Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ben’s body ached as he struggled to open his eyes. His body felt warm but cold gusts of air circled him making him shiver along with droplets that only Ben could assume is rain.

His body screamed at him to get up, every nerve urging him to start moving his limbs and open his eyes.

And so that's exactly what he did, Ben forced his eyes to open. They felt hefty, like really heavy but he could manage.

Ben could now see where he was, but could barely move his body, even so he pushed himself up.

“Ow, ow, ow, hurts.. So much hurt” he was now sitting up in pain no less but whatever this is nothing to when he fights and that's almost like every week.

Ben got back on track swishing his wet hair back and forth to remove it from covering his face. Wait wet? That doesn’t make any sense; it shouldn’t be raining at all right now. The weather should be sunny right now.

Ben froze, he didn’t hear Gwen’s obnoxious shouting at him and he couldn’t smell grandpas terrible cooking which was honestly a miracle.

He shivered thinking of the octopus soup with a weird onion and an unknown ingredient his grandpa was gonna cook tomorrow “Ugh..” he felt sick just thinking of it.

Okay enough time to get back on track, Ben still stayed seated on the ground and looked at the unknown city before him.

Where is he? He's never been here before and even if he hasn't he's never seen a place this depressing looking.

Ben huffed struggling to get up he almost fell onto the floor but kept his balance. He realized that he was standing on a roof looking down at the dark walkway below him.

His eyes landed on the Omnitrix seeing that it was on cooldown rang alarms in his head and he immediately started to look around where he woke up.

Ben noticed the burn marks where he had lain, they were kinda fresh considering he could see steam coming from them.

Ben's eyes widened in realization, he was Heatblast he remembered now. He was fighting Charmcaster and her freakish ancient-looking uncle hex.

He remembers fighting them alone when grandpa said explicitly not to but he still did which he will admit wasn't his best thinking moment but can you blame a hero for wanting to fight evil people?

He was fighting them as Heatblast until he remembered melting down some weird probably ancient artifact. After breaking it though, a portal opened up and Hex had pushed him in.

And now boom! He’s here in this gloomy-looking place that stinks of trash and maybe a hint of blood? What part of the world did Hex send him to?

Whatever, he’s gotta figure out where exactly he is now since he didn’t have a phone because “he's too young to have a phone” he mimicked how his grandpa and parents would say it despite giving him other electronics.

“Great now I gotta navigate through this dark gloomy place that's strangely bustling.. and I don't even know how to get off the roof!” Ben shouted before seeing a ladder on the side of the roof he was on.

After he climbed down he started to walk through an alleyway, the atmosphere was tense the moment he laid eyes on the streets.

Everyone looked on edge as if something was going to get them any second even some kids looked scared, “Jeez this place doesn't look very welcoming..” he murmured walking out of the alley and onto the sidewalk.

Almost immediately Ben was shoved harshly but he didn't fall on the ground. “Out of my way idiot,” the rude stranger rolled his eyes walking away.

“Jerk!” Ben shouted angrily dusting himself off as the guy kept walking away. Gosh, what was that guy's problem? Pushing a kid almost into a wall just for standing is crazy.

“I don't have time for this” Ben huffed striding down the sidewalk into an unknown direction “I'll find somewhere useful I can go into eventually” he stated confidently.

But.. It didn't go so well because he was more lost than he was before and he has even tried talking to people for help. Of course, though, the people here are all assholes who can't even provide a kid one answer.

Everyone he's gone up to has either ignored him or given him dirty glares as if he did something wrong just by asking them a question. 

In conclusion, everyone is an asshole here, he couldn’t even go into one singular store without getting glared at or a gun being flashed at him by the person behind the counter. 

He sighed as another person he asked just ignored him and walked away! “Give me a sign universe!” Ben shouted frustratedly before looking to his right, where lay a huge city library with its lights on.

“A library..” Ben’s eyes widened “No.. NO! Anything but a library!” He cried out dropping to his knees dramatically as people stared at him with weirded out stares.

A woman even covered her child's eyes as she walked quickly whispering about how crazy homeless people are these days. Ben after screaming ‘no’ on the floor in front of said library begrudgingly got up and started to walk up the stairs and into the library where he immediately noticed the librarian.

She almost looked like Gwen except for the hair and glasses. Ben shook his head remembering what he had to do now.

She immediately noticed him as he walked over to her desk, he watched as her eyes widened.

Why is she staring at him like that? Ben only realized looking down at his shirt and arms at the fact that he looked drenched in rainwater. Ben was surprised he hadn't gotten sick yet seeing how wet he is. “Uhm where's your bathroom at?” he asked.

First, he’ll clean up a little bit and then he can do research and maybe ask the librarian about this place if she's even a decent human being. “Bathrooms to the right over there” she pointed over, her gaze filled with concern.

Ben went into the bathroom and immediately noticed how wrecked he looked, his shirt and pants were dirty, his hair messy and God, there's a leaf in his hair not only that but his face was covered in dirt. “Of course, this happens to me who else would have to go through this?”

