Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

The Beginning – Chapter 24

Originally Written: Thursday, July 9, 2015 1257AM to 259AM

"Going out again?"

Albedo didn't speak to Swamps, but he did look at him as he pulled on his trademark red jacket. It turned to denim as it came under the effect of the ID mask he wore. He turned around, as Swamps sighed and headed back to the kitchen. His bonsai tree was growing oddly quickly and Terriermon had started to hound the disguised Methanosian on the plant's unusual activity.

Jenrya took to spending more time at work and Hypnos, presumably saving for when the balance on his utilities ran out. It was a point quickly coming with four more people to suddenly accommodate in the apartment.

As such, that's why Albedo hadn't seen much of Fridge, who many times took to leaving alongside Jenrya, to Albedo's displeasure, though the two were headed in two different directions more often than not.

Albedo hadn't seen much of Hugh either, not quite able to handle Albedo's ire. He had seen the tall creature around the building complex, doing odd jobs for those around the place.

Many ignored Hugh's odd quirks, in favor of his usefulness from height and strength. Albedo couldn't tell, nor cared for the time being if it annoyed his companion. He only knew that Hugh earned a good amount just for carrying the elder's and short people's groceries for them. Assuming he didn't fall and break something of his own clumsiness, the locals were tolerant of him.

He didn't respond when Swamps bid him goodbye when he exited the apartment. He leaned against the door and sighed. He supposed Jenrya would tell him they hadn't done anything crazy enough to warrant this stubborn reaction of his. Jenrya had no right to tell him such things anyway, though, he figured. Jenrya had no real knowledge of his situation or the way those three goaded him on after foolishly daring to make him look like a dummy or a nutcase in front of those humans who already didn't see him in a positive light. No, Jenrya wouldn't understand the reputation that further slipped through his fingers regardless of how tightly he held onto it. No one had a clue! The fact that they dared to damage it even further...

He fumed and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets as he headed out the apartment. Him ignoring them was a mercy, even with the odd looks Jenrya gave him as a result.

He passed the tall female who had spoken to Spinelli on the day of his fight with the others. He nodded as she waved to him. Suß, he believed her name was. She had moved in with her husband and children a few weeks before he had left for Bellwood. She had not known him well as a result. This was why the reputation was important, though he tried to not make so. His foolish mentor and Tennyson consistently proceeded to belittle him in various ways to whoever would pay attention long enough. It had only continued to grow worse the more he protested. He wouldn't have a leg to stand on if everyone he knew joined in on their cold hearted, incompetent antics.

Suß smiled at him as she headed to the elevator, a small babe in her arms.

The other day really set him back. He wondered if anyone had seen him break the lights, and if they had, did they fear him now. Is this what Jenrya felt so strongly after he set Juggernaut to task in one of his emotional outbursts? He shook his head, working to push such thoughts from his mind.

He exited the complex and searched around, looking for Ryo's blue car. He headed to it and took a seat inside when he did. Ryo greeted him and pulled out the parking lot.

Albedo had to admit, with some regret considering his statute on his superior intellect, that he was grateful for Ryo. Multiple days on end Ryo picked him up from the apartment, giving him a chance to get away from the looming darkness he found that the apartment had. Dreary and overbearing in threat of another bout of discourse. Just another place where dreams waited to haunt him. Ryo took him away, and did not ask a single query. The tamer picked him up, sometimes planned a meeting with Kazu or Kenta, who seemed least likely to wail on him for his transgression and took him someplace new.

If he remembered correctly, Ryo planned to meet up with Kazu or Kenta, maybe both before they headed down to the beach.

'Takato looks up to me as an older brother, sometimes a man needs some space from his girlfriend and vise versa, Susie is usually in school when I'm free and when she's not it's a bit awkward due to the age difference.' Ryo had explained to him once. 'Jeri and I sorta shit on ourselves when it's just us together. It's a bad situation.' Albedo remembered Ryo laughing oddly at that declaration. 'Ai and Mako think I'm only around to baby sit. Hanging with Henry is alright, but he's a bit too serious. I get why though, but telling him to lighten up more would be like asking the same of you. That's why you two get along so well, I think.'

