Summary: During the final battle against the Sut Typhon/Yog Sothoth-possessed Abby, things are said that can't be taken back. The Servants, even while fighting, reel from the revelations revealed because a bright Master wasn't supposed to have that dark of a shadow.

Note: Let it be said the final battle in Salem hit a lot of things for me personally back when I first played it. There was anger, and so, so much fury at Yog Sothoth, Raum, and Abby.

So with my dealing with doubting my first friend at my current workplace from her performance problems that are beyond my control to help (to the point of my boss getting HR involved and my being stuck at a desk that just isn't mine), this chapter finally came to be.

Spoiler warning for all of the Pseudo-Singularity IV: Salem arc, especially Section 8 and its ending. And also, content warning for a lot of cursing, "tough love", and graphic violence.

The theme for this mess is Don't be long by Nana Mizuki, the insert song used for Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: The Movie 1st. For alternatives — (1) Gurenge by LiSA from Demon Slayer; (2) Seirennaru Heretics, the original trailer music for Salem's announcement; and (3) Unbreakable by Fireflight.

Let's do this.

Day 77: Different Points

"That. Not Abigail." Nezha's voice had taken an undercurrent of fury when tightening their grip on their spear, brows furrowed against their forehead. Robin couldn't blame them for it, what with the massive lump of mana coagulating in front of them. Raum was dead, but— "That. Is a False God. We must. Take her out. To get Abigail back. Master."

Kneeling right at his side, Robin knew without turning his head that Vy was frowning. "…That goes without saying, Nezha. So then — let's set up the boss battle routine." The telltale glint of a metal staff extending itself into Vy's right hand had a glimmer of pride surface in Robin's tightening chest, but he couldn't linger on it for long. Not with Vy's normally sweet voice suddenly turning dark with her whispering, "Just like every other fucking shitstorm of a battle."

Hell, Robin didn't have to look behind him to know Mata Hari had heard Vy's cursing. The hastily concealed wave of concern flooding the mental bond connecting them to their little Master was barely any comfort.

"Miss Ringmaster Vy… no, Vy of Chaldea." The pale-faced Abigail Williams merely turned bright red eyes to the leader of their "troupe", sharp teeth glinting in a mocking smile past previously pink lips as the possessed girl looked at Vy and Vy alone. "I'm sure… you understand."

What?

"You also… wished for everyone in this world to be saved." The teeth in Abby's mouth could've easily been mistaken for that of a shark's maw as the eye on her forehead glowed. "Isn't that right? That's why… you were invited to Salem, after all."

Robin tried to breathe through the growing unease. Vy wasn't moving at his side. Her bo staff gifted from Da Vinci and the others back at Chaldea was extended outwards in her hand, but she wasn't moving.

Why wasn't Vy moving?

"You felt just as guilty — no, if not more than Sanson, Judge Hopkins, and Uncle Carter, right? Because you couldn't save everyone, you came here. Your guilt found solace here." Abby spread her arms out wide, the tentacles from the Outer God controlling her writhing in the air like — like Kiara's tendrils. From back in that cursed Seraphix oil rig, the smile on her face could've been a dead ringer for the former therapist that had fallen to temptation and cruelty thanks to Zepar's machinations. "The people of Earth missed their chance to be judged…" Abby laughed, the sound coming out almost like a witch's cackling. "Ever since, they have lived with souls unsaved… and that's a far greater sin than anything Sanson, Judge Hopkins, or Uncle Carter ever did… but it doesn't matter anymore. I'll pardon you myself, Miss Ringmaster…"

When did guilt even matter in this fucked-up Salem, Robin wanted to retort, but he knew he couldn't say it. Guilt was what took Sanson away. Not to mention the growing swirl of mana that was Abby's Outer God was just plain dense, the growing sensation of disgust and pain all the more enveloping of the air as Vy twitched at his side.

"Senpai…!" Mash whispered vehemently. "Senpai, you have to—"

The last thing anyone was expecting was for Vy to scoff quietly to herself. "…Pardon? Really? You think you, Abigail, can pardon me?" To both Robin's relief and growing dread, Vy slowly got up to her feet, her knuckles turning white against the silver metal of her extended bo staff as she raised her head and glared at Abby. "You selfish brat."

Nezha lurched back just as Mata Hari and Mash both gasped. All the saliva dried out from the back of Robin's mouth.

