The Four Sisters were once again huddled around Atropos’ living room, bickering over tea, and very loudly not having a very fun time at all.

“Have we considered that there’s nothing to be done but wait?” Lachesis asked, clearly concealing her nervousness with a demanding tone.

Atropos shook her head. “There are ways of getting at the things and people we care about, even if we don’t respond. Whoever this person is, they clearly have some information on us, and perhaps even an ulterior motive.”

“I mean, to be fair,” Martha replied, “I did have a dream about the end of the world coming at my hands, so perhaps they’re under the impression they’d, you know, be doing the world a favor.”

Atropos turned to look at her, and shook her head. “What they’re doing is far more dangerous than just a few cities burning.”

“What do you mean?”

“Consider that she intends to kill one of us, when for eons, at least one of each of our three types has existed,” Atropos replied, “anyone alive before The Three is either dead or has long forgotten how we came to be.”

“That’s right,” Clotho added, until now silently eating a pomegranate, “no one can say how the world would change if the goddess of willpower disappeared.”

“I thought we were just Fates?” Martha asked.

“In a sense, yes, but we each weave a part of ourselves into every human life.” Atropos explained, “I possess willpower, Lachesis wisdom, and Clotho passion.”

“A world, then, without me or Atropos would…”

“Indubitably doom the human race to listlessness and decay, yes,” Lachesis replied.

“And not only the human race, perhaps,” Atropos replied, “but also the heavens themselves. Who knows what the gods would do without the will to act on cruelty or injustice.”

“It seems to me they already lack it,” Tim said, until now largely ignored by the other four.

“I beg your pardon?” Atropos asked, stunned.

“Have you considered what happened yesterday?” They hissed, “A whole town died, except for one person. And I’m only alive because of some ‘luck’ you conveniently needed me for. And now, I’m only still alive because one of you managed to see past her pointy nose long enough to consider the person who just saved two of you. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but good heavens, why are you still talking as if things ought to be kept largely as they are?”

For once, the room was silent. The four sisters averted glances, and eventually, it was Martha who spoke up: “What do you propose we do, then?”

“How am I supposed to know? You’re supposed to be the experts, but here you are still cooped up in here as if hand-wringing were all there was to do about it,” Tim replied.

Martha considered this comment. They were certainly right that for all of her and her sisters’ abilities, the four weren’t using it very well. Atropos’ disregard for consequences had led them here, combined with Lachesis’ ornery bickering and Clotho’s equivocation and silence. While Martha was new, she knew enough from just living to know that what happened was a tragedy they should be paying due respect to, not to mention that her sisters had just nearly thrown out someone who had put themself in harm’s way on their behalf.

“You’re right,” Martha said, eliciting stares from her three sisters, “I won’t rest here while someone who killed thousands of people and is trying to destabilize the universe rips more things apart to sate whatever her motivations are.”

“Martha, be sensible,” Lachesis said, “you can’t hope to win by yourself.”

“She’s right, Lachesis,” Clotho said, standing up and stretching, “she needs guidance and some ideas. So why don’t you step up?”

“How…how dare you suggest I wouldn’t?” Lachesis hissed, her face flushing.

“Come on now, it’s not the time for more of this,” Atropos replied, “Martha is right. Who knows how much time there is until the next tragedy, and we must work to prevent it.”

Over the next few minutes of discussion, a plan began to form. Martha would be best served acting as a sort of ‘bait’, seeing as she was a party of interest, waiting somewhere ‘in hiding’, while in actuality waiting for an ambush with the others. Clotho could act as someone willing to sell her sisters out because she was ‘concerned’, and could act to ‘leak’ Martha’s location.

In the meantime, they’d need something to actually help with the ambushing. Magic did somewhat complicate things in that regard. After all, someone who could disappear at will would not be easy to contain or identify if they figured out what was going on. As a result, it was decided that it would ultimately be best to make the mission one primarily involving reconnaissance, and then plan from there.

Martha wasn’t too keen on the plan, but the alternative was using Tim as the bait, and in her mind, that was simply out of the question. Tim was somewhat relieved to hear they were not on the chopping block. Instead, they would be staying behind with Atropos, in case something were to happen to Martha.

Martha knew the plan sounded good on paper, and Lachesis had given it a review several times over, nitpicking small items but eventually agreeing on a final version of the plan. Given the go-ahead, they waved goodbye to Atropos and Tim, and set off.

They had chosen an abandoned warehouse on earth, one non-descript enough that it seemed reasonable for Martha to be hiding there, but not so much so that it would be impossible to track down. Now all that would have to be done was wait for Clotho to ‘gossip’.

Clotho, meanwhile, knew precisely where to go. Just like Earth had its ritzy upscale parties, the heavens had their own. She often got invites from the busybodies up there, seeing as she was certainly more outgoing than her sisters, and gossip was always to be had about the fates of new humans being born.

As Clotho arrived, she simply walked past the jovial host greeting her, responding with only a polite small and a wave, and sat down at the open bar. Just as she ordered her drink, she noticed a rather annoying presence behind her.

“I know it’s you,” she spoke.

“Clotho! Long time no see, it’s certainly good to finally see you at one of these! How’s the family? How’s the job? Tell me all about it!” an excitable woman said as she sat down next to her.

“Echo, is there any way I can get that curse put back on you?”

“First of all, rude, second of all, those don’t answer my questions. And I know that means you’re not spilling some juicy tea,” Echo replied, “and no, for your information, I am permanently curse-free!”

Clotho eyed her with feigned suspicion and sighed. “I suppose I’ll spill, since you asked. My sister has recently taken up a rather odd apprentice.”

“Oh come now, that’s old news,” Echo whined, “half of us know that already. No, I know you’ve got something better.”

“Well, she did have a rather odd encounter last week. I’m of the opinion that she’s a bit of a danger to us sisters, if you ask me, though Atropos seems alright with her.”

“Atropos is too friendly for her own good,” Echo concurred.

“Well, Atropos said not to tell anyone this, and this is between you and me, she’s in hiding at a warehouse.”

Echo’s eyes lit up as she interrogated more details, all the while unaware of the motives of her interviewee. As the conversation drew to a close, Echo was gone as soon as she arrived, much to Clotho’s relief. Clotho then let Lachesis and Martha know via a secure channel what had happened, then disappeared herself to her favorite running track. She sorely needed to work some stress off.