2139/Open Heart - Closed Eyes

Open Heart - Closed Eyes
Date of Scene:	01 May 2015
Location:	Foxtrot Ranch
Synopsis:	Duke tries to distract himself by remembering the Digital World's alphabet(s), but this ends up being an exercise in frustration. Fortunately, Doran and Alexis help out in their own ways.
Cast of Characters:	Alexis, 695, Duke

---

Duke has posed:
Alexis has brought Duke back and thanks to Sanary's healing ability, Duke was in /far/ better shape then he probably should be, but he'll still need recovery time, energy wise. This meant when they did get him back, he was out cold in his corner of the barn. Sleeping away.

Though over there he also had some scattered papers of the DigiCode including seeming to be trying to remember the alphabet. It seem it was indeed some type since the Digimon here had used their home language, makes one wonder if they still do... those like Gaonoir...

Yet Duke would not remain asleep forever and by the time night had came, the child Digimon was awake and he was fussing over the DigiCode again, including seeming to be rather frustrated look on his face as he kept scribbling out letters, crumbling papers, and snarling at some.

Becoming a bit to /involved/ with it? Perhaps.

Alexis has posed:
"Y'know, I don't like paperwork any more than you do, but getting frustrated with it doesn't really help much." Involved enough prehaps to not even hear Alexis come down the steps into the barn. Idly she picks up one of the half crumpled sheets and opens it as she leans back against a support post. Though after a moment of looking at it she goes a bit cross-eyed and snorts. "This makes even less sense than Unown cyphers. You sure it's not just jibberish?"

Duke has posed:
"DigiCode is not jibberish." Duke says as he scratches the side of his face. "I'm... just having trouble remembering the whole alphabet." He points at what he does have. "I remember A... C... E... H... Everything past P."

"Then I remember... some of a, e.. i..." He tilts his head, yes Alexis may realized that has a different sound from the a and e he said earlier. "Ka.. chi...wa..." Duke sighs and shakes his head. "There is just more letters to it then what is found in English. I guess if you look at the Multiverse translator...and if you were to ignore its speech ability to take what we say... so everyone understands it. Digimon's language break down into something between... English... and Japanese."

"It a cross between the two." Duke rubs his head. "...which gives me a bigger headache then I already have...Mmmm." The Guilmon X then shakes his head gently, his ear fans slumping completely back. "I thought I could translate it easily... but its harder then it looks, Alexis." Duke then lowers his head. "...maybe everyone is right and I /can't/ learn...because there is no room /to/ learn. It always feels like I'm treading old ground. Like I've done steps a thousand times before."

Duke's eyes flare brightly as he tosses the pencil to the ground, "Its frustrating!"

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran was padding in for some well-deserved rest post-hunt when he overheard a bit of the conversation. In fact, he pokes his nose around the doorway just in time to see Duke throw the pencil.

"Now what'd that pencil do to you?" He asks as his ears flatten and he fully enters the barn. He doesn't look any worse for wear physically, most of his injuries (and re-injuries) over the past week having pretty much healed by now.

He leans down to study the characters on the papers, eyes narrowing briefly as his tail sways in thought. "Oh! I see the problem."

Alexis has posed:
Alexis huffs softly. "My japanese is rusty. Guess some of us have gotten too use to the whole translation effect. That and, well, it doesn't translate 'dead' languages. So maybe it considers it one, seeing as.. y'know."

With her own sigh she recrumples the paper and tosses it into a wastebasket. "Bullshit ... hey Doran ... there's no such thing as nothing new to learn. Or we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation because I wouldn't be going out getting into my own trouble from time to time."

Duke has posed:
Duke growls gently and just cuts a look over to Doran. Someone woke up on the bad side of the bed-- or maybe it was the headache. He huffs softly and just plops his dragon-dino bum back on the bed. "I'm... frustrated. Very frustrated. I /know/ this. I know it maybe says... Acc...access I think... but...." The Guilmon X shakes his head.

"...and about dead..." His eyes narrow. "...not sure how dead... is really dead." What is that suppose to mean.

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran waves to Alexis at the greeting, but snorts over at Duke. "Death aside." He kicks aside a few papers to clear the dirt floor and grabs a decent-sized stick. "Look, Duke. You're trying to remember two seperate languages. That's why everything's so messed up." He begins using the stick as a pencil, carving crisp-looking symbols into the dirt floor. You can easily tell one from another, and Duke would be able to notice that Doran is indeed writing out the alphabet.

