Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

Presage – Chapter 63

Originally Written: March 11, 2017 523PM to March 12, 2017 219PM

. . . . .

"I didn't squeal!" Kazu called out sharply and so fast Albedo just barely understood what he had said. "I didn't even know they were coming!"

Juggernaut spoke names in his head. He jerked at the sudden sound. "Matsuki." He spoke just loud enough to be sure the male heard him.

"Nice place." Takato called back to him.

"I know you didn't." Jenrya stood in the kitchen doorway. "Least, I don't think you did."

"Hey! I didn't!"

"You're not staying cooped up in here are you?" Takato spoke over Kazu and Jenrya. "Am I going to have to come drag you out of this apartment?" He had a pleasant happiness to his voice, compared to that serious tone he took during the invasion. Albedo was certain it would annoy him soon enough.

"No." He replied as Jenrya turned around. A shallow bin full of a variety of small bags of snacks sat on the table in front of him. Next to it, a Tupperware of plastic wrapped sandwiches.

Jenrya snickered, an inappropriate reaction in Albedo's opinion. "Hey Rika."

"Gotcha." Takato had a distinct grin in his voice.

He frowned.

"Goggleheads," The redhead murmured, "I still can't believe the setup you guys have here."

Albedo imagined that she was examining the apartment, comparing it to the high standards she lived in at her home. It certainly seemed like something she would do.

"I'm surprised all these plumbers even let us in. Some of them are a bit..." She continued.

He heard a sharp loud snort. He recognized it as one from the guard by the door immediately. This guard didn't show up as often as other plumber guards, but seemed to be around more often when more than one person visited him.

He picked up the box of snacks, and headed out to the living room. His shirt sleeves had ridden up slightly as he carried the box, exposing a bit of his wrists, 'What is the point of properly fitting long sleeved shirts, if the sleeves just do whatever they want?' He couldn't decide if he required a tighter fitting shirt, or a looser, longer or larger one. Yet another thing he'd need to think about.

He took a quick note that Kazu had run off somewhere. Probably to the facilities. Takato had turned around to look at the guard standing by the door, his head tilted to the side. Didn't Jenrya tell him to stop calling them guards?

As he set the package on the table, Rika gave him an oddly surprised look. Or was she looking behind him? He raised an eyebrow for a moment, and turned around.

He caught a glimpse of Takato facing him as he turned, looking at him with wide eyes and thin lips. Beelzemon, the guard, -no plumber, it's the plumber-, must have grinned at him. Even under an ID mask, there was something predatory about the digimon grinning.

Jenrya stood behind him, holding the Tupperware of sandwiches. A sheepish smile graced his face. It made his face scrunch up in a way that made Albedo's stomach flip and his heart flutter at the same time.

He took a quick look at the container, and then back at Jenrya's face.

Jenrya shook his head, still smiling. He'd be even more pleasant to look at if he wasn't acting so strangely.

He looked back at Takato and Rika. Rika's eyes shone with something or other, and Takato still had that ridiculous look on his face.

"Humans say that if you hold your face in a ridiculous looking expression long enough, it'll stick that way. If you both are looking to test such a ridiculous theory, test it far away from my presence." He placed the container of snacks down on the table.

He saw Kazu exit the bathroom when he turned around. He ignored him in favor of circling around Jenrya and re-entering the kitchen.

"That was so cool!" Rika spoke before he crossed through the doorway. She sounded excited for some reason.

"Please don't." Jenrya groaned .

"What was cool?" Kazu asked, "How come I always miss the cool things?" He whined.

"Too late!" She replied in a singsong voice.

He ignored the footsteps behind him as he pulled out a six pack of bottled drinks from the fridge. He sharply jumped backwards, tugging at his arm, since he forgot to let go of the refrigerator door. He surprised himself with how well he hid nearly the entirety of his wince. "What are you doing?" He glared at Rika as he let the door close.

Said Tamer stood in front of him, eyes glowing. She reminded him of his foolish mentor when he got caught up in his work or came to a new conclusion in his research.

"I didn't know you could do that." She spoke softly, as though attempting to whisper.

"And that would be?" he raised an eyebrow.

"You lifted that box up without using your hands."

"What?"

"The sandwiches."

"No, Jenrya carried the sandwiches."

"Not at first." She grinned at him as she held up a finger.

The masochist in him debated on whether or not he'd prefer her grinning this way, or seeing Tennyson do it.

"Jenrya, your friend has lost her mind." He looked at the silver eyed male standing in the doorway. He rested his closed fist against his chin in thought, "Either that or her eyesight is starting to fail at a younger age than she or I expected."

"Chumly? I feel like I missed something really cool." Kazu continued whining. "I missed something really cool didn't I?"

"You didn't miss anything, Kazu. Hear that Rika. Not a thing. Especially nothing cool!" Takato spoke loudly and dramatically.

Rika huffed, "Fine." She drawled, carrying out the word in a long whine.

He narrowed his eyes in thought. Realization came to him and he ran a hand over his face. 'Did I pick up the sandwiches with my Anodite powers?'

Jenrya sent a mental nod his way while smiling sheepishly. 'Rika's going to be annoying for a while.'

'Dammit.' He held back a groan. If he were any less intelligent, he'd think this was mere coincidence. However, he knew better. That pink energy did whatever the hell it wanted. It didn't matter how many mental or meditative exercises Jenrya coached him through. Why the female Tennyson was so good at it consistently evaded his mind.

'She gets the whole-,' Jenrya smiled warmly at him.

'No. Absolutely not.'

Jenrya laughed, "Alrighty then!" He turned away from him and Rika. "Who's hungry?"

Albedo glared at Jenrya's back. Why in the world would he suggest such a thing? Was he nuts?! The only other immediate reason that came to him, besides Jenrya having a lapse in sanity, was that something was setting him up. Except, while his energy abilities did whatever they wanted, they weren't that sentient. At this point he was certain he'd recognize another voice, another set of thoughts not his own in his head.

He narrowed his eyes. Oh hell no.

"Careful." Rika circled round him, a skip in her step and a cocky grin on her face, "Your face might get stuck like that."

'My foot is going up someone's ass.'