AUTHOR'S NOTE: I accidentally deleted the last version (It was called Sweet Malediction in the past) . Sorry, so sorry. That will teach me not to update at 3 o'clock in the morning (⊙▃⊙). I changed a lot of the concept and characters as well as their characterisation. Lots and lots of frustration. The next chapter will be up soon. Enjoy! :D ~(^_^)~
SWEET REVENGE
TARGET 1: Toto, We Ain't In Kansas Anymore
Never in my wildest dreams had I ever expected this to happen. I stared at the blonde boy with gravity defying hair as he came out from behind his parents. His blue eyes darted about uncertainly, meeting mine and dropping to the ground.
"Um..." He fidget, I dreaded his next words "Buonasera, my name is Giotto di Calistro."
I blinked. He did not just said what I think he said. My mouth opened and closed like a fish as I struggled with what to say. I snapped my mouth shut and tightened my jaw. I really do hope that this was just a dream, a very bad dream. Ignoring his curious gaze, I reached down and pinched my wrist.
"Ow," Blinks. Oh brother.
"Are you alright?"
Fuck! This doesn't make sense. This wasn't supposed to happen, dammit. I had read the stories and I know for this kind of thing to happen, I would have to die first and I didn't die! I mean this was reality, these kind of things wasn't supposed to happen at all. He grabbed my wrist and I reach out, squishing his cheeks. Damn, he's not an illusion. How did I even get myself into this mess? Oh yeah, two simple words.
That damn time machine!
...
Alright, maybe more than two words. Still, all my problems stemmed from that accursed piece of tech.
"Are you sure that it's safe?" I questioned for the third time.
My blonde friend sighed exasperatedly "For the love of all pranks, yes!"
Somehow, I don't feel reassured. Nevertheless, I walked towards the circular room and the glass door parted for me. Lifting my foot, I paused and turned to meet his green eyes. He returned my gaze blankly, no doubt wanting to get everything over with. He flapped his hands and shooed for me to go in which I promptly ignore.
"Are you infinitely sure that it's safe?"
Thunk!
His forehead crashed onto the table, the hologram screens flickered and he groaned. I smirked. Bucket list, check! He sat up with a glare and I countered with a smile. What? I can't make sure? It's my life that we're talking about. He look told me that he would rather see me die. Not gonna happen, buddy.
'Yes, it's safe," He forced a smile, eyebrow twitching "So safe that the first person who tried it got split into two, the second died of a heart attack and the third vanished. Now get in."
I glared. Cheeky bastard. Irina elbowed him with a disapproving frown, her red hair swished. Oh, how I wish my hair was as vibrant as that. Absentmindedly, I played with the tips of my silver hair waiting for them to get over their lover spat or whatever they wished to call it.
"Essi," Irina approached me and grasp my hands gently "You will be fine. Don't listen to him."
"If it's you, Irina, I believe," I heard a scoff from a certain blonde.
"So much for our friendship," He grumbled, tinkering around with the keyboard "Get in there before I kick you in."
"Sameth!" Irina yelled indignantly.
She marched towards him, her cheeks puffed and rosy, probably to smack him on the head but I had already entered the glass chamber. The door slid shut behind me and I shivered as the temperature dropped. Damn, its cold! Puffs of breath left my lips. Unconsciously, I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep warm. I heard a few yowls and arguments but I ignored it, spending what little time I had left inspecting the chamber.
Gold and silver wires crawled in the glass towards the chrome ceiling where seven crystals hung in a chandelier fashion. My eyes widen at the size of each crystal dominating its way to the high ceiling. Wow, that must be heavy. Wonder how they got it in here without shattering it.
"Essi, can you hear me?"
I winced as the speakers blared. Looking through the transparent glass, I saw Sameth rubbing the back of his head as Irina stood by hum, playing with her fingers, a nervous tick she had developed. I nodded in conformation and the cheeky guy continued.
"Negotiator, do you remember your objective?" I nodded.
"Good," He leaned back on the chair, flamboyantly placing his leg on the table "As you know, I am your Operator and will be your guide when you're back in the past."
"Rest assured," He grins. Damn, he's up to something "That I will not fall asleep, mislead you or purposely give the wrong information just to watch you fail miserably."
Exchanging looks with Irina, I rolled my eyes. Sameth, you big fat liar. Irina smack him over his head and I chuckle in satisfaction. The master prankster had finally met his match, a fiery girl with no tolerance for his dry jokes. How amusing, the two of them should just get married. He shot me a sharp look as if reading my thoughts. I lifted my brow and he shook his head.
"Do you have any questions?" I lifted my hand, he ignored me "No? None? Good, let's begin."
