TITLE: A Different Kind of Hiro

AUTHOR: William Rayne

EMAIL: knytmareyahoo.com

RATING: PG-13

SPOILERS: Legacy, Kill Bill Volume 2

DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, email me

DISCLAIMER someone else owns 'em, I'm just taking them out to play. Don't sue me, I have no money

FEEDBACK: Desired like none other.

A/N: Oh yeah, in my stories, I'm interpreting the meanings of the traditional Superman symbol and the Smallville (Jor-El branded) symbol to mean whatever fits my stories best…I apologize for confusion b/c I'm lazy. Plus, AU, I think I have some leeway to fudge a bit. You may be confused by the spoiler listing but I'll explain at the end

As always: bold italics for stressed, italics for thoughts or voice-over, and underlines for sarcasm or disgust. 

Oh yeah, I'm horrible with tenses, so please forgive me, I'll try to clean and tighten that up some in the future.

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A Different Kind of Hero

Chapter 3

Gotham, Three Days Before

Superman flew over the city. It had been almost two weeks since his meeting with Lex and there was no sign of his quarry. The contents of Lex's folder were etched in his mind. Lex had asked if he was alright and Superman could not pretend to ignore what Lex had witnessed. He had simply replied to Lex that even though he was grateful for the information, he would still have his eye on Lex and then before any more damage was done, the Last Son of Krypton super-sped away from the meeting. Let Lex wonder.

On the first page of the portfolio was a crisp black and white photo of Kon-El shaking hands with Lionel Luthor. Superman had read the report a thousand times over since then and could recite it by memory but there was one thing that still eluded him. That was what was said during the exchange. The report said that the video and audio recorders were destroyed along with their agents but Superman had a nagging feeling that Lex was holding that as some sort of trump card. What would Kon-El want with Lionel Luthor? Or better yet, why go to Lionel Luthor of all people?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of fighting. Superman flew down to investigate the matter and stop things before someone was seriously injured. He touched down in the alleyway and was shocked to see, not the young woman fleeing the scene, but her 'savior'. Her savior, Kon-El, was surrounded by what could only be described as carnage. This makes no sense, why is he playing hero when he told me that he would take up Jor-El's quest to conquer.

Before Superman could react and face his nemesis, he was caught off guard once more. Kon-El, still seemingly oblivious to his presence, became immaterial at the exact moment another masked figure passed through him.

Batman had intended to sneak up on the Eradicator and have a 'talk' with him about his methods. He did not count upon the Eradicator's abilities and as he attempted to tackle him from behind, he ended up hurting his shoulder as he collided into Superman.

"Pathetic," Kon-El sneered. "And by that I mean the both of you, especially the human. Did you think I would be so simple to catch when found?"

"I don't know what your game is…" Superman said until the Batman interrupted to finish with, "…but you're in my town and playtime is over."

"On the contrary," Kon-El stated as he dodged a punch from the Batman and avoided a follow-up from Superman. "It has only begun. I shall come for you at the requisite time Kal-El but as punishment for presuming to interfere with my affairs," he continued coldly as he looked Batman dead in the mask, "expect the blood of the innocent to be upon your head." With that he vanished into the shadows.

"Dammit!" the two costumed heroes swore as they found no trace of Kon-El at the scene.

Superman heard the soft sound of a gas cartridge and looked over to catch a glimpse of the Batman ascending into the skyline. He promptly gave chase and once beside the man who ran atop Gotham's roofs, he said, "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"He calls himself Kon-El of Krypton AKA The Eradicator. Appeared on earth earlier this year with motives unknown. Met with Lionel Luthor about two weeks ago. Does not share your weakness to Kryptonite which leads me to believe he is actually a human being with some other source to his powers which so far consist of some method of teleportation, the ability to become immaterial and the unconfirmed ability to fly. Is there anything I left out? I can handle it," Batman states all the facts plainly and stops to smirk at the dropped jaw of Superman.

"How did you?"

"Like I said, it's my city. I can handle him. It's only a matter of time."

"You neglected one important thing," Superman said as Batman started to turn away.

The Batman stopped mid-motion and said wryly, "Did I?"

"Yes, he can drain the strength from anyone. Including me, but most importantly, he means to conquer this world."

"That last part doesn't add up," the Batman ponders as he turns to face the Man of Steel. "Why play the part of a 'hero' if his aim is to conquer?"

"I wondered that myself. He claims to share the same father as me."

"Jor-El," Batman stated as the Last Son of Krypton fidgeted at how much he knew.

"Yes, Jor-El and if you know that name, you must know what my father's original intention in sending me to Earth was," Batman nodded and Superman concluded, "then let me handle him. It's not only practical but personal, Bruce."

The Batman didn't flinch at the name but only said, "I know a lot more than just who he is. I don't trust you, but understand a personal vendetta. Just remember, if he gets even an inch towards Jor-El's goal of conquest, then Chloe Sullivan becomes privy to a very interesting file." Superman paled and blinked and in that moment, the Batman was gone.

