(Okay, people, we're hitting Chapter 4 now. This is July, not the last chapter, regardless of the chapter title. Keep in mind where the titles come from (my head). Thus, here we're in July and looking at what, for a while, will be the only happy-go-lucky chapter. My plotline looks to make things significantly less joyous over the next half-year for these guys. but don't worry, they're the protagonists. They may just shine a little brighter in your eyes once you see what they're truly capable of. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy their last glimmer of calm before the storm, so to speak, and please give me a review whether you like it or not. Criticism, in good humor, is always a good thing. And away we go!)

The Ivani Chronicles : Book 2 - Reminiscence : Chapter 4 - Swan Dive

As the morning light shines down onto the face of your typical teenage girl, she usually awakes in an uncomfortable fuss in a vain attempt to avoid the piercing rays. Should she succeed or not, she's ultimately called from bed by one force or another, and reluctantly responds. When her eyes do finally give up the fight to stay closed, they usually open to behold the usual sights of her room: curtains hanging over the window, books on a bookshelf, papers and hair-ties scattered across the floor, perhaps a computer still running from the previous night's online endeavors. Human faces are uncommon, lest they be on her poster-clad wall that was once gray bulletin board. Otherwise, it's usually her mother or father, checking to ensure that the girl has risen from her slumber.

As Kari rose on the 14th of July, going through her normal useless attempt to hide from the powerful beams of light coming from the window before finally giving up, she opened her eyes to a great surprise. Instead of seeing the window of her room (long since separated from Tai's, due to the fact that she was growing up to, indeed, be a girl) or any other familiar objects, she found herself staring into the eyes of someone else. It wasn't someone she would have ever expected, other. It wasn't her mother or father, come to check that she was awake. It wasn't her brother, come to play some crude prank or to scare her out of bed. Indeed, it was someone who had never appeared in her room before. The mix of shock and grogginess clicked to give only a single response. Kari screamed.

"Agh, jeez Kari," TK whimpered, his hands jumping from her sides to cover his ears. He recoiled back from the girl until she stopped a moment later, coming to her senses.

"TK, what on earth are you doing in here?" Kari asked frantically, eyes darting nervously to her door from her boyfriend. "My family's going to kill us!" TK merely shook his head, raising a finger to his lips for silence.

"Your family's the ones that let me come in this morning and come here to see you," The blond-haired boy told her. Kari looked at him quizzically.

"They let you in here?" Kari said in disbelief. "Why would they do that?"

"Because today's special, silly!" TK said, almost laughing. Seeing Kari's frustration, the boy stopped. "It's your birthday, today, Kari," He told her.

Kari looked up at the boy for a minute. Her mind took a minute to make the connection. Indeed, it wasn't until TK's rose was resting in her hands against her chest and his lips pressed against her forehead, whispering 'happy birthday' that she truly grasped what was going on.

"Oh, it's my birthday!" Kari said as TK sat back up, his knees on either side of her. TK laughed lightly and nodded.

"I think she's finally caught on," the blond boy joked as he rose from Kari's bed. "Now we've got a lot to do today, Kari" TK told her. "Why don't you go get ready for a day outside and be sure to wear a bathing suit, okay?" Kari nodded as she swung her feet out of her bed and moved to her dresser. It didn't really quite register what the boy had said, only the fact that he had come to spend the day with her. She collected appropriate clothes for the day and, nearly forgetting herself, started to change out of her pajamas. However, her hands were stopped halfway from removing her shirt. "Darling, you might wanna go change somewhere where I'm not," TK whispered in her ear. Kari realized what she'd nearly done and became crimson.

"Sorry, TK," she whispered, shocked at herself. She quickly dropped her shirt back down. TK laughed softly.

"It's okay, Kari," he assured her, kissing her cheek before walking her to the door. Just before they got there, TK said, "and try to not hurt your brother too much, okay?" and released her. Kari stood there, confused, staring at the door handle. She noticed a shuffling of feet and shifting shadows on the threshold. She opened the door to look straight into the eyes of her brother. The older boy smiled weakly at her, and scratching nervously at the back of his neck.

"'Morning, Sis," Tai said with an effort to sound sure of himself. "Happy Birthday!" Had Kari been more awake, she may have caught onto more of what was going on, but instead simply thanked her brother and walked into the bathroom to ready herself for the day. Tai stared after his sister for a moment before letting out a sigh of relief and looking into the room. "Thanks," he told the blond-haired boy weakly.

TK shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder why I protect you in your eavesdropping," he said, half to himself. Tai shrugged.

"Because you know what trouble you'd be in if you didn't?" Tai kidded, hoisting his bag to his shoulder. He smirked at TK's stare.

"Maybe," TK said after a moment. Then, as if an afterthought, "or maybe 'cause I don't want to see such a big guy get taken out by his little sister." TK took his turn to laugh at the brown-haired boy. "Okay, Tai, get on out of here and give us some privacy." The blond-haired boy commanded. Tai sighed and nodded.

"Yes, mister TK, sir," Tai said in a mocking voice before turning from his sister's door and heading for the main door to the apartment. TK listened as the heavy door opened, then slammed shut a moment later. TK took the signal to mean that Tai had left, and the sound of running shower water to mean Kari would still be a while. Sitting back down on the edge of Kari's bed, TK looked to his own bag, checking to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything.

After he was satisfied, TK laid back down on the bed. He stared at the door, listened to the shimmering sound of the showerhead, and sighed. "She's one free-hearted little girl," he said to himself, glancing over at the cabinet. "Though she really oughtta not do that again," He continued, shaking his head as if to rid himself some thought that had crept in. As his eyes started to slide out of focus on the door, he recognized the squeak of the shower handle turning off. He jumped back up, looking first to the window, then the door, then the window again. "It's a beautiful day," TK commented as he rose up from the bed and shouldered his bag. A small smile came to his face. "Perfect."

"So since I'm carrying a beach towel and wearing my sunglasses and bathing suit, I'm guessing we're going somewhere wet?" Kari asked of the taller boy beside her as they walked hand-in-hand along the hot paved sidewalk from her apartment complex. TK nodded in response.

"It's a big, wet place, yeah, and pretty familiar," TK said, confirming what Kari already knew. For places to go swimming nearby, there was nowhere else but the beach. They'd even gone by there two months ago for TK's birthday.

"A bit of déjà vu, don't ya think?" Kari said, seeing the blue ocean in the distance ahead. TK nodded.

