Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 01: Heroes and Humanity

Chapter 25

Originally Written: Sun, June 23, 2013 333PM to Tue, June 25, 2013 1200PM to Thursday, June 27, 2013 613AM; Tuesday June, 27, 2013 438PM to Sunday, June 30, 2013 714AM

"Most organized storage room, ever."

Someone commented as Albedo climbed onto an old small table. He ignored them, focusing just enough to make sure they hadn't dared to take more than just a peek at his meager belongings. Leaning against a suitcase, he moved a stack of books one book at a time.

He moved to a kneeling position, and wiped the sweat from his brow. He shook his head, "Not your best idea." He mumbled to himself, "You could have at least grabbed your textbook before storming out."

He tapped his hands against his thighs. He pressed his lips together. His mind ran quickly, working through ideas. He smiled, fixed his books, turned around and pushed himself off the small table. "I need to find a phone..." He murmured.

It took him longer than he liked and he discovered Jenrya didn't answer the phone for numbers he didn't know, but eventually he found an old functioning phone booth and got Jenrya to react to his calls.

"Your science textbook?" Jenrya questioned, his voice surprisingly calm for Albedo's taste. "Which one?"

Albedo carefully leaned up against the phone. He didn't dare keep his back turned to so many people. "The one with the test tube vials on it. I can't remember the name."

He heard Jenrya shuffle around.

"Thanks Jaarin….Odd."

"Odd?"

"Nothing."

Albedo heard papers shuffling in the background.

"I found your textbook...DNA and Health...The Link Beyond?"

"Yes, that's the one." Albedo shook his head, reminded why he couldn't remember the name. "Such a ridiculous title. Luckily the authors seem to know what they're talking about. I'll be right over to pick it up. I just wanted to confirm that it was there."

"Um..." Jenrya went silent for a few moments, "Not the best idea. I"ll um...I'll bring it to you."

Albedo smirked, "So, you will join up with the others later then?"

"What?"

"I will pick it up then. You know, at the gathering Kazu and Kenta scheduled."

"Yea...sure."

Albedo rolled his eyes, "You can't avoid me forever. You're the one who wanted me to befriend them. Why must you-" The phone line went dead. Albedo slammed the phone on the receiver. "-be so confusing." He growled, realizing he needed a cell phone and wishing he could afford one. "Stop acting stupid." He mumbled as he walked out the booth. As he put his hands in his jacket pockets he realized he wasn't sure if he was talking about Jenrya or himself.

He walked into a store on his way, and picked up a pack of cigarettes. Thanks to his hair, which ranged from white to gray, depending on the strength and kind of light shining on him, the clerks never asked him for identification. He stopped into another store, and brought a bottle of seltzer water. He found the fizzing bubbles oddly amusing against his tongue and in his throat.

He finished all his work, save for the subject that required his textbook. He had no classes, or a study group to attend to. He came across a park near the Matsuki bakery, a mix between a park for older adults and older children and a playground for kids.

He stood a fair distance away, observing a small group of teens loudly playing the Digimon Card Game. The obsession over Digimon in this area of the world never ceased to amaze him. Perhaps it was because humans found something to obsess over other than a certain human he'd rather not think about.

"Wanna play?" A girl with pigtails stood in front of him. She gripped her deck tightly in her hand.

Albedo stared at her.

"We wanna play a tag team game, but we need another player."

"How do you know I even know how to play?" Albedo shifted his eyes.

"You don't look confused." The girl shrugged her shoulders. "Doesn't matter if you're not that good. Neither am I."

Albedo weighed his options. He had other things he had to be doing. However, there was something about this day where he couldn't make himself do much of anything. A day of nothing was a waste, but things on this planet sometimes happened so slowly, taking one rare day off wouldn't matter. He didn't have much time to do anything really important either. "I'll humor you."

"Sweet! Thanks!"

Albedo found himself playing round after round of the card game, and oddly at a bit of peace. His mind focused on nothing but game strategies. He wondered for a moment if this was why people played the game so much, or at least why Kazu and Kenta did. He wasn't sure if the others played and he couldn't bring himself to care that much.

