Fate: Ideal Balance

Robin finished packing her clothes and personal items into her suitcase and pulled it off her bed. It thumped heavily on the ground and she brushed a strand of her long curly hair behind her ear. She reached for her shoulder bag and paused, hovering her hand over the burned and damaged leather; memories from seven years ago. She breathed in deeply, holding it for a moment before slowly letting it out. She pulled the bag over her shoulder and rolled her suitcase into the living room.

Her mother’s smile brightened at seeing her daughter and she pulled her into a hug.

“I’m so proud of you!” Egret cheered, “My daughter’s heading out on her first Clocktower mission!”

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Robin laughed awkwardly.

“Of course it is! I’m so happy to see you moving on and not letting your past control you.”

Robin’s heart quickened and she forced a smile, “Yeah, I’m trying.” She moved her left hand behind a fold of her jacket.

“Does it have to be all the way in Iceland?” her mother pouted. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Mother, you can teleport. You can see me whenever you want.”

“I shouldn’t have to teleport to see my daughter!” Egret retorted.

Falcon nudged Robin’s elbow making her jump. “Don’t get into any trouble,” he teased. “Mom’s mom-senses might kick in and she’ll teleport over there in the middle of it!”

“Maybe you can leave me to my first mission and not try to monitor my every move?” Robin jabbed, trying to laugh off her anxiety.

Egret sighed, “You’re right. I’m just so excited for you!”

“You sure you don’t need a few more hours?” Kestrel asked from her seat on the couch, “You’re looking pretty nervous.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Robin assured. “It’s just some jitters. The sooner I get there the quicker they’ll go away. And unlike Mother, I can’t teleport, so I have a flight I need to catch.”

“Of course! Don’t let us hold you back!” Egret shooed her towards the door.

“Hey, Robin,” Kestrel called.

Robin turned to see Kestrel toss a pen at her. She pulled up her right hand to shield her face, dropping her suitcase. “What the hell, Kestrel!”

“What’s wrong with your left hand?” Kestrel asked bluntly.

“Nothing.”

Kestrel stood, brows furrowing. “Do you really think we’re that stupid? You’ve been hiding your dominant hand behind your back this whole time. What are you hiding?” she demanded.

Robin backed away. “Nothing!” she insisted.

“Then show me your hand.” Kestrel marched towards Robin and reached for her hand. Robin resisted but Kestrel was stronger. She grabbed her hand and pulled up her sleeve. The unmistakable marks of a Grail War Master glowed on the back of her left hand.

“You’re not working for the Clocktower are you?”

Robin jerked her arm out of Kestrel’s grasp. “No, I’m not.”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!? You already tried this five years ago! Wasn’t that enough?”

“Look,” Robin stated, “I didn’t want to drag you into this one. I messed up and I want to do what I can to fix this, okay? I was going to let you down easy by not telling you.”

“And what would you wish for? To kill dad? To bring Hawk back? I know you’d rather die than see him again.”

“I’m doing this for you!” Robin shouted back, “All of you! I fucked up, okay? You think I don’t see how you all still look at me? Don’t pretend like you’ve all moved on. I know you hate me. What I did then, I did to try and make Paresh like me, but I made all of you hate me in the process. I want to… to make amends.”

“By doing what fucked it up in the first place all over again!? Robin, what if you die? You can’t fix things if you’re dead!”

“So what if I die? Why would you care about a fuck up like me?” Robin screamed through tears, “That’s one less problem for all of you to worry about.”

“Robin.” Egret’s voice was stern. “I want you to give me your command seals.”

“What?” Kestrel and Robin chimed in unison.

“I’m not going to let you walk into this alone. Either you will give up your place as a master or you will give me your command seals and I will go in your place.”

“Mother, I’m not going to let you do that!” Robin sputtered. “You need to take care of Piper! You can’t leave her here!”

“She will come with us.”

“What!?” Everyone screeched.

“Mom, you can’t take Piper into a war!” Kestrel shrieked.

“Then Robin will give up her place in the war and stay here.”

Robin’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open trying to find words to say.

Egret knelt in front of Robin so she was eye level with her. She took her hand with the seals in her hand. “Robin, I know you have our best intentions in mind, but you need to remember that you’re not alone anymore. I’m not going to let you put yourself through this alone again. I abandoned you once; I won’t do it again.”

Robin took a deep breath to calm herself. “What would you wish for?” she asked quietly.

“I’ll wish for our suffering to be cut off at the root,” Egret stated. “Without her bloodline, we won’t be targets anymore.”

Robin’s eyes widened. “That… is a crazy wish.”

Egret smirked, “But it might just work.”

“I can’t transfer my command seals myself, but if you come with me, the Executor of the Church could do it.”

“Okay, there’s no way in hell that you’re both going, taking Piper, and not taking me,” Kestrel grumbled.

“I’m coming too,” Falcon chimed in.

“What about Pidge? Will we tell him where we’re going?” Robin asked.

Egret laughed. “Well say he’s sick and take him with us of course! It seems this is going to be a family outing, so we’ll be bringing all of our family.”

Robin sat stunned on her suitcase. “This is… This is crazy. You’re all crazy.”

“Well it seems to run in the family.”