"That's where I got the idea," TK told her as he led the girl along the sidewalk. "A lot of today's plans up to now came from your plan for me, but only up until now. Thing's will be different, too, otherwise it'd be no fun." Kari nodded in response, holding his hand tighter. She could feel the cool metal links of his bracelet against her wrist, while her own bracelet dangled on her right-hand wrist, currently holding her pink-and-white striped towel. Her bright pink shirt and white shorts seemed to match the towel she held. Her hair, now grown to far beyond the length she wore it as a child, hanging just below her shoulders, was tied back into a ponytail with a hair tie. Indeed, it was a green one that she had plucked from the floor of her room once she emerged from the shower. Nevertheless, she also sported her pink hairclip to keep her bangs from interrupting her eyesight. Her now-fifteen-year-old figure, rather clearly shown by her navy blue bathing suit, had changed significantly from its once-childish characteristics to that of a young woman, but never lost the innocence or beauty she had always maintained. Walking beside TK in her white sneakers, she looked up at her boyfriend and flashed her famous smile at him.

"So long as they're good differences, I'll still love you by the end of the day," Kari said sweetly up to TK, who smirked and looked back at her. He ripped his gaze away a moment later, not wanting to stare at her when he was supposed to be walking straight. He focused on the sidewalk, trying to focus on first reaching the beach appropriately, then on his girlfriend. His brown sneakers didn't fail him as he strode forward, moving swiftly for the beach. TK's figure, too, had grown and matured significantly since years ago in his childhood days. His broad shoulders carried his backpack, hardly seeming to notice the weight, perhaps due to the energy in his heart, but more likely due to his actual growth in strength training for the basketball team. His bold white T-shirt, sporting the Odaiba Basketball insignia on the chest, and his dark green swimming trunks gave a unique contrast to Kari's choice of clothing, yet nonetheless fell nicely with his form. Even his bucket hat, worn significantly over the years, still donned his short blond hair, keeping all but a few stray locks of golden from sliding into the boy's eyes.

TK suddenly became aware that his feet felt like they were sinking into the ground. Looking around his feet, he noticed that they were indeed sinking into the sandy ground. He also heard Kari's laughter from a few feet behind him. Whirling around to regain an idea of where he was, the blond-haired boy realized that he had walked too far along the sidewalk, into the beach, and just up to the shoreline. He jumped and streaked back up to Kari's side, a good distance from the tide.

"Nice job, there, buddy," Kari teased the boy as he came back. TK whimpered and Kari made an, 'aww' sound before wrapping her arms around the boy's neck. "It's okay, TK," she assured the boy. "It was cute. And having my adorable boyfriend come run into my arms is always nice." When Kari didn't let go, TK returned the embrace to the girl and picked her up off the ground. The brown-haired girl squealed, flailing her legs as she was uprooted from the ground. TK chuckled as he held the girl.

"Don't worry, Kari," TK whispered, holding her carefully in his arms. He kissed the girl's cheek softly before lowering her back down to the sandy beach again. Their arms dropped from around one another and Kari took a moment to catch her breath. She then waved her finger at the blond-haired boy.

"That was completely unfair," Kari pouted, trying to sound serious. TK merely ignored it and kissed her cheek.

"What can I say?" the blond-haired boy replied, "Having my adorable girlfriend in my arms is always nice." The boy smirked as Kari glared at him for a moment before her anger subsided and she dashed to his side once again.

"Well, can we find somewhere to set up our towels so I can get my clothes off and throw you in the water?" Kari asked innocently, looking up at the boy beside her. TK smiled, trying to laugh off the fear that she wasn't kidding, then looked across the crowded beach for a place to set their equipment down.

Not surprisingly, the beach was nearly full already. Since it was a weekend, not to mention the summer, there were throngs of people, young and old, wasting away their time along the shore. The towels, scattered across the yellow sand, brought the otherwise bland ground into a living vibrancy of color. Every color of the rainbow, as well as many others, shone in the sunlight, while the wide array of parasols and beach umbrellas created a canopy of equally stunning visage. One new to such a sight may have thought the circus to be in town, or some miraculous parade, but to the pair of teenagers, it was a near-daily sight. The bright Reds, Blues, Greens, Purples, and Pinks were all commonplace to them, appearing more as if they lived on the beach rather than traveling with their owners to and from the beach each day.

TK's eyes came to rest on what looked to be a promising clearing amidst the swamp of colors. He pointed over at the space then looked to Kari. "Does that look like a good spot to set up in?" he asked, "It's pretty open and you'll be able to get plenty of sun."

Kari nodded in response, taking TK in her arms and walking over to the opening in the towel-clad beach. Heads rose as they passed inhabited towels, some yelling at them for kicking sand on their legs. Neither of the couple paid them any heed, however, simply continuing forwards to their marked out spot. TK tossed his bag down onto the sand when he reached the spot, kicking up further sand on the nearby towels. He then laid his and Kari's towels down, providing them with their own place to lie. TK then proceeded to remove his shirt and place it beside his bag.

Kari stared at the boy, watching him lie back on his towel and stare up at the sky in only his swimming trunks. She followed suit after a moment, stripping down to her own deep blue bathing suit, then looked back at TK. His gaze had shifted from the clouds to her. Kari stood for a moment, unresponsive, then blushed and collapsed onto her towel alongside TK. He merely smiled at the girl as their arms wove around one another.

"Sorry to stare," TK told Kari softly, "but it's kinda hard to avert your gaze from a goddess." Kari giggled and blushed, trying desperately to be angry with TK.

"TK," she moaned, "don't go embarrassing me at the beach, too." TK merely smiled and kissed the brown-haired girl's cheek.

"I'm sorry," TK pleaded, kissing Kari again. "I'm so sorry!"

Kari restrained herself for only an instant before she broke out into laughter. She pulled away to block TK's onslaught for a moment, then took his head in her hands. Holding his head firmly, Kari readjusted herself so that she was sitting on TK's stomach while keeping TK from kissing her further. She then leaned down over him and looked into his eyes.

"You're forgiven, TK," Kari said softly, "I just hope you'll forgive me for this." TK's eyes filled with curiosity, but clenched shut a moment later when his lips met an inexplicable warmth. The blond-haired boy's hands pulled the girl closer, letting her body rest against his own. All other thoughts simply vanished from his thought process as he redirected his attention solely to his beloved's lips.

Kari's body relaxed, melting into TK's arms. Her arms slid gently from his face, down along TK's body and around to his back once again. She pressed her lips closer to TK's, trying to draw his body closer to hers somehow. A new yet familiar sensation came to her lips after a moment, to which she gladly obliged and opened her mouth. She moved her tongue to meet his, letting them dance together in the threshold of their lips. Completely leaving the atmosphere around her, Kari moved her thin, agile frame closer into TK's arms.

TK's mind ran blank of anything else except the brown-haired girl in his arms, who was presently crushing his body into the sandy towel. The boy couldn't have cared less, however, finding a unique sense of reassurance in the pressure. His only thought was to let the moment with Kari last as long as possible. He wouldn't have been at all upset to accomplish nothing else for the rest of the day. However, such was not to be.

A few minutes after Kari let her body descend onto TK, sounds of kids and splashing water came to their ears. Neither of the couple paid it much mind, for such was to be expected at the beach. They lay interlocked on TK's towel until a sudden sharp cry cut through their connection. Kari nearly jumped and looked over as to what the commotion was about.

