1662/After Effect

After Effect
Date of Scene:	25 February 2015
Location:	Techno Urbania
Synopsis:	With the robbery done and Duke at an all time low, some friends go to find him. To pick him back up and get him back on the straight-n-narrow again.
Cast of Characters:	Alexis, 695, Duke

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Duke has posed:
After the bank robbery, Duke had collapsed in a box. His energy completely drained from the sudden warp evolution to his highest form he could gain. It rained most of the evening, which didn't help much. Cold, shivering-- the rain was just now starting to let up.

He did as he said he would do as well. Destroy the radio the best he could when he woke up. Yet the signal could still be tracked-- hard as it may be for someone of the Union to do so, but with the right tools, not impossible. Sneaky Feds.

Those sharp teeth tore down into another piece of the headset as he slammed his claws into a part of it and ripped it apart, spitting a piece of it to the side and then tossing the other half against the wall. He let out a sneeze though and coward back down into the box he had been staying in most of the rain.

The Guilmon X's gold eyes staring out into the dark alley around him.

'Duke!' He could still even hear her voice as he closes his eyes. 'What are you doing?!' It caused him to still cringe inside, but he did wondering if something Lute said early on was true... if Digimon were maybe stronger with people. Could a Digimon.. really serve a human? Could they be partners and that make them stronger?

Then even Caster's words played in his mind. How the Confederate don't leave friends behind-- yet they both left. Kari-- Caster. What was the meaning of 'leaving behind'. Though-- Caster did try.. Duke will give her that much credit and.. he couldn't be really mad at Kari. She was.. she had a good heart. Then there was the cold words on the global radio. Calling him dumb.. and the loud mouthed snob who was probably still more talk then action.

Duke grit his sharp teeth together, snarling at everything that had happened just this day. "If I.. could just.. remember.." He says to himself-- but in a dark alley-- in the cold and in the rain.. it may just carry in the wind.

Alexis has posed:
"You can't expect to learn everything at once."

Doesn't need to carry in the wind when Alexis comes walking down the alley, hands in the pockets and hoodie still pulled up over her head from the rain. Leaving one to wonder how she even gets those pigtails to stay inside of it. Screw folical logic, she comes from a world where anime hair physics apply. "Besides, I think you learned plenty in one day as it is."

With the rain finally letting up she flicks the hood down from her head, said pigtails spilling out almost as soon as they're clear. "I'm gonna hazard a guess you just collapsed out here afterwards?" She shrugs a little. "The weird lady with the illusions managed to give us the slip after a merry little goose chase."

Duke has posed:
Duke hears Alexis voice and raises up his head. He then peers out of the socked wet box like a lost puppy almost. Those gold eyes look at her, as his ear finds droop back. He then looks away, before he pops back into his box.

"I.. I am surprised you're still talking to.. me." He says, his voice rather meek. He shivers inside his box and huffs some flames a bit trying to warm himself up a little. What good that actually does. "After what Duke.. I.. did." He cringes at his slip of words and rests his claws over his muzzle. "..I wanted something so badly, Alexis.. so blind.. my data was so scrambled.."

He then sniffles a bit, trying to hold back a sneeze. "..no.. no wonder Doran..." He sighs softly. "...I failed him too.."

Yes, the hyper little digimon who only wanted food and play, was right now at an all time low. His voice was just a equally lost in the whole matter.

Alexis has posed:
"Because a -real- friend doesn't turn their back just because you do something stupid." Normally Alexis wouldn't bother with the emphasis, but it's important to the point this time around. Where was the so-called 'friend' that set him up to this when he was left alone and cold in the rain after all? Yeah, exactly.

The tomboy walks over to crouch down next to the box, ignoring that the ground was still wet from the rain. "I could give a bunch of lectures, but there's some lessons ya just have to learn for yourself about life. Not the point of coming back to check on you, anyways."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran had heard of the incident at the bank, but only bits and pieces. It's amazing what an unassuming alley-creature can overhear normal citizens worrying about and watching on their overly-loud TV's while going about his usual scavaging runs. No details, but he can guess what had happened. He'd been keeping an eye on Duke lately even if he hasn't made himself known, letting Duke make his own choices and decisions and dealing with the consequences accordingly. He can't protect the Guilmon X forever, not from himself or the huge Multiverse they've found themselves in... as difficult as that is for the Dorumon to accept.