He took the leaf out, throwing it on the floor and turning the faucet on to wash his face. He scrubbed hard using soap from the dispenser which was kind of a bad idea since he got it in his eyes when he accidentally opened them.

“Burns! Burns!” he felt around for the paper towel dispenser and quickly grabbed a couple and started to wipe his eyes relieving the burning.

“Ugh, that was terrible..” Ben wiped the rest off his face before throwing away the paper towel. “Eh I look okay” his clothes may still be a little dirty but whatever it’s better than nothing.

He walked out of the bathroom and headed over to the librarian who was working on a computer. “Hey miss what city am I in?” Ben asked having to go on his tippy toes to be able to look over the desk.

She looked down at him “You're in Gotham kid and just call me Bab’s I feel old whenever someone says miss” She was dumbfounded, how could this kid who looked 10 not know where he was? This is literally Gotham one of the most crime-filled cities in the world.

You have to know where you are exactly even at this age because of how dangerous the street thugs and villains are here. Not to mention the child looks very confused so she knew he was actually confused and he has a pretty expensive-looking watch on his wrist so he wasn't a homeless kid.

“Gotham..?” he muttered to himself as if the name was foreign to his tongue, “can I use the computers?” he requested, “yeah but you'll have to use a guest account since you don't have a library card” She stated firmly.

“Okay, thanks Bab’s!” he sped walked over to the computer waving his hand at her before he sat down. Okay, Tennyson time to look up some things.

The screen glowed bringing him to a search engine he was familiar with ‘Google’. Ben typed in Gotham and immediately got 100k+ results of ‘Gotham is one of the most crime-filled cities in the world’.

What? Ben’s never heard of Gotham City? Especially not it being one of the most crime-filled cities in the world, he’d probably would've been told by grandpa to stay away from that city and that they'd never go there if he had ever heard of it.

But no, there isn't a city named Gotham anywhere in the world, Ben searched up aliens and 50k+ results popped up. His eyes widened seeing some guy in a weird costume “Superman.. an extraterrestrial hero with superhuman abilities!?”

Ben’s eyes widened, you gotta be joking right? There's not one thing mentioned about him at all!? Not Heatblast, not fourarms, not even XLR8! “This has to be a joke.. There's no way I’m not mentioned or seen at all!” Ben whisper-yelled.

He decided to search up Gotham again ‘Gotham, the home of the bat’ “home of the bat?” Ben scrolled down a little eventually finding a page on Gotham's vigilantes.

“Batman, a vigilante dressed as a bat who fights against evil and strikes fear into the hearts of criminals everywhere leading a team of vigilantes to protect Gotham” Ben's mouth opened in shock.

He's never ever heard about this Bat guy and his many vigilantes he works with like ever, Ben was bewildered, where the hell is he!? He's never heard of these people and this city nor that weirdo wearing a onesie named Superman.

This can't be his world there's no way this is! He would've known who they were! Unless.. Ben paused what if this wasn't his world? What if Hex had sent him to another universe?

It all clicked now. Waking up on some roof, being in a depressing-looking city, it all made sense. Jeez, he's so smart how could Gwen ever call him an idiot?

Wait.. How's he gonna get back to Gwen? And grandpa for that matter how's he gonna get home if he's in a whole other universe! “I have a feeling that I should've never smashed that weird artifact..”

He grumbled looking at the screen before something crossed his eyes ‘Gotham City meta law’ what are metas? Ben questioned but it was going to be answered as soon as he typed it because the moment he typed in ‘Gotham meta law’ 30k+ results came up.

His eyes scanned over the text, Mutants, non-human, aliens, but nothing came up about it being a law? He looked some more and saw that this Batman guy wasn't fond of metas but didn't outwardly chase them out of his city unless he had to.

Ben realized that he should stay away from this Batman guy and his crew of helpers so that he wouldn't have the trouble of fighting multiple people when he turned hero.

“All this researching has me tired I'll stop here..” Ben yawned tiredly stretching his arms up on the chair before getting up and walking over to the front doors of the library and leaving.

Ben walked down the stairs deciding on where to walk to “I'm in another universe so it doesn't even matter where I go.”

¥¥¥

It was still dark and something about where he was wandering felt off, like the air felt heavier in this place. Ben kept walking on the sidewalk but as he walked he felt eyes on him and it was the kind of eyes he'd get when he went hero fighting his enemies.

But they felt more menacing; he didn't know exactly where they were coming from, he just knew there were eyes on him, and they were dangerous.

Ben stopped in front of an alleyway looking for any sign of who could be following him but suddenly someone grabbed his shoulders from behind him and dragged him into the alleyway throwing Ben against the wall.

“Ow.. That hurt you know” Ben dusted himself off glaring up at the 3 taller men towering over him “shut up brat and give us everything” The middle one glared down at him.

“I don't have nothing and even if I did I wouldn't give it to a doofus like you” ben stuck his tongue out at him mockingly, he leaned against the wall unamused. 