Some fifteen feet away from them, a girl in a deep Red-and-Black striped bathing suit was dashing across the sand. Her wet brown hair, pulled back into a ponytail, whipped across her shoulders as she moved. A dozen paces further, just along the edge of the shore, the girl stopped and swung around, dropping down to her knees. The surf came up to lick at her toes tentatively, as if asking to rise up further. A mere glance from the girl over her shoulder sent the water tumbling back on top of itself. The girl's arms then swept around something that Kari couldn't make out. A person had suddenly sat up in front of her view. Kari blinked, realizing that her vision had suddenly been blocked, and then glared at the brown-haired man that was in her way. However, with his back to Kari, the man took no notice of the girl behind him.

"Is he alright?" the man called to the beach. He paused for a moment then continued, "Good. Sorry about that, he's a squirmy one when he wants to get out and about." The man's arms then stretched outwards and pulled back inwards, as if imitating the shells of a clam. He lied back down on his towel, now holding the still-dripping girl in his arms. Kari stared at them a moment longer, wondering what on earth they had been chasing along the beach.

"You know, you can just say hello instead of staring at us," The brown- haired person said, rolling over to face Kari and TK. Kari jumped.

"Ivan!" She shouted, staring in stark surprise. What're you-"

"Happy Birthday!" came a chorused shout from behind Kari. Kari screamed, nearly falling over in momentary terror. Only TK's comforting arms kept the girl from losing her sanity. She whipped her head around to look to her other side, only to meet the excited grins of the rest of the Digidestend.

"You didn't think I'd let you get away with having a party for me and not return the favor, did you?" TK whispered in the Kari's ear. Kari didn't move for a moment, simply trying to regain her breath. Eventually, she looked down at TK and kissed him quickly, a mischievous grin on her face.

A mixed response of 'oooh's,' 'ahhh's,' and 'ewww's' came in response to Kari's action, but she didn't care. While everyone else made a commotion in their responses, Kari put her lips to TK's ear. "You really know how to make a girl's birthday great," she whispered, "But I would like to be at least a little bit older before I have a heart attack." TK looked up at the girl sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, Kari," TK said softly, earnestly. Kari merely shook her head, laughing lightly.

"I told you," she responded, "you're forgiven." Then, just as the Digidestend had relaxed, Kari repeated her actions upon TK's lips. "I love you."

"Love you too, Kari," Came the boy's response. TK then squirmed free from Kari's arms and stood up before the rest of the gathering. "Alright," he called out, getting their attention once again. "Who's up for some swimming?"

"Come on, TK, you can do better than that!" TK glared over at Ivan, who was smirking as he lay on the shore. The brown-haired boy continued, "I've seen dogs swim faster than that," as TK forced his way through the water towards Ivan. His golden bangs lashed into his eyes, drooping under the saturation, but TK paid them no mind. A moment later, TK's feet touched down on the shore. Immediately, he rose to his feet and dashed up the beach at Ivan. The older boy, laughing, watched TK come in his mock rage.

"You're gonna get it, Ivan!" TK shouted over the squall of kids around them. Ivan stayed where he was, eyes full of amusement, and threw his arms up in self-defense. TK jumped for Ivan, but ended up landing on only the sandy shore. Bewildered, TK looked around for where Ivan had gone. He found his mark a moment later, just as a strong pressure wrapped about his neck. TK cried out, but the sound came out as only a garbled squeak.

"Now look what you've done," Ivan said, chastising. "You've made me go and block up your vocal cords for no good reason except that I can swim faster than you. Is that really such a big reason worth loosing your speech for?" Ivan then let the blond-haired boy go, dropping him to the sand. TK panted for a moment, rolling over onto his back on the sand as he caught his breath. Ivan opened his mouth to speak, but cut himself short as TK suddenly vanished from view. The brown-haired boy stood staring for a moment before his mind registered the turquoise bathing suit as Kari's and turned around. He groaned slightly as he paced back over to Maddie and Ryan.

"I really don't need to watch the two of them at each other's necks like that," Ivan mumbled as he sat down behind Maddie. She turned and kissed the brown-haired boy's cheek as his arms slipped around her. She would've turned and hugged Ivan back, but Ryan had already taken up his lodging in her arms. Instead, Maddie used her boyfriend as a wall to lean against while she played with the baby she held.

"I'm sure they appreciate their privacy, anyhow," Maddie told Ivan. "It's a luxury that they don't always have, not to mention one that we'll be losing very soon."

Ivan nodded. "Just a few more days for the paperwork," he whispered in Maddie's ear.

Maddie sighed in relief. "A few more days, after all those nightmare weeks," she replied, moving her body closer to Ivan's. "After all those weeks, Mister Tawaido's finally where he belongs. I just wish those bars showed him what real parenting is supposed to be like."

"I know, Maddie, I know," Ivan said. "But it'll be alright in the end. We were able to intervene and save Ryan, weren't we?" Maddie nodded slightly in response. "So, we can give Ryan a second chance with good conditions. We passed all the tests and all, letting us take this opportunity." Ivan nuzzled his cheek against Maddie's, and then placed his lips against her ear. "And don't you worry," The brown-haired boy whispered, "We'll raise Ryan together, and we'll show him what a great place this planet is." Maddie nodded again, more firmly this time, before turning to look at Ivan.

Though his sapphire eyes could captivate her for eternity, Maddie forced herself to keep from getting lost in them. Rather, she brought her lips to meet his, full of eternal thanks for the boy's pledge to her and the baby that sat in her lap. She felt Ivan's hand wrap around her, holding her close to him and making the brown-haired girl wish she never had to move. Reluctantly, she pulled away from her beloved after a moment, looking back into his dazzling azure eyes. Then whispering a near-silent three words, she rested her head against the boy's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"I love you, too, darling," Ivan said, audible only to the girl in his arms. Then, lying down on the sand, He adjusted his body as to let both Maddie and Ryan rest against him. Ryan squealed as he flopped over onto Ivan from Maddie's lap. Ivan's eyes closed to welcome the blissful moment, one that work had long since delayed. However, such bliss was to be again put off with the coming of more excitement.

"Oh, come on Ivan, you're not throwing in the towel already are you?" A voice asked above the brown haired boy. Ivan's eyes squinted open against the officious sunlight, looking up to see Tai, wearing only his Red swimming trunks and a fresh pair of goggles on his soaked hair staring down at him.

"What?" Ivan retorted with a smirk, "you guys haven't had enough yet?" He reluctantly disentangled himself from his girlfriend and stood up beside Tai. "I was just about to enjoy a little quiet time with my darling, but if you guys really wanna be beaten down again," Ivan trailed off as he got the desired reaction of blood rushing to Tai's face.