He learned strategies from the male and second female tag team he played against. His own teammate managed to carry some weight in the matches, but only because he never played a tag team match before. He hadn't even known they existed.

Albedo looked at the other male. He looked focused on something behind him. Albedo turned around. Jenrya stood next to a tree, a hoodie covering his head and a pair of jeans. He held a bag on his shoulders. Albedo only recognized him because he wore his signature sunglasses.

Albedo turned back around, "I need to go."

"That's your friend?" A girl asked.

Albedo gathered up his cards, "I can't make him wait." He nodded to the three teens.

"Aw man." The boy whined.

"You should join a tournament. You're really good." His partner commented.

"Not enough time for such things." Albedo shook his head. Albedo dare not mention that there were better things to do as well.

"How old are you?" The other male asked.

Albedo studied him, "Sixteen."

"Sweet. So are we. I'm Ash. That's Devin." He pointed to Albedo's partner. She nodded with a smile. "This here is Miku." The second girl waved blushing.

A few awkward moments of silence passed. Albedo nodded, "I'm not hard to find." He eventually replied after weighing his options. He stood and left before the group could properly respond.

He heard Ash say, 'He looks kinda like that guy...'

He shook his head. Jenrya held the bag out to him, a look Albedo couldn't read on his face. Albedo took his bag. He nodded at Jenrya.

Jenrya turned around. Albedo followed. The thought of how Jenrya found him crossed his mind for just a moment. He wondered where Jenrya was headed. He followed him to a dense thick and overgrown part of the park. It looked like it had been mostly forgotten.

Albedo stared at the others. They sat on a short flight of stairs, mostly at the top. Rika played a round of the card game against Kazu. Kazu was frowning, while Kenta laughed at him. Suzie sat at the very bottom of the steps. Ai and Mako sat inside an old concrete shed at the top of the stairs. Jeri laid with her head in Takato's lap. Takato sat with his back against the wall of the shed, next to the door.

Jenrya headed to the top of the stairs. Albedo dropped the pack of cigs in his Suzie's lap. With speed that belied her appearance, Suzie had the pack out of sight, and a few bills pressed in Albedo's hands before Jenrya had turned around and after taking a seat somewhere in the middle of the flight.

He locked eyes with Ryo, who exited the shed. Ryo shook his head at Albedo smiling solemnly. Albedo shrugged. Suzie got up to sit next to her brother. Albedo took a seat at the bottom of the stairs.

Ryo snuck back into the shed. Albedo watched Ai and Mako come out of the shed and sit next to Rika, Kazu and Kenta. They held a tray of food.

"Grubs on." Ryo grinned. He passed around bags of takeout, napkins and cups. The group passed money up to him like clockwork, save for Ai, Mako, and Suzie. Albedo had no small bills on his person, so he paid with the money he got from Suzie.

It was one of the most odd things Albedo had ever seen or experienced, but if it had been any other group of people, it wouldn't have made as much sense as it did now.

Kazu played a card. He took a bite of his sandwich. "I'm a stripper." He said idly while chewing.

Jenrya face palmed.

Takato snickered, "The secrets are supposed to be true, Kazu." Kazu gave him a look. Takato groaned, "Seriously? We had to start out with that?"

"Go big or go home, Chumly. We could have started with, "Kenta and I wanna adopt a kid."

Rika pounded at her chest coughing loudly, "You what!?"

Ai, Mako and Suzie ignored the whole ordeal, focusing on their food. Albedo was too amused to do the same.

"You two? A kid?" Rika continued.

"Sure? Why not?" Kenta blushed, "There's way worse parents out there. Not that we're aiming to be bad parents!"

"I think you'll make fine parents." Jeri spoke up softly.

"I hope you two wait until you're thirty." Takato commented.

"We can handle it, Chumly. We just gotta get things settled and straightened out and stuff." Kazu looked at him.

"You guys thought this out?"

"Course we did. Our parents let us run around nuts and look at all we got into." Kazu studied his hand and put down another card.

Riku cursed under her breath.

"You guys want to introduce a kid into all this craziness?" Jenrya tapped his fingers against his knee.

"When we're all a little less crazy, yea." Kazu replied, playing another card.

