Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 01: Heroes and Humanity

Chapter 26

Originally Written: July 12, 2013 306PM to Sunday July 14th, 2013 303AM

A/N: There is a missing scene leading up to this scene. I do not have access to my full notes on this story right now, but when I find them, I will add it here. Perhaps I removed it temporarily because there wasn't enough space in between the chapters to put it in.

For now, all you need to know is between Chapters 24 and Chapter 26, this chapter, Mr. Koji decided that to appease the board of education Albedo would need to take a mental health exam. The doctor he chose was Dr. Iris. Yes, that one. Dr. Iris protests, because of the blatant discrimination + law breaking going on, but Albedo demands Mr. Koji gets him another psychiatrist to evaluate him because he already knows Dr. Iris, and he doesn't want anyone declaring he somehow cheated on yet another test.

Albedo rubbed his eyes as he walked outside the office. Mr. Koji had replaced Dr. Iris with another doctor, at Albedo's request. Dr. Katsuya, a female with black hair framing her face, dressed more casually than Dr. Iris. She had spoken to him about various seemingly unrelated situations. She had him answer what he would do in these various situations, as he took some form of exam that asked him questions about himself he would have never asked himself.

He yawned, covering his mouth, stretching to his tiptoes and stretching his free arm to the ceiling. He shifted his bag. 'Humans should come up with portable heating units, similar to microwaves.' He thought. He liked chili fries, but even he wasn't about to eat them cold.

The only trick he had been able to keep in mind with the exam was to answer the questions truthfully as per his Galvan person, and not his human one. The test had taken longer than he would have liked. Some questions were difficult to determine and answer for. After that he had to determine if his truthful Galvan answer would contradict anything concerning his human identification. There were more things than he liked to admit that he experienced in his life that by humans standards, was way too young to have experienced or even realized or touched upon.

Dr. Katsuya had kept a straight chess player face, giving away no responses to anything Albedo had answered.

'I went to take an exam metaphorically blind.' All that studying seemed to be for naught save for just keeping the information in his head.

"Mr. Lowenthal?"

Albedo nodded to the heavyset man. "Mr. Koji." Doctor Iris stood behind him, a determined look on her face. She had taken time to readjust her hair, which had fallen out of it's neat bun while she was arguing with Mr. Koji earlier. If he wasn't so tired, he'd be more amused. He did recognize the look Mr. Koji had given her as he looked at her naturally blond hair. It was the same professional yet degrading look Mr. Koji gave him.

"We can discuss the terms of your next exam, if you aren't too busy."

"That will be fine." Albedo followed Mr. Koji and Dr. Iris to a small office. Albedo thought it was temporary. Although it was clean, it was also too organized to have recently been used.

Mr. Koji motioned for him to sit. He sent a disapproving look to Dr. Iris.

"...Good day Mr. Koji. Mr. Lowenthal." She huffed and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Two weeks from now, Mr. Lowenthal, you will be teaching over a science class of your choosing, as a substitute teacher. You will be observed by a faculty member and a member of the Ministry. You will be teaching for a full week on a full schedule, so it would be best if you cleared your schedule to compensate. It wouldn't look good to need a substitute teacher for the substitute teacher, now wouldn't it?"

"Of course not." Albedo held in a scoff.

"At the end of that week, you will be required to test the students on an exam the original teacher has prepared."

Albedo nodded, 'This is only a step up from tutoring.'

"You will not be required to grade these exams however."

'Of course. The Ministry wants to determine how much information I can cram into a student's head. How biased and flawed. I cannot make students study, and it will be negative to my teaching ability if my methods result in low grades.' Albedo tried not to narrow his eyes in a glare as Mr. Kouji spoke on.

'On Galvan Mark II, he would have offended dozens of Galvan. Enough to cause a medium sized intergalactic incident. Age does not determine skill, intelligence, or potential. The effects of age are mostly physical. The only reason that it looks as though one's age may affect intelligence is due to educational and life experience, as well as any illness that affects intelligence that may arise. Still that is not the age determining those factors, and it is sheer stupidity to continue thinking otherwise.'