For the first time since the confrontation started — just like Kiara before her — Abigail paused, the tentacles of Yog Sothoth writhing around her hands and feet in clear uncertainty. "…What? What are you saying, Miss Ringmaster…? I could save you just like everyone else…" The staff in her tiny hands trembles to match the girlish hesitation starting to leak into her voice past the Outer God's control, her smile dropping from her face. "You've felt like you sinned too, didn't you?!"

"Don't talk to me about 'sins' until you've actually got to know me beyond a week, Abigail," Vy snaps, reaching for her skirt pockets just to pull out a boomerang and throw it at the possessed girl's head. When did Da Vinci give her that? "You don't know me enough to claim that I've 'sinned.' And with how little you've seen outside of your Salem, you don't know anything about me." Abby dodges thanks to the Outer God's influence, but even that doesn't let her react in time to Vy suddenly leaping up to smack her in the waist with one business end of her bo staff. The girl that was left within Yog Sothoth's grasp screamed as she flew through the abandoned courthouse air from the backlash, but Vy didn't even flinch once the tentacles tried to regain an edge in the fight by wiggling insistently around their host just to get Abby back up. All Vy — his little sparrow — does in response is stand up after landing neatly on one edge of a battered bench, seamlessly catching her boomerang flying back to her with one hand. The Magic Circuits of her arms and legs glow past her Standard Chaldean Mystic Code as she snarls, "And really. When you haven't fucked up your entire family like I have, you don't have any room to talk to me about 'pardoning' or 'saving' anyone when you can't even save yourself."

The blood in Robin's veins ran cold just as Mash, frozen, murmured a weak, "Senpai…!" The other Servants weren't moving either. The Queen of Sheba at least had an excuse in trying to keep up the Bounded Fields holding Yog Sothoth back from the outside world with Circe. But still — for one second, just one — he could've sworn Circe had turned a pale white past her staff and pink hair, her lips making out the first syllable of what looked like, "Ody—!", but she didn't matter.

What truly mattered was—

"…And personally speaking, I never really got around the idea of 'saving everyone' when it was hard enough saving me." Vy's voice comes out quiet to contrast her previous outburst, but still sounds cold compared to her usual sweetness as she twirls her staff with her left hand. Even with one Command Seal used up, the lotus petals on her knuckles glow an angry red as Vy raises her head to glare at Abby again. "Nor can I claim I truly liked every single person on the planet I call home to want to 'save' them. But that doesn't mean I want them to suffer in the name of 'salvation.' That kind of 'salvation' is ultimately fake, pointless, and self-serving for someone who can't recognize that sometimes in life, suffering just happens. So why the fuck are you trying to add to it with the powers of your new ugly God?"

Abby opened her mouth and closed it, blinking her red eyes rapidly enough to distort the beginnings of tears forming at the ends of her lashes. "…Does that mean…" she choked, the tentacles of her Outer God stilling for the first time. "Does that mean you're rejecting me too, Miss Ringmaster?"

"Don't put words in my mouth, I'm not done with you." Vy stops twirling her staff at that point, shaking her head. "And 'rejection' honestly depends. Are you just going along with Yog Sothoth's beliefs because you want to, Abigail?"

"He… he showed me that this Salem is worthless." But despite Abigail showing a hint of those shark-like teeth past her lips with another smile, hesitation hung onto her words. "Trying to be saved by pure worship and good deeds is all worthless. So if absolute suffering is the way to pardon everyone from their sins, then I will follow him."

Even in his growing shock, Robin knew Abby wasn't fully answering the question Vy posed. The air was becoming a mix of dense, foreign, and disgusting Outer God aura and the growing chill of Vy's familiar mana, obviously clashing with each other.

"…Then you are a selfish brat," Vy decided through it all, the concentrated darkness of her eyes past her glasses blotting out the starlight formerly in her brown irises, instead conveying no sympathy whatsoever. "Ignorant too. Going along with a bigger power because life gave you a bad hand, just to decide how everyone else lives? Because your God is apparently 'right' in making everyone suffer their worst nightmares for all eternity?" Pushing a stray strand of hair out of her face and into her messy ponytail, Vy tossed her boomerang Abigail's way again, making the girl yelp in her subsequent attempt to dodge it. "You brat. You don't know anything and are just forcing it onto the rest of the world in a goddamn temper tantrum. That's not how life works."

