It's funny where inspiration will strike. I thought up this little story while I was cleaning the kitchen. I hate cleaning the kitchen as much as I love to hate Dahlia...

Not Beta-Read and I never realized how much my writing has improved in just a year!

"All happy families are alike,
but an unhappy family is unhappy after its own fashion."
Leo Tolstoy (Opening line of Anna Karenina)

"Well," Dahlia said bitterly as she carefully scratched under her dark wig. "Did you get the bottle? Or did you wimp out, again?"

"No, I wasn't able to get it." Iris sighed heavily. She pulled in the parasol as she stepped into the shade of a giant oak tree that Dahlia had been waiting under. Iris continued. "He kept talking about how interesting his law classes were, and about some boy, Miles, I think his name was. It made me think, if Feenie was a girl, he would be pining over this other boy!"

"Heh," Dahlia's evil chuckle interrupted Iris. "Well, he's definitely not a real man. He lacks in skills and any reasoning, that's for sure." She rolled her eyes when she saw her sister pout. "I also can't believe that I have such a wimp for a sister! C'mon, let's go before someone sees us!" She gestured at her pouting sister as she started to walk. A few feet later she noticed Iris wasn't following. She ducked her head and ran back under the tree.

"What is your problem?" Dahlia hissed as she grabbed Iris's wrist tightly. Iris flinched but she didn't move.

"No Dahlia." She said firmly and a lot more louder than she meant to. "I-I don't want to do this anymore! I can't keep lying to him! I..." She paused to make sure that what she was feeling was true. Dahlia took advantage of the pause as her eyes grew large and her hand flew to her mouth.

"Iris, you've fallen in love with that simple boy, haven't you?"

Iris's eyes became watery as Dahlia shook her head and took her sister in her arms.

"Oh my poor, naïve little sister...fallen victim to love's grand scheme. Let's go get you settled down..."

Iris suddenly pulled away. "No, I can't! I told Feenie that I would take care of him. He's sick, and he's taking ColdKiller X to help him get over it. I-I told him I..."

"Fool-hearted Iris." Dahlia took her sister in her arms again as a plan formed in her evil mind. "Fee, will be fine. You need to stay away so you don't get sick. You don't want to get sick and be away from him, do you?" She leaned away from Iris and brushed a couple strands of red hair from her face. Iris nodded and sniffed. "I thought so." Dahlia started walking with her sister in her arms. " Besides we need to re-color your hair. Your dark roots are showing. Did you say he was taking ColdKiller X?"

"Yeah, why?" Iris sniffed again. Dahlia stopped and pulled a tissue out of the inside of the robes that were originally Iris's and handed it to her.

"Hmm, no reason." She put her hands on her sister's shoulders and looked into her watery eyes. "I will take you back to Hazakura. You will feel better when we get you out of all of this..." Dahlia gestured at Iris's white dress and makeup. "...and have a long bath."

"But, I can't go to the Temple, Fee is expecting me for lunch tomorrow."

Dahlia's plan fell right into place after she heard those words. She put her arm around Iris and started walking towards the bus stop.

"It'll be okay, I will let him know that you won't be meeting him, that you're sick etc. That way we can spend the day together and I can take care of you!"

"But Dollie, I'm not sick-"

"You need to go back to the Temple," Dahlia raised her voice at first, but then took a deep breath to calm herself. "Besides I think Sister Bikini is missing you."

They were silent until they reached the bus stop when Iris spoke. "Sister Bikini will know what to do about my feelings. She's very wise."

Dahlia bit her tongue to keep herself from laughing. "Oh, I know! We can make paper hearts and put our wishes on them, remember, Iris, like we used to do!" She gave her sister a suffocating hug before they boarded the bus that had stopped before them. "We're gonna have so much fun!"

But Dahlia never spent the day with her sister. She left early the next morning while everyone slept, and met Phoenix for the fateful lunch that accelerated her downward spiral.