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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 6, 2023 0:27:20 GMT
After parking the car in the parking lot of a store that seemed to be a mix between general goods and groceries, Mandrake, Lothar, and Circe got out and the young spider child took hold of Mandrake's hand. Then the family made their way to the store being mindful of other cars. Upon reaching the store Mandrake took a cart and Circe took hold of the cart so as not to lose track of the disguised Wizardmon. As they got in the store Lothar grabbed one of those hand baskets usually used for fewer groceries. Then Mandrake brought out a shopping list giving Lothar the page that involved goods for their first aid kit while he and Circe would handle everything else.
As Lothar moved away both Mandrake and Circe made their way around the store grabbing various food items that were non perishables. It was going all well and good as even Circe was helping out grabbing stuff from lower shelves and putting it in the cart. Sure she could of easily reached anything in the store but she had to pretend to be as human as she initially appeared at first glance since her digimon features were hidden under a cape she always wore.
As father and daughter made their way minding their own business an ear piercing shriek caused Circe to jump with a squeak of fright before diving behind Mandrake clutching onto him. Yet still she was peaking out from behind the disguised Wizardmon looking for the source. Mandrake silently made note of how this screech was like a mix between a bat and maybe a pterodactyl perhaps? Though the sound was ear piercing it was provoking his curiosity. Circe was a bit calmer now and went back to grabbing the cart. Though initially startled she had to admit she was curious to and reached over gently tugging Mandrake's arm before pointing at her ears. That seemed to be a silent clue to Mandrake that she was wanting to know what was still going on.
The pair followed the screech of the potential cryptid soon passing an aisle with a mother and a child flailing on the ground in tantrum mode. Both Mandrake and Circe were at a distance close enough to see what was happening but not be anywhere near a potential throwing tantrum. As for said child he was about ten in appearance and was like a screeching demon. This child was definitely old enough to know better and Mandrake was grateful none of his and Lothar's kids were known for tantrums. Normally if a kid would do this in a store a good parent had multiple options to deal with such behavior from a child. Speaking of said child he was going absolutely demonic screaming about wanting something. What the mom did next was just surprising to Mandrake as the mother and son were standing in an aisle that had various frozen goods. Apparently the gremlin wanted ice cream or something like that and his mom grabbed some putting it in her cart. Soon the demon child stopped the ear piercing screech the whole store had to hear and stood up smiling like nothing had happened. Soon the pair left that aisle leaving Mandrake standing there gobsmacked and silent.
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Post by supesman on Jan 17, 2023 12:45:21 GMT
"I wouldn't think too poorly of him. Tantrums are just a part of growing up." Mandrake would here the unmistakable American accent of Zack coming form just behind him. The vigilante was sneakier than he looked, especially with his love of loud outfits. Right at that moment he was wearing a pink T-Shirt with the pterodactyl power coin on it, white diamonds across the chest and arms mimicking the top of the original pink Power Ranger. "And some kids are just predisposed to meltdowns, could be an autism spectrum disorder, could be he was just overtired and overstimulated. Kids will be kids, best to let them." Zack said, tapping the digivice he kept on a thin chain around his neck so that Marigold and Violet could look out from the V-Pet mode he kept them in.
"Parenting isn't easy. If it was then everyone would do it and then where would we be?" Marigold said from behind the V-Pet screen as she waved to her mystic friend. Zack was still insistent that his children would never require holosuits and for their part neither of his wards seemed all that interested in them anyway.
"It's good to see that you're well, Mandrake. And that you have yet another child with you. I'm telling you, you had best put a ring on Lothar's finger before too much longer, people are apt to talk." Zack said, leaning forward to rest his weight on the push bar of the shopping cart he was using. Playing up his imitation of a gossiping housewife catching up with a friend right next to the grocery freezers. "What's your name, sweetheart?" Zack said, trying his best to introduce himself with his best foot forward and that meant using the better part of his heroic persona to his advantage. Smiling, strong voiced, but gentle and approachable. At least that's what all those public speaking tutorials he'd listened to were telling him. You never imagined a superhero turning to self help books for their persona but Zack was finding there were a lot of public resources available to him that comic books didn't tell you about.
