Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

Presage – Chapter 73

Originally Written: Wednesday, April 19, 2017 306AM to 402AM

. . . . .

Albedo stepped out of the bedroom. He took a deep breath. Jenrya had stopped over, but had gotten tired, so he was letting the silver eyed male sleep over. The plumber Jenrya had threatened a while back still wasn't pleased with him. Since then, the other plumbers were a bit stern with him. Even Rose and her squad. Albedo figured it was due to them realizing that Jenrya's end goal did not exactly match theirs.

Albedo stood in the doorway for a moment. That meant Ryo's goal did not match Jenrya's either, did it? He looked at the Time Walker sitting on the couch without much care in the entirety of the universe. Where did Paradox come in all of this anyway? Why was he even here?

He showed up earlier today, as though he were checking up on him. It sent chills down his spine. Everyone had their own plan of action. They left him here under this "apartment arrest" without telling him anything, their words of explanation vague or nonexistent. He just had to hope one of them wasn't Tennyson in disguise or something worse.

He wrapped his jacket tighter around himself. Just because he was stuck here, didn't mean he couldn't do anything. But what did it matter? What could he do against Tennyson in his head, and within the plumber ranks as well? He couldn't even keep the nuisance out of Terriermon or Jenrya's minds.

Even the Time Walker was having his way with him. Not a single person commented on him being here. Albedo was sure they couldn't even see him. And he knew all too well that Paradox was Tennyson's ally...

"You think quite a bit." Paradox commented, though he hadn't looked up from his pocket watch. "All that thinking might drive you mad."

He walked to the kitchen, quickly shuffling past Paradox. The thought and action was silly, but he found it comforting nonetheless. Maybe if he ignored him...

Takato sat at the kitchen table, eating a small lunch. Jenrya's lunch sat off to the side, wrapped up. Albedo's own lunch was open, sitting across from Takato at the place he had been. His D-Terminal waited for him next to it.

Takato smiled sheepishly as Albedo sat down at the table. Albedo resisted asking if the Tamer was up to no good.

Takato had come to visit with the intention of getting him to leave the apartment, but he changed his mind once he heard about how he had gone to the Digital World. There was nothing he was capable of doing that would top such an activity he admitted.

They ate in silence, no Jenrya to entice them to conversation. Albedo worked on his D-Terminal. Odd enough, Takato's presence kept him from jerking in surprise whenever he saw his reflection on the screen as he usually did. The act left him, anxious, as Kirito had called it, but he was making good progress. It also kept his mind off his latest nightmare. He shook his head.

"Sometimes, it is better to leave things as they are."

Albedo sighed.

Takato looked at him confused.

Paradox stood behind Takato, dressed in his white lab coat as usual. He wasn't looking at his pocket watch anymore. He now stood with his hands in his pockets, watching Albedo as though he thought him an ignorant child up to no good.

"Albedo?" Takato questioned.

He refrained from shaking his head. Next to Paradox he would always be a child, even more than when standing next to his foolish mentor. However, he wasn't ignorant, and he certainly wasn't up to no good. He thought, at least, Ryo and Jeri would be appreciative.

"Sometimes, attempting to make things better only makes things worse." Paradox continued.

"I was just thinking." He murmured. He lowered his head. Looking anywhere else was better than watching the Time Walker stare at him like that.

"About what?"

"When Jeri visited the other day."

"She did?" Takato looked at him wide eyed.

"I just said as much, didn't I? I had thought you would have joined her." He looked up for a moment.

Takato looked off to the side. He swallowed thickly.

'Hm, that's right. Kazu did say they were having issues, was it?' He took a bite of his food. He looked at the D-Terminal's screen. Lines of code filled it, waiting for Albedo to decipher it.

"Was she alright?"

He looked at Takato confused. What an odd question for him to ask. Wouldn't Takato know that better than him? He pushed the thought to the side as he folded his arms on the table. "Jeri seems to understand emotions well. Better than most humans I've come across."

"Oh...uh, yea." Takato scratched his cheek, "D-Reaper didn't just assimilate buildings and technology. It grabbed other people too. Those unfortunate enough to not get away. It analyzed and killed them when it was done. That's why it was so important we got Jeri out of there." Takato lowered his head.

"You mean you, Matsuki."

He nodded, a blush coming to his face. "Yea, especially to me."

"I'd say your girlfriend is starting to drink way too heavily, but I've seen her down a bottle of alcohol and it does nothing to her besides make her babble." He propped his head up on a hand. His fingers gripped his shirt sleeve, making sure it didn't slide down his forearm.

"D-Reaper. Again. Juggernaut is like that with Henry too." Takato spoke slowly, quieter than before. He shook his head. "No parasite wants it's host at less than 100 percent."

"Hm, parasite? I'd say they've entered more of a symbiotic relationship. They each get something from their programs, unpleasant or pleasant what they get may be."

Takato stared at him. The look he gave him before the two got into some kind of fight.

Truthfully, Albedo wasn't in the mood. Takato usually misunderstood what he meant for some reason. "You should talk to Jeri when you find the time. She seems troubled."

He looked at Paradox. To Takato it looked like he was just staring at the wall he assumed. The Tamer still hadn't acknowledged anyone was even behind him.

"Yea," Takato sighed. "I have, but...I don't know how to help. I'm just making things worse." He looked down as he shut his eyes tightly. "Nothing works."

"I suppose it would be hard to cope when you discover your knight in shining armor has cheated on you."

Takato sighed heavily. The sigh sounded closer to a growl than anything. "Can you say something without making me look like a jerk for once?"

He looked at Takato. Paradox circled round the table. Albedo assumed he was headed back to the living room, but who knew with a time walker. "Have you tried not being a jerk?"

Takato sighed, dejected. "I know I deserve that one, but, really?" Takato held a hand out towards him.

He shook his head, "She came with two bottles of saki the other day, but only drank one. I poured the other one out. I can't imagine she'll be happy with me when she discovers such."

Takato looked at him surprised. Eventually he smiled.