The four-foot-tall furry purple-and-white raptor silently pads down the alley, coming from the opposite direction of Alexis' approach. He has a worn canvas bag slung over his shoulders and chest like a backpack worn backwards, short front paws protectively holding it close, its contents blocked from view. He doesn't interrupt nor get too close to either Duke's hiding box or Alexis, but does not hide himself and still gives Alexis a long distrustful stare.

He's had enough of non-Digimon screwing with them both, thank you so much.

Duke has posed:
The red dino digimon looks up at Alexis as she speaks. His eye ridges furrow as he contemplates what she says, but his ear fins stay back. Still a touch upset over the whole matter. "It is.. hard for Duke.. me.. to think like this." He explains to her. "..But," He stares up at her fully, stepping up to her. There was a low rumble from him before he speaks. "I am sorry, Alexis.. I..."

He then nudges his muzzle against her, rumbling a purr like sound with his eyes held shut. Though he doesn't stay that way for long, as he suddenly backs up to sneeze. That is when he notices Doran off in the distance.

This is when the Guilmon X's ear fins perk up and he stares at Doran. Then a slow smiles comes over his muzzle, as he steps in that direction, "Doran!" Yet as he stares at his other friend, that is when the smiles fades and his ear fins drop back. "..doran.. I.. I am also sorry to you.. for.. for everything.. I.."

Duke grits his teeth slightly and lowers his head, his tail drags then on the wet ground as his claws almost touch the wet payment as well. "..so much conflict going on. Its so hard to put it all together. I, I know that is why you been protecting me. Isn't it?" He looks up at Doran then, his ear fins moving up slightly. "You knew.. didn't you.. that my mind is.. conflicted. Between my form.. my attribute and.." He then places his claw on his chest, not saying the last part.

This is when the Digimon looks to Alexis. "That is.. what I've been trying to explain, but never had the words. Its hard to think straight.. and its hard to not be aggressive... and I can't remember anything of my past.. so.. get frustrated." He snorts softly, then uses the back of his paw to rub the end of his muzzle. "..very frustrated."

Duke then looks back to Doran, "But you have not met Doran yet?" He asks Alexis looking to her, then back to Doran. "That is Doran.. my old friend.. the one I told you about.. and Doran.. this is Alexis.. she is has friends much like us, well.. sorta like us."

Alexis has posed:
Alexis hadn't even noticed the wolf-raptor slinking around until Duke gets up and points him out. She leans back and turns a little to look, sees the look he's giving her. "I don't think he's too fond of seeing me here. Frankly, I don't really blame him. Humans ain't been all that great to you guys." Though she doesn't seem to be too worried by the dirty looks, either. She's not exactly a stranger to dealing with angry monsters after all.

She puts her hands on her knees and gives a little push to get herself back to standing up. "I don't quite get where the whole digital thing and living thing cross, but I get the 'fragmented' concepted. Something must of been pretty traumatic.... Something.. I don't know." She shrugs a little. "You reacted -strange- when Beelzebumon crashed the party."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran straightens up noticeably as Duke speaks, ears pricked and swiveled forwards. Alexis is forgotten for the moment as the Dorumon just stares at the Guilmon X, his boxy muzzle a study in outright shock. However, when Duke asks his question, Doran closes his eyes as he just looks... weary. "Yes, Duke," he replies quietly, a profound weight to his acknowledgement. "I know." He pads forwards, still visibly leery of Alexis but no longer giving her the stink-eye.

He shrugs the bag off of his shoulders and hands it to Duke with a twinkle in his eyes. He doesn't need to explain what it is -- the smell of still-warmed food, likely day-old items a local deli had tossed out, is indication enough. "It was that, yes." He pauses for the briefest of moments, then turns towards Alexis. "Beelzebumon?" His pupils constrict to slits like a cat's, though his body language indicate something closer to fear than anger. "He and Duke met?"

