After the first incident with Koka's eyes, the event became a near common occurrence. Heiwa's fear for the young child grew as she realized what it was. Koka was seeing visions of the future. While for the moment it was nothing more than small things such as visitors to the shrine or the weather, or something of that nature, Heiwa knew if others heard of the ability, Koka would be taken advantage of as turned into a shinobi. It was a future the young girl wanted nothing to do with and Heiwa took it upon herself to protect the secret.
When Kaede was eight, Heiwa took her aside and sat her down. The girl was old enough to understand the importance of secrecy.
"Kaede, you're a big girl now and you have done well with the shrine and Koka." The young girl sat up straighter at the mention of the younger child, causing Heiwa to smile before continuing.
"Koka is different from you or I. She has a special ability to see things that can happen. When her eyes change, it means she is having a vision." Kaede nodded.
"But because of this, other people may try to take her from us. So you must never tell anyone about what Koka can do. Do you understand?" She nodded, a fierce look in her eyes.
"Yes Heiwa-san. I won't let them touch her." Heiwa smiled again.
"Good girl, now run along and play."
For the next few months things continued on like normal. Koka continued to continue her streak of intelligence while Kaede acted as her guardian, adopting the role of an elder sister. By this time Kaede was eight while Koka was three. Both girls were growing at a fast rate and soon would need new clothing. Heiwa decided it was time to take them into the village center for the first time since they arrived.
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Heiwa walked down the streets of Konoha with the two girls in front of her. Kaede was dashing around in excitement and curiosity, dragging Koka as she went. Even the normally reserved Koka was looking around with interest. Though, if one looked closely enough, it looked like the younger girl was memorizing the area instead of just looking.
The three walked to a small shop where fabrics and various Kimonos were sold. The owner greeted Heiwa as old friend and the two began chatting while the younger two girls were sent to look for what they wanted.
Kaede held Koka's hand as the two walked down the isles looking at colors.
"Koka, what colors do you want?" The younger girl contemplated the question for a moment.
"Blue." Kaede nodded as she brought the younger girl over to the blue fabrics. Together they poured over the clothing before Koka found one. It was a pale blue with darker blue flower prints on it. She clutched it in her small arms while they began to search for Kaede's choice.
In the end Kaede had selected a pink one with white feathers on it. The two took their choices up to Heiwa. Kaede was bouncing up and down excitedly when Heiwa noticed Koka looking intently at the garments.
"What is it Koka?" Kaede stopped bouncing at the older woman's question and looked at the child in question. For a moment the three year old was silent before looking up at her caretaker.
"Can we wear them now?" Heiwa blinked at the young child while Kaede gasped in excitement at the question.
"Can Heiwa-san? Can we?" The older child had her hands together in a silent plea.
"Well, I suppose so." She handed the now paid for kimonos to the two children, who both rushed off to the changing room. When they returned, Heiwa took their old outfits. Kaede had a bright smile on her face and she turned about, showing off her new kimono.
Heiwa turned to look at Koka. The small child was watching Kaede spin about before turning to look at Heiwa.
"Thank you Heiwa-san." Then for the first time in the three years that she had been at the shrine, Koka smiled. The old woman was still at a loss for words as the young child ran off with Kaede outside. The smile was gone before the sunlight touched her face.
Heiwa said her farewells to the shopkeeper and followed the two children out the door. She had not gone far when someone called her name. Heiwa turned in surprise.
"Mikoto-dono, what a pleasant surprise." The Uchiha matriarch held the hands of a boy Heiwa guessed to be her son and another young Uchiha child. The two women walked up to each other while Kaede ran over to Heiwa's side, Koka close behind.
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When Itachi's mother called out to an older woman he did not take much notice. It was not until he caught sight of his cousin staring at two girls behind her that he took notice. The elder one was the one Shisui was staring at, but it was the younger one who caught his attention. Or rather her eyes, as the young Uchiha child had never seen ones like hers before.
They were a light crystal blue, but there was something about them that made them different. The young prodigy had to think about it for a moment before it came to him. She has eyes like he did. She was a prodigy. But then something happened. As he watched her, the girl's eyes changed. It was almost unnoticeable, but they lightened and took on and ethereal glow before she looked down, effectively hiding them from Itachi.
The girl stepped closer to the older child in an act of shyness. But it was just that, an act. For Itachi had seen her eyes and knew it was not shyness that drove her to hide. She was hiding her eyes from the Uchiha. Itachi would have to ask his cousin about it later. He turned back to the conversation just in time to hear his mother introduce him to the older woman.
"Pleased to meet you, Heiwa-san." He and Shisui bowed at they were both introduced. Then the older woman introduced the two girls beside her. Kaede and Koka both bowed, Koka's eyes having returned back to normal.
When the two groups parted ways it was with a promise from the Uchiha matriarch to stop by the shrine sometime for tea. As they wandered away, Itachi's thoughts drifted back to the young girl. Her bangs and long hair framed her face while the blue kimono highlighted her eyes. The young prodigy wanted to learn more about those eyes.
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Koka frowned as they walked away. She had done her best to play the shy three year old act as she normally did when her visions came, but she knew Itachi had noticed. Not for the first time she cursed being so young. She knew the Uchiha prodigy would try to befriend her. But Koka had already made her mind to not allow anyone close to her.
When she had been reborn, Koka remembered everything from her past life, including everything that would happen here in this world. While she could not deny it was real, she could deny others from entering her life. She would shut out Itachi as well as keep Shisui away from Kaede. The young girl was Koka's only exception to the keep everyone out rule. So Koka would keep her safe.