Nightwing's sudden instruction left Miaomiao bewildered, but the tension in the apartment affected her too.
Before Miaomiao's mind could truly catch up, tears filled her eyes in an instant, like petals drenched in rain.
Just as Pamela's vines were about to pierce Batman, and the potent herbicide he had developed specifically for Poison Ivy was ready in his hand, Miaomiao finally let out her first sob.
"Waaah-"
The sound carried a strange penetrating power, ringing almost directly in everyone's ears.
Batman's finger paused on the herbicide's trigger. Pamela's vines froze in midair too, only an inch from his neck.
"Waaah-don't... don't fight... waaah-"
Through her streaming tears, Miaomiao remembered Batman and Red Hood turning on each other after the battle at the harbor.
That had been the first time Miaomiao had seen two family members who treated her so well grapple viciously right before her eyes, as though they bore a deep, bitter hatred for each other.
The dull thuds of fists striking flesh, the icy rebukes, the spattering blood-all of it had pierced the Little Merfolk's innocent heart like shards of glass.
Yes, as one of the deep sea's apex predators, Miaomiao had never feared combat.
But as a young child who cherished the bonds of kinship, watching those closest to her hurt each other brought a helplessness and terror more frightening than any brutal battle.
Now that fear of watching her loved ones hurt each other gripped her heart once more, like an invisible hand.
"Don't... don't fight... don't..."
Her tiny figure looked all the more fragile and helpless beside Batman and the thick vines filling the room. Tears soaked her lashes, and she sobbed too hard to finish her words.
Deep purple pearls fell one after another into Nightwing's outstretched palm.
"Look what you've done. You've scared