"Then—!" Abigail could've been crying if not for how distorted her voice grew from her Outer God taking control, tentacles angrily thrusting outwards towards Vy. "What was I supposed to do?! I had no choice but to become a bad girl! No one else would see my sins! So how are you surviving your own sins, Miss Ringmaster?!"

"Simple, really! We always had a choice in surviving, you just never believed in it because you were being surrounded by lies from the dead—!" Compared to Abigail's jerky movements, Vy is nimble on her feet — from Caster Cu, Diarmuid, everyone back home — leaping back and forth and far out from the reach of the Outer God-possessed girl in favor of scowling and catching her boomerang. It's almost coincidental (maybe even purposeful) that Vy eventually lands back in the center of the Chaldean side of the courthouse to narrowly stash her boomerang away and scream, "And in my case, I absolutely hate me, so I chose to live to make sure no one else turns out like me!"

The blood was unfreezing itself in Robin's veins just as Mash gaped wordlessly, a shocked "Senpai," on her lips but not coming out to be voiced. Nezha and Mata Hari were starting to move, slowly taking arms flanking their Master despite the shared horror flooding the bond connecting them all to Vy, and a faint taste of iron was invading the back of Robin's tongue from his throat.

This is just like what happened in SERAPH.

From the sheer determination, the self-hatred, the anger, the ironic beauty—

Robin grit his teeth past the growing aftertaste of blood in his mouth and took a step forward.

Not this time.

"You… you hate yourself, Miss Ringmaster? How could you…" Abigail was still disoriented from the two lucky hits Vy's boomerang had dealt to her head past her large witch hat, glaring at their whole troupe with tears in all three of her red eyes, but she didn't matter. Not now. Not ever. Even with the growing mass of tentacles and mana making her a threat to the world.

Instead—

I'm not going to be just standing to the side this time.

I'm not just going to let you cry alone again.

"…I just do. Always have. But there's a difference between hating myself and hating the world, Abigail." Vy's voice is caught between being curt and being disgusted, but the determination and hope that originally brought them all together was still there despite its fading presence. Its rapidly fading presence. "And if I have to choose between them, I'd rather go for m—!"

With a heavy breath of both foreboding and regret, Robin reached out with one hand and gently bonked the top of Vy's head.

I'm not going to let you kill yourself too.

Not like Charles.

"…La Mort Espoir." The bonking wasn't anything like Sanson's original Noble Phantasm — hell, Robin knew his saying it only really invoked the dead executioner's memory. Nothing more, nothing less. It was just a sentence in the end — no guillotine of hope in sight. But saying it was enough to make Vy stop and look at him — just him — the darkness in those big brown eyes fading to be replaced by his own reflection.

In any other situation, his reflection made for a painfully pathetic image. But to her—

I never thought I looked like a hero until now.

Until I met you.

"Big… Big Robin?" Vy whispered softly, the faintest glimmers of starlight beginning to shine in her irises again past her glasses.

"Don't lose yourself to all the rage, little sparrow." And even with the Yew Bow starting to materialize on his right forearm, Robin forces as much confidence into his next smile as he lowered his hand to gently squeeze her shoulder. "Hate or not, you're not alone in dealing with all this. Got that?"

Even if I might be forced to leave you someday, I'm not leaving you now.

I won't ever leave you.

To his sheer relief, even with Abby glowering at them from afar, Vy slowly smiles back at him, the stars from their first meeting in America — the sweet sweet stars that believed in him — solidifying in her eyes as she nodded. "…Yeah," she murmured in the same quiet voice, leaning into his hand (and into his side too, as if taking comfort from him like back home) and exhaling shakily. "Yeah. Got it. Th-Thankie for saying that, Big Robin. I-I definitely needed that."

"No problem. I'm just glad you got your sparkles back — they suit you a lot more than dark alleyways." The not-apology for the Noble Phantasm bonk lingers on his tongue, but Robin feels the smile come more naturally to him once he lets go of Vy's shoulder in favor of patting her head and smoothing back stray strands into her ponytail. Even with its messy state, her hair was still soft to the touch — just like her. But their job is far from done, the thought making him turn his gaze back to the sullen Foreigner Servant still opposing them once Vy looks a bit more put-together. Despite the growing mass of slippery tentacles surrounding her, Abigail had made no attempt to attack them in the time it took for Robin to divert Vy's attention (instead looking like she was pouting over being ignored), and the air felt surprisingly lighter to match the hard-earned levity once he glanced at the rest of his group.

