Scene #2152: Down By The River

Owner	Pose
Dukemon X	The late evening had come over the area and by now many should be asleep, however one such creature defies sleep and has wondered off into a part of the woods just outside of Alexis' ranch. More correctly to a running stream with fish swimming about it of possible Pokemon types and a large waterfall down the stream to a pond. It is here at this pond that the four foot Guilmon X could be found, standing on a few stones on the edge of the pond's surface, crouched down and looking at his reflection--- along with the moon high above and the stars. His ear fins raise up a bit before he cants his head one way, then another, before he softly huffs out some flame to watch the water become stream and rise upward into the sky...
Doran	As the steam rises and Duke's gaze follows, he might catch a glimpse of a shadow standing near the top of the waterfall before the steam obscures that area. As the steam passes, the shadow is gone -- but a moving shadow glinting purple in the moonlight can be spotted jumping down from rock to rock. It seems Duke is not the only restless soul tonight. Doran steps around the roiling spray of the waterfall, his fur getting a noticeable gleam from the water. "You too?" He asks simply.
Dukemon X	Duke catches the sight of something, a shadow presence, and his ear fins move back quickly. His tail flicks side to side as he snarls softly. His claw paw hands flex slightly as if waiting for something--someone-- else. Yet it seems he soon realizes who it is and the child Digimon relaxes. "Doran?" The Guilmon X lets out a soft sigh. "Thought maybe.. no... nevermind..." Duke then attempts to smile, as his ear fins perk up. "But yep! Restless!" His gold eyes gaze back at the water. "Though I'd come here-- look at the stars and maybe try to catch some fish." the Guilmon X tilts his head, "Instead... became more fascinated by the water's reflection and, well, creating steam!" He scratches the side of his face. "Sometimes the steam creates some pretty neat shapes and patterns."
Doran	Doran doesn't seem offended. "You thought I was that shadowy Gaomon, didn't you?" He shrugs his shoulders, his tiny wings flapping a beat or two. "I don't blame you, after everything else you've been through lately. Should've been more careful." He looks up the waterfall. "Or less, I guess." He lowers his nose towards the water, peering at the fish within the pond as his vulpine tail sways from side to side. "Those fish do look tasty," he grins. Ah, Digimon, always with food somewhere on their mind. "But creating steam?" He cants an eye over to Duke as an ear flicks. "How so?"
Dukemon X	Duke mms softly as Doran says being less 'careful'. "You are fine, Doran. I shouldn't be so on guard. If I let him cast such fear into me... then I'll never be able to really face him when he /does/ show up again." The Guilmon X snorts. "...still annoying he interrupted Beelzebumon's and mine duel." When Doran says the fish look tasty, Duke can only grin, but hrms as Doran brings up the steam. "Ok... so... see the water?" He points his claw at it. "Watch!" Duke takes a bit of a breath in before he huffs out some flames at the water. The fire impacts the water and as soon has it does, the water turns into vapor, rising up into the air as steam. Duke's gold eyes watch it again, before he smiles brightly on his muzzle, "Hehehe. See! Steam!"
Doran	Doran nods, but says nothing more on the subject of Gaonoir. Enough has been said on that front as it is. Instead, he tilts his head as he watches the process of Duke making steam. His eyes widen and pupils constrict as he watches the steam rise, then he also grins. "I see!" He shakes his head. "I can't do that, though. My breath makes cannonballs, not fire." He sniffs at the water's surface. "Wonder if you could just cook a fish in the water without having to catch it first..."
Dukemon X	Duke scratches the side of his face to Doran's question. "I-- am not sure? I mean, I could try, but then Alexis may get mad at us if she knew we cooked all the fish in the pond..."
Doran	Doran scratches his chin thoughtfully. "True... and we really don't need to make her mad." His ears twitch noticeably. "Phooey."
Dukemon X	Duke ear fin twitches. "Maybe we could test this on another pond away from Alexis' place one day?" The Guilmon X then grins, as his tail moves side to side, "Would be a fun experiment! Yep!" Those gold eyes then blink a few times. "...or we'll end up getting chased by local wildlife..." This then leads a bit of a sigh, before a mischievous look comes over his face. Then a devil of a toothy grin with those sharp teeth as he looks at Doran.
Doran	Doran sagenods. "Probably both. It usually becomes both." He stops mid-nod and blinks at Duke when the Guilmon-X starts looking mischieviously EVIL. "Um...?"
Dukemon X	Duke lowers down. His claw-paw hands resting on the rock, his ear fins go back, those gold eyes narrow. Then with a playful rawr, he pounces! More correctly he goes to playfully shove Doran into the water! Which he then looks over the edge with a big goofy grin on his face, "Hehe. You're all wet now!"
Doran	Doran makes a very undignified yelp as he gets shoved into the pond, making a decent splash as he hits the surface of the water. He pokes about half of his head up out of the water, ears completely flat as he balefully stares at Duke, looking anything but impressed. He suddenly pops his head up and spews water right at the Guilmon-X's face, like a water-gun. "So are you!" He retorts, matching Duke grin-for-grin.
