Chapter 4: Meeting

Sunday at the Academy. Usually a day for the students to rest and leave the daily routine that was between attending classes, having exams and in the case of Maps and her friends, solving mysteries. The center of studies gave its students the opportunity to go out and spend the day on the city of Gotham during the weekend.

Perhaps there was something interesting to find in the city today? Nobody would know. That's why Maps decided to try that out and left her room to approach Olive's bedroom, known by many as her best friend. She knocked on the door and got no answer, knocked again and yet nothing. The girl wondered what was going on and decided to open the door to finally seeing her friend looking thoughtful through the window. It seemed like one of those days where Olive just wanted to be alone with her feelings.

"Hey Olive! Wanna go to the city today?" Said Maps.

"…To be honest, I don't feel like it." Replied Olive while still looking at the window.

"You sure? I'm gonna ask Kyle and the others if they want to come, too. Come on! I know you'll like it!"

"Thank you, Maps. For real. But I think I'd better stay here to rest and just...think about stuff." Said Olive with a sight.

"Alright then, Olive. Take care of yourself then!" Said Maps with a bit of sadness before leaving her.

"You too, Maps."

Mizoguchi decided to turn to see her other friend, Pomeline, who was known within the group by her obsession with the things related with magic and mystic arts. Mia was just about to knock on the door when Pomeline suddenly open her door and walked out of the room, showing her typical expression of "not in the mood" upon looking at Maps, as if she actually didn't wanted to see the girl obsessed with riddles and maps at this very moment. Pomeline acted like this with almost everyone on the outside, but deep inside her, she was actually a girl who cared for her friends.

"Don't you have anything interesting to do today aside from bothering me, Maps?" Asked Pomeline with a sight.

"As a matter of fact, I do. I'm going to the city right now! Wanna come?" Asked Maps with a cheerful smile.

"Sorry, hype girl. But I'm gonna pass on this one. Maybe next time." Replied Pomeline.

"Why?"

"Going to see someone right now."

"…You mean Heathcliff? Are you two back again?!" Asked Maps with excitement.

"None of your business, Maps! Now leave me or I'll be late." Said Pomeline with a little bit of stress before leaving.

"Tell him I say hi!" Shouted Maps.

Pomeline didn't even reply to her friend, she needed to do other important stuff somewhere else and leave the place, making Maps the only person in the corridor until she went out, looking for someone else and in this case, it was going to be her older brother Kyle.

She decided to take a look on the tennis courts since he was one of the main players of the academy, making him so popular, that a lot of girls of the place usually stayed for several hours just to see him in action. Indeed, Kyle was in fact practicing in a court; when the teacher suddenly decided to take a little break so the older Mizoguchi could rest. While he saw the girls, he was able to recognize his little sister, so he moved closer to her.

"Hey there, Mia. It's weird to see you around here." Said Kyle.

"Hey, Kyle. Are you going to be busy after this?" Asked Maps.

"Why you ask?"

"I'm going to the city to spend the day! Wanna come?"

"What about Olive?" Asked Kyle curiously.

"She is not coming. Not feeling good right now." Replied the younger Mizoguchi with a bit of sadness.

"I…think I'll just stay here… to keep an eye on her! Yeah, that!" Said Kyle with a bit of a blush on his face.

"Oh…Sir Kyle: Olive's Shining Knight. I like that!" Said Maps with a laugh. "I guess Colton is the only one I can count on, then. Any idea where he is?"

"I have no idea. He is probably wandering around here. Anyway, I gotta go. Have fun at the city and don't talk with strangers!" Said Kyle before going back to his training.

"I'm 14! Not a kid anymore!" Shouted Maps before leaving.

And so there was only one person left: Colton Rivera. A boy who, for most of the time, ended up getting into trouble but was always available to help his friends when needed. Colton had a talent for creating and fixing thousands of tools that were needed for any situation and that made him a very important member within the group. The younger Mizoguchi bet he would love to go to the city instead on staying here so she decided to look out for him around the campus.

Maps sought by all sides within the academy but without success, until she remembered something: Colton was punished all weekend and he probably was in the library, waiting for his punishment to be terminated. She went to the site to effectively find only to Colton with a teacher, both sitting and away while the student had an expression of extreme boredom while scribbling, or throwing paper planes all over the place.