"I am Violet, this is my sister Marigold and my father, Zack." Violet said, their voice pleasantly buzzing out from the speaker of the digivice much more clearly and precisely than the holes on the plastic device should allow. Just one more in the long list of physical impossibilities inherent in a digivice. "We are friends and allies of your fathers." Violet said and Zack nodded along with that.
"They're certainly on my superhero team up card, I think they've earned that much at this point." Zack said, winking to Mandrake as he said it. He openly reveled in his vigilante persona, the good it allowed him to do, the people it allowed him to help. Mandrake could almost feel his successes on the previous night's "work" rolling off of him like waves of physical positivity that were almost solid enough to touch. Though a brand new bruise on his cheek showed that his work wasn't all sunshine and rainbows if anything he wore it like a badge of honor in his one man crusade to make the streets a little bit safer and the world just a little bit brighter.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 17, 2023 21:06:00 GMT
Mandrake nearly jumped in reaction to Zack somehow sneaking up on both him and Circe. As for the young spiderling, Circe was now patting her chest and trying to calm down as Zack had definitely startled her. Mandrake glanced back at the child before looking back at Zack and said "I get kids will be kids and tantrums and children tend to go hand in hand. Still the mother isn't helping by instantly giving the little rascal what he wants during such a fit. Yet, like Marigold said, parenting isn't easy."
Circe blinked at Zack in recognition before the child said "W-Wait you forgot about me? We met one night when I had a nightmare and Marigold w-was solving puzzles because you were pretending to be the bad guy. It's m-me, Circe."
"Yes now that you mention it. It is strange that Lothar and I haven't really been planning a wedding despite proposing months ago." Mandrake said.
Then the sight of something not far away, it was at most a few feet from them but closer to the now no longer tantruming child, caught Circe's attention and the young one tugged on Mandrake's arm before pointing at the item. "Since you have been well behaved you can have some Pocky, Circe. Just grab some for myself and Lothar as well." Mandrake said with a smile and young Circe walked over to the boxes of Pocky. The youngin knew the favorite flavors of Mandrake and Lothar and seemed to be looking intently for them as the young spider had already picked up a box of chocolate flavored Pocky which was her favorite. Now she had to grab the green tea and banana flavored ones.
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Post by supesman on Jan 18, 2023 12:42:36 GMT
"Whhhaaattt? I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about young lady. When you met Marigold it was when she was chasing a dastardly but handsome villain in an attempt to stop his evil genius plan." Zack said, in the most over exaggerated denial possible, making it clear to Circe that he did remember her well but was just doing a bit for the sake of doing a bit.
"Rest assured, Circe, were I able, I would be smacking my father upside the head right about now." Marigold said, as usual playing straight woman to her father's grinning capriciousness. He took the idea of the snarky superhero to a bit of an extreme but at the very least he spent most of his life smiling.
"But oh, thank you for reminding me, I need to pick up some Kamen Rider Chocos and Gummis while we're here." Zack said, standing next to Circe next to the candy and picking out a curved top box with the white, fox faced rider of the year printed on the front, as well as a crinkling bag of gummies with the same character on the front. "Just a few more and we'll get the special golden hammer and silver arrow buckles." He said, not embarrassed at all about openly indulging in his hobby in front of Mandrake and Circe, an excited noise coming from Marigold and less so but still noticeable from Violet.
"Don't forget we have to head to the Mandarake Complex when the Vision Driver comes out on Friday!" Marigold said and Zack nodded reassuringly, letting his daughter know that he hadn't forgotten. He smiled at Mandrake, seeming to simply glow for the ability to share his passion with his children.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 18, 2023 20:35:25 GMT
To say Circe found Zack a puzzling person was an understatement as her confusion was written all over her face. She looked back at Mandrake who only responded with a clueless shrug before Marigold's response. Mandrake then said "With your father the way he is the temptation must strike you several times on a daily basis."
