Author's note: This story started a long time ago. When I first started forming it in my mind Japan and Korea were hosting the World Cup. Yes I know that was a long time ago. Although Tai is not playing in the World Cup, like I originally planned, he still had to be in a soccer tournament for purposes f this story. Don't worry I am not giving anything away. So this is why Japan is hosting an international soccer championship. This is also the first time I am trying to use all of the Digimon characters in a positive light. I guess I am using all the characters in a positive light in Drager's Belated X-mas Present, but I see that more as Drager's story not mine. Enjoy.

I don't own Digimon or FIFA or any of its affiliated leagues. I don't even own a car. I have to use my dad's old truck to get around.

It was twenty-five years after the defeat of Myitosmon we were all meeting in the digital world. I never would have thought some of the people I have known for most of my life would follow the paths they have. Sora a fashion designer, I always figured her for a nurse. Mimi went and became a TV chef while I thought she would become the fashion designer. Matt flew to Mars when he was supposed to go to the Moon. How the heck did that happen? That doesn't make sense at all! Kari became a teacher that makes a lot of sense, she has a kid too. We all do actually, my son's name is... is... Wait I don't know my son's name! How the heck did I forget my son's name? My wife will kill me! Wait, who's my wife? Is it Kari? I don't know who I married! What do I do? I know, I'll ask Patamon he'll know.

"Hey Patamon, this is going to sound really weird, but who am I married and what is my son's name?"

Patamon turns to TK and says, "TK."

"What?"

"TK, get up or you are going to be late for school."

TYK's eyes pop open and he sees his mother leaning over him.

"Did you hear me TK?"

"I'm still a kid."

"And a late one at that."

"So Matt didn't go to Mars."

"What?"

TK got out of bed and went through the usual routine for getting ready for school. While walking down the street he noticed his friends Davis and Kari.

"Hey guys wait up."

"Hey TP what's happening?"

"Nothing much. Hi Kari how are you this morning?"

'I'm okay," and with that Kari walks off leaving the two boys standing in front of the school feeling rather confused.

"What did you say to her Davis?"

"Dude, I didn't do nothing."

"The proper statement would have been, 'I have not done anything,' Mr. Moitoya. Now get to class before I give you both a detention."

Both Davis and TK chimed, "Yes Mrs. Haiku!"

As the two boys jogged to class Davis grumbles, "Leave it to a language arts teacher to give you a detention for using bad grammar."

TK asks Davis, "So, do you know what is wrong with Kari?"

"No idea man, I was trying to find that out myself but she wouldn't open up at all."

"I'll ask her after school."

"Dude, you don't have the time you said that you were going to help your brother unload and set up the band equipment for the spring dance at his high school."

"Ah crap, that's right I forgot. I am supposed to help Matt tonight. Hey maybe I can ask him for advice about Kari."

"The only advice he can give you is stay away from her that's Davis' girl."

"Shut up!"

"Sorry dude I'm too busy getting to class."

"Hey wait up!"

After narrowly avoiding getting detention for being late TK spent most of the day watching over Kari to make sure she didn't disappear into the Dark Ocean. By lunch people were beginning to wonder what was wrong with T.K.

"Hey T.K. did you and Kari have a fight?"

"No Yolei what would make you think that?"

"Well you have been staring at here the whole day. People are beginning to talk."

"I am just worried about Kari, that's all. She has been acting really weird."

"Well, what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Yeah right, girls just don't go crazy you know! I can't believe that you are such a sexist jerk! Come on Cody I am not going to let you be influenced by these jerks." and with that Yolei storms off to go sit at another table dragging Cody along with her.

"You know T.K. I can think of one girl that just goes crazy for no reason."

"Yeah no kidding Davis. I guess she won't be of any help in figuring out what is wrong with Kari."

"Dude you couldn't have been seriously thinking of asking her for help."

"Well I figured that Kari might talk to Yolei instead of us."

"I wouldn't count on that. The way Yolei works she is more likely to make things worse with Kari than better."

"Yeah no kidding."

"I wish we knew what was bothering Kari. She seems really depressed about something."

"Maybe you can ask Tai to talk to Kari. He is her brother and all."

"No way man. I think that Tai would get made at me and tell me to stop pestering his little sister. You know he gets really weird about Kari sometimes."

"He is just trying to protect Kai, if something is bothering Kari than Tai would want to help out."

"I don't know man. Tai seems really out of it too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Tai seems to be in just a big of funk as Kari. He never seems happy and all he does is practice soccer."

"So Tai likes soccer, what is your point?"

"Dude the amount of practicing he does is weird even for someone who likes soccer. It's the only thing he ever does. He does drill after drill. He is worse than Izzy with computers."

"So he wants to keep in shape for the season. Big deal."

"Dude the school soccer season ended before Christmas break. Tai is practicing like the championships are next week and coach is going to kill everyone if we don't win them. Tai is like doing more drills than even coach would put us through. He is even doing ones that I have never seen before. He is doing things I would expect players in the English Premier League to do."

"When did he start doing this?"

"Just after the Christmas break. That is what is so weird about it. Soccer season was over and Tai starts going crazy with the training."

"After Christmas huh?"

"Yeah, why? What are you thinking T.K.?"

"Um... nothing Davis. It's nothing."

"Yeah well if there was anything wrong with Tai I would know. Tai comes to me with his problems and stuff. He wouldn't hide anything from me."

'Oh man,' thought T.K., 'Tai is really messed up over Sora and Matt hooking up. No wonder Kari doesn't want to talk to me, she is mad at me for being Matt's brother. Man this is so unfair!'

"Dude what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong! Why?"

"Um… because you are sitting there with an ugly look on your face instead of getting to class when the bell rang. That and you yelled at me."

"Oh… sorry Davis I guess I am worried about Kari."

"Well we better get going or we will have to worry about her through detention."

"Yeah if I get detention then I won't be able to help Matt with the band stuff."

"So are you going to ask him what to do about Kari?"

"I thought you said that he would tell me to stay away from your girl."

"Yeah well… he will… but I think you should get what other advice me might have about Kari. I am worried and dude I have no idea what to do."

"Okay Davis I will, but we better get to class before we both get boned."