Chapter 1: Legacy
Chapter Text
Maisie wakes up to the blares of alarms going all around her and loud yells to evacuate the building. In confusion, she gets up and with her pajamas, leaves the house. It’s only a second later when the building blows up, crumbling before her eyes.
Wide-eyed, she glances over at her mother, who breaks down in her father’s arms, sobbing. She feels a hand grab her own; her little brother, and the family stares at the wreckage of what used to be their home.
Maisie frowns, bitter and resentment coiling itself in her stomach as her ears tune in to her mother’s sobs.
“ Homeless... Streets... How are we supposed to...”
Maisie swallows, mouth going dry as she looks down at her brother, who is terrified— his eyebrows crinkled and tears in his eyes, “Everything will be okay.” She whispers out, even though she doesn’t know whether or not it’s true. “We will be fine.”
She might only be twelve, but she doesn’t miss the way her father sends her a look— one of hope. Maisie breaths in deeply, forcing herself to relax, to be strong. To not feel so deeply right now and to keep it together for her little brother.
“Everything will be fine. We will be okay.”
Chapter 01: Legacy
Everyone at South Gotham Middle School avoids her now, almost like the plague. Here’s the thing about Gotham— it might not be small but words spread fast, especially when concerning the Bats. She didn’t know which villain it was that blew up her home, and quite frankly, she didn’t care as she had bigger fish to fry.
Like the sudden loss of everything she owns— or well, owned.
With the remaining money her parents had, they had made sure to buy her and her brother a bookbag and school essentials all over again. Maisie feels bad– all that money could’ve gone to actual important stuff since she knows her parents have always been tight with money but her mother reassured her many times it was okay.
( “Maisie, sweetie, we’re the adults, we know what we’re doing,” Her mother chided. “You need school supplies. Education is important, remember? Don’t you want to be a world famous scientist? For that you have to study.”
Maisie frowned, “I can study anytime! I’m only in middle school, mom, it isn’t that important.”
Her mom wagged her finger at Maisie, “I’ve already made up my mind. Plus, isn’t this year your most important year? It’s your second year and you’re shooting for Gotham Prep, yes?” At Maisie’s nod, her mom smiled, “Then you have to make sure your grades are in tiptop shape, okay? No distractions.”
Maisie stared, her mind swirling, 'No distractions?' )
So here she was, having lunch alone in the library since no one wants to talk to the newly homeless kid. Maisie sighs, looking at the mysterious glop the cafeteria serves and hesitantly dipping a spoon into it. As she was raising it to her mouth, something catches her eyes.
‘I don’t think I’ve seen that book before ,’ Maisie thinks as she drops the spoon and forgets her meal, walking over to the bookshelf. She stands on her tippy-toes as she reaches for the book before her eyes widen, realizing the book had tipped too far. The book comes crashing down, knocking her down to the floor with it.
Maisie bites back the subconscious shout that comes with all the added pain, staring at the bright pink book in front of her. It had golden edges and decorations, the top of it saying a word Maisie doesn’t recognize. ‘Sakura ,’ Maisie hums, opening the book. A book of cards, that’s what it was.
Unable to stop it, despite the growing headache, she grins ear to ear. ‘ Tarot cards! I’ve always wanted to get into these!’ She picks up a card, scanning it front to back, “These do look a bit unusual, though...” She trails off, reading the name of the card. Her brows furrow, confusion lacing her tone, “Windy? I’ve never heard of th—”
She’s cut off by a gust of wind. Maisie screams, scrambling away from the book.
Once the wind stops, Maisie gets up to examine the book again, noting that all the cards except for the one in her hand are gone.
“Hey!” Maisie whips around to find a floating plushie?
“What,” Maisie’s eyes narrow in suspicion, “Who— what— what are you?” She asks when she’s finally settled on what to ask.
“Kerberos! Guardian of the Seal!” The plushie introduces itself, “And Ah’m afraid you’ve scattered the cards again!”
Maisie frowns, “Again?”
Kerberos smiles, “You ain’t the first. You have to find them all now!”
Maisie stares, “What?”
“You have to find all the cards and capture them! You’ve released them out into the world when you used Windy!” Kerberos explains further, the words slowly sinking into Maisie’s brain.
Maisie frowns, “I suppose it’s only fair...” She trails off. After all, owing someone in Gotham a favor was a surefire way to play with your life and Maisie in particular loves living. “What does card capturing... Entail?” She asks.
“You have to seal off the cards with your staff before they wreak havoc and hurt a lot of people.”
“I get a staff?”
“Yes, kid,” Kerberos replies, amusement dancing in his tone. “You’re taking this a lot better than Ah thought you would.”
Maisie’s lips thin into a line, “Well... This isn’t the most out of the ordinary thing ever.” Considering all the superheroes and vigilantes to keep track of, this was almost like a breath of fresh air!
Speaking of fresh air... She stares down at the card in her hand before stuffing it into her pocket. “I think I need a more in depth explanation later,” She explains, “I have class.”
Kerberos deflates, quickly picking up the book and stuffing it into her school bag along with himself.
She sighs, grabbing her bag and walking back to class. ‘I guess I have no choice. Kerberos doesn’t look human and I don’t want to risk it. I need to payback this favor and then I’ll be free again. ’ She decides. ‘That way Kerberos doesn’t... Attack anyone. It seemed nice but...’ She sighs again as she arrives in class, taking a seat. ‘I don’t want this to reach my family. I have to keep him safe.’
(Bright blue eyes stared back up at her, watery and uncertain, “Are we going to be okay? We don’t have a bed anymore.”
“Yes we are. I’m certain,” She had replied, unsure herself but unwilling to break the news to a child younger than her. “We still have everything we need, Max. Each other.”
He smiled at her, wrapping his arms around her, “You’re right.”
“When am I wrong?”)
Maisie was almost impatient for school to end, despite having nowhere to return home to. She cheers internally when class ends, grabbing her bag before she pauses.
The air suddenly feels heavy and thick. Maisie swallows nervously, looking around to see if anyone else notices but it seems to be just her. ‘ Great. Now I’m going crazy, ' She frowns before leaving the classroom.
“Did you feel that?” The plushie, Kerberos speaks near her ear.
