Ben10 & Digimon Tamers
Heroes and Humanity
Part 02: Humanity and Heroes
What Happens in Bellwood... – Chapter 57
Originally Written: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 858PM to Wednesday to February 1, 2017 352AM
. . . . .
Albedo knew that when Jenrya heard of how closed off he'd been, the male would greatly disapprove. He did not, however, consider that Jenrya would actually come get him for lunch.
Surely enough, Jenrya waited outside for him. The apartment door obscured his view from seeing the slew of electronic equipment strewn about the living room table.
"I'm not leaving," Jenrya sang, "C'mon, before we miss lunch!" He sounded as though he had a big grin on his face, voice full of excitement.
He held in a sigh and stood up. He rubbed his sore knees, and grabbed his jacket from off the couch. He ran a hand across his chin. He pulled on his jacket, as the guard opened the door.
Jenrya hugged and kissed him, even as the guard behind Jenrya looked at the duo with a frown.
"This is house arrest, not high school." The female crossed her arms. She had short hair, and a good amount of muscles. More than what Albedo was used to seeing on a human female. She placed a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Move it Casanova."
Jenrya laughed and it took all of Albedo's strength to not flush and lose himself among the memories of nice, more sensual times. He placed his hands in his pockets and walked on ahead. His own guard followed and eventually surpassed him, leading the way. The female guard walked behind them.
"What could be so important that you had to come get me?" He looked at Jenrya.
The male idly swung his arms, staying careful of the guards, "You'll see!"
The lunch room he was used to was located on the same floor as his apartment. Not that he visited the lunchroom often. It looked as though it was a small apartment that had been converted to a lunch room, perfect for ten or so people. The first time he went the majority were guards, plumbers. He couldn't remember if he was the only person here who wasn't a guard.
Unfortunately, the event left him wondering what threat he was under that required that many guards. It took longer than he wished to admit or even realize that Tennyson or those probably phony impersonators were nowhere near him.
He ignored Jenrya looking at him. It wasn't a look of pity and for that Albedo would assume someone would say he was grateful. He however would consider the look Jenrya gave him a look he should have been using in the first place.
'Shh...'
He felt the barest hints of a wave of calm fill him. He vaguely recognized that it was not his own. He looked at Jenrya confused. 'When did you get the ability to do this?' He blinked, further confused when Jenrya didn't respond.
"Hm?" Jenrya smiled at him.
He shook his head. He looked ahead as they headed down the stairs.
"Take a left," the guard behind them spoke.
'He is experienced with it,' Albedo assumed, 'Quite a bit of it.'
The rest of the walk was quiet, but did not take long. He entered the lunch room just behind Jenrya. It looked just like the one on his floor. A few long tables, a multitude of chairs and more guards than Albedo assumed for his own sake were more than necessary.
Hugh and Fridge sat with their backs to him. They spoke quietly to each other as they ate a generous meal, more on Hugh's end. Both wore ID masks, marking them as Humphrey and Frank. He found himself stepping forward, but a guard stopped him.
"This way, Albedo."
He swallowed deeply, and then plastered a cocky smirk on his face. When was the last time he'd seen either of them? He took a seat in front of the two. And where was Sean? Jenrya sat next to him.
Hugh dropped his fork. It clattered on his plate, knocking against a pair of chopsticks propped up against it. "Albedo!" The Vaxasaurian damn near shouted.
He did an excellent job holding in his flinch and the reflex of a frown if he did say so himself.
Fridge looked at him and smiled. "I was beginning to think they were lying to us."
He briefly lowered his eyes to the tray of covered food. If he said he actually had been here, surely he'd hear them whine about him avoiding them again. He pulled at his jacket sleeves.
"They kept telling us you were here, but every time we came, there was no you." Fridge continued calmly. He looked at him for a long time.
Albedo dropped his head lower. He could not tell himself why. He felt Jenrya in his mind again, soothing, yet not. He held in a frown.
"I didn't even know they moved you." Hugh sounded quite calm for an alien that was at high risk of being imprisoned for many years to come.
"Where is Sean?" He asked, a failed attempt at his voice coming out louder than a whisper.
"Please stop staring." Jenrya said, "It's been a while since we've seen each other, but we're all the same as we were before."
"O-oh right."
"Whoops. Sorry."
Albedo couldn't decide on glaring at the male or telling him off, so he settled for opening his tray. He hoped it was something nice. He was actually hungry today. "Where is Sean?" He asked again, looking at his tuna sandwich and salad. Surprisingly it was not the canned stuff, like he would have received in America. It was actually a set of small thinly sliced pieces of filet with tomatoes, olives and salad greens. He took a bite. And just the touchiest bit of wasabi in the mayo. He supposed that was one difference between House Arrest and actual jail or prison.
