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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 16, 2022 19:11:14 GMT
"I see. That certainly explains Marigold's evasive behavior. Granted I could of tried to read her mind but I figured it was unnecessary as the truth would of revealed itself in due time." Mandrake said and then as Violet introduced his second child amusement shown in Mandrake's eyes before he said "To think it seems like yesterday that Marigold wouldn't share her father with anyone let alone be a big sister. Shows how much she has come since then." He then looked at Violet and said "It's nice to meet you, Violet. I'm Mandrake and this..." Mandrake gently stepped to the side revealing a very human like digimon dressed like a magician with hair and eyes matching his but the child darted behind him again and Mandrake sighed before he said "That would be my youngest child currently. Her name is Circe and sadly she has some issues pertaining to trauma. I told Marigold about her before we met up with you." Mandrake then began repeating everything he told Marigold earlier to Zack and Violet.
Marigold had handed over the sack filled with mechanical parts to Violet and the Gizumon began assembling the parts. The sound of the parts clicking together caused Circe to peak out from behind Mandrake watching the robotic digimon work her curiosity wanted to know what was up with those parts.
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Post by supesman on Oct 17, 2022 12:26:15 GMT
Zack nodded and smiled at Mandrake's words. He had it right on the money. It wasn't all that long ago where Marigold wouldn't have agreed to separate from him long enough to partake in this little birthday game in the first place, let alone openly enjoy herself while doing it. Maybe Violet was part of that, forcing her to accept sharing her father's love showed her that even when they were apart she would never be without it.
"It is completed." Violet said, floating back down toward the center of the group. They turned to Circe momentarily, the Digimon's lack of any discernable face made reading expressions somewhat difficult but the purple robot tilted her body to one side with curiosity. None of the Zellos made any attempt to intervene in Circe's personal space. She would feel safe enough in due time.
"*gasp* oh, dad!" Marigold said when the completed gift was plopped down in front of her. It was a tall cylinder, made out of a gleaming purple metal, various ports and buttons at the top, and a wrapping of some kind of soft material around the main shaft.
"It's a personal Bluetooth speaker, Violet made it themselves. Has a linkup for headphones and everything so you can watch TV as loud as you want to even when other people are working or sleeping." He said, placing his hand on the top of Marigold's head as she swept her gift up in her arms and started to fiddle and fidget with it.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 17, 2022 20:15:54 GMT
Soon the device was completed all the while Circe peaked her head completely into view her curiosity getting the best of her and seeming to somewhat override her anxiety and fear. Violet seemed to be just as curious to the spider child as the device itself.
When a purple cylinder was plopped down in front of Marigold even Mandrake was curious of the gift. He had heard of personal Bluetooth speakers before but hadn't really seen one before. However Circe, though she was still real close to Mandrake, came out from behind him cocking her head in curiosity before tugging on Mandrake's artificial arm firmly catching the Wizardmon's attention causing him to look at Circe taking note of the look of wonder in her sapphire eyes. When she pointed to the device Mandrake, as if getting what she was thinking, said "A Bluetooth speaker is just as Zack described, Circe." At that Circe nodded reaching over taking Mandrake's hand as it seemed to make her calmer to know her father hadn't abandoned her like her mother. "So regarding the gift, Zack, is it Marigold's birthday? That would explain this war game." Mandrake asked sounding genuinely curious.
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Post by supesman on Oct 18, 2022 12:18:08 GMT
"Yes, it's-" Zack began to say only to be cut off by Marigold who placed one of her claws on the speaker and smiled deeply, speaking.
"It's the closest thing I have to a birthday. We have...no earthly clue what date I was actually born on. But this is the day that my life actually started. When I showed up in an egg, shaking and afraid of the whole world. And found my family." Marigold said, looking down at Circe. She was a success story. The adopted, traumatized girl who was now full of confidence and love to give.
"Marigold's birthday celebrations began at 11:04 this evening. The exact moment where our father remembers her appearance. The game was meant to test her means and ability as a solo crime fighter, results would be the deciding factor in whether she is allowed to go on patrols or undertake tasks separate from our father." Violet said, still observing Circe a little. Observing Mandrake in the same way. They had been taught not to stare so they did their best to only make their observations in a polite way.