At first, she jumps, looking around wildly before calming down. “Dude, you can’t just do that!” She hisses, “What if someone sees you?”
“Ah thought it was normal like you said."
“I said it wasn’t out of the ordinary. Not normal!”
Kerberos seems confused at the clarification and promptly ignores it as he continues, “There’s a Sakura Card nearby.”
‘Because yes, of course,' “So that’s where this strange feeling comes from.” Maisie frowns, “Okay so... What do I do?”
“You can sense it! Track it and seal it.”
Maisie feels as if Kerberos is making this sound easier than it is. However, she doesn’t protest and instead nods. “Okay, and then from there the card should be back?”
“Yeas!” Kerberos nods, “Just remember to write your name on it.”
She doesn’t know why but she supposes it must be for a good reason. She nods, taking out a pen and the card from earlier, writing her name near the bottom. “Okay. Let’s go seal a card?”
Kerberos smiles and nods. Maisie runs off, not knowing quite where she is going other for an instinctual tug she feels.
It really does help that she knows Gotham like the back of her hand. “Do these cards cause any trouble?” She asks, just in case.
“They do,” Kerberos replies, “Although they don’t mean to.”
'Shit. That means I have to beware of the Bats... ' The protectors of the city were very particular about the supernatural, or well, metas. She doesn't really know if this counts. "I get it," She pants out. The incessant tug ends here.
She looks around, confused at the alley she ended up in. She looks up, and sees a singular luminescent blue bird perched on the roof.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that’s unusual. “I’m guessing that’s the card,” She breathes out.
Kerberos nods, “Yes! It seems to be Fly!”
'Fly? It flies? How am I supposed to capture that? It's just going to fly away!' Maisie grits her teeth, looking around for a fire escape to get up to the roof. When she didn’t find any, she sighs, “Just how am I supposed to—”
A bell in her mind rings with an idea, and she takes out the only card she has. Maisie gulps, forcing down her nerves since she isn’t in any real danger. She remembers Kerberos mentioning using the staff and figures that’s important somehow.
As she grips the pendant around her neck, a few words come to mind. Unthinking, she repeats them out loud, “Key that hides the magic of the stars. Reveal your true form before me. Under our contract, I, Maisie, command you, release .” The sparkly purple staff falls in her hand. Maisie stares at it for a good two seconds before looking at the blue bird.
“Are you going to cooperate or am I going to have to catch you?”
The bird quacks and flies away. Maisie grumbles, “Just as I thought.”
“Wow, kid, you’re a natural!”
Maisie rolls her eyes, 'Now is not the time.' She takes out the only card she has, Windy. 'Surely I can fly with this, right?' There’s only one way to know. “Let me ride the wind safely! I command you, under your new master, Maisie! Windy , release!”
Wind swirled around her as the card vanished. She gets lifted up, and simultaneously panics until she realizes this is exactly what she told Windy to do. “Follow the blue bird in a current, Windy !”
It was almost awesome how the wind just followed her command. It makes Maisie feel powerful in a way she almost can't comprehend. She lands on another roof in front of the blue bird, and doesn't wait to dish out another command. “Become a binding chain, please, Windy !” The swirling purple wind does her bidding as she runs to the blue bird.
“ Fly ! Return to your rightful place under my command, Sakura card!” She slams the staff on the blue bird’s head a little roughly. ' Ouch. I hope that didn’t hurt.' And it swirled, popping back into a card that floats in front of her as if waiting for her to grab it.
She grabs it gently, writing her name on the bottom. ' The Fly ,' It reads. Maisie's eyes widen, before she looks at her watch to look at the time. “I was supposed to get home an hour ago! Mom must be worried sick!”
She glances at the card in her hand, and against her better judgement, she throws it into the air, “Let me fly! I command you, under the name of your new master, Masie! Fly , release!"
The wings on the staff expand, and Kerberos pushes her to sit on it, weirdly enough before she’s raised high into the sky.
It’s only later that she realized she can’t land safely.
She does get home, though.
Chapter 2: Enigma
Summary:
Maisie meets a few interesting people and obtains Dash. Cards Obtained: 3/53
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Kerberos wakes Maisie up in the middle of the night. “There’s a card!”
Maisie groggily blinks her eyes, “There is?”
Kerberos nods, “Ah can feel it and it’s going wild!”
Maisie grits her teeth, “This better be important.” It had been a week since the last card, Fly. And after explaining to Kero that she couldn’t go hunting for them because of how dangerous Gotham was, they agreed to wait for the cards to reveal themselves to find them. She throws her jacket on, shoving her cards into her pockets as she gulps. It’s nighttime, so she might run into them. The Darknight and his sidekick. Just for safety reasons, she grabs a leftover Halloween mask from last year, placing it on her face before opening her window. “Key that hides the magic of the stars. Under our contract, I, Maisie, command you, release .”
The staff falls in her hand, and Maisie throws out a card. “Let’s go hunt down this card. Keep me safe in the skies. I command you under your new master, Maisie. Fly, release! ”
She hops onto her staff and is raised to the sky.
Chapter 02: Enigma
She didn't end up catching the card at all--- the slippery thing getting away in the last minute. Maisie tried her best to brush it off, minding her business as she uses the subway to get to school.
She bumps into someone in her absentminded stroll, "Oh, sorry." She says, picking up her books and looking up at the person.
Bright blue chilling eyes stare back at her. A warm smile grows on the stranger's face, "No, my bad. I should've moved," He picks up a book Maisie had dropped, reading the title outloud, "Tarot Cards and their Usage?"
I t was then where Maisie's mind catches up with her. This was Dick Grayson, the popular ward of Bruce Wayne's that comes straight from the circus. "Uh, yeah." She says so very eloquently, "It's just an interest I have."
"You know how to use tarot cards?" His eyes glint with something Maisie can't place.
She swallows nervously, shaking her head, "No, not yet, at least."
Grayson nods, "I see. I wish you luck in learning then."
"Thanks," Maisie replies, the cards weighing heavy in her pocket despite only having two. "Uhm, sorry again. I have to get going now."
Grayson nods, "Yes. Sorry on my side too."
