Stitch

"What the hell are you still doing with this?" Ivy kept her voice low as she held the offending articles of clothing.  Sara's old costume.

"I- uh." Sara took a nervous breath, trying to figure out something to say to keep from angering Ivy, who had started studying the sketches scattered on Sara's desk.

"Are you using it to help inspire your new costume?" she asked in a curious tone.

Sara let out a relieved breath, maybe that reason Ivy wouldn't mind.  It made sense, to use the old to help inspire the new. "Yeah."

"I see." Ivy said so quietly Sara almost didn't hear her.  Without hesitating, Ivy grabbed the scissors off of the desk and began cutting into the costume.

"What are you doing?!" Sara scrambled across the room quickly, reaching for her precious outfit, all she had left of her old life.

"I don't want your time under me to have anything to do with your old life.  I'm destroying this link."  She pulled the garmet towards herself taking a step away from Sara.

"You can't do that! Please!" Sara despretly grabbed for the garmet, catching ahold of the middle piece.

"Sara! Let go! This is your old life, not your new!" Ivy yelled at the frantic girl trying to pull the garmet away.

"I chose that life," Sara pulled on the garmet for emphasis, "you forced me into this one! I don't want it!"  

Ivy's hand struck out, smacking Sara back with the back of her hand.  As Sara stumbled back she held on to the gold piece as it ripped apart from the rest.  Sara stood a few feet away holding onto the precious material as silence fell.

After a beat Ivy called out, "Richard!"

Sara's father entered the room a few moments later, "Yes dear?" He went straight to Ivy's side and looked at her with puppy eyes.

"Richard darling I need you to take this rag out to the trash for me." She placed the wad of Sara's costume into his arms.

"Of course dear!" He smiled and turned to leave.

"Oh Richard, one more thing!"

"Anything."

"Do stand still for me." Ivy walked towards him scissors in hand.  She placed one hand gently on his cheek, and with the other she opened the scissors and ran them softly at first, over his face.  Then tracing the same path again she applied more pressure.  
Sara let out a strangled gasp as Ivy cut a red line across his cheek.  The blood started to slowly drip from his cut, yet he still stood there smiling, forever under Ivy's spell.

"That'll be all dear." As Ivy spoke his smile grew and he turned and left.  After a moment Ivy turned back towards Sara.  "I hope that scrap was worth it sweetheart.  Remember I don't just control your life, but his as well."  As the tears fell down Sara's face Ivy turned and left.  Sara crumbled into the corner and began to cry harder.

Hours later Sara still sat in the corner, staring blankly across the room.  She held the scrap of fabric loosely in her hand.  It had finally hit her, it had finally sunk in.  If she ever wanted to save her father, if she ever wanted to get them free of Ivy's grasp, she would first have to forget her past.  She couldn't keep holding on to her she had been, she had to become someone new.  A new Sara.  
In that moment of realization, Gaia was dead.



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This bit of Sara's story takes place a few weeks after Ivy found her and started her training.  Roughly 6 months after 'Distortions' where Sara was transported to an alternate dimension (the marvel universe).  After returning Ivy found her and is coercing her into becoming her sidekick.
Keep an eye out for more of this little snippets of Sara's road to becoming Poison Oak.
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