Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

What Happens in Bellwood... – Chapter 46

Originally Written: July, 8, 2016 203PM to 431PM

. . . . .

Yamaki, Ryo, Rose, Yckat, Haiphen, Akari and other high ranking plumbers glued their eyes to a large tv screen in a room on Hypnos' lower levels. Currently Hugh sat in a plain room with a table and some chairs, similar to a room Albedo had recently sat in. Hugh quietly spoke to another plumber dressed in a sharp, pristine black suit and tie.

"I-I don't understand." The vaxasaurian questioned. "Y-you already know."

Hugh looked at the Tetramand (Four Arms) leaning on the far wall with all four of his arms folded. He also wore a black professional, expensive looking suit. His tail tapped softly against the ground. The Tetramand stood behind the human plumber, watching Hugh's every move.

"T-There's no need to ask me s-such questions." He continued. He lowered his head.

Yamaki raised his hand. A plumber paused the video. "Do they all reference this?" Yamaki looked around at the other plumbers. "When I mentioned Blukic and Driba, Albedo got quite agitated, and I'm certain it wasn't a result of his abundant dislike of them."

"Fridge mostly just sang an odd song. Reminded me of something an opera singer would take a shot at." Ryo directed to another video screen.

Fridge sat on the floor, ignoring everyone around him. He sang a soft song, the necrofriggian language filling the room.

"Just like he did during the Invasion." Ryo smiled, "Sounds like he's working on something good there."

Occasionally Fridge fiddled with a collar hooked around his neck, meant to prevent him from shifting and phasing through the walls or floors. Only once did Fridge speak a human language, and that was to tell the human plumber trying to get a word out of him, "I have nothing to say to you."

Yamaki sighed. He turned to another screen, "And Swamps?"

Another screen started playing video. Swamps had been handcuffed to his seat, green eyes blazing as he pulled at the restraints.

"I'd do it again too!" The Methanosian yelled at the plumbers in the room with him, both dressed in fire resistant plumber suits. "You government hacks treat people like shit, cover it up and then get pissed when someone tries to do something about it! You're all the same!"

"Like I suspected. They did help him" Yamaki flipped open and shut his lighter repeatedly. "What happened in that Bellwood facility? I want all the records of that time period."

"Yes sir." A female plumber spoke.

"Comb through those records until you know what they say by heart." He turned around. "Magistrate Tennyson will be visiting to see how this facility is doing after the attack, and I want to be able to give the fullest, extensive report I can. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Everyone called out, saluting Yamaki although he couldn't see them. Some of them started filling out the room.

"Ryo, Amano Squad."

"Yo." Ryo performed a two finger salute.

"Yes sir!" Rose, Haiphen Ykcat and Akari responded.

He looked at the four fugitives on various screens all resisting the plumbers' attempt at communication as though they believed the plumbers to be controlled by the Incurseans.

"Amano squad." Yamaki turned around as some of the lights in the room turned on. The room remained too dark to properly read a book, despite the lights, as it was meant to.

Monodramon looked at Yamaki, tail waving as he waited for Ryo. he sat on the floor towards the back of the room, farthest from the tv screens.

"I will be removing your squad from this case."

Their eyes widened.

"Sir, with all due respect," Rose raised a hand.

Yamaki cut her off with a hand, "Against your better judgment you willingly handed a fugitive plumber weaponry. Twice."

"That fugitive put aside his hatred to assist a man he dislikes. All to assist resistance forces." She shifted her weight to one foot. "He had plenty of time to attack any of us afterwards. He did not."

"And that is why I don't think you should be on the case anymore. Albedo is a mastermind. He's repeatedly outsmarted Azmuth and multiple plumbers. The only reason Ben Tennyson hasn't lost to him is due to Albedo's own rage. I don't want Albedo getting into your head as he had Ryo."

"Standing right here." Ryo coughed.

"I know." Yamaki folded his arms. "Bad enough giving a fugitive a government weapon. But hiding them from the authorities. That's liable for jail time yourself."

Ryo scowled.

"You're all too involved with Albedo, Fridge, Swamps and Hugh. I can't rely on you to give them impartial treatment."

Ryo felt as though he should pull an Albedo and remark 'Like how we treat Ben impartially,' but he recognized the glare on Yamaki's face as one of his 'not in the mood' looks. He kept the comment to himself.

"The number of protocols you've broken, Invasion or no Invasion, is not something I can excuse." Yamaki took a few moments to give them a stern look.

"Yckat wants to tell you that you have a better chance at getting anything out of them with us, though, sir." Yckat's tail tapped against his leg.

"While this is true, I can't guarantee you won't be manipulated into letting them escape. Magistrate Tennyson won't be pleased if Albedo attacks his grandson again, even if Ben can take him."

Ryo sighed.

"Short leash," Yamaki looked at him. "Stop tugging before you choke." He snapped.

Ryo huffed and folded his arms.

"And that's why you need the short leash. Prove that I can rely on you and I'll place all of you back on case with Albedo and the others." Yamaki closed his eyes and turned around. "Until then," he looked at the four paused videos, "dismissed."

Amano and her squad motioned to leave, shoulder slumped.

Ryo stayed behind, standing in silence for a bit. "Sometimes I think you guys forget that I'm twenty-six, not sixteen."

"And how much of that time was spent not realizing you were a chess piece." Yamaki spoke in a soft, calm voice. "Ryo, I'm not trying to pit you against the organization or Albedo, but you need to remain professional and remember that regulations exist for a reason. Don't get attached to someone like Albedo."

"He's not a bad guy."

"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but he's manipulative. You know first hand how he wove Henry round his fingers."

Ryo lowered his head.

"He's still tangled in fact."

"Yea," Ryo murmured.

"I guarantee you, if he manages to do what he did to Henry to you, it will hurt."

Ryo shrugged, "Course it would."

Yamaki gave him a hard look that gave Ryo pause.

"He's not..." Ryo clenched his fist, "He's had plenty of time to!"

Yamaki folded his arms behind his back.

Monodramon stood up and started walking towards Ryo.

"If a person is shunned for having a different point of view, who's fault is it when they lash out?"

"Theirs," Yamaki replied quickly. "There are other ways of retaliating. Peaceful ways. Being shunned, as you call it, which is extremely biased by the way, doesn't exempt one from basic intergalactic law."

Ryo huffed.

"Bench duty, Ryo."

"What!?" Ryo circled around him. "You can't be serious!?"

"Think of what you just said, who you said it about and who you said it to." Yamaki circled around him, and walked towards the exit. "Be glad I'm not Magistrate Tennyson."

"That's not-"

"Dismissed, Akiyama, or do you want a more suitable punishment," Yamaki turned around and held his arms out at his sides as he continued walking backwards, "like jail time for assisting an escaped, armed and dangerous convict?"

Ryo sighed and lowered his head, "Dammit." He kicked at the floor. He placed his hands in his pants pockets, as he followed Yamaki out. Monodromon followed him dutifully, firing questions at his human partner. 'Why did I say that?'