"Why are we here, Robin?"
The white-haired tactician looked over to his dark mage wife, who did not look happy.
"We've been over this, Tharja. I need to deliver this invitation to the next Smash Fighter," replied Robin as he held up the envelope. "And keep in mind, you technically didn't need to join me on this task."
"As if I would let you out of my sight," replied Tharja as she latched onto Robin's arm, causing him to let out a sigh. Although, he looked more amused than annoyed.
"Of course you wouldn't," replied Robin with a chuckle. "Speaking of which, where is the little one?"
Tharja wasn't the only one accompanying Robin on this little trip.
"Robin! Tharja! Look what I found!"
The Plegian couple watched as the little green-haired girl ran up to them with a strange looking plant in hand.
"…Nowi, what exactly is that?" questioned Robin, looking at the plant with apprehension.
"Don't know. I just thought it looked neat!"
"Hm, I think I could come up with a new hex with this," stated Tharja as she took the plant, causing Nowi to give off a beaming smile. She always liked helping out Tharja.
Robin could only shake his head before turning back to the large building before them. Who knew they would have to go to a church of all places to find the next Smash Fighter. Before they could enter the church though, the gatekeepers stopped them in their tracks.
"Halt! What business do you have here at Garreg Mach Monastery?"
"We are here to speak with a man by the name of Byleth," replied Robin. "We were told that he would be here and we have a delivery for him."
"How do we know this is not a trick?" questioned the gatekeeper.
Tharja rolled her eyes, annoyed with these idiots. "Are you idiots serious? Look, I have better things to do, mainly with my husband here, and I would like to get to them before nightfall. Now let us in so we can complete this task or else."
"Or else what, woman?!"
A sinister looking grin made its way onto Tharja's face while she let out a set of unsettling giggles. Both of the gatekeepers took everything they had not to cower in fear. This woman was scarier than anything they've ever seen.
"P-Please follow us," they stated as they opened the doors.
Robin glanced over at his wife to see her grin widen in victory, while Nowi let out her own set of giggles. The three Shepherds soon entered the church and were impressed by the interior.
"Excuse me, but can I help you?" asked a voice.
The Shepherds looked over to see a serious looking man with green hair and a slight beard coming towards them.
"Th-They are here to speak with P-Professor Byleth, Seteth, Sir!" exclaimed the gatekeepers, still shaking over their encounter with Tharja.
Seteth raised an eyebrow in question, wondering why the gatekeepers were acting so skittish. He looked over at their visitors with a narrowed look, receiving a raised eyebrow from the white-haired male. Something about him made him weary.
"Why exactly do you wish to speak with Professor Byleth?"
"We have something for him," replied Robin, holding up the envelope.
"Is that right?" said another voice.
Something about the voice put Robin on guard. He watched as a green-haired woman came their way and the man known as Seteth stood at attention.
"Lady Rhea!" exclaimed Seteth, giving a slight bow. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
"I had noticed some unfamiliar faces in the monastery," replied Rhea, turning to the Shepherds with a smile. "I wished to greet them. Now you said you have something for Professor Byleth?"
Robin and Tharja did not trust this woman. Something about her was off. Tharja put her hands protectively on Nowi's shoulders while Robin moved himself in front of his family.
"Yes, we need to deliver it to him in person, to make sure he gets it," replied Robin. 'Especially since it seems Lady Palutena was right in that certain people here can't be trusted.'
"I see…then I suppose it would not hurt for you to see him," stated Rhea. She turned to her second-in-command. "Seteth, please escort them to the Black Eagles House."
"Of course, My Lady."
Robin had Tharja and Nowi go before him so he could take up the rear, to make sure this Lady Rhea didn't try