As he writes, he speaks without looking up from what he's doing. "There are two languages, DigiCode and DigiMoji. DigiCode translates perfectly to English, so that's probably why it's usually automatically translated, and it's the most commonly known. DigiMoji is... more complicated. Older."

Alexis has posed:
Alexis takes a few steps back out of the way when Doran starts scratching at the ground. Good thing the barn still has a dirt floor for the most part. "Well that would explain why it wasn't making much sense." She doesn't want to step all over the scratchings so she just sits down on the stairs instead, resting one arm across her knees to lean forward a bit and watch.

"Considering were you all come from, this Moji mojo whatever wouldn't have some kind of basis in a computing language I wonder."

Duke has posed:
Duke watches as Doran starts to write it out and the Guilmon X more calmly, reaches down to reclaim the pencil, grabbing a sheet with a book-- and starts to copy what Doran is putting down. "I'm just hoping if I can translate that image that you cleared up for me Alexis, I may be able to... you know... maybe try and remember more."

"I still don't know what happened at the end of that fight. How I got back here... just Doran got knocked back... and Beelzebumon-- then everything went black. I remember cycling up power and just... blacked out." Duke shakes his head softly. "...Then that stupid pup shows back up and almost kills me... he could have... but he didn't." That seems to actually bug him.

"Why didn't he kill me? He told me he was the shadow of everything I tried to forget..." Duke eyes narrow sharply, before he growls softly. "...but I don't want to forget anything... I want to remember... but his words... they made no sense... they would imply that... that the Royal Knights..."

This is where Duke stops following along and he closes his eyes, however he shakes his head, as he sniffles his nose and falls silent, before looking over to Alexis about then. There was mixed emotion in his eyes. Fear, anger, sadness, and simply being at a loss of what to do. He does try to smile though, as fake as that smile may be on his muzzle. "...and I don't know if you could use the language to code... maybe...." His eyes go blank for a moment, before he shakes his head and looks down at what he has written so far.

Alexis has posed:
Alexis bites her lower lip softly as things about pasts and forgetting comes up, as tends to be her nervous habit. She might of been planning to make a smartass joke based off the code comment, but it faulters when things start taking a more solemn turn again. "That the Royal Knights what? Had someone to do their dirty work for them, and he's managed to escape here as well? We did kinda expect that to happen eventually."

The hard part is that she can't really say most of the reasons she can think of, because that would involve having to explain the things they've been hoping he'd pick up for himself.

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran looks up at Duke sharply as he finishes with the first alphabet, but Alexis asks the question for him. Well, better not pin Duke too terribly hard on it.

He starts writing again, this time slower and more intentional, and more complex symbols appear -- some are single, like DigiCode, but most are a paired sequence. "DigiMoji is the first language, based on sounds instead of letters. Only older Digimon really remember it anymore." He grins a bit. "It's been a while since I've written it out again. It's good practice."

His grin fades gradually as he writes. "That black Gaomon... something is OFF about him. I can't put my finger on it yet." He doesn't want to say something akin to 'familiar', though that would be admittedly more accurate.

Duke has posed:
Duke follows along and snorts softly. "Yeah... I don't like him. At all." His eyes narrow once more in thought. "...I am also starting to wonder how true my dreams are... because I saw him in my dream last night... and it went much like today... only he went to block and leaped over me... and then..."

Duke stops following along and closes his eyes. "...I saw Royal Knights in my dreams... and one of them was most vocal... I couldn't escape from it... the questions... the doubts... It hurts... down to the core."

"...and I can't help but wonder... if Yggdrasil is still alive, but that would mean," He looks at Doran. "...that would mean that the Digital World is still alive."

Alexis has posed:
"That or he kicked out even his own once he didn't need them anymore." Alexis leaned back against the stairs, resting her elbows on one of the steps. "I'm just shooting the dark on what you guys have told me here. But it could be he's acting on whatever programming or whatever for you guys he had because he doesn't have someone looking over his shoulder telling him what to do."