Maisie walks away quickly. 'That was awkward. It was almost like... he knew something. Something about tarots.' She frowns as she weaves through people to leave the station. ' Are those common in circuses? Fortune tellers? Because if it is... ' She thinks back to the book weighing on her back that got her into this situation, 'This book is clearly not American. It looks vaguely European. He can't... know about the cards, can he?' She came up to the front of the school, opening the door and letting herself in as she walks to class. She sits down her spot in first period, listening to people chatter around her while her mind thinks through the interaction.
'He also had a weird presence. Not like the cards, or Kero, but something else.' Maisie frowns, 'That wasn't normal at all.'
Her thoughts get interrupted by someone sitting next to her. She flinches imperceptively, her eyes widening once she sees who exactly sits next to her. ' He looks a lot like Bruce Wayn--- wait... didn't he adopt a new kid recently? ' She stares before saying, "Hello."
"Hello," He replies, "You are Maisie."
Maisie nods, "Yeah. And you're Damian... Wayne?"
He nods in reply, and the conversation falls soon after that.
'Why would one of the Waynes attend a public school?' She turns her gaze back to the board, watching the teacher walk through an algebra problem. ' Wayne has so much money he singlehandedly supports Gotham's economy. It doesn't make sense that he'd send on of his kids to a public school at all. Although granted, this public school has a high acceptance rate to Gotham Academy...' It's one of the reasons Maisie's here too. 'It's... strange. '
'I also didn't know he was my age, ' Maisie glances at him briefly before staring back at her textbook, ' I can't believe I'm old enough that he adopted someone my age. Everyone else has been older than me. ' She grew up with the fact that Bruce Wayne was always adopting children, something for a publicity stunt or so said her mother. She didn't bother researching about them considering all their business gets aired out on the weekly anyway. For such a place, Gotham's pretty tightknit. The news gets around fast in this community, where all they can do is rely on word of mouth to survive the consistent attackers that come out of Arkham Asylum.
Maisie's rather neutral towards the crime scene in Gotham, although her family is constantly trying to leave, something always happens to set them back. Recently, it was the explosion. But before it was a murder in her father's workplace right when he was supposed to submit his two-weeks. Or a bomb threat in her mom's bank, stopping her from drawing out money that they could've used to buy a new car to get out. And now, the explosion keeps the family chained here, like a gun loaded up to their skulls.
Maisie sighs, her gaze trailing over to her backpack that was hanging on the side of her desk with the hook every desk possessed. ' And now the cards. I'm assuming I can't leave Gotham until I get all these cards... if they're as strong as Kero says, then if anyone dies, it's my fault. It's on me.'
'I have great power now, I need to do good with it and capture these cards before they do something irredeemable; before they become greater than me. I need to hunt that card right after school. I can't let it slip away.' Maisie rests her head on her hand, forming a plan in her head for once school ends.
It took school a while to actually end much to Maisie's dissatisfaction. "Do you have any clue what we might be chasing?" Maisie asks Kero, the two having walked into an alleyway a ways away from the school before Maisie allowed Kero out.
Kero shook his head, "Ah have no clue!"
"Perfect!" Maisie grumbles, "Key that hides the magic of the stars. Under our contract, I, Maisie, command you, release ." The familiar weight of the staff in her hand made her relax, unironically. Being in an alley in Gotham was a death wish, but Maisie knows this staff can do serious damage, so she doesn't mind. "Let's think, then," She says, "What happened this morning?"
"It slipped away," Kero replies.
Maisie nods, "Yes. I couldn't quite see what it was. It kind of looked like an animal, though. And it was extraordinarily fast. It was a little uncanny." She hums, "To catch it, I need to use Windy too. Fly wasn't fast enough on its own."
Kero's eyes widen, "It must've been Dash !"
" Dash ?" Maisie repeats, and at Kero's nod, she muses, "I suppose that makes sense. So I'm assuming that my plan of catching up to it is invalid..." She trails off. ' Just how strong are these cards? I already have two that completely defy gravity, and now I'm supposed to somehow catch something that is extremely fast?' "Do you think Windy can bind it before it moves?"
Kero hums, "That might be a lil' difficult. Windy is strong, yes, but Dash is a completely different ballpark in terms of speed."
Maisie sighs, "I can't compete with it in terms of speed is what you're saying?"
Kero nods, but to Maisie's disappointment.
Maisie bites her lip, holding the staff in her hand just the slightest bit tighter, "I think I have an idea. But I don't know if it'll work."
"You might as well try anyway," Kero encourages, "It doesn't have to work the first time. You'll catch the card eventually."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence," Maisie replies, a bundle of anxiety making itself known in her chest. This is the first time she's actively seeking out a card--- and her second card in general that she's going to seal away. It's only natural for her to be nervous, right?
Maisie breathes in deeply, "Okay. We're going to have to wait until nightfall."
Waiting until nightfall was Maisie's worst idea, in hindsight. Dash seems to get stronger under the influence of the Moon, something that boggles her mind but she ignores nonetheless. "Carry me safely, I command you, under the name of your new master," Maisie pauses before mouthing her name, not knowing of who might be listening, " Windy, release." The wind carried her safely roof to roof as she chases after Dash .
Her first plan had failed, with Windy being too slow for Dash 's reflexes, causing it to be spooked and run away.
"Hey!" Someone shouts from down below, "Let me go!"
Maisie's eyes widen when Dash drops into an inconspicuous alley, following after the card soon after.
Dash bites the person attacking the other, but gets kicked off by someone else, who grabs Dash by the neck and slams it onto the wall as if it were a ragdoll.
"Let me go!" The victim shouts again. "I don't have anything for you to take."
One of the attackers reaches into his pocket, taking out something that looks oddly sharp in the moonlight. Maisie's heart drops, and she knows that she can't let this happen.
Anger that was bubbling within her threatens to escape as the other attacker walks towards Dash , who's injured and cannot move, meningcingly. Maisie jumps down to the alley, landing softened by Windy . She lands in front of the victim. "Hey, drop the weapon." She steels her obviously shaking voice, holding out the staff as if she could use it as a baseball bat.
"And who are you?" The attacker asks, grinning madly, "To tell me what to do?" He lunges at her, stabbing downward.