The following morning in a suburb between Gotham and Princeton, the local police found themselves in the midst of a grisly murder mystery. The whole neighborhood of Lucas Circle was found brutally murdered. No one was spared, none lived to tell the tale of what happened and the surrounding community stated not a sound was heard during the timeframe in which the murders took place.

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Smallville, April 2004

Lionel Luthor stood in front of a wall in the Kawatche caves. It was there! It's still there. I just need to find a way to get to it. Still, days after the octagonal disc had flown into the wall, no trace of the indentation and the disc that flown into its place. There is no time for him to think as a white tendril of light hits him square in the chest. Over the pain screaming in his mind, a voice states Lionel Luthor, you seek to extend your pathetically short and human lifespan. I will bestow this upon you but one day you shall repay that debt or become judged.

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An Unknown Cliff, March 2023

As Clark cradled the writhing form of his brother, he is unexpectedly knocked back by one of the tendrils of inky midnight. When the tendril touches him, he feels a sort of déjà vu as he is momentarily weakened. He has no time think about it as he looks over to see a familiar black-clad figure with a Kryptonian symbol where his brother once was.

Clark states heatedly, "Jor-El."

The figure laughs, "Not quite, though I'm disappointed that you had to find out this way. I was planning something more devastating. I offer you one last chance, Kal-El, to join me in ruling this planet. After all, we both know that we are better than these humans."

"I will never join you! Give my brother back his life," Superman says as he lunges at his nemesis.

Kon-El sidesteps the lunge and with a kick, uses Superman's momentum against him to send him over the cliff. The Man of Steel recovers and floats in the air only to be driven towards the earth with a lunge from his opponent. "Kal-El, you do not deny that you are above these animals. That is good, you are beginning to accept your right as God," Kon-El whispers into his ear as they plunge towards the earth.

The two bodies impact the ground with a force that is almost equivalent to a nuclear explosion which drives them to opposite ends of the half-mile deep crater. Time stands still as both figures super-speed to their feet to face off once more.

"Quit calling me that. My name is Clark Kent," Superman states angrily, knocking away the debris from the impact that is still frozen in mid-air.

"If I'm going to call you by an earth name, your moniker of 'Superman' would be more appropriate. Clark Kent is your disguise, your secret identity. It always has been," states the Eradicator as he too knocks away the rocks.

Superman lets loose a blast of heat vision that strikes Kon-El in the chest, sending him back into the wall of the crater. Kon-El notices that there is a piece of Kryptonite on his end of the crater and suppresses a smile.

"You did not become Superman," Kon-El continues mockingly as he lets loose a gust of cold wind that drives Superman back into the opposite wall. "You were born Superman. When you wake up in the morning, you are still Superman. Clark Kent is your alter ego."

Superman pushes off against the wall and flies towards his opponent with fists extended. Kon-El's speech is cut short as Clark's attack connects. Rolling with the punch allows Kon-El to grab onto the cape and yank back on it to stop Superman with a force that would snap the neck of a human being. Using the disorientation from the move to his advantage, he slams Clark face first into the glowing meteor rock repeatedly and continues, "This cape is your clothes. The symbol a part of your heritage. What Kent wears, the glasses the business suit, that's the costume. That's the costume you wear to blend in with the animals. Clark Kent is your impersonation of humanity, your mockery of it. What are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He's weak, unsure of himself... he's a coward. Just like those that raised you and those you protects because they lack our power," Kon-El eulogizes as he launches a series of attacks upon Clark that leave the Man of Steel bleeding and weak.

A battered Clark lies before the sadistic being that inhibits his brother's body, the green glow of death illuminating the form. The word of the Batman echo in his head, Does not share your weakness to Kryptonite.

"You are just as pathetic as your mother, Lara-El," says the Eradicator, "I told her, at a moment much like this, of my plans for you. Now you shall know the last face she saw before her death."

The mask on the Eradicator morphs into the face of a black-haired, vicious looking man with a beard, "Son of Jor-El, kneel before Zod!"

Before he can deliver the final death blow, Zod is pushed back by an invisible force. He screams in agony, clutching his head, "NO! This can not be. You are only human."

At first Clark thought someone had saved him by knocking Zod back. Then he thought that the Zod was stripping his suit away. Then he realized, with utter horror, that a body was coming out of Zod's chest.

Zod looked into Hiro's face as both are both on their knees in recovery. Hiro stares into the fading face of Zod and challenges, "Leave my brother alone. We both know you have two choices here, you can die trying to kill my brother or you can go to Cythonna's icy embrace."

With that Zod vanishes into the darkness, leaving a smiling Hiro and bewildered Clark. Hiro walks over to the Kryptonite and effortlessly digs it out of the wall with one hand and heaves it skyward. Clark begins to heal as Hiro smiles at his brother and collapses to the ground. Concerned only for his brother, Clark rushes to his side, rolls him over and Hiro's eyes stare vacantly at the sky. He's not breathing and, oh my God, his heart…it's not beating.

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A/N: I'm horrible with action it seems. This was supposed to be really action packed with the exception of the cave scene. I figured since I am writing this story in a Tarantino style, I'd reference the Superman monologue. I had to, of course, modify it but it's one of my favorite dialogues this year. Please, any tips on writing action would be tremendously helpful.

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