VIII. Seven Deadly Sins: Greed
Okay forewarning, Canada and Hope are back together in this chapter. I know she technically hasn't written the Drabble yet but she will and she's already started the second book so if Hope's moving on I'm moving on.
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When the group hit the ground below, there was an onslaught of moaning and groaning as they staggered up. Taylor, Shelby, and Jenna, being humans, were a bit more slow to get up. Romano took a bit longer as well, considering his injuries from his battle with Lust hadn't healed yet.
"We need a warning system for that." Prussia decided, cracking his neck in an effort to relieve the pain. "An alarm. A safe word. Something."
Canada lifted a brow as he glanced the albino's way. "A safe word... Has nothing to do with the ground giving out beneath us."
"I need to let the ground know that I'm not ready for that kind of commitment." Gilbert explained.
China looked at Gilbert in disbelief. "There is something missing upstairs, isn't there?"
"Guys, look!" Seborga urged, pointing behind the group. They turned around to see what the Italian was referring to. Before them was what looked like a miniature castle. It appeared to be made out of white computer screens, shining bright in the dusky green room that stretched out as far as they could see.
"What the hell is this supposed to be?" America inquired, belining for the castle. The group followed tentatively, squinting as their eyes adjusted to the light emitting from the screens.
"I may sound crazy, but it kind of looks like these screens are opened to Wattpad." Shelby muttered, tapping one of the screens. "See, this is a Wattpad profile. Kawaiicookie1023."
"Yeah, this is definitely Wattpad." Taylor stated, clicking on another screen. "This is Annalise's profile."
"Why is there a castle made out of Wattpad users' profiles?" Shelby asked, walking towards the doors.
"Shelbs, be careful." Alfred warned.
"Why? Ya gonna shot me again if I'm not?" She asked, pushing her way in, and the others followed.
Inside, the scene was even stranger. It seemed to a maze of bookshelves, all with slender books bound in worn leather. Romano picked up one of the books, and opened it to the first page. "Shadow Mutation, "Chapter 13: Finding His Normal". What is that supposed to mean?"
Taylor and Shelby glanced at each other. "That's one of Hope's book." Shelby stated.
"Lemme see that, Lovino." Taylor said. Romano handed her the book, and she skimmed through it quickly. "This is definitely her Casey Jones fanfiction."
"What's that written on the cover?" Mexico inquired. Taylor closed the chapter, and turned it to the front cover. Branded into the leather in large red letters was, "401 reads, 43 votes, 64 comments".
"This is crazy." Matthew whispered, going through the books as well. "These are all the chapters of the books she's written on Wattpad. All her reads, all her comments, everything."
"This building, those screens, those were Wattpad profiles of the her followers." Shelby concluded. "This must be Hope we're dealing with."
"Hope's not greedy." Matthew stated defensively, glaring at the American.
"Woah, settle down there, beaver boy. I didn't say she was, but why would Dreamz or Sammi have all of Hope's reads housed in a castle made of her followers?" Shelby snapped.
"Guys, let's not argue." New Zealand interrupted, and Shelby glared at the Oceania. "Like we said, no one here is perfect. We all know Hope's an extremely nice person. No one here is judging her, Matt." The blonde seemed to relax slightly at that comment. "But we do need to find her. With every level, the girl seems to be more sick than the last. If we don't pick it up, the last girl will be in a lot of trouble."
"HEY! Put that down!" A harsh voice snapped. The group looked up to see someone who resembled Hope barreling down the hallway. She wore a sparkling green ballgown dress, with a lavish crown perched on her head. Despite her initial regal her appearance, it wasn't hard to see that she was far from okay. Her hair, usually curly and full of life, was completely flat, lifeless, and dull. Her irises were a brilliant green, and the bags under her eyes, usually just a small, natural-looking feature of her face, were large, puffy, and dark, especially when set against her paling skin. Even her freckles were paler, and she was skinnier than ever.
She ripped the book Taylor was holding out of her hand, sneering at her in disgust. "That's mine. Don't touch it."
Taylor put her hands up in submission. "Okay, jeez, we were just curious."
"We" only seemed to anger Hope as her eyes darted around the room to the other people investigating the shelves. "Stop touching those! They're mine!"
Slowly, everyone put the book they had picked up back on the shelves. Hope was not appeased. "Now leave. These are my followers." She gestured to the castle around her. "You don't get to stand here with them. Go."
Canada shook his head. "We're not leaving without you, bud."