"Hey, big guy," Tai said sternly, "you may be able to swim a little faster than us, but can you dive better?" Ivan stared at Tai quizzically, until the latter pointed out into the water at a wooden diving base some twenty yards from the shore. "Let's all go out there and see who's got the best form for launching off the base, alright?"

Ivan stared at Tai for a moment longer, then looked over at the others. Ken, Sora, Davis, Yolei, Cody, Matt and TK were standing along the shore, glancing occasionally to the remote diving base as they awaited Ivan's response. The others, for their various excuses, opted to stay on the beach and watch. Ivan shrugged. "Sounds like a plan to me. Who're we gonna have be our judge?"

"Tai looked around quickly, pointing at Izzy as his eyes crossed over him. "Come on, Izzy, we need you to come judge who's got the best moves off the diving board." Izzy's eyes glanced up from the computer screen in front of him. His arms, still sporting his blue floral beach shirt that was draped on over his bare chest, never ceased in their rapid movements across the keyboard.

"By what methods and measurements do you propose for me to use in the calculations of whose aquatic talents are superior to the other's?" Izzy asked. Tai's blank stare was the only response. Izzy sighed. "What criteria would you prefer I use in my discerning of who has the superlative marine maneuverability?" He tried again. Another uncomprehending stare greeted the red haired boy.

Matt stepped forward. "Izzy, can you just judge which one of us has got the best dive?" The blond haired boy said impatiently. "You can figure out your own calculations for figuring that out. Let's just get Tai's head in some water before it overheats from thinking too much." Matt's feet were only on the ground a moment longer before Tai's lunge brought both of them splashing into the water. The others couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle.

"Alright, I think I can concur to your request," Izzy said as he stood from his seat on his beach towel and shrugged off his shirt and made his way over to the water. Sora moved over to the two brawling boys and pried them apart. Both of the boys laughed as they ceased their struggle.

Sora sighed as she stood back up and walked back to the others. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm so in love with that fool," She muttered, shaking her head. Matt and Tai followed quickly behind the red haired girl. Izzy was the first to tread out into the water, quickly followed by Ken, TK, and everyone else who wished to participate. The wave of colorful bathing suits moved outward, uniformed in their swimming as what almost looked like a single body moving across the water. A moment later, each of the contestants and Izzy had climbed atop the diving base and was stretching out for their dive.

Izzy sat on the edge of the wooden structure, dangling his feet into the water. "Alright, do we have any volunteers to be the first to make the plunge of judgment?" He asked, looking around at the three-quarter dozen contenders, none of which made any sign of wanting to step forward. "No one?" Izzy asked again, hoping for someone to step forward. When no one did, the redhead sighed. "Fine, we'll do this the hard way." Izzy then held out his finger and pointed to each of the other Digidestend in turn, reciting, "Ippy dippy my space-shipy, on a course so true; pass Neptune and Pluto's moon, the one I choose is you." Izzy's finger landed on Cody.

Cody looked at Sora on his right, then at Davis on his left. They gave no sign of movement. Cody swallowed slightly and stepped forward. "I can't believe I agreed to this," the boy whispered to himself as he approached the edge of the plank, "I've been Ippy-dippied to my doom." Cody looked back at the others briefly, then at Izzy.

"Whenever you're ready," Izzy said, watching the shorter boy closely. Cody nodded and, with a deep breath, looked over the edge of the base.

"1, 2, 3," Cody counted to himself, silently, "4, 5, GO!" With that, the boy leapt from the wood into the air and, after a brief surge of mid-air movement, threw his arms straight above him and pointed his toes into the water. With such grace, Cody managed to go beneath the waves with only a minor splash. Izzy stared at the water, counting silently in his head as he waited for Cody's head to resurface. The water rippled and broke after only a few seconds as Cody's head bobbed free of the confining ocean into the salty air.

"Not bad, Cody, not bad," Izzy said encouragingly as he directed his gaze over to the shorter boy's competition. "Who's up next?" he asked.

Cody pulled himself back onto the wooden platform and, after adjusting his jade-green swimming trunks, asked, "Hey Izzy, why don't I just pick? Whoever jumps gets to pick the next victim." Cody stared pleadingly over at the older, red-haired boy. Izzy in turn thought for a moment.

Izzy lifted his head and nodded. "Sounds fair enough," he stated, leaning back onto his elbows. "Make your selection for the next contestant," Izzy said to Cody. The shorter boy nodded and looked over at the others. His eyes came to fix on Davis with a subtle smile.

"Are you up for it?" Cody asked, almost tauntingly. Davis hesitated, swallowing rather audibly as he stared back at the smaller boy. Then, with a shake of his head and a tug on his black swim shorts, he stepped forward with feigned bravery.

"I'm always up for it," Davis replied, hoping to masque his anxiousness in bravado. Slight sniggers showed his failure at such. Cody didn't waste time sitting down on the edge of the platform and, with a piercing stare at Davis, pointed to the water. Davis glanced at the blond haired boy, then to the water he was indicating, and swallowed again.

"Whenever you're ready," Izzy said causally, again focusing his eyes on the readying diver.

Davis took one last glance at the others, and then fixed his eyes on the water. Swinging his arms back and forth a few times, he suddenly launched himself into the air and cried, "Cannonball!" as he spiraled through the air and impacted upon the cerulean water with a tremendous splash. Cody's and Izzy's arms flew up in defense against the recoiling water fired from the impact.

Davis returned to the diving base a moment later, wearing a grin from ear to ear as he placed his feet back on the wooden platform. His finger then jabbed out and pointed directly at Tai. "Let's see ya top that one, Tai!" Davis challenged, still grinning wildly. Tai sighed and strolled to the edge of the board. Then, with a nod to Izzy, the brown-haired boy pulled down his goggles and leapt up into the air, plunging down in a clean dive, arms-first. He resurfaced a few yards away and, as he swam back to the others, received a small round of applause.

Tai pulled himself up onto the base and strolled over to Davis. Davis' grin had faded into a small 'o' of shock. Tai took his turn to smirk and sat down beside the younger boy. "I think that qualifies as out-doing the cannonball," The elder boy said softly before raising his finger to his own choice victim.

Tai selected Sora to jump next. She matched Tai's own dive more for move, receiving a similar applause from the spectators. Sora forced Matt into making the dive next. Matt stood with his back facing the water and, though a bit sloppy, pulled off a decent reverse dive into the azure ocean. Matt sent Ivan to the edge next. Ivan stared at Matt for a moment, then turned his back to the sea as well. With a low smile, Ivan launched himself upwards into a back flip then dove accurately downwards into the drink. Ivan came to the surface at the completion of his dive to another round of applause. Ken was selected next, who walked up to the edge and made his own shaky dive. Despite his nervousness, the jump came off quite cleanly and yielded another string of clapping. Ken chose Yolei to be the next to suffer. Yolei approached the edge and, with a wink to Ivan, sent herself into the air. With a mid-air somersault, Yolei performed a graceful dive into the water. Yolei's head bobbed to the surface to the sound of yet more clapping.

