AN: We're back! New year! New episode! And we're going to go faster in uploading these. Our editor, while accurate, was too slow for our tastes and we decided to part ways. We're just going to edit the chapters ourselves to get them out faster. Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: We do not own Helluva Boss and the Angel AU concet is originally EmositeCC's idea who we were given permission to use!

Heart of Greed

Part 1

By TalosLives & CrackedInkWell

Based on EmositeCC's AngelAUSeries

"I'm starting to think this'll be a pretty slow week for us," Blitzo commented, his arms folded. Bored out of his mind, he hovered in the living room, just waiting for them to get back to Purgatory.

"That's not always a bad thing," Millie said, dangling a squeaky rubber mouse over a cat, who was trying to bat it with its paws. "Besides, at least this is an easy one."

Moxie nodded. He was over in the kitchen area to refill a bowl with water from the sink. "Honestly, I don't mind these kinds of requests now and then. Checking in on people's pets is rather relaxing."

About a few hours ago, they got a request from a soul in Purgatory. A lady from Cape Town, South Africa had unexpectedly died, and she wanted someone to make absolutely sure that the cat she'd left behind was in good hands. The cat in question was a red European short-hair named Dinah, a female with yellow eyes and long pointy ears. Their client had raised Dinah since she was a kitten and was worried that someone might snatch her shortly after her death. Not the most difficult of missions, to be sure, but they'd take anything they could get.

After some time spent trying to track down Dinah, they'd figured out the client's sister had taken the cat to their place, a home within walking distance of Cape of Good Hope. When they arrived at the beach house, they found the cat inside, lying on the couch, but the sister was nowhere in sight. At first, they were worried that the sister was neglecting her, but after calling their client, it turned out that she was most likely at the market. In the meantime, the client asked them to simply keep an eye on Dinah until she came back.

"Such a cute little thing," Moxxie commented, laying the bowl of water down. He held his hand just over Dinah. She stretched her back up against it, purring. "I'm not much of a cat person, but I think I could get used to this."

"Don't let Loonie hear you say that," Blitzo chuckled. "Which reminds me…" Taking his phone out, he checked the time. Their client's sister would be home very soon, so he decided to call up Loona.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Loonie, it's me. I think we're just about wrapping this mission up. Would you mind opening the portal?"

"Uh yeah, give me a sec… Let me finish this up real quick…"

Blitzo listened and could hear the subtle sounds of chimes and beeps. He rolled his eyes. Evidently, she was more on her game than opening the portal back to the office. But after about a minute he heard her say.

"And… saved. Okay, portal coming up."

As soon as he hung up, a hole in reality was pulled open in the kitchen. Blitzo saw her closing up the book, behind a desk that had bags of chips, a soda, and a game collar. "About time you guys finished," Loona said. "You were taking forever and I was…" Then Loona's eye twitched, and a snarl grew on her face.

It didn't take long for Blitzo to figure out what had come over his niece. He turned around and saw that Dinah too was staring back at her, hair standing straight up, back arched, and claws open in alert.

"Oh, crap. Loona, calm down." Blitzo raised his hands. "We're just about to leave." Loona stood up from behind the desk.

Millie grabbed the cat.

"Loonie, remember what we've talked about," Blitzo said, stepping through the portal. "You need to be better than this."

Shutting her eyes and summoning every ounce of self-control not to give in to her instincts, Loona turned away from the portal. "I know. Just… hurry up and get over here. It's really getting on my nerves."

"Huh…" Moxxie floated over to the portal. "I was sure that you were going to chase after the cat."

"Trying hard not to…"

And for a moment, it seemed to be working. Moxxie went through the portal, and Millie sat Dinah down on the couch before she quickly floated over. It did seem that Loona was controlling herself, even if she was still fighting the urge. It would have been a mission accomplished, until…

"Meow."

Loona snapped her head over, ears perked, rage filling her eyes. "What did you call my mother, you bitch!?" And before they could stop her, Loona rushed over the desk, knocking nearly everything over, zoomed under Blitzo and Moxxie before they could catch her, and ran towards the cat.

