Ben10 & Digimon Tamers
Heroes and Humanity
Part 02: Humanity and Heroes
Presage – Chapter 66
Originally Written: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 1043PM
. . . . .
"What's with that look on your face?"
Albedo shifted his eyes just enough to look at Kazu. Kazu sat next to him on the bed. The TV played the ending credits to either Anode or Cathode Tamer, he couldn't be bothered to remember which one.
"Kimeramon is the Digimon that Ken Ichijouji created as the Digimon Emperor, yes?" He tapped his chin.
"That flew me for a loop when I played it again after watching the show."
"How in the world did it get there? Does Ryo even know Ken in this game's narration yet?" He shook his head, "Nevermind, even if he did, Ken wouldn't be the Digimon Emperor for some time yet. At least six months to a year, I would wager."
Kazu chuckled.
Albedo scowled in response. "And, was that the same MachineDramon in the first Season? Isn't he already dead? How did either of them get there for Ryo to fight?"
"Gotta play the games dude."
"How many more are there? And are all their plot lines full of holes as bad as these?"
"Anode/Cathode counts as one. Then there's three more after that."
"How can it count as one game? The game clearly has a bit of a timeline here, seeing as there's more than one game in the series. At least, I would assume so."
"Well, they're like those games that have more than one version, or more than one ending. You assume both occurred at the same time. At least I do."
"What? Like an alternate timeline?" Albedo raised an eyebrow. By now the game had returned to its title screen, waiting for the player to choose an option.
He massaged his temples. Maybe this was the real reason why Jenrya scolded him when he found out he was playing the games with Kazu's assistance.
"Depends on how the game creator prefers you to view it, but sure, why not." Kazu shrugged. "Though the next game leaves off right where this one ends." He grinned at Albedo's look of frustration.
"How? Are there two versions of that game as well?"
"Nope." Kazu scratched his head.
Albedo looked at the console sitting on the floor. Right. Jenrya did say something about fanboys. Less intelligent species see what they want to see, especially humans.
"Want to get to the next stop on this wild ride? I've got some time before I should go. Kenta's been wondering where I've been going, and the Plumbers won't let me say anything. I feel like I'm some secret spy!"
Albedo looked at the time on his D-Terminal. There was still about an hour and a half before dinner. Kazu wouldn't mind staying too late either. The only thing he doubted was his mind coping with the game's plot holes.
Jenrya, Jeri and even Suzie all acted as though there was truth in both the games and in the TV show. So far neither matched up well with each other, plotwise. Was the narration itself incorrect? Digimon in the real world were nothing like in the shows or the games starring Ryo. Then again, if the narration was wrong, why would Jenrya and the others act as though it wasn't? Even then, the narrator wasn't always necessarily trustworthy. There were various levels of incorrectness to consider.
"Next one." He murmured.
"I think you're thinking about this too hard. They're video games, not real life." Kazu chuckled as he stood up to switch the games.
"Hm..."
"How the hell did you manage to rig this up to your TV anyway?" Kazu gestured to the TV, computer, and the WonderSwan console itself, all with wires and other sorts of doohickeys attaching them together.
"Do you really think you'd understand it?"
"Nope, but still." Kazu squatted on the floor. "I know all about how hard it is to see on these things. Their screens are terrible."
"I'm not modifying yours. This took way more time than it should have. I had to spend way too long convincing way too many guards as well."
"Aww man!" Kazu frowned.
"Truthfully, you could not pay me to. Acquiring the supplies was absolutely tedious." He didn't even attempt to think about how wary the Plumber guards were of him now after his past few stunts. Jenrya had actually told him to 'calm it down a little'. Jenrya, the one who told him he outright didn't trust the Plumbers anymore. Did Jenrya truly think he wanted every Plumber in the building looking around for him every which way 24/7 in the first place?
"I don't blame you." The tamer eventually conceded. "You know Jeri has one of these?"
"Oh, really?" He blinked a few times, intrigued, but not as surprised as he expected himself to be.
"Yep. With every attachment known to man. She's even got an old Gamestation to connect it to. First gen too. Kenta and I got rid of our first gen Gamestation ages ago."
"Interesting."
Jeri hadn't even crossed his mind in his list of concerns voiced to Hugh, Fridge and Swamps, yet, again someone had voiced her name. The trio spoke of her as well as a few other people the day he asked. He made a mental note to consider the odds, low as they may be.
"I think that's why she gets along so well with Takato. Or used to. I don't know what's going on with 'em now, but it's none of my business."
He debated on responding, but decided against it, lest Kazu realize what he spoke of. He folded his legs up on the bed, crossing them.
"Kenta and I are more vocal about our Digimon obsession, but she always hid it, and Chumly's way more calm about it than he was years ago." Kazu stood up and returned to the bed, holding the console with care. "Wouldn't it be funny if this was Jeri's Wonderswan?"
Albedo looked at the male like he grew a second head. "Where did that come from?"
Kazu grinned, "Just wondering. She's got an orange one too. Orange ones are rare for some reason. Reminded me of her."
Albedo looked around the room against his better judgment.
Kazu started laughing. "She's not here, dude! I was just starting conversation."
"I know that." He snapped. He scowled and glared at the male.
Kazu continued laughing until he shoved him hard enough to make him topple over.
"Alright alright, I'll start playing already." Kazu sat back up straight.
Albedo looked at him for a few moments, waiting and ready to shove him again.
"Now this part's weird. At least I thought it was." Kazu spoke a few moments into the next game's introduction. "Actually, maybe the creators want us to think this part's weird."
"Hm?" Albedo wondered if such a screen that didn't cast even a subtle reflection existed on Earth. Even if it did, he doubted any Plumbers would allow him access to one. He couldn't see himself asking them anyway, now that he had a few more seconds to think about it.
"So, it's March 2K Oh. And Ryo's with Ken in Japan, yeah?"
"Mhm?"
"In the movies he's in Turkey." Kazu looked at him, laughing a soft laugh. "Watching the same fight."
Albedo sharply turned to look at Kazu. "What?"
"The Digimon movie. Diaboromon." Kazu nodded with closed eyes.
"You notice this, but don't think it's weird Ryo fought an already dead Dark Master, or a Digimon technically not even created yet?"
"This one is just weird though." Kazu smiled sheepishly.
He narrowed his eyes in a glare at the male. Then he reached for his D-Terminal. As he looked through it Kazu leaned over his shoulder.
"What in the-?"
"See?" Kazu grinned, "Told you." Kazu leaned back and sat normally. "He's in two places at once."
Albedo sat silent for a long time. "Time travel. That's the only thing that would explain it." Ryo had already confirmed to him that he wasn't from this Earth. The Time Walker's presence alone already confirmed that Space & Time manipulation tended to go hand in hand. If not the Time Walker, then science itself, and the slew of aliens he studied alongside his foolish mentor both revealed more than enough evidence for such.
Kazu whistled innocently.
"So it is time travel?" He leaned his hands on his knees, inching just a bit towards the TV screen, completely focused.
"Gotta play the games dude."
"Hmph. Just hand me an experience more intriguing than anything going on in this boring building, and not let me have my fun."
"It ruins the experience."
"You're probably up to something."
"Maybe." Gah! He could probably hold the sneaky grin in his voice in his hands.
"No one will tell me what that really cool thing I missed was."
"No." Albedo sharply replied. "Nice try though."
"Awwww." The frown in Kazu's voice absolutely soaked him head to toe.
"I can't believe you're focused on that."
"Says the one analyzing a game like it's a history textbook. I can't believe you're actually taking notes." He snickered.
Albedo shoved him again.
