Chapter 3: Money.
Deep within Gotham's decaying waterfront, a vacant warehouse stood as a monument to a forgotten age of commerce.
There were no residences nor suspicious individuals within the vicinity which made it the perfect place if someone was looking for a place to hide.
Within the abandoned warehouse stool a 7ft tall greenish-blue crystalline humanoid with yellow eyes and four crystal spikes protruding from its back. Its attire was that of a sleeveless black uniform.
This was Devin and he was currently in his Diamondhead transformation.
He sought to gain a comprehensive understanding of his powers and his transformations. When he remembered the abandoned warehouse, he figured this was the perfect place to begin his training without drawing any attention.
Devin flexed his fingers, fascinated by the way the light refracted through his knuckles. He wasn't flesh and bone anymore; he was a living geode, a silicon-based powerhouse that hummed with alien durability.
"This is... incredible." he said in a deep voice like grinding stones. With a subtle shift of will, the crystalline structure of his hands rearranged itself, the joints and digits melting away as a razor-edged blade grew forth from his palms.
His gaze turned towards a steel beam that was stuck in the ground and wasn't connected to anything. He remembered how Petrosapien crystals were very sharp and so he wanted to test just how sharp they were.
Devin sprinted towards the metal support, bisecting its mass with a strike that appeared entirely effortless.
"Now that's sharp." He said in an amazed tone. Cutting through the steel felt like knife cutting through butter.
"Let's try something else." he said before the blade disappeared and his hands were back to normal. Closing his fist, he raised his arm and pointed it at a stone wall.
A flick of his wrist sent a volley of shards shrieking through the air. They slammed into the stone with the force of 50-caliber rounds, burying themselves deep in the masonry
"I'm getting the hang of this." Devin said with a grin. "Though, I should probably work on non-lethal version." The last thing he wanted was to severely injure someone. Petrosapiens can manipulate their crystals, so it's possible.
"Let's move on to another transformation." He said and his body began to shift. His body collapsed inward. The heavy, crystalline weight vanished, replaced by a sudden, jarring burst of sensory input. He was no longer bipedal. He was orange, furred, and crouching on all fours. Gills flared on his neck, and his jaw felt heavy with canine teeth.
Devin let out a primal roar when his transformation was complete.
Now as Wildmutt, Devin's perception left him befuddled. Even though he had no eyes in this transformation, his enhanced senses allowed him to see much better than he ever could. His gill-like nostrils gave him a 360-degree view, allowing him to perceive everything around him. The combined hearing and smell gave him a sort of thermographic vision, allowing him to see everything in clear detail. The world wasn't colors anymore; it was a map of heartbeat-thrums and the sulfurous scent of the Gotham sewers, glowing in hues of infrared heat against the cold concrete."
Even as he walked, nothing was hidden from his senses. He could see everything. Even the rats that were scuttering around. Something he hadn't noticed when he was human
This alien's ability was unmatched.
But they were also a weakness.
All it would take was for someone to disorient him with strong odors and high frequency sounds.
The heat in the room plummeted. Frost bloomed across the floorboards as Devin's form stretched and thinned. A blue, moth-like humanoid emerged, wrapping itself in a heavy, tattered cloak.
He was Now Big Chill.
His breath was visible due to the decrease in temperature.
Big Chill had been one of his favorite aliens. This transformation was also the first one Ben obtained that had cryokinetic abilities.
Devin looked at the ground before taking a deep breath. When he exhaled, a cold breath that reached absolute zero expelled from his lungs. In no time, a block of ice was formed.
"Now that's cold." The was a terrible pun but it was all he had to go on. his voice was wispy and ethereal.
Knocking on the ice, Devin could tell it was very durable. He began to think about the applications of such ice. Like using it as a shield. Not necessarily for himself since he can go intangible but for someone else if he needed to protect them.
With that in mind, Devin now wanted to try going intangible. The idea of walking through walls like a ghost was simply too exciting to put off.
With a shift of will, Devin's body became transparent. His appearance can best be described as blue yet nearly invisible.
Looking at the block of ice, his heart raced with excitement and anticipation. Stepping forward, Devin watched as his own body passed through the block of ice without any hinderance.
The feeling was exhilarating. Like a child playing with a brand-new toy.
Remembering another ability, Devin walked to another steel beam and his figure passed through it. As he did, the metal was covered in a thick layer of ice.