Dinah hopped off the couch in the nick of time, making Loona collide with the cushions. There was a noticeable thud when the couch hit the wall, leaving Loona's head buried between the seats. However, she pulled herself out to find Dinah there by a bookshelf that she swears had a smirk on its face.

"Why you…!" She charged after it. Dinah scrambled to the top of the bookshelf, Loona in hot pursuit. Trying to claw at the cat when it reached the very top, Loona was ready to maw the cat but realized too late that the bookshelf was tilting over. With the shelf creaking over, Dinah hopped into a nearby chair, while Loona was caught underneath the falling books, nicknacks, and radio that landed on the floor.

"Loona!" Blitzo cried as he rushed back inside. "Loona, are you okay!?"

The now-broken shelf shifted, and Loona rose like a pissed-off zombie. Books and shattered objects tumbled this way and that as she stood up, eyeing the cat.

"Meow."

"Your ass is grass!" Loona darted at the chair, but Dinah leaped towards the walls and onto a colorful tapestry where she climbed sideways with tremendous speed, of course, Loona ripped it down, falling on her head.

Round and round they went. Dinah was in the lead, Loona in second place, and Blitzo scrambling to catch up. Furniture was toppled, colorful rug slashed, pottery smashed, heirlooms were thrown by Loona but broke against the walls. Dinah went upstairs and climbed over tribal masks where several landed on Loona, making her into a hydra of a vengeful creature in a torn, colorful rug. All the while, Blitzo yelled at her to stop as she and the cat lay destruction on the house like several natural disasters all rolled into one.

The chase ended with Dinah running through the portal and into Purgatory, where she jumped into the arms of Millie. Loona rushed in, looking like a Scooby Doo villain reject, and just as she was about to claw the cat, Blitzo finally got a hold of her by the torn rug.

"Let me go!" Loona barked. "That bitch deserves to-"

"LOONA!" Blitzo's voice cut through the chaotic scene like a thunderclap. So loud and sudden was this, that everything froze. Everyone, including the cat, was stunned, wide-eyed at the outburst. It wasn't often that Blitzo got angry, genuinely angry, but when he did, everyone knew better than to stand up to that force of nature.

Behind them, something crashed in the distance. Blitzo's eye twitched. He took off the masks and the rug off of Loona, looking down on her darkly.

"Office. Now."

"But-"

"Now. Stay in there, and don't come out until I say so." Blitzo pointed towards the door of his office. Loona frowned but floated over there anyway.

Sighing, Blitzo turned to the other two angels. "Moxxie, Millie, let's perform a minor miracle to get this all straightened out before the owner comes back." He reached out to take the nervous cat into his arms. Millie handed Dinah over, and Blitzo rubbed its back to get her to calm down.

Moxxie raised a finger. "Sir, what about Loo-"

"We'll deal with it," Blitzo interrupted. "For now, let's focus on this." As Moxxie and Millie set to work, he looked down at the cat, stroking its head. "Sorry about that," he apologized.

About an hour later, Blitzo closed the portal behind him and then turned to his office. Loona floated by his desk, a large, dark, wooden thing that had stacks of paperwork, a lamp, and a few tiny pony dolls. Old, nearly faded circus posters loomed on the walls.

"Uncle Blit-"

"Sit." Blitzo pointed at a chair that sat right across from his, a black leather chair that had a blinking eye. Loona did so, while Moxxie and Millie went around the desk, and Blitz sat down.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay!?" Loona told them. "I didn't mean to."

"To what? Chase after the cat, or turn the home of our client's sister into a war zone?" Blitzo questioned.

"Oh c'mon! I'm a canine, for crying out loud! I can't help it when my instincts kick in. And besides, what the cat said-"

"Even if that was true" - Moxxie folded his arms - "it's still no excuse to demolish a home."

Loona folded her arms, her brows furrowed. "She's still a bitch, though," she muttered.

"First off, language," Blitzo said. "Second, I get that canines have the urge to go after felines, but even then, most your age are mature enough to hold back."

"Hate to say it, but he's got a point," Millie agreed. "If you were like, say… fourteen or fifteen, that would be one thing. But hon, you're almost twenty, and you acted like a thirteen-year-old."

