Ben10 & Digimon Tamers

Heroes and Humanity

Part 02: Humanity and Heroes

Another Myself – Chapter 92 Part 2

Originally Written: October 12, 2017 1253PM to 425PM

. . . . .

"So, here's the deal, before we move out." Ben 10K stood before them. He stood tall, his back straight and his arms folded behind his back. A sharp contrast to his younger counterpart. His green eyes pierced deep within Albedo, just as his wife's, Kai Green's had previously. It sent chills down his spine. Even his caged form was not a shield for him. Then again, why would a cage that resembled Tennyson, keep Tennyson out?

"Paradox is still away, trying to keep Eon off our backs. For as long as he's doing so, we'll need to find another way to get you back to your timeline."

"Makes sense." Ryo agreed. "If we wait for Paradox, it'll open us up again for Eon to attack us."

The group was preparing to relocate again to Fridge, Swamps, Frigga and Hugh's home. Sometime during the night, Frigga had left with Kai, who switched out with Ben 10,000. Fridge, concerned with Frigga's whereabouts, had asked to return. The elder Ben deemed it safe, and that's where they were now.

Ryo shifted his stance as he nodded, "Eon's preoccupied, which means he won't be available to shove us out of the way or something equally ridiculous."

Monodromon growled out a soft agreement.

"Utterly sick of that nutjob." Rika muttered out.

Albedo shivered as Jenrya ran a comforting hand up and down his back. Ben Prime looked at them with something akin to confusion, an eyebrow raised. Albedo tried to ignore him.

Gwendolyn, Kevin and Rook stepped outside to patrol the area. Gwendolyn had said that she was feeling nervous, and Kevin went with her. Albedo figured it was his mana unnerving her. He had little knowledge of how mana worked, but he knew what it looked like. Only recently had it brought to his attention that his mana was definitely not what mana is not supposed to look like. Rook was just the same as he was back home. All Plumber business, all the time. Though, the glance that he sent their way as they left the premises left Albedo curious. He hoped Ben Prime wasn't wearing off on him.

"So, how are we going to get back?" Jenrya asked. Terriermon lazed on top of his tamer's head, resembling a well flattened pillow.

"A Chronosapien could easily perform the task." Albedo spoke up, his hands folded in front of him.

"That time alien?" Rika looked at him.

"Correct."

"Which is exactly what we're going with," Ben 10K nodded to him. "We'd never be able to build a proper machine in time anyway."

"Neat." Rika stretched, "Would be nice to get back home." She reached her arms towards the ceiling.

"Agreed. These beds are comfortable, but I still want my own."

Rika snorted and gave Jenrya a knowing look.

"You two are together!" Ben Prime shouted and pointed a finger at them.

Swamps barked out into sharp laughter. He flopped back into his chair, arms wrapped around his torso.

"Um, not exactly hiding it." Jenrya replied.

Albedo narrowed his eyes at him.

"I'm not getting in this. At all." Ben 10K headed for the exit. "You guys get ready, let me know, and then we'll head out." Fridge quickly followed him.

"Oh, I don't care you're gay." Ben Prime shrugged his shoulders, "It's more how does anyone like an Albedo that much!?" He looked at them wide eyed as he held his arms out in front of him. "That's just weird!"

"Weren't you staring at Kai's ass last night?" Ryo gave him a side-long glance.

"That's very different." Ben flushed a deep healthy red. "She has no business looking so...so..."

"Good?" Rika smirked. "You got years to watch her turn into that." She grinned.

Swamps reached forward for a high five, which Rika returned with ease.

Albedo hid his face in Jenrya's shoulder, as Jenrya silently fumed behind him. He felt wild hot fire from Jenrya fill his person. It made him frown in concern.

"I've been in terrible relationships." Jenrya spoke softly, voice firm and stern.

His eyes widened.

"Horrible ones that would make you regret being a member of the human race." Jenrya pulled up his shirt sleeve, showing off the marred burnt skin. Ben looked at him with wide eyes, as though realizing what he unleashed upon himself.

"This came from someone so terrible, so horrible, the only way to get him to leave me alone, to make them stop physically attacking me, was via flame." Jenrya looked at Ben with such an intense stare it made Albedo want to curl up into it. To use it as his own shield.

"Albedo never laid a hand on me. I never felt the need to use fire to make him go away. Albedo is a good person, who's been dealt a terrible hand, and I will greatly value his presence by my side for however long this works out. You don't have to like him, but I swear to God as my witness, if you say one more bad thing about him because you're too full of yourself to pay attention to what you're looking at, I will do worse than tase you. These guns are far more capable of it than you think."

