Summary: Passionlip wanted to be a normal girl in love. Even with her large hands and the skills that cursed her into becoming an Innocent Monster in all but name, she still wanted it. But when looking past her newer, smaller, full-metal hands and into the teary brown eyes of the human she and her sisters called "Master," the definition of "normal" starts to waver.

Note: This is one of the hardest chapters I've ever taken unto myself to write, but I wanted to nonetheless as a Robin fan. Because if there's one detractor from his canonical characterization, it's his entire relationship with Passionlip that CCC covered.

So, here we go with my take on things. On Passionlip, Robin, and everything CCC gave. A take that's been a few years in the making, in fact, taking from Lip's first interlude and personal experiences I've had since graduating with my bachelor's in 2020, smack dab in the middle of COVID. Toxic coworkers, a constructive discharge in all but the ending, disrespectful former friends, triggers, and all. (Even wrote through my own mild triggers and uncomfy feelings to finish the chapter.)

Content warning for emotional hurt, discussion of implied past sexual assault and abuse, by the way.

The main theme for this is the song titled I'll Face Myself Reincarnation from Persona 4, since I found the tone fitting what I wanted to write. For a somber alternative, I'll point you to the song titled How to Save A Life by The Fray.

Otherwise, please enjoy!

Day 55: Passion in the Wrong Direction

Lip knew she wasn't human. It took fighting that other real human — Hakuno — in the Moon Cell with their Servant in the Sakura Labyrinth so long ago, and what had happened recently in that alternate world of Seraphix to make her believe it.

Had it not been for Mother — had I been born a human without these skills, I would be—

Lip withheld the urge to sigh, leaning back on her hands while ignoring the urge to stare down at her fingers — no, claws. Master's room was cozy and warm — far better than anything BB could offer back in the Moon Cell or SERAPH. But without Vy sitting in there with her, it was still somewhat lonely. Better than being trapped somewhere just to follow Mother's orders to the bitter end, mind. Not to mention Vy had actually given her metal, human hands that could let her pretend to be a human girl, at least for a little while when there were no battles to fight.

Nonetheless, she tilted her head up towards the ceiling, taking in each line etched into the tile there. "Am I… Am I being helpful to Master? Even with everyone else taking up her magical energy?" The mere thought of those other "Servants" had Lip tempted to pout. Why did they have to rely on a seniority system anyway? Weren't she and Melt and Protea enough? They were the Alter Egos, not the others. Sure, there was that one Alter calling herself "Maijin-san," the weird mechanical doppelganger to Elizabeth Bathory named "Mecha Eli" like a pompous freakshow, and the weird and mysterious ice girl who wanted to be known as "Sitonai" and not "Illya" to everyone outside of Master and her little Emiya-related family, but Lip and her sisters were still the originals. They were the first Alter Egos, not the others.

So why?

Why did the other Servants have to exist? Why did they have to come before Lip did? Why did they have more access to Vy's magical energy? And…

Lip bit the inside of her cheek, ignoring the taste of iron rising up at the back of her throat. "…Out of all the Archers she could've chosen, why did Master have to Grail Robin-san? What does she see in him?"

With Vy out of the room doing who knows what, there was no answer. Lip wasn't even sure if she'd like the answer, thanks to how much she could remember of the Moon Cell, or how much the spanking hurt back then. Why? Just, why? What did Vy see in Robin that Lip couldn't?

"Lip."

Lip stood up to attention at the sound of her name being tinged by seriousness from her sister's voice, and she raised her head to meet cold blue eyes. Thankfully Meltryllis hadn't changed even with Grails augmenting her data, the small spark of concern shining behind her pompous exterior still present in her gaze as she flipped some of her long purple hair back. "Quit sulking in that corner there. We have to go."

"G-Go?" Lip curses herself for how meek her voice sounds, even after all the time she's known the Alter Ego of Pleasure as family. "Where?"

"To the simulator. With Master, for training." Meltryllis tilted her head at Lip, a teasing smirk curling the ends of her lips as she added in a haughtier voice, "Unless you don't want to go and instead just sit in a corner there to wait for her?"

Lip doesn't even deny the hope flooding her voice as she stands up onto her feet, claws dragging awkwardly (and loudly) behind her. "I WANT TO GO!"

"Senpai really needs to improve her security protocols — even with XX and Beni-Enma on my heels, they can falter too." BB hums as she types against the many keys of the keyboard display in front of her, loading data into the blank disc she found at the (amazingly conveniently empty) workstation in the Central Control Room. It felt nice, being free and not being watched for once. All it took was just the single second those two Servants took in switching shifts and BB could wave her baton again! It was great. "Now then, for Senpai's sake…" BB pressed more keys. "One battle simulation coming right up, so it's time to load up some enemies for Senpai~!"