Maisie catches his arm against the staff, muttering, " Windy , blow these attackers away!" Her heart pounds in her ears as she uses all her force to push the attacker off her. She grabs the card in her pocket, throwing it up and slamming it with the staff before she could process," Windy , release!"
A vortex of wind rips through the alley, the attackers get sucked to the center, carried away to God knows where.
Maisie turns to the victim, "Are you okay?"
The victim has fiery red hair, and would certainly be taller than Maisie if it weren't for the fact that she was sitting in a wheelchair. "I-I'm fine," She replies, shocked. "Who are you?"
Maisie bites her lip, turning away from the victim, "No one important. Hey..." She trails off, giving the victim a closer look, "Aren't you the Commissioner's daughter? What are you doing out all by yourself?"
The victim-- or the Commissioner's daughter--'s eyes widened, "It's fine. My dad is busy and I was just getting home."
Bells chime in Maisie's ears that she promptly ignores, "Right." She turns away from the victim, slowly approaching the second victim, Dash . "I'm not here to hurt you," She says softly. Her heart breaking at the way that Dash's eyes narrow in suspicion. "I'm the Cardcaptor, see?" She shows Dash her staff, "I'm here to seal you. Is that okay?" Considering Dash hasn't dashed away yet, she takes her chances.
Maisie inhales sharply when she sees Dash move slightly, and runs into action, " Dash , return to your rightful place under my command, Sakura card!" She hits the small spirit, watching it morph into a card that lands in her hand.
She looks over her shoulder to find the redhead girl staring at her, and sighs. Luckily the mask on her face protected Maisie's true identity, but knowing the girl's father, there was most definitely going to be an investigation launched after this, which only exists to make Maisie's life harder.
Maisie twirls her staff and takes out another card when she feels another set of eyes on her. 'Must be one of them...' "Let me fly. I command you, under the name of your new master," She was getting used to the pause she has to make for her name, "Fly, release !" Maisie quickly makes herself scarce, leaving curiosity in her wake.
She ends up on the news the next day, which honestly, isn't that surprising. Her mother, though, dotes on her, panicked at the sighting of a new vigilante, "Maisie! Stay safe, okay? If you ever see anything weird, make sure to report it!"
Maisie nods along, "I will."
Maisie slings her backpack over her shoulder, ' Everything will be fine, mom. Don't you worry.'
It isn't until later that Maisie realizes her goals changed. 'I'll catch those cards before they get the chance to be hurt again. And I'll find those people that hurt Dash.'
Notes:
Thank you for reading! Tell me your thoughts. :)
Chapter 3: Gravitas
Summary:
Maisie's trying to get into the rhythm of things, but she is just an untrained child. Cards Obtained 5/53
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Only three days pass before Maisie gets into an incident again, and this time in her very own kitchen. "I don't know how to bake, Kero." She says, addressing the cosmic being that sat cheerily on the counter. Her mother and father went out today to try and see if they could get therapy for her little brother. Little by little, they were rebuilding their life.
It started with an apartment, and then some furniture. Maisie doesn't really feel at home yet, but she figures it's better than not having a home, period. It has been around a month since the evacuation--- since some unknown escapee from Arkham Asylum blew everything she loved to smithereens; and Maisie's getting less and less nightmares day by day, so it's progress.
"Then what's that?" Kero asks, pointing at the cake that very obviously was not there before.
Maisie's eyes widen, "Key that hides the magic of the stars. Under our contract, I, Maisie, command you, release ." She looks over at Kero, "Is there a card that can do that? Because I feel one nearby."
Kero snaps out of his daze as he nodded, " Sweet !"
It took a little more banging around before Maisie finally caught the card, " Sweet , return to your rightful place under my command, Sakura card!"
She writes her name on it and grins, "Guess I don't need to know how to bake."
Chapter 03: Gravitas
[8:04]Tim: You said there was a new vigilante?
[8:05] Barbara: yeah! And they seem to be a meta
They used what seemed to be some sort of card. It was strange.
[8:09] Dick: that certainly sounds strange. keep an eye out, but otherwise try and stay clear of them. we don’t know what their intentions are. make sure to tell B too.
[8:10] Tim: on it already
It was the weekend, and after some annoying by her mom that is trying to make her pick up more extracurriculars, Maisie leaves the house against her will. Not without saying a few colorful words mentally, of course, and stuffing her new weapons of self defense into her pocket. She walks over to Gotham City Library— a spot that looks almost deserted with the lack of visitors. She used to avoid this place like the plague, a fear that was mostly planted by her mother, long, long ago.
( “Maisie, you can’t ever go to the city library, okay? That’s where all the mean kids hang out, and you can’t defend yourself. I need you safe, okay?” Her mother strokes Maisie’s curls, making the small girl rest against her chest, “I need you safe and alive. Gotham is scary. I can’t have it take you too.”)
‘Except now I can defend myself,’ She thinks absentmindedly. Not that there was anyone here to defend herself from— the place looks like it’s been deserted for years. She expected it to smell like rotting books, but surprisingly, the interior wasn’t as bad as the exterior. Maisie looks towards the desk, freezing when she notices, ‘It’s the same girl from last night.’ She walks up to the desk, “Hey, can I get a library card?”
‘God, I hope she doesn’t recognize my voice, or anything.’ Much to Maisie’s delight, the girl smiles kindly, “Yeah sure. What’s your name?”
“Maisie Willaims.”
“Birthday?”
“October 31st.”
The girl’s eyes widen, “That’s such a lucky day. In over a month. Coming soon, huh?”
Maisie nods, balancing between the balls of her feet as she waits for the card to be handed to her.
The girl frowns, “Are you above thirteen?”
Maisie shakes her head, “No.”
“I’m afraid I can’t give you a library card without a guardian here.”
‘Of course. I should’ve expected that.’ “Ah I see,” Maisie frowns, “That’s fine. Can I get a guest pass to use the computer?”
The girl nods, “Yes of course. Here you go.” She grabs something from behind the desk, handing it over to Maisie, “Have fun.”
“Thank you Miss…” Maisie trails off.
“Barbara,” The girl answers, “Now go have fun.”