Mash was tearing up from clear joy, Nezha and Mata Hari were sharing weak smiles, and the Queenie and Circe were still casting spells just to keep Abby at bay despite sending him relieved looks over their shoulders.

Right. Abby.

Yog Sothoth was growing stronger in spite of the massive attempts (from both the entirety of Mage society and the Chaldean Rogue Servants) to prevent its spilling into the outside world, the third eye on Abigail's head glowing with malicious intent thanks to Salem's mana stores. To that end, Robin indulged himself in one last pat of Vy's head before exhaling. "…You still up for finishing this, little sparrow?"

Vy turned her gaze towards their shared enemy, and she slowly sucked in a breath, letting it out in a tense whoosh of an exhale. "…Yeah. Still have a lot of things to process after seeing Charles leave, anyway." Self-hate, disdain, and so, so much rage, was more than implied in the air of her words, but there was no time to ponder the meaning of them. Her left hand comes up to fist the cloth of her Mystic Code that sat atop where her heart was in her chest, clenching tight enough for her remaining two Command Seals to glow from her white knuckles. "I'm just gonna call for backup. Just to make sure I don't lose it again."

Robin doesn't deny the mix of relief and worry flooding his veins once he breathes in the mix of mana in the air. "…Roger that. Need me to hold the miracle mile with the Crown Prince and Sis until they get here?"

It was a question his past self in the Moon Cell would've never asked (to neither Dan nor BB, especially with the Pacific Rim reference), but the soft smile on Vy's face made the effort worth it once he could see himself reflected in the bright stars of her eyes again. The red lotus petals of her remaining Command Seals even illuminated the touched look of her pink cheeks as she nodded, the knuckles of her bo staff hand coming up to tap his upper arm past his sleeve almost ticklish in feel. "Thankie, Big Robin. That'd be great, and I've got your back."

Robin allows himself one last smile in return before turning back to Abigail and loading an arrow onto the string of the Yew Bow. "…I know you do."

Abigail opened her mouth, a curse probably present on the tips of those shark-like teeth before Robin cut her off once he ran forward, took aim at one specific blind spot with the Yew Bow, and fired. Mata Hari creating an opening with a spell of her own alongside Nezha generating flames from their legend via spear twirling to supplement the debuffs only helped.

"By these two Command Seals, please come to my side and aid us—!"

Abby screamed once the poisoned arrow made contact with her wand-wielding right arm, and it was working. The Outer God was, for once, faltering. Vy's mana tasted of warmth, sugar, and a better tomorrow once Robin inhaled again, and even with a tentacle lashing out towards him, he knew he could dodge this one. After all, if he knew Vy—

"Art-san, Achi!"

True to his prediction, a swirl of lotus petals (made up of mana — Vy's mana) brushed the corner of his vision right before two blades came down on Yog Sothoth's reach once Robin dodge-rolled out of the way, accurately cutting the incoming tentacle into three nasty pieces to wriggle helplessly on the floor. He couldn't even deny the confidence spilling into his next quip once he turned his head and got a glimpse of bright blond hair and a green head of spikes. "Saber, Rider, great of you to join us! Think you two can cut down more octopi for some dumplings?!"

"Out of all the things to say to us in greeting, you ask for food, Archer?! After all the interrupted transmissions we kept trying to connect to you from Chaldea, no less?!" Arturia Pendragon — dignified as she was — looked far from amused at the question once her blue cape and golden crown solidified into existence in the courthouse. Circe in particular flinched once Arturia yelled, "Your timing is impeccable!"

"Coming from the Once and Future King who loves all food," Achilles snarked in return from his bright gold Grecian armor, tossing Vy an affectionate glance once their shared Master ran forward to meet him and Saber with bo staff in hand, "it sounds like you're being picky in liking octopus, Saber!"

"It is always octopi that despicable demons keep using for their evil deeds in my previous Grail Wars, Rider!" Saber snapped, Excalibur humming in her grip from the infused mana as Yog Sothoth's tentacles faltered in the face of her next incoming swing of its light. Good on the Promised Sword of Victory having its own version of monster repellant. Saint Martha would've been proud. "That one Caster who mistook me for Jeanne d'Arc was sickening enough! To see another mass of their darkness corrupt a child is honestly disgusting!"

"…Y'know what, that's fair!" Achilles shouted back after a pause, with an extra twirl of his spear too, almost coincidentally keeping the next round of incoming tentacles away from Mash and Vy. "Forget I said anything, 'my fair lady!'"

