AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I'm glad you all liked it, and I hope this one will be as good. Reviews are appreciated!

Meeting

TK hadn't need to be a grown up kid like the others to know Tai's little sister Kari was special. Their meeting on the faithful day when Myotismon had captured her had not been the first time he had met the small brunette with the cheerful smile and a radiant light in her eyes. He could still remember the way he had first seen her, how he would always see her. Matt would tease him years later about his memories being childish, that he saw Kari as the little girl with a whistle instead of the woman she was becoming, but TK knew that the girl and the woman were the same at the heart, and it was through his own young eyes that he had first seen that.

Their older brothers were friends, and one day when the two were meeting to play soccer, both boys had to bring their younger siblings along. Matt had worried that his brother would not want to play with an 'icky' girl. TK had only ever played with him or other small boys in their neighborhood and Matt was unsure as to how he would react to a little girl. The whole way to the park, his older brother had lectured him, a nervous edge to his voice.

"TK, promise me you'll be nice?"

The small blond pouted, folding his arms across his chest. "I'm always nice!" he exclaimed heatedly.

"I know, I know, you are. But girls are different than boys, so even if she wants to do something weird or . . . girly, you need to be nice. Tai will kill me if you make his little sister cry."

Eyes widening, TK stared at his brother, alarmed. "Kill you?" he squeaked.

Realizing TK had taken his words literally, Matt hastened to reassure the younger boy. "No, no, not really kill me, probably just hit me or something, don't worry. But really, try to be nice?"

Bewildered, TK nodded wordlessly, reaching up to grab Matt's hand in a tight grip, and continued to cling to him as they waited in the park for the Kamiya siblings to join them. A cheerful voice calling Matt's name announced their arrival, and TK had watched cautiously from behind his brother as the two approached, barely able to see the small girl holding onto Tai's hand as she peeped out at him, a silver whistle in her mouth.

"Sorry we're late," Tai said, lifting the black and white ball he'd been holding tucked under his free arm. "Couldn't find the ball. You ready to play?"

Matt nodded, and pulled TK out from behind him, giving him a little push towards the chocolate eyed girl who was watching silently. "Kari, this is my little brother, Takeru, but call him TK. TK, this is Kari." He gave the TK a smile, his eyes still worried. "You two have fun, but stay where we can see you, ok?"

"Right, you too, Kari. Have fun, ok?" Tai detached himself from his sister, ignoring her three short whistles of alarm. "Kari- for goodness sakes, please don't whistle, TK won't be able to understand you if you don't talk to him!"

The two kids watched their brothers take off, already kicking the ball enthusiastically between them before glancing warily at each other. Kari, despite her brother's instructions, still had the shiny whistle in her mouth, the sunlight glittering along its smooth silver shape and gave a small questioning blow on it as she looked at TK.

"Um. . ." TK hesitated as he looked at her, wondering what girls liked to do for play, deciding against the monkey bars and teeter totter and instead his eyes fell on the sandbox. "D'you wanna build a castle or something?" he asked her, wondering if girls didn't like getting dirty, hoping this wasn't something that would make Tai hit his big brother.

But Kari's eyes lit up and she grabbed his hand, giving an enthusiastic whistle he took as a yes, happily tugging him in the direction of the sandbox, and he was quick to follow. It wasn't long until they had not only a castle, but an entire village of sand carefully shaped and decorated with leaves, twigs, and stones. Kari had produced a handful of tiny people figurines from her pockets to be the inhabitants, while TK contributed a small pile of army men from his own pocket. The boy chattered easily as they played, somehow finding Kari's whistles to be easier and easier to understand as the afternoon wore on, the shadows lengthening and the other people began to slowly leave the park until it seemed it was just him, her, and their older brothers.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered why Matt had been so worried about him getting along with her; she wasn't weird – well, speaking through a whistle was a little odd, but he could overlook that- or prissy like he'd been expecting. She was bright and kind, her eyes shining whenever he made her laugh. He didn't really understand why Tai had been so concerned about him not being able to understand her whistle speech; even without her saying anything at all, her reactions and genuine happiness were more than anything that could be conveyed through words. He understood her, and felt quite confidently that she understood him whether or not either of them were actually speaking or just giggling hysterically as they watched a group of kids trying to climb over each other in order to go down the slide first. There was a connection there, one of the rare chance encounters where you met someone with whom there was an instant bond.

There was something about this little girl he liked very much and found himself drawn to, a kind of luminosity and goodness that was like the feeling he got when his Mommy hugged him or when Matt praised him for something he'd done well. She just made him feel good, and when the two older boys came to collect them to go home, TK was truly sad to see her go.

"You two have fun?" Matt asked cautiously, resting a hand on TK's shoulder.

He nodded quietly, eyes on Kari as Tai helped her out of the sandbox and brushed her off. "Yeah, we did. She's fun." Blinking, his sapphire eyes flicked up to meet the same shade of blue. "Can we play again some time?"

For a moment his older brother seemed startled, then grinned, looking relieved. "Sure, I don't see why not. Right, Tai?"

Tai straightened, Kari's small fingers curled around his hand, and nodded. "Yeah, why not? Kari, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Her dark head bobbed enthusiastically as she gave a few cheerful blows on her whistle, and her brother smiled affectionately. "Good game, Matt! I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow then?"

"Sure thing. C'mon TK, we better get home before it gets dark."

"Ok," TK said with slight reluctance, glancing back to wave. "Bye Kari, bye Tai."

"Bye!" Tai returned with a wave.

Kari's small fingers pulled the whistle from her lips, and she smiled, waving back. "Bye, TK!" she called.

Sputtering, Tai stared down at his baby sister in shock, his voice rising indignantly. "How come you're talking to him but whistle at me?" he demanded, glaring at Matt who was attempting to muffle his laughter.

Small shoulders rose and fell in a shrug as the whistle returned to its former place, a playful long note spilling from the whistle to mark their parting. TK couldn't help laughing at Tai's outraged expression, and Kari's chocolate colored eyes twinkled merrily as she winked at him, an expression he couldn't ever forget.

Maybe Matt was right, maybe he still saw Kari the way he did when he first met her through the eyes of a child. But he was pretty sure from the secret glances they shared whenever she teased her brother or whenever they were together in the group and shared some insight or amusement, that she saw him the same way too. He didn't mind that, and he knew she didn't either.