𝕊𝕆𝕃𝕀𝕍𝔸𝔾𝔸ℕ𝕋║[ᴅ. ᴡᴀʏɴᴇ]

ꜱᴀɴɢᴜɪɴᴏʟᴇɴᴄʏ

"What the hell is this bullshit?" Vin looked at his father, Mr. Wayne, Headmaster Hammer, then back to the flyer in his clenched hand. Next to him, Damian held an identical sheet of paper, scanning the contents with his patented scowl.

"Language, Mr. Bertinelli." Hammerhead admonished the younger Bertinelli with narrowed eyes. He then turned his attention to their parents, clasping his hands neatly over his ostentatious desk as he addressed them. "Now, I'm sure you're aware of what this program entails, Mr. Wayne and Mr. Bertinelli, but I would like to go over the basics once more just so we're all on the same page here. There were some... overlooked details, as I had only discovered recently."

"Mmm, sure, okay," Angelo replied distractedly, tapping away at his phone for a few seconds before tucking it into his suit jacket's inner pocket. He leaned back into his chair and threw both his pointer fingers in the headmaster's direction. "Shoot." He prompted.

In the back of the room, in the unofficial no-no, naughty chairs, Damian scoffed under his breath. "Sometimes you are much too alike him."

Bruce's stormy blue eyes narrowed at Hammer, "Are you implying that some details were omitted from the email we were sent?" He crossed his arms, letting out a small noise that almost, almost sounded like a tch.

Vin looked at Damian, wordlessly lifting a brow. The other boy growled lowly in response, crossing his arms just as his father did, and looked away pointedly. The Italian had to muffle his laugh, which got a sharp look from Damian. In response, Vin winked and shot him a finger gun, then froze as he recognized the action his father made only moments prior. This time, it was Damian's turn to smirk. Vin huffed and rolled his eyes, staring off to inspect the mundanely-decorated office once more.

"So, one week in Metropolis to attend school in Metropolis as a student exchange program?" Angelo surmised. "Aren't these kinds of projects usually offered between more internationally-inclined institutions?"

Hammer nodded, "Yes, that is usually the case. However, as you gentlemen can plainly see, Gotham has become a No Man's Land since the continuous strings of... incidents that were rather... disastrous, even for the record Gotham holds. Of course, there are also outsiders and mainlanders causing trouble for the rather... delicate equilibrium this city is constantly balancing upon."

Bruce sighed with a tired, troubled expression, "Yes. We are greatly aware of this, Collingwood."

Vin's eyebrows rose, "Ooh, pulling out the first name." He murmured, leaning over to Damian.

Hammer cleared his throat awkwardly, "Yes. Well. Metropolis has extended an olive branch, if you will. They are willing to accept two of our top students into their alma mater as a starting point to integrate Gotham back into the fold, so to speak."

Angelo steepled his hands and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the headmaster's desk. "Are you certain this integration is necessary? Gotham has been doing fine on her own, and whenever new blood infringes on its land, things tend to go... pear-shaped." He waved vaguely.

Bruce nodded, "I'm all for helping Gotham collect more opportunities to grow, but some things are simply not meant to be. These people from beyond the borders come in with these bright, hopeful ideas to fix this city, but they never come to fruition." He said bluntly. "The Honor System amongst the GCPD was meant to rid the police force of corrupt officers. By the end of the month, there were even more amoral individuals identified and reported than from when we began the project."

"Sì," Angelo chuckled. "There was the weekly medicine donation drive for the local orphanages. Only a day later, there were countless kids on the street selling the pills for profit."