The computer beeped in response to the input commands, a flurry of images flying past BB's eyes as she scanned the information. "Demonic Beasts — that's boring; dragons — somewhat better, but still dull; what about—" Her cursor paused.

BEAST III/R stood out in dark red letters on the newly made screen, the darkened silhouette hiding that nun from view barely helping the dread that started to pool in the back of BB's throat as her memory banks automatically pulled up what had happened in that pleasure-controlled Seraphix oil rig. She thought she wiped Vy's memories of the whole ordeal once SERAPH disappeared— but if the occasional nightmare and that accursed Matcha's overprotectiveness was any indication, Vy hadn't forgotten. She still vividly remembered everything. And pulling up an enemy like her on Vy would be the worst thing to do, even for a devilishly good kouhai like herself. The roots of her Nurse AI programming screamed at her for even starting to input the original commands, her fingers already consciously trying to backtrack against the keyboard as an uncharacteristic frown covered her face. "No way, no way, I can't let that bitch out again. It's not good for a kouhai to intentionally traumatize her senpai, even a devilishly good one like me…" It thankfully didn't take much time for BB to gather up the buggy mess she started into a folder on the displayed screen, her fingers typing faster. "Beast… III/R — gotta delete this, gotta delete this… Just why did Master have to restrict my BB Channel? It would've made this process so much faster—"

"What is this I'm hearing about something being 'faster'? Because all I see is a bad AI out of her corner in observation." The disturbingly serene voice over her shoulder had BB scream before she could put in the final "R" key, and the tough hand suddenly clamping down onto one side of her waist proved it was neither XX nor Beni-Enma behind her as magical energy swirled up into the air. "To think the job XX asked me to take on would come in handy now…"

"O-Oh dear…" BB gulped. "S-Saint Martha, this lovely kouhai can explain, I'm not doing anything malicious this time, I'm trying to fix it for once…"

The grip on BB's waist merely tightened, and BB could feel the beginnings of sweat trail down to her brows from her hairline. The hand on her waist had metal gauntlets. With an equally bare, muscular forearm accompanying it — oh god, this wasn't Rider Martha. This was— "Do you think I would trust anything you would say?" The quiet voice coming from the Ruler's lips was all foreboding. "Because I'm still going to punch you for being out here without permission. Whether Vy approves it or not."

"I knew it, but didn't want to assume—" BB couldn't help but cut herself off with another scream once a fist made contact with her stomach. Why, oh why did her luck have to let her encounter Ruler Martha? Takedowns weren't fun! They hurt! "OW!"

The last "R" key was left forgotten once BB felt her vision swim in the face of Martha's disapproving fistcuffs. "Now back to your room with you, BB! XX and Beni-Enma want to have a long talk with you after what you've done!"

Great.

It didn't take long for another person to occupy the terminal. Director Goredolf wiped away the leftover grease from his morning bacon sticking onto his mustache via a handkerchief as he glanced over the computer in front of him. "Hm," he muttered, gaze catching on the disk left in the terminal before the keyboard. "Beast III?" Almost automatically, he felt a shiver climb up his spine when reading the name aloud, remembering those Japanese tatami mats and the white-haired god that seduced him, and he shook his head. "As much as I don't like what happened, it wouldn't be good for a Director of Chaldea to keep being scared."

Despite the nagging feeling in the back of his mind, he still pushed the disk back into the computer's hard drive, putting on a confident smile as it loaded the folder that popped up on the hologram display.

"Perhaps it will be good training for Vy as well. She'll have to thank me later!"

"Wh-Why—" Passionlip was doing her best to breathe, backing away while keeping her claws in front of her face. It didn't help much when seeing that green cloak at Vy's side. Why did her past self think that cloak would have made a good ribbon for her hair? It was so dirty, and the man underneath wasn't much better. He was just the worst man possible, and he was still there, standing next to Master like the corrupting shitstain he was. "Why is Robin-san here?! I'm really, really bad with him, Master, just from a physical standpoint! So why—?!"

"Lip, I…" Vy trailed off into unsure silence. And to Robin's credit, he had his hood up, hiding his eyes away as he stood like a knight in shining armor at Vy's side, the only sign he was bothered being his arms tightly crossed over his chest. (And did Lip hear him mutter under his breath, "Are you done with your hissy fit yet?" Lip wasn't sure.) Vy's gaze merely darted between him and Lip both, a look caught between fear and uncertainty sitting on her face as one hand came up to cling to the nearest edge of Robin's cloak she could reach. Had Lip tried that kind of thing back in the Moon Cell, she would've been yelled at. Maybe spanked too, considering her strength with her claws. But Vy — Vy was holding onto Robin's cloak and Robin wasn't complaining.

What was their deal?