"Could be fun," Ryo commented, "It'll be like the epilogue of season 2..." He laughed, "We gotta pass on our awesome."

"Our kid, trained under the legend!" Kenta and Kazu both went starry-eyed.

Jenrya facepalmed again. Jeri giggled, and Takato and Riku groaned. Ryo laughed nervously. Albedo wondered if he wanted to strangle some necks alongside him.

"Moving on." Rika sighed annoyed, "Ryo writes my song lyrics. Seventy-five percent of them anyway. He also makes my beats."

Kazu sputtered, "It's supposed to be something new!"

"Something Albedo doesn't know, or something we haven't told him. Nothing about you guys already knowing." Rika smirked. She glanced over to Albedo. Albedo nodded. She returned to the game and played another card. "Best make your last move count!"

"Dammit." Kazu frowned, "Where's the heart of the cards when you need them?" Kenta snickered. Ai patted Kazu's knee. Kazu smiled.

Mako looked at Ai. Ai nodded. "We're grounded, technically." Mako spoke.

"What?" Takato sat up straight.

"We snuck out the house." Ai bowed her head. "We got caught cheating on our science test." Mako nodded.

Albedo stared at them, "Why didn't you ask for assistance prior to the exam?"

Mako looked at him.

Albedo stared at him, as though he was a teacher scolding his student, "And don't say I'm scary. I've seen footage of Beelzemon Blast Mode."

Ai and Mako snickered, beaming. Their smiles soon disappeared. "Can you help us study?"

"Yea!" Mako clenched his fists, "Ms. Tano says we can take the exam over again, but our grades will count 3 times!"

Albedo nodded once, "You will get perfect scores with no...unlawful assistance." Ai and Mako jumped up, and ran down the stairs, singing his praises and hugging him tightly. They sat next to him, their food mostly finished, still beaming.

"Aww," Jeri smiled.

Albedo caught her eyes.

"Guess it's my turn." She sat up. "I moved out of my parents house."

Takato shrugged, "I told her she could move in with me, but she wasn't having it."

"Gurl!" Kazu pressed a hand to his chest, offended, "You can't make a move like that without letting us celebrate!"

Albedo rolled his eyes while the others laughed.

"It was spur of the moment, almost." Jeri giggled, "I wanted to see if I could do it. Dad's helping with rent for a few months, just to give me enough time to find roommates."

"We're trashing your apartment with a party, got it?" Kenta pushed his glasses up to his face.

Jeri laughed, "Alright then, as long as you cover my security deposit."

Rika grinned nodding approvingly. Albedo kept his focus on her, his mind working. Jeri was not one to be crossed. She looked at Takato.

"Mom and dad want to pass on ownership of the bakery to me. I think they hit their heads."

"You run that place fine when they go on vacation." Jenrya looked up at him. "I think you could do it."

"Yea...but that's only 'cause it's run with a limited menu. I'd like to take on culinary school after my business courses." Takato looked out into the distance with a far away look in his eyes.

"I'm sure they don't mean right now, gogglehead." Rika commented, "They're just letting you know their plans."

"Yea." Takato slumped against the shed, "I hope I live up to their expectations."

"This is the guy who jumped from like a fifty foot height to biomerge with his digimon partner, with no fear." Kenta grinned.

"Or how about that heroic dive for Jeri inside D-Reaper?" Ryo looked back at Takato.

"Yea!' Kazu clenched a fist, "She still goes on and on about that."

Jeri flushed.

"Now we want Guilmon bread." Ai and Mako whined.

Takato laughed softly, "Finding courage in the face of danger is different than running a business."

"Bet it's easier." Suzie spoke up hiding her face behind her Styrofoam plate.

"Stole my line." Jenrya looked back at her with a smile.

Albedo nodded and swallowed. "The leadership character properties required to carry out dangerous missions successfully are quite similar to the ones needed to manage a business."

Takato stared at him for a long moment. His eyes softened and he scratched his cheek. "Thanks guys."

Rika waved a hand, "Stop it, before gogglehead-in-the-red over there takes back his words."

Albedo opened his mouth to speak but Mako nudged him with his elbow. Ai whispered to him, "Gogglehead is a term of endearment."

