1782/The Duke

The Duke
Date of Scene:	11 March 2015
Location:	The Forest Path
Synopsis:	Ferham comes across a wild Duke in some tall grass--err, forest.
Cast of Characters:	516, Duke

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Duke has posed:
The evening has fallen over the land and the stars are high in the sky as the fireflies flutter about the forest trail. They cast a gentle glow around the area as nocturnal creatures move about and through the bushes, some even trying to snatch up some of those fireflies in the darkness.
Another creature is also on the move this evening. His red scales easy to spot among the deep green of the forest, with his black markings and white under belly. Those gold eyes locked onto something that scurries quickly through the forest.

The Draconic Dino leaps over a tree stump and then attempts to pounce ahead, claws of its front hands stretched out and then goes to slam them into the ground, only for the creature to go hide into a berry bush not far from the trail.
The reptilian creature snorts softly as his ear fins extend up for a moment, before getting down low, almost on all fours as he moves closer to the bush. His tail barely moving, as those child like gold eyes glance around in the bush. Yet there is something far deeper in his eyes, something much older then the child-like innocence displays.

Ferham (516) has posed:
     The forest was vast, and the treetops covered most of the floor, where moonlight didn't illuminate. As Ferham passed by on a flyover, her audial sensors detected some kind of disturbance below, even this high up. She cast a glance down to it, before perhaps catching a glimpse of what might have been... something red? Strange. Only thing red out there should be her. She flew down to investigate.

     There is a 'whump' followed by the sound of pine needles and leaves crunching underfoot, the valkyrie-like femmebot sliding her red wings behind her. To be honest, this was a little dangerous, but she liked it. There could be direwolves or some other random monstrosity in here, and the thought of such thrilled her.

Duke has posed:
The draconic-dino lifts up his head and looks over his shoulder at the sound of something coming to 'land' near by. His ear fins perking straight up as he tries to determine what it was, this giving a chance for his little prey to quickly flee out of the berry bush and make haste for the other side of the trail!
While the Guilmon X goes unaware that his prey has escaped, he does though turn himself around and carefully start walking toward the source. The four foot and a few inches tall digimon narrows his eyes faintly before he speaks up with caution in his voice, "Hello?"

Once those words slip past his muzzle, he comes to a stop, his ear fins going back a bit as he speaks up once more. His child-like voice seeking perhaps any answer at all to the mysterious sound or if it should be something he should run from, "Is anyone there?"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     It does definitely seem as someone... or something has arrived, judging by the noise. Standing in the forest, however, is Ferham. The heeled thigh-high boots of the winged gynoid are moving softly through the grass, pine needles and whatever else, finally lifting her gaze up to the sound of the voice.

     "Hello to you back, I was just passing by and thought i saw something down here," she frowned just a little, that voice, it was terribly familiar. Of course, she hadn't been able to make eye contact with whoever it belonged to, either.

Duke has posed:
Duke's tail swayed side to side as he listens to the voice from the woman. His eyes narrowed for a moment, before they went wide and his ear fins even perked up as he realized who the voice belonged too. With a large smile on his muzzle and a soft glow in his eyes, the Guilmon X quickly ran in the direction of the voice. Twigs cracked under the sound, foliage ruffled. Ferham would soon get a glimpse of the 'Child AI' she has spoken to a few times on the global radio and he, would get to see her.
Once the Draconic-dino broke over a bush with a leap, he landed down on the ground, before standing up fully, those gold eyes looking directly at the much taller individual. His mouth opened with some awe, as his tail moved side to side.

"You are..." The Digimon speaks after the stun of who he sees before him, the interest of something very new to his eyes that he has yet had a chance to meet. "You are," He says again before at last getting out her name, "Ferham, right?"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     Ferham is a bit taken back by the voice's owner, having not been that ready for the sudden appearance of the four-foot something dragon. She hesitated for just a moment as he jumped out, raptor style from the brush. "Yes, I am, and you're Duke the AI from the radio, right?" Ferham's hands are empty and at her sides as she attempts to approach slowly, her boots crunching some dry leaves as she moved over, attempting to bend down just a little to be more on eye level with the dragon's golden ones.