Satisfied with his analysis, Devin turned back to human.
He refrained from testing his other transformation for now since this wasn't the time or place to do so. Turning into Heatblast would likely draw attention. A walking inferno in an abandoned location would seem suspicious. Upgrade would be useless since there was no technology to merge with.
Devin thoughts then shifted to a more pressing matter.
Money.
The Original Devin's belongings were taken from him before being tossed into the sea and now he needed a way of making money.
For now, this abandoned warehouse would be his home since it could be considered one of the safest places in Gotham on account of no one else coming here. This meant he had a roof over his head.
As he pondered about his money situation, his gaze fell on one of Diamondhead's crystal shards.
At that moment, it was as if a lightbulb appeared above his head.
A wide grin spread across his face. If this worked, he wouldn't have to worry about money again.
After gathering all the shards, Devin decided it was time to get some sleep. It was late and today had been quite eventful.
Using his jacket as a pillow, Devin shut his eyes and allowed sleep to take him.
---
The vast expanse of the sea was a living canvas, its surface alight with a thousand sparkling reflections that shift with each gust of wind. The waves no longer. A simple back and forth advanced and retreated with a subtle rhythmic sigh, their movements guided by the unseen hand of the air.
Underneath the mosaic of light, a blurred form propelled itself through the water with remarkable celerity.
The figure soon stopped when it was now under a bridge of immense size. When it poked its head out of the water, it was revealed to be a fish-like creature with white scales, a green fin on its back, a glowing lure on its head, and a set of razor-sharp teeth.
Devin was now Ripjaws.
When he woke up, he put the crystals in the bag and left to enact his plans: to sell these crystals.
He was under the bridge that led straight to Metropolis.
He could've sold them in Gotham but that in itself was risky.
Not only would he have been suspected of stealing but there a chance people would try to steal from him. Even if he did sell it, the store owner might just assume he's a naïve kid who doesn't know value.
Swimming back into the water, Devin used his momentum to jump out of the water and launch himself in the air.
Before gravity could pull him down, he changed form.
The fish-like appearance was now replaced with a being who had ghostly figure with pale skin and black line all over its body with a single purple eye that could travel through them.
"Ghostfreak!!" He revealed dramatically in a raspy tone.
He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at his performance. When he was a child, he had always thought it was cool when Ben called out the names of his aliens.
Now that he was doing it, he wasn't sure whether to feel proud or that it was a bit much.
Clearing his throat, he refocused on what he came here to do.
Wrapped around his left shoulder and across his chest was a black bag. Inside this bag were crystal shards he was planning to sell.
Before flying off, he became invisible and intangible so as not to be seen and since traveling was easier when a person possessed the ability to pass through walls.
Devin flew from under the bridge and made his way towards Metropolis.
---
After passing through multiple buildings, Devin found an alley where he was sure he couldn't be seen. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he changed back to human and stepped out of the alley.
Devin was taken aback by what he saw.
Gotham and Metropolis were like night and day.
There was always a tense air to Gotham city. As if one had to be constantly alert unless they wanted to be another victim.
Metropolis, however, was the complete opposite.
Unlike the citizens of Gotham, who were usually quite and were constantly in a state of few due to its crime rate, the people of Metropolis were relatively in a state of tranquility. Many people walked it sidewalks and cars lined the roads.
Its citizens walked and spoke without worrying if something bad was going to happen. People could go about their day without nearly a care in the world.
Devin felt like he could actually breathe for once.
As he walked within the city, he noticed some people casting strange glances at him.
It wasn't that surprising since he was still wearing the tattered clothes he woke up in. He would need to take care of this issue soon.
Devin continued to walk. When he turned the corner, he looked up and his eyes landed on what he considered to be the jewel of Metropolis.
A massive and tall building with its key feature being that of a globe on the very top.
The Dailey Planet.
The place where Superman or rather… Clark Kent works.
Devin stared in awe at the massive structure. It was practically the center of Metropolis as all news flowed through it. Its employees worked diligently to make sure that the people received a good story.
---
After asking for directions and walking a bit more, Devin was finally able to find jeweler and sell his crystals.
When he showed the Jeweler the crystals, he could see the displeased expression his face. Likely because he initially believed the crystals were fake.
Their expressions soon changed to shock and astonishment when they saw it was not only real be even more pure than anything he had seen.