"As much as I am aware of my own gender thanks to my legend, this is not the time to jest, Rider!"

Nezha immediately turned their head away once Mata Hari let out a startled laugh. Once Mash was smiling, Robin could tell the air was getting lighter again. Who knew that witty banter could lessen the Outer God's influence?

"K-King Arthur… a-and a hero from the Trojan War… h-how…" And of course their enemy wouldn't stay silent forever. The stammering marked the first time Abigail spoke up since Vy had reprimanded her, red eyes flickering to a scared blue for a brief moment before reverting back. Even she seemed a bit frightened now, judging by the gaping fish look on her face. "You Servants are supposed to be dead! Ghosts with no power! You shouldn't have the right to tell the living what to do! So why—?!"

"It's simple, Abigail." Vy took a stance at Achilles' side, leveling one end of her bo staff at the possessed girl with no nonsense bellying her voice. "After spending so much time together, I trust them in their ability to help the living, 'ghosts' or not. And coming from you who's only listened to the vengeful ghouls and the fake 'Gods' in Raum and Yog Sothoth controlling you in Salem to handle your life, you have no room to complain. Especially when you're a Servant too, trying to control the living with your idea of 'salvation.'" With one more scoff, she shook her head, twirling her bo staff just like Achilles did before her with his spear. "If you want to 'save' everyone, try to get back to me after you attempt curing my aunt's squamous cell carcinoma cancer outside of chemotherapy, won't you?"

Abigail's eyes widened. "C-Cancer…? Chemotherapy…?"

"Besides." Robin made sure to run back to Vy's side where he was supposed to be once there was a blind spot to dash through, readying his Yew Bow alongside Arturia's sword and Achilles' spear as he slowly inhaled and exhaled. "You can't go around trying to seek forgiveness from people who're already dead, Abby. Otherwise, that Frenchie of a scholar wouldn't have a damn leg to stand on. That was his last ray of hope, after all."

Well. Outside of Vy trying to keep him alive because she loved him just as much as everyone else.

Just as much as she does with her aunt, with her parents, with m—

Even without turning his head, Robin knew his little sparrow agreed with the sentiment. And that Nezha and Mata Hari were with him just as Saber and Rider were, flanking their shared Master with their weapons.

"But—" Abigail's eyes kept flickering between red and blue. "That's not true… it can't be…"

Vy huffed, tapping the other end of her bo staff against the cracked wooden ground of the courthouse. "...Abigail. You need to get out into the real world. Without all this Outer God bullcrap. Because it was thanks to leaving home with my family's dreams that everyone here taught me that I can still try to have a bright future outside my self-hate and this dumpster fire." Lotus petals were swirling around Vy's feet now — acting almost like a flower storm of pink and white — each petal filled with more mana and power that went to every single Chaldean Servant's Saint Graph as Robin breathed again. He had no idea if Vy was even aware of the flower petal hurricane, but the determined starlight in her eyes was enough for him. "So you need to stop being a selfish brat and wake up from this nightmare because your 'God' is in the way. Or else if you don't, even Lavinia won't look at you after her death."

"No… no, nononono, no!" Abigail's eyes — all three of them — were solidifying back into the eerie red hue of her Outer God, more dark mana billowing off her entire body with her continued screaming. "You're wrong! You're wrong! Why do you have to resist me, Miss Ringmaster?! It's easier to give up! So just, just die in my Salem already!"

Robin didn't realize his voice was matching Vy's and the other Servants until he could hear himself scream, "HELL NO!" He tried not to think about how he might've heard Sanson's voice chiming in through the roaring of his ears as they all charged together — just to match Vy's footsteps in advancing on their shared enemy.

It wasn't surprising to find Vy sitting by herself near a grassy cliff facing the sea long after the battle had ended. Nezha, Arturia, and Mash had taken it upon themselves to help Abby get closure by burying Lavinia's body near the beach (which was amazing in of itself considering how powerful Sut Typhon — no, Yog Sothoth was), but considering how much Vy had revealed of herself in that last battle to finish things, well.