Maisie doesn’t bother responding, instead beelining straight to the computer. She logs in, the clunky keys making the most annoying clacking sounds she’s ever heard. She doesn’t have a phone or anything of the sort, but now that she’s on the news, she figures she should do research. She clicks through various articles and forums, an ongoing investigation catching her eyes.
‘Narcolepsy attacks? ’ Maisie frowns, scrolling through the article. ‘Why wasn’t anyone talking about this? This sounds pretty strange and dangerous.’ She reads further, ‘Victims suddenly feel entranced to fall asleep, anywhere and everywhere they are.’ “What the heck,” She kicks her back, awakening Kero. “Kero,” She whispers, “Look.”
The cosmic being flies up next to her, sitting in front of the keyboard as it reads the article. “This sounds like the work of a card.”
“Doesn’t it?” Maisie asks, “I don’t know of anyone that can suddenly make people fall asleep. I mean the Joker makes weird chemicals but none make people just…sleep.” She bites her lip, “Let’s wait it out and see if it gets any better before we step in.”
“The date of the first attack is September tenth.”
Maisie’s eyes widen, “A day after I unsealed the cards.”
“You okay?” Someone’s voice asks.
Maisie jumps, “Yeah, I’m fine,” She replies, glancing over at the voice. “Thanks for asking, Miss Barbara.”
The teen merely smiles back at her, “Yeah, of course.” She looks at Maisie’s screen, “Curious on crime?”
Maisie blinks, “Oh yeah, I, uh… I want to be a forensic scientist when I grow up.” The lie slips from her tongue almost too easily— but then again, this isn’t the first time she’s had to lie to save her ass.
“Oh,” Barbara smiles, “That’s a nice goal you have. Working on it early, I see.”
Maisie nods, “Yeah. I want to gain experience in it before I head to college, you know. So I follow cases here and there.”
“That’s awesome. I’m sure you’ll make it.”
“Thanks,” Maisie smiles. She glances at the watch on her wrist, “I have to go now.”
Barbara’s smile morphs into something a little sadder, “Thanks for coming. Feel free to drop by whenever.”
Maisie nods, “I’ll make sure to keep you company more often!” She packs her bag, sliding Kero back in and sees herself out.
[17:05] Barbara: someone visited the library today
[17:07] Tim: really? people still do that
[17:07] Dick: Tim, be nice.
[17:08] Tim: i am nice
[17:09] Barbara: no, i get it. it is very unusual. usually no one visits the library anymore.
[17:10] Tim: who was it?
[17:11] Barbara: some middle schooler. she was cute. wants to be a forensic scientist.
[17:12] Dick: that’s nice. everyone knows gotham could use a few more scientists
[17:13] Tim: gotham needs more than just a few.
It was nightfall again, and Maisie slips on the mask that was getting a little too familiar and summons her staff. ‘I need to find information…’ She frowns, ‘How? Though?’
Bells chime in the distance, and Maisie feels a violent tug. Kero jumps up, flying beside her, “A card! We need to get it.”
Maisie nods, opening the window, “Already on it! Fly us safely. I command you under the name of your new master, Maisie. Fly , release!” She jumps out of the window, relying on her staff’s wings to fly her above the countless buildings.
The closer she got to the bell chimes, the more screams she heard, much to her dislike. ‘Is this… a club?’ Maisie stares as she flies closer. ‘But why is there screaming?’
Maisie lands in an alleyway nearby, letting her staff form back into the pendant as she peeks out towards the club, wondering what was going on. She walks out of the alley, and manages to walk straight in.
‘No bouncers in Gotham, of course,’ She wasn’t surprised a bit, honestly. It’s Gotham. Rules hardly apply here.
At the center of the chaos is a person that seems possessed. They swung a sword around widely and around them was a puddle of a red liquid that Maisie had seen too much before.
Maisie grits her teeth, looking around. She finds a snack table, grabbing a fistful of fruit, throwing it towards the person swinging around the sword.
The crowd went silent— the room went silent. Almost as if you could hear a pin drop. The possessed person’s gaze meets Maisie’s and she turns on her heel, running straight out.
She looks behind her shoulder, seeing the possessed person following her. The person gets closer and closer, and Maisie ducks into an alley.
“Kero, is this a card?!” She asks, panting from the strain of the run.
Kero nods, “It is! Sword!”
“Sword?” She asks incredulously, turning around and watching the possessed person immediately charge at her.
Maisie throws herself out of the way, summoning her staff and throwing out a card, “Make my feet light and quick! I command you under your new master, Dash, release! ”
She dodges another strike from the sword person with newfound ease from Dash. “Kero!” She calls, “How do I—?”
“Ah have no clue!”
‘Of course,’ Maisie catches the sword with her surprisingly sturdy staff, ‘Of fucking course!’
She ducks down, sliding past the sword person, taking out another card. “Become a binding chain. I command you under your new master! Windy , release!”
Wind whirls through the alley, but the sword person slices straight through it.
“What?!” Maisie’s eyes widen as Windy returns to card form. “That’s possible?!”
“Try and take the sword from the wielder!”
Maisie blinks, taking out Windy again. “Snatch the weapon! I command you under your new master! Windy, release!”
Wind whirls through the alleyway again, swirling around the sword but the possessed person refuses to let go. Maisie curses under her breath, looking at the cards she has left. ‘Fly, Dash, Sweet, all useless!’ She bites her lip, ‘Unless… ’ “Give the sword wings! I command you, under your new master. Fly, release!”
Wings burst from the sword, ripping it away from the possessed person’s grip, and landing a few feet away. The person collapses mindlessly onto the floor.
She didn’t even notice the card returning to her holster as Maisie dashes over to the sword, quickly pointing her staff, “ Sword , return to your rightful place under my command, Sakura Card!”
The sword morphs and blinks different colors before turning into a card. Maisie grabs the card almost violently, writing her name sloppily on the bottom. She glances at the person who was looking less than optimal, and making a choice, she sighs.
“ Windy ,” Maisie says softly, “Carry the person to the closest free clinic.” Her curls whip her face as wind whirls around her, and the person is carried away.
Bells chime behind her, causing Maisie to whirl around and look up. Two eyes stare down at her, the two peaks above them causing her heart to drop.
‘Batman,’ She looks around, ‘But where’s Robin?’