"I asked him to be here, Lip, not Vy," Meltryllis says in the same calm voice as before, and turning on her heels revealed her sister crossing her arms in the same way Robin was past her sleeves, the look in her blue eyes quiet but foreboding. "Even if he's just a 'useless Matcha' to Mother, that doesn't mean he has to be that way for you or me. Besides, I already got used to him, and he's… decent enough, Grails or not." Meltryllis then tossed a sleeve-covered arm his way, muttering something like "darn lovebirds" while rolling her eyes once Robin twitched slightly through his cloak. "Plus if you're going to keep working with Master, you're gonna have to be aware that he comes with the packaged deal."

"Why, though?" Lip was still tempted to cry. "Why, Melt? He's just a useless—"

"Mu-mu-mu, Lip, don't finish that!" A paw was coming into Lip's face before Lip could articulate more, and Lip felt her breathing slowly even out once she could make out a fox tail and familiar ginger-tipped ears. "I personally know how uncomfy it can be having a fox you don't trust in the room—" Tamamo Cat proceeded to ignore Robin's deadpan "Hey" in favor of raising her paw to pat Lip's head. "—But this cat can tell you the fox won't be coming close to you! He's too busy looking after Vy in the backline with Mashie anyways, woof!" Cat, in her maid outfit and black dress, merely grinned to show bright white fangs as she raised both paws in the air to cheer. "Besides, Myaster assigned me to be with you and Melt in the frontlines for this simulation! So don't worry, Lip, woof! This cat'll take good care of you!"

"I-If you're sure…" Curious, Lip looked past her fear and Cat's comforting presence to peek at the May King, and to her surprise, he wasn't even looking at her anymore, taking the care to keep the hood of his cloak on so she couldn't see his face and focusing his gaze on Vy and Mash nearby instead. Sure, it also meant she couldn't read what he was saying, but judging by how he took Vy's cloak-clinging hand into his to squeeze, there was something lying there that didn't promise trouble.

At least, that's how it looked for now.

"Now then, with that out of the way," Meltryllis flipped her hair back, giving Lip a grin that eased her nerves, "let's get this simulation started, shall we? I need to stretch my legs after walking around in those metal ones back at the base." With an overexaggerated stretch of her arms and legs past her white dress that Final Ascension had provided, Meltryllis glanced towards the control panel connecting the simulator room to whatever programs were set up. In a louder yet gentler voice Lip had never heard before (except from that SERAPH version of her sister), Melt then added, "Whenever you're ready, Albrecht."

"A-Alright, Melt-san." Vy finally smiled once Meltryllis addressed her, slowly letting go of Robin's hand after regaining some apparent confidence through the touch to approach the control panel in question. "One simulation battle, then?"

"Just one," Melt agreed. "For me and Lip."

"Aye." Once Vy pressed the glowing blue "START" button, Lip thought in hindsight she should've really probed her sister more on what that request meant for them. When looking back, it was just asking for more trouble to happen.

Lip was expecting one of Meltryllis' usual sadistic pranks. Maybe a splash of water, or a bad Digital Beast that went all buggy.

Not that nun standing across from them like nothing bad had ever happened while Vy froze at seeing her. It was weird enough for Melt to lose her usual smile, an uncharacteristic frown covering her pretty features instead as she cursed. It was even weirder to hear her voice it in a tone conveying something beyond hate that she only knew previously from their shared displeasure towards Mother. "What the hell—" Lip could hear her sister growl from behind her sleeve, her cold blue eyes focused on the new yet familiar enemy standing in front of them. "Why is that bitch here—"

"I-I thought she was already dealt with, woof!" Cat had lost her trademark fanged smirk too, her tail and ear fur standing up on end. "Back in the summer camp event with all those ghost stories that were too cheesy to write about!"

All the former Beast did was smile. "Perhaps," she said softly, a hand covering her mouth all the while. "But memories do not disappear that easily, even from wild beasts who claim to call themselves 'human.' And there has to be a reason you all are here in the end, no?"

Something was wrong. Vy wasn't saying anything.

Why wasn't Vy saying anything?

"Are you all going to try and 'bring me to justice'? Because you see me as evil? Can you really do such things?" Despite the taunts, Lip knew logically from looking at the enemy in front of them that it was still a simulation. No matter how syrupy sweet she sounded, how elegant she seemed to proposition herself, the enemy in front of them wasn't the real Sessyoin Kiara. So then why wasn't Vy saying anything?

Where were the battle commands? What was going on?

Lip could vaguely hear Mash and Robin murmuring something in the backline, as if trying to reach out to Vy herself, but Vy was still eerily silent.

"I can still save you all. Take you into me." The fake Kiara opened her arms in their shared direction, smiling like nothing was wrong. "You want to end it all here, don't you?"

Something trembled in the air in response to Kiara's questioning, the faint whiff of mana starting to waft up Lip's nostrils along with it, and then Lip could hear it.