While Circe was looking through the Pocky Zack entered the candy part of the asile as well. By this point Circe had found the banana flavored Pocky to go with the chocolate flavored one she found first. However the Green Tea flavor was proving hard to find. Squinting the youngster finally spotted what she was looking for and it proved to be the last Green Tea flavored box of Pocky in stock. Grabbing it now she had all three in her arms and was starting to make her way back to the cart Mandrake was waiting with when she heard a voice as it said "I want the Green Tea Pocky! I want it now!" Circe's shoulder sagged as she sighed in reaction to the ten year old gremlin from before. Sure the little rascal was bigger than her but she wasn't giving what was for her daddy to this kid in a million years. Looking down the aisle she spotted the mother of said demon child noticing she was almost out of the aisle.
Meanwhile the ten year old was now screeching while trying to take the Pocky from Circe "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!!!!"
By this point Mandrake had pushed the cart he had over to the human child before he said "Now there young man. Aren't you a little old to be acting younger than my daughter?" Autism or not there was a point where such behavior was just more than a little much.
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Post by supesman on Jan 19, 2023 13:00:17 GMT
Zack tucked their prizes into the cart where the rest of their food was sitting. His entire body perked up at the sudden confrontation that was going on in the aisle and walked up to the pair of children. He held out his hand to stop the young boy from grabbing at Circe.
"Go put the pocky in my cart, Circe. We can take care of this." Zack said, putting on his "teacher voice". First things first, separate the arguing children before things could escalate. Especially considering how unsteady and anxious Circe seemed to be putting her dead center in the middle of an argument wouldn't do her or anybody else any good. "Your mommy already got you some of the ice cream you wanted, and you need to be good if you want to eat some." Zack said, his education IN education had taught him a lot of things, one of them being that directly shaming a child didn't tend to work very well. Splitting them off from the cause of their anger, redirecting their attention and building into something more constructive was usually far more effective.
Marigold and Violet had to stay very quiet, hidden within the V-Pet tucked underneath his shirt the way they were. Zack, despite his general attitude, was rather good at handling children. He took some pride in just being a grown up kid himself. It's why he went into teaching, it's why he wore his interests on his sleeve and dedicated so much time in both the human and digital worlds to helping young people who needed that kind of redirection. Between him, and Mandrake, a father of multiple...nonstandard children, getting this whole thing resolved peacefully was well within their combined powers. A good cop bad cop scenario between Mandrake's maturity and Zack's approachability.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 19, 2023 22:02:14 GMT
The ten year old made another move for Circe but Mandrake made a move sliding in front of the young spider digimon now standing between the children all without laying a finger on the other child. Mandrake knew full well how bad he would look if he touched a gremlin that wasn't his especially if the mother got involved.
As for Circe she was staring between both her father and Zack before making her way not to Zack's cart but Mandrake's before dumping the Pocky in it. Said ten year old didn't like that and lashed out not only screaming which made Mandrake cover his ears but kicking as well kicking out making the disguised Wizardmon scramble back. He wasn't sure if the little monster could disrupt his holosuit but Mandrake was not the type to take chances. "I want the Pocky too!" the boy screeched which made Mandrake's ears start to ring. He was glad Lothar was across the store at this time or he would of been in pain from this screaming kid. Mandrake couldn't believe this kid was human.
The demon child's mother came back into the aisle and was glaring at Mandrake before she asked "What did you do to my child?!" The question itself was as much a yelled exclamation as it was a question.
"Madam your child was trying to force my young daughter to give him the Pocky I told her she could have." Mandrake said indicating to Circe who looked half the boy's age and was clutching Mandrake's cart while shaking.
The woman looked at Circe before glaring with renewed fire at Mandrake before she said "What kind of idiot do you take me for? My child would not pick on a child half his age. He is not a bully." Mandrake let out a sigh as this was gonna be harder than he thought.
Speaking of said disguised Leomon, Lothar had picked up the screeching of that child from across the store but at the time was too busy gathering supplies in for the first aid kid in the small basket. To him it was like that large amount of supplies weighed nothing at all. Once he finished gathering what he split from Mandrake and Circe for he headed in the direction he heard the screaming from and when he arrived he covered his ears as he saw what was going down in the aisle. Boy was he grateful when the kid stopped screaming and he pulled his hands away from his ears. Lothar also noticed that Zack was in the aisle appearing to be trying to help Mandrake out.
