Gaara was all too happy to comply.
"Spalunkers! Buddle-rumps! Dadder-cadder-cofushi-wadders!"
He didn't even notice Mara hooking her arm in his, leading him deeper into the village as the two continued to spit nonsense and wobble all over the street as the day began to die.
"My turn, my turn! Udder-twisters! Knicker-bockers! Piddle-de-diddalers!"
"No, mine! Snoggler-tanks! Kafooselies! Cawonkies!"
"Lapoofs!"
"Dirigibles!"
Mara stopped, turning around in apparent shock, her hands clasped to her cheeks in apparent horror.
"You live in a BUDDLE-RUMP? OH NOES! How DISGRACEFUL!"
And once the crazy, childish Gaara was let loose, it would not be stopped. Gaara shook his head defiantly, putting his fists on his hips and trying to make himself look superior. His shadow was indeed long and tall in the dying sunlight, but Mara didn't seem too impressed.
"Why, don't say THAT, young lady!" He bossed, posturing about. "I rather like my buddle-rumps the way they are! But your LAPOOFS!" His hand to his forehead, he feigned swooning.
"AUGH! How HORRID!"
Neither of them could keep a straight face for long, dissolving completely into sniggering and snorting and leaning on each other for support.
"…Go home, tribe girl. Today's dealings are long over."
Gaara's giggling ended abruptly, recognizing his father's voice in an instant. Mara's smiling face swung around, struck to awe at the apparent size of the adult rearing over the two. Instinctually, she clung to the nearest thing; Gaara. The Kazekage did not seem amused. The blonde female ignored her companion's reddening face, almost cringing at the cold, threatening tone in the Kage's voice.
"Leave, before I have you escorted out."
Mara didn't need to be told twice, muttering something in Gaara's ears before disappearing into the gathering dark. Gaara's blush faded, hidden by the evening, glumly following his father. Halfway home, he brightened up, snickering under his breath. That caught Yondaime's attention.
"…what're you so happy about."
"…nothing…I just enjoy living in our Shabah-wabah-ding-dong…" He strolled on, trying to suppress his giggle at the confusion of his father. Leaving him behind, Mara's message revolved in his head.
Meet me outside the village gates, my friend…
Something warm and pleasant was all awash within him, and Gaara rather liked it.
……….
…So this was what it was like to have friends…
---
Oh my! Gaara's got a FRRIIEEENND! snicker …utter twister… immature giggle, shot x.x
… That hurt…a lot… Anyway, Yondaime isn't too pleased about this! Wonder what he's gonna do…But on a lighter note, MEET THE TWINS! Next Issue, The Brothers Ratura