Title: My heroes.

Author: Kairan1979.

Fandom: DC Elseworlds.

Caterogy: General/Drama.

Disclaimer – All characters belong to DC Comics.

Summary: Bruce Wayne in the mansion, alone, thinking about the heroes of his childhood.

A/N: Based on "Superman : Speeding Bullets", the story about little Kal-El who was adopted by Thomas and Martha Wayne and became Batman after their murder. Lex Luthor became The Joker after explosion on his chemical factory. But I changed the end of Batman/Joker showdown.

A/N #2: I just couldn't agree with the finale of the story. I understood why they ended it by turning Batman into another version of Superman, but I think Bruce/Kal was out of character. Sparing Luthor's life is okay for Superman from canon, even for Batman from canon. But this Bruce Wayne is different. He had good intentions, but he is dangerous, violent and unstable. That's how I see this story must end…

A/N #3: BTW, SuperBatman is much more interesting than another Superman.

(Bruce Wayne's POV)

Zorro. John Carter. Sherlock Holmes.

They were my heroes. They still are. Three special men who inspired young Bruce Wayne to change his life and a world around him.

John Carter.

- Last week you wanted to be John Carter.

Until the end of my childhood, I dreamed about traveling to Mars, like John Carter did. I wanted to see magnificent cities like Hellium. To find friends like Tars Tarkas and Xodar. When I grew older, and started to think about girls, I hoped to meet my own Dejah Thoris or Thuvia one day.

How could I know that I already traveled through the space when I was just a baby? That I'm as alien to the people around as John Carter to Martians? That he was almost normal, compared with me? John Carter could jump really high because of the low gravity. But he wasn't bulletproof and couldn't shoot fire from his eyes.

John Carter earned the respect on Barsoom. It gives me hope that someday people in the world will respect Batman too.

Zorro.

- I wanna be him! I wanna be Zorro! Swish! Swish! Defender of the Weak! Righter of wrongs!

After I saw "The Mark of Zorro" with Douglas Fairbanks, I told my parents that I wanted to be Zorro. Hey, that old black and white movie was so inspiring! Of course, my parents were more than skeptic. Every boy wants to be a hero. But they all grew out of this dream to become drivers, clerks or waiters.

"Be careful what you wish for". I actually became the masked hero. Dad and Mom had to die to turn the dream into reality.

I created the headquarters in caves beneath the Mansion, full of darkness and my winged brothers. I honed my powers like Zorro honed his fencing skills and agility. I created the mask and suit of Batman. A dark mysterious figure, whose purpose was to make criminals scared of their own shadows. I even let the public think that a former hermit Bruce Wayne is just a shy idealistic klutz. It worked as good as Diego's sham.

Alfred is my Bernardo. I'm so lucky that he is not mute! For years he was the only man I talked to. Sometimes I fell that he is still the only one I can talk to. He read my father's diary. He saw the birth of Batman. Can I ever trust the other man like I trusted Alfred?

Sherlock Holmes.

- Now Holmes – there's a role model I can approve of. A thinker of the first rank.

- Yeah – but Zorro's clothes are cooler!

Last but not least, Sherlock Holmes, the consulting detective from Baker Street, 221B. A brilliant mind, Holmes used his detective skills and logic to solve difficult cases. He fought crime without sword or fist.

After I became Batman, I soon realized that I couldn't rely only on superpowers to fight crime. If you don't want small fish, you had to dig much deeper, you must use brain instead of superstrength. So I sharpened my mind and my memory. I learned to connect facts, to look at the patterns, to see the clues without the bat-vision. I studied everything that could be useful – from criminology to biochemistry and nuclear physics.

* * *

My father Thomas Wayne once told me, "You can't right wrongs with a fist or a sword, Bruce. It just doesn't work that way".

Can you be a hero without fighting?

John Carter never hesitated to fight monsters, tyrants and false priests. He defended his friends and family, the people who gave him a new home, and, sometimes, complete strangers. So did Zorro. Can you imagine him without rapier and bullwhip? Even Sherlock Holmes sometimes had to be involved in fights. Like his last battle with James Moriarty near Reichenbach Falls.

Thoma Wayne was mistaken. You can right wrongs through violence. Batman is the living proof of this. He saved the whole Gotham City from Joker's goons. Something Bruce Wayne could never do, because he wasn't fighter. Batman was.

So why I still think of my father's words? I never doubted Batman's actions before… Before I met her.

Lois Lane. Star reporter from "Daily Planet", who followed Perry White from Metropolis to join "Gotham Gazette". I was speechless when I saw her the first time. She was as smart as beautiful. I think she was a bit disappointed by me. Maybe she expected me to be… Uh, I don't know what she expected. Women are the uncharted territory for me.

And when Lois was in danger, cornered by some filthy muggers, Batman rushed to rescue her. Just like the good old movies.

But nothing went according to plan.

Can you imagine Dejah Thoris, yelling at John Carter "Get the hell away from me!" after he saved her from monsters? Or Lolita Pullido who loved Diego de la Vega but completely despised Zorro?

- But he saved you!

- If you'd seen him… his utter disregard for human life!

How could someone be so blind? Especially if that particular "someone" is Lois Lane? I never wanted to add to world's pain. I wanted to cleanse my city from criminals like Joe Chill! That's all! How can it be bad? How can she compare Batman to Joker, the madman who nearly destroyed the city?

My romance with Lois was short-lived. Because I couldn't persuade her that Batman is a hero, not some psychotic animal she imagined. And she was incredibly angry when Perry took my side and refused to publish her anti-Batman articles.

But she managed to plant the seed of doubt somewhere inside me. I nearly spared Luthor's life because of her "no".

Is this the reason why Sherlock Holmes called women "grain of sand in the precision instrument". Maybe The Greatest Detective was right.

Or maybe I'm one of the heroes never destined to live happily forever after.

But still I'm a hero.

And one day, as I hope, some boy in Kansas will decide to change his life and the world around him, inspired by Batman.