She flicks off on her fingers as if counting. "Attacking you guys. Attacking other Exiles. Stalking you and Beelzebumon fighting. It's like he's doing these things because they feel like what he's suppose to do."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran snorts. "Of course it's still alive, Duke. Yggdrasil wouldn't have released that X Program without taking measures to protect what it wanted to protect first. The whole point of that /thing/ was to end the war by any means necessary. The old world is gone, but Yggdrasil's new paradise is still out there."

He inhales deeply, a sad look crossing his face for a moment. "I guess that Gaomon wanted to keep us from searching for it. Make it sound like there was no hope of going back." He growls softly as he finishes an arrow-like symbol with particular flourish. "Not that anyone needed to tell US that."

At Alexis' analysis, he looks up at her with his eyes widening. "That's what the Royal Knights did in the Old Digital World." He snaps two claws together -- a gesture picked up from humans, no doubt. "They're just continuing where they left off. They don't care whether we're in a Digital World or not. We still exist, so the mission hasn't changed!"

Duke has posed:
Duke finishes just as Doran does and hrms softly as Alexis and Doran seem to agree that this guy is maybe just following lost cause. Doing all he knows how to do. "Its kind of sad if that is true. I know we Digimon are not like computers... even if we come from one. We grow, think, feel... so the idea that one is just--- following last standing orders, is kind of sad."

"I wonder if all the Royal Knights are like that... and if there are /any/ others actually around." Duke grumps. "If there is. I'll make sure to beat them in the face, like I plan to do to that pup if he shows up again. I /almost/ had Beelzebumon. I actually /broke/ his nose!" Duke sounds oddly... happy about this.

However when Doran brings up the X program, Duke's eyes seem to go distant.

    'It will not fail.'
    'How will it protect the Digimon?'
    'Yggdrasil will let no harm come to those who are prote<span class=" fg_r bg_n ++ ted'

    'cr">Protected? Protected by who's will? By who's judgment?</span>'

Duke closes his eyes tightly and shakes his head, before placing away the paper and pencil almost shaky, with the pencil almost falling out of his claws, before he actually /hides/ himself under the sheets. All but his tail with twitches side to side.

Alexis has posed:
"If they have a specific purpose like that, they'll keep chasing it no matter how irrelivant the Multiverse may make it. I mean, for crissakes, Jesse and James are still chasing Ash for HIS SPECIFIC PIKACHU when they could of caught dozens of wild ones by this point." She makes an exaggerated gesture of no other choices. "But nooo, it has to be that one, because that's the one they specifically set out to capture."

Granted there's other reasons they've been stuck on Ash as fair as her world goes, but let's not muddle the subject in extra details.

Particularly when Duke goes to hide under the blanekts. Alexis frowns. "I think we hit a sore sport," she mutters, more for Doran's sake to hear than anything else.

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran nods to Alexis. "I think so..." He puts the stick down and pads over to Duke, poking at the Guilmon-X through the covers. "Come on, Duke, talk to us." Poke. Poke. "Don't hide yourself away /now/."

Duke has posed:
Duke mutters under the blankets and doesn't come out. His tail moves side to side with more agitation as he is poked. "Bad things... dark things.... Project D.... Project A.... projects..." He hisses as if trying to not growl or snarl. To not just Digivolve in frustration, before he sticks his snout out, not his whole head, just his snout as his tail snakes back under the blankets too.

"I know they are bad... that is what my heart says... but if I listen to my heart... then my dream was true.. and...and I don't want that to be true." He goes to tuck his snout back under. "This is all the shadow pups fault." Says the muffled voice.

Alexis has posed:
Alexis sighs softly and shakes her head. It was starting to feel, to her at least, that she was overreaching her affinity for dealing with 'monster' types. Duke's probably was quickly reaching a point where the dam is going to break so to speak, and there's not going to be a lot she can do about how things go from there. This new factor was just pushing it to happening a lot faster than she had hoped.

Than they have had to get Duke ready for it.

"You said it yourself, Duke. You guys aren't just programs. You can learn, change.. but just like us humans, one has to -want- to. Cerberumon didn't want to change, she was soooo hooked on revenge. Look at where it got her."