"Colton!" Shouted Maps.

"Hey! Quiet! This is a library!" Replied the angry teacher.

"Sorry!" Whispered Maps while getting closer to her friend.

"Hey Maps." Said Colton. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you everywhere! I'm going to the city and I wanted to know if you were coming with me." Asked Maps.

"What about Kyle? Is he coming, too?" Asked the guy with sunglasses.

"Well, he said he was staying here for…"

"I'll pass. I better stay here anyway." Said Colton with a sight.

"Really? Oh come on! It will be fun! Just use one of your special gadgets and let's get out of here!" Shouted Maps.

"Miss Mizoguchi!" Demanded the teacher with anger. "If you want to keep talking with your "criminal" friend, you can gladly join him as part of the detention!"

"Oh uh, you better leave now, you are going to get pretty bored in this place." Suggested Colton.

"Why nobody wants to go out today!?" Maps thought with anger after seeing everybody already had plans or didn't want to go out with her to the city on a Sunday like this. The young student was getting desperate and she didn't want her weekend to end by staying all day alone at the academy. After thinking it for some minutes, Mizoguchi took a decision: She was going to the city on her own. The young student took her bag and a bit of money she had saved in her room, then went to the bus stop and upon appearing the first bus, she went in and sit down, watching through the window while the bus was on its way to the city of Gotham.

The city looked totally different during the day; as it seemed to be a bit friendlier than it was during the night. Maps was looking through the window of the bus, as she was approaching to the city and the buildings became increasingly larger, full of companies or businesses such as restaurants, shops or anything you would find in any city and that, make her feel excited about it. After several minutes of sitting on the public transport, the bus finally arrived to the station and announced that this was the last stop and all passengers needed to leave. Maps went out of the station with a smile, waiting for having a great day walking through the city.

Gotham was perhaps best known for being the city of Batman, but it also had its own charm without the need to mention the Dark Knight. Maps become so accustomed to this place, that she knew most of the streets of like the back of her hand. She knew what places had the best foods or entertainment stuff. But still, she felt like some kind of emptiness while doing this and mostly, very alone. It wasn't the same without the company of her friends.

It was then time for a snack, since her stomach started to tremble demanding food. Maps pulled out a few bills, bought herself a hotdog and started to wander on the streets, looking at the urban landscape while taking a few bites; until she noticed a large building in particular, one that at the very top had a letter: It was a letter "W" and just down of it, two simple words saying "Wayne Enterprises". She recognized by then that the building belong to the billionaire known as Bruce Wayne and it one of the most well-known companies around the country, perhaps even the world.

Whenever Mizoguchi and her friends passed by the Wayne Tower, she wondered what was going on in that place: At first, she imagined probably full of scientists doing crazy experiments or entrepreneurs who always went there to talk about business or things related to that. She also though about if one day she was going to be able to enter the building, without anyone noticing her, as she did at the academy. Just thinking about it gave her laughter and continued with her route.

Just when she was passing by the Wayne Tower to watch it closely, Maps noticed that a black limousine approached slowly, until finally stopping at the main door of the building. The driver's seat then opened, showing a well-dressed man with an apparent mature age going to the back door and open it. Once opened, an adult of great look show up. Maps could recognize that man in an instant: it was none other than Bruce Wayne himself.

Followed by him, there was a boy almost identical to Bruce, but showing an expression of annoyance, as if he didn't wanted to be on this very place. It was almost identical to his father in appearance as also on the style of clothes, that Mizoguchi could recognize this young one in a flash and with a certain joy: Damian. Just as Maps saw her new friend, she decided to call his attention and scream from afar, while the boy and his father entered the building next to the driver, who seemed to be not only the driver but as some sort of butler.

"Damian! Hey!" Screamed Maps from afar.

Damian and his father heard the call and turned at the same time to see Maps coming with an obvious emotion towards them. Bruce was surprised, but also felt that this would be a great opportunity to see how his son interacted with a person of his age. Damian, on the other hand, only acted cool and tried to give the girl a handshake but with an obvious sign of discomfort on his face. Right now this wasn't the best time to meet with someone like her and especially with his father right next to him.

"Hey Damian! It's good to finally seeing you after so long!" Said Maps with joy.

"Hello…Miss Mizoguchi." Replied Damian like an adult.