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Post by supesman on Jan 20, 2023 13:18:52 GMT
Zack was stone faced through the entire confrontation, yet still with that kind emotion in his eyes that showed that he was still patiently waiting for the kid to tire himself. He held up a single hand, softly, as the child started kicking, bouncing the foot aimed at his head off of the center of his palm at least a half a dozen times without recoiling or stepping away from the child. He would be giving him no indication that his tantrum was working or doing him any good. He just squatted there, silently as the child screamed and waited for the next reaction to take place.
When the parent arrived though, something about his demeanor changed. He rose up to his feet and his face and voice took on a much more serious tone. Not combative, almost warning.
"Maam, your child's behavior is deeply unacceptable. You're setting a bad example by folding to his tantrums and even more so by jumping to his defense when he's come into conflict with other children. Look at the effect he's had." Zack said, making slight gestures in Circe's direction. Not drawing undue attention to the shy young girl that would put her in the sights of this deeply unpleasant woman but enough that hopefully he could jar some sense into her head.
He looked over to Mandrake and even gave Lothar a small wave as he stepped into the aisle. He was actually rather thankful in the moment that he didn't have their super senses at his disposal because right now the wailing of the child seemed to be providing over stimulation at the very least which could place anybody on an emotional edge if it lasted long enough and was impossible enough to get away from.
"I suggest that you either apologize on both of your behalves, or you walk away and let the situation be. Continuing this disagreement doesn't gain anybody anything." Zack said, remembering all the conflict deescalation books he'd been made to read in his education as a teacher that have also come in handy in his time as a vigilante. Step back away from the conflict, be dispassionate, when things reach a boiling point, attempt to deflect and shut down any further escalation before it blows up. Granted, most of those ideas settled on the idea of both parts of a conflict being made up of basically reasonable people, which is a hypothesis that this woman and her son were testing by the second. For the moment through it was the best response he could think of that didn't involve somehow making everything worse for everyone.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 20, 2023 20:24:06 GMT
As the woman seemed to puff up at being told off by Zack Mandrake looked back towards Circe. When the woman glanced at the young one Circe dove behind the cart in an effort to disappear from sight while shaking in fear. Mandrake knew that Circe was more than a little uncomfortable with female authority to the point of being out and out terrified. Mandrake made a face of displeasure at the thought of Circe's mother being the cause of the poor girls current problems.
Lothar, as if trying to help Zack, made his way over to the woman grateful that her offspring was no longer screaming, Though his ears were still ringing making him feel bad for any humans that had sensitive ears. "Ma'am, he's right you know. Not only that your aggressive posturing is scaring another child." Lothar said as the woman took in the sight of Lothar up close and backed away from Mandrake before heading over to her child before taking the ten year old's hand with one hand and her cart with another before retreating from the aisle to points unknown.
Now that the lady was out of sight Mandrake headed back over to the cart peaking behind it seeing Circe shaking with fear. The normally gentle magician's hand clenched into a fist in frustration at what that woman had caused before his hand unclenched and he knelt down before he said "Circe. Circe it's okay now."
Circe, though still shaking, looked up at Mandrake before jumping at the disguised Wizardmon before breaking down into tears. Other than sobbing while hugging Mandrake she made no other sound.
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Post by supesman on Jan 21, 2023 12:32:47 GMT
Zack half turned at Lothar's approach that sent the woman scurrying off into the aisles with her little hellion in tow, He hands on his hips he shook his head mumbling something about other people's parenting before fully turning to face the disguised lion digimon.
"It does not speak well of that woman that she felt the need to be physically intimidated when you walked up in order to leave us alone." Zack said, having to tilt his head up ever so slightly to speak to Lothar. The Leomon's human form was indeed rather imposing, the kind of man who would cast a shadow down on top of you in the right lighting. Zack was sure that he didn't often MEAN to physical scare humans the way he had slightly done with the woman but some things couldn't be helped and it solved the problem one way or another.
