Adoption papers

The hall suddenly fell so quiet that a pin dropping would have been audible. A sense of helplessness and panic silently spread among everyone.

Gulp.

Someone swallowed involuntarily, the sound thunderous in the silence, breaking the frozen moment.

The culprits, Dick and Damian, exchanged a glance and saw the same message in each other's eyes-

We're doomed...

"Would someone kindly tell this decrepit old man with his failing eyesight what exactly happened here? This poor teapot, and this utterly ravaged carpet..."

Alfred, the elderly butler, approached with a tray of freshly baked cookies. Bruce followed close behind, still trying-and so far failing-to steal one before they were served.

Then they both took in the devastation before them, as though a typhoon had swept through.

It wasn't just the teapot and carpet. The luxurious crystal chandelier overhead, polished to a sparkling shine, hung crooked. Two moderately deep sword marks marred the solid wooden banister nearby, and several distinct shoe prints marked the spotless wall beside the fireplace, reaching almost to the ceiling...

Clearly, those prints belonged to a certain blue bird with nimble hands and feet and maxed-out flexibility.

Bruce withdrew the hand itching to reach for a cookie and quietly fell back a couple of steps, hiding in a corner far from the center of the battlefield to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Alfred took a deep breath and silently set the cookies on the low table beside Miaomiao. He patted the head of the Little Merfolk, who was nestled obediently in her very own armchair, and placed a cookie in her hand to soothe her. Then he straightened and looked at the visibly guilty Dick and Damian, who still held the "weapon," wearing a flawless smile fit for a demonstration in a course on butler etiquette.

"Master Dick, Master Damian, would you please tell your poor old butler what this room did wrong to deserve such a devastating assault?"

Crunch, crunch...

Miaomiao nibbled her cookie in tiny bites. For some reason, she instinctively kept her chewing as quiet as possible, doing her best not to make too much noise.

Alfred's smile was clearly gentle, yet something about him sent an inexplicable chill down her back...

It was a little scary for a merfolk...

Dick and Damian stood there, one grinning ingratiatingly with the cold sweat on his forehead practically visible, the other turning his head away and feigning composure, looking at the ceiling and floor-anywhere but at Butler Batman.

Miaomiao watched Butler Batman briefly tidy up the "crime scene," then lead the two "offenders" away, still wearing that slightly unnerving, impeccable smile.

Everyone present remained silent throughout. Not one of them dared step forward and get on Butler Batman's bad side at a time like this.

Not even Batman.

Even Damian, the normally lawless "Demon's Head" who barely listened to anyone except his father, refrained from switching on his indiscriminate venom dispenser. Wearing an expression that said, "I don't care," he obediently followed Butler Batman's instructions.

As for cookies?

Ha. Dream on.

The lovingly packed box of cookies Dick received every week when he came home was divided between the well-behaved Miaomiao and Tim, since he had started the trouble. Damian, who had used a weapon while fighting indoors, lost all his after-dinner desserts for the following week. Even Bruce, who hadn't been present, was caught in the crossfire: his cookie allowance was halved for a week for "failing to set an example and teach his children as their father."

Such was the terrifying power of Wayne Manor's true boss.

Once everything had been put in order, everyone sat in the tidied little sitting room, quiet as mice. Only Miaomiao was still clutching her cookies and crunching away, crumbs all around her mouth.

Unable to bear the sight, Tim handed her a handkerchief to wipe her mouth and received a sweet smile in return.

Alfred brought over a freshly brewed pot of tea, poured a cup for the girl, and reminded her to eat slowly and not rush.

The guilty Dick and Damian sat silently in their seats, doing their best to keep a low profile.

Bruce looked at the "harmonious" scene before him, gave a soft cough, and took out a document.

"Miaomiao," Bruce said, "now that you can turn your tail into legs and appear freely in public, I've prepared an identity for you in the human world."

Huh? This was about her?

Miaomiao, who had been thoroughly enjoying her cookies, looked up, a little bewildered.

"An identity... in the human world?"

Couldn't she just go out with Damian and the others whenever she wanted, like yesterday?

"Since you can appear in public now, you should naturally have an identity in human society. That will also make it harder for anyone with ulterior motives to grow suspicious."

Bruce slid the document toward Miaomiao. Attached to it was a headshot of her with clear, innocent eyes, taken at some unknown point.

Knowing that Miaomiao wasn't yet proficient at reading long passages of English, Bruce explained, "You came from the East in a parallel world, and you have black hair and dark eyes, so I've given you an identity as a girl with ancestral roots in Hua Country."

"Oh." Miaomiao nodded, then pointed to another document bearing photographs of both her and Bruce. "What about this one?"

"Those are adoption papers."

"Adoption papers?"

"Yes. Bruce Wayne is adopting Miaomiao, a girl from Hua Country. This can serve as a cover for your true identity, but more importantly..." Bruce looked earnestly into Miaomiao's eyes with his steel-blue ones. "Miaomiao, you came to this world alone, leaving your own people behind. I sincerely hope we can become your family in this world."

"Family..."

"Yes, family. If you're willing, from today onward, you'll be my daughter, Miaomiao Wayne."

"Daughter?"

Seeing the shock in her eyes, Bruce added, "Of course, no one is forcing you. You have the right to choose. If you don't want to be adopted, this document will simply go into the safe in case any problems with your identity arise in the future. Our relationship won't change. Everyone in the Wayne Family, myself included, will still consider you one of us. But we all sincerely hope we can become your true family."

Bruce's blue eyes seemed to possess a strange magic that drew her helplessly into them. "So, Miaomiao, would you like to become my daughter?"

"Daughter?"

This time, Miaomiao's voice rose higher, revealing unmistakable disbelief.

"Hey, little fish, don't tell me you're unwilling?"

Hearing the Little Merfolk's response, Damian couldn't help speaking up.

"Do you know how many kids in Gotham dream of being Batman's child? Of course, I, Damian Wayne, am Father's only biological child! One of a kind! I only reluctantly agreed to let you be my older sister!"

If their appearances-specifically, their heights-hadn't been so different, Damian would have insisted on being the older brother. But even with her relatively youthful Eastern features, the Little Merfolk looked at least fourteen or fifteen. There was no way she could pass for the younger sister of eleven-year-old Damian.

I already let you be my older sister, however reluctantly. How could you possibly refuse?!