"Miss? I already told you to call me "Maps", remember?" Said Maps. "Oh I almost forgot! Greetings to you, Mister Wayne! It's so weird to see you here and not on the Academy as I used to!"

"So you're the famous "Maps". Now I see why my son talks with you on the phone so much these days." Bruce said with a smile and gave her his hand. "Now that I remember, you are also friend of Miss Silverlock. It is a pleasure to know that Damian is making new friends, despite the fact that he was…expelled from the academy."

"The correct term is Olive's "Best Friend" but yes, you really do have an eye for the details!" Clarified Maps with emotion.

"Maps…what are you doing here?" Asked Damian while trying to change the subject.

"Oh, taking my day off and decided to go walk around the city!" Replied Maps proudly.

"-tt- With your friends? I don't see them around." Asked Damian again.

"Nope, just me and myself!" Said Maps with a smile.

"Alone?! In a dangerous place like this?!" Said Damian with a bit of worrying.

Bruce and Maps got surprised by the way Damian reacted. The kid looked very serious, as if he wanted that she didn't take the risk of having to come all the way by herself to a place as dangerous as Gotham. Maps on the other way simply took another bite of her food and then responded with total calm, completely opposite to Damian. Meanwhile Bruce noticed that his son was actually acting different as usual and specially around this girl.

"Hey, relax. It's not like I'm going here at night and suddenly see the Joker or Scarecrow…now that I think about it that would be pretty cool!" Said Maps.

"No, of course not." Replied Damian.

"And what are you doing here, then?" Asked Maps curiously.

"-tt- As future heir of my father's company, it is a priority of mine to see and understand how the world of businesses is. I'm just trying to follow my father's footsteps. You wouldn't understand." Replied Damian with some arrogance.

"Actually, son… now that I think about it: Why don't you just go with her and take the day off? I'm sure you can take her to a nice place and both of you can have fun." Interrupted Bruce with a confident smile.

"What?" Asked Damian in shock.

"Really?!" Asked Maps with excitement.

The thought of spending a whole day again with a childish girl such as Maps, make on Damian the need of having one of his swords on his hand and destroying any object or whatever was on his way, in a fit of frustration. But then, the kid saw the expression of his father, who seemed to be confident about it and it even looked as if he was giving him an order: "Be normal and sociable around someone of your age". After that, Damian saw the face of his friend and it was clear that she showed such an emotion like never seen before, perhaps this day was going to be pretty stressful for Damian, but for Maps it was going to be wonderful.

"-tt- Fine." Said Damian bothered.

"Alfred will keep you both some company. As for myself, I'll just stay here fixing some problems the company has right now." Commented Bruce.

"I would love to see what's inside someday, Mister Wayne!" Shouted Maps.

"…Maybe one of these days, Miss Mizoguchi." Said Bruce with a smile. "Anyway, it was a pleasure to finally meeting you and I hope Damian takes good care of you today, have a great day." Said Bruce, before leaving everyone and entering the building.

"Your dad is pretty cool, Damian." Said Maps with joy.

"I am just as cool as he is." Replied the kid.

"Pfff, show-off…" Said Maps with a smile.

"So… where would you like to go, then?" Asked Damian with not much interest.

"Well…the truth is…I'm still hungry. I feel like I could eat a whole pizza for myself!"

"I know a good place. We can go there right now." Suggested Damian.

"Is it very expensive? Because I only have ten bucks left!" Maps confessed.

Damian became silent for a few minutes upon hearing the girl's answer. By the look of it, she really was going to be a challenge for him, even if she wasn't a supervillain. The son of Bruce Wayne did a little sigh and then told her to follow him up to the limo, while the butler only smiled at the funny situation.

"-tt- Just for this once, I'll invite you." Said Damian with a serious mood.

"Great! Can I choose the ingredients?!" Asked Maps.

"Yes."

"What about the pizza dough? Can I?" Asked the girl again.

"Yes…"

"And what about the drink?" Asked Maps once more.

"Would you please just shut up and enter the limo?!" Shouted Damian.

"This day keeps getting better and better!" Exclaimed Maps with such joy, that she threw what was left of the hotdog into Damian's jacket.