Everyone looked up, as the lights flickered. Albedo looked in concern. He ran a hand against Jenrya's shoulder. "It's fine." He whispered.

"No. No it's not." Jenrya shook his head.

"I'm-"

"Shut. Up." Jenrya cut off the wielder of the Omnitrix. "No you are not. And don't you dare say it unless you actually are."

"Henry. He's not our Ben." Ryo spoke in a calm voice. He walked towards them.

"No no," Swamps grinned, waving his hands, "let him continue."

Jenrya glared at Ryo, eyes shining with energy. "My Albedo hasn't done anything to him! And all he's done is stand there and badmouth him. Assume he's evil! Assume he's up to no good! And you want me to just let him continue!? Is that damn watch the only thing he cares about!?"

Albedo pulled at Jenrya's hand, but the male didn't seem to be paying attention to him. He directed his eyes between Jenrya and Tennyson.

Tennyson seemed to be torn between speaking his mind, and hitting the dial on the Omnitrix. He looked at them with a frown. His green eyes darted between Ryo and Jenrya.

"No, I wish he'd stop too, but I think you got your point across." Ryo looked at Tennyson. "Didn't he? He's Albedo, but not your Albedo. I won't say why out of respect for him, but there's only one reason he's not fighting back against your words. Words cut deep, even if you don't mean them to."

Ben looked away. He sighed and dropped his hand from hovering over the Omnitrix, "You're right." He took a while, but eventually he looked at Albedo, and nodded slightly.

Jenrya fumed even more next to him. Albedo pressed his head again Jenrya's shoulder and shook his head. "Shh..." He whispered. "I don't care." He ignored his shaking frame. He felt Jenrya looking at him, and felt his disbelief within him. He focused on Jenrya and tried to send his own feelings of calm to him. "I just want to go home, okay?"

Jenrya took a deep breath. "We'll meet you outside." Jenrya nodded to the others, then left. Albedo followed obediently. He did not care to know of Tennyson's reaction.

When they reached outside, they didn't see Ben 10K. However, Fridge hung off to the side, hanging off another light pole. Albedo couldn't say what it was, but when Fridge looked at them, he righted himself and landed on the ground. He walked towards them, and encircled Albedo into his cloak. The soft wings felt cool against his hands. The extra hair on the Necrofriggian's chest felt warm, and tickled his face. He ran a hand down the inside of one.

"Thank you." Fridge spoke. "You take good care of him."

He felt a wave of embarrassment from Jenrya.

"The alternate versions of you and your friends do so much better." Jenrya spoke.

"You do more than you realize, I'm sure."

More embarrassment from Jenrya.

"I like to think he means well." Fridge continued.

Albedo froze against his frame.

"I just don't think his brain has caught up to his actions yet. Or perhaps I'm just naive and foolish like Swamps says I am." Fridge's hand swept down Abedo's back, a soothing action. Albedo closed his eyes. "Even if you are from another time and place, you are still our Albedo."

It didn't take long to get moving after Jenrya's outburst. Ben mostly stayed out of their way. Albedo got the feeling that more than anything, Ryo's reaction to the Omnitrix wielder affected him more than Jenrya's response. Either way, it worked out fine for Albedo. He couldn't complain.

Frigga warmly welcomed them back when they reached the small red home. Jenrya and the others settled in nicely. Albedo wasn't sure how they had. He stepped inside as quickly as possible. Hugh and Swamps stayed outside. He passed Rika sitting in the kitchen with Frigga. He shuddered hearing Rika hum that hymn. Frigga's eerie smile was even worse than yesterday. Then he passed Jenrya admiring the small painted table. He held Terriermon in his arms. Terriermon pointed out small details with his ears. He tried not to think of how much he missed Galvan Mark II. Albedo nodded when Ryo gave him a small smile as he and Monodramon walked around the house.

He entered the small bedroom Frigga told him his items were. His bag looked untouched as he looked through the items, checking each one over. He looked at the small bundle sitting on the pillow of the small bed. He opened the paper bag, and saw a brand new red jacket, identical to his old one, and a black long sleeved shirt familiar to his old one. He examined the clothing, and found nothing wrong.

He stood, closed the door and moved to put on the new clothes. He looked at his old clothes, folded on the bed next to where he found his bag. Frigga told him that they hadn't been able to get all the blood out of them, so they were still stained. He looked down at the long stitched up wound. He gently ran a hand down the wound. He instinctively shivered. It would probably leave a very unbecoming scar. He held in a sigh and pulled on his new shirt and jacket.

