There was a flash of light and an eight year old Kari sat straight in bed, terrified.
Thunder rang out, making their sliding door shake, and Kari scrambled down the ladder of her bunk bed and stood at the bottom bunk, shivering.
The wild hair of her older brother covered his face, and he slept like the dead, barely moving at all.
The petite girl reached out and shook the lump that was her brother, whispering his name.
"Tai. Tai. Wake up Tai. I'm scared Tai!"
Tai groaned, but slept on, oblivious to his sister's constant shaking.
Lightning flashed again, cutting the sky open and Kari froze.
Tai, somehow attuned to his sister's feelings already, was suddenly alert and holding Kari's sobbing form in his arms, stroking her hair in a way that was more caring than his 10 year old self could understand.
"Kari...What's wrong? Is it raining?"
Kari could only nod, but that was enough for Tai and immediately his older brother instincts kicked in.
He jumped out of bed and grabbed Kari's pillow, then picked his sister up and tucked her into his bed, sliding in after her.
Eventually she calmed, and fell asleep, leaving Tai awake.
He didn't know why lightning scared Kari. He loved the rain.
The storm was a ferocious one. Lightning and thunder ran across the sky like children screaming and jumping. The sky could hardly be called sky, instead it was an unforgiving mass of dark gray as far as the eye could see. Kari wasn't afraid of lightning anymore, having long given up the fear with what she had gone through, and searched for every flash to distract from the boredom threatening to envelope her classroom. A finished worksheet lay on her desk, and her classmates talked in low voices as they tries to finish the paper. A flash of white on the ground caught her attention, and Kari grinned as she recognized the color. Tai stood in the middle of the soccer field barefoot in only a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. He was laughing hard, with his head back and arms spread wide. Kari opened the window and yelled
"You're going to get sick like that! Come inside!"
Tai looked around in surprise, spotted her, and grinned devilishly.
"Only if you come out and get me!"
Kari looked back at her class. The teacher had been called out, something about a massive leak in another building, then closed the window. She ran over to TK, who was looking at the pictures on her camera.
"Tai's outside. You want to come help me get him?"
TK grinned. "Sure Kari. You do know it's raining, right?"
"Of course! That's why we have to go bring him in!"
TK laughed. "I'm in."
They made their way outside, with half the class following. They paused at the doors, looked at each other and burst out. Kari ran for Tai, pulling her hood up.
He turned, grinned that evil smile that said he was plotting something, then, instead of running the other way, ran at Kari and lifted her into his arms. Kari's eyes widened as she saw the massive puddle Tai was heading for.
"No Tai! Don't!"
But Tai took a running leap and landed in the middle of a wave, completely soaking Kari, himself and catching TK on the side. Kari gaped in amazement, then struggled out of her brother's arms and looked herself over.
Her short brown hair was plastered to her head, and she was dripping from head to toe. Tai's legs were covered in dirt that had been in the water, and his hair was starting to deflate. He had that mischievous look in his eyes that said he was not regretting doing it.
"TAICHI! YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET THAT!" Kari screamed, a wild light in her eyes. She jumped at her brother, fully intending to knock him to the ground, but before she knew it he was waltzing her around the courtyard, laughing and singing very badly.
Kari thought about struggling, but was passed off to TK and with a blush on her cheeks she forgot everything she was going to do.
She caught a passing glance of Tai dancing with Mimi, then Ken and Yolei. The storm worsened (if that was possible) and TK only spun her faster through the mess of people.
There was a shrill whistle and Kari and TK froze, almost falling over.
Only Tai continued, now dancing with Sora. They spun round and round, faster and faster until they were staggering around, gasping for breath.
"What is going on here?" a middle aged man, one of the teachers, yelled. "Get back inside!"
The wild group of kids immediately broke up, scattering into different buildings. Kari looked around for Tai, and found him lying in the same puddle he had splashed her in, choking with laughter.
"Stupid Tai." Kari muttered, and pulled him to his feet. "Hey TK! Can you make Tai get toweled off? I have to get changed."
TK nodded, and waited for Tai to straighten, then walked him to the locker room, shoving him good-naturally into the room. Tai came running back out, grabbed TK in a headlock and ruffled his hair, then sprinted back into the room with TK right behind.
Kari couldn't help but grin at that. Looks like Tai is finally getting used to TK as my boyfriend. She then turned away and walked back into the school to change.
Tissues covered the floor, and wet blankets lay in a heap in one corner. Tai lay on the bed, his clothes soaked with a cold sweat and a now-dry cloth on his forehead. Kari entered the room with a cup of water, a new wet washcloth and some pills.
"Tai?" Kari whispered, giving her brother a gentle shake. "I have some medicine for you. It will make you feel better."
Tai groaned, and rolled over peeling open one eye.
"Nothing could make me feel better, except maybe death cause I feel like crap right now."
Kari had to grin at that. "But the pills will help you sleep more."
Tai took the pills in one gulp, and collapsed back on the bed. Kari sighed, then reached over to gather the tissues on the bed and the cloth.
"You know this is because you went out in the rain a couple days ago."
"Thanks Mom. You know I'd never miss going out in a storm like that." Tai muttered.
"And you are paying for it!" Kari rebuked, tossing the tissues into Tai's garbage.
"Give me your shirt. It's soaked."
"Kari, you have to dance in the rain, cause no one else will! And here." A soaked tee shirt landed on her head.
"Gross Tai." But Kari was worried. Tai had a high fever and was more sick than she had ever seen him. He was literally burning up.
"Drink the water." She ordered, placing the cloth on his forehead again.
Tai nodded, but collapsed back on the bed immediately, groaning.
It was cold and wet outside, and Kari was enjoying a cup of hot cocoa on the couch, the TV playing as background noise, when Tai came walking into the apartment. Kari immediately knew something was wrong and frowned worriedly.
"You okay Tai?" Kari asked, moving to get up from the couch. "And don't give me that crap that you're fine, cause I know somethings up with you and Sora."
"You're really nosy, you know that?" Tai attempted to grin, but it slid off his face as soon as Kari scowled at him.
"I say perceptive. And you know you can't hide anything from me."
Tai didn't speak, but the mask he kept up almost all the time slipped off his face, and Kari could literally see the pain come into his eyes.
"Kari..." The girl almost broke out in tears at the tone of his voice, it was so depressed and heartbroken.
She didn't say anything, but instead stood up, grabbed Tai's hand and pulled him out onto the wet balcony. He didn't say anything as she turned to face him, but as she step closer and pulled one hand to her waist he had to speak.
"Kari, I don't think-"
"No you don't think Taichi. Now please just shut up and remind me why your the big brother I look up to so much."
Tai nodded, then started leading his sister around in a dance, hesitantly at first, then more rambunctiously through the slanting rain. After about two minutes they were laughing, but tears ran down Tai's face and his grip was shaky. He stopped and collapsed to his knees, sobbing uncontrolably, and Kari was the strong one then, whispering into his shaking shoulder,
"That's why Taichi. You're not afraid to cry."