Even with the "Cosmic-traveling gentleman" kindly offering to take Abigail off of Chaldea's hands to wrap up loose ends in a tidy present box (with an extra promise bow of "reconnecting her to Humanity" attached to the gift, that was definitely new for endings), Robin couldn't blame Vy for having hit her emotional limit and choosing to go off on her own. Despite said action bringing more tears to Abby's eyes because it was Vy choosing not to attend Lavinia's makeshift funeral, but not even her new gentleman caretaker could deny Vy just didn't owe her the effort after the whole Outer God tantrum. No matter how much the past week with Chaldea changed Abigail for both better and worse — Vy didn't owe her anything anymore. Hell, at that point, even if his heart hurt too, Robin knew he had other things to handle as well.

Hence his current conundrum. Watching Vy from behind the cover of the forest, only able to observe her small figure sitting on the cliffside, quietly singing a song to herself (Mirror Mirror again, maybe?) while looking out towards the fake blue sky with both hands folded in her lap. Boot-and-stocking-covered feet were kicking at some of the rocks from the cliff edge too, just for good measure. Whatever she was thinking about, he couldn't parse it out through their bond. And considering how open their bond normally was, that was the least of his worries.

"…Shouldn't you go be with her?"

Mata Hari's quiet quip is what snaps him out of his staring, and turning his head reveals unamused gray irises from her as well as an extra pair of searching yellow ones from Rider as both his fellow Servants give him the stink eye. Because of course they would. It is why a weak, "Probably," leaves his mouth because there's no excuse as to why he wasn't sitting with Vy at her side right now. The tightness of his chest didn't help.

"...Whatever your reasoning is for standing around here, I don't care right now. Leaving her like this isn't healthy, Robin," Margaretha continued in the same voice, shaking her head just as Achilles lightly pats one of her shoulders with what would've been a carefree hand if not for the heaviness behind the gesture. "Especially after what we've seen."

"I know that, Sis, but—"

"You're not giving up on the chase now, are you, Archer?" Achilles interjects just before Robin can open his mouth to elaborate, giving him a raised brow past Mata Hari's head. Because when did he have the time to quip, with this Singularity close to disappearing? "Just when the Princess is within reach for saving too? Bit cowardly for someone calling himself Robin Hood, ain't it?"

Robin was tempted, so tempted to say something to snark back, maybe along the lines of, I'll show you cowardly, you—, if not for a tired yet high-pitched voice speaking up to say sarcastically, "Ha ha, very funny in thinking I can't hear you. I'm definitely jumping to my next journey, guys. Thanks a lot."

It was why Robin took what joy he could in the surprised looks on Achilles and Mata Hari's faces before turning to the person who made her bittersweet presence known. Breathing in the faint scent of flowers and sugar felt as natural as his usual routine of hiding amongst the trees, his legs equally as quick as he strode over to toss his legs over the cliff and sit down at Vy's left side. Her cursory glance at him past her ruffled ponytail was honestly relieving considering Vy at least wasn't pushing him away like she did that first reunion back in SERAPH, and it was why he tried a softer, "…Can you blame us?"

You went through a lot — we got worried.

I got worried.

"…Not really, no. Guess I'm not really the 'loneliest of all' with that." With that said out in the open, Vy still sighs to herself, the sound quiet and solemn, before she undoes her ponytail with one quick tug at the dirty blue hair band. Then once her long brown hair spills out onto her back, she does the unthinkable.

Robin tries his best to keep his composure, he really does, but he still feels his heart skip a beat once Vy's head gently rests against his shoulder through the collar of the No Face May King. The lack of distance makes the smell of flowers (from her Chaldean brand of shampoo) brushing his nose all the more stronger — almost enough to warm his chest. He could've taken some comfort from the gesture, from the clear sign of trust, but he couldn't. The "almost" of his previous thought came into play quickly (and rather ironically too) once his enhanced vision caught a glimpse of sparkles sticking to the edges of Vy's lashes past her glasses.

Sparkles. Tear droplets.

Holy Virgin, Vy was going to cry again.

"I-I'm sorry," she sniffles, her voice wobbling a little as she attempts to use her sleeve to wipe at her nose. "I-I'm just so sorry."

"Little sparrow…" he said quietly, cursing himself for how weak his voice sounded to his own ears. Hell, why weren't Sis and Achilles coming over to help here? Why not the Crown Prince and Arturia too? They could probably say something better. They were connected to Vy as much as he was, if not better. He was just a coward, a hero who never saved anyone, a rogue who—

The sound of another, more watery sniffle cut off his growing train of destructive thoughts, and Robin inhaled. There was no point in debating self worth here. Not when a little sparrow was already far too lost with hers. It's why he eventually settles for saying, "There's nothing to apologize for." Because really, she didn't need to. Not when the rest of the world took enough feathers from her wings, making it hard enough for her to even fly alone.