'Interesting', Albedo thought as he studied Rika. He nodded.

Suzie tapped her hands against her thighs, on either side of her tray. "I smoked some weed with a group of classmates on the school roof a few months back." She stared down at her lap.

"W-what?" Jenrya sputtered.

"I smoked some-"

"I heard what you said." Jenrya replied, "Look at me." Suzie turned to face him. He stared at her, focusing on every detail he could. Albedo watched awed. The group remained silent. There were no noticeable lights to flicker around, but if there were, Albedo was sure that they would be.

"Weed isn't as good as they say. It's kinda like that feeling, a few months after the Digimon left. It's like the dream ended, and you would like it to continue, but not if it's just gonna end again."

Jenrya nodded slowly.

"I'll stick to s-solemn meditation."

Albedo caught her slip up, but didn't bring it to light. From what he briefly remembered, "weed", was less detrimental to one's health than cigs were. He shook his head.

"If you need to go on a psychedelic trip that badly, head to the Digital World, "Ryo joked with a smile, "Hypnos has cleared me for travel to and from there freely."

The area fell so quiet one could hear the sound of a fallen pindrop echo throughout the area. Albedo swore Takato squeaked or made that annoying sound fangirls and boys tended to.

"Aww hell ya!" Kazu cheered.

"You got promoted!" Kenta cheered, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you good sir." Ryo mock bowed as best he could since he was sitting.

"Thattaboy." Rika glanced at him before quickly looking away. Ryo did a jig in his seat.

"I'll put you on speed dial." Suzie grinned. Ai and Mako held onto Albedo, shaking with excitement.

Ryo looked from Albedo to Jenrya, "Last two."

Jenrya looked at Albedo. Albedo looked back at him. After a few moments, Albedo shook his head, "I will go." He moved his eyes across the group. He fell silent, his mind whirring with things to say and the pros and cons of saying them. "I am homeless. That does not me I am broke, or helpless." Albedo watched them nod. He wasn't sure if it was in understanding or agreement, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "However, despite displaying that I can take care of myself, and despite my intelligence, which has helped me more than I ever thought I could on a planet full of...inadequates, I find myself at a disadvantage. It is one I wish I did not have, and one I have no control over." He watched satisfied. Kazu looked annoyed, as well as Rika who looked like she was ready to walk away. Kenta yawned. Takato shook his head, while Jeri giggled and everyone else focused on him as though he were the Prime Minister. "I am sixteen years of age."

Rika laughed, "No way in hell."

"And how does saying I'm younger than I actually am, benefit me?"

"Wow..." Ryo shook his head, "Could have fooled me..., Well, you did."

"I thought you were at least twenty." Jeri sounded surprised but was still smiling.

Albedo looked at Suzie. She said something in a language that sounded a lot like chinese. Jenrya stood, staring right at Albedo. He murmured something in the same language, just loud enough to get the others to fall silent.

Suzie grinned calling after Jenrya as he walked off, "I knew it! Mr. Denial!"

Rika looked back at Ryo, "Did he just say what I think he did?"

Ryo nodded as Takato muttered, "Oh boy."

Rika pointed a finger at Albedo, "But him!? Really!?"

"Not something you can control, pumpkin."

Albedo wanted to stand but Ai and Mako were too stunned to let go of his form. "Jenrya wait!" Albedo called.

Kenta murmured, "...He knows chinese, doesn't he?"

"Why wouldn't he? He's like a genius." Kazu replied.

Jenrya turned around and looked at Albedo. He shook his head. He repeated his previous words loud enough for Albedo and the others to hear. Ai and Mako let Albedo go as he struggled.

"Bad move, Al." Ryo called as he stood. Albedo sharply turned around. He stared at Albedo confused. He was not one to tune into people's emotions, but even he could tell how much Jenrya had been avoiding him, that letting him walk off right now was a bad idea. "Ever been drop kicked by a Wong? It's not pretty."

Albedo thought to himself. The part of him that craved knowledge and the part of him that enjoyed understanding and Jenrya and observing him screamed to know what he meant. Albedo turned around. "I'll take my chances." He muttered, running off after him.

