Reincarnation of Cleopatra (Time Traveler Girls Series #1)

Chapter 1

Hello, this is VentreCanard and her ambiguous attempt to write out of her usual plot. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as we explore this story together. You can listen to the music above.

Chapter 1: Satina from 5064

"Satina..."

My eyes opened slowly. At first, everything was a blur, but then a familiar face came into view—my own reflection, smiling as she gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, giving me a warm kiss on my forehead.

But when I blinked again, the blurry image vanished, replaced by the familiar figure of my robot, dressed in her iconic pink apron.

"Wake up, Dr. Alcubierre."

Today is our birthday. I couldn't help but miss waking up to my twin's sweet smile, as I had every year growing up. But now that we're on completely different paths, I have to get used to her absence.

I lazily got up from my bed, still in a daze staring at my gigantic white cabinet with built-in mirror, staring at my own reflection.

"You are going to be late, Dr. Alcubierre," my robot repeated.

I sighed, massaging my temple. "Aren't you going to greet me first, Nicasa? It's my damn birthday."

"Oh, right. Happy Birthday, Dr. Alcubierre."

I stretched my arms over my head and let my legs dangle over the edge of the bed, pressing my palms on the mattress, and tilting my head up to meet my robot's gaze, I smiled at her. "Thank you. Kindly send flowers to Sofia Lovelace."

"Received," Nicasa said with a nod.

Her robotic eyes changed colors, and I saw several letters on it, doing all the online process. "Booked. The Sundance Flowers and Co. is preparing the flowers for Sofia Lovelace."

I put on my fluffy slippers on my carpeted floor and went outside of my room. I heard the familiar mechanical footsteps of Nicasa behind me before she matched my pace, handing me the silver tab with the list of my schedules today.

"Can I just... you know? Cancel everything. It's my birthday, Nicasa."

"Negative. All your appointments today have been rescheduled before. All are urgent, Dr. Alcubierre."

I waved my hand in dismissal. "Alright. Alright."

With the tablet in my hand, still, with my bed hair and strap of my nighties sliding off my left shoulder, the blinds of my huge window started to roll up, allowing the glimpse of the sunrise to filter through the skyscrapers and my glass window before it could touch my skin. I've always been fascinated by the first glimpse of the day. I love mornings more than evenings, which is why I've been living in this condominium unit for years, where I could enjoy my mornings.

I sat on my couch, crossed my legs, and started scrolling through my schedule. I heard the familiar sound of my coffee maker, along with a few more clatters—the cracking of eggshells, the rotating mechanical sound of the eggbeater, the sizzle of cooking oil in the frying pan, and the beep from the toaster as Nicasa prepared my breakfast. The sounds of the morning routine, combined with the gentle touch of sunlight on my skin, felt so comforting.

Leaning my head on the backrest of my couch, staring at the ceiling for a while made me wish that I could enjoy this whole day lazing out, but I quickly gathered my thoughts and looked back at my tablet. My fingers froze when I read that it was today— the directors of NID (Neural Integration Division) would witness my experiment. Project Striped Bark: Temporal Neural Recall Interface. In this research experiment, a scorpion-like device, measuring one inch in size, is implanted in the neural cortex of a rat with a single bite on the neck. This device allows for gathering the memories of a rat in a full 24 hours after the event occurs, there the researchers could observe the experiences of the rat. The project explores the potential for memory extraction and manipulation— an ambiguous move from the daughter of the two geniuses of NARESCA (Nexum Aethor Research, Exploration, and Scientific Administration). NARESCA is a science and technology organization mandated to research, discover, experiment, produce, and provide technological advances that would help the development of the world. It is a home of innovations, producing a wide range of products, and machinery from different kinds of fields—medicine, businesses, education, agriculture, transportation, communication, and other technologies designed to make life easier and more efficient.