The suit Damian was wearing got stained by all the sauces that Maps had put in her snack and by the look on it, they were going to be a bit difficult to remove while cleaning it. But the kid, instead of raging out loud, just gave another sigh of disappointment as he entered the car while Maps started to apologize again and again. On the other hand, Alfred decided to turn on the limo, while trying to endure the small laughter at what he witnessed.

"Wow! I've never been in a limo this big as this one!" Exclaimed Maps with excitement.

"My father and I have several of these. No big deal…" Said Damian with his typical arrogant tone.

"Seriously?! You must have thousands then!" Said Maps again.

"We only have four of these, Master Damian." Interrupted the butler with calm.

"-tt- Maps, let me introduce you to the person who just decided to interrupt me: This is Alfred Pennyworth, he's been the personal butler of the Wayne family ever since my father was a child." Said Damian with education. "Pennyworth, this is Mia "Maps" Mizoguchi and she is my…friend."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mizoguchi." Greeted Alfred with a lot of respect while he was driving.

"Hello Mister Alfred!" Greeted Maps.

"Please, just call me by my name."

"Take us to the best pizza restaurant of the city, Pennyworth." Ordered Damian with a snap of his fingers.

Just as he gave the order, Alfred sped up the vehicle and passed other cars between different lanes of the track with such a great accuracy and management. Maps was amazed of how easily the butler could drive, despite his advanced age and unlike other people. It was then that she started to look on Damian, who didn't seem to be as amazed as she was. He was sitting on one of the seats and looking through one of the windows with such a calm look on his eyes. The student was thinking as she watched him with determination: "What kind of things will amaze the son of Bruce Wayne?" Perhaps sooner or later she would discover that but for now, Damian noticed the look of Maps and he began to feel uncomfortable.

"You are quiet." Said Damian.

"What? I'm sorry?" Replied Maps. "I was?"

"Yes. And it was weird."

"Is just that I'm surprised of how good driver Alfred is and you don't seem to be astonished at all!" Said Maps.

"It's all because ofto the experience of serving the Wayne family for many years, Ms. Mizoguchi." Alfred said with a smile.

"And I thought that Kyle was a decent teacher…" Maps said.

"Kyle?" Damian asked.

"Y'know…my brother. The one who attacked us because he was under the spell of the quill and you knocked him out…" Maps answered with a bit of still resentment.

"Oh yeah…I remember that. That was fun." Damian said with a cocky smile.

"It's not funny when you hit your brother…" Said Maps with anger.

"I disagree." Damian replied once again with arrogance. "But anyway, you said he taught you to drive?"

"Yeah and it was…embarrassing. I had to use a golf cart while he taught me some stuff. Honestly he better as a tennis player than a teacher…" Maps confirmed with a laugh.

Damian stood silent for a moment upon hearing this last minute information. Was he supposed to make fun of her? Her older brother? Or perhaps both? He would probably pick the last choice by hearing something as stupid as driving a vehicle like that, but the kid decided to remain silent. Damian wanted tell his friend that he could drive a motorcycle, the bat-plane and even the bat-mobile with total ease but only when it was necessary. He knew that Maps couldn't process all that information, let alone know that secret. Damian decided to simply follow the conversation, but also without leaving aside his pride.

"I'm…also learning how to drive." Damian said.

"Vehicle?" Maps Asked.

"That and also a motorcycle…" Damian replied.

"That's so awesome, Damian! Maybe you can teach me then!" Said Maps with excitement.

"-tt- If you do everything I say, fine." Damian agreed.

"I, Maps Mizoguchi, promise that I won't do anything foolish and also obey everything my expert teacher says!" Maps promised with seriousness.

"I beg your pardon, Master Damian…but I think your father wouldn't agree on this kind of situation, also considering the fact that you are "learning" those things, too. If I may, I could help Miss Mizoguchi by giving her some driving lessons." Alfred interrupted with such calm.

"-tt- Fine, do what you like, Pennyworth. But she will become your responsibility if something bad happens." Said Damian with a bit of a bother.

"I understand. Oh, here we are!" Alfred announced.

Maps stick her face into one of the limousine windows to see what kind of place they had arrived: It was a hotel with skyscrapers so high, that it was almost impossible to say how many floors it had in total. Alfred turned off the engine of the car to suddenly open a door and let the two children out. Damian was coming down quietly and trying to look very formal, while Maps was just the complete opposite, unable to contain all kind of emotion.

