Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

What Happens in Bellwood – Chapter 40

Originally Written: Monday, November 02, 2015 1150PM to Tuesday, November 03, 2015 114AM

. . . . .

'This is getting a bit ridiculous,' Albedo thought to himself. He realized he wasn't upright anymore. His limbs and eyes felt heavy. His tongue felt weighed down with cotton. Slowly he opened his eyes. He looked up at white, smooth ceiling.

"O-oh." Hugh sounded more nervous than usual. "You're awake. I-I'll go get Swamps." He stood from the chair next to the bed Albedo laid in. The vaxasaurian seemed to think for a moment, pausing. "M-maybe Fridge is better." He walked off to a different room with heavy footsteps.

Around him, various beings engaged in conversation. He closed his eyes again. He tried to think of what had happened, but everything seemed to draw a blank. His first true clear memory was of him pulling surveillance duty for some reason. "The Incurseans...?" He wished to sit up but for whatever reason he didn't seem quite able to. Maybe he was still sleepy. He could move his head just fine.

He took a deep breath, waiting. At least he was not in a Mr. Smoothy or a Plumber jail cell. He took great comfort in that.

"Oooh, you're awake!"

He turned his head and looked at Fridge.

Fridge walked over to him. "Finally."

"Finally?" He dragged his tongue against the roof of his mouth a few times.

"You conked out from exhaustion. At least, that's what the doctor said."

Albedo only looked at him.

"One second you were watching Henry and Terriermon unlock the Plumber cells at Hypnos. The next you were on top of the keyboard, slowly sliding to the floor."

Albedo raised his arms and rubbed his eyes. There was something quite familiar about that statement.

"D-do you want to sit up?" Hugh asked.

"That would be welcome."

Hugh and Fridge sat him up, leaning him up against the wall, since the bed had no headboard. "Why am I so stiff?"

"T-the doctor said you were exhausted f-from lack of s-sleep. Those late nights helping the r-resistance so intensely f-finally caught up with you." Hugh explained.

"The resist-," he looked at Hugh and Fridge surprised, "Jenrya! The Incurseans!" He leaned forward feeling his heart rate speed up.

"There's nothing to worry about." Fridge held up his hands, "The Incurseans are gone. We won." Fridge smiled at him as best as a Necroffriggian could, which to say was quite close to not at all.

"They're defeated?" He processed this information slowly, "Yes, that's right. Attea left for Bellwood with Bullfrag...Tennyson!"

"T-Tennyson?" Hugh tilted his head in confusion.

"It was imperative that they go to Bellwood. Bullfrag was Tennyson." Albedo explained. He ignored his comrades' shocked expressions. "Yes, yes! Jeri and myself decided to wait until they were in America to retaliate."

"Y-Yea," Fridge nodded, "but we promised Swamps we'd let him explain. He's so mad you missed it all."

"B-bullfrag was B-ben?" Hugh looked at him.

"Never mind that." Albedo snapped, "How long was I out for?"

"A few days. A-almost a week." Fridge shied back as he spoke.

"A week..." Albedo looked down at his lap. What happened to knock him out for a week!?

"Mhm." Hugh nodded.

"Henry's really worried about you. He's supposed to stop by later." Fridge took a seat in the chair Hugh had been sitting in.

"Jenrya...," he murmured, "Is he-?"

"Fine. Everyone's fine. A bit shaken, but who isn't?"

Albedo watched Hugh step out of the room for something. The Incurseans were gone and Jenrya was fine. He felt giddy, as though he had eaten a creampuff from the Matsuki bakery. "Where are we?"

"Same place we were before you passed out, in the upper levels of Safehouse Three." Fridge looked out a window across the room.

Albedo followed his gaze. A Plumber ship cruised on by surveying the area, Albedo assumed.

"We didn't want to risk moving you to your apartment with you sleeping."

"I see." He focused on the blue sky, clear of clouds. The sun shined brightly. It reminded him of the many walks he took with Jenrya on sunny days just like this one. "Jenrya..." Albedo felt certain his current smile would unnerve Fridge, so he kept looking away from him.

"I brought some soup!" Hugh spoke cheerfully.

Albedo turned his head. He took the bowl from Hugh, grateful for something to sate his hunger. He noticed Swamps looking at him with a large grin.

"There's a lot of confusion and stuff as people try to get readjusted." Fridge continued, "Doctor Matsumoto is supposed to come by during his rounds."