Lip, Melt, Cat. The thought echoed in Lip's mind almost immediately, like lightning in a bottle with how solemn it was. Use your Noble Phantasms. Now.

Something was definitely wrong now. Even without her Alter Ego status and seeing the dark look on Melt's face, Lip knew it. Master? Lip tried. Are you okay?

Vy didn't respond.

"Well? Have nothing to say?" Kiara smiled again, and Lip blinked.

…Just do it. Unleash them at your full power. Robin and Mash will support you. Vy said without hesitation. There was barely a moment to pause. And, did — was it just her, or did Lip hear Vy's mental voice crack? Please.

Three flashes of red shone from the backline, and Lip felt the adrenaline rush to her head before her claws could register it. Command Seals. One stroke for each Servant in the front line of the party. The mana surging through her was enough to make her woozy if not for the glowing of her claws in the corners of her vision, and Lip bent her knees in time with Cat letting out a loud war cry.

I don't get it, but I'll trust you, Master.

Kiara tried to lunge once, only for Mash to jump forward first with a loud scream of, "Mold Camelot!" The Beast then staggered thanks to faceplanting head-first into the generated wall, stumbling backwards on her heels with a pained moan once a red bolt soared through the air and planted itself in her side.

Now!

Melt soared in time with Vy's mental call. "Sarasvati Meltout!"

Cat cartwheeled into the ring of battle soon after, yowling. "Time for napping in the dazzling sunshine and feasting!"

And Lip? All she did was jump up and lunge forward, arms outstretched. "Brynhild Romantia!"

The nun didn't know what hit her.

"What the fuck was that?!" Meltryllis was angrily tapping her heels against the floor once Novum Chaldea came back into existence, her pretty face scrunched up with sheer unbridled rage. Even her loose crossing of her arms over her middle didn't seem to relieve her as she went on with a louder, "I planned for killing some zombies, not that Beast!"

"Mroof, my paws still stink of her muck!" Cat stuck out her tongue while raising both arms for extra emphasis, waving them up and down in the air to try getting out whatever was caught between her claws. "I'd rather take zombie guts over that perverted nun, mroof!"

Lip felt her jaw drop. "Th-This wasn't your plan, Melt?"

"NO!" Her sister answered hotly, flabbergasted. "Why would it be, Lip?! Even my sadism has its limits when it comes to our Albrecht!"

"Beast III/R," Mash input quietly while cutting off Melt's incoming tirade, her Ortinax goggles sitting awkwardly on top of her hair as she typed commands into the nearby keyboard. "The other half to Beast III/L that we all saw in Ooku. We…" her lavender eyes widened. "We shouldn't have this kind of battle data in the simulator. How did it get here?"

"The only ones who should've known about her are the other Alter Egos, the Grailed, and…" Melt trailed off. "Mother."

"BB…?" Mash was typing faster now, panic showing on her features. "She was supposed to be in observed confinement after what happened in Luluhawa! How could—" A hologram proceeded to suddenly pop up from the computer terminal, exposing the AI in question just in time for Mash to scream, "BB, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"I didn't do anything for once, Mash, honest!" BB coughed once a blue tipped spear came into the picture to lightly bonk her head, going on with a higher pitched voice of, "Yes, I did have a hand in making the original program, but I was trying to stop it before it could be implemented into the simulator! I may be a devilishly good kouhai, but it's not like I wanted to bring her back for the shits and giggles! We all know that! Someone else installed it after I was taken back, that's what happened!" With one last huff for extra emphasis, BB shrunk back from the gazes pointed at her. "I swear…"

Mash made a face just as Robin rested his palm against his forehead.

"So it was partially Mother's fault again, even if she didn't finish the installation…" Lip mumbled. For some reason, confidence was filling her voice. "But then why didn't anyone check?"

"Mu-mu-mu…" There was a paw raised into the air again. "What are you getting at, Lip?" Cat said softly.

Lip felt her teeth grind together. "When we all hate that Beast, why did no one check that it was her data we would be fighting before starting the simulator?" Frustration was starting to nip at the corners of her mind. "Chaldea was supposed to be better than this. Why weren't there any regulations to stop something like this from happening?"

Melt was uncrossing her arms, blue eyes going wide. "Lip—"

For some reason, Lip felt her mouth move like no tomorrow. Like whatever was bubbling up in her heart had to get out. "What's the point of all this, anyway?!" She stomped one foot against the floor, hearing her anger through her own voice and the roughness of her heel hitting the tile beneath her claws. "That wasn't training, Melt! That was just a one-sided battle where I had to use my claws again! That wasn't the point of being with Master! That wasn't helping her, that was just following her orders like we were just pieces on a gameboard!"

No one but Robin seemed to notice Vy inhaling sharply at the accusations. Had Lip turned around and honed her ears, maybe she might've.

