Digimon Adventure: Secret Police

Chapter Thirty Three: Toys & Typicals

Charlie flinched, opening her eyes. To her surprise, the cave that she had last seen before the world turned to black was not what surrounded her.

It was just a bunch of toys.

Toy houses, toy people, toy blocks, toy Digimon. She blinked. What in the world had happened since that battle with LadyDevimon anyways?

She sat up and felt weight on her head. "You're okay!"

Charlie felt a grin spread across her face. "Lopmon!" She grabbed her partner from her head before embracing the bunny. "Wait, where are the others?"

"Somewhere around here. We should go look for them," Lopmon suggested.

Charlie stood and began walking down the streets of Toy Town aimlessly, no sense of direction, nor any sense of where she was headed. Turn right, turn left, turn right, straight, turn righ-

"Charlie! Lopmon!"

Charlie turned. Ayame was standing a block behind her, Falcomon flying next to his partner. Charlie smiled. But while she smiled on the outside, she felt a twang of jealously inside. As far as Charlie could tell, Ayame was just another snooty popular girl who would throw her away like a rag if the time came.

"I'm glad I found you," Ayame grinned. Charlie hadn't noticed the girl had sprinted to her.

"Have you seen anybody else?" Lopmon questioned.

"Nope. But I did see a big yellow bear," Ayame recalled.

"Monzaemon!" Charlie realized. She remembered the bear from an encounter four years before.

"I've heard of Monzaemon, but never met him. Is he here?" Falcomon asked.

"Yeah. He runs Toy Town. I wonder how he's doing," Charlie wondered, her voice trailing off.

"Charlie and Lopmon! My favorite guests!"

The quartet saw Monzaemon running closer. As he got closer, the bear seemed threateningly large. Which he was.

"Hearts Attack!" Monzaemon yelled. He sent out hearts, but rather than attacking angrily, they scooped up Charlie, Ayame, Lopmon, and Falcomon gently.

The four laughed as the hearts took them skyward. The red surrounded them, as well as a sense of hope and comfort. The four giggled even as the hearts set them on the ground carefully.

Charlie was still laughing when she faced Monzaemon. "It's nice to see you again."

"As to you," Monzaemon greeted with a smile.

Charlie got serious now. "Have you seen any other kids?"

"Eight others, ten counting you two," Monzaemon answered.

"Eight?!" Ayame exclaimed. "We're missing two!"

"There are twelve of you?" Monzaemon asked. "Last time I met you guys, there were only six."

"Apparently there are more DigiDestined than we thought," Lopmon told him.

"Can I help you find your friends then?" Monzaemon questioned.

"Sure! We could use all the help we can get." Ayame nodded, her purple hair bouncing up and down slightly.

——-

"So, as far as I can tell, we're in the middle of nowhere."

"Uh-huh."

"And Anna is also out cold for unknown reasons."

"Uh-huh."

"AND WHERE IN HECK ARE THE OTHERS GYAAAAAAASH?!?"

"Uh-huh."

"CALUMON!!"

——-

"Okay. We can't find anybody anywhere, and we've looped Toy Town twice. What do we do now?" Ayame asked.

"I don't know," Falcomon replied.

"We could talk about our feelings," Charlie muttered.

"Is there something you want to talk to me about?" Ayame questioned.

Charlie gasped. She hadn't intended on anyone hearing her. "Umm...."

"It's okay. I want to hear it." Charlie looked up at Ayame. Maybe she was a little different than those snobby teenagers...

"Have you ever stereotyped people before?" Charlie questioned shyly. She was happy that Monzaemon had left and wasn't hearing her nervousness now.

"It's only human to," was Ayame's reply.

Charlie sighed. "Have you ever thought someone was one way, but they were really something completely different?"

"Yeah. Multiple times."

"I feel like somebody is a stereotype at first glance, but I'm starting to question my initial thoughts."

"Who is it? Maybe I can help."

Charlie felt her chest tighten. She couldn't tell her... It would hurt too much on both sides.

"It's..."

"It's?"

"You."

Ayame was taken aback by the response. "Elaborate."

"At every school I've ever gone too, I've tried to fit in with popular girls. Every time, they're rejected me. Tai told me that you were a popular girl the first day at the Academy, and so I thought you'd be like them. But now I'm starting to think differently."

Ayame was silent. She stared at her hands, moving her fingers in and out of one another.

"Why aren't you replying?" Charlie asked.

"I don't want my words to affect your thoughts of me," Ayame answered.

Charlie gasped. She had no idea her friend was like this.

Wait.

Friend.

"I think that maybe you're not like them. That you care about other people. People that are different than you are. Popular girls I know aren't like that. They only care for those like them. And you're not them. You're just...Ayame."

Ayame smiled, biting back tears. "That's the best thing anybody's ever told me."

"Really?" Charlie asked in shock.

"Yeah. I have two older siblings. They're twins, and everyone thinks they're just too wonderful. Anthony and Sophie aren't any better than me, but no one else thinks like that. They always get attention. Most people address me as 'Anthony and Sophie's younger sister.' They don't even know my name. I've always just been a sister. But you know my name. You don't know my siblings. You know me. I'm not just a little sister. I'm a person. And I'm a person who gets told the truth instead of just flattery. That means more to me than you'll ever know."

Ayame felt tears well up in her eyes. She closed them, smiling. Ayame didn't even try to hold them back. Let the tears fall for all she cared.

Charlie scooted closer to her friend and wrapped her arms around her. "Thanks for talking to me."

"Likewise," came Ayame's muffled response.

"What a touching moment. Too bad I have a life to take, a crest to steal, and things to do."

"That voice..." Charlie's voice trailed off.

She looked up to see the smirking figure of Lilymon X.

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A/N

Whoop! I did it!

Another chapter up!

Hope you enjoyed (Lenjoyed if you want a bad Vocaloids pun)!

-digital