Duke has posed:
Duke's tail moves side to side slowly as he stands back up fully watching as Alexis address Doran and rumbles as she talks about how humans haven't exactly been very kind. There was-- some great truth in that. Though he tilts his head about the whole traumatic experience deal.

The Guilmon X then looks away. He watches his tail moves, giving it a funny look, before snapping himself out of whatever thought was crossing his mind. Those gold eyes then look over to Doran, before looking back to Alexis. "I wish I knew.. I just... remember a ton of battle. Many battles.. screams.. cries.." he closes his eyes as he tries to think of them all. "..deaths.. many deaths.. then.. pain.." He winces a little as he opens his eyes. "..betrayal.."

The Dino Digimon looks over to the other, his tail stops moving. "..wake up.. and I met him.. Doran. There was some others but.. everyone is scattered now."

Then as Doran comes over, he smells the bag and his ear fins raise up, "Food!" the Guilmon X says with excitement. That hasn't changed it seems. As soon has Doran puts the bag down, Duke takes it from him. Then plops down opens it and starts chowing down. "..so hungry.. so good." Nomnomnom.

For the moment the conversation is forgotten, as it seems the little red digimon dino dragon is very happy, though he slows down as Duke picks up Doran's concern in his voice. Then he remembers what Alexis also stated. He.. himself... acted strange. His eating slows down a bit, then licks his chops as he looks at the piece of bread he has yet to finish devouring with great vigor.

"...We did meet, Doran... and.. i.." He inhales deeply. "I.. changed.. somehow.. but then I lost the form... He didn't really attack me. He told me he may know the answers about my past... but," huffs. "..wont give them until I best him in a fight."

He chomps down on the bread hard. "..scrub-bite." He chomps down on another piece, almost taking his own claws off that time. His gold eyes look to Alexis. "..and I.. felt strange too. Burning up. Hot. I felt like.. I was going to explode actually..." Duke closes his eyes. "Saw more battles.. darkness.. and heard.. my voice? Maybe? Yelling his name in rage.. or in eagerness for the battle."

Alexis has posed:
"He evolved, I know enough about digimon to know that much." Alexis looked to Doran while Duke was stuffing his face. "Stress can induce evolution? Though I think it was more than -just- stress in this case." She sighs a bit as she leans back against the side of a building, folding her arms, musing for a few moments.

"You might wanna lay low for a bit. Get away from the big city. I can explain to the Union that you were misguided by Lute, and whatever magic that one lady used means no one seems to remember what happened... but that doesn't mean the local authorities won't be looking into things."

Then she lifts her head to look towards the still darkened sky. "I don't think the answers you want to look for now are around here, anyways..."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran's ears swivel, one remaining aimed at Alexis and the other twisting towards Duke. He snorts as Duke explains what happened, stubby front arms wrapping over his chest as if he was trying to imitate the human guesture of crossing his arms. It's actually a little funny, especially considering the heavy topic at hand. "Sounds like him," he grumbles under his breath, one part disgusted and one part... bemused? "At least some things haven't changed."

His vulpine tail swishes thoughtfully as he settles back on his haunches. "You Digivolved, Duke. What you felt is normal, especially if it was triggered without you controlling it." He nods to Alexis' question. "It can, yes. Usually Digivolving is permanent and related to age and how strong you are, but sometimes extreme stress triggers it temporarily -- as long as you have the energy to maintain it." He tilts his head in thought. "The form Duke took... what did it look like?"

He exhales deeply at Alexis' advice to get away and lay low. "I was afraid of that. I don't trust the ruins anymore, but that isn't the only place available to us." He grins. "There are advantages to being self-sufficient, and the Multiverse is a big place. We'll manage." He cants a look over at Duke. "Right?"

Alexis has posed:
"Kinda like a big knight," Alexis replies. "I chased out the Confederate at that point and didn't see anything else."

Duke has posed:
Duke returns to eating as the two talk, though it seems once all the bread is gone, he tips the pack upside down and gives it a few good shakes to see if anything may fall out of it. Almost making a pout-y face that there was nothing left.