"'Use your Noble Phantasms'? Was that really all I was going to get?!" Lip wasn't even sure if she was screaming. She was just… talking. Venting. With no end in sight. "Then what was the point of training? What was the point of using the simulator when it ended up being the same Trash and Crush process I've been doing since I was created?!"

Mash was weakly raising a hand in Lip's direction, the hologram display of Mother disappearing along with it. "P-Passionlip, I think you should stop there—"

"No way, Mash! Even if I could fight at my full power thanks to Vy's Command Seals, there's no point if it's against an enemy we already beat!" Lip could do nothing but keep going because her heart already ached at seeing the golden glow of Grails around her sister and not herself. Mash didn't matter. "Why did you even invite me, Melt?! Were you just trying to make fun of me like Mother always does?!"

All her sister did was raise a white sleeve in her direction with an odd face. "Lip, no, you have to—"

"No, Melt! Not this time!" Lip's mouth still moved against her will anyways, making words that she originally kept to herself come out in bursts of frustration and discontent. "Why did Vy have to Grail Robin-san and you in the end instead of me?! What am I doing wrong?!"

"Lip—" Melt's voice was taking on a dangerous edge, but Lip found herself not caring.

No more. I've had enough.

Lip shut her eyes and shouted. "I hate it! The seniority system, the Grail favoritism, all of it! Nothing's changed! At this rate, Melt, I don't know what's worse — being with Master or being with Mother!"

"PASSIONLIP, STOP!"

It took Lip a moment too long to realize Melt — her sister — was screaming at her from the top of her lungs for the first time ever in their shared lives as AIs. Using her full name too. The horror at what left her mouth hit her only a second later, because opening her eyes and meeting her sister's own shocked blue ones — which were pointed in a completely different direction, mind — painted a frightening picture.

Lip gulped. Every single fiber of her being — data, Goddess fragments, and all — didn't want to look. At where Melt's attention was focused on, at who was still standing behind her, but her head turned against her will anyways.

"...Myaster?" Cat whispered in the resulting silence.

A single, lone tear slid down Vy's cheek just as Passionlip met her gaze, her mouth hanging open in a quiet "o" as her hands clasped at the ribbon of her Mages' Association uniform. She blinked once, twice, then thrice — lashes coming out wetter with each blink to even streak the lenses of her glasses. "I… huh?" Vy raised shaky fingers from her Command-Seal-lacking left hand to her face, touching the second tear that started to fall down with shock. "When did I—" A sniffle echoed in the room, promptly cutting her off as a third tear streaks her cheek.

"S-Senpai?" Mash said softly, just as Robin tensed at Vy's side, his hood slowly falling back from whatever daze he found himself in, revealing his befuddled expression.

"I…" Vy ducked her head, a noise caught between a forced giggle and a whimper leaving her throat. "I'm sorry," is then mixed in with a sudden cough. Vy shakes her head afterwards, her voice cracking as she repeats, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'msorry."

Lip didn't need BB's programming to know what happened. "Vy, I—"

I didn't mean it, I didn't mean to make you out to be like a devil like Mother is—

The Chaldean Master is too far away for even Lip's legs to reach (forget her claws at this point), because all the Alter Ego can hear before moving is a barely hidden sob as Vy takes off her glasses and swipes at her face with her sleeves. She even ducks out of everyone's reach with a hasty, "Needtogo, can'tstayhere, everyone'sdismissed—"

Lip doesn't even get the chance to raise an arm in Vy's direction once the human darts away from everyone around her, more tears falling to the floor in her running path to the door. The sliding mechanism closes her away from the world with a loud whoosh not even a microsecond later.

"Master!"

It's Cat that stops Lip from moving any further. An outstretched paw, claws not even out in front of Lip's chest as the Berserker shakes her head. "No, Lip. Don't follow her."

Lip wasn't even sure if she was crying. All she knew was that her programming was roaring in her ears, her senses (even through her claws) running into overdrive. She still screamed, "Why, Cat?" in part frustration, part rage at her friend. Cat being her tutor in cooking didn't matter in the end when Lip still hurt Vy. It didn't help that she could see Robin sharing a glance with Melt for a single second (again, something her sister had that she didn't) before he darted out the same door Vy ran through, unabated by any commands. Knowing him, he was definitely leaving to follow their upset Master in Lip's place. "Master is—"

"I know, woof," Cat says in the same solemn voice, her gaze following the fluttering of the No Face May King as it concealed Robin's back just before the door closed behind him too with another whoosh. "I know. And it's because Master is crying that you can't follow her right now, mroof."

"Cat…!"

"Think about it, Lip." The Berserker still shook her head once Lip was pointing a pout her way. "If your skin is so sensitive to everything around you, how do you think Myaster feels being compared to one of her worst enemies when she just got out of seeing another one by accident? When she's been just as much of a victim as you if not more, thanks to her soft pillow-like heart?" With a light click of her tongue, Cat made a tiny, grieving keening noise under her breath. "Mroof… I hate to say it, but I have to: do you think going after her will help after all that, Lip? Do you think she would want to see you?"