One hand grabbed the railing so Alexis could pull herself back to her feet. "To know your past is one thing. But that doesn't change that it is -the past-. In the end, regardless of what you find out, it's going to be the here and now that counts. Not the what and win so many people get stuck on."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran's expression changes when Duke mutters those project initials, as if he knows exactly what Duke's referring to. He's just a little more open with his reactions since Duke can't see him. His mouth presses into a thin line, eyes downcast, before he hops up onto the bed as well.

He sits there for a while, letting Alexis speak, then closes his eyes completely. "'I'll do my best to be honorable, just, and protect those who need protecting. And strong enough to protect my friends and all they hold dear.'" He sounds like he's quoting.

Duke has posed:
Duke hears Alexis, but doesn't respond to her. Instead he just seems to curl up more. Even as Doran speaks to him. he doesn't respond right away. There is just a long moment of silence, before he does speak up at last.

"I want to be strong... honorable... brave. Like the Royal Knights were before they became corrupted, twisted, dark as the Demon Lords." The Guilmon X raises his head out from the blankets, looking at them both, covering the blanket around him in some strange semblance of comfort.

"Just... Honor... Valor. Mm. Valor. Knowing truth... truth... is very important." Duke says as he closes his eyes and lowers his head. "Truth... Valor... Honor... protect those who can't protect themselves. Give strength to those who need of it... that is what the Royal Knights were suppose to be... not murders. Slayers of lives." A tear runs down the side of Duke's face.

"If they... If they haven't killed... If they haven't had turned their back on /everyone/. None of this would have happened.... and it /hurts/." The Guilmon X tries to hold back his tears, trying to be strong-- at least in face. "I /want/ to move on... but something keeps dragging me back to the pain. I keep seeing /him/. White armor... wolf head... dragon head... All Delete.."

Duke looks at Alexis. "I'm worried.... I'm scared... that Yggdrasil will come for you. For protecting /me/. I'm scared that me being involved with others... will get them /killed/. Sanary almost got /killed/ today... and it would have been my fault."

Duke lowers his head after he says this, his ear fins going back. "....Yet I know I can't run scared... because fear... fear like this... will get me killed sooner, but I... I feel like I'm being haunted by not only the white one... but by another... lance and shield-- mocking me. That is what he did in my dream last night. Mocked me." He looks at Doran. "Kept asking me who I was... and told me that Yggdrasil's decision was finite... that he would come back for me."

"...so what will happen to everyone else, if he does, Doran? If I /don't/ get stronger, if I /don't/ solve who I am... I /can't/ do what I /want/ to do." The Guilmon X then lowers his head. "...but I also know... I don't...I don't think I can handle that truth either."

Alexis has posed:
Alexis snorts. "Wouldn't be the first high and mighty entity I've had to deal with." Though her bravado isn't quite the bluster it would normally be, if only because of how upset Duke has gotten. "I dunno what the mutt's game is, but trying to play games with your head seems to be part of it."

For all the tough girl act she always put up, it hurt seeming the poor guy so choked up like that. "The first step to overcoming fears is admitting you've got fears to overcome. There's nothing wrong with being scared, Duke. You just can't let the being scared -control you-. That's what they want. For you to be too afraid to do anything."

That's about the best advice she can give without... you know... going into the things she and Doran agreed they wouldn't until he was ready for it. "I'm goin' to bed. I know it's still hard, but you should get some rest too. Both of you."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran's eyes turn strange as Duke speaks. Older, wiser, remorse, deep betrayal. Duke may not notice it, but it is certainly there. "You can handle it." It /still/ sounds like he's quoting, but from what? "You may not see it now, but you're stronger than you think."

He curls up at the foot of Duke's bed, just one big purple pillow. "I know your fears. Believe me, I get it. It's been a driving thought for me every day since we escaped our world. Maybe why it wasn't until we went to Ponyville that you saw another side of me." He smiles a bit. "Listen to Alexis. You're not alone, and you're not shoving any of us away. No matter how hard you try."

Duke has posed:
Duke looks over to Alexis as she says speaks her own wisdom, then Doran says his. The Guilmon X looks at the written Digimon Language for a moment, before scooting himself ever so slightly, carefully, to eventually cuddle himself into Doran.

It actually might be cute if Alexis was to look back as she goes up stairs, this purple fluff ball, being snugged into by a red dino-dragon lizard. It was only the question that now remained... how much longer---

--- Till Duke has to face himself?