This leaves the Guilmon X to place the bag back down with his left ear fin raising up, while his right one says down slight. Now his attention returning back to the conversation at hand between his very dear friend and a becoming human friend. His thoughts keying on what Alexis has to say about leaving. "Leave the city?" Duke asks back with a look of worry on his face, "But where would we go?" Then Doran says they'll manage and he looks at Doran about then. Almost like a dino-dragon caught in the headlamp of Trainmon.

Or in proper human equivilent-- a deer caught in the headlights.

"Uhhh." Is all he has to say to Doran, before scratching the back of his neck. He doesn't seem to have a very comforting answer to the living on ones own deal. Though he seems to be leaving Alexis to explain the looks, cause well-- its hard to look at own self without a reflection. Which she seems to do at the best of her abilities.

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran blinks at Alexis. "A big knight?" The tiny bat-like wings on his back flutter, but he doesn't seem surprised. "Really." He looks off to the side as his thoughts trail elsewhere. "That's a good sign, then..."

He emits a low sigh at Duke's less-than-enthusiastic response and shakes his head. "Duke, we aren't leaving all cities, just this one. And I'll teach you to hunt as well, since you've improved all of a sudden." His golden eyes glint for a moment. "Maybe being out in the Multiverse isn't such a bad idea after all."

Duke has posed:
"Right!" Duke says in agreement to Doran, then blinks, blinks again, then peers at Doran. "..wait.. did you just agree to the fact its good to go adventuring?"

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran levels a deadpan stare at Duke. Clearly, he is not amused. "I said it may not be a bad idea. I did not say it was a good one."

Alexis has posed:
Alexis has to duck her head for a moment to stop from snickering too hard. "There's nothing wrong with a little adventure now and then. Trainers tend to travel for long periods of time on our own, just ourselves and our pokemon companions. It's kind of a right of passage thing." She chuckles a little at the exchange. "You'll learn more visiting different places than you will staying in the same spot all the time. Worldly experience is the best solution to naivety. No offense intended. You made a mistake. They happen. They're what we learn from."

Alexis pushed herself up from the wall. "That said, if you guys ever need a place to rest up for a few days, the Ranch is open. I've got a lot of monster friends, like Duke said. You'd fit right in." Then smirks a bit as she tips her head to the two digimon. "For now, rest up and get your strength back.. I still owe you a sparring match, after all. Until then, take care guys."

And that's that. No strange promises or insistant on return requests to 'be fair'. With a final wave Alexis turns and wanders back out of the ally. Duke was going to have to learn for himself... but maybe now with the problems with Lute past it'll be easier to keep him nudged in the right direction to find them.

Duke has posed:
The Guilmon X grins playfully at Doran and then goes to hop over and if he isn't careful, Duke make nip at one of his ears. Before looking over at Alexis and his tail shifts ever so slightly as his ear fins perk up. "I would like to see your ranch one day, Alexis!" He says with a big smile.

He looks back at Doran, then back at Alexis. "I will do my best to learn. I do not want the same mistakes to happen again and this time." He snorts out a bit of fire from his nostrils. "I wont be so easily fooled. Nope!"

Then he murmurs, "..or so I hope."

Once Alexis starts to walk away, Duke waves to her, almost standing on the tip of his claw-nails to do so, then about falling over from lack of balance. He turns to look at Doran. "So where too! I can show you have to use a warpgate! They are neat!" Then the Guilmon X blinks his eyes. "Hrrrm.. also realized I don't have a radio anymore.."

Doran (695) has posed:
Doran bows his head to Alexis, putting aside the little spat between himself and Duke for the moment. "Thank you." The simple statement encompasses everything, from the offer to the Ranch to even being here to help Duke out of his post-adventure slump. It means a lot, coming from a Digimon distrustful (at best) of humans.

That's about when Duke decides to nip an ear, and he swipes his tail at the Guilmon X's face in response. "Anywhere but here. If you know how to use those gates, even better. I'll need to let Ryuu know..." He frowns at Duke. "And you're not getting that radio back."

Duke has posed:
"Oh come on!" Duke exclaims as he huffs at Duke. "Even just for a bit?" He asks as they start to walk to the nearest warp gate.