"Yea. What a bi-" Marigold started to say from the screen of the V-Pet before Zack reached up and covered the device, muffling the sound of her speech.
"Marigold, that's not very kind." Zack said, using an even tone of voice to try and put his daughter's state of mind back on a better track. Marigold however looked out from the screen and saw Mandrake having to console and hold Circe who was triggered by the whole experience.
"Yea, no. I'm gonna go with what I said, what kind of woman even does that? What kind of PERSON even does that? In public? With CHILDREN present. At the very least she ought to have some shame." Marigold said. Some days she felt basically human. Some days she felt rather glad that she wasn't.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 21, 2023 23:46:51 GMT
Lothar lifted a brow as the woman had vanished from sight before he looked back at Zack and said "The fact that she seemed to be intimidated by someone who was not even showing any aggression also tells a lot about that woman as a person. She is fortunate both I and Mandrake are gentle beings at heart. I'm also glad that little demon child stopped screaming cause my ears are still ringing. I didn't know human children could achieve such high pitches either."
When Marigold almost said the word bitch Zack had told her that was not very kind. Not only that the words caused Mandrake to look at Zack's V-Pet without releasing his grip on the still upset Circe as he said "Marigold such a word is not very lady like. I do agree with you about the fact that she should have some degree of shame." He then glanced at Circe before he said "Thanks to her Circe's fear of adult women has gotten her really upset. I worry she may never be able to be independent." As Mandrake spoke he gently rubbed Circe's back with his hand under her cape rubbing the little furry spider legs that were concealed from view. Slowly Circe was beginning to calm down.
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Post by supesman on Jan 22, 2023 14:19:54 GMT
Zack gave Mandrake an odd look when he said that Marigold's language wasn't very "ladylike". His his eyebrow with a noticeable amount of sarcasm.
"Now who on earth would be teaching her to act "ladylike"?" Zack said, with a tone that was almost slightly offended by the suggestion that his daughter should be conforming to someone's idea of womanhood.
"I'm a lady. Therefore, any way I act is ladylike." Marigold said, fitting her gender to her behavior rather than fitting her behavior to her gender. It showed that Zack was very modern in his parenting when he simply nodded along with her appraisal of the situation.
"Suggestion: Perhaps Circe requires more psychological support than you two, her parents, are qualified to offer. If her phobia of adult female authority figures has truly shown itself to be debilitating, professional psychiatric help may be the only path toward truly meaningful improvement." Violet said, examining the situation and giving an honest appraisal delivered in the omnipresent chirping tone that was their voice.
"Agreed, you guys could probably ask AEGIS, I'm sure they have a bunch of on call therapists considering the work they do. Or, I could use my education connections to find a good therapist right here in town. Child psychologists do good work to nip this sort of thing in the bud." Zack said, smiling down at Circe. He knew that her parents trusted him enough by now to listen to the suggestion but hoped that the Digimon girl herself would be able to hear it favorably as well.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 22, 2023 20:58:43 GMT
"I think what Mandrake meant by ladylike is that calling even dreadful people such names is not proper for a young lady such as yourself. To be honest such a thing is not polite for anyone regardless of gender. Though I understand how someone like that can be hard to avoid the temptation to call them such names." Lothar said.
"I was not trying to suggest she conform to a gender sterotype, Zack. Lothar and I try to be modern with our parenting as well." Mandrake said also seeming to be trying to do damage control.
"Maybe some form of therapy might be helpful but Circe was gradually improving and was to the point where it wasn't totally debilitating. I am surprised all it took was one human woman who wouldn't control her offspring." Mandrake said as he then heard Zack suggest AEGIS and then he said "Lothar and I have heard of AEGIS and we have tried our best to not pester them. Yet since we've heard they help more than humans perhaps we should talk with some member of the group cause they might be able to direct us to said therapist."
Circe, meanwhile, seemed to be beginning to calm down and pulled away from Mandrake while rubbing the tears from her eyes before backing up and grabbing the cart. "Mandrake perhaps we should pay for everything and then head for a nearby place to eat. After what happened Circe could use something more relaxing."
