Author's Note: This comes right after the 'Man of Steel' movie that was aired in June, 2013, but takes place in Gotham City instead of Metropolis. Slight AU, maybe. Not beta-ed.

The whispers of a rumor

Batman felt the very subtle shift of wind that played with the scalloped edges of his cape, tugging at his shoulders with gentle motions. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. Ever since the alien invasions by those Kryptonians who had devastated Metropolis and Kansas, he'd researched and dug up every piece of information he could on the being the world had named 'Superman'.

Metropolis and Kansas were still in their first year of rebuilding all that had been destroyed. He'd taken flights there to assess the situations and he had not been happy. As Bruce Wayne, he'd channeled donations numbering millions of dollars to various charitable organizations and companies helping in the rebuilding efforts.

"Hello." A pause. "You're a hard man to find, even for me."

"Get out of my city."

"I need your help."

Batman rose from his crouch in a smooth move and extended his move into a leap that took him off the roof he was on. Halfway through his fall, he held his grapple gun out and fired off a shot that secured his swing to the roof of another building a street or so away. The small, swirling gusts of wind that accompanied Superman wherever he flew followed the Dark Knight and he had to scowl at that as the other man easily kept pace with him.

He finally stopped and surveyed his city, taking a moment to survey Superman from the corner of his eye. He gave an inward sigh. "What do you want? How did you find me?" He could almost feel the other man smile and Batman bristled at that but kept silent.

"Like I said, I need your help." Superman let his feet touch the ground and uncrossed his arms, holding them loosely at his sides. "And well, you're a rumor, but chase enough rumors and you get close to the truth." He waited a few minutes for Batman to respond, but when the Dark Knight proved brooding and silent, Superman sighed aloud. "I want you to train me."

"You're an alien," Batman growled out. "Look at the ruins in Metropolis and Kansas. You don't need training."

"Yes, I do." His voice turned soft. "I think a lot of the destruction could've been avoided if I were trained more," he admitted. "One of them…one of my own people said that I fought like I was raised on a farm, which is true as far as it goes. But if anything else like this happens, I want to be able to help defend Earth."

Batman took out a pair of binoculars, observing some moving shadows on a street that had caught his interest. "This isn't even your home."

"Don't worry about those." Superman nodded towards the people Batman was observing. "I can see and hear them. Just some drunk kids being a bit too loud." A pause. "My parents are…were human, too." The barest hint of an edge came into Superman's voice. "Adoptive parents, but my father and mother nonetheless."

"Were?"

"Dad died many years ago, saving our dog from a tornado."

"And you weren't the one who saved it."

There was the loud exhalation of an angry sigh. "He didn't want me to! He thought that the world wasn't ready for me and sacrificed himself so no one would know of my powers."

It felt like a few long minutes before Batman tucked away the binoculars and rose to his full height, turning to face the Man of Steel (another moniker the world had given him) fully. His hooded eyes stared steadily, and his posture was so still and grounded Superman wondered what training the other man had received, and what had driven him to such great extent as to do what he did night after night.

"Look, if you don't want to do it, I'll look for someone else."

Another long pause, before Batman turned away to face the streets again. "I'll train you."

With his heightened hearing, those softly-uttered words reached Superman's ears clearly. He didn't know why, but he smiled. This Batman wasn't as scary as everyone said he was. He held out a small but heavy box that he'd brought along, and Batman took it without questions, knowing that the other would simply provide all answers.

"I was going through some of the wreckages of the Kryptonian ships…I found this inside the box. I don't know what it's called, but I think it can hurt or even kill me." He stopped, considering how much more he should say, considering how much he could trust this Dark Knight, this legend that many had come to fear for his war against crime. "I want you to have it, as a sign of trust and…in case you need to use it." He saw Batman simply tuck the box away without acknowledgement of his words.

"Be in Gotham in a week. 11pm. Meet me at Gotham Harbor. There are a few islands some miles out to sea that we will use." Another swift movement, another leap, and the Batman was gone.

It left Superman impressed, and he thought he'd made a good choice following up on the whispers of rumors he'd heard.