Greed

It's the next day. I'm able to excuse myself from the infirmary, making my way towards the lobby, where Gaia is waiting to take me to the special area.

Arriving there, the chatter suddenly stops as we enter the room with the cells holding the Sins.
"This place sure is getting full. So, have you welcomed your old friend?"
Gaia steps forward with a mocking smile and I follow behind her.

"Friend? With that creep?!"
Envy immediately shouts from her cell in protest, causing Gaia to let out a laugh.
"Hey, you were his ally, not me."
"Hmph!"
Envy turns the other cheek, trying to ignore Gaia, while we walk towards Gluttony's cell.
He was leaning against the back wall with his food next to him, uneaten.
"Hey, have you looked at yourself? You should eat."
Gaia keeps pushing him with her words, to which he just replies.
"No, I couldn't possibly..."
"Come on. I'm not about to have you dying on me here."
"...Fine."
He picks up a single grain rice and eats it, causing Gaia's jaw to drop.
"...Woah. I'm stuffed... Thanks for the food."
"Stuffed? What do you m-"
"Don't bother."

From behind us Sloth speaks up, and we turn towards him.
"He doesn't eat, or he barely does. He just uses his magic on himself most of the time. I think that's why he had it in the first place."
I glance back at him then ask Sloth.
"Does that even work?"
"Sort of. He's basically always just above starvation."
"One reason why he's so disgusting! Nothing but bone when you look at him..."
We turn towards another cell where a much less scared of me Envy sits.
"I can't believe the big guy took him in."

Gaia turns back towards Gluttony and once again tries to prod for information, but his lips remain sealed.
I look around at each of them and sigh.
"We really did get a lot of them..."
"Oh, speaking of."
We turn towards Sloth who begins talking.
"Where is Pride anyway? I hear you guys took him away. If you can, send him our greetings."
'What are we messengers?'
"Yeah, yeah."
I look at Gaia who then continues.
"We'll have to give the Chairman an update anyway."
Sloth nods with a smile and goes back to being silent.
"At least they seem to follow the pattern, right little Kazu?"
I nod.

'Named after the Seven Deadly Sins... Yet the complete opposites it seems, given everyone we've seen. I guess that means we only have two left. Lust and Greed.

Lust... Some prude maybe? That's not much to go off of.
And greed... Heh, what. Someone whose generosity and kindness knows no b-'
Suddenly a realization hits me, making me dazed. I crouch down and sit on the floor as I feel a pit in my stomach.
Gaia looks down at me, as do the sins, confused.
"Little Kazu? You okay?"
'Great generosity... And kindness.
"Her healing magic is incomparable."
"Kind as always."'

I look towards Envy, as more memories rush in.
'She looked at her when we asked...
"How about I get you something to eat?"
"G- Gluttony! I'll... I'll tell you about him...!"
Was that...
No!'
I quickly stand up.
"No way... NO way."
"Kazu? You're worrying me..."

'...!'
I quickly rush towards Wrath's cell and hold onto the bars as I ask.
"Wrath. Back then, what did you mean by saying that your name might have been a joke?"
Gaia slowly walks over to me.
"You figured something out?"
Wrath remains silent for a moment, then says.
"Yes, I can you tell that. I was going to anyway before you guys cut me off. Isn't that right Sloth?"
We see him in the neighbouring cell answer with a smile.
"As I said, I'm fair."
As soon as he says that, Wrath continues.
"I suspect it's a joke related to the emotion that was cut out of us."

When I hear that, I take a step back while Gaia walks forward, now curious on what else he was going to say and asks.
"Emotion...? Your leader... Absorbed your emotions?"

'Emotion... Cut...'

He doesn't answer, returning to silence with a smile on his face.
I stand there motionless as Gaia goes from cell to cell asking the same question, until reaching Envy's.
"Damn it. You HAVE to answer! We got you your hand back! Did Sloth make you promis-"

'Greed...'