Albedo hadn't the heart to tell him that Henry had distanced himself from him again for the umpteenth time.

Ryo liked Kazu and Kenta a bit more. Kazu was crazy and spontaneous, and never ceased to put a smile on his face. Kenta kept him down to Earth, something Kazu desperately needed lest the boy float away on a cloud of his own imagination and randomness. Kenta was a fan, like Kazu, but Ryo supposed the novelty wore off or something, for he no longer expected him to show off, as Rika's fans sometimes did when they saw her.

Albedo didn't imagine her with fans, but realized he was quite biased in the negative. Kenta in a way, was like Albedo, Ryo had explained. The way Albedo would sit and listen to Henry or anyone else was similar to Kenta. The male had matured a lot, Ryo last said. Not many men liked sitting down and shutting up, even if it would do them some good.

Albedo understood in a fashion. On Galvan Prime, if you weren't the creme de la creme in intelligence you were expected to sit down, shut up and learn. If you couldn't do that, you were to shut up and do as you were told. Woe to a Galvan who let a Cerebrocrustacean outdo them. On Earth however, it was expected to keep your mouth loose, while keeping your ears open. Question everything, but listen to the answers as well, so that way you could learn. At least that's what he gathered.

He slumped in the seat of Ryo's car. He kept an eye on Ryo's plumber badge sitting out in the open, almost as a threat he could see, but was not sure when it would come to fruition. An American song played on the radio, kept on a low volume. As it was still pretty early in the day, after lunch, but before school and then work let out, the roads weren't too bad.

Ryo looked down at his badge every free chance he got, and Albedo wondered if he should be more like his Galvan self, or more like how human's expected him to be. He looked out the window as he thought.

"You have had many days off lately." He spoke after a bit. He tapped his fingers against his legs as an odd sense of nervousness came over him. The threat of the plumbers finding him and putting him back in one of those cells always loomed over him. Dangerous as the threat of Tennyson picking at the remains the plumber facility left him with in his dreams. He folded his arms. If he could have lowered his height so he could see even less above the dashboard, he easily and quickly would have done so.

"Yea..." Ryo gripped the steering wheel tightly. "The higher ups want me laying low."

"Whatever for?" At least now he had something to focus on other than the madness going on.

"They're being quiet about it, but I know through the alien community that the Incurseans are in the Milky Way. Probably headed right this way. I'm guessing higher ups want Cyberdramon and I at one hundred percent."

Albedo looked at the tamer who drove on, tense, but not seemingly concerned. He supposed it was rightly so. The Incurseans could easily give men like Vilgax a hard time. They packed and swarmed like the frogs they were, morals be damned.

"So, that's what Suß meant."

"Hm?"

"A tenant at the apartment. Suß spoke of leaving Earth some days ago." Albedo clarified. "For all the good that would do against Incurseans."

"Ah yea. Lots of aliens are preparing to jump planet. It's a bit weird, but understandable. I'm mainly Digital World support, ya know" Ryo tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. "Never seen Incurseans first hand. I doubt they're like Geckomon."

"They are idiots," Albedo gave him a look, "but their idiocy is insignificant since they've a plethora of advanced ships provided from other planets they conquered staring you down." He shook his head. "Only Tennyson would be dumb enough to provoke any of them."

"You're certain?" Ryo laughed nervously.

"For some stupid reason, most aliens focus on the incompetent brat." Albedo folded his arms and scowled. "The ones lacking morals aren't coming to Earth to try the chili fries." Albedo and Ryo sat in silence as Ryo continued to their destination.

Only idiots would focus on putting a single iota of faith or confidence in that brain dead human. Albedo glared a hole into the dashboard, or tried to at any rate. Sometimes he wondered why he came to this backwater planet in the first place. Earth brought him nothing but trouble and more nuisances than he knew what to do with.

Ryo kept an eye on his Plumber's badge.

Albedo sighed and closed his eyes.