Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

A Dream Deferred – Chapter 114

Originally Written: Friday, September 8, 2023 400PM; Tuesday, September 12, 2023 543AM to 702AM

. . . . .

Albedo smiled, feeling airy and giddy as Hugh shuffled around his temporary room. With a skill only Albedo was used to seeing from their Ben 10 Live days, Hugh carried a myriad of wires and gadgets without tripping over them. Albedo hadn't had to tell Hugh how to set up what he wanted. He only had to request that Hugh be the one to do it. The Plumbers, at least the ones at Hypnos, seemed to be giving him anything he asked for, within reason. The only problem would be their time wasted if Yamaki's bosses told him connecting to Hypnos this way wasn't something that could be done without compromising Hypnos' system and safety.

Hugh mitigated most of their worries with Albedo watching. He told the security administrators what he wanted and why he wanted it done. Gwendolyn, Jeri, Ryo and Dr. Iris handled the treatment portion of why they wanted it done. Albedo wasn't sure what to think about it. He had told his students that he'd speak to them, but that had been months ago. It was as though he skipped out of town without saying anything with everything that had happened. He wondered what they would think, seeing him now.

There was a chance however, that they wouldn't be able to see him. When Aliens were discovered living on Earth and the fear died down from the Incursean Invasion, many children lost themselves to the excitement such a reality brought them. He could only imagine what they would do should they learn that magic existed. He looked at his still dark blue violet hands. Unfortunately, telling them that he was ill would not properly explain his appearance. If he wanted to see his students as he requested, the last thing needed would be on him.

Ryo sat next to him in a chair. He, too, watched Hugh walk around. Another plumber, serving as a system administrator, sat at the computer they were all shuffling around, typing quickly on a keyboard with very quiet keys. Gwendolyn hovered around Hugh and the plumber, watching what both were doing. Surprisingly, she had a higher level of understanding of what they were doing than he expected. Unsurprisingly, she had higher clearance levels than Ryo and Jeri. Which was why he couldn't do anything about her hovering over Hugh and learning more about his own little slice of the universe he carved out than he would usually be comfortable with.

Ryo moved to nudge him, remembered he wouldn't be able to, and awkwardly bumped the chair he was attempting to sit in instead. Gwendolyn had him practicing sitting and doing more things outside of his little corner in his room. It was quite the challenge, and way more concentration than he was used to when it came to working with magic. However, Gwendolyn wasn't too surprised when he told her that he was better with mana when he wasn't thinking about using it.

He looked at Ryo. Ryo jerked his head in Hugh's direction. He had stopped walking mid task, looking at nothing in particular. A nudge of mana from Gwendolyn, and he was once again working like a diligent computer technician.

"No," Albedo smiled a small smile, "but he will be."

Ryo nodded, then hummed in acceptance.

"And you?" Albedo ignored his hair floating in front of his face. It was always wild and untamed these days. He found he either didn't mind, or didn't care that much.

"No, but I will be." Ryo replied.

Albedo watched Ryo ignore the way Gwendolyn was looking at Ryo. That's right, Ryo was acquainted with the Tennyson's. She could probably tell like he could, that Ryo was lying.

"Are you just saying that because you actually will be, or because you still feel that you have no other choice except to be?" He asked.

"Shit…" Ryo chuckled. "My dad asked me the same thing."

Albedo continued to smile, partially hovering over his chair and partially phasing through it as he watched Hugh shuffle around. He looked at Ryo expectantly.

"It's nothing bad. I just forgot." Ryo shook his head, and looked away from both Albedo and Gwendolyn.

"You didn't forget."

Ryo shook his head and rested his forearms on his thighs. "What? Can't blame everything on Eon?"

"No, sorry." Albedo shook his head, chuckling in amusement. "Gwendolyn?"

"Yello." She replied, focusing more on Hugh than replying to Albedo.

"I would like to try walking down the hall again. I'm pretty sure I'm not...sitting correctly."

Ryo looked at Albedo, surprised.

