Ben10 & Digimon Tamers
Heroes and Humanity
Part 02: Humanity and Heroes
Another Myself – Chapter 103 Part 02
Originally Written: Saturday, March 10, 2018 247PM to 527PM
Edited: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 958PM
. . . . .
'As long as he focuses on me, he'll leave Albedo Prime alone.'
'Illogical conclusion. The Time Traveler Designated Eon can be in multiple places at once.' Juggernaut rudely reminded him once more.
Albedo wished he would shut up. 'I'll not fall to Eon. He'll leave Ryo alone.'
'Illogical conclusion. Doing nothing against Eon leaves Ryo open to attack.'
He clenched his fist and shut his eyes. 'Would you shut up!?'
'It is illogical that you have stopped fighting. It is not your time.'
Albedo opened his eyes as a soft gust of wind blew around him. He found himself standing on a plane of short green grass littered with paths of brown and towering dark green buildings and overpasses. He turned around every which way, until he found Juggernaut's blue eyes studying him. Lights of some kind occasionally passed through the blue lines running down Juggernaut's face and body, like little white marbles rolling through the lanes of a maze.
Juggernaut frowned at him.
Another gentle breeze played with Albedo's hair, making it flutter, and messing the strands up further. He blinked, and looked up at the always green sky. "Why did you bring me here?"
"I have brought you nowhere. This is your mind."
He folded his arms.
"You are here because it is where you came," Juggernaut circled around him, walking slowly, his head and eyes moving up and down as though sizing him up. "to hide."
"I'm not hiding." He felt his eye twitching and scowled.
"Analyzing error of previous assessment. 'Sufficient evidence to conclude you are an adequate companion appropriated.'"
Those words sounded familiar.
"No error detected." Juggernaut stopped walking. "Analyzing."
He huffed and frowned. He felt tingling all throughout his person. It made him want to rub his arms and legs while scratching his scalp all at the same time. He settled for rubbing his arms.
"Analysis complete. Compassion or fear for Legendary Tamer designated Ryo Akiyama. Compassion or fear for designation Albedo Prime. Logical conclusion, defend from designation Eon."
"Just what do you think I'm doing!?"
"Illogical actions. Protocol zero-zero-zero, ensure maximum of one hundred percent efficiency. Ensure minimum thirty-five percent efficiency. Protocol zero-zero-one, ensure the host does not die. Error detected. Correcting. Protocol zero-zero-one, ensure the ally does not die."
He ducked his head. He shook his head. "We can't beat Eon, Juggernaut. He travels too quickly, faster than we can detect or react to."
"Time Walker designated Paradox detected."
"Even he's having difficulty."
"Analyzing..."
Albedo sat on the soft grass. The area was quiet save for the gentle winds blowing. He wouldn't mind staying here if he were honest with himself.
"Error detected. You would get bored. Error detected. You would get lonely."
...Slightly dishonest then.
'Silly Albedo.'
He jerked and looked up. Then he stood up. Looking around for Jeri.
She continued speaking, her voice soft. 'This is the one moment you take the chance, the risk, to punch the universe in its big dumb face. Only you would choose to do the exact opposite right now.' A small amused and sad laugh filled her voice.
'We gotcha back, Albedo. Always.' He heard Swamps speak.
'I-I won't let you fall.' Hugh spoke.
Fridge sang a soft song full of long notes, full of light and hope and wishes that Albedo wished he too could believe in.
A gentle warmth filled him that reminded him of Jenrya. A prodding of concern. He looked at Juggernaut.
"I have temporarily blocked Henry Wong's access."
He blinked a few times. "Why?"
"Protocol zero-zero-one, ensure ally does not die."
He lowered his head. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Analysis determined designation Eon will not stop, even if you do."
"We wouldn't even be on Eon's radar if it wasn't for me."
"Illogical conclusion. Logical conclusion: Eon has detected us due to Albedo Prime."
He clenched his fists. Juggernaut looked at him, waiting and watching.
"Analyzing. Bad Ben is still defeated. Nega Ben defeated five minutes thirty seconds ago. Benzarro will recover in thirty seconds. Mad Ben will be defeated in an estimated two minutes twenty seconds. Justimon, Gallantmon Crimson Mode, Sakuyamon, HiAndromon, and Beelzemon have targeted Eon. Jeri Katou designation Reaper, Antylomon and MarineAndromon have targeted the remaining Tennyson's."
"HiAndromon?"
"Kazu Shioda and Guardromon have entered a Biomerge Digivolution State. It is unstable, and will fail in five minutes twenty seconds. Query, Albedo Lowenthal?"
"What?" He whispered so softly he barely heard himself.
"Will you defend yourself, or will I have to defend you?"
The green of Galvan Mark II faded. Albedo found himself looking at golden yellow sand. Jenrya knelt next to him on his left, fixing something draped around his shoulders. Terriermon sat on Jenrya's lap blinking at Albedo in surprise. Suzie sat in front of him, trying to smile brightly at him, and failing. Somehow the attempt was still warming. Hugh, Fridge and Swamps surrounded him in the same circle, backs to each other, fully prepared to defend from Eon if need be.