Yet she's been so used to saving herself with no one to tell her otherwise. So why wouldn't she get angry at Abby when she sees herself in there without us?

It's why Robin feels his heart ache once he hears, "B-But I feel like there is…" With another sniffle, Vy takes off her glasses and wipes at her eyes with her sleeve, the cloth coming back damp as she attempts to swallow the lump in her throat just to prevent more tears. Her cheek lightly bonks his shoulder — not even enough to hurt, but as if she wanted to feel something through the hurt — as she shakes her head, tucking her glasses into a pocket of her skirt after the tears made it clear they were staying with her next half-whimper, half-sob. "B-Because… because Charles — Sanson isn't with us. Because I'm crying on you, Big Robin — again."

"There's nothing wrong with crying, Vy. Nothing at all." Even if Robin felt his chest tighten at the mention of Sanson, because despite having as much beef as he had with the executioner before the mission started, that didn't mean he wanted to see the Assassin willingly walk to his death. Hearing Vy stifle her sobs the first time Sanson's execution broke village news was fucking horrible to remember as is — and the terrible memory is enough for him to force the needed strength into his arms to act on instinct and reach out for her. She whimpers once he turns her around (and away from the cliff edge too — he just couldn't trust Salem's environments anymore after its ghoulish population tried to hang his beloved sparrow right after Charles). Pulling her close barely muffled the muted Uuu noise brushing the column of his neck as he hugs her, but she doesn't push him away once he rests his chin on top of her head. "It's okay. It's okay, little sparrow."

I won't leave you. I love you, his brain supplied helpfully. I'll always love you.

Robin knew he couldn't voice it. Any of it, even if he tried. Even if he just discovered the meaning behind his turbulent thoughts and wanted to say them. Even if every single fiber of his being was fighting the conflicting urge to pull up his hood and disappear because of the growing want to keep this girl close, the unforgiving need to hold her, because he was still Vy's Servant in the end. The "Big Robin" to his little sparrow. The hero to the little Vietnamese girl who looked up to him with stars in her eyes thanks to her storybooks. Leaving her now to try reinforcing a boundary of being a "ghost" would be one of the worst things to do after more than a year of being together. Especially when she gave him the sensation of being able to hold something again.

The growing possibility of the Mages' Association's ongoing investigation into Chaldea spelling the end of their time together through massive contract cancellations didn't help his thought process. Despite the Holy Grails powering his Saint Graph spelling out some hope for a continuation after the end of Salem, Robin didn't want to think about any of it. He didn't want to hold onto false hope after Vy gave him a taste of the real thing.

It was why he tried not to jump once a tiny voice tickled his neck from speaking up. "…Even if…" An equally shaky hand with faded lotus Command Seals raised itself up to clutch at the back of Robin's mantle, small shoulders shivering under his grip. "Even if I… I can't forgive Abby? When I… I can't forgive me? You're still… you're still okay with all that?"

A weak smile formed on Robin's face as the answer came to him as naturally as his next exhale, barely muffled by her hair as he pressed his lips to the crown of her head. Hiding a kiss felt as easy as his next choice of words as he admitted in a raw yet vulnerable voice, "Yeah. I am." He swallows, feeling the tightness of his throat from the gesture, but still forces out, "I said I wasn't going to leave you back in that church in Seraphix, Vy. I'm not going to leave you now."

That feeling of choosing to forgive is part of what makes you human. What made me human. What brought all of Chaldea together in the first place.

That's part of what made me fall in love with you.

"…Dork…" A noise caught between a gurgling laugh and a harrowing sob echoed between them at that point, both of Vy's hands coming up to clutch at his cape for what felt like dear life. "Y-You dork…!" Something damp was spreading out against the collar of the No Face May King, but Robin ignored it in favor of tightening the hug and stroking Vy's hair. He could barely remember whether or not he called out for his fellow Servants to come into the hug through their shared bond, but once Mata Hari and Achilles were running over to wrap their arms around their crying Master, Robin felt himself exhale more relief.

"…It's over, Princess," Rider hummed softly, reaching past Robin and Mata Hari both to squeeze Vy tight. "It's all over. There's no more weird tentacle monsters, so we'll be home soon."