Albedo nodded as he swallowed a spoonful of broth. Despite his excitement, he made sure to eat slowly so as to not make himself sick. His mouth tasting of cotton seemed to help with that. He handed Hugh his bowl, and with the help of Swamps, slipped off to the bathroom, after a bit of awkward conversation. Three sets of eyes all watched him as he left and as he returned.

Unexpectedly, Swamps hugged him tightly.

Albedo glared at him.

"I can't believe you missed the great end!" He shouted energetically.

Albedo pushed him away and returned to his bed, sitting on the edge. "I am certain you will tell me all about it." He eyed the Plumber blaster propped up against the night table.

"S-shouldn't you l-let Albedo rest more?" Hugh looked at Swamps. "He's only just woken up."

Albedo nodded to Hugh as the alien handed him the bowl once more.

"He's slept long enough!" Swamps brushed Hugh off with a wave of his hand.

Albedo resisted frowning as the aftertaste of toothpaste mixed in with the taste of his soup.

"You should have seen it! Jeri and the others caused a huge distraction! Sent those dumb Incurseans streaming out of Hypnos."

"Mhm." Albedo chewed on a bit of savory chicken, glad the soup was a bit bland for his tastes.

"But they met a slew of Plumbers ready to take 'em on!" Swamps waved his hands.

Albedo shook his head. Hugh and Fridge laughed.

"It was all 'pew pew!' and 'blam blam!' and these grunts ran back to Hypnos, but Henry and Gargomon, Rika and Renamon, Gallantmon and Justimon were all like 'Hi there!'!"

He snorted.

"And then Henry directs 'em to look at the mess'a Plumbers standing behind them. All armed."

Albedo remembered that. Jenrya had looked as though he was itching to dropkick something. He had such a confident, angry glare on his face. It had reminded Albedo of the many times he annoyed Jenrya on purpose.

"Man," Swamps looked up, wistful, "those Tamers." His arms hung at his sides as he shook his head, a grin forming on his plant based face. "They are experienced. It was like watching those two allies of Ben, but with more skill and seriousness. Sakuyamon and Justimon were frickin' blurs, man! We had to switch camera views 'cause watching from their point of view froze the computers."

Hugh and Fridge nodded, grinning.

"T-They were l-legendary." Hugh looked at the floor.

"I can see why everyone in the area looks up to them." Fridge looked at Albedo. "I had no idea they were that powerful. The first thing Yamaki Mitsuo had told Gallantmon was 'No Shield of the Just!'"

Albedo coughed, trying not to spill any broth on himself as he tried to chuckle and swallow soup at the same time.

"Looked like Henry and Gargomon wanted to do more, but were pretty much running on 'E'." Swamps folded his arms, "I bet you'd want to see what they could do at full strength."

Albedo glared at Swamps who kept raising nonexistent eyebrows at him as though he were trying to wiggle them.

Fridge handed Albedo a napkin. "Stop that," he snapped. "You look ridiculous."

Swamps stuck a tongue out at him, "Nyah!"

Albedo rolled his eyes, "You two..." He shook his head and looked down at the bowl of soup.

"It's a damn shame you missed so much of it," Swamps spoke in a near whisper.

He shook his head, "I saw what needed to be seen."

"You missed what wouldn't have happened without so much of your help." Swamps raised his voice. "The Incurseans were slated to stay."

"But they are gone now. That's all I am concerned with." Albedo looked up at him.

"Can't believe Tennyson's getting so much of the credit." He frowned. "'It's not fair."

Albedo clenched the sides of his bowl tightly.

"Swamps!" Fridge shouted. "Can we not do this now?"

Albedo glared at his bowl, "Here," he shoved the half empty vessel into Fridge's hands. Fridge continued glaring at Swamps and Hugh. He slid down so he was laying down on the bed. "Get. Out." He pulled the covers over his head. He suddenly wished he hadn't spent so much time sleeping.

Fridge scolded, "I told you not to bring up Ben Tennyson."

He remembered that though the Incurseans were defeated, he still had quite a lot of fighting for himself to do. Not that it ever changed.

'At least I'm getting better at it.' He wasn't tired, and didn't dare risk stretching for another rare moment of peaceful sleep. He looked at the nothing underneath the blankets. Occasionally, he shifted, letting sunlight and the room's lamp light peek through.