Something beeped in his bag. He knelt on the floor and looked through it once more, taking items out of the stuffed thing. He tilted his head at the orange and white Digivice. It's screen shined brightly at him. He blinked in surprise and held his breath. He picked up the device, and looked at the screen. His eyes softened, and his mouth fell into a frown. He reached onto the bed for a cable. He opened his laptop and connected the cable as his mind worked, thoughts racing through his head. He waited for his laptop to start up. Pleased with it's remaining battery power, he saw no need to attempt to charge the item.

He looked at the digivice for a long time. It hummed in his hands. He closed his eyes. He breathed in deeply, and opened his eyes, slowly releasing his breath. "What's done is done." He put the digivice down, and shut down his laptop. He somehow managed to get everything to fit neatly into his bag, and he hung the accessory around his neck. He stood in front of the closed door, his hand frozen in the act of reaching for the doorknob. He nodded, and exited the room.

"All ready?" Jenrya still sat at the table. Terriermon looked mesmerized by it.

"Almost." He nodded, "Frigga wanted to speak to me."

"Alright. We'll be here."

"Galvan Mark II looks amazing!" Terriermon called after him.

He froze where he stood. He closed his eyes, tears lining them. "Yes, it is very much so." He whispered to himself. He made himself walk forward. He leaned into the kitchen doorway. Rika sat at the table. Her hands tightly gripped a glass of something or other. Ryo sat in a chair next to her. He leaned back into it, with his eyes closed. "Have you seen Frigga?"

Rika startled, "What?" She looked at him. Ryo looked at him as well.

"Have you seen Frigga?"

"She...he? They?" Her face scrunched up in confusion. She looked at Ryo, who chuckled and shrugged his shoulder. "Whatever," She looked at Albedo, "Frigga stepped outside to the backyard."

"Alright." He nodded, "Frigga wouldn't mind either I should think. Necroffriggians do not have any concepts of male or female." He noticed Monodramon sitting on the floor near the doorway on his way out.

"Huh." He heard Rika speak as he walked out.

He continued through the red house, passing red walls, wooden and metal flooring, and various red furniture. He exited out the old rickety back door and closed it behind him.

"Hello little Galvan." Frigga cooed at him from her perch on the same lamp post Fridge had sat on a few nights ago. Swamps and Hugh played a game of cards off to the side. They sat on the dirt ground, not bothered by whatever may be crawling around. Fridge laid on the floor underneath Frigga, his wings and arms spread wide. He opened green eyes for a moment, before closing them again.

"Hello everyone." Albedo walked down the stairs.

"Swamps told me you are leaving soon?" Frigga tilted her head. She sang a short tune, barely long enough for those who didn't know Frigga well to realize she was indeed singing, and not just spamming a random sound as though she had Tourette's syndrome.

"Yes. We are." He knelt in the middle of the odd group. He rested his hands on his thighs.

"Then I think it fit to tell you." Frigga trilled softly. "Little Albedo stayed the night here."

Albedo looked at her wide eyed. He looked around. Fridge, Swamps and Hugh didn't seem surprised. "I see." He looked down. He pulled at his red jacket and smiled a small smile. 'You are welcome.'

"Hope he slept well." Swamps looked at the ground. "Looked like shit yesterday."

Hugh sighed softly. "I wish I got to speak to him."

"He was not in much mood for conversation." Frigga explained. She made her wings flutter ever so slightly. "He mainly slept. He truly needed it."

Albedo closed his eyes. He took a shuddering breath. "May," he sighed softly, "May I ask something of you?"

"Anything for Little Galvan." Fridge answered.

"Yes, anything." Frigga said

"P-please a-ask." Hugh replied.

"Sure sure." Swamps agreed

"Please." He shifted so he pressed his forehead against the hard ground. "D-do not give up on me." He shuddered hard. Tears streamed down his face. "I beg of you. P-please do not give up on me. D-don't waste your lives on me. Don't throw your lives away, b-but d-don't." He took a deep sharp breath, holding back a cry. He felt pain course through him, mainly deep within his chest. A deep emotional pain he wished was physical instead. He ached, weight heavily on his entire being. A burden he would wish only on his most hated enemies, and even then just barely. Pain for himself. Pain for Albedo Prime. "D-don't g-give up on m-me..."

He sobbed into the ground, even after the quartet came to his side, trying to sooth him with gentle words. 'They are what made the difference between myself and you.'