Conte and Scipio were heading to the Merry-go-round of the Merciful Sisters. When they got there, Conte stopped and turned to Scipio, with a questioning look on his face. "Are you sure about this, Scipio?" Conte asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure Renzo," Scipio said. "I don't want to be an adult anymore." Conte sighed, shaking his head. So Scipio was tired of being an adult. It happened to many people, but most never went this far.
"If you sure, I'll tell you when to get off, I promise not to lie." Conte said.
"I trust you to be a man of your word." Scipio said, repeating what he had said months ago when they had received money from him for a job they had done.
Scipio got on to the lion with the wings on the Merry-go-round of the Merciful Sisters. He rid the Merry-Go-Round just long enough to turn back to 13.
"Thank you Renzo." Scipio said when he got off the Merry-Go-Round of the Merciful Sisters Conte looked at him. The Merry-go-Round had worked. He was thirteen again. Scipio looked younger, but also a bit happier to be a kid again. Questions bubbled within his head.
"Your welcome, Scipio." Conte said. "May I ask why you wanted to become a child again?" Conte asked. "Being an adult isn't all it's cracked up to be." Scipio answered, chuckling a bit at the question. "I see. Well good luck Scipio." Conte said as Scipio climbed into his boat, and rode off back to Venice. Conte watched the young Scipio and the boat disappear into the horizon. "Best of luck." He said, raising his hand up in farewell.
When Scipio got back, he had nowhere to stay, seeing as now he was no longer an adult, so he decided to stay at his old hide out, The Stella.
xxx
Later that night, Scipio woke to a noise. "Who's there?" Scipio asked.
"Questions better put by me to you." A voice came, repeating what Scipio had said many months ago when he first met Prosper and his brother. "Prop, is that you?" Scipio asked. "No," The voice said. "I am not a prop." "Then who are you?" Scipio asked. "I am know by many names, but you may call me, The Thief Mistress." The voice said.
"Now, who are you?" The Thief Mistress asked. "I am Scipio." Scipio said.
"Ah, I have heard many stories about you, 'Thief Lord.'" The Thief Mistress said. "Would your real name happen to be Caterina?" Scipio asked. "No." The Thief Mistress said. "Well then at least show your face." Scipio demanded.
"Okay." The Thief Mistress said. Then a girl, about Scipio's age, stepped out into the light. She was wearing a masquerade mask, and wore a white simple gown.
"So, 'Thief Lord,' what are you doing in my hide out?" The Thief Mistress asked. "This was my hide out once." Scipio replied. "Ah, that's right, before you gave up the thievery career, you literally lived here." The Thief Mistress said. "Well, that is, your friends did, you slept in a bed, snug in your mansion." She continued.
"How do you know all this?" Scipio asked. "I live with your friends, Victor and Ida foster me like they do Caterina, Prosper, Boniface, Riccio, and Mosca. I also replaced you as the leader of the group. I, however, am the only one that steals." The Thief Mistress told Scipio. "
Your wrong! I will never be replaced!" Scipio shouted. "Ah, but I have, I'm now the thief of the city, and I tell them the truth, I do not steal from my own home." The Thief Mistress said.
"I will believe it the moment you tell me your name, Thief Mistress." Scipio said. "Fine, my name is Skylar Bell, Thief Mistress of Venice." Skylar said. "Well, Skylar, I see we will be meeting again soon, for I am visiting my old friends tomorrow, and we will see how much of what you have told me is true." Scipio said.
With that, the Thief Mistress vanished.
xxx
The next morning, Scipio woke up, and looked around to find where the Thief Mistress was. When he couldn't find her, he figured she would be at Ida's house, like she said she would.
"Ida! Riccio stole my cap!" Bo called. "Riccio, give back Bo's cap. " Ida called. "Fine! Here you go you little baby." Riccio said. "Riccio!" Ida warned. "Sorry!" Riccio said. "Looks like you guys haven't changed a bit since I last saw you." A voice came "Scipio! You're back!" Riccio cried. "Hello Scip!" Bo said. "What's all this about Scipio being back?" Hornet asked. "Oh, welcome back 'Thief Lord.'" Hornet said. "Good to see you, Caterina." Scipio said. "Good to see you Scipio." Prosper said, giving Scipio an arm hug. "You too Prop." Scipio said. "Scipio!" Mosca called running up to Scipio and giving him a big hug. "Hey Mosca." Scipio said. "Would you like to meet our new member?" Prosper asked. "She's a lot like you." Hornet put in. "I can only imagine." Scipio said knowingly.
"There she is." Prosper said pointing to a small petite girl. "Hello, my name is Skylar Hotaru Bell." Skylar said when she saw Scipio. "Hello, my name is Scipio Massimo." Scipio said. "Scip here is the famous Thief Lord." Riccio said. "Nice to meet you 'Thief Lord.'" Skylar said. "You too Skylar." Scipio said. "I'm known as the new Thief Lord, I'm the Thief Mistress." Skylar said proudly. "So I've heard." Scipio muttered so low no one noticed.
"Nothing's safe from the Thief Mistress." Riccio said, repeating the quote that he had said about the Scipio only months ago. "And, she's no rich kid playing a game." Prosper added. "She's the real deal." He continued. "Are you saying I can't steal?" Scipio asked offended. "Well all the stuff you stole was all from your own home." Prosper said. "Well I'll bet this Skylar here only steals small things like toys and such." Scipio scoffed. "Oh, actually I steal gold and silver." Skylar said. "But I give them back, I don't want my foster parents to get into trouble, so I go back and give the things back, incognito." Skylar said winking. "She dyes her hair brown and acts as a detective, returning the things stolen to the people, and takes the money they give for a reward." Riccio informs.
"I see, well I'll admit that you are smart, but I don't accept you as better than me." Scipio said. "Fine, I don't mind, I know I'm better and that's all that matters." Skylar said. This aggravated Scipio but he kept to himself. This is going to be a long visit. Scipio thought.