Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

The Beginning – Chapter 13

Originally Written: Monday June 8, 2015 912AM to Wednesday June 10, 2015 211PM

. . . . .

Albedo's eyes snapped open. Sweat coated his body, making him feel quite uncomfortable and sticky. Wind rushed through his hair and the sounds of teenagers chatting and cars speeding by filled his ears. He looked around, not even bothering to move his limbs.

Ryo sat next to him, legs somehow propped up against the dashboard, completely avoiding disaster with the steering wheel. He wore plain flip flops, light pants and a light long sleeve shirt. An odd, stout dinosaur-like being sat next to Jeri in the backseat. A Monodramon he believed it was called.

His heart beat wildly in his chest and he had to mentally and physically focus on keeping himself from screaming or jumping at the slightest sound. He couldn't stop shaking as much as he tried and he cursed his body's slow reactions upon waking. The smell of chili fries filled his nostrils, and he wondered why he even got the things before remembering that he had not been the one to order them. He listened to Monodramon snack, and wished that he had been able to sleep through it.

"You are a quiet sleeper." Jeri commented, before the sound of ice being shaken in a disposable cup filled his ears.

Ryo chuckled, arms folded behind his head. His eyes were closed and a smile donned his face. Albedo thought it odd that the male always smiled. Well smiled more often than not. It was a stark contrast to Azmuth, who always looked bored out of his mind when surrounded by anything other than advanced technology, and sometimes even then too. A part of him wished he could smile that way. The other part kept imagining himself looking and feeling as goofy and unintelligent as Tennyson was in every encounter he had with the self proclaimed hero.

"I did not mean to doze off." He spoke when he was confident he could actually do so. He awkwardly raised a hand to wipe his neck, subtly checking for any odd cuts that shouldn't have been there. The feel of blood running down his neck felt so surreal, yet was right there even upon his waking, staying with him like a piece of gum stuck in one's hair.

Jeri giggled, "Never apologize for sleeping."

"It's cute." Ryo added, opening an eye.

Albedo gave him a blank stare which Ryo replied to with a small laugh.

Monodramon laughed. "He says that about everyone."

"Shh, buddy. You're ruining the punchline."

Albedo almost dared to question but decided it wasn't worth doing so. He looked out the car window, noting the reflection of his black hair, pale skin and brown eyes. Jeri had stared at him for a long time even after he made it clear to her that it was him. It took him explaining what an ID mask was for her to believe him. She earned an A for diligence, despite how annoying he found the levels she had.

He shifted his weight so he could see out the window better. He watched children, ones he recognized and one's he didn't sit at the familiar table, helping each other learn. At least, he assumed those were textbooks and notebooks sitting on the table among various snacks.

He made out Saya's tall frame, filling out in physical maturity. He wondered how good at math she was now. A portion of him wished to go join the students as he imagined them greeting him with levels of cheer that rivaled the ones he encountered while traveling. No, he convinced himself. They would be angry at him. They'd see his every flaw. The monster Tennyson forced him to emulate. They wouldn't be pleased. They'd call the authorities on him and send him back to that awful place in Bellwood. No, he decided. Better for him if he just watched.

"Kenta's still trying to figure out how you got this trend to start." Ryo commented.

"Trend?" Albedo continued watching his students. He wondered if the newer ones would be accepting of him.

"Mhm. They've been studying consistently since you left. You instilled this regimen in them." Ryo continued.

No, they wouldn't, Albedo decided. The ones who knew surely told the ones who didn't. Kids liked to gossip, and tended to form groups using their mindsets, hoping that the support of the other humans around them would help to prove their thoughts correct.

"Kids as young as twelve, eager to learn once again." Jeri giggled. "Usually that want is stomped out by then, or around then."

"Yea." Ryo chuckled nervously.

Albedo didn't correct Jeri. The want to learn was always there. The feeling of being incapable of learning quickly overcame the want if a teacher wasn't capable of preventing that from happening. First and foremost though, one had to get the children in school and consistently keep them coming. That part sometimes, was harder than actually getting the children to realize they could learn in the first place.

"The businesses don't mind either."