"Oh c'mon! If you knew what she said-"

"This isn't about the cat." Millie interrupted. "Even if she did say whatever she said, it's still no excuse to give in and try to tear her to shreds."

"Pot, meet kettle."

Millie frowned. "Little missy, you're walkin' on very thin ice."

"That said" - Moxxie coughed into his fist, catching their attention - "if we're being honest here, you're not exactly the most mature here despite being nineteen."

"Am too!"

"Really?" Blitzo raised an eyebrow. "Loonie, you tend to let your emotions take over. You respond to criticism with this smart-mouth attitude rather than actually dealing with it. Not to mention that most of the time you have more focus on whatever game you're playing than doing your actual job."

"Oh c'mon! That's not fair!?"

"Is it?" Moxxie questioned. "To be blunt, chasing the cat and causing a huge mess isn't the worst thing you've done, I'll grant you that. However, they are right in that you have been acting a bit selfish. Like the time we called for you to open the portal while being attacked by zombies at that voodoo priest incident, but you focused on your game. Or the time when we did take you to Earth to gather info on the mafia, only to give us away by spotting a cat. Oh, and do we need to bring up Collin?"

"Hey! Leave my boyfriend out of this!"

"Sweetie," Blitzo sighed, "That's exactly the point. There is a time and place for all those things, but when they constantly are being focused on yourself rather than on others, that's when it becomes a problem. You're almost twenty, Loona, it's about time you should at least start acting like one."

"But… you… It's not… UGH!" Loona studdered, trying to find some sort of argument that didn't make her sound like an idiot, but out of frustration, she couldn't find one. So instead, she stormed out of the office, banging the door on the way.

"Loona!" Blitzo chided, standing up from behind his desk, "Loona we're not done-"

Loona, however, slammed the door of the front entrance.

Blitzo slumped back into his seat, a heavy sigh and his hands running over his head. "Kids…"

Millie folded her arms, "Really, I don't blame you. I love Loona to bits, but sometimes she's a little too much. You have more patience with her than I do."

"As much as I hate to admit it," Moxxie turned to both of them, "but we knew that this intervention was a long time coming."

"I know, I know…" Blitzo sat back in his chair. "It's not out of the lack of trying either. I mean, I give her the space to grow - but I hope that she would do just that, grow up a little. Maybe she needs a little more time, but really it's getting concerning."

"At least, I think it's a step in the right direction," Moxie said, "Now that we've aired our thoughts, hopefully she would calm down and reflect on it."

This is stupid! Telling me to grow up? I'm nineteen for the Lord's sake! They're being completely unfair!

Loona was fuming, having left the office, all she wanted to do was to get as far away from being humiliated like that. Aimlessly she floated through the streets of Purgatory, not caring where she was going. She was pretty upset after that verbal dressing down to the point that if anyone dared look at her wrong she probably would bite their faces off.

However, she felt that she needed a bit of alone time to cool down. Just enough to have her frustration settle a little. After all, as she sees it, she was having a bad day and in need of something uplifting.

Then, as it so happens, she found it.

There across a street corner, she spotted… him. The fluffiest, most adorable lamb that was the most perfect thing in the entire cosmos. Collin, along with the two other cherubs, Cletus and Keenie, were chatting among themselves. Although from across the street, they were talking about how well their latest job on earth went… But Loona wasn't paying attention to that, just to his laughter. A sound that would make all the choirs in Heaven sound… tone-deaf.

After a quick check from a reflection in a shop window to make sure that she was presentable, she floated over the street and over to him. Gently landed just behind him, tapping his shoulder to make him turn his head around. "Hiii lambchop," Loona smiled dreamily.

"I'm not your boyfriend!" Collin retreated behind Keenie and Cletus. "And don't scare me like that!"

"I didn't mean to, I just noticed you from across the street and thought I'd come by to ask if you are doing anything tonight."

"Not you." Collin bluntly told her. "Besides, I'm busy."

"C'mon Loona, leave him alone," Cletus said, folding his arms.