"Sameth!" Smack!
"Ow!"
My lady knight in shinning armour, snatched the microphone from him and her serious expression melting into a caring one. What a change in character. When she's dealing with Sameth, she brutal but when it comes to me, her mother hen mode switched in. Sameth, 0 and Essi, 1. Advantage to me!
"What do you want to know?" She twirled her hair "I will answer to the best of my abilities."
How sweet "Yeah, why me? I mean there are more qualified people and I'm kind of underage? It's not like the Corporation is desperate."
She hesitated to reply, exchanging a glance Sameth "Yes, we are desperate."
What does that even mean? Before I had the chance to voice my thought, Sameth reached out for the microphone and set in on the table. I narrowed my eyes, irritation boiling from within. Whoever hired this guy and pair him up with me definitely has a death wish.
"Yo, we're going to begin."
"Sammy boy, if anything happens to me because of your incompetence," I flashed my eyes dangerously "I will come back and break every single bone in your body."
He rolled his eyes "The Operation will commence in 5,4,3..."
The glass walls begin to hum as current passed through the wires and into the chandelier machine. It whirs and the crystals spun around, melting together forming the colours of the rainbow and poof. Pink smoke exploded and I found myself falling and everything went dark. There was only one thought floating through my mind.
Who turned off the lights?
"Signora," A voice called out in the darkness. Who, me? "E 'una bella ragazza."
Italian? Uh, where am I? I tried to move my hand, my leg jingled and when I tried to move my leg, my fingers twitched. I frowned. Why was it so hard to move? I tried to open my eyes and found my eyelids were heavier than I thought.
"Maria, lei è perfetto," A second voice replied and warmth enveloped me "Ha ottenuto il mio naso, ma spero che lei assomiglierà papà più."
Who were they talking about? A baby? I want to see too. I crack open my eye only to be blinded by bright light. Ugh, what was that? It's definitely not fluorescent. I blinked away the dark spot in my eyes and my vision finally cleared. My heart stopped at the sight of the beautiful woman peering down at me. Wait- I blinked- why does she look so...gigantic?
"Caro," She gestured to someone "Vieni qui, guarda. Ha gli occhi."
She gaze down at me once more. My mind whirred and then stopped. I paled at the conclusion. I.. I think I'm the baby! This wasn't right. I was just supposed to step in the past, negotiate for resources and return. As simple as that. How did it turned out like this? Oh, I am so going to break his bones when I get back. Sammy boy, watch your back. I smirked.
"Oh guarda, sorrise!" The woman chirped, her smile resembling Irina's.
It's a smirk, lady! Whatever I said came out in gurgles and she cooed. I heard footsteps approached and the bed sunk. I tilted my head to the left, and saw a good looking guy looking down at me with his wine red eyes. A smile played on the lips of his otherwise stoic face. I lifted my brow. You want a piece of me dude?
"Sì, lo fa," He shot me a smirk before turning his attention to the fair maiden "Cosa vuoi chiamarla?"
You better not pick a cheesy name for me. I hope that my glare convey the message. If not, I'm doomed.
The blonde lady looked unsure "Stavo pensando Elena."
"Elena? E 'un bel nome," He kissed her cheek "Elena di Altieri."
I looked away, tempted to roll my eyes. Get a room lovebirds, I still have a problem to work out here. Though the name, Elena does have a nice ring to it. It will have to do for now, till I find my way back to my time. Now how do I do that? Stupid Sameth, how am I supposed to negotiate when no one takes me seriously as a baby? Different thoughts floated in my mind and soon I yawned. This baby body really have no endurance. I closed my eyes and fall into the arms of slumber with no idea of what's to come.
I was so naive.
Its not use having pride when you're a baby.
I plopped down onto the carpeted ground, my hands and knees tired from all the crawling. It seems that the maid, Maria thought it was the perfect time to play with me. I stared blankly at her as she played with the puppet, muttering words in baby talk. And the face she made, ugh! It was filled with goo and honey and all things warm that all adults subject children to.
No wonder none of us remember our childhood.
I just want to bash my head on the wall and forget it already. Amnesia, I invite you in. Anything! Just to wipe the memory of the last few months from my mind! My brain was not wired to take this kind of humiliation! Gently, I reached out and grabbed the puppet. She smiled and thought I was going to play. Nu-uh. No way. I just want you to stop butchering your story with baby talk.
"Maria," Mother called out. Thank goodness.
"Elena's such a good girl," Maria patted my head and ran off to aid my mother.