     "Are you alright out here? was something after you?" she seemed to be concerned, at least from the tone of her voice.

Duke has posed:
Duke gives a nod as Ferham asks, 'you're Duke the AI from the radio, right?' and with a cheerful pipe of his voice, "That is me!" Though as she comes in closer he bows down his head a little bit, leaning back a tad as his tail still continues to move side to side very slowly, brushing across the surface of the low laying grass.
Those gold eyes meet hers as she asks her next part, causing his ear fins move back just a touch, though they go back up once more as he then looks back to where had come from. The Digimon then looks to her as he starts to speak up, "I was hunting," he says with a short nod of his head. "Doran has been teaching me and given Alexis' teachings of focus, along with, um, Tactics!" This is where he grins quiet a bit, "I thought I would go out hunting on my own!"

Duke's ear fins droop a little, "But I think it got away, so I may have to go forging for berries instead." He then tilts his head a touch as those ear fins extend back up, "Though I am ok with this, because it gave me the chance to meet you."

Ferham (516) has posed:
     Noticing the hesitance on Duke's part as well, Fer pauses, straightening herself a bit back up, peering down at him. Fer's eyes were a deep green, watching the red dragon curiously. "I see, you require prey for operation, I understand," the femmebot dropped into some robot-style speech, before noticing the fin droop, tone softening.

     "I'm sorry if I interrupted your hunt, I admit we haven't been able to meet as soon as I'd liked, I've been a little busy," she put a hand on her hip casually, sighing a little. She had been busy too, by the sound of it. "I heard Lute attempted to get you on our side, unsurprisingly it didn't work," she smirked a little.

Duke has posed:
Duke sits down on his rump as Ferham continues the conversation, his tail moving slightly to his side as he just, looks up at her keeping those eyes of his locked onto her green optical eyes. Every once and awhile his tail tip would flick, but for the most part he seem to be hanging onto every word, waiting for her to finish before he spoke up.
Once it seemed the conversation turned to join and Lute, the Guilmon X frowned a little and broke eye contact. His eyes drifting off to the side of his view, "Lute... Lute tricked me." Duke says softly with a touch of pain in his voice. "I was confused and he took advantage of that," Those gold eyes then look back to Ferham, "I will not be so easily tricked again!" There was a slight growl to his words this time, but it did not stay long as he let out a soft sigh.

"I really wanted some friends, a direction. I was confused and because I couldn't remember anything..." Duke's voice fades off as he then lowers his head. "...and when I realized I had been tricked, I was so mad, but," there was a soft chuckle, a sad one though if his ear fins back were any indication. "At least being forced to Digivolve like I did, it, it jogged something back into place."
"I suppose I should thank him for that much." Those gold eyes then go to meet her green eyes once more, looking into them, almost as if trying to evaluate her with deep contemplation. "Why," He says softly, "...why do you care about that?"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "He does that, yeah. You... probably shouldn't believe things people tell you, at least not if you can determine they are being truthful. Such thing is a learned trait, and is very difficult," Ferham nodded again with a sigh. She let the Guilmon talk for the time being though, equally interested in what he had to say. "It was understandable for you to experience anger at deception, that's normal," she moved to kneel as the dragon asked why did she care.

     "I was suspicious he might try to deceive you, turns out I was right, I'm sorry about that," she gestured gently, as if to try and show she meant it. "I didn't want you to be taken advantage of, as new AI can often be, it is unfortunate."

Duke has posed:
The Guilmon X rumbles gently as Ferham kneels down and expresses her regret for such actions taken toward him, but he does give her a soft nod of his head as he seems to accept what she has to say. There was a moment if silence, where he closes his eyes in thought. His tail becoming still, even as a night breeze moves by.
Once he goes to speak up again, his eyes open once more. "I... I am not sure if I am new..." He says with a hint of mild confusion in his voice. "The nightmares I have, they seem so real as if I had experienced them before. I... I know that I shouldn't be able to do what I do."