As Yolei pulled herself out of the water and looked around, she noticed that only TK was left standing. "Poor TK, I guess you have to be the last one up." Yolei said. Izzy nodded in consent, then ushered TK over to the platform's edge.

"The last perhaps, but certainly not the least," Izzy said with a smile to the blond-haired youth. TK smirked as he looked over the edge of the platform and readied himself. "On your ready," Izzy said, watching TK intensely. TK nodded slightly, never taking his eyes from the water. Then, with a synchronized surge from his legs, TK vaulted himself into the air. Hurtling upwards, TK performed two somersaults before coming down in an expertly executed swan dive. TK's head broke through the surface of the aqua surf after a few seconds and swam over to the diving base. The other Digidestend, including those from the shore who had seen the performance, clapped as TK sprawled out on the wooden planks.

"Never thought I'd see something that snazzy from my little brother," Matt said in astonishment as he and the others swam back to the shore. "Hey Izzy, didja come up with some sorta award system for that?" The others glanced in Izzy's direction.

"Well," Izzy responded slowly, "I did come up with one method for calculating the superlative diving form, but I don't think you guys will like it too much." The other Digidestend stared blankly.

"Why wouldn't we like it?" asked Davis loudly, his short fuse once again kicking into play.

"It's just that there's no real way to ascertain relative values between different dives like that," Izzy explained in an attempt to calm Davis. "So, to compensate for that, I've come to the following conclusion." Izzy paused for a moment, allowing for dramatic emphasis. The others all stared, getting slightly anxious as to who had come out on top. "Everyone's got the best dive out there, on the basis that you're all better than me." Izzy smiled at the astonished and confused reactions.

"Wait," Davis said, still speaking louder than necessary, "who's the best here?" The crowd around him sighed.

"Everyone's a winner, genius," Yolei said in a frustrated tone. Ken smirked at Davis's sudden abashment.

"Well, maybe everyone who can understand what Izzy said should be a winner," Ken added. Yolei laughed and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan," Yolei agreed. "Now who's up for getting some food back on solid ground?" Yolei had no sooner spoken these words than a unanimous plunge into the water soaked the girl through. Only Ivan and Ken remained on the dock, dumbfounded. "I'll take that as a yes," Yolei muttered, jumping off the dock after the others. Ken and Ivan followed behind, swiftly moving back to the sandy shore.

TK was one of the first to place his feet down on the sandy beach. Immediately, his eyes sought out the brown-haired girl in a navy blue bathing suit. His eyes fell upon Kari, watching him and the other Digidestend emerge from the water, after a few seconds of scanning. He smiled and walked carefully along the water's edge in order to not hit one of the sandcastles that some children had no doubt constructed. After a moment's passing, TK managed to traverse the distance and to, with an unintended step and sudden loss of balance, collapse to the side of his beloved. Kari jerked back in reaction, laughing at TK's sudden facial contortions.

"Careful, TK," Kari advised as her arms wrapped around the blond-haired boy to help him relax. Sure enough, TK's muscles quickly relaxed from the sudden shock of falling and wove back around the girl. "Now I'm gonna be wondering if that dive was a fluke or not," She chided TK playfully.

"Oh, come on," TK said, rolling his eyes, "I'm just a lot more graceful in the water's all. The land tends to not be friendly with me. But the water," TK gestured over his shoulder, feigning a far-away look in his eyes, "the water's so awesome. It's all wet and warm and so lovey-dovey soft and-" a sharp jab in his side stopped TK's rant. Recoiling and eyes darting around in search of a source, TK found his eyes looking once again back at Kari. She smiled at him with an innocent smile.

"What?" Kari asked, trying to stay completely poker-faced.

TK's eyes merely glared at the girl for a moment before drawing himself down over the girl and kissing her. "You're lucky that you're such an incredible girl, Kari," TK said lowly with a smile as he pulled himself back up. Kari simply continued to smile.

"Well, just so long as you don't talk yourself down," Kari told TK. "After all, you're pretty incredible, too." TK dropped his gaze in modesty for a moment before he pounced back upon the girl once again.

"TK!" Kari cried in surprise at the boy's sudden movements. She quickly fell into fits of laughter, her arms pulling the boy closer. "You're crazy, TK," Kari whispered into TK's ear, "Absolutely insane."

"I might be crazy," TK said, slightly indignant, "But that's not the same as being insane. And I'm scared," The blond-haired boy added, "but that's not the same as being afraid." Kari looked at him quizzically.

"TK.?" Kari asked when she noticed TK's sudden change in tone from playful to serious, though she didn't know what exactly to ask. She held the boy's head in her hands gently a few inches above her own, looking at him with concern. TK smiled weakly at her, placing a hand on her cheek in an attempt to calm the girl.

"It's nothing serious," TK said, hoping to have a calming effect with his words as well as his hands. "I'm just feeling a bit insecure is all. I mean, I just about threw myself over the edge in that dive, and I went down pretty deep. I was just about to go in over my head, out there. And if I were to go further with one of those crazy things, or if I was to shatter from the fall and lose," TK paused for a minute, attempting to calm himself. Then, looking back up, the blond haired boy asked of his girlfriend, "If I were to shatter and lose, I'd still want to swan dive into you. Would you let me?" TK tried to keep his face plain as he watched anxiously for Kari's reaction.

Kari stared at the boy in slight surprise, trying to discern what TK was asking of her. After a minute's thought, the brown haired girl replied, "TK, you know that I love you dearly. You made an incredible dive out there, but you know better than to think that I love you because of what you can do. I don't love you because you're fast or strong or able to run a marathon, I love you because of who you are and what you do with those talents. You've got a loving, caring personality. You've gone for miles just to help out the little guy. You've protected me and everyone else in our group with your own life. If you think I'm superficial enough to care about whether you dive well or not, then you need to take a moment to come back to reality. Otherwise, you can think of my answer like this. If you were to trip up on one of your attempts at something, you can bet your last dollar on me being there for me. I know you'd do the same for me, after all. It's part of our relationship, TK; we work together on things and help each other out. If you go in over your head, or feel like you're gonna shatter, then you're always more than welcome to dive into my arms. That's what they're here for, dear." Kari let her hands slide down from the boy's face, wrapping around the boy as they came to a halt at his waist. "I'd always let you in, TK," Kari told TK, "I love you."

Within the blink of an eye, the two became fused together at the lips on the sandy shore, pressed together to the point of looking nearly like a single being. TK's arms swept around the girl and gently lifted her up to his side. Never once letting his lips leave hers, the blond-haired boy deftly swapped places with the girl, letting her rest her weight on him. Kari, in turn, only deepened the kiss as she adjusted her head and slipped her tongue up to nudge through into TK's mouth. The boy's own tongue quickly caught onto the plan of events and darted forward to meet its dancing partner. Song after song seemed to play from the imaginations of the couple, sliding from one to the next in an unbroken chain of love and affection. It wasn't until the rising water tickled at the base of TK's swimming shorts that he came back to himself and slowly, regretfully broke away from the girl that was pressing him into the sand. Kari lowered her head slightly, resting it against her beloved's shoulder.