"What? There's nothing wrong in saying hello to my lamb-"

"Collin! There you are!" said a new voice. Behind Collin, Loona saw a cherub that she had never seen before. She was a pink lamb who had on a white summer dress and carried a sun umbrella. Her hair was like cotton candy with eyes like shiny gold coins. And when she spoke, she had elegance with every word she said. "I just heard you came back from your job on earth, how was it?"

"Oh hello," Collin seemed relieved to see her there. "It went better than we expected. Helped a family reconcile over their son towards a healthier, better path."

"That's wonderful to hear." She nodded. "If you have time today, are you still interested in going to see the tennis tournament? Rebecca is competing in it and I wanted to go to support her."

"Is she? Oh, I would love to come." Collin smiled.

Loona frowned.

"Thank you so much," the stranger beamed, "I knew I could rely on you. See you at the tournament, Collin." And with that, she waved goodbye and left.

Loona growled, "Who, was that?"

"Her?" Collin pointed, "She's a friend I've known since we were kids." Loona's gaze didn't soften, so he added, "Just a friend, nothing special."

"Now wait a minute, a minute ago you said you were busy, but now you're making room for… whoever that was."

"Well, I did promise I would go, and her name is Blossom."

"So how come you can't hang out with me?" Loona questioned. "Besides, I've been having a bad day."

Collin groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Lord, give me strength," he muttered. Taking in a deep breath, he went around Cletus and Keenie to tell it to her face: "Firstly, I'm sorry you're having a bad day. I really am. Secondly, as friends, I wouldn't mind hanging out with you more often, but… You know what, there's no way of sugar-coating this, but it has to be said. Your… love for me has turned into an obsession that has been getting worse. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the teasing once in a while, but nearly every day…? Loona, if I wanted to go out on a date with someone, I would like it with someone more mature. Not someone who hovers over me, who constantly harasses me, who doesn't know when to give me space. I'm sorry to say… you're not… that."

Out of everything that had happened on her bad day, this to Loona hit her hard. Her ears folded back, wings drooped to where she let herself sink to the cloudy ground of the street. She tried hard to fight back the tears as her worst fears were coming true. After all, what could she say, what can she say to something like that?

"Um… Loona?" Collin reached out. "Are you okay?"

Loona turned her back, floating towards a shop window, trying her absolute best not to cry.

She spotted Keenie floating over to her. "Hey, I'm not doing anything for the rest of the day. You wanna… go out for a sunday? My treat."

Loona quickly agreed. Anything to distract her.

If one knew where to look, they could find some pretty good ice cream parlors in Purgatory. One of the oldest and closest to heavenly deliciousness was a small place called Lidwina's. Open since the Victorian era, the antique soda shop still served the same ice cream treats to customers in a brightly lit space with mirrors, a wooden counter, and delicacies served in fancy glass goblets, cups, and bowls.

Loona got what Keenie was trying to do. After the mother of all rejections, she was trying to cheer her up with some comfort food. Before her was a Neapolitan, each scoop the size of grapefruits, topped with a mound of freshly made whipped cream, a rainbow of sprinkles, and a cherry on top. Now and then she would scoop up the treat but wasn't entirely enjoying it.

"Do you think I'm immature?" Loona asked Keenie, sitting across from her with a banana split.

Keenie swallowed her mouthful of ice cream. "That depends. How blunt do you want me to be?"

"Just say it." Loona waved her empty spoon. "Am I immature?"

"Yes." Keenie scooped up some whipped cream from her bowl.

"Gee, thanks," Loona grumbled.

"Hey, you asked. But truthfully, as a person, I don't think you're entirely bad."

Loona raised an eyebrow.

"Really, you're not. From what I know of you, I think that you're a nice girl. That you've been loyal, and friendly, and at the best of times, you do show that you have a heart of gold. Between you and me, if you weren't working for your uncle, I could easily see you as a member of our organization."

"... But?"

Keenie stuck her spoon in her ice cream. "At the same time… and don't hate me too much when I say this, but I don't think you've been taking yourself seriously since we've graduated high school."

"What does that mean?"

"That… you still act as though you're still in high school. Like even after graduation, you still hold onto the same behaviors as years ago. It's getting to the point where even I'm getting concerned."