Albedo fumed, "I should not have gone back for my bag." He growled. By the time he caught up to where he had last seen Jenrya, the male was nowhere to be found. For a moment, he considered leaving the situation alone. Despite that, he spent his time at the food court and when it was late enough, he walked to Jenrya's apartment. Now he sat waiting in the small lobby sitting next to an elevator.

He had moved quickly in finishing his work and now he was two chapters ahead with note taking. Still he was less than amused. "If any Galvan saw me now." He muttered, "Pretending to be less intelligent, as well as younger than I actually am all for..." Albedo stared at work. He packed up his bag. "I will make the Omnitrix worth it, even if I must apply upgrades to its program. It can't continue to remain in the wrong hands."

He studied the far wall in front of him, as though he was expecting something fascinating to show up on it. The elevator next to him dinged. He looked over to it. Jenrya looked down at him. Albedo resisted the urge to roll his eyes, 'Why didn't I think to go up the elevator?! This planet is making me stupid!'

"Are you coming?" Jenrya looked down at him.

Albedo stood on stiff legs, "As I told you last time, you can't avoid me and then decide I should follow you around like a loyal animal."

Jenrya pinched the bridge of his nose, "Then why are you here?"

"Because I am not the one who picked me up from the streets. I am not the one who invited myself to live in their home in secret."

Jenrya lowered his head, "Look, it's not enough I told you why? You have to rub it in too?"

"Told me why?" Albedo tilted his head in thought, "I am the one you like?" He narrowed his eyes, "And you treat me this way?"

"Why are you getting so angry at me? You're the one who tells everyone we're not doing anything together."

"That doesn't mean I dislike your company!" Albedo slumped against the wall. Jenrya sighed, "You run off and avoid and lie to me, just because of how you feel about something. You don't dare to think about the effect it could potentially have on me!"

"Albedo..." Jenrya heled a hand out towards him.

"And you call me robotic and unemotional. You invite me into your ragtag group, get mad at me when I decline and when I accept, you leave. It is okay for me to sleep in the same bed as you, with an erection pressing against your backside no less, but if I look at you or hold your hand, I can't be sure if you will throw one of your temper tantrums or not." Albedo stared at him hard, "What. Do. You. Want. From. Me? Because I sure as rain or however you say it cannot figure it out."

Jenrya shook his head, "Do you even know why you're angry?"

Albedo sputtered, "Don't change the subject on me."

"You don't know what you want-"

"Excuse me?"

"-From me or anything in your life."

"-I'm not the one running-"

"-there's no way you could know."

"-from everything! You are ridiculous!"

"And you're acting like a brat!"

Albedo pressed up against the wall. He clenched his fists. "You think you have me figured out because you know my age now?"

"I don't think I have anything about you figured out. If anything, all I've only been able to determine is that you don't understand what you're feeling at all, and you're so focused on trying to find the answer in a textbook, that you'll never realize the answer isn't there. And I wouldn't dare make any advances with someone who can't even see that much."

"What are you talking about?"

"You see me taking time away from you as something backwards and illogical. I see it about taking time to think before doing something stupid, again." Jenrya scratched the top of his head, "You have intelligence and all that, but you're too young and inexperienced to be intelligent where it counts."

Albedo blinked quickly. He shook his head, a scowl forming. "You're just like him." He clenched his hands so tightly he was sure he was going to leave cuts. "You're just like them! You think I'm stupid because I'm young! You think I don't have what it takes! That I cannot do it!" He bent down and grabbed his bag.

"It's not a competition or anything like that." Jenrya looked at him confused, "What are you going on about?"

He locked eyes with Jenrya, "I will show you. I can handle responsibility." He circled around him.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you." He spat.

"Why? So you can call me up to bring you another textbook?" He looked back at Jenrya. Jenrya shook his head, "It's gonna be cold tonight. You'll need more than that jacket."

"I don't need assistance from you."

"And I didn't bring you to my apartment building and put myself in a situation where I can get kicked out for endangering my sister and my family, for my own amusement." Jenrya folded his arms.

"...If I am that big of a security risk, you shouldn't have brought me here in the first place." Albedo turned around.