"I love you, too, Kari," TK whispered to Kari, his words meant for the brown haired girl alone. The girl rustled slightly, pulling herself closer to TK. "Happy birthday," He continued, "and happy three-month anniversary." Kari started up at the second thing the boy told her.

"Three-month anniversary?" Kari asked, surprised. TK nodded his head slightly against the sand. "I can't believe it! How'd I forget something like that?" TK shook his head slightly.

"Don't worry about it, Kari," TK assured the girl, "it only just came to me now that the days matched up." TK smiled weakly, causing Kari to giggle lightly.

"Well, happy three-month anniversary to you, too, darling," Kari told TK gently. "In fact, I think that such a remarkable find might just entitle an encore." Kari looked down into TK's eyes for affirmation, a loving smile gracing her lips. TK's mouth mirrored the move as his head nodded slightly in consent. Kari let her smile grow for a second before her head descended and her lips pulled together to meet TK's. Her eyes slowly shut as her nose brushed against TK's. It was then that a particularly large wave decided to break quite accurately upon the couple. The sudden rush of water, though gentle, sent Kari reeling in shock with a scream. TK's eyes squinted close as he sputtered under the sudden flushing of liquid on top of him.

"Are you two okay?" came a shout. The voice was soon accompanied by a rush of feet coming towards the dumbfounded TK and Kari, who slowly blinked their eyes open on the sand, now sprawled out a few feet from one another. Tai kneeled down over his sister while Matt went to his own charge. TK shook his head, as if to regain his thought process.

"Where'd that wave come from?" TK asked of his brother, looking out to the now-calm ocean waters.

"I guess it was just a fluke wave, maybe from a boat's wake," Matt said to TK uncertainly. "All I know is I saw the wave coming and hen noticed you two get caught under it." Matt sat in thought for a few seconds, and then chuckled. "It was actually kinda funny, how well-timed that was." The older brother concluded.

"How's that?" TK demanded feeling slightly embarrassed. It seemed plain to the child what the answer would be.

"I think it goes without saying that the wave opportunely interrupted something that I really didn't care to have to witness," Matt informed TK with a smug smile. TK's flush of crimson only furthered his brother's amusement. "I'm only kidding, man, but I think we oughtta go get the most out of the last of the weather." Matt then pointed up to the sky. "It's gonna be getting dark soon," he said in agreement with the sun, that had long passed it's high point in the sky. TK looked up and nodded, thankful for the change in subject.

"Alright, you guys," Kari said, mock exhaustion in her voice. "You keep on running around in circles and whatever. I'm gonna go warm up on my towel." She gave a wave to the others then turned and jogged up the beach to the area she and TK had set up. Collapsing onto her beach towel, Kari closed her eyes and relaxed. The soft sand beneath her molded to her figure, creating a comfortable support beneath her. The girl's mind began to drift away from the beach around her, rather focusing on the one who had brought her there. She smiled to herself, closing her eyes as she dreamt.

A rustling beside Kari shook her from her repose. Opening her eyes, Kari looked over to see Davis sitting beside her, eyes on the ground next to his feet. Kari stared at the boy for a minute before rolling onto her back and propping herself up on her elbows. Davis looked up when he heard the girl move, but quickly threw his gaze back to the sand. Kari looked at him again and sighed. "What's wrong, Davis?" she asked finally, unable to bear Davis' moping without reason any longer.

Davis hesitated a moment, then looked up and flashed a smile at Kari. "Would you mind if I took you out for dinner and a movie tonight, for your birthday?" asked Davis. Though he was trying to sound confident, the strain of such was easily noticed in his voice. Kari merely stared at the boy, trying to discern what Davis was really asking.

At length, Kari replied, "I'm sorry, Davis, but I've already got plans with my family tonight-"

"Could I join your family, maybe?" Davis insisted, his tone sounding progressively more pathetic.

Kari sighed again. "No, Davis, you weren't invited. No one else is gonna be coming, either. Only TK-"

"Why does he get to be with you and not me?" Davis cut in again. In a moment he had exploded fully, nearly yelling at Kari, "Why does he get to be the one that goes over to your house whenever he wants? Why can he have you hug and kiss him without ever asking? Why? It's not fair that he gets to have you when you're off in the Digital World without me. I could've shown him up at anything he did out there to impress you, I bet. There's nothing he can do that I can't do better, in the real world or in the digital world. What's TK got that I don't have? What made it such an easy decision for you to go with him and leave me? It's not fair."

Kari raised her hand up sharply to end Davis' torrent of words. Her stomach felt as though it had tied itself into a knot. She closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to calm her nerves. She then opened them again and looked at the sand. "I don't even know where to begin," Kari said softly.

"Why does TF get to be with you tonight and not me?" Davis asked again, still talking in a near-shout.

"I suppose that's as good a place as any," Kari admitted. "TK's coming over tonight because my parents wanted to do something special for me, and I asked if we could have TK come join us, so that they could get to know him a little better and I'd be able to have those whom I love the most be with me on my birthday." Kari thought for a minute, then added, "TK even went a step further than that, though, and set up this party for me, too. Now I get to see just about everyone I know and care about today."

Davis sat in thought for a moment, contemplating what Kari had said. "But what makes him so special?" Davis said, "What does he have that I don't?"

Kari shook her head. "Davis, don't ask me that. I can't compare people I care about, even if they are different from one another. You've both got good and bad things about you, and why one of you is more important to me than the other isn't up for discussion, it's just fact. TK's special for being who he is, just as you're special for being who you are."

"Then why is he the one that gets to be with you?" the brown-haired boy pressed on. "I bet I could outdo him at anything, so why is he better for you?"

Kari looked up at Davis briefly. "I think you need to take a minute and think about what you're saying," she said. "There's a lot of people that might be better at certain things than TK is, but there's probably even more people that are better at some things than I am." Kari's eyes drifted away from Davis' eyes, glancing down to the beach. TK, Tai, Matt, and Ivan were having a footrace along the shore. The other Digidestend stood along their path, cheering, while Maddie stood at the far end of the beach with her hands outstretched to the sides. "See, this is a perfect example," Kari said, pointing down to the quartet. Davis followed Kari's finger and watched.

Pulling away from the other three after only a few dozen paces, Ivan found himself leading down along the water's edge. He laughed to himself as he went, turning around to look back at his competition for a moment. Tai strained to try and keep up with the non-Digidestend boy, but couldn't manage the speed for long. He soon collapsed off into the water to cool off for a minute, then got up and jogged to the end. TK and Matt, however, were subject to their own competition.