“You little-!” the middle guy brought his fist up high before the guy on the left stopped him “Don't, we can just persuade him a little” he smirked bringing out a small pocket knife.

Ben's eyes widened as he held back his laugh but he failed miserably laughing out loud instead. “No, no! I'm sorry I- Pfft-” The 3 looked at Ben as if he was crazy.

They stood there in confusion waiting for Ben to quit giggling “are you guys not ashamed of trying to rob a kid?” he finally stopped giggling and wiped his tears.

The 3 broke out of their confusion and replaced it with anger “This is Gotham of course not.” the one on the right stated as a matter of factly. 

“Give us whatever you got in your pockets and that watch!” the middle one looked red with anger and maybe a hint of embarrassment.

“Mm.. No?” Ben pursed his lips looking at them “No? Hah,” the middleman repeated letting a small chuckle out. “Your acting as if you have a choice, we have the weapon not you” he smirked as if it meant something to ben, having a weapon only meant a small headache to him.

“You know what I have?” Ben smiled “What do you have? You think a small kid like you would be able to beat us?” the man on the right scoffed.

“This!” Ben slapped his hand on the Omnitrix, the alleyway filled with green as he had become Diamondhead. The 3 men had watched in horror as Ben now stood over them.

“What the actual fuck!?” one shouted, “he’s a meta!” the other pointed his knife at Ben still. “Here maybe I can help you with that” Ben snatched the knife out of the man's grasp and bent it.

“Whoops Don't worry, I'll make you a new one!” Ben crystallized one of the guys before turning to the other two “one down two more to go” he blocked off the alleyway so the two couldn't get out.

¥¥¥

The 3 thugs were now against the wall encircled in Ben’s crystalline, Ben's watch was now beeping red indicating it was time to run off. “That's my cue, the police are on their way so bye losers have fun in jail!” he jumped on a roof just in time before the Omnitrix timed out.

“I should get out of here I don't wanna run into one of the vigilantes” he nodded to himself and started to run across rooftop to rooftop, eventually though Ben got tired and stopped running.

He had made it all the way to what looks to be an abandoned house? That's good, wait. That's actually very good because he just realized something.

he's HOMELESS! Like seriously homeless, curse hex, and his stupid artifact that looks as ancient as him. Ben started digging into his pockets for anything, anything that can help him at all.

He pulled out 15.25$ and a gum wrapper, Ben sighed shoving the money back in “That's barely enough to use for food..” he ruffled his hair in frustration.

This isn't what he thought traveling to another dimension would be like at all. What's he gotta do now, steal? Actually scratch that he's not like Kevin so that's a no.

While he was deep in thought a few raindrops started to fall on him, it was okay at first because it wasn't distracting but then it started to pour, and that irritated him.

“What is with this depressing city and its depressing rain!” jeez he's only been here for what? 4 hours and this rain has been on and off like pick a side.

He needs shelter and he needs it now before he gets a cold, Ben looked around on the roof for anything that could get him inside. He eventually found a hatchet, he could probably pull it open to get inside the house.

He grabbed the puller and started to try and lift it up but it was heavy like really heavy, but he kept going he wasn't going to until the hatch was opened.

With a hard yank he roughly opened the hatch “Yes I did it!” Ben felt proud about the fact that he made it open. Before he jumped in he started to realize something.

Was this technically breaking and entering? Yes, is it morally wrong? Maybe, but this place doesn't look like it's being used Ben could tell by how dirty the outside looked so can you really call it breaking and entering at that point? 

He went inside, closing the top off before climbing down the ladder. The place looked surprisingly clean for an abandoned house, Ben walked around in the dark assuming the lights wouldn't work anyway.

It was kinda chilly but Ben could make it work, if anything he can just turn into grey matter and see what needs to be fixed because there's no way this place is in perfect condition.

The bedroom looked very clean surprisingly which is good because he won't have to clean anything, all in all, he could clean this place up good in at least a minute because of how clean it actually is. ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ Gwen would say.

Ben yawned, he had been doing a lot for the past 4 hours. He's been ignoring the pain in his body and how tired he felt for the last 4 hours too.

Maybe if he took a quick nap on the bed he'd feel better? Plus it's night right now and he could use the break from thinking about his problems. 

He climbed on the bed and went under the covers before plopping down completely. “Just for a few hours..” he murmured drifting into slumber before he heard a faint clicking sound at what he assumed was the door.

He couldn't get up at all, it was like his body was anchoring him to fall asleep. The last thing he seen through the cracked door were the lights being turned on, then he fell asleep.

Oh crap.

Chapter Text

The ao3 curse got me bro… I broke my arm when I fell off a ladder and landed right on my left arm which is my dominant arm 😭 but I’m able to type with the other anyways, my doctor told me that it'll take at least a month and a half to heal since I fell on it pretty hard

Idk if I'll be able to continue the fic and I kinda lost motivation so I'll have someone I know who does fan fics and take my fic and my account, sorry guys!

— icy2