Duke's eye ridges furrow, as he goes to stand back up, looking at his clawed paw hands. "When I, when I digivolved at the bank," He then looks to Ferham, "I did really understand it then, but recently... I.. I realize now I shouldn't have been able to do that. A... A child digimon.... what, what is what I am right now, they..."
He shakes his head softly, some frustration creasing over his features as he shuts his eyes tightly. A huff of smoke comes out from his nostrils, before he opens his eyes once more. "Its very confusing and I, I don't know how to explain it." His shoulders slump about then as his ear fins go back. "I am sorry, Ferham... I bet things were a bit easier for you, right? Or... were they just as confusing?"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Your memory is damaged? Hmm..." Ferham looked down at that. "Aww, now I feel even worse for not saying something, I did not want to meddle in other's affairs," Fer cringed and it was her turn to look away, looking as if she felt quite bad right now. She blinked however when the dragon stood up and seemed to become more steely. A gloved hand reached out and hesitated, not wanting to startle him by touching unexpectedly.

     "That's horrible, you have nightmares often?" her brows creased as well, shaking her head a little. "It wasn't very easy for me either, I made decisions and stuck to them," she knelt silently. "Sometimes you make mistakes, however we're fortunate we're able to reflect and learn from them," she might try to place her gloved hand along the underside of the dragon's jaw, if he lets her, otherwise she'd retract her arm.

Duke has posed:
Duke shakes his head gently as Ferham voices that she feels bad for not doing something, "It is alright. You did not no... I didn't know either... and I am still unsure." His ear fins stay back a bit, but not in an aggressive manner, but in one of thoughtfulness and a hint of sorrow.
He didn't like the fact the Reploid was blaming herself, it wasn't her fault and when she went to move her hand on his muzzle's jaw, he didn't move away. Instead he rested it there, closing his eyes and almost making a slight draconic purr like sound. "You seem nice..." He says softly, before opening his gold eyes once more, but only part way. Relaxed it would seem around here and not being to hasty to move away either.

"I do yes," Duke responds to her question about nightmares. "...about every time I sleep."

Ferham (516) has posed:
     Ferham was gentle with that gloved hand of hers, trailing it along the bottom of the dragon's jaw as she spoke, stroking it. The black polymer material that makes up the palms of her hands is padded and fitted with a grooved rubber-like pads, like the leather of a falcon's claw. Still, she was careful of the taloned fingertips of those gloves.

     "Well, you don't have to believe what I say. I don't agree with every project or activity the confederacy engages in, and I disagree with a few," she remained quiet more or less, remaining there kneeling. "I do, myself as well, have nightares... disturbing recollections of past events usually, when I'm offline," she seems to know what he means.

     "I wish I could help with them, but they must be overcome emotionally, and mentally, from what I have come to understand," her gloved hand might begin to explore one of those ear-fins soon as well, the femmebot's curiosity unrelenting.

Duke has posed:
The draconic purr continues at the gentle petting, his eyes coming to close once more. His tail moves side to side, slowly but gently across the grass. Duke seeming to rather enjoy the contact, much like a cat or a dog really. Though when he does speak up, he does so with his eyes still closed. "I've been told to not judge anyone by the groups..." He goes to explain, as he can feel her head moving along side his face.
His gold eyes open about then meeting her own green as he continues to speak, "To judge by individuals. So, don't worry... Lute hasn't tainted my views of any of you." Though once Ferham touches his ear fin, he closes his eyes yet again while leaning his head into her hand.

The ear fins are leathery scaled like, like most of his skin. Like a cat though, he seems to lean into it a bit, which if not careful he could easily lean to far over and just fall to his side. Though when the possibly of that starts to happen, he shifts his weight a bit to keep from falling over entirely. "...feels good..." he murmurs out.

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "I wouldn't be offended if you did think we were a little bad, given the state of a few of us," Fer coughed a little, seeming to find that just a tad amusing, but shrugged. Noticing that leaning due to the pat of his ear fins, Fer curls her fingers around gently and rubs, sort of like oen might do with a dog's ear flaps. "You better be careful, you don't fall asleep here," Ferham grinned just a little. "If you ever did need our help or wanted to join it would be your choice, Dracula and Serori wouldn't call for anyone's abduction, wouldn't match prior behavior, anyway," Fer had to lean into the dragon just a bit too, partly to make sure she could help if he tilted too far.