“Kid! Move!” Kero’s warning rings out as Maisie throws herself to the side, narrowly missing a blow to her side.
‘That’s where he is!’ Maisie grits her teeth. She has no combat experience at all! What makes her think she can survive an attack from Robin , who’s probably been trained from birth?
So Maisie does the only thing she knows how to do, and she runs. The bell chimes ring behind her— an indicator that she was still being followed.
She has to lose them somehow! “Carry me up beyond the clouds,” She pants out, “Fly, release.” She steps onto her staff, rising above the clouds with a speed that she could only classify as desperate.
Maisie tries to catch her breath, the exhaustion nipping at the edges of her consciousness.
“Stay awake, kid,” Kero warns, “You have to get home. People are waiting for you.”
‘He’s right,’ Maisie forces her eyes open, taking a deep breath. She looks around, speechless as she takes in the brilliance of the stars and how it feels as if the moon is staring at her.
Zoning back in, she says, “Take me home, Fly.”
She rips her mask off when she gets home, crashing straight into bed.
Notes:
Thanks for readingggg~
Chapter 4: Anchor
Summary:
Maisie starts taking this vigilante thing seriously. Cards Obtained 7/53
Chapter Text
Her body aches with bruises she didn’t remember getting. She groans as she rises from bed, “I feel like death.”
Kero lays a hand on her shoulder, “Ya did a lot yesterday, sealing two cards. Ah’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, Kero,” Maisie breathes out, “Batman— he… he knows. The Bats know. ” Her hands shake as she grips the pendant that feels like such a weight on her shoulders. “How… how am I going to keep doing this?” She swallows, “Batman doesn’t kill but,” She bites her lip, “He’s horrifying to crime in Gotham for a reason.”
“You’ll be okay,” Kero replies, encouraging, “You’re the Cardcaptor. You have to do this.”
“I know , Kero,” She hisses, “I know I have to do this. Because if I won’t, people will die. People have died.” Maisie shuts her eyes, trying to forget last night as much as she could.
(The club’s air feels heavy and stuffy. Maisie walks in, pushing her way through the crowd. The strong stench of iron doesn’t deter her. The sight she’s greeted with is unforgettable…
Maisie swallows the bile that threatens to rise as she stares at the bodies on the floor. Limp, lifeless, and the only one standing holds a sword that thrums with the same magic Maisie feels in her soul. She turns heel and walks away, enacting her plan before she gets too sick to think. ‘Focus, Maisie, you can do this.’)
“Kid.”
(“Maisie. You have to treat others nicely,” Her mother scolds her. “You hurt your brother, do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Maisie swallows, tears welling up in her eyes, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… we were just playing.”
“And who was holding the ball?”
“Me.”
Her mother’s expression turns grim, “You held the weapon in your hands, Maisie. With power comes responsibility, and when those bad things happen, they happen because of you.” She stares at the ambulance besides them, the paramedics that rush around them in a panic. “I’m going to forgive you this time because your brother is still alive. But know, no matter what you have in your hands,”
“There is always a life dependent on you.”)
“Kid.”
(“Everything will be fine. We’ll be okay.”)
“Maisie!” Kero says, snapping her out of her stupor.
Maisie flinches, eyes wide as she looks over at Kero. She swallows, averting her gaze, “I’m sorry— I just….”
“Ah know, Kid,” Kero frowns, “Last night was brutal. Ah know you’re burdened with memories you never wanted to have. But you have to continue, okay? You can get through this. You’re strong and Ah believe in you. You have a bright future, Maisie. Don’t let this drag you down.”
Maisie nods, “Okay. I appreciate it, Kero, I really do.”
“Everything will be okay.”
Chapter 04: Anchor
Maisie walks off to school with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Getting off the subway, she gets the creepy feeling that someone’s watching.
She’s been feeling that for the last few days.
‘ I have Fly, Dash, Sword, Sweet and Windy. Five cards and the Bat is already watching me,’ She resists the urge to groan in mild annoyance. The vigilantes were everywhere and near impossible to avoid. She’s outclassed.
‘There’s how many Bats to worry about? Red Hood, Red Robin, Nightwing, Robin, Batman… And they all outclass me both skills and experience wise,’ She bites her lip. ‘How am I supposed to catch fifty more cards like this? I’m going to get caught eventually. This is a dangerous game.’ She keeps her head down as she walks out of the subway station, ‘But how many people will die if I don’t catch these cards? I already have five lives on my shoulders and that’s not even from one of the powerful cards that Kero mentioned. The elementals— Firey, Watery and Earthy, they’re all going to cause a ruckus and I know it.’
‘I guess it’s not a question of when I want to be discovered, but how?’
It’s a boring lecture, she’s willing to admit that outright. Struggling to focus with the coil of anxiety in her chest, she’s thinking of excusing herself until a nudge comes from her seat partner, who just so happens to be Damian Wayne.
‘You look like shit,’ She reads the note and rolls her eyes, ‘Gee, thanks.’
He stares expectantly, and it clues in at Maisie that he’s expecting a note back. She quickly scribbled something down, ‘Thanks. Tough night, you know?’
He nods, not responding back.
Maisie turns her attention back to her notebook, the only thing she had written being the date. She knows that she needs to find a way to evade the Bats, and when Kero listed out the cards to her, she knows from that that there’s a card she could possibly use. But there’s no telling when she’d possibly locate it.
Yes, she moonlights as a vigilante to find these cards— but she’s quickly realizing that if they don’t want to be found, they won’t. These cards aren’t like anything she’s ever dealt with before— they’re supernatural, and they don’t listen to rhyme, logic, or reason. They’re the definition of marching to their own drum. And then there’s the issue that she does still need to find a way to evade the Batfamily efficiently without spending too much energy. She almost passed out last night! That was dangerous— she has to make it home.
She can’t break her mom’s heart like that. She has to be safe, and she has to make it home in the end— no matter how hard it is and what she needs to do to get there.
Maisie taps her pencil a few times on the page, softly. ‘I need to pick up an extracurricular that would help,’ She decides, ‘That way I can have a cover for my mom when things inevitably start to get more dangerous. The fact that I haven’t gotten injured yet is a lucky thing. We can’t pay for classes, though. So I’m going to have to do this on my own…’
Her thoughts trail off as the pencil moves on the page, ‘I should pick up martial arts of some sort. Meditation too. It would help with remaining calm. I panic easy, and when working with the cards, that might be more detrimental to my ability than anything.’