"C-Can I maybe get some dessert?" Circe asked at the prospect of going to a restaurant.
"Maybe. It depends on if the nearest restaurant has some on the menu." Mandrake said as the group made their way to checkout not knowing if Zack was going to follow. Soon the food and supplies for the first aid kit were paid for and Mandrake and his family headed for the car. Between the three of them the trunk was fully loaded so Circe took Mandrake's hand as Lothar closed the trunk before locking it as they made their way through the parking lot heading for a restaurant not far away.
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Post by supesman on Jan 23, 2023 12:37:25 GMT
"Nah we're just busting your chops!" Marigold said with a laugh. She wasn't going to accuse Mandrake of sexism at the drop of a hat, especially since he'd earned their trust in about a dozen ways and about three dozen times at this point.
"Agreed, I can guarantee there won't be any "ladylike" behavior from her though. God knows the closest thing she has to a positive female role model is about ten thousand miles in that direction." Zack said, pointing off towards the general east probably referring to his mother who was all the way on the American east coast while he was studying here in Tokyo.
He followed them out to the front, humming as he walked and paying for the small batches of necessities that he had bought. He swooped them up in a prim and proper recyclable bag and walked out with them to the parking lot, raising an eyebrow as they started packing things into a car.
"You guys drive? In Tokyo? Hell tell me where we're going and I'll probably get there before you just by walking considering the traffic compared to the sidewalk and the subway." Zack said, bemused that they would choose a family sedan in one of the most publicly connected cities on the planet, famous for its bus lines and subway trains and neat, proper, walkable city planning. "Here, Circe." He dug into his bag and pulled out the Kamen Rider Chocos that he had bought inside. He squatted down and handed them to her. "Just save the package for us, ok? We need the proof of purchase on the inside." He said as he offered her the crunchy chocolate wafers while he got the restaurant name from her parents.
True to his word there was a good chance he showed up at the restaurant first, leaning back against the front wall as he waited for the three of them to wrestle their way out of mid day traffic in the largest metropolis on the planet. Not to mention finding a place to park off the street in a city that wasn't designed with ease of cars in mind
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Jan 23, 2023 22:53:17 GMT
Mandrake couldn't help but chuckle before he said "I should of suspected you both were messing with me given your track record. Yet alas I was worried I had somehow stuck my foot in my mouth without meaning too." Mandrake shook his head as Zack mentioned Marigold's only positive role model of the female persuasion as he pointed east. "Circe's only positive female role model is also a grandparent. Sort of seeing as she doesn't share data with Lothar's side of the family."
"As nice as my mother is with Circe's current issues there is no way she'd be ready for my mother as she is quite the exciteable type who got carried away when meeting not only Mandrake but our other children. Hard to believe I inherited my super strength from her when I am definitely more like my father personality wise." Lothar said with a chuckle of his own when thinking about his mom. Sure he loved her but she was something else.
As they made it to Mandrake's car the magician said "Yeah I get why it would make more sense to leave the car in the village I grew up in but since we were planning to shop I figured the car could come in handy. Good thing some Trailmon carry cargo as well as passengers."
When Circe was handed the package of Kamen Rider Chocos she was asked to save the package causing her to say "Uhm...Okay." The young one didn't question it as Zack was given the name of the restuarant and left. While the three digimon headed for the restuarant little Circe began munching on the chocolate wafers surprised at how yummy they were.
By the time Mandrake and his family caught up with Zack Circe had finished the candy and was handing out the package. As for where they parked it was somewhere in the back of the parking lot but it didn't bother the three digimon all that much. Sure it was bit of a walk but the family were used to walking a lot even though they had access to a car. Mandrake and Lothar walked toward the door before Mandrake said "Shall we. As for Marigold and Violet, Zack I am sure you can get them something from the restuarant to give them when you get home."
"Too b-bad digimon have to be a secret." Circe quietly said. Even she knew most digimon didn't look very human and the fact that she did was just lucky.
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