     "I'm afraid I'm a bad influence already, you're already acting like a housecat," she grinned, those green eyes of hers watching the dragon's.

Duke has posed:
"I'm use to sleeping in wild areas," Duke admits as he continues to throttle a purr with his words. "We don't have homes like many people do." The Guilmon X opens his eyes once more as he looks to Ferham and smirks faintly on his muzzle, "...also not a bad influence just," His tail twitches a little. "Different."

The Digimon then goes to move his head away from her hand, shaking his head a little to shake off the odd sensation before tapping her hand softly with the tip of his snout. "We don't... do things like that with one another.. I don't think. So it felt different, nice... but different."

The guilmon' ear fins perk up as he looks off into the distance for a moment, then back to her, "...and I'll keep that in mind, Ferham, but I think its better I don't join up with anyone. Not until... Not until I know who I am." Duke nods his head faintly.
"I can't even hold my other forms and I don't even have a good grasp on how to evolve to them freely, so, I'd... I'd probably just be a burden, but... but maybe one day." Duke then smiles. "You are also nice, Ferham. You really are, so I hope we can meet again. Maybe you can tell me about your adventures and more about your kind!"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Fair enough," Fer smiled a bit in return, then blinked. "Huh? do things like what?" she raised a brow, tilting her head. "You don't pet eachother? that sounds a little cold and distant," Fer relaxed back, nodding. "Understandable, I'd prefer a new AI make it's own decisions, even if you're... well, not new, exactly," she listened again.

     "You transform? I see, I've met a transformer or three in my time, they are cybertronian, however--bit different from you, or well, me," she eased back from the Guilmon, when he seemed to want to go. "It's quite fine, I almost wouldn't want to see you get into combat either, you're too cute," she reached over and drew an index finger along his snout and nose, tickling him just a bit before moving to stand up again. "My kind are rare around here, but so are yours, so we have something in common, I think."

Duke has posed:
The Guilmon X looks back to her as she stands up and turns to face her once more, "Well, we play spar against one another and sometimes cuddle up to sleep, more so when its cold." He taps his muzzles chin in thought, "But... petting... is not something we do?" He tilts his head a bit then to the side, as his tail moves side to side. "Transformer?" He asks very quizzical of such a term.
Duke almost seems to get a bit redder when Ferham calls him 'cute' and looks away, but when she goes to tickle his snout,he looks back to her. He wrinkles his snout a bit before he sneeze gentle from the contact, then gives a gentle nervous laugh, before using the back of his pawed hand to rub his snout.

"If... if you like to see me Digivolve... I... I could try? I, I do need to head back to meet up with Doran, but he knows I can take care of myself too." Duke says with a firm nod of his head, "But, um, not sure how long I can hold it."

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Ah... Mechanical beings that are able to shift from a disguised vehicle form to a robot mode, they're interesting," Ferham elaborates on transformers for the child-stage digimon. "Careful there, was expecting you to puff smoke, or maybe a bit of fire," Ferham grinned a little, giving the Guilmon a pat on the head, before stepping back.

     "If I wanted to see it? only if you wanted to show me. You're not my trained monkey or something, you don't have to do anything for my amusement," she shrugged. "It's up to you, Duke," she smiled with a nod and placed her hand flat against one voluminous hip.

Duke has posed:
Duke grins at the pat of the head and then hops back a bit, before he huffs a little fire out as a playful tease to Ferham's own words. Though when she brings up its own choice and not trained monkey, his ear fins perk up as he tilts his head to one side. "I would not have offered if I didn't want too." There was a playful grin that followed afterwards, "Besides," then a more serious look crosses his face. "I... I need to try in order to get better."
The guilmon X then looks around, before he looks back to Ferham, "Just.. just becareful, ok? Its harder for me to think... the attribute that I am.... I think it really messes with me, but... but that is why I've been training. So that I can do this and I wont lose control."

The draconic dino Digimon then closes his eyes once more, as his ear fins go back slightly. His tail slowly stops moving as he tries to focus, tries to think clearly. A small breeze starts to kick up for a moment as a few sparks of electrical energy flick across the ground near by him. There was another crackle of spark, as his eye ridges furrow as he continues to focus.