"We'll even bake some cake together, honey," Mata Hari adds without hesitation, humming softly over Robin's shoulder as Vy continues to sniffle. "Have a tea party with Marie and Arturia too. How does that sound?"

"Sis, tea might be…" Robin slowly trailed off at the thought of Charles enjoying a cup with them once upon a time, but he knew he didn't mean it as a true protest against the idea. After all, the combined warmth is enough to make the growing dampness in his collar feel not so heavy, and—

"...N-No overdoing the frosting if we bake strawberry shortcake, th-the heavy cream can be too sweet if we use lots of powdered sugar," Vy eventually snivels after a drawn-out whimper, but a genuine laugh is bubbling up in her voice too once she weakly leans into all the arms reaching out for her. Robin can't deny how he finds himself smiling once she rests her forehead against his neck, another gurgle of a giggle tickling his skin. "Dorks. Just… you all are complete dorks. H-How can… how can I hate myself like this?"

"You're not supposed to hate yourself, Princess, save that stuff for the gloomy literary Casters back home!" Achilles retorts hotly, energy re-emerging in his voice all at once. If Robin didn't know any better, it was like Rider was trying to act extra cocky to get some laughs. "Or, wait, should I just ask the First Hassan to sever the sad feels instead?"

Robin scoffs. "Why are you debating asking the Grand Assassin for that, Rider? Why not try Shiki first?" Because at least that red-jacketed Servant would be more willing to do such a thing.

"Why not? He'd try to sever the other Hassans' heads first, so I'm redirecting it in a more healthy direction!"

Another weak giggle echoes from within the center of their group, prompting a giant grin from Achilles in response.

And it takes a second, maybe one or two too long, but apparently the rest of their motley mess of a troupe agreed with the initial sentiment Achilles posed because Robin could suddenly hear more footsteps and feel more arms coming around his grip on Vy. The hands shaking through long jacket sleeves were indicative of Mash, not to mention the slightly muscular elbows telling of Nezha being careful of their grip, but Saber? Robin has no idea when Arturia shows up to join in the group hug, but Saber somehow has a big enough Strength stat to lift everyone up from their places sitting along the cliff edge. Vy yelps loudly, clinging to Robin first and foremost, but the light is re-emerging in her brown eyes once Arturia carefully deposits them all on the grass far away from the cliff to lean into Mash and Achilles both — just to reach out for her part of space in the group hug.

"Art… san…" Vy gasps, the strength in her arms weakening as everyone hangs on. "How…" She chokes on her unspoken question, more tears clinging to her lashes as her gaze darts between everyone present who were still forming the group hug around her. Robin's not sure if he wants to guess what Vy wanted to say, but he doesn't reject her burying her face against his chest either as a half frown, half smile is smothered against his shirt. "You all are such giant dorks… sticking with someone who can't even hate the world in favor of herself…"

Ignoring Mata Hari gently yet firmly pushing an incoming Circe out of joining the hug, Robin leans down to press another kiss to the top of Vy's hair. "We're your dorks, little sparrow," he whispers, holding her close just as the others tighten their grip too. "And until you can stop hating yourself, we're going to stay that way."

"Th-That might be a hard bargain, Big Robin…" but Vy isn't outright denying it either, her hands barely clinging to his mantle and everyone else's once she slumps into his chest. "It's so easy… to hate me."

"Then," Arturia spoke up, firm yet soft all at once, "that is a challenge we're all willing to take."

"And." Nezha is quiet despite their clutching at Vy's sleeves to keep her upright in the group hug. "That can. Start with. Saying our. Goodbyes to. Abigail and Sanson. We can. Go from there."

"A-All together, Senpai," Mash said, and her voice expectedly cracks too. Robin's already prepared to feel the slight dampness on his hoodie from behind thanks to Mash leaning in. "We're going to get through this together."

Even with all of them far away from Salem's cliff edge, the laugh Vy gives at that very moment sounds like it's teetering between hope and despair all at once. "…Alright. A-Alright. I'll… I'll try with you, then. N-No promises."

It was better than nothing. Even when surrounded by so many, Robin couldn't help but absently wonder if Sanson would've wanted this sort of thing too. Maybe, had the Frenchie said something like Vy did, things would've been different.

But when holding Vy close, with every single Chaldean Servant present in the Singularity sticking close by to offer comforting hands for more pats and hugs — Robin let the thought disappear in favor of holding his little sparrow close.