Needless to say, the trade was successful and Devin walked out with $20,000.
Feeling satisfied with the exchange, Devin felt it was only right to reward himself, which is why he booked himself a room at Metropolis Hotel.
Before heading to the hotel, Devin went to a clothing store and bought himself a fresh set of clothes.
"Time to discard these tattered clothes." he said as he was now at his room in the hotel.
---
From the bathroom in a hotel room, the sound of running water could be heard before suddenly stopping. The door to the shower opened and a young man with neck-length black hair stepped out with only a towel covering him.
"That was much needed." Devin said, letting out a breath of satisfaction. He hadn't had a proper shower in such a long time in both his lives. The best he did was wash up in a park lake where he wouldn't be seen.
He plopped unceremoniously onto the bed, marveling how good it felt after so long. The bed was an exceptionally comfortable creation, with its downy softness cradling him into a state of deep relaxation. It was an island of sublime comfort that it didn't take long for consciousness to drift into slumber.
A few hours later, Devin's fluttered open and he yawned as he had awoken from slumber. Sitting up, he stretched before rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"That was definitely the best sleep I had in a long time." He said happily before getting up.
He then grabbed the hotel phone before ordering room service.
While he waited, he changed into the new set of clothes he bought.
His attire was now that of a black short-sleeved shirt, comfortable blue jeans and black Tim style boots.
When room service arrived with his food, Devin made sure to give the employee a generous tip, much to the employee's surprise but he accepted it gratefully.
While not experiencing it himself, Devin knew how demanding the service industry could be. Making the bed of the departing guest, serving them food and there was always that one customer who was just rude and never bothered to say 'thank you.'
Devin looked at his food with sparking eyes and watering tastebuds. On his plate was a simple meal, a freshly made cheeseburger and a side of fries.
Without any delay, he began to dig into the meal. The richness of the flavors was simply divine, a quality he absorbed with evident pleasure.
Not only was this his first meal in this world but his first hot meal in years. This applied to both his lifetime as both Devins ate cold scraps they could find.
Once he finished eating, he let out a satisfied hum.
Even though this day was relatively simple, he could honestly say this was the best simple day of his life.
"Now that I've enjoyed myself…" Devin said before his expression turned serious. "Time to do some research." Although he knew he came to the DC universe, he wasn't sure about exactly which one. From his memories, he was able to confirm there was indeed a Justice League and the heroes mostly operated in the respective cities. Batman in Gotham, Superman in Metropolis, Flash in Central City etc.
Still, this was only common knowledge even in the other universes of DC.
He stepped away from now empty plate and moved to the desk that had a laptop. The room at the Hotel was on the top floor which meant he had more benefits and a laptop was one of them.
Grinning, his body transformed and now replaced with a humanoid figure that was comprised of nanites and liquid metal. His body was black and green with green circuit-like lines on over his body. The only thing on his face was a glowing green circle.
Upgrade, the Galvanic Mechamorph. A techno-organic species that could merge with and enhance technology.
He stretched his hand to the device. As if on instinct, his body began to merge with the laptop. In no time, the appearance of the laptop was now black with green circuit lines. Displayed on the screen was a glowing green circle.
Devin, now fully integrated into the laptop, began his research faster than typing keys could.
He started with the heroes and the cities they resided in.
Superman stops a bank robbery at Metropolis Bank after stopping a crew ship from sinking.
Batman apprehends The Joker to prison again. Is this the end or will Joker escape again?
Flash stops Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, and Mirror Master from robbing the Central City Museum.
Green Arrow and Black Canary successfully prevented an Intergang weapons transport.
He began diving deeper into the internet, eager to find more information. He discovered news headlines that said The Hall of Justice was the headquarters of the Justice League.
His eye narrowed in suspicion and looked for anything regarding the Watch Tower but found nothing.
This narrowed it down to two possibilities. He continued his intel gathering, scanning through everything he could find to discover which universe he was in.
He soon found something that caught his eye.
Cadmus Advanced Laboratory Research.
Reading through the available information, Devin discovered that Cadmus was a genetics research laboratory dedicated to the betterment of the human race.
The very fact that this sort of information was available to the public and not a top-secret government facility and out in the open for the public to see gave him all the data he needed to determine which universe he was in.
"I'm in the Young Justice Universe."