Lip found nothing leaving her mouth at that remark, her jaw loosening from its hinges on her face.

"Senpai—!" Mash drops her Ortinax shield almost immediately from her part of the room, looking ready to run after Robin and Vy both a few seconds later if not for a white sleeve appearing in front of her too. "M-Meltryllis-san?! What are you—"

"Mash, call Chiron," Melt says with no emotion in her voice, shaking her head as the Shielder's gaze darts between her and Lip. "Schedule a therapy session. Get that casanova of a red Archer too, tell him to cook up some pho or even gumbo. Vy's gonna need them both more later on." With a tiny sigh, she puts both sleeves against her hips, tapping one stiletto heel against the floor as she walks past Mash to lower her head. "Besides, you and I both know that green 'Matcha' of an Archer can take care of Vy for now."

"A-Alright." Mash gulps, turning back to the terminal she previously abandoned to pull up another holographic screen and start inputting commands. "I'll call both Da Vincis too. Let Director Goredolf know Master will not be available today." Her features hardened as soon as her cursor lingered over the previous simulator data, quickly finding the name of the operator who installed it through the resulting pop-up window without a resting beat in between. "…I may have to talk to the Director myself in a little while. With Holmes' help."

"Good," Melt said softly. Lip could see how her sister wasn't meeting her gaze, pointedly keeping her head turned Mash's way while walking. "That should be enough."

Melt…

Lip found herself frozen when Melt walked by her too and didn't even glance her way. "If anyone needs me, I'm going to the Grail Lounge," she muttered, her sleeves hanging limp at her sides as she approached the exit that Robin and Vy had gone through. "This was a horrible simulator trip and I need to stretch my other legs."

"Melt, I—"

"Save it, Passionlip. I don't want to hear your excuses right now."

Lip flinched back once her sister finally faced the door, barely noticing how Cat lowered her paw. All she heard was Melt not using her nickname. Her own flesh and blood was using her full name again, not her nickname. "Melt…"

"Quit it. Don't make that sad pitiful face unless it's in front of Albrecht from here on out." Meltryllis' voice was cold, making Lip remember the Moon Cell and the Sakura Labyrinth for just a moment with her forced tone. The door opened once Melt raised a sleeve over where the doorknob would've been if not for the sliding mechanism, giving Lip a brief curt nod of her head when walking through. "Even if part of your frustrations were with me, I'm not the one who deserves an apology right now."

Once the door closed behind her sister with the same solemn whoosh noise, Lip felt the massive urge to scream. Not even the supportive fuzzy paw from Cat on her back helped keep back the regret starting to surge through her veins.

I'm sorry, Melt. I'm so, so sorry.

By the time Lip got the "okay" from Cat to move around, she didn't have the heart to go back to her personal room. It didn't feel right anymore, going in there and seeing the metal prosthetics that Vy made for her to be human. There was so much care, so much consideration put into every nut and bolt of those arms. She could still remember the bright smile Vy had on the day she presented them with the two Da Vincis, pink ribbon wrapping and all.

What Lip did earlier was say they all meant nothing in the face of a Holy Grail. After making a mess like that, she deserved nothing more than walking around with her claws out like the monster she was born as. Because how could she even have said that? Compared Vy — a Master who had been nothing but kind to even give a monster like her human limbs — to someone like Mother?

It didn't even occur to her that in her sulking, her heels had led her to the outside of the Grail Lounge, the handmade sign with its colorful letters standing out like a sore thumb against the white door keeping the other Servants without Grails out. Servants like Lip out. Lip knew from looking up at it that if she knocked, someone might answer. But with her claws, she could easily tear it up instead.

Before this whole mess with the green-eyed monster of jealousy started, Lip saw the door as an obstacle to what she wanted — a barrier she desperately wanted to crush and dispose of in her cleavage. But now, seeing the colorful letters spelling out "Grail Lounge" and knowing her sister's presence most likely lurked behind it, she knew she couldn't. Lip didn't want to crush it anymore. Not when it meant hurting her sister.

Not when it meant hurting Vy again.

It takes all her strength not to flinch when her ears inevitably pick up the sound of stifled sobs coming close, using Presence Concealment to hide herself away at the nearest hallway corner instead once her eyes catch a glimpse of green.

Robin-san. He's still—

Even without his signature hood and cloak, his ginger hair and green clothes were dead ringers from his almost constant place at Vy's side, an arm situated around her shoulders to keep her close to him while his other hand took up one of the Master's own to squeeze. Achilles and Arturia — one of the heroes of the Trojan War and the King of Knights — took up spots at Vy's other side, hands outstretched to either wipe at the tear trails sticking to Vy's cheeks or pat her head through the No Face May King situated on top of her hair.