She looks at the page, looking at her doodle of a card. ‘Memory,’ She frowns, ‘I don’t think that was in the deck. It’s a shame, really, a card like that would help a lot but I don’t have the authority to make cards yet. They’re not mine, they’re Sakura’s. Kero said they’ll only be mine once I catch all of them.’
She sighs, her gaze trailing over to the window. ‘I should visit the library after school.’
She didn’t notice when class ended. The bell rings, dismissing everyone but Maisie takes a while packing up her things, procrastinating her trip to the library. Miss Barbara is very nice, but she doesn’t quite feel like talking today, honestly.
Once the classroom is empty, she gets up, opening the door to leave.
The door doesn’t budge.
“What?” Maisie says, trying to open the door again. “Did someone lock this?”
Kero flies out of Maisie’s bag, heading to perch on her shoulder, “Did ya try twisting it the other way?”
Maisie nods, “It’s not working. This is so weird.” She backs away from the door, heading to the other classroom door to find it locked. “What? Did I get locked in here?”
Her brows furrow, “But that doesn’t make sense…” She trails off, “These doors— they don’t even have locks.” She notices, squinting at the door handle.
“Then how are they locked?” Kero asks, spinning around a doorknob. “Ah!” A lightbulb goes off in Kero’s mind, “A card!”
Maisie frowns, “A card?” She closes her eyes, concentrating on her surroundings. “How?” She asks, “I can’t sense it at all.” She blinks open her eyes to Kero just a centimeter away from her face. “K-Kero!” She stumbles back, startled.
“Ah’m sure it’s a card!” Kero says, “Ah think it may be Lock.”
Maisie pauses, “Lock? Why would that card ever be necessary?”
Kero shrugs, “Every card is useful.”
“Right,” Maisie sighs, “So we’re locked in this room…” She trails off, glancing at the door. “How did Sakura get rid of this card?”
“She broke the lock,” Kero says, “Using Sword.”
Maisie hums, “I see. So there was only one lock at the time?”
Kero nods.
‘That helps.’ “Key that hides the magic of the stars. Under our contract, I, Maisie, command you, release. ” Staff in hand, she straightens up a bit more, confident in a way she had never been before. “Lend me your aid. I command you, under the name of your new master, Maisie, Sword, release.”
The staff glitters and shines before morphing into the heavy bladed weapon. “Shit,” Maisie stares at the sword, amazement swirling through her eyes, “This is cool as hell.”
Kero chuckles, “Right. Ya good with using it?”
Maisie swings it a few times before nodding, “Yep. Just gotta use two hands.” She stares at the two doors, “Do I just guess which one the lock is on?”
Kero shrugs, “There’s a chance that if you slice the wrong one, Lock’s gonna try and get away.”
“That’s right.” ‘But maybe I can use that to my advantage. ’ Maisie goes up to one of the doors, slicing the doorknob clean off.
“The other doorknob!” Kero says, pointing.
Maisie’s eyes widens as she realizes she’s chosen the wrong one. She takes out another card, “ Make sure Lock doesn’t get away! Be a binding chain! I command you, Windy !”
Wind whirls through the classroom, swirling around the glimmering doorknob. Maisie rushes over, slicing it in half with the Sword.
“Got’cha!” Maisie smiles, “ Lock , return to your rightful place under my command, Sakura card!”
A bright pink card lands in her hand with the other two she had summoned. Maisie quickly writes her name on it before speeding out of the classroom. She glances at her watch, ‘I can spend a few at the library before I get home. ’
The library is as silent as ever, but Maisie notices that someone else is there too. ‘So Gothamites still do use public services,’ She muses as she walks in, the door chiming with her arrival. She walks up to the front desk, looking around for Miss Barbara.
“Maisie,” Miss Barbara smiles, “How has your day gone?”
“It’s been okay,” Maisie replies, “Very interesting.” She adds, for lack of a better alternative. “Uh, can I get a guest pass for the computer?”
“Oh, yes, of course,” Miss Barbara replies, fishing up a guest pass and handing it to Maisie.
Maisie nods, “Thank you!” And with a smile, walks off to the computers. Logging on with ease, the first thing Maisie does is check in on the Narcolepsy case.
‘There’s a new victim,’ Maisie frowns, ‘I need to find a way to get to Sleep and fast. This one was driving a truck— and the person that woke him up was Signal…’ She hums, ‘Signal’s also been on the scene for the last few. All these attacks occur during the day, it seems…’ A thought creeps into the edge of her mind that she can’t ignore, ‘Signal is known to be very chatty during patrol. I can only imagine that being the only Bat during the day must be… Lonely. I wonder if I can talk to him.’
She glances at the time on the computer, ‘I doubt I can do it today unless I run into him while I’m going home. This’ll also give me time to really ponder the thought. I can’t believe I’ll be seeking out one of the Bats…’
Maisie suddenly remembers the other factor of why she came here— she needed to research cheap martial arts dojos.
Heading home is a mind numbing affair for Maisie. That is until she hears something that catches her attention.
Now Gotham is crime-ridden, yes, and everyone knows this— but the crime usually stays hidden at night. Signal— the only daytime hero— deals primarily with emergencies along the lines of fires, bank robberies mid-day— that sort of thing while the rest of the nighttime heroes pick out Gotham’s most gritty corners.
So when Maisie hears the faintest whisper of crime during the day, like any other Gothamite, her ears are fine-tuned to it. But unlike other Gothamites, Maisie doesn’t run— not anymore.
“Aw, look at you. I can do anything to you and you won’t say a peep.”
Maisie stiffens, turning on her heel. And despite her better judgement, she runs to where she heard it.
“Kid! What are you doing?” Kero asks as Maisie breaks out into a sprint.
“I can defend myself,” Maisie huffs out, “Others can’t!” She turns a corner, “Hide Kero,” She hisses out before turning into the alleyway and falling witness to the scene.
A knife, drenched in blood is being carved into the victim. Maisie’s eyes widen— it was an incredibly gruesome thing to watch.