Loona jabbed her spoon in her sunday, folded her arms, and slumped in her seat. "Okay, but what am I supposed to do? My uncle and his employees don't take me seriously. Collin flat-out said that he won't date me. I feel stuck with no way to get out of it."

Keenie let out an uneasy breath. "You got me, I'm not really sure either…" She picked up her spoon to resume eating her banana split, but paused. "... Unless…"

Ears perked up, and Loona sat back up. "What?"

"... I don't entirely know it would work."

"What?" Loona hovered out of her seat, grabbing her by the collar. "C'mon Keenie, I'm desperate here! What is it?"

Keenie pushed her away to give them some space. "It's just an idea, but there might be a way to help you become mature. Have you, by chance, ever heard of the Charity Clinic?"

Purgatory was much like Earth in various ways, but one regard in which it was much better was healthcare. It was free and more advanced than anything Earth could give. While it was rare to actually get hurt in Purgatory, it still happened. But most people went for other medical procedures, especially those who needed help mentally or spiritually. Loona had been through such places not long after she lost her parents years ago. Going through therapy had helped and she got better, but still didn't enjoy it. She almost felt the same upon arriving at this "Charity Clinic" but her determination and reassurance from Keenie had made her push it down.

The clinic was large but fairly ordinary looking with a green color scene, title housing, and a few posters advertising their offers. Flying towards it, Loona asked, "How did you find out about this place anyway?"

"Online," Keenie said as she opened the doors. "I heard about it on some forms and checked it out."

"What exactly does this place do?" Loona asked as she noticed it was very lightly staffed with only a few patients who were waiting in the lobby.

"It teaches you how to let go of your greed," Keenie explained with a smile as he posed herself as if she was giving a lecture. "As you know, greed is one of the Seven Deadly Sins we must avoid in our lives as it corrupts us and hurts those around it. Greed has also been the downfall of many once noble people and angels as well as multiple civilizations."

"But how am I greedy?" Loona asked in confusion as she pointed at herself. "I'm not looking for wealth or money or that kind of stuff. I'm already well off thanks to my job at Uncle Blitz's."

"Greed isn't limited to just riches or material items," Keenie explained. "It's also part of being selfish and wanting something, even if it's immaterial, to the point that it affects you in a negative way. For instance, your selfish choices have made you seem immature in the eyes of your Uncle and co-workers while your obsessive need to have Collin as a boyfriend makes you possessive of him. Almost to the point of Lust."

"First off, I took a Vow of Chastity, and second, I don't know if that's fully accurate," Loona pointed out with a frown.

"Really? Can you really not say that you're not over-focused on your own personal happiness and everything you do is towards that at the expense of others?" Keenie asked with a raised eyebrow.

Loona opened her mouth but then thought back to what her uncle had said earlier:

"That's exactly the point. There is a time and place for all those things, but when they constantly are being focused on yourself rather than on others, that's when it becomes a problem. You're almost twenty, Loona, it's about time you should at least start acting like one."

"... Okay, maybe you might have a point or two," Loona muttered as she folded her arms. "And this place is supposed to help with that? How?"

"With the help of Dr. Web!" Keenie happily declared.

"Dr. Web" it turned out was an Angel who had the body of a white spider with blue markings on her thorax and chest while having the head of a beautiful brown-haired pale-skinned woman with piercing green eyes and glasses. Dressed in a doctor's coat, she skittered inside with her wings flapping behind her as she held a tablet in her arms while calling for Loona's name. Said Cherub and her friend got up from their seats as Dr. Web welcomed them with a smile.

"Welcome, which one of you is Loona?" Dr. Web asked.

"I am," Loona said as she floated over and shook one of her four hands.

"Wonderful to meet you. This is your first time to my special therapy, yes?" Dr. Web asked with a warm smile.

"Yeah, but I'm not exactly sure what goes on here," Loona said as she tilted her head. "You specialize in helping people get over their greed, but I can't picture how that happens. Especially since my issue isn't material related."

"Follow me and I'll explain," Dr. Web said as she guided the two past the lobby doors and into the main hall. "You see, all greed stimulates desire. Desires of things we crave for our own selfish wishes. While some desires can be seen as good, others are seen as bad especially if we become obsessed with them. Now can you explain what you desire most?"