"We're almost at the Grail Lounge, Princess," Lip could hear Achilles murmur softly, his yellow eyes flashing with concern and sympathy as his pointer finger caught the next tear that seemed close to falling from her red-rimmed eyes. "Want me to put on a movie? We still have Spirited Away. Pacific Rim too."

"Or perhaps a TV show you liked from your childhood, Princess?" Arturia offers too, reaching over after a few more headpats to take Vy's free hand to squeeze after sharing a look with Robin. "Perhaps the Teen Titans you showed us before? Or even Avatar the Last Airbender?"

"I-I mean," Vy coughs (was it to hold back a wail? Or another sob?), leaning into Robin's side more as tears continue to fall from her glasses-free eyes. Even with the No Face May King covering her head and shrouding her tiny body from the rest of the world, she still looks so pitiful walking — no, stumbling — between the golden glows of her first three Grailed Servants. It's enough to make Lip want to cry. "I-I don't know." With another sob, she closes her eyes and ducks her head into the collar of the Noble Phantasm draped around her, squeezing Robin and Arturia's hands like lifelines. Whether she notices Lip's gaze or the concerned glances the three Grailed Servants share over her head, it wasn't clear. "A-After seeing th-that nun again and hearing what, what Lip said, I don't know what to do. N-Not now, not anymore, notanymore."

…I did this. Lip withheld her breath in mortification, squeezing her eyes shut. I'm the one who made Master cry.

"And that's okay," Robin murmurs softly, unbeknownst to Lip's self-loathing. Lip can do nothing but watch in shock as he leans over to press a soft kiss to the top of Vy's head through his Noble Phantasm. "You don't have to push yourself, little sparrow. Let's just get you inside the Lounge, warm you up with some more blankets, then we can do whatever you feel like doing." Sharing another look with Arturia and Achilles, he then finishes with a quiet, "Eat some popcorn, drink some hot cocoa, maybe nap a little together like when you had those bad dreams about zombies that one night."

Vy sniffles, a noise caught between another cough and a whimper leaving her throat once she eventually gets the strength to raise her head, glancing between her "Big Three" with wide, red-rimmed brown eyes. "It's not…" She sniffles again, more tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "It's not a bother?"

"Of course not. Perish the thought from your mind, Vy." Arturia says at the same time Achilles and Robin shake their heads. "You've been hurt, Princess," she reinforces in a sterner voice, booking no argument to the contrary while squeezing Vy's hand once more. "And we want to be here for you."

"We want to help," Achilles adds, leaning over to press a hand to the top of Vy's head in another headpat. "Just like back in the original Chaldea and in the simulator with those Crypters you chose to fight." Vy let out an embarrassed, wounded noise for some reason in response, something that no one but Passionlip seemed to mind as Achilles hummed. "Can't get rid of us that easily, Princess."

"It's no mistake that we all love you, Vy," Robin finishes for his other Grailed companions, squeezing Vy's shoulders in what Lip could only call true love as he kept her nestled in his side. "So let us help."

Vy shudders underneath all the arms holding her together nonetheless, a fresh set of tears starting to roll down her cheeks as she closes her eyes and takes a shaky breath. "O-Okay," she relents after a few moments of silence, nearly tripping over her own shoes before Robin tugs her close again for another side-hug. A face caught between a relieved smile and a pained frown surfaces on her features, matching her weaker, "Okay…"

Lip feels her heart skip a beat once her eyes follow Robin's features lighting up at Vy's reply, the green Archer being quick to tug at the one hand of Vy's he had in his grip to press a thankful kiss to her knuckles. Not even the faked-rolled eyes from his fellow Grailed threw him off, because Vy still flushed a pretty pink to match the gesture.

Compared to his time under Mother, Robin seemed to be softer. Happier.

No wonder Vy loves Robin-san. The thought still hurt, but she could understand it now. Somewhat. With the way he's been acting, he's been her hero and is still being that way. Just for her.

It was enough to make Lip want to hate herself more.

It didn't prepare her for Robin's gaze suddenly locking with hers just as the ragtag group he formed with his fellow "Big Three" comrades and his little sparrow reached the Grail Lounge entrance. Lip was frozen as Robin went on to suddenly excuse himself from the posse (the excuse of "getting the popcorn" apparently not stopping him from taking an extra moment to reassuringly kiss Vy's forehead when she inevitably reached out for him), walking in the opposite direction of the Dining Hall once Arturia and Achilles carefully ushered Vy away from the hallway.

Robin was — Robin was walking towards Lip instead.

Fear — sheer, unadulterated fear — started to course through her veins. How did he see her? How was he getting closer to her? She should've been using Presence Concealment, she was keeping a careful eye on her claws—

Lip couldn't even open her mouth when he inevitably approached, close enough to be standing a few feet away in front of her. His crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow at her all the while seemed practiced. Rehearsed. "So," he started, a frown on his lips. "What crossed your mind to come here, Lip?"