As they walked towards the entrance, Pennyworth just followed the teenagers a few steps back until the three of them took an elevator that would take them to one of the highest floors of the building. Finally arriving to their destination, the elevator doors opened and showed an elegant and modern restaurant with lots of tables completely clean and with all the details typical of an exclusive restaurant. Mizoguchi was losing her mind, getting excited about the lights and the atmosphere of the site, while Damian only approached to one of the waiters and told him he wanted a table for two and immediately the other employees were making the best table. Meanwhile, Alfred just stood still near the main door of the restaurant, thinking that this would be a great opportunity for the young lad to spend some time with his new friend. The butler decided to take a step forward and talked with Damian, while Maps was near and listening to the conversation.

"Master Damian, I'll be at the door waiting till you both finish with your food. If you need me, just call me and I'll be right there." Alfred announced with calm.

"Alright, this won't take long." Damian replied.

"What? No! Alfred should join us too!" Maps shouted.

"Why?" Damian asked with wonder.

"Because…he is a nice person and I don't want him to be all alone! Besides, I want to know more about your family!" Maps explained.

"Alfred is just…my butler." Damian answered with seriousness.

"He is! But he also raised your father during his whole life, right? That technically makes him part of your family, too! I bet there are some fun and interesting stories about it!" Maps explained her reasons.

Damian thought for a few moments and started to look at Maps, who looked innocent as if she desperately was asking for that simple request. Then, he looked at Alfred, who was somewhat surprised at what Maps wanted and gave an expression as if he didn't mind accompanying them at all. The boy only gave a look of discomfort but then made a decision.

"-tt- What do you say, Pennyworth? You join us?" Damian asked.

"It will be my pleasure." Alfred smiled.

The butler and the kids sat at a table and each one of them had ordered a pizza of their liking. As they waited for the food to arrive, Maps started to ask Alfred and Damian all kinds of questions while each one of the guys said an interesting or funny answer, which made the girl felt like she wasn't having just a regular Sunday but Great Sunday. Once the pizzas arrived, the conversation didn't stop just there and they continued with the talk.

"How is Damian according to you, Alfred?" Maps asked with curiosity, while taking a bite of her pizza.

"Well I must admit, Damian is the living image of his father. It reminds me the times when I took care of Master Bruce when he was a child and he got into lot of troubles." Alfred replied with a smile.

"That was probably during the time dinosaurs existed." Damian said with a bit of a laugh.

"May I remind you, Master Damian, that I'm not that old and I also taught your father a few fighting lessons back in those days." Alfred commented.

"You know how to fight?!" Maps asked with surprise.

"Do I? Miss Mizoguchi, before serving the Wayne family I was a member of the Special Air Service and also a member of the UK Intelligence Service with honors!" Alfred informed.

"That's so amazing! But don't you kind of regret leaving all of that? You know the action and that kind of stuff?" Maps asked.

Alfred thought for a moment in silence while he poured himself some food on his plate. Damian didn't say anything, hoping to hear what his butler was going to say about whether he had any regrets about leaving that kind of life. However, both teenagers noticed that Pennyworth gave a small smile and then responded to Maps with all the honesty that only Damian and the Wayne family knew.

"I do admit that I had some unforgettable moments in there and was also present in some great fights. But when I came to serve the Wayne family, I realized that I made one of the most important decisions of my life so far. And when the young Master Bruce needed me most during his most difficult time, I was there and so far I still do." Alfred replied with such calm while thinking of all the stuff that happened.

"…His most difficult time?" Maps asked wondering.

"He means the day my grandparents died. My father was an orphan from an early age." Damian said with seriousness.

Maps stood frozen upon hearing that information. She remembered to hear a bit about that incident and it was not surprise, everyone in Gotham knew about that unfortunate event since the Waynes were one of the richest and most famous families in the city of Gotham for their contributions to the community and business success. Bruce was only a little child when he saw, in his own eyes, how his parents were killed by a common thief who just wanted to steal some money and his mother's pearl necklace. That moment would mark Bruce forever, making him a vigilante in search of criminals and one of the most well-known superheroes on the planet, but that was another story, one that few people knew about.

"I…think I shouldn't have asked." Maps confessed with a lot of worry.

"Don't worry about that, Miss Mizoguchi. That's all in the past now." Alfred said.