The victim’s face contorts in obvious pain, whimpers making it out, but no matter how hard they try to scream, they’re unable to.
Maisie takes action. “Hey! That’s really rude to do!” Her heart is pounding in her ears as the assailant turns to look at her, a carved smile on his face.
‘Great! It’s one of the Joker’s insane minions!’ She finds herself thinking a string of curses before summoning her staff. ‘That’s weird,’ Maisie blinks, unprepared for the wave of exhaustion that hits her after summoning the staff without the incantation. ‘I won’t do that anymore. ’
The assailant lunges at her but Maisie side steps. Twisting her upper body, she grabs onto the staff with two hands as if it were a baseball and slams it into the assailant’s side.
All the assailant does is a brief stumble before lunging at her again.
Maisie steps back, holding her staff out defensively as the assailant swipes at her with the tiny knife. She blocks some of the attacks, but cuts are beginning to fill her up and she knows she can’t continue like this.
“Lock him up, unable to move, Lock , release,” She mutters, ducking a swipe at her as she digs for the card.
Paralyzed in place, the assailant keeps a consistent stream of profanities thrown her way, Maisie ignores him, going straight for the victim. “Hey! Are you okay?”
The victim doesn’t reply verbally, shaking their head ‘no,’ instead. Maisie nods, “Okay. Are you able to walk?”
The victim gestures towards their throat, clearly distressed. Maisie frowns, confused as she’s unable to decipher what they’re saying. “What about your throat? Does it hurt?”
The victim furiously shakes their head, leaving Maisie confused and whirling. Kero flies up next to Maisie’s shoulder and asks, “Can you talk?”
“What kind of question is that?” Maisie side eyes Kero, “Be nice.”
The victim nods, much to Maisie’s confusion. Kero says, “Is there something stopping you from talking?”
The victim nods again.
“A card,” Maisie realizes, “That’s why you asked.” She frowns, “Kero, which cards?”
“Silent,” Kero answers, “We can reveal it with noise.”
Maisie hums, “Noise… er.” She takes out a card, throwing it into the air, “Howl through this alley! I command you, under the name of your new master. Windy , release!”
Wind rips through the alley, howling so loud it can be mistaken as a thunderstorm. The victim sparkles, and Maisie takes her chance. “ Silent , return to your rightful place under my command, Sakura Card!”
“Thank you!” The victim yells and then pauses, almost astonished that they can speak again. “Thank you,” They repeat as they break into tears.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Maisie whispers softly, pity in her eyes, “You should get going to a clinic, okay? There are free ones just a few blocks away. Are you able to get there yourself?”
The victim blinks through the tears, taking Maisie’s hand to stand before nodding. “Ye-yeah, I think,” They inhale sharply, “I think I got this.” They look towards Maisie, “Wha-what’s your n-name?”
Maisie frowns, “You don’t need that information. Just go get safe. That wound will get infected if you don’t treat it quickly.”
“I just have to thank y-you.”
She shakes her head, “No, get going.” She replies, pushy, almost. “You need to get to the clinic before it closes.”
The victim frowns, looking back at Maisie, who just did a ‘shoo’ motion. Begrudgingly, the victim gets up, and starts to limp over to the clinic.
Maisie looks back at the assailant who’s being held by Lock. She hums, writing her name on Silent before an idea pops into mind. “Make sure no one speaks of this incident. I command you, under the name of your new master. Silent , release.”
She points the staff at the assailant soon after, “I’m leaving you like this not until the police comes, but until one of the Bats do,” At the spark of fear in their eyes, Maisie smiles, “They’ll know how to deal with you better.”
Maisie takes out a piece of paper, writing a note for the unlucky vigilante that comes to pick up the paralyzed assailant. “Have fun,” She turns on her heel, picking up her bag and walking out of the alleyway, going home.
Her mom is mad— madder than Maisie’s ever seen her before. “What happened to you?! Where have you been?! Do you know what time it is, Maisie?!” She yells, “Back before sundown! I said get back before sundown! That’s all I ask!”
Maisie swallows, mouth suddenly dry as her gaze drops downward. “I didn’t mean to return so late.”
“What happened to you, Maisie?” Her mom gently cradles her daughter’s face, “What happened?”
Maisie winces when her mother’s thumb slightly touches a cut on her cheek, “I was attacked, Mom. I barely got away.”
Her mom’s eyes widen, “Maisie… I…” She breaks down into tears, “I can’t lose you. That’s it. I’m picking you up from school and dropping you off from now on.”
“What? No!” Maisie disagrees, “I go to the library after school.”
“Maisie! You know how I feel about that library.”
“You said to pick up extracurriculars!”
“Do you not see how you came home?! You’re cut up everywhere! That’s not an extracurricular, Maisie. You faced death today!”
“I’m fine, Mom. I’ll heal.”
“What if you didn’t?” Her mom asks, “What if you had died in that alley and I never got to see my child again?”
“Mom—”
“Maisie,” Her mom’s voice is chillingly calm, “I can’t do this anymore. I need you safe. You’re twelve. You’re just starting life, Maisie. From here on out, until you’re fifteen, I want you to always be accompanied by an adult when you go out.”
Maisie’s heart drops, “What? Are you serious?”
“This is for your safety, Maze. Please, please don’t argue with me. We can talk about your extracurriculars later,” Her mom massages her temples, “I just can’t do this, Maisie. I need you safe. Go to your room. I can’t see you right now.”
Maisie bites her lip, a retort dying on her tongue. She walks away, her eyes welling up as she goes to her room. “Kero, I’m screwed. I can’t leave home at all without an adult.”
Kero places a hand on Maisie’s shoulder gently, “Ah’m sure everything will be okay. You still have your nighttime escapades will be untouched.”
“They are,” Maisie flops onto bed, “But now I don’t get to leave the house until I can convince my mom to take me out! Kero, I can’t hunt cards during the day at all.”
“Ah’m sure that’s okay,” Kero replies, “You’ll find cards as they want you to find them.”
Maisie screams into her pillow, frustrated in a way she can’t articulate.
Card_Hoarder on Chapter 1 Tue 15 Jul 2025 02:47AM UTC
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