"Well, I want my Uncle and his friends to treat me more seriously," Loona explained with a huff. "They say that I'm immature and that I need to grow up. Also, there is this guy I like. Like really like, and yet he never likes me back."

"Sounds like you got a desire to be seen in a more positive and loved light by those you care about," Dr. Web theorized as she typed in her tablet. "Do they already care about you?"

"Yeah, my Uncle is like the best and loves me. Moxxie and Millie are cool too. And Collin? We've been best friends since we were kids," Loona explained with a smile.

"Isn't their love and care for you already not enough? Perhaps you are the one demanding something without giving anything in return?" Dr. Web asked which made Loona pause.

"Well… I give my love back to them," Loona said with a nervous shrug. "Isn't that enough."

"Sounds like the problem you have is not giving love, but giving respect," Dr. Web said as she turned around and smiled. "You want to be respected by them, but it sounds like you don't respect them back."

"But I do!" Loona cried out in shock in an attempt to defend herself.

"You might think you do, but you are not acting in the manner that shows it," Dr. Web said as she turned to a door and opened it. "Don't worry, I have the means to help you let go of these impulses you are having and help you not only gain the proper respect you want but give it back in return. Through here, please?"

Loona entered the room, but what she saw confused her. It was so simple and spartan that she almost thought they had entered an abandoned room by accident. It only consisted of two chairs on opposite ends of a large table which had a metal box in the middle. A box that had only one hole but was otherwise sealed shut with steel. There were no other decorations save for the beige coloring.

"I'm afraid I'm going to need to ask your friend to wait outside," Dr. Webs said to Keenie who nodded before leaving through the door. Once that was done, she walked to the opposite side of the table and sat down. "Now, please have a seat."

Loona shrugged before doing so as she kept her eyes on the metal box. "So what's in the box?"

"The means of which to help you," Dr. Webs said with a smile. "Please put your hand in the box and touch whatever is inside of it."

There was a part of Loona that was telling her not to do this. Something inside of her that was warning her that this was too suspicious and creepy. And yet, she couldn't help but feel curious about what it was. The curiosity side of her won out and so she reached inside and touched it.

Loona gasped as she woke up from her sleep. She looked around and saw that she was back at H.O.P.E. with her desk before her. The latest save she had from Baulder's Gate 3 was on her computer and she began to wonder if she was just dreaming. Huh, weird dream. I wonder what I was-

"I love you."

Loona felt her eyes widen upon hearing the words she had longed to hear for so long. She turned around and saw her beloved lambchop, holding flowers as the ethereal heavens shone around them. Nervously, Collin held the flowers out and blushed. "Loona, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. The truth is I do love you but… I've been such a coward. Can you forgive me?"

"Collin… " Loona felt her heart soar as what she had dreamed of for so long had finally happened. She wanted to hug and kiss that precious little sheep cherub she had adored for years but never could, finally confessing what she wanted to hear all her life. "Oh, I love you too, Collin!"

Suddenly, the office door opened and her Uncle Blitz walked inside with a big smile on his face. "Loona! There you are, you silly wolf!"

"Uncle Blitz!" Loona cheered with joy as her wings flapped with excitement. "You'll never believe it! Collin confessed to me!"

"That's great, Loona, but we got into a serious situation," Uncle Blitz said with a determined look. "Some demons are causing trouble, but we need help. I need you to do an important task for me and your the only one I trust to do it."

"Really?" Loona asked in awe.

"Of course! You're the best one I got on this team!"

"Great! I… I..." Loona felt like she was soaring over the moon. Here she was going to go on a super awesome mission and she also got Collin as her boyfriend! This was the best day ever!

"Come on, Loona! We have a lot to do!" Uncle Blitz said as he walked out of the room with Collin right behind him.

Loona made an effort to follow them but suddenly was jerked back to her seat. She paused and wondered what just happened before turning to find her hand was stuck in some metal box. It was gripping something inside. Something solid and yet felt fleshy. Confused, she tried to remember what this was when Collin cried out to her.

"Loona? Is everything okay? Do you need us to come back in?" He shouted.

"No! I'll be right there," Loona said as she decided to just let go of whatever it was that she was holding and pulled her hand out...