I can't move.

All Lip could do in her fear was duck her head and avoid the green eye staring her down. "…I can see why Master loves you," she answered instead, dodging the question as she shuffled back and forth on her heels. "And why she Grailed you and Melt instead of me."

"Uh-huh," Robin said flatly, his tone all but announcing in bright neon lights he was unimpressed.

"But…" Lip shut her eyes and then blurted out the first thing that came up in her mind. "Just because I understand it doesn't mean I've forgiven you for how you treated me in the Sakura Labyrinth!"

No, that wasn't what she meant to say, she wanted to get help in apologizing to Vy—

"I wasn't asking you to forgive me."

The sentence is enough to make Lip raise her head, and all she can see is Robin rubbing at the back of his head with one hand, huffing like he wanted to be everywhere but here, talking with her. "…Huh?" leaves Lip in a hurry, her claws scraping against the hallway tile beneath her feet as she stumbles back. "What do you—?"

"Look." Robin put one hand on his hip, leveling Lip with a look that betrayed nothing. "You and I both know we can't change what happened in the Moon Cell, Lip. That's in the past, and we're not there anymore." Taking a moment to close his eye and pinch the bridge of his nose, Robin shook his head, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling. "What matters now, Lip, is that we're both under the same Master and how she's not BB."

Lip couldn't hide the instinctive shiver running up her spine. "I-I know that, I do, but—"

"But you still, unintentionally or not, accused her of being that way," Robin finished, cutting Lip off while leveling her with the same calculating look. "And I don't care if you badmouth me so long as we're not on a quest or the journey to save humanity. With everything I did back then, I might deserve it too. But it's different when it's with Vy."

All the saliva in the back of Lip's mouth dried up in less than a second.

"You were already walking on a thin line when insulting me with Vy in clear earshot, Passionlip. Not to mention your own sister." The words were barely registering in Lip's brain when all she could make out was the finality behind them. How Robin — just like Melt — was using her full name. "And what you did today crossed it and broke it to shreds."

Lip couldn't even muster a protest from the back of her throat.

"All I can say now is that you don't have to forgive me for what I did in the Moon Cell." With one final shake of his head, Robin walked forward, pointedly shoving at Lip's shoulder to prove his point while passing by her to wherever else he was planning to go. The sparkle of silver on the middle finger of one of his hands seemed purposeful too. "But if you hurt my little sparrow like this again, I reserve the right not to forgive you either." With a pointed huff, he finished with a restrained, "She matters more in the end, so you better remember that from now on whenever you choose to open your mouth."

Something seized up in Lip's nose, and once she mustered the strength to turn around and see Robin's back facing her, her vision blurred. "I… I didn't mean it…"

Even from her blurry vantage point, Lip could see Robin's shoulders slump, just as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his leggings. "…I know. Why do you think Vy hasn't burned you yet like how she has Penthesilea and Columbus, Lip? Or even put you in the Second Archive?"

Lip sniffled, ignoring the urge to wipe at her face with her claws. "…Huh?"

"I'm not the one you're supposed to be telling these things to, Lip," Robin finishes, giving one more shake of his head while walking forward a few more steps, widening the distance between them. "There's a reason Vy made those metal arms for you. Don't prove her wrong again, or you'll give me more reason to keep her away from you after you hurt her."

"I…" The first tear slid down Lip's cheek as she backed away, turning on her heels to not face the May King anymore. "I… I'm sorry."

For what happened in the Moon Cell, for doubting things at Chaldea, for hurting the little sparrow you love. For hurting the Master I wish I could love.

Despite the groaning of her claws starting to drag behind her every step once she ran, Lip could've sworn she heard a choked up, "…Yeah. Me too."

A few days later, in the early morning, Lip waited at Vy's room. Not inside this time, though.

With her claws out in the open and her heels dragging behind her, Lip merely stood outside the door leading to Vy's room, staring up at the colored-pencil drawing of the poppy flower Mash left there, warning others to knock.

Even if I'm a monster—

Without hesitation, Lip used her head, hitting it against the white door and ignoring the pain in favor of letting the "knocks" that followed echo in her ears.

"I-I'm coming…" rang out past the door a few moments later, and Lip took a breath as the familiar warmth of mana ran through her veins. It didn't take long for a whoosh to grace her ears as the door disappeared in favor of exposing a Vy in wrinkled pink pajamas, her long brown hair halfway brushed and glasses missing from her face. It was thanks to Vy not wearing her glasses that Lip could see her brown eyes widen — enough to reflect Lip's image as she did her best to smile. "Lip?"

"H-Hi, Master. Could I come in?"

I can at least try to apologize and be a better Servant to her.