Maps felt that she was bothering Damian with that kind of subject, considering that he was inviting her to the pizza and at the same time accompanying her on this day. Maybe it was time to change the subject for a more entertaining one.

"I bet you have some funny stories, Alfred! Tell me a few of them and if Damian is involved, the better!" Maps begged with a smile.

"Well…now that you mention it, there are a few ones: One day Master Damian and I played chess and I beat him three times in a row. He ended up almost destroying everything on his path. After that, his father punished him for all the mess." Alfred laughed with this confession.

"-tt- I'm still waiting for my revenge, old man." Damian replied while looking somewhere else.

"…And then there was the time I gave him a cat. Upon looking at it, he adopted it and called him by my name. Sometimes the cat sleeps with him on his bed." Alfred commented with another laugh.

"That last part was not necessary to mention, Pennyworth." Damian said with a little bit of shame.

Maps was laughing at everything she was listening to, all these things changed the image she had of Damian completely: He was no longer the smug boy who always flattered to be just as great as his father or who could do martial arts as if it were the most normal thing in the world; now there was also the image of a boy who resented at things in such a childish way, such as losing a board game, to be someone very affectionate with animals. Maps started to like his new friend more with all of this; he seemed an interesting guy but above all, a great person once you knew him more.

The girl's laughter was contagious and Damian could not help himself until a certain moment that he too began to laugh at just remembering those anecdotes mentioned by his butler. Luckily the restaurant was empty and there was no one to interrupt two youngsters and a butler passing a moment of calm and fun. For Damian, this was a pleasant moment, it wasn't like his moments of meditation or where he spent a moment with his brothers, he was a different one, but he sure liked it.

The day was ending and Maps knew what that meant: She had to go back to the Academy or she would receive a punishment for being late. Damian and Alfred then decided to help her with that and they took her in the limo, while they continued talking and having such a great time. Once they reached into the front door of the study center, Maps said goodbye to the butler who was in the driver's seat.

"Bye Alfred! I had a lot of fun today!" Maps shouted with joy.

"Likewise, Miss Mizoguchi. I hope we can meet you again soon." Alfred replied with happiness and with the same calm as he always did.

Meanwhile, Damian opened the door and went out, followed by Maps while Alfred watched everything carefully from the driver's seat. This was a moment that the butler didn't want to miss at all.

"Well, here we are. This boring prison you call "Academy". Damian said with bad memories of it.

"It's not that boring once you get used to!" Maps replied with a smile.

"…What do you think of it?" Damian asked.

"What do you mean?" Maps asked.

"-tt- You do know what I mean: The restaurant, the stories with certain falsehoods that Pennyworth told and the ... pizza." Damian explained while looking somewhere else.

"Oh! It was great! The best pizza I ever had!" Maps said with satisfaction.

"Excellent. Then we can confirm that your day wasn't as boring as you thought." Damian said.

"What's wrong? Got worried about trying to impress me?" Maps asked in mocking tone.

"-tt- Child, do not make me regret all this time I spent." Damian replied with seriousness.

"Relax rich-boy. It was an awesome day!" Maps commented with joy.

"Good, then take this: There were some pizzas slices left, so I took a chance to tell the restaurant to put them into a box for you to keep." Damian said while giving her a pizza box.

"Once again you make the day much better! Thanks you, Damian! Let's see each other another day or more often!" She shouted while leaving.

"…I guess so." The kid said.

Now that Maps entered the Academy without any sort of problem, Damian watched quietly as his friend left and then he climbed back into the limo. Alfred lit the vehicle and decided to continue with their journey. The butler was proud of the boy: It seemed that the young Damian was, indeed, maturing and becoming a little more... human. The rich kid just stared at the window all quietly as the vehicle moved.

"Let's go home, Pennyworth." Damian said.

"As you wish, Master Damian." Alfred obeyed.

"…You want to tell me something by your look. Go ahead." Damian demanded.

"You know, Miss Mizoguchi was a very entertaining girl." Alfred commented.

"She has potential to be my friend…yes." The kid said.

"You could say that both of you looked like… a very lovely couple." Alfred said with some insinuation.

"-tt- I'll ignore that comment, Pennyworth. As soon as we reach home, I'm going to patrol on the streets." Damian said with some anger.