Loona gasped and nearly fell off her seat as she looked around and saw herself back with Dr. Web's, in a room that she was sure she hadn't been in before. It looked like an office and not the spartan-like room as before. "W-What the what?! Where am I?! Where's my uncle! And Collin! I got a mission and a date and… and… and..."

She felt… weird. Very weird. Like she had just been in a dream and yet was awake as well. Getting up, Loona couldn't help but hug her arms upon feeling such an odd experience. "What was that?"

"Stay calm. It's alright. That was an illusion of your desires," Dr. Webs answered as she typed into her tablet with interest.

"It felt so real," Loona whispered in awe but soon pouted. "And I wanted it to be real..."

"Well, you can always go back, all you need to do is put your hand back in the box and touch what's inside," Dr. Webs said with a shrug. "If you don't mind doing so for another three hours."

"Three hours?!" Loona shouted as she checked her phone and saw that, indeed, three hours had passed. "But that… that only felt like a few minutes?! What happened?!"

"One of the many dreams you had, the last was a was a few minutes ago, as a matter of fact. If I dare say so, you've been quite chatty. Which I didn't mind as it gave me context to it all. You also were dreaming of other things. Such as your wedding, having a family, being the best gamer in the world, having your uncles' respect, being a hero, and a few others. All centered around you being the most important person in the scenario that everyone loves you."

… Why do I feel like a Mary Sue all of a sudden? Loona wondered with disbelief. "So that one I just had..."

"Was merely the last one before you finally noticed the steel box and pulled your arm out," Dr. Webs said with a smile. "Most Angels who do these sessions have an hour or an hour and a half of being in their most desired dreams before noticing the box. You were double that time. You really do have it bad."

That made Loona lower her head and blush but a curious question soon arose. "What is in that box anyway?"

"The heart of a Greed Demon Lord," Dr. Webs answered much to Loona's disgust.

"I was touching a demon's heart?! Ewewewewewewewewewew! EEEW!" Loona grossed out as she wiped her paw with the wall over and over again.

"Perhaps I should have clarified that it has been clean from anything contagious." Dr. Webs set her tablet on her desk, giving Loona her full attention.

"Still, I touched a body part!" Loona pointed out, feeling a little green, "Where did you even get that anyway? Why do you have something like that?"

"Firstly, they were donated to the clinic. Oh, and rest assured that we make sure that they are cleaned entirely from blood and have them soaked in alcohol to kill off any diseases they might have had before preserving. Secondly, as… morbid as it is, they are incredibly useful." She said, getting up from her desk, and walking over towards one of the bookcases full of binders. "In psychology, the goal is to discover, identify, and understand whatever issues or desires that are buried. To bring them to light so that they could be examined and come to terms with them."

"I already know that," Loona sat back down, spotting the bottle of hand sanitizer on the desk so she pumped several globs to get that icky feeling off her paws. "But why use a demon's heart of all things?"

"Not just any heart," Dr. Web pointed out, taking out one of the binders. "What makes the hearts of Greed Lords so useful is that they bring about desires into the open, even if they're hidden. Sometimes they are surface-level things that you might expect, and sometimes they go into the subconscious. It induces dream-like hallucinations that give whoever holds them the opportunity to live out those desires if they do achieve them. With the hearts, we use them as a sort of exposure therapy. To identify what those desires are in great detail as a way to confront and overcome them." Flipping the binder open, the doctor stopped at a particular page and scribbled something in. "Of course, the first time using them around will knock you out, but the more you use them, the more you will be able to stay awake but still experience the dreams."

While she was explaining all this, Loona took a moment to really look at the doctor's office. She noticed that among the more obvious things such as medical journals, and diplomas framed on the walls that ranged from psychology to philosophy, she also noticed something else. Right behind the desk, was a large picture of an illustration. It showed four figures: a little girl sitting in a comfy high-back chair, a hare that had messy, straw-like hair; a large mouse fast asleep; and a human with an oddly shaped head with a top hat that had a note of: "In This Style 10/6." In front of them was a teapot with dozens of teacups lying about a long table. But more so directly underneath the picture were knick-knacks on top of a small bookshelf. A chessboard, playing cards, a tea set (teapot, cups, saucers, sugar bowl, etc…), a colorful tophat, a pocket watch, and a little red book.