"I bet the kid's parents do though!" Jeri laughed. Ryo laughed along with her. Albedo just stared out the window. "I know my dad would."

"'Cause you'd find every place that sold cream puffs and compare them to the Matsuki's bakery." Ryo grinned.

Jeri pressed her fingers together, "That sounds like fun."

"Oh geez."

"The general store there does sell some pastries." She pressed a hand to her stomach, face twisted in thought. "Be right back." She stepped out of the car as Monodramon called.

"Bring me some!"

Albedo looked back at Ryo. Ryo held up his hands, shrugging his shoulders. Albedo learned the side of his head up against the window. He watched Ryo drop his smile. Monodramon never noticed. He sat in silence, watching Ryo sit still, as though lost in thought.

"My semester's almost over." Ryo eventually spoke. "Just another to go. Seems so long."

Albedo watched him look up at the car's ceiling. "You will get it done." He spoke softly.

"I hope so." He smiled wistfully.

"Not even hopes work well in the real world."

"Ha." Ryo laughed blandly. Monodramon watched curiously, eyes wide, mouth forced into stillness.

"Certainties on the other hand..."

"Aren't given either." Ryo quickly replied.

"Destiny is yours for the taking. Yours to mold and shape."

"For everyone but you?" Ryo gave him an odd look.

Albedo lowered his head. He wished to speak, for the words flowed like a river though him, but a dam stopped him from speaking, his lips locked shut by a sudden lack of boldness and confidence. So, he spoke the words mentally: 'For everyone who believes. You are not fashioned after a monster.' The trio sat in silence for a while, the only sounds coming from outside, Monodramon eating, and their own breathing.

"Perhaps what one person wants for their destiny clashes with what you want for your own. Perhaps their destiny eventually overcomes your own." Albedo spoke eventually.

"Bullshit." Ryo spat.

Albedo stared at his lap.

"You told me nothing is impossible if you just find a way to do it." Ryo positioned himself so his feet touched the bottom of the car, legs no longer resting on the dashboard. "You told me that maybe I needed help to see how because I just couldn't see it myself. That's what you did, didn't you?" He clenched his fist, resting it against the small compartment between the two front seats.

Albedo looked out the window, watching Jeri talk to the students while holding a few bags of snacks. Her purple tie dye dress fluttered in the wind.

"You helped me see how." Ryo continued. "And here I am on my way to a Certificate I thought I would never ever have." Ryo held his arms out in front of him.

"Then why do you still think you can't do it?" Albedo replied, scowling.

Ryo sat silent. Albedo caught a bit of his reflection in the window, recognizing the confusion, a frown marked on his face.

Ryo sighed, "You always do that. I thought I broke you out of that habit."

"Habit?" Albedo tilted his head, watching Jeri make her way towards them, the students waving behind her.

"Never mind." Ryo groaned. He looked at Albedo, and placed an arm on his shoulder. Albedo froze under the touch.

"What?" He asked softly.

"Maybe it's not my place to ask." Ryo muttered. He dropped his hand. "How are you settling in with Henry?"

"That's not what you wanted to ask me."

"You're not going to answer it anyway."

Jeri lifted the bag up higher as she neared the car, smiling brightly.

"I am the star of Ben Ten Live." Albedo quickly, as Jeri opened the car door. He turned around as Jeri set the bag down between herself and Monodramon. He caught Ryo staring at him in confusion. He turned around fully, so he could kneel in his seat. He rested his hands on the head rest.

"That's for you." Jeri handed Monodramon a plastic wrapped pastry. "And you" Jeri smiled at Albedo as he took the same kind of pastry as Monodramon had from her. "And last, but not least." he looked at Ryo. "Ryo." She nudged him with the pastry.

"What the hell is Ben Ten Live?" He questioned quite loudly as he took the pastry from her.

Albedo smirked while chewing his pastry. A cheese danish nowhere near the level of the ones found at the Matsuki bakery.

"Oh!" Jeri grinned brightly as she took her seat. "You were on Plumber business that day Kazu and Kenta brought it up. It's still a huge hit on video sharing sites!" Jeri waved her hands excitedly as Ryo raised his eyebrows.