Hope gave the blonde an appalled look. "I am not leaving. Do you think I'm stupid? I know that's just a trick to steal my reads and followers. As soon as I leave, you'll take them for yourselves. But you didn't earn them. There mine." She seethed, her eyes glistening like an emerald fire.
"We don't want your followers, or your reads, hon. We just want you back. This isn't you. I know you're not this shallow and greedy. You have to fight this."
Hope took a step back, her eyes narrowing as she looked Matthew up and down. "I know who you are. You're Liberality. You thought you could pull off the innocent routine but I'd recognize that attitude anywhere." She growled.
"Can someone explain what Liberality means? That word's too big." Alfred whispered.
"The quality of giving or spending freely. The opposite of Greed." Jenna whispered back.
"Hope, I'm not Liberality. I'm Canada. And this isn't you. You're Hope Neufeld, not Greed. Please, come back with us." He said, stepping forward and reaching out his hand.
She slapped it away, glaring with malice as her skin began to turn a vivid green. "I will do nothing for you! You're just trying to prove you're better than me!" She wailed. The entirety of her eyes glowed bright green as she grew in size. Her hands in particular grew disproportionately big, the palms and tips of her fingers shining with a sticky padding. Her eyes almost seemed to bulge out her head now as horns grew out of her skull just above them, and small wings emerged from between her shoulder blades, though they weren't large enough to grant her flight.
While the others backed away quickly from Hope, Matthew stayed in place, his face determined. He reached his hand out, closing his eyes, and within moments, a hockey stick appeared in his grip.
Japan glanced around in confusion as he and the rest of the group pressed up against the wall of the castle. "I don't mean to sound doubtful of Canada-san. But I do not see how a hockey stick will help you defeat Greed."
America grabbed Japan's shoulder, giving him a dark look. "Don't get him angry when he has a hockey stick." He warned hauntingly.
Hope leaped at Matthew, her hands aiming for him neck, but he only ducked out of the way. As she stumbled past him, he swung the hockey stick, cracking it against the back of her head. She fell to her knees, but recovered quickly, turning and slashing Canada across the abdomen with the sticky pads of her fingers. The pads latched to his skin and as she pulled away, ripped the flesh off. Matthew let out a cry of pain, before gritting his teeth and wiping away a teeth with his shoulder. He bore down on Hope, lifting up a foot and kicking her down, before breaking his hockey stick over his knee.
"Sorry." He muttered, before bringing the splintered stake down into Hope's chest. She shuddered, staring up at him in disgust, before collapsing on her back, the lavish crown rolling off her head.
Once she was down, Cooper and Jenna rushed forward. Cooper kneeled down next to Hope, placing his hand right next to the stake, over her heart. Hope's eyes, which were dulling, glared maliciously at Canada.
"I can see the judgement in your eyes, Liberality. You judge me for wanting to what I earn, but she does the exact same thing too." Greed hissed, her lips twitching into a slight smile. "Yet you keep her around and keep it to yourself. Is that not greedy too?"
"Audi me spiritus. Tuus hospes relinqere. Redire ad inferos. Inquantum liberalitas aufert in avaritia." New Zealand chanted. The blonde lifted his hand, and held within it was a green ball of smoke. It whizzed out of his reach, passing through Canada's chest, before imploding in on itself. Within seconds, Hope's size returned to normal, the horns retreating back into her skull. Everything returned to its correct anatomical proportion, from her eyes to her hands, and her wings retreated into her back. Finally, the green hue of her skin faded, revealing went to a sickly pale color.
Quickly, Jenna poured the healing potion into her mouth. The gaping wound in her chest healed, bringing the stake to the surface, before it clattered to the ground. Her eyes opened slowly, and she struggled to sit up.
"Hope!" Matthew cried, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "Oh, thank the maple leaves you're okay." He exclaimed, before kissing her forehead gingerly.
Hope looked up at him in confusion. "What did I miss?" She looked down, noticing the hole in her dress, and instantly covering her chest. "Why am I in a bloody ballgown, and why are you bleeding?"
"We don't have time to answer your silly questions!" Prussia shouted, grabbing onto Mexico with wide eyes. "Quick, what's the safe word?"
"Safe word?" Hope echoed in confusion.
"Dumbass." Romano muttered.
The floor creaked beneath them, and everyone froze, embracing for the inevitable.
"DUMBASS! DUMBASS!" Gilbert shrieked, before the ground gave way.
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