"What's all this?" Loona asked, getting the doctor's attention.

"Hm? Oh that?" Dr. Web smiled, an embarrassed laugh escaping her. "I'm a fan of Alice in Wonderland, you see. Been so since I was in college. I have a soft spot for books. In my opinion, possibly my favorite thing that humanity has ever produced. And look, do you see that book over there?"

"Is that a first edition or something?"

"Oh better than that," the doctor happily went over to pick up the book, opening to the first page. "I got the autograph from the author himself."

Loona nodded and then let out a yawn. Despite apparently dreaming for the past three hours, it felt like she didn't have much sleep. "That's funny… I feel really tired all of a sudden."

"That's the side effect from the hearts, I'm afraid." Dr Web said as she carefully put the book back in place. "After use, it can leave you fatigued once you wake up."

"Okay… one more thing," another yawn. "How did I get here, wasn't I in a different room?"

"That was my call. I'm sorry I didn't disclose it, but after you reached into the box, you… passed out but kept talking. With all you were saying I thought it best to relocate you in a place where the heart can take effect without having anyone else hearing you. Patient confidential and all, you were going into details that seemed too personal for anyone to overhear. And not to worry, your secrets are safe with me."

Getting up from the chair, Loona tried to fly, but even that became difficult as she felt weaker than usual. "I'll be honest with you doc," another yawn. "I'm not entirely sure if I want to come back again."

"Oh… I understand," Dr Web nodded, a frown graced her face. Yet, with a hopeful tone she said, "However, if you ever do change your mind, my door is always open. In my opinion, I think there might be more to what I've heard. While gaining respect is a major theme, I believe this might go deeper." She added with a gentle smile, "With my help, I can help show you how far down the rabbit hole goes."

"Sure…" Loona went over to the door, "I'll… think about it." And without saying goodbye, she exited the office.

At long last, Loona walked into the lobby where Keenie sat waiting. She was flipping through magazines that were on a coffee table when she spotted her. "There you are, so how did it…" Keenie paused as she got a good look at her. "Are you okay? You look like you need a nap."

"Y-Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Loona rubbed her eyes. "I'm thinking of going to bed as soon as I get home anyway. That took a lot out of me there."

"What happened?"

Loona led Keenie out of the clinic to the streets, "That was probably the weirdest therapy session I've ever been to. One moment I was told to reach something in a box in a near empty room, then suddenly I had these dreams that felt so real, and the next I woke up in the doctor's office." Loona yawned.

"That… sounds strange." Keenie looked over her shoulder, "Did Dr Web do anything you weren't comfortable with?"

"No, it's not that, just…" Another yawn. "I didn't think I would be hallucinating back there. Like when it happened, it was great. But after waking up from it… I don't know, something just felt…" Another yawn. "... off. But that lasted a second though, after talking to the doctor a minute or so later I suddenly felt sleepy."

They floated around a corner of the building, Loona felt so weak and sleepy that she propped herself on Keenie so she wouldn't fall over.

"That is really weird," Keenie said. "Do you want to do that again? You've been in there for three hours."

"I don't know… I have this weird feeling about this place. That doctor gives off an odd vibe. She seems to know what she's talking about but… I don't know about…" Loona paused. Keenie too stopped to find her looking upwards. She saw what had her attention.

Down the street, they spotted angles going across a street corner, among them were Collin and Blossom. Flying side by side in deep conversation, carrying an ice cream cone. Although it was a little too far away to hear, Collin's expression beamed with happiness. They spotted them for a moment before other angles obstructed them.

"Then again…" Loona said, "Perhaps I should do it."

"Really?" Keenie blinked, "Are you sure?"

Nodding, she stared for a moment down the street where Collin was. "I guess it couldn't hurt to at least give it a try to see if it does anything… I really hope so."

"Okay, at least let me take you home first," Keenie said, spotting a bit of graffiti on a wall. A spray paint sketch of a white rabbit with a clock for an eye, pointing towards the clinic. "You could really use a nap."