stranger [C. TARTAGLIA]

10

"subject number 54. can you hear me?"

you felt like you were floating and suffocating at the same time. where were you? it was dark, you couldn't see anything. you could only hear that one voice calling out to you.

"subject number 54, can you hear me?" they repeated.

you opened your mouth, your lips parting as you did so. "i can hear you." you responded.

"good, good. now, can you remember anything?" they asked.

remember? remember what? you tried, thinking of something, anything, but there was nothing. it was as if your whole mind had gone blank.

"...no."

"excellent."

you tried to open your eyelids, but you couldn't even fully open it without squinting. something blinded you that prevented you from opening your eyes.

"who are you?"

"i'm–" he paused. "nevermind that. what matters is that you're going to meet her soon."

her? who was "her"? was she the one who made you like this?

"do you remember your name?"

"no." you tried to move your arms, but it seems like they were attached to something. your legs were the same too, almost as if you were chained there.

"her majesty will do the honor of naming you, don't worry." he laughed, but it was a sinister one. you didn't find it comforting at all.

you tried to open your eyes again to get a better look. infront of you were control buttons everywhere, whilst the man who you were speaking to stood in front. he had blue hair and a mask you thought was odd.

"my... your eyes are very pretty."

"...my eyes?"

that's when you realized. you were underwater, submerged into something liquid. no wonder you couldn't open your eyes for more than five seconds. but why can you breathe and talk? perhaps the lower part of your face was covered by a mask which allowed you to do that stuff.

"dottore?" a more feminine voice called out.

"your majesty, she is ready."

"finally." you heard footsteps drawing closer and closer to you. who was this woman?

"who...are you?"

"it's nice to finally meet you. i am your mother, and you are [Y/N]."

°

your eyes shot open, staring at the ceiling for about three minutes trying to process the dream you just had. or maybe, it wasn't a dream but another memory you had long forgotten. why was it all coming back to you now?

"lady [Y/N]? you're awake." you almost got startled by the voice that just spoke. you looked around you and saw her with a tray on her hand as she enters the room.

"uh... who are you?" you asked, a bit confused as to what was going on. you woke up in what seemed to be a fancy bedroom, decked with fancy furnitures and a queen sized bed.

"pardon me, i am devola. i'm the palace's head doctor." she smiles and sets down the tray on your bedside table.

"the palace? where even am i?"