        +++BADUM+++

The Guilmon X huffs out a bit of fire as his thoughts wonder over to his training and over to events of the past since he had arrived here. The cold words, the cruel voices, and then the nightmares. The nightmares of the past that plagued him so. As his mind wonders, the ground around him starts to spark further and his body starts to glow with a digital light.
Lose twigs and pebbles start to rise off the ground from the field of energy being generated around the small Digimon, before a beam of light surrounds him and shoots up in the air for a split moment. Once it fades away, with a heavy roar that shakes the treetops standings not the four foot Guilmon X, but a newer form, yet with some roots to the child stage digimon.

Standing a bit more humanoid, Duke's new form carries the same colors as before. A singular horn extends off each of the eye ridges, with the ear fins looking more jagged and less of the membrane between the spines. White hair extends out from the back of his head like a wild mohawk or mane.
The Growlmon X's gold eyes far more predator-like, but the intellect was still there, which look directly too Ferham's own green eyes. He was closer to her height as well now, standing around six foot four and with a careful step, he moves toward her slightly before lowering his head in a sign of respect.

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Well then, show me," Ferham crosses her arms over her front and continued to smile, head cocked ever so slightly. When suddenly the laser lightshow of digivolution took place however, her smirk disappeared, and she stepped back, just a bit, hesitantly. The roar from Duke is felt in her armor, as it buffets against her, causing her to become... quite surprised wtih the taller, much bulkier frame standing there, nearly falling back off those heeled boots of hers.

     However, Ferham is unafraid, even as the more steeley and predatory eyes are brought to bear on hers. "Duke... that was amazing!" she stared wide-eyed, before looking him over--noticing the distinct addition of those dangerous-looking armblades and that wild shock of silvery hair. "Good thing you're friendly," she smiled again, a bit hesitantly, but reached out to click a taloned finger against one of those big black tipped nails of his.

Duke has posed:
The Growlmon X observed Ferham as she walked around him. He snorts out a bit of flames from his nostrils and seems to choose to remain silence for the moment. Once she taps the black part of his clawed hand, it makes an almost metallic like sound, this is also when he breaks the silence. His voice slightly deeper, more aggressive, but teenager like. "Glad I am friendly too."
He then observes her a bit further before he goes to look away, his nostrils flaring as he sniffs the air a bit while his eyes are close. Once he opens he eyes, he opens his mouth only slightly, those fanged teeth being shown as he inhales the air, before his mouth closes fully once more and he exhales through his nostrils with a bit of smoke.

His spike ridge tail flicks a bit as those gold eyes look back at her. "You are not affraid?"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Oh? do you have trouble when you change forms?" Ferham looked up with some concern, noting that remark from the Guil... well, not Growlmon. With the shift in height, they were more or less on equal terms now, as Fer was a bit over six-feet tall herself. "Why would I be afraid? you're rough... and majestic," Ferham was smiling a bit as she leaned in and out attempt to put an arm around the larger, more bipedal dragon's shoulders, or failing that, around his side.

     "If you're not of me I'm not of you, pretty simple," she peered down, nearly tripping on one of those large feets of his.

     "Quite bulky, though. Least that means you have good traction and land ability," she teases, trailing a gloved finger down the dragon man's muscled shoulder and bicep.

Duke has posed:
As Ferham nearly trips, he extends out his arm slightly so that she wouldn't lose her balance to much. Those gold eyes of his watching her every movement, every action, observing her closely as if weighing something out in his mind. When she traces her finger tips along his shoulder to chest, he closes his eyes gently with a deep rumble escaping out for a moment.
His eyes open up once more with a soft exhale, speaking up once more. "Focus is hard. Aggression is high. Viruses are... dangerous. Hard to think while like this," He closes his eyes once more as he lowers his head slightly. "Easy to anger, easy to lose self."

