Goggles.

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By: Sonfaro

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Tai: Motivation

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They had been a gift from his grandfather. The old war-vet was aged and half-senile when he had given them to his only grandson, but they had come from the heart none the less. Young Taichi "Tai" Kamiya was only four when they had gone to visit the old man. Tai remembered being deathly afraid of him.

"He certainly is a spry young puppy isn't he?"

"He gets that from his mother", Mr. Kamiya admitted with a smile.

Grandpa Yagami's eyes turned to slits. "Are you calling my daughter a puppy, boy?"

Mr. Kamiya felt a bead of sweat fall down his brow. "Um… No sir, not at all." The next thing he felt was his wife's free elbow in his side, her hands full from the bundle that was Tai's little sister.

Tai however, didn't pay any attention to his parents banter. He was busy just staring at the old man. The four year old was sure he could count the number of large, leathery wrinkles in the mans face. It was quite unnerving for a boy who had never seen the patriarch of the Yagami-Kamiya family.

Old Yagami simply grinned. "Hey, puppy. I have something for you."

A gift? Tai liked gifts. But this old man was big and scary, and it stood to reason that the gift he received from this man would be big and scary. As such, Tai thought it best that he terminate the relationship then and there and run to his mother, who had enough trouble keeping Kari out of her earrings as it was.

Mrs. Kamiya sighed. "Sorry daddy. Tai's not feeling to well today."

"Oh?"

"Well, one of his friends… who was it dear?"

Tai sniffed as he tried to remember what had happened before the hour-or-two drive to Osaka, and then tried to forget just as quickly. "Sora…"

Mrs. Kamiya nodded. "Sora was being bullied by one of her relatives. Tai's really shook up about it daddy."

Old Yagami was rummaging through a cabinet while this discussion was going on. "Was he scary kido?"

Tai hesitated, and then nodded. "Dwayne's scary."

Grandpa Yagami glanced down at Tai, who proceeded to bury himself deeper into his mothers side. Mrs. Kamiya sighed and handed the troublesome Kari to her husband. She ushered Tai closer to his grandfather, and that was the first time he had seen them.

"You see these kid?" His grandfather gave a wrinkled old smile. These used to belong to a friend of mine in the big one. He was a brave man, who loved his friends. He was a heck of a pilot, but the enemy was much greater than us. He died saving my life puppy. Now I know a lot of this may be way over your head…"

And it was. Tai had no idea what the old wrinkly man was talking about.

"But they always reminded me to be courageous. I'll never forget what he said to me… He said… 'Courage will give me wings to fly'. Even above of those who wanted to hurt me. When ever I see these goggles I'm reminded of my friend, and of how he saved my life. And I remember to be courageous." And with that he wrapped the slightly aged goggles around Tai's hair, already unruly and thick.

"Now there will come a day when you may not need these little kid. But until that day comes, be reminded that you must always be brave. Never forget your courage Taichi. You're friends will always count on you. No matter what."

Tai thought for a moment. His Grandfather had given him something important, and even though it wasn't a car or a plane, he had given it to him for a reason. He had given it to him so that Tai would be brave. And for this weathered out shell of a Japanese Soldier, Tai was willing to be brave.

It was only later, after his grandfather had passed on, that Tai understood fully what the old man meant. There would always be Dwayne's in his life. He faced several in his eleventh year of life alone. And yet for all of them, no matter what, he always knew he had to be brave. Because, there would always be someone who needed him.

There would always be a friend…

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End Motivation...