Starting Over

On the outskirts of konoha lay the residence of the Ongaku clan. The sun stood high in the sky encompassing the land with heat. A little girl roughly 8 ran tearfully from the house of the main family. Bare feet slapping the dirt path that lead to a pond. Shrouded in the shade of a tree cluster she plopped down in the thick grass, fanning her summer dress around her. She inhaled deeply trying to calm down, but the tears kept coming.

“Hey,” a boys voice sounded from along the path.

“Go away Kakashi. I'm sure you want to be with, the boys,” she rolled her eyes at the last part, it was almost a taunt.

“Nah they are boring,” Kakashi sat down next to her as she sniffed and wiped her eyes. Vivian avoided looking at him, and instead focused on the pond, a few rays of light snuck through the tress to dance on the water. “You ok Vivi?”

“No,” the girl crossed her arms stubbornly. “Brother Nikk is a jerk face. It's not fair Kakashi.”

“What isn't?” he looked over at her, and her bright blue eyes where shaded with the pink irritation of crying. He knew she was frustrated and not sad.

“Nikk keeps making fun of me, because I'm not allowed to do ninja training any more. Ever since I graduated from the academy last year everything has changed. Nikk and mother are saying, that I'm too old to play ninja any more. Mother said 'I have all I need to defend myself as a woman, and my proper place is elsewhere.'” She mocked her mothers voice.

“But you're so advanced in skill level. You graduated early like me and at the top of your class.”

“Everything is changing... fathers changing too. He use to be so proud of me... He said he thinks my blood trait is strongest of all.”

“But you're not the next in line.” Kakashi stated matter of factly. Vivi gave a grim nod.

“I don't see why I have to stop ninja training. Briar is even younger than me and he still has the choice to do it. But because I'm a girl it's different?!” She stood up now fire in her eyes. “That makes no sense. If I'm stronger Kakashi, then I'm stronger and that's it!” She she flailed her arms in exasperation. “But now I have to do stupid things, that I don't even like. Sewing, cooking, and etiquette
training.” Things grew silent and she stared back in to the water lost in thought. Kakashi stood beside her and took her hand.

“Well. Those are just the rules of your clan. Vivi your father may be the head, but he still has to follow tradition to set an example for the rest of the clan. It's not just about you.” She turned looking up in to his eyes with a hurt warmth.

“Yeah, I guess so,” she smiled brokenly. “Maybe I am a selfish brat like Nikk says... But I can always trust you to say it like it is.” Kakashi nodded silently, and slowly grabbed Vivis face kissing the top of her head tenderly.

“But it's also true that Nikk can be a 'jerk face' as you would say,” he smiled lightly under his mask. Vivi blushed, and something weird happened as her stomach began to flutter.

“D-don't you think we are getting too old for stuff like that?” she asked nervously.

“How do you mean? We've always done stuff like that,” young Kakashi blushed looking away, and feeling the moment had been made uncomfortable.

“Yeah, but... with my etiquette training I've been told to, not be so familiar with others.... especially boys.” Kakashi put his hands in his pockets and gazed off in to the pond calmly.

“I see. I'm sorry. I guess, we are getting too old.”

“B-but maybe,” She stood up on her toes and pulled down kakashi's mask to kiss him on the cheek. Kakashi turned surprised, and their lips touched. Soft, warm, and sweet, all combined for a moment, and they both stared wide eyed. Suddenly there was a puff of smoke, and a chunk of wood fell to the ground in front of Kakashi. “That'll be the last one,” Vivi pointed down at Kakashi from up in a tree, trying to remain composed, though her face was as red as her hair. “Wait,” she put her hands on her hips, and furrowed her eyebrows. “That will, and not that'll.... proper grammar, or whatever...” She smiled wide and bright.

“If you say so,” Kakashi pulled up his mask, and smiled with his eyes.

***Present***
“Earth to Vivi!” Xavier poked Vivian on the cheek as she sat cross legged in front of a pond, meditating.

“Aah what the-” She swatted him away falling off balance. “What are you doing up so early?” Xavier stared back at her blankly and raised an eyebrow. Slowly Vivi looked around and realized it was almost midday.

“Guess you had a long journey?” X questioned. “Do you ever know where you're gonna go when you do that?”

“Sometimes,” Vivian grunted as she got up and stretched. “Other times it's good to not focus, and just let your mind go. That's how you truly get in touch with yourself... good and bad.”

“So who is this guy we are suppose to meet here anyways. I figured he'd be here by now,” X laid back in the grass looking up at the blue sky poking out between the tree leaves as they danced in the breeze.

“He'll be here any minute I'm guessing,” Kakashi spoke up, leaning against a tree and reading a book. “I sent him a message the other night, to bring back some clothes for you. That way you're already disguised when we enter the village.” Vivian felt a nervous turning in her stomach listening to Kakashi speak. She studied Kakashi, and their eyes met. Neither looked away they where both searching. Staring in his gray eyes she tried to think back, and remember how it all went wrong. Vivian shook her head and looked away, there was too much to sort through.

Kakashi calmly studied Vivi uncertain of how to communicate with her. He tried to read her actions and what she was looking for, but with her it was tricky. Both felt there was something to say, but neither knew what it was, or how to start.