"Basically whether or not she's allowed to patrol the east side of town while I'm patrolling the west side or whether she can go accomplish something in a fight while I draw enemy fire. She's been begging for a longer "leash" and I told her we'd see. Unfortunately for my protective instinct, she passed tonight with flying colors." Zack said, smiling as he crossed his arms over his chest. But Mandrake knew better, he could see the pride beaming like the sunshine off of Zack's expression.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 18, 2022 13:16:17 GMT
Mandrake nodded in understanding of both Zack and Marigold's words before he said "You are fortunate indeed Marigold as not all digimon have become nearly as fortunate as yourself. Not only do you have a father and sibling that care about you very much but a grandmother who wasn't alarmed by the fact that her son adopted a giant bee monster."
Mandrake had taken notice of how Violet had been observing him and Circe but wasn't bothered. The Gizumon was clearly just curious and just trying to figure them out. Such curiosity was something the Wizardmon understood all to well. At Zack's next words Mandrake smiled and said "They seem to grow up so fast don't they? Even so as parents we can't help but be protective of our children. With Lothar and I now having four children I've learned that lesson all too well." Yes Mandrake had seen the pride beaming off of Zack and he glanced at Circe. There were many times he wished he knew of her existence much sooner so he could of possibly stopped Arukenimon from traumatizing the little one that was now in his care. "To think the only reason Circe and I were walking around tonight was because she had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep. With how upset she was I have a good idea what the nightmare was about without reading her mind."
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Post by supesman on Oct 19, 2022 12:31:10 GMT
"Grammie sends her love." Zack said, as if suddenly reminded of his mother by Mandrake's mention of it. He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Oh yay!~" Marigold said, the handwritten note from her grandmother meaning more to her in that moment than any speaker ever could. "Hehe, she transferred a hundred dollars into your account because you're not supposed to mail cash." She said, holding the note close to her chest like it was warming her very heart just by existing. Zack tried not to audibly "aww" at the image.
"She's been growing up too fast since the day I met her. The best I can do is try and point a rising star in the right direction." He said, leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of Marigold's head. She giggled and made some half hearted attempts to push him back as if embarrassed by the display but was almost glowing with happiness when he pulled away.
"Circe." Violet said, with that same sound in their voice, like their tone was being muffled by the nature of their robotic being. The robotic digimon turned to the small spider. "Logically, your original caretakers can no longer harm you. You are surrounded by friends. And equally logically, it is biologically unwise for a child of your age to miss your rest. Children require more sleep than adults after all." The robotic digimon said, laying out reassurances in their charmingly mechanical way, hopefully getting their point across anyway.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 19, 2022 19:49:55 GMT
Zack then pulled a card that was apparently from Marigold's grandmother and handed it to the Fanbeemon. Marigold seemed very excited at getting the card from her grandmother and read it learning money had been transferred into her account. Mandrake wasn't surprised that Marigold had her own bank account in the Human World. Even Mandrake, Lothar, and all of their children did. Mandrake had been putting a bit of money regularly into each of his children's accounts until they were ready to be on their own. The image Marigold presented in these moments were adorable to witness.
"Yes as parents all we can do sometimes is give them the guidance they need and be there for them when they need us most." Mandrake said chuckling softly at Marigold's efforts to escape her father's affections. Some thing never changed with those two.
When Violet said the spiderling's name Circe looked at the robotic digimon as they began to talk to her. After Violet finished talking Circe quietly said "I....I know it's logical b-but it's hard. Mom sometimes appears in my dreams and t-torments me. It's like I can't escape her."
"Sadly Violet such walks have been the only way I've been able to get Circe to go back to sleep after such a nightmare which makes me despise the monster that helped spawn her even more. Circe is gifted in spinning magical webs and telepathy not to mention kind hearted and, of my children, probably the one that's most like myself." Mandrake said resting his hand on Circe's back under her cape gently rubbing her stubby spider legs causing the now shaking Circe to calm somewhat.
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Post by supesman on Oct 20, 2022 19:01:43 GMT
"Hmm, maybe we can change the atmosphere for her. Just a little bit." Zack said as he walked up to the speaker that he had gifted Marigold. He hummed and scanned the rim for a special button that he clicked in. A small panel slid open to one side of the machine and he pressed it. "I wanted my daughter to always be able to hear the things she most needed to know." He said, setting it back down and sitting up on a box as the speaker began to twinkle with his voice, recorded.