A bit off to the left some distance away from him, sat Nega Ben surrounded by a flurry of hearts. Kenta knelt next to him, hugging him tightly and patting his head for some reason. Nega Ben's dark eyes looked in the distance, seeing, yet not. Near them, Benzarro lay on his side unconscious. MarineAngemon sat on his torso, wings flapping softly and occasionally puffing out another heart.
Further into the distance in front of Albedo, Eon casually tossed the Tamers around and toyed with them, dodging attacks and surviving damage no others could.
'Eon is truly in a league of his own...' He felt his breath leave him, and wondered how screwed he was if he were to faint.
Mad Ben held his own quite well against Jeri, HiAndromon and the others, but as Juggernaut predicted, he would not last much longer. Jeri in her Reaper form was preventing his Galitean form from performing at peak proficiency. Juggernaut informed him that it was due to her shifting small portions of the Digital World's data around.
"Most interesting." He heard Paradox comment. The others didn't seem to react to the Time Walker's Presence.
Eon grabbed Justimon and flipped him over onto the ground, cackling like every bit the maniac he was. Something about the digimon looked off. He could still tell it was Justimon, but something was missing from him.
"Justimon actually did that." Terriermon replied. "I am stunned."
"Looks good on him, doesn't it?" Jenrya commented, his voice light.
"Goes with his eyes well I think." Swamps agreed.
"I'm not going to get used to it." Terriermon countered.
Albedo lifted his hands, and placed them against the fabric wrapped around him. The fabric was soft, and was wrapped around him many times. It warmed his person, and was warm to the touch. He lifted the fabric up, just to see what it was. He gasped and tears filled his eyes.
"Do you like it?" Jenrya questioned.
His scarf!? Justimon gave him his scarf!?
"It'll stay with you, even after they separate because he gave it to you. He wants you to have it. They want you to have it."
Suzie hugged him tightly. "Don't give up! That jerk can't win! He just can't!"
His shoulders shook, and bowed his head low. He shook his head, strands of white hair flopping carelessly. He gripped the fabric tightly. He hadn't heard Ryo's voice when he was in his mind, but he heard the words now as he held onto the garment. He would always hear them, as long he wore it, he was sure.
'I believe in you. I'll believe in you even when you don't believe in yourself.'
"I'm sure by now you've figured it out." Paradox stood on his right.
He lifted his head and looked at the time traveler. He ignored the others looking at him. He whispered, "This is my fight."
Paradox nodded. "It's your choice if you overcome or don't, and yours alone. All you need to do is figure out how." He took a moment to look up from his pocket watch. "Eon is right on one thing. You are an interesting Albedo. And he is an interesting Ryo Akiyama."
Albedo got the feeling Paradox was speaking in a giant riddle, so he gave him a look before grasping Suzie's arms and removing them from his person. She looked at him with wide eyes. He nodded and moved to stand. Digignomes surrounded Eon, defending Ryo from him in a futile attempt. They were slashed and grabbed and deleted as easily as blades of grass. Truly, they were not meant for fighting.
"Tell us what to do, Boss Man." Swamps spoke.
Albedo took a deep breath and exhaled softly. "Protect Jenrya and Terriermon. If they get hit, I'll be knocked unconscious."
"Already done, Boss Man."
"O-okay." Hugh agreed.
"Albedo..." Jenrya whispered.
"We'll keep them safe." Fridge responded.
"Be careful." Suzie clasped her hands together.
"Course he'll be. He just said this is his fight." Terriermon spoke. Whether it was confirmation to himself, or to her, Albedo couldn't be sure.
He slowly pushed himself to his full height as he took another deep breath. 'Eon is smart enough to carry out this plan, easily. There's just one caveat. He's Ben Tennyson, and Ben Tennyson doesn't have the patience for this.'
'Assessment confirmed logical.' Juggernaut replied as Albedo stepped around Hugh.
'Can you scan the area around Eon? If he's got that in common with Tennyson I know then it's not too much of a stretch that he will go gallivanting on his own if you don't watch him like a vigilant security guard watches an inmate in a maximum security prison. So, let's see who's whispering in this nutjob's ear.'
'Analyzing. Cloaking devices detected. Complete Analysis in one minute twenty seconds.'
He walked forward, steps slow and uncertain, yet determined. Mana coated his hands, glowing, caressing his skin.
He watched Eon laugh his signature cackle marking his insanity. Eon easily defended himself from Gallantmon and Sakuyamon, throwing them around like ragdolls as he laughed. Watching him nearly made Albedo turn the other way, but he could feel Ryo's scarf fluttering around him, and subsequently Ryo's belief, everyone's belief in him flowing through him.
'You're going to have to try a lot harder than this to defeat us, you simpleton.'
. . . . .
A/N: I debated for a while if Albedo would see Juggernaut's "Galvan Mark II" as the one in Ben 10 UAF or as in Omniverse. I decided on a slight mixture of the two, since the UAF version as displayed in the Wiki was long destroyed before Albedo is even introduced in the plot, and at this point I've established that my world is an offshoot of the original Omniverse world. The last time my Albedo stepped foot on Galvan Mark II is, as I've indicated via plot, is when he was getting his Cassiopeian Dream Eater removed.