Duke opens his eyes once more as he then goes to gently rest his far larger clawed paw hand on her shoulder, or at least makes the motion to do so, hesitantly at best. "You are.... my friend. Trust.... I trust you." He then nods his head gently. "But yes, Evolving takes... great focus, easier when endangered."
His eyes then look to her and then away, before they drift up to the sky. Looking up to the stars for a moment, watching a few critters move through the trees above.

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Many traits are learned, this is just one of them," Ferham echoed what she had said earlier about seeing through deception, nodding. "Viruses? were you an... anti-virus?" she frowned a little, peering closer at the dragon's muscular body and then up to his face, watching his emotions. "I see... maybe it's due to emotional response, or perhaps your body produces more adrenaline when threatened," she was curious as all hell just how Duke's physiology and body worked.

     "I seem to have distracted you from your rendevous with your friend Doran, I apologize," she reached up and massaged one of his muscular shoulders with a gloved hand, careful of the talon edges. "You seem like you can cross a great distance with this body, though, so there is that," she smiled a bit and hers leaned into his a bit more, following his gaze up to the stars.

Duke has posed:
Duke rumbles a bit of a purr to the massage and closes his eyes a bit as Ferham speaks, seeming to be showing a bit of comfort around her, at least keeping his own aggressive nature in check for the moment. His tail moves a bit, as he continues to stare at the stars, before he speaks up with a soft rumble, "Beautiful. Peaceful." The Digimon then brings his focus back onto her, noticing that she has moved in far closer then where she was before.
His eyes show a momentary bit of a confusion, before his eye ridges furrow at his own thoughts, then seem to relax a touch. "I do not know, just I do." He tilts his head faintly to the side. "..and yes," His eye ridges narrow a bit. "...Virus. Virus Attribute. Like Beelzebumon." As he speaks the other Digimon's name there is a bit of a snarling hiss that follows it. A display of perhaps dislike for the other Digimon. "Viruses are bad. Trouble. Cause harm. Few are not, even fewer who do not give in."

The Growlmon X shakes his head gently. "Sometimes easier to just give in when very tired." The Digimon then goes to move away from Ferham a bit. "You... are also not at fault. I enjoy the company, I enjoy friendship." He then tilts his head to one side, then to the other as he speaks. "We will... meet again? Share stories.... share time?"

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Ah, that's not difficult to figure out. It's your instinct to hunt down and slay these... virus attributes?" she didn't lean away from him or really change her position at all, continuing to trail little circles around one of the muscles on muscles the Growlmon possessed with those impressive biceps and abs. "Oh, that one--I've heard of him. Can't save I've met him," she seemed to share a bit of the distaste, if just a little hint of it. "He doesn't exactly come across as a reader to me, if you get my meaning," she muttered.

     "If you would like to, you know how to use a radio, right? you know where to find me, tight beam me," she nodded, no longer being so soft or coddling as she is standing there with an /adult/ after all, not a child at the moment. Though she still seems gentle.

Duke has posed:
The Growlmon X watches her finger tips trace over his muscular structure with a soft tilt of his head as he displays some mild interest to what she is exactly doing, but he did not turn away the contact nor shun away her curiosity. Once she brings up the radio he gives a nod. "I know how, yes. Though when we speak, I will not be in this form."
His gold eyes study her once more, before he inhales deeply and then exhales a gently sigh. Duke steps in carefully, mindful of his larger frame to hers and then goes the flat of his forehead against hers, unless she steps away. There is a gentle rumble from him with a slight draconic purring sound before he says softly. "Be safe."

The Growlmon X then goes to move away from her and starts to turn away, he large feet easy aiding in keeping his balance seeming very mindful of where he stepped down at to maintain that balance, along with placement. Unless she was to stop him in some manner, he would probably move from a walk, to a jog, to a full out bounding run.

Ferham (516) has posed:
     "Understandable, if it's tough for you to maintain," she nodded. She had been mostly paying attention to the contours and valleys of the Growlmon's abs, before looking up and locking eyes with Duke as his forehead pressed into hers. "You too," she replied sincerely, then stepped back, those heeled boots avoiding those big dragon paws as she stepped aside, her wings sliding up as she prepared to find a place to take off.

     "See you later, Duke," she exclaims a bit wistfully before flying off into the sky. He was a quick one, that.