With Ivan a good two-dozen paces ahead and Tai panting behind, TK and Matt put their efforts into beating their sibling to the finish line. Side by side they bolted across the sandy ground towards the brown-haired girl marking the end of the race. TK's years of playing basketball and experiences in the digital world were pitted against Matt's soccer skills, superior age, and his own challenges in the digital world. Neither seemed to be able to gain any real advantage, instead simply keeping up with the other. The blond-haired boys could see Maddie just a couple hundred feet ahead and put everything into their speed. As they closed in, TK's youth and talent put him a step ahead of his brother.

Ivan cleared past Maddie, tapping her hand as he went, far before anyone else. Matt and TK came up on either side of Maddie, TK edging out his brother by less than a second. Tai crawled through a minute or two later. Ivan walked back up along the beach, his hands behind his head. Suddenly, a swarm of female spectators engulfed the brown-haired boy. The crowd made nearly everything else inaudible, screaming and asking questions. Ivan looked around uncertainly, trying to push his way away from the girls as they pressed on at him for his phone number, e-mail, height preference, and availability next Friday.

Ivan turned around, soon catching sight of Maddie, who now had Ryan in her arms. Ivan smiled and started moving towards her. The mob of girls let him pass and watched expectantly as the brown-haired boy strode towards the girl. Maddie stood still where she had taken Ryan back from Sora. The girl smiled back when she saw Ivan jogging towards her. Ivan picked up his pace further, nearly charging at the girl. Upon reaching his beloved, Ivan's arms wove around her and his lips pressed against hers. Ivan then took Ryan in his left arm and left his right arm around the girl's waist. Maddie let her eyes slide closed, her arms sliding around her boyfriend as she placed her head against his shoulder. The congregation of spectators stared, openmouthed. Maddie smirked and waved at them. The crowd moaned about something, then slowly dispersed across the beach.

Kari looked back at Davis. "I'm not one of those girls in the crowd, Davis," Kari told him. "I don't obsess over someone who can run really well or can lift a big TV on his own. Sure, they're good things to be able to do, but they aren't things that'll make me love someone. That emotion's only drawn out of me when someone's personality connects with mine. There's no being good or bad at that. It's something that just happens, and it's something that happened between TK and I."

Davis sat there in thought, still watching as Ivan and Maddie made their way over to where TK, Matt, and Tai had met up with the other Digidestend. "It still doesn't feel fair," Davis whined. "It's like I never even got a chance at having you."

"You would never get to 'have' me regardless of TK being around or not," Kari said firmly. "I'm not some object to be owned, and I'm no prize to be competed for. I'm just a teenage girl with a boyfriend and a bunch of other friends. TK won't ever 'have' me, just as I won't ever 'have' him. We give ourselves to each other. That's the way real love is supposed to be, it's expressed through giving, not taking. I'm sorry if you don't agree with that, Davis, but that's the way it is for me. Maybe you'll find some girl that you can have, but I don't think that's what you really want."

Davis dropped his gaze to the sand once again. "I guess I'll never be able to give myself to you and have you give something back, either, huh?" The boy said glumly.

"No, Davis, you won't," Kari said with finality. "It's something you're going to have to accept. Accept and get over. I'm really not worth this much anguish, Davis. There's plenty of other girls out there, and I'm sure that one of 'em is waiting for you to come whisk her away."

Davis shrugged. "I guess," he said sadly. Kari stared at him for a minute, then rose up from her towel.

"The sun's getting low," Kari said. "My parents are getting off work early tonight for this dinner event, so I oughtta get TK and Tai to pack up their stuff so we don't keep them waiting."

As Kari started away, Davis stood up suddenly. "Kari?" he asked.

Kari turned around. "What, Davis?"

Davis looked down at the sand. "Do you think that maybe, sometime, I could take you out for dinner?" The boy asked after a moment's hesitation. "Just as friends, of course," he added hastily.

Kari stared at the boy for a minute then shook her head. "I don't know, Davis," she replied. "We'll just have to wait and see." With that, Kari again turned towards the water and walked down towards the other Digidestend.

As Kari approached the others, TK noticed her and ran up to greet her. "What happened to your getting warmed up?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her. Kari placed his arms back around TK.

"You're a lot better at keeping me warm than the setting sun," Kari told TK softly, kissing the boy's cheek. TK smiled.

"Good to know," TK replied, "but if the sun's setting, I guess we'd best be getting ready to get back to meet up with your parents, huh?" Kari nodded.

"But there's one thing I want to do, first," Kari whispered in the boy's ear. She then pulled back and led the boy over to their towels. She quickly threw her sandals on, TK following her lead and throwing on his shirt. Kari looked back over at TK and said simply, "let's go," and headed off at a run towards the street.

"What about our stuff?" TK asked, confused. Kari, however, didn't respond. She had already reached the sidewalk and stood, waiting for the blond- haired boy. TK looked around him then shrugged. Turning around, he shouted, "Tai! When you're heading back home, take our stuff with you. We'll meet you there in a bit," and took off to join Kari.

Kari ran ahead of TK the entire distance, wearing only her bathing suit and sandals. TK did his best to follow the girl, but felt the painful scraping in his lungs from excessive running. In spite of such, TK managed to make it to the edge of the park where Kari finally slowed down for the boy. The girl's arms greeted the panting boy once he reached her, then gently guided him in through the park's gate and up along the brick pathway.

TK smiled in spit of his exhaustion. "How did I know we'd end up here?" he said softly as he walked with Kari off the path and towards a grove of trees. Kari grinned at the boy.

"Well, it's our special place to be together, isn't it?" Kari said upon walking into the shady center of the trees. "And after Davis gave me another depressing rant, I really want to be alone with you."

"Davis made another depressing rant?" TK asked, leaning up against a tree to rest from his second dash of the day. Kari nodded slowly.

"He refuses to get over me for some reason," Kari sighed, wandering over into TK's arms. "It makes me sad that he can't just move on and be happy for us. Is it really too much to ask of him to just deal with it?"

"I don't know, Kari," TK said softly, tightening his arms around her. "But we can't do anything besides hoping he'll come to his senses and get back on track." They both fell silent for a moment, listening to the noises coming from the park around them. TK then kissed Kari's forehead. "Don't you worry about Davis, darling," he said softly. "It's your birthday today, and I want you to be able to enjoy it."

Kari's eyes drifted up to look at TK "She smiled gently at the boy. "Alright," she whispered. "I'll see what I can do."

It was perhaps an hour later when TK and Kari stepped off of the elevator in Kari's apartment complex and looked down the path to the girl's door. Kari took a step forward, until she felt a light tug on her hand. She turned around, looking at TK in slight confusion. "What is it, TK?" Kari asked softly.

TK smiled calmly at the girl. "I still haven't given you your birthday present, Angel," the blond-haired boy said. "It's something I'd like to give to you before we head inside for dinner, if that's alright."