"Take Ryo with you," Gwendolyn waved her hand. "And your feet have to touch the floor for at least ten steps."

"I-is that safe?" Hugh asked

"He's on the cusp of not needing the containment pod anymore. He's fine." Gwendolyn replied.

"Alright. Thank you." Albedo stood as best as he could without tumbling forward. He ignored Ryo watching him, and focused. Within a few moments he uprighted himself, and hovered his way towards the door.

Ryo followed, putting his hands in his pockets. He nodded to Gwendolyn on his way out.

Albedo looked around. There were two plumbers stationed at each end of the hall. A security camera hidden at every door. Gwendolyn's quarter's were one room down, marked by being the only room without a bland gray door. A stylistic cat face was painted on the front of it. It had been part of one of his training sessions.

Albedo shook his head in amusement. "She made me practice my tangibility and intangibility while literally watching paint dry."

Ryo snorted with a start. "What?"

"She painted that on her door, and made me watch her, while focusing on keeping my feet touching the ground." He pointed to the stylistic cat on the door. "Just like a Tennyson."

Ryo chuckled. "Oh yeah."

Albedo touched his foot to the ground. He did not go through the floor. He then tried his other foot, with the same success. "So, when is your graduation?"

Ryo rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah geez, 'course you already know."

"You are my friend." He took a step. And then another. "I want to go down the hall and back. I almost did last time."

'Would you like to time yourself?' Juggernaut asked him.

'Yes, thank you.' He replied.

'Ninety-eight percent mana remaining. Timer started.'

"Alrighty." Ryo fell in line, walking with him. He smiled a strained smile.

Albedo mentally sent Juggernaut his thanks once more.

Ryo smiled a strained smile. "It's…in two weeks."

Albedo made a mental note. "Are you going?"

Ryo shugged. "I'm apparently obligated to attend and give a speech. It's not every day Digimon Tamer Ryo Akiyama finishes schooling at University in Japan." He waved his hands dramatically. "Everyone's gotta know."

Albedo shook his head. "Yes, that's expected."

Ryo scoffed, "What the damn point?"

Albedo expected Ryo to scowl, but he didn't.

"Anyone can do it. Why does it have to be me?" Ryo looked at the wall.

Albedo shook his head, though Ryo couldn't see him. His hair practically blinded him in the process. He brushed some strands out of his face, surprised when his hand didn't phase through his hair. He smiled. "Sometimes it's done for show, or prestige, but in this instance you are a truly inspiring individual, Ryo. Many would like to hear what you have to say."

Ryo shrugged again, "There's tons of people like that. Pick one of them."

He reached a hand towards his friend, but held back. He clenched his fists instead, wondering what to do. Thinking about what to say. For some reason, he thought of Monodramon, Cyberdramon, Justimon. He ran a hand across the fabric of his scarf. "They did pick someone. They picked you. I agree."

"Why are you channeling Monodramon right now?"

Albedo blinked. Ryo had turned and was looking at him. Ryo folded his arms, and Albedo couldn't tell if he looked more amused or annoyed.

"I am?"

"Eyebrow." Ryo replied in a deadpan voice.

Albedo chuckled. "I agree with Monodromon."

"How do you even know he said that?" Ryo huffed.

Albedo pressed a finger to his lips. "He's your digimon partner. Of course he would." He smiled like he told Ryo a secret no one else besides them was supposed to know. "I think he would even if he wasn't."

"You and Jeri, man." Ryo shook his head.

Albedo dropped his hands. "May I ask something? And if you say 'you already did', I will gather enough concentration to hit you."

Ryo smiled. That kind of partial smile partial frown someone does when they don't want to smile anymore than they already are, but winds up smiling anyway. "What?"

"Why are you punishing yourself further after all you've been through?"

Ryo sighed, and looked away. "I don't want more work. I want a break. After Eon and everything, I'm just a bit tired right now."

Albedo ignored that they were probably close enough for the plumbers to hear them. He shook his head. "Take your victory lap, already! The universe is practically giving you the opportunity."

