A/N: Well, after several weeks of planning, drafting and crying silently over murdered plot bunnies, I've come up with my first full-length. This is a Tenth Walker, mind, and suprisingly- a MerryxOC story. I'll try my best to make it work, my friends!

Prolouge

People found it strange that a young ladyhobbit, especially of the affluent Clearwaters, should be named Kip. Her full name was Chysanthemum, for the flower, but she could only pronounce 'Kipthathemum' and it proceeded to Kip.

"Honey, come here. Your hair looks a fine mess and I'd like to go visit Miss Brandybuck while she's in Hobbiton." Miss Clearwater said, as her little faunt walked into the kitchen early one morning.

"Mummy, who's Miss Bran'buck?" said Kip, climbing into her mother's lap and exposing her short crop of bushy auburn hair.

"A friend of mine...oh dear, your hair is a fine mess..." her mother smiled as she fingered through the curls and began to brush them away from her face.

Kip nodded, twisting her nightshirt buttons.

"And I suppose you'll be able to play with Meriadoc and Peregrin, if they're there."

"Yes, mummy." Kip said obediently as Miss Clearwater managed to pull back part of her hair into a bright blue ribbon.

xxxx

"I don' wanna play with a lad!"

Kip crossed her arms and sat cross-legged a few inches away from the two boys. Her mother had just dropped her in the Bran'bucks' yard with them.

"Oi! There isn't any reason ter be rude." said the one who was her age. His hair was rather light and his overalls were brown. He had a book in his front.

"Mer, why won' she play?" the younger one asked, tugging on the older one's cuffs. He only had to be two, with a bright blue shirt on.

"Because," Kip stood up and stamped her feet. "B-because.."

She pouted, angry at her inability to find a reason not to play. "What's y'name?" she said annoyedly.

"Merry. And this is me cousin, Pip." The oldest one said, offering his hand to her politely.

"Kipthanthemum Clearwat'r." Kip said, taking his hand. "But Mummy calls me Kip."

"Kip and Pip! Kip and Pip!" Pip said suddenly, bursting into giggles and beginning to run in circles.

"Tomorrow, Sam's comin' over. He'll like you. 'Cause I do." Merry said, watching Pip run around after a butterfly he'd spotted. "Yer fun." he began giggling.

Kip found herself laughing also, and it was from then on, Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took were Kip Clearwater's best mates.