.   Tai and Sora are about 7 in this fic, which would make kari 4. 

Tai Kamiya raced through the apartment, soccer ball in hand.  "Mom, I'm goin over to Sora's!"  Tai yelled as her passed her on the way to the door. 
"OK, be back before dinner!"  She called back, but he was already out the door.  He rushed out of the enormous Highten View Terrace apartment complex and down the block.  It was a warm sunny day, and tai couldn't wait to play soccer with his friend.  He knocked on Sora's apartment door and waited impatiently for it to be opened.  After a minute or two, Sora slowly opened the door and peered out. 
"Hiya Sora!"  Tai greeted cheerfully.
"Hi T-tai."  Sora sniffled, her eyes were blood shot, like she had been crying for a while.
"What's a matter, Sora?"  He asked.
"My d-dad isn't here any m-more."  She sobbed.  Tai cocked his head to look at her. 
"What do ya mean he's not here any more?"  Tai asked, he didn't get this at all. 
"H-he's gone, and I-I don't know w-where he is.." she said, choking back the tears. 
"Oh.  Well?maybe he..maybe he went on a business trip, like my dad."  He offered.  Sora thought for a moment.
"I-I don't t-think that's wha happened."  She sighed.
"Oh.." Tai looked down at his shoes, trying to think when he remembered his soccer ball.
"You wanna play soccer?"  He said holding up the soccer ball.  "I bet it'll make you feel lots better."  He smiled at her. 
"That's k, T-tai.  I d-don't feel much l-like playin.  Be-besides, I should probably go an-anyway."  Sora said, managing to smile back at him. 
"Oh, I understand..mabye some other day?" 
"Ok, s-some other day.  Bye T-tai."  She said, quietly closing the door. 
Tai walked home slowly.  Not really in a rush to get any where, right now he didn't feel much like playing soccer either.  He felt bad for her, Tai was sure that he wouldn't know what to do if he lost his dad.  Tai sighed, he wanted Sora to be happy again, just like before.  He wished there was something he could do.

(the next day)

Tai sat on the couch, channel surfing.  Kari sat down on the couch next to him and stared at him until he noticed her. 
"What?  Do I have somethin on my face?"  Tai asked.
"No, I wanna know how come you were home so early from Sora's."  She said still staring.
"She didn't feel much like playin soccer yesterday."  He sighed.
"Why?  Was she sick?" 
"No, her dad was gone and she doesn't know where he went."  Tai explained.
"Oh.  That's not good, right?" 
"I wanna do somethin to make her feel better, but I can't think of anything.." He trailed off. 
"Oh!  I know! I know!"  Kari yelled, jumping up on the couch. "You can give her a present!  I always feel better after I get a present." 
"That's it!" Tai exclaimed.  He hugged his little sister. "Thanks Kari.  I always knew you were good for somethin other than a scape goat."  Tai ran off to his room and emptied the shoebox he kept his money in.  He counted the little yen he had and sighed.  There wasn't even enough to get her a hair clip (did anyone catch that one? you should!).  Just then, Kari wandered into the room with something blue draped over her head. 
"Kari, what's that on your head?"  Tai asked, curiously.
"It's a hat, uncle Areku sent it.  Is too big." She said, pulling it away from her eyes.  Tai snatched it off of her head and looked at it.  'Sora would love this' Tai thought. 
"Kari, can I have this?"  He asked.
"No!  Is mine!"  Kari yelled grabbing it back from him.
"C'mon Kari!"
"No!"
Tai scooped his yen off of the floor and waved it in her face.
"I'll give you money for it!"  He offered and watched her eyes light up.
"OK!"  Kari agreed, grabbing the money and throwing the hat at him.
"Thanks Kari!"  He yelled while running out the door.

"Sora, can you get the door for me?"  Sora"s mom said as there was a frantic knocking at the door. 
"OK, momma."  She opened the door to Tai who was grinning from ear to ear. 
"Hi Sora!  Guess what?"  He blurted before she could say any thing.
"What?"  She asked as Tai walked in, holding something behind his back. 
"I got somethin that'll make you feel better."  Tai said. "Close your eyes."  Sora covered her eyes and Tai put the hat on her head. 
'OK, you can open 'em." Sora uncovered her eyes and put her hands on her head.
"A hat?"  She questioned.
"Yep."  Tai beamed.  Sora toddled over to the mirror in the hall and admired the hat on her head.  It was a bit big, but Sora didn't seem to mind. 
"And you know what else?"  He asked.
"What?"
"This hat's a lucky hat."
"How's it lucky?"
"Well, my uncle Areku was traveling in the U.S., and he bought this hat there-"
"Really?"
"Yeah, and he says that this hat brought him luck where ever he went.  So he sent it to my family.  But I think that you need it more than my family does."  Tai wasn't sure if that's how it really happened, but he knew that it would make Sora feel better. 
"Awww.  Thanks Tai."  She smiled, hugging him around the neck and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.  "You're the bestest."
"Gah!  Sora, don't do that!"  Tai yelled, rubbing his cheek as Sora giggled madly.
"I'll get you for that!" 
"Not if you can't catch me!"  Sora laughed as Tai started to chase her around the apartment.