I gave a smile as sweet as I could muster and pretend to play with the puppet. Don't do anything suspicious. Just act like a normal child. If this was the 20th or 21st century, I would've already acted like myself but this was the 14th or 15th century or something, judging from the style of the mansion and the clothes of this era. It's really not a good idea to be abnormal.
If my memory serves right, at this age people were truly insane. With all the witch burnings, occult nonsense and exorcisms. It gives me the jitter just thinking about it.
Oh, I couldn't wait to get past this stage already.
I let out a sigh as I sat alone in the nursery. Though, I had to count my blessings. I was lucky enough to be born in a good family not on the streets or the daughter of a pastor. I mean look at this room. Its just the nursery but everything was lavishly furnished with blue walls and well crafted furniture. The floor was strewn with soft toys and occasional books and my favourite was the ceiling.
It kept me entertained for the first few months I couldn't move. Statues of cherubs and stylised leaves and flowers. The wonders of art never ceased to amaze, a far cry from the plain white room of my time. And when I started crawling, I peeked through the windows catching sight of the great blue sky that no longer exist in my time. The first time I saw it, I thought it was a hologram.
I could hear footsteps approaching and I glanced at the door. Standing there by the doorframe was a familiar man with raven hair and wine red eyes dressed in a black suit. I remember this man as my father or at least the father to this Elena. It was rare to see him but every time I did, it was pleasant to say the least. He was the only one who notice that I can understand him so he speak normally.
"Elena," He crouched down by my side, a smile playing on his lips "How's your day?"
What do you think? I glanced at him and rolled my eyes.
He chuckled and reached down into his coat pulling out a small book "Papa found an interesting book today. It's a book about crystals. I think you might like it."
My eyes widen and I reached up grasping the edge of the book and taking it from his grasp. I felt him watch me as I set it on the ground and begin to read. My eyes greedily absorbed the words on the book. The more I learn the better besides it made time pass faster. It will also refresh my already rusty Italian.
"Ciro?" My mama called out to papa.
"Over here, Carla," He replied.
She peeked into the nursery, her long blond hair spilled over her shoulders and her green eyes met his red ones. Love birds. I rolled my eyes returning my attention to my book. I just hope they won't forget about me and started kissing or something. I mean, hello? Minor here.
"Dear, I thought you were at your office, doing paperwork," She settled next to him.
"I was, then I have some free time. Of course, I want to play with my principessa," He pulled me into a hug, rubbing his cheek on my head "I don't want her to forget about poor ole me."
Hands off old man. I patted his hand.
Carla...uh..Mama giggled "I don't think she'll be able to forget someone like you, Ciro."
"I know," His tone grew solemn "It's just that I'm working most of the time and I'm not able to spent much time with you or Elena. I'm afraid that I will cease to matter to her."
"Ciro.."
As I heard his words, guilt bubbled up within me. He's right. He don't matter to me. Not just him but Carla, Maria and everyone and everything in this time. They don't matter. The one thing that matter was to find a way home. Nothing else. Gosh, I'm such a terrible person. I hid behind a curtain of what little hair I have as my thoughts dragged me deeper into guilt.
Ciro and Carla- I peeked at them- They're such caring people. The kind that everyone wanted for a parent, the kind that I had dream of when I was young. Before I was recruited into the academy, I was always alone and survival was my top priority. There were times where I stare enviously at those children who clung to their parents while I clung to my life. Ciro and Carla deserved better. I need to try harder. Their happiness count too, right?
"Mmnhl...," Damn you, undeveloped vocal chords.
"Dear," Carla clasped on Ciro's shoulders "I think she's trying to speak."
"Ggguu...," Come on, you can do it! "Ki...PIZZA!"
I blink. Oops, that didn't come out as planed. I stared at my parent's blank faced. Hello? I think their brains have frozen. Oh well, let's try again. I shrugged and focused on forming the right sounds. Speaking has never been so hard.
"P...Pisa?" Stupid! Stupid! I hope I don't cuss "G...Gio...Da...Pa...Papa."
Their eyes lit up. Ciro laughed, grabbing me up and swinging around. Ah! My book.
"Papa! She said papa!," Ciro babbled, his cool demeanour shattered "I mean I'm not her first word but I'm so happy! Elena, my principessa, say it again!"
No, put me down now. I want to read my book. I shot him a look and he ignored choosing to bounce me up and down.
Ugh. I think I'm going to be sick.
But still...I stole a glance at the laughing man and the joyful woman by his side and I felt a warmth spread through my chest. It's strange yet it was a pleasant feeling. Family, huh?
What do you think? If there are any mistakes or if there's anything that need improving, inform me ,kay? Note that I did not proofread nor do I have a Beta.
Yi