Envy sighs and says, cutting her off.
"Isn't it obvious? Our names is what emotion was cut off. We barely have it now. Did you just want to hear it again or something?
And don't you dare say something that stupid again. As if I'd promise anything to someone like him."

'It can't be... No... This whole time...'

Sloth then says from the other cell in a mocking way.
"That hurts! Hahah.
Not like I could control anyone else."
Gaia quickly moves towards his cell and asks.
"Why make him promise?"

'Is she... Greed...?'

He looks up.
"If he handed you the answers it would be too easy. So I made sure to shut blabber mouth here.
You should work hard for your answers!"
"Tsk. Is that from you, or because you can't be lazy now?"
"Heh, a bit of both maybe."

'Is nurse Ruby Greed?'

Suddenly I run out of the room as I hear Gaia shout behind me among the Sins' chatter.
"Kazu? KAZU!"

...

I burst through the infirmary doors and see nurse Ruby slowly turn to me with the same warm smile as always.
"Kazu. Have you come to he-"
"Are you Greed?"
I cut her off as I ask with desperation in my voice.
'Please. Please. Please.'

She tilts her head slightly and says with the same smile she always has.
"Yes. I am."
'No.
This whole time...

Maybe if I was more focused I would have known.'

I look down and she continues.
"So, have you come help me like always? We've got a slow day toda-"
"QUIET! Why...
Why are you with them? After all the helping you've done, healing us and-"
"Yes? Isn't that reason enough?"

I look up with disbelief in my face.
"Reason... What?"
"I want a better world. One filled with Happiness! Healing helps, but I am only one person. Even with my magic, I couldn't possibly do enough, or be fast enough, to make that a reality.
If I could do it, I would give everyone a bowl of candy, pat them on the head, and tell them it's all going to be okay!"
She sighs happily, making me angry.
"How would helping them possibly achieve that?"
"Hm. Sometimes they're methods are a bit unorthodox."

'A bit?! I can't believe this...

She's one of them.'

"Like when Gluttony started using people and filling up the infirmary, that one almost made me annoyed. Honestly, after everything I did..."
'The frown she almost made...'
"How did you do it? Gaia said you were checked..."
"Well what would they find? I've been nothing but kind to everyone out there too."
She sighs and continues.
"Well anyway, ready to help?"

'Help. She's still on that. Why.'

"The only thing I'll be doing here is taking you down."
"Oh? You'd do that to little ol me? ...Are you just trying to get more candy? You can just ask-"
"QUIET ABOUT THE DAMN CANDY!"
I suddenly teleport myself in front of her, about to grab her neck, when shock suddenly fills me as I see Greed open her eyes for the first time.
At first slowly, before she suddenly snaps her eyes completely open and a wave explodes out of her causing me to fall onto the floor as the wind is knocked out of me. Then just as quickly, the entire room and nearby hallway suddenly crystallize completely with the only thing spared being one of the beds.

I struggle to get up when Greed suddenly picks me up and places me in the bed, where a glow comes over me.
"Sorry Kazu. I can't have you teleport me somewhere bad now can I?"

'...What did she...'

"KAZU! WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
I can hear Gaia shouting from the distance, along with many footsteps sounding closer and closer
"Oh dear. They're almost here. I guess I'll have to say bye now. Have a good rest."
She walks over to a desk, grabbing a book on top of it which I only now notice, another thing that had been left uncrystallized, as she starts giggling slightly.
"Can't have them find this, now can I?"

With that, she went towards one of the walls away from the door, and suddenly a part of it turns into paper as she looks back one last time.
"I hope the experience you got will serve you well. Your healing showed promise."
With that the paper rips as she passes through it, crystallizing back into ruby afterwards.
'How... What...
So tired...'

My eyelids begin slowly closing. The last thing I see was a bunch of heroes bursting in, and Gaia rushing over before they finally close, and I pass out.