"Marigold. The amount of things I need to tell you could fill the whole world and then some but, if I must, I can stick to the important things. From the moment I held you close I knew that I would be there forever, from the moment I looked out onto the night sky with you I knew my love for you could drown the world. I've watched you grow into a young woman who beams with confidence, and skill, and kindness. I can only thank my lucky stars that I get to be a footnote in your story. I'm proud of the person and the hero you've become. Being your father will be the greatest gift of my life." The voice died down for a moment and Marigold was already sniffling, trying to avoid a messy, wailing cry from escaping her lips but Zack held up one finger, reaching down and hitting a second button behind the same panel.
"Marigold. I am not good at...speaking from the heart. I am trying to find the ways to express the things that I feel inside to you but I do not have the right words, the right time. I was so very afraid when I realized that I would have to make sense of things on my own. But I always had you, and you always seemed to know exactly what I needed to hear and needed to feel. It is illogical that you would feel such an attachment to me. Thank you for the blessing of being my sister." Violet's message crackled off and Marigold couldn't hold the dam back. She didn't just cry, she sobbed, thick, steaming, overjoyed tears as she jerked forward and wrapped her family into a whimpering, yelping hug. Zack's tears didn't hold themselves back any better and even Violet's silence seemed to be equally thick with emotion.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 20, 2022 20:55:42 GMT
Mandrake and Circe watched as Zack mentioned something about changing the atmosphere as he went over to Marigold's gift pressing a special button that had apparently been built into the device. Upon pressing the button Zack's voice could be heard as a recorded message began to play before everyone there.
Marigold wasn't the only one who was getting misty eyed though as both Mandrake was as well. However his tears were more restrained than Marigold's. It was as if Mandrake was empathically responding to Marigold's emotions. Circe just looked at everyone quietly but otherwise said nothing. However it proved Zack wasn't the only one that left a voice recording for her as her sibling Violet had left one as well.
While Zack and his family hugged Mandrake looked down at Circe before gently pulling the spiderling closer to him so as not to startle her as she was pulled gently into a hug. Kneeling down Mandrake said "Circe you may have been born under less than ideal circumstances but just know that you also have a loving family just like Marigold does. You two really are a lot alike in that regard."
Circe's sapphire eyes started to well up with tears as she returned the hug her spider legs extending from her back and gently wrapping around her legs touching the Wizardmon's back. It was a shame Circe was only beginning to warm up to Lothar but Mandrake knew she would in time though.
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Post by supesman on Oct 21, 2022 13:43:42 GMT
Marigold's cries were almost screaming as she sobbed into her father's shoulder, soaking into the cloth of his shirt and leaving a spreading spot of moisture as he ran his hands up and down her back. That was a motion of open affection that she seemed to accept with a lot less struggle than the kiss on the head. Even Violet, cold as they often seemed looked warm and comfortable nuzzled up against the crook of her sibling's neck with her silver tendrils wrapped around Marigold's back.
Marigold pulled back slowly, a little bit at a time. It was as if breaking the embrace was some terrible taboo that she didn't even want to try to break. Eventually though she had pulled free of the pair who loved her the most and just seemed to bask in looking at them.
"Am I...*sniff*... gonna cry when we call Grammie later, too?" Marigold asked, as if asking if they had any other big surprises for her that night. Violet and Zack exchanged a small look and a devilish grin between one another, as usual, impressive considering Violet's lack of any visible facial features.
"The odds are astronomically high. I have been told by our father to only film a little bit." Violet said, sent spinning through the air gently by an elbow to the side of their bod.
"You weren't supposed to say that part out loud, Violet!" Zack said, having hoped to keep his taping of family memories to himself at least until it was too late for Marigold to do anything about it. Marigold couldn't help but cackle at that.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 21, 2022 20:28:22 GMT
Eventually Marigold's cries began calming down while she hugged her father and sibling Violet. Eventually Marigold began releasing her family members asking if she was going to cry when they called her grandmother later. Though Mandrake still had his arms full with Circe since the spider child had her arms and spider legs wrapped around him, he saw everything going on and audibly chuckled. Then an all to familiar mental presence was approaching fast which made Mandrake smile. It seemed Lothar had tracked them down since he and Circe had been out for a while now. Soon a Leomon landed softly on the roof with everyone and Mandrake said "Hello, Lothar. As you can see we ran across some old friends."