"The guards didn't want to risk him coming if you weren't going to show up." Fridge explained. "At least that's what I'd wager."
"He's probably being a pain in the ass."
Hugh snorted that nasally sound reminding Albedo more of a wild pig than a sentient bipedal reptile.
He smiled a smile those not paying attention would not see in response.
"Probably."
Jenrya chuckled, a soothing sound.
He looked at Fridge and Hugh. Their ID masks hid whether they acquired any new injuries, but they sounded better than he was certain he himself did.
"T-thank you for bringing A-Albedo down, Henry." Hugh spoke. "I was w-worried we'd not s-see you, Albedo."
"It's not a problem." Jenrya smiled, "He won't say it, but I know he wanted to see you too."
He grunted over a bite of his sandwich. He wished he had another.
"I wonder if they even told you we were here? They'd bring us once a week, starting a couple weeks back." Fridge added.
"It's not a concern."
"Y-yea." Hugh ducked his head low. "W-we get to see you today. I-I hope they're t-treating you nice here."
"They're boring stiffs. It's a plumber trait."
Jenrya shifted in his chair. He smirked. At least someone was giving him evil eyes. He couldn't see which one nor did he care who, but the experience amused him just enough. He was certain they were, Plumbers never took well to any critics of them. "I assume neither of you have contact with Sean?"
"N-no."
"Only what we're told when we behave."
He looked around. "You." He focused his red eyes on a young plumber looking out the window. The plumber looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Yes, I'm speaking to you." He wiped his mouth with a tissue. "You tell Swamps that Albedo said if he doesn't cut it out I'll shove my foot so far up his ass we could use it as a null void for Nanomechs by the time I remove it." He calmly returned back to eating, ignoring the guard staring at him.
"What the hell!?" Jenrya attempted to speak over his own laughter. He leaned a hand up against the table, body shaking in mirth.
Hugh and Fridge laughed as well.
"If that idiot acts out enough, he'll get me in even worse trouble." He explained. "There's the odd plumber that is paranoid to an extreme degree. More trouble than they're worth if they ask me."
"They're only paranoid if something isn't out to have trouble for them."
He gave Jenrya a bland look.
"There he is!" Jenrya grinned wildly.
He shook his head, then propped his head up with a hand resting against the table. For this moment, as he sat next to the trio, he could indeed admit, he actually felt closer to his usual self than before. It felt odd to him, as though he was only watching a recording of the ongoing events.
He listened to them chat, occasionally adding his own inputs. "The ID masks allow civilians to enter frequently, without being too noticeable. Aliens have revealed themselves, but we are still...odd, to humans. They take forever to notice or become used to anything."
Occasionally Jenrya would chime in with his own snarky reply, "I'm human too, you know," with a gentle smile.
"The projected overlay surrounding the building is like the barrier surrounding earth, except with well concealed, I regretfully admit, at least level two technology creating a hologram of sorts around the area. This allows plumbers to stake out on the roof without everyone and their mentors noticing them." He folded his hands beneath his chin. "It's a complicated process, requiring more maintenance than the average person would think."
"Level two?" Fridge looked at him surprised. "Are you under house arrest, or under some kind of protection service?"
He gave Fridge and Hugh a bland look with the barest touch of confusion. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jenrya shake his head at them. He calmly stood. "Take me back." He spoke in a soft yet firm voice.
"Albedo?" Fridge stood up, "What-?"
"It's not you." Jenrya spoke.
The male plumber who led him to the lunch room walked over to him. "You are certain?" The guard asked.
"What happened?" Hugh asked, voice frantic, "W-what d-did-?"
He pulled at his shirt sleeves. "I would not have asked otherwise."
"Hush. Please." Jenrya continued, "I'll explain later, if they let me. Do you-"
"No." He walked ahead, the guard following. He tried his damnedest to keep from imagining the guard was Ben Tennyson, and the plumbers were letting the overly accepted monster get in some diplomatic immunity level attacks on him just because. It didn't work well, and he tripped over his own two feet as he shuddered, a long burst of terror sending his mind reeling. He felt Jenrya somehow steady him.
'He didn't mean to.'
'I know...' His voice in his head worried him. So soft, so frail and tired. Like in his nightmares.
He walked up the stairs, holding onto the railing tightly. Emotions were fleeing, he decided. No wonder his mentor was not a fan of them.