Ryo looked at Albedo with a raised eyebrow and a frown of confusion.

"You survived a not-my-fight with Eon of all people. And while trying to figure out it was him, you still focused on your studies and graduated college."

"It's the equivalent of a high school diploma." Ryo looked at him, his confused frown deepening. "Not a PHD."

"It's your diploma." He grabbed Ryo's shoulders.

Ryo stared at him, eyes widening in surprise. "Al…?"

"It's yours. You earned it. Not for Eon. Not for Hypnos. Not for plumbers. Not even for me. You earned it for you. Go celebrate your success." He tried not to look at his hands on Ryo's shoulders. Knowing him he'd immediately phase right through him once it really hit what he was doing. "Please?"

Ryo grabbed the edge of Justimon's scarf. "Is this the time for any level of celebration?"

Albedo shook his head, sadness flowing through him. Did Ryo really not know how to do anything fun anymore? Or was he just going through the motions of life? "This isn't about me, or Tennyson or Eon or anyone else. You have achieved something great. Every achievement someone has made should be celebrated. Yours included. Whether the celebration be short or simple, or long and not. Why should one brush off their achievements because they have responsibilities or worries? The grind will continue either way. Do we have to partake while being miserable?"

Ryo dropped his head and his hands.

He squeezed Ryo's shoulders even tighter. No wonder Jeri kept requesting everyone go to therapy. Eon did a number on all of them. He knew the monster had, but he hadn't realized just how badly. "Just because you cannot live every aspect of your life like a regular human would, doesn't mean you must deny yourself every opportunity to do so. Hold onto them. When you are old enough to retire from your duties, to hand over the responsibilities to someone else, you will be sad enough you missed the opportunities you weren't allowed to attend."

Ryo's silence actually scared Albedo. Juggernaut warned him that he was losing his mana, and it was starting to float all around him.

"...Go anyway. Even if you don't give a speech or anything else. Just show up. You deserve that much, my friend." He tried to hug Ryo, but only phased through him, and almost through much of the wall behind him as well.

Ryo shouted in surprise. No longer in his civilian persona, he quickly transitioned to his no-nonsense Plumber and Digimon Tamer role. "Al, focus!"

Albedo stared at his surroundings of the empty room he had phased into. Somehow, he managed to press a hand against the wall to balance himself. His other hand reached out and grabbed the mana slowly wafting into the room. He felt Gwendolyn's mana encircling him as he was pulled out the wall.

He pretended to brush himself off as Gwendolyn and Ryo looked at him, checking him over. "Well, that was embarrassing." He huffed.

Ryo held a hand over his heart. "You're fine. No one's laughing at you."

"He's alright, Hugh." Gwendolyn said. "Just lost his concentration."

'Eighty percent mana remaining.' Juggernaut warned him.

Albedo raised his hands, grabbing his mana around him. He was pretty sure the plumbers who had raced towards him were going to laugh the first chance they got. He got stuck in the wall like a comedy skit in a cartoon. He felt his own laughter bubbling in his throat. He barely managed to choke it down.

"Okay." Hugh responded, sounding small.

Albedo's mana swirled around him as he pulled it back towards him. Juggernaut felt the need to inform him of every percentage he grabbed. He'd ask if the program was annoyed with him later. Instead, 'Thank you, Juggernaut.'

He smiled, once he was mostly put together. "If Albedo Lowenthal may be selfish for a moment…"

He waited, thinking of what to say. Ryo looked at him expectantly.

"Even if I cannot see you in person, I would like to see Ryo Akiyama on the stage. You deserve it. You earned this, and no one can take that from you." Albedo hoped he was not overstepping his boundaries.

Gwendolyn looked at them in confusion.

Ryo stood, looking at Albedo in silence. He lowered his head, though he was smiling a small smile. "I'll think about it."

Warmth filled Albedo. He did a jig, taking Gwendolyn within him for a part of the dance. Gwendolyn's confusion filtered through her mana to him. Ryo and Hugh teased that they were going to tell Henry.