He looked up at Mr. Kouji, "If that is all?"

Mr. Kouji cleared his throat, and nodded, standing. "That is all good sir."

Albedo stood and shook his hand, "Thank you." He murmured.

"It is my pleasure. Now, do not forget, information on how this will play out is all determined by you. I suggest picking a class early, so you've the most time possible to prepare."

Albedo nodded, grabbed his things and left. He swore Mr. Kouji had said something about luck, but Albedo couldn't be bothered to care. 'You don't need luck when you have superior intelligence.' If he stayed one more second he was sure Mr. Kouji would have a black eye, at least.

He passed Dr. Iris, and nodded. She nodded in return, her lips pursed. 'I wonder what Jenrya would say to discovering that I was taking such exams in the same place he went for his psychological sessions.' He stopped by a soda machine and got himself a bottle of water.

"Al!" Jeri called to him just as he reached the table full of his students. A part of him wondered just for how much longer he would be able to participate in these sessions before his new job got in the way of his extracurricular activity.

Jeri leaned on her thighs, taking a few deep breaths. "I'm glad I caught up to you." She smiled warmly, "We need to get you a cell phone."

Albedo narrowed his eyes, "You'll do no such thing."

Jeri giggled, "Oh calm down you. You can pay us back for it. I know how you are."

"Hm." Albedo studied her for a short moment, "What is it you want?"

She motioned for him to follow. He quickly glanced back at his students. They had started working long before he showed up, he gathered. He wasn't surprised. Students who went well out of their way and means to find a tutor tended to be eager to learn. He nodded, turned back around and followed Jeri.

"Yonaida from Mizuki's diner asked me to tell you that she and her family were going on an impromptu trip out of town. A family emergency I think." Jeri tapped a finger to her chin, "She wanted to get a hold of Henry, but she wasn't sure if you and him were on good terms still."

'Dammit.' Albedo thought.

"At any rate, she said she wouldn't be home to let you stay." Jeri folded her arms, "I thought you were staying with Jenrya? Is it really that bad between you two?" She frowned.

"You'd do well to not bother yourself with things that don't concern you." Albedo glared at her.

"But it does concern me." Jeri smiled, but her eyes were stern. "Both you and Henry are my friends, and right now, it sounds like you're out on your own again."

Albedo scowled, "I don't need charity from you. Your help has yet to prove positive results."

Jeri frowned, "And working on your own pushing everyone away is working okay?" Jeri reached into her bag. She pulled out a small book and a pen. She squatted, wrote something down and stood back up. She tore the paper and held it out to Albedo. "My address."

Albedo narrowed his eyes.

"You don't have to show up, but if you do, my door is open for you. I think you should though, either back at Henry's place, there, and if you insisted, somewhere else you choose. You'll get looks if you go to school looking unkempt when you were doing well before, and it could cost you your chances at teaching if the Ministry finds out. Besides my place is smack in between your school and here; it's a longer route from Henry's place. Not to mention you look like you're about to drop dead."

Albedo rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, if you don't want any help concerning you and Henry, maybe you staying over at a place Henry has yet to be will help you clear your mind and stuff."

Albedo took a breath to speak, yet could not find anything to say. He was not in the mood to see Jenrya and he really had no place to stay. Jeri motioned for him to take the paper. He took it without a word or fuss.

Jeri smiled. "I promise you won't run into Takato."

By the time he reached her apartment, Albedo could barely stand. Jeri greeted him with a warm welcome. It was nearly midnight and he just barely recognized the calm that came from not needing to hide in someone's house. Jeri fed him some warm miso soup, and sent him to bed in the spare bedroom she prepared for him.

If he had been more awake, her doting on him would have annoyed him, but as it stood, he was only reminded of a soft spoken female galvan he hadn't seen in so long that he could barely remember her face. He pulled the covers over his head, and he was out like a light before he even had the chance to think of her name.