"Sure," Kari told TK, "but after everything you've given me today, I don't need you to give me presents, too." She blushed slightly as TK's arms gently wove around her waist. The trees cast leafy shadows in contrast to the red rays of sunlight that broke through between the foliage. The delicate light show played out across Kari's cheeks and carried on to the skin of her beloved as he led her to the edge of the balcony. After kissing the girl once, with infinite grace, TK dropped one arm to his back pocket and rifled around for a moment.

"It took me a while to decide on what would be the best thing to get you," TK explained to try and take attention away from his searching. "There's so many different options in the stores around here, but I finally came to my own decision. I decided that there wasn't anything in any store that was worth my time. After all, you mean so much more to me than any store-bought gift can say. The only place that I could really go shopping for the answer was in my heart, and after a lengthy discussion with the organ, I came up with the perfect thing." TK then pulled from his pocket a small box, velvety to the touch, adorned by a single, white ribbon.

"What is it?" Kari asked, looking with wide eyes at the deep-red velvet box. Her eyes scanned TK for some sort of hint, but received none. TK only placed his arms back around the girl's waist and watched her stare at the box. Kari carefully undid the white ribbon and held it gently in her hand. She then pulled the top of the box back, which clicked back on its hinge to a ninety-degree angle. Inside, two leafs of paper were folded with exquisite care into the shape of a rose and stem.

"Wow, TK," Kari breathed, examining the paper folded into the rose flower. "I never knew you could do origami so well." Kari then noticed that there was a line of writing across the inside of the flower. She looked up to TK in question, receiving a simple nod in response. Unfolding the rose petals with all the delicacy she could manage, Kari found several lines of writing across the page, reading:

Paths led me from field to forest throughout the night,
But not one contained even a trace of life.
As the temperature fell and the distance grew,
Fear and Dismay gave chase and clipped my heels.
Can't anyone hear me cry out in this barren land,
Breaking down in the loneliness of eternal darkness?

Then came a flash of brilliance,
A herald for your shining arrival.
You made my worn path your home,
And bore a warmth unsurpassed by any god.
Your arms embraced me in comfort and love,
While your light washed through my torn soul.

Some people are confused as to why it is,
That I find so many things about you to love.
But no one was given the glorious opportunity,
To see the true magnitude of your affection.
That was the gift you brought to me in the night,
The gift that I hope I can learn to give back eternally.

Happy 15th Birthday, my love!
-Takeru Takaishi

Kari's eyes could only stare in awe at the words she beheld. TK continued to smile slightly, hoping desperately that she had taken the work the right way. "I know it may not seem to make a whole lot of sense," TK said quietly, as to not break the trance of the moment, "but when I thought about when we decided to get together, I was reminded of the time we spent with Piedmon, with the dark ocean, and with the wolf-lion. Every time, you always seemed to shine for me as a beacon of warmth and solace, and it's a gift that I'd really like to be able to give back to you. So, whenever you need me to be around and warm you up or give you some comfort just let me know. I want to be that source of comfort and warmth for you, Kari, forever." Kari's body stayed as it was, head bowed to avoid catching TK's eye.

Carefully, Kari folded the poem back into its floral shape and placed it back in the velvet box. She then dropped the box to the floor. TK stared, confused, as a sudden fear of being rejected came over him. His delusion lasted for only an instant, when Kari's lips locked forcibly to TK's, her arms holding the blond-haired boy for dear life. TK's shock subsided into affection and, following his vow to the brown haired girl, gave her all that she asked for. His mind seemed to lose all control to a simple drive of love towards the girl he held. Attention became focused solely on giving everything that he could to his beloved for her birthday.

Kari's arms quite accurately depicted her intense desire to never release TK. Her cheeks moist with fallen tears of joy and her eyes clenched shut in the passion of the moment, Kari's thoughts shut down all other processes. Eating, drinking, playing, and even breathing all fell second to holding the blond haired boy she loved so dearly. Letting her frame mold to his, Kari only brought herself closer to TK as consciousness slipped from her grasp. Only TK remained, and only TK mattered.

It wasn't until the very last streak of red light, setting the apartment building ablaze in the dusk fell below the horizon that Kari finally loosened her grip on TK slightly. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Kari let her eyes lock with TK's as a smile crept across her face.

"Thanks, TK," Kari said breathlessly, "I don't think there's any better present I could ask for." TK blushed slightly and shrugged his shoulders.

"I love you, Kari," TK told Kari, "I'd do anything to see you smile like that." Kari only grinned wider at TK's remark.

"And I love you," Kari whispered to TK "Now, would you like to keep me warm tonight, too?" TK looked at the girl questioningly. "Well, you know how the temperature drops at night, and I'm sure my parent's wouldn't mind me having one friend stay over tonight." Kari stared hopefully up into TK's azure eyes.

"Well, if it's alright by your parents," TK began, "Then I'd be more than happy to start giving tonight." Kari hugged the boy, her ecstatic smile never fading. "It's your birthday, darling," TK added, "and I'd be a fool to pass up an opportunity to hold you all night." Kari nodded with a laugh.

"Of course," The girl stated exuberantly, "You know that I'm just such an awesome person to hold on to."

Kari's brown eyes locked with TK's pools of cerulean for one last moment on the balcony beneath the sky, now lit to hues of purple by the sun beyond the horizon. The velvety night began to close in, stars slowly poking through the clear curtain of purple with their points of whiteness. Kari slowly succumbed to opening the door to her apartment, snatching up the formerly dropped dark red velvet case from the floor. The silver key clicked in the brass lock, causing the door to swing slowly inward. Kari entered, followed closely by TK. The blond haired boy let the door shut gently, leaving the balcony in peace beneath the gaze of a hundred points of light in the sea of night.

(And who'd have thought it? I finally finished this chapter! Hurrah! It took way, way too long. I'm so sorry, guys. But it is complete at last, and I think that what I've added is a lot better than what I'd had planned in my old storyline. And for once, I took a shot at original poetry. Dunno if it's common for poetry to crop up in prose writing elsewhere, but I tried it here. Of course, I have no idea about writing poetry so we'll just have to see how it goes. I was just fed up with borrowing lyrics and such from other works, and decided to give this my own personal touch. After all, I should have some originality as an author and all. Anyhow, I hope it sounds at least halfway decent, and that the rest of the chapter flows somewhat. Yes, it's meant to be fluffy (which was the problem with it taking so long. lack of conflict makes it harder to develop a short story) but I hope it got its point across, too. The next chapter has more sustenance to it, as do the two following it. Until they arrive from the press, I hope this will sate your desire for TaKari FF in my works. And all you great people should send me a review! Some say that my books deserve tons of reviews, though I still only get 2 or 3 per chapter. Up the numbers and be an active participant in the FF world! Review! Okay, guys, I'm out; the sooner I'm done here, the sooner I begin my new stuff. Later!)