Ben10 & Digimon Tamers
Heroes and Humanity
Part 02: Humanity and Heroes
What Happens in Bellwood... – Chapter 52
Originally Written: November 28, 2016 1044PM to December 1, 2016 242AM
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Albedo swore as he backed into a brick wall of an old building. He heard the Conductoid, Feedback, chuckle. Its mocking laugh was cruel and sent distinct shivers down his spine. Heatblast, the Pyronite, stood next to Feedback, and despite being cold, Albedo didn't wish Tennyson's alien to lend him any warmth.
He heard the loud hoard of Tennyson's other aliens inching ever so closer. Even from this distance, the To'kustar's, Waybig, towering form stood out clearly from the surrounding tall buildings.
He wasn't sure when the aliens had turned this event of torture into a game of who would get to him first. Maybe it had always been this way? Or maybe Tennyson was so confident that he would get away with it, that he was giving every alien in the omnitrix a go at him. The thought sent a wave of nausea attacking his stomach. He swallowed thickly.
He dodged one of the conductoid's many antennae and plugs. Then a fireball from the pyronite. The conductoid laughed, only confirming Albedo's thought that they were toying with him. He looked past the two aliens. More of Tennyson's army joined them, standing behind Feedback and Heatblast, waiting to see which one would kill him. They seemed to line up in staggered rows, if such a thing for aliens varying so drastically in size was possible. Either way, there was no room for Albedo to rush past them, not that he thought he had a chance of doing so to begin with.
Feedback's plugs stretched and wrapped around his ankles. Albedo shouted as his head and upper back slammed into the building. His body scraped down the structure as the conductoid pulled his plugs up and back. Albedo seemingly floated on air for a few moments before his back and head knocked against cement.
Stars filled his vision as the loud sound of flames rushing past his ears overloaded his hearing. Somehow it managed to sound like shotgun fire. His legs twitched and seized uncontrollably. Heat, and fire, and pain as his back dragged against the ground. His legs went numb. His throat went sore from screaming. A toxic nauseating smell of burning flesh assaulted his senses. The flames entered his mouth, licking at his tongue. He kept hearing loud cracking in between the shotgun flames. He supposed it was feedback crushing his bones, but he also supposed it didn't matter, as blood and flames spewed from his mouth. Sputtering and gurgling overtook his screams.
As his vision faded he swore he saw Henry looking down at him from a balcony, or was that...
Terribly cold water hit his skin. Something kept smacking his face. He tried to wave his arms, but something strong had a firm grip on them. He coughed loudly. His throat felt dry and scratchy. He tasted blood on his tongue and in his throat. He looked around, eyes wide, red orbs shifting this way and that.
A slew of pink hearts floated in the air, as though Tennyson was throwing a party for his aliens having done a good job. MarineAngemon sat on his chest, tiny wings flapping about, as he looked at him in mortal terror. Jenrya stood next to the bed holding a large kettle. Some of the hearts started to fade and pop. Jenrya shook, hands barely gripping the kettle.
"...Breathe..." Jenrya murmured, "You have to breathe..."
Then Albedo realized he was indeed holding his breath. He exhaled loudly, coughing. The hands let go of his arms. Jenrya backed up. He sat up, covering his mouth with his hands as cough wracked his frame. He pressed his hands onto his wet t-shirt.
Beelzemon's loud footsteps filled the room. "Yea..."
He looked at the digimon, standing in the doorway of the room. He lowered his head, and took a quick moment to pull at his hair quite harshly. The moment did not last long; a large heart popped right in his face. He took another deep breath. The nightmare seemed like a distant memory...
His hands dropped from his hair, "Black and red..."
"I can do it." Jenrya spoke, voice shaky.
He looked up as Jenrya entered the room. He held a glass of water. Albedo took it when the male handed it to him.
He ignored Jenrya looking at him as he drank the water. MarineAngemon floated on by and sat on Jenrya's head. His heart pounded in his chest, the sound booming loudly in his ears. He handed the glass back, not once looking Jenrya in the eye, or even at him for that matter.
He calmly slid off the opposite side of the bed. He stood on unsteady legs. He knew there couldn't be, for he was able to stand, but he was tempted to check if there was any bruising or broken bones. He stumbled back as he walked out the room, ignoring Jenrya's gaze, probably boring into his back.
He entered the living room. He walked by Terriermon. The digimon stared up at the ceiling, eyes unseeing, as he laid on the couch, ears sprawled out to the sides. The digimon seemed to not be all there from the way he looked, but at the moment Albedo did not care to find out if that truly was the case. Kenta watched him with that pitiful look that annoyed him to no end, tempting him to leave the apartment altogether.
His steps of increasing speed just led him to the bathroom, however. He closed the door behind him. He slumped against it. He brought his hands to his chest and pulled at his white shirt. He pulled at it so hard he heard the seams tear. He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes tight.
He wished anyone else but Jenrya had seen him. He held in a scream, substituting it with hard breathing. He could still feel the conductoid's tendrils. The pyronite's heat ghosting around his body, smothering it.
He turned to the sink, turned on the water and splashed it on his face. He ignored the lights as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Pale skin only served to highlight the bags under his eyes. The red of his eyes only reminded him of Heatblast's fire. He ducked his head. He sharply turned around and slammed a hand against the light switch, turning the light off.
He turned off the water and looked at the sink for a long while. He could handle the others thinking something was wrong with him. They were stupid and odd and liked and did unimportant, useless and stupid and odd things. But Jenrya... Jenrya was smart and did intelligent, important things that needed to and should be done.
So long since he had seen Jenrya's silver eyes. So long and all he got were those silver eyes looking at him as everyone else who looked in his direction for five minutes or more did. A wave of nausea hit him, accompanying chills.
He shook his head. He heard voices speaking softly from outside the door. Mainly Kenta asking questions Beelzemon wasn't sure how to answer.
"This isn't going well." Kenta said.
"I ain't one for sugarcoating..." Beelzemon.
He flipped down the toilet seat lid and sat down with a heavy sigh. He glared at his night pants covered legs.
"I ain't know how long this's been going on. I just know it ain't pretty."
"Am I missing something?"
Albedo closed his eyes and covered his ears. "I don't need any of them butting into my business." He spat with a growl. He ignored the thought of Tennyson mocking him in the mirror.
"Can't be easy. He's too proud." Beelzemon spoke with the air of someone who knew pride well.
He stood up, unlocked the door, and yanked it open. "I can hear you!" He shouted. Tears of rage and frustration brimmed his eyes. His throat protested fiercely.
"From what I've seen of ya, ya wouldn't want it any other way!" Beelzemon shouted back, voice cocky, but probably not as mocking as it seemed to Albedo.
The white haired male shouted and slammed the door back. He leaned against it, fists clenched and shoulders shaking.