Lothar looked over seeing both Zack and Marigold along with the currently unknown to him Violet as well. Then his glance when over to Mandrake and Circe seeing them hugging. However he didn't want to risk upsetting Circe by stepping all over her boundaries. Picking up on Lothar's thoughts Circe looked over to Lothar lifting half of her spider legs and held out her arm as if wordlessly welcoming him to join so Lothar smiled and nodded before walking over to them before kneeling down wrapping his mighty arms around his fiancé and youngest daughter. After hugging for a little while Circe released her grip on them her spider legs vanishing once again beneath her cape as she pulled back but still remained close to Mandrake.
Meanwhile Lothar had rose to his feet and said "Hello, Zack. Marigold. Who is that with you two?"
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Post by supesman on Oct 22, 2022 12:37:10 GMT
"Tonight's just the night of introductions and emotions huh? Suppose it has been a while since we've seen you two." Zack said, though he smiled at Lothar obviously knowing him well enough to not to question Zack standing there in his head to toe purple outfit with a different custom made helmet than usual. He was weird, he knew it, and he liked it.
"This is my younger sibling, Violet." Marigold said, laying claim to the small robot with a beaming grin on her face. From the bright digital trill that the description garnered out of Violet themselves it seemed like the familial label was appreciated. Violet leaned down, grasping her arms around Marigold from behind, making the bee giggle.
"Hello, I am Violet. You must be Lothar. I have heard many descriptions of you before now. My father speaks highly of your family." Violet said, the yellow light to one side of their "face beginning to glow and blink as they played a recording from some other time or place "Anybody willing to get in half as much trouble as those two for the right causes is ok in my book." They repeated in a word for word recording of Zack's voice which prompted a raised eyebrow from her vigilante father.
"Remind me to watch my words in your presence. And people think regular kids repeat what they hear too much." He said, looking at the two other parents in the room with a grin. This was a bit of a step up from repeating the curse word they had overheard without context on the playground. But at least it inspires Zack to watch his words around his children.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 22, 2022 21:11:13 GMT
"Seeing we haven't seen each other since Lilly was a baby that's a bit of an understatement." Lothar said with a warm chuckle. Sure he had noticed Zack's different costume but the Leomon wasn't remotely bothered by it since Zack often dressed in some hero costume most of the times he's seen him.
Then Marigold introduced the Gizumon as her younger sibling and Lothar looked at the small robot and said "I'm sure there is an interesting story as to how you all met."
When Violet played a recording of Zack's voice and caught Zack by surprise Lothar started laughing. Circe was also laughing as well but it was more of a shy quiet giggle. When Zack told Violet to watch what his words, Mandrake also began laughing before he said "I've heard that one should watch what they say around children do to them being like tape recorders. However with Violet that seems to be the actual case."
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Post by supesman on Oct 23, 2022 13:54:19 GMT
"You're not kidding. Normal parents have to worry about kids repeating a curse word out of context. Not only will Violet repeat a curse word, they're repeat the context of why I said it AND they're smart enough to know exactly when to use it against me." He said, walking up and placing his hand on the back of Violet's body. The little machine trilled with a sound that may as well have been its version of a pleasant giggle.
"What a shame for you to raise two children that are already smarter than you." Marigold said, exaggerating the arrogance and conceited nature of the statement to the point of sarcastic parody in her voice.
"Part of me wants to try to argue with you. Problem being that I know you're right." Zack said, kinking his lips into a slight smile that grew and spread as he and Marigold locked eyes until she had her father grinning from ear to ear.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Oct 23, 2022 19:42:17 GMT
"Ah yes then there is the insane speed digimon pick up a new language to consider. It is not uncommon for digimon to begin talking anywhere from days to months after they are born. I'm assuming Marigold was a big example of this. As for curse words at some level I am glad that any curse words my children know are words that didn't come out of me." Mandrake said.
Lothar glanced briefly at Circe who was quietly standing there before he said "Speaking of curse words. I don't believe in all the time I've known you that you have ever sweared. I don't swear either but still."
"Fair point, old friend. I suppose that I never thought of doing so cause such foul language is just not my preferred way to communicate." Mandrake said. Mandrake and Lothar took notice of Violet's trilling sound. Their version of a pleasant giggle perhaps?
At Marigold's words both Mandrake and Lothar snorted with laughter at the Fanbeemon's words while Circe was trying to figure the other family out. It was written on the spider child's face with how puzzled she was by the trio. "Now. Now. Marigold, I'm sure you're father is smarter than you two in at least something. He can't be a lost cause after all." Mandrake's eyes shimmered in amusement as it was clear from the Wizardmon's tone that he was just messing with Zack. What was it about Zack that made him more tempted to utilize his mischievous side anyway?
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