Dukemon X	The Guilmon X acks and flails at the sudden water to the face. The spray of water was enough to cause the red dragon-dino to lose his balance and go crashing into the water with a splash. He at last pops his head up and spits out some water, ear fins going back as he gives Doran a look. "Well... I can do something you can't." Duke remarks pointing a claw at him, and then with his other paw hand he pulls back his arm, "This!" and then waves it forward to splash Doran in the face.
Doran	Doran ackgurbles as the wave of water smacks him right in the face and he ducks back underwater. The pond is about chest-deep when standing on the bottom -- which is still enough for Doran to retaliate by chomping on Duke's tail just enough to get a firm grip and pulling backwards, intending to drag Duke fully underwater.
Dukemon X	As soon as Doran goes underwater Duke lets out a soft, 'Oh o', before he yelps at the 'chomp' and then is dragged underwater. He garbles a bit, before his claws dig into the rocks, to yank his tail free and then goes turn himself around to 'headbutt' Doran underwater.
Doran	Heads bonk, Doran immediately surfaces holding his head in both front paws. "Ow!" It didn't hurt, exactly, but he really didn't want to risk inhaling water. His tail swishes in the water as he looks around, his muzzle pulling down into a frown. "Aw, all the fish swam away..." Really, Doran, that's what you're focusing on here?
Dukemon X	Duke rises back out of the water when Doran brings up all the fist 'swam away' and Duke gives a shake of his head to get the water off. "They'll be back. Though they are smart and hard to catch. Also some have annoying horns." The Guilmon X sniffs the air a bit, before he goes to pull himself out of the water, giving his body a general shake, then moving over to a few rocks and then stretching out across them. "Fish swim up stream.. fish swim downstream... they always come back. Best place for food for them.... best place for us to get them too." About this time he yawns a little and closes his eyes. "I should start practicing to hold Medieval Dukemon more often... instead of always staying like this." "I think... this maybe is half the reason I'm lazy and... unable to focus energy right."
Doran	Doran climbs out of the pond as well, shaking off the water like a dog. "Lazy? Nah." He actually pulls his tail around so he can wring it out like a towel. "But holding your form..." His ears flatten, then one slowly perks. "That's tricky. Takes practice, mainly. You've gotta learn what works for you and what doesn't." He gives himself another shake, down to flicking one paw at a time to get rid of some lingering water, then plops down on the banks himself. "You keep putting all your energy into your attacks. Nothing for defense, nothing to maintain your form. It's..." He pauses for a moment, trying to find a good word for it. "...forced, I guess?"
Dukemon X	Duke mms softly at Doran's advice and also observation. His gold eyes closing in thought. "Probably true... it just... I don't know." The Guilmon X grunts gently. "While I know I should take advantage of my ultimate stage... and linger in it, it doesn't feel right? If that makes any sense." The Guilmon X rumbles at himself really. "...then again... allot of things don't feel right lately." Duke then hops back up his feet and crouches there. His lizard tail wrapping over his feet. "Like... I know the steps to take, I know the moves to make... but it feels off. Like I'm missing something." Duke's ear fins then go back as he thinks on this for a moment. "Just not sure what... but... I do need to solve staying in that form and working on my endurance." His gold eyes go to the waterfall. "I tried some of that Waterfall Meditation... its hard... but maybe if I do it in my Ultimate, use the pounding water, maybe then I can not degenerate so easily."
Doran	Doran rumbles a little bit at Duke's attempts to explain, eyes narrowing in thought. "Maybe you are... but you're the only one who would know what you're missing and maybe why." He lifts his shoulders in a helpless shrug. He follows Duke's gaze over to the waterfall. "It's worth a shot, right? Better than constantly getting yourself into fights and not having enough energy to stay conscious afterwards, that's for sure."
Dukemon X	Duke sneers a bit at Doran's implication before giving a gentle snort. He doesn't really push into the details, but focuses on the waterfall. "I doubt its an end all-- um, be all, but if it works..." He tilts his head faintly. "Maybe it will also help me eventually get those answers from Beelzebumon." His gold eyes narrow as they flicker with a bit of blue energy for a moment. "Or maybe even beat up on that black Gaomon if he shows up again--- which I am going to need all the strength I can get." Duke then goes to stand back up once more. "As a perfect... he hits like an ultimate. There is something--- not right. I can sense it when I look at him... his power..." The Guilmon X growls a bit before he shakes his head, his ear fins tucking back. "He is even willing to harm people if it means getting what he wants." This is followed by a soft snort of frustration. "So first... I have to try and just... stay in Medieval Dukemon normally... and then... waterfall training." Duke then huffs a bit of smoke. "...this is going to take a bit."
Doran	Doran notes the blue flicker in Duke's eyes and smiles knowingly, his eyes closing. "Important things usually do." He stretches and stands up, shivering a bit as his still-damp fur reminds him of the night chill. Not that there /is/ much of one, but it's more than enough for him. "Let's head back, Duke. The questions won't answer themselves tonight."
Dukemon X	Duke scratches behind his ear fin a bit with his claw. His actually lets out a bit of a yawn after he does so and clenches his jaw for a moment. "Yeah. Sleep sounds good right now... at last." He laughs a bit at this, before he gives a playful grin. "Last one back has to clean the barn room!" He says with a bit of glee in his voice as he takes off, forcing Doran to have to play catch up. Yep--- Digimon Children will be Digimon Children, even when they can reach Ultimate stages and their minds fully expand.