Bruce's expression did not change in the slightest in the face of his colleague's earnest pleas. Well, who expected to read any emotion on a bat's face? Even if he was not wearing that pitch-black batsuit right now.
But! Clark Kent! You're Superman! The chairman of our Justice League! Our spokesperson! Our star attraction! Our moral standard!
How could you hear about someone snatching another person's child to raise, potentially starting a war, and still sit there so calmly?!
"Bruce! I'm not joking!" Arthur slammed his palm down on the table, making every teacup jump. He struggled to suppress his anger. "I know you mean no harm. But you know what this means! Bruce! Whether on land or in the sea, no one can tolerate their own child being left to wander far from home. You're trampling on the very foundation of peace between our two worlds!"
Seeing that Arthur was so worked up his eyes were practically turning green, Bruce kept his tone as level as ever. "Have you heard of any missing children in the Fish-Man Kingdom?"
Arthur was at a loss for words. "No... but that's not the issue! I'm the child of the queen of Atlantis and a Lighthouse Keeper. I lived on shore with my father from birth, and before that, the kingdoms beneath the sea knew nothing about my parentage. But that doesn't change the fact that she's a resident of the ocean."
"Yes, she is." Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. "But she has nothing to do with your ocean kingdoms."
"Bruce! You can't be this selfish! You can't deprive a child of the right to return to her own home!" Arthur was nearly tearing his hair out. "Besides, raising a child with a fish tail isn't that easy. You're a bat...