Chapter One: Dicentra
Fear.
It’s fascinating, truly fascinating. Your heart can go from beating rhythmically in your chest to stopping all movement in seconds. It’s that fight or flight. That adrenaline rushing through your veins, that blood pounding in your ears, your entire world changing around you.
It’s delicious.
I can see it in her eyes.
She’s scared. Petrified. Unblinking, staring into the void. Her whole body has seized up, and she’s trembling ever so slightly, her fingers resting on the door handle.
‘Clover?’ says a voice from inside the house, ‘Clover what’s the matter?’
A second person appears behind “Clover”, her delicate features creased with worry. She first inspects the sudden stillness of her relative, seemingly confused, but then her eyes meet mine, and I grin, knowing I’ve finally found her.
‘What do you want?’ she says, her voice low and shaky.
‘Do I really have to tell you that?’
Her eyes spark with recognition at my voice, and then they narrow in accusation.
‘What have you done to my sister, you bitch?’
‘Again with the questions?’ I sigh, enjoying her growing impatience, ‘You know, you’re making this much harder than it needs to be.’
I lean against the door frame, staring at her with intrigue, but she avoids eye contact and ushers her sister back into the safety of their house.
‘Don’t. Move.’ She says through gritted teeth, then she slams the door behind her.
‘So much for getting what you want,’ says a new voice.
Now it’s my turn to freeze.
‘Unova,’ I seethe, turning around slowly.
‘Well, if it isn’t my favourite Marionette,’ she says mockingly, ‘How are you, Dizzy?’
‘Fine before you showed up,’ I reply with malice.
‘That’s no way to talk to your mother now, is it?’ Unova pouts.
‘Stepmother,’ I remind her, ‘And I think you’ll find that I don’t care how I talk to you, as long as it means I don’t have to stare at your hideous face.’
Unova’s eyes flash wildly, warning me to watch what I say.
‘Careful, Dicentra,’ she says, trying to remain calm, ‘Wouldn’t want me to kill your puppets now, would you?’
‘No, I wouldn’t,’ I admit, ‘But I believe it’s not your job to kill my puppets, so good luck.’
She steps closer, midnight blue hair flowing out behind her, face contorting in fury. ‘I have my ways,’ she says darkly.
‘I'm sure you do,’ I grin back.
Unova glares at me with the utmost loathing, and then, with a flourish of her hand, she opens a D-door* and disappears into the Court of the Cosmos.
Just then, the front door of the house opens and “Clover’s” sister emerges.
‘Right,’ she says, ‘Let’s get this over with.’
‘About time,’ I reply.
But she just ignores me. ‘What do you want?’
And though I’ve known what I wanted from her for a long time, I hesitate. She looks at me expectantly, eyebrows raised in a sort of disbelief. I want to know her name, I want to know who she is, but most importantly-
‘I want you to do me a favour.’
A shadow of uncertainty darkens her expression, then she asks, ‘What kind of favour?’
‘You’ll know soon enough,’ I smirk, turning away.
‘What do you mean? You can’t just-’
‘But I can.’
And before she can say anything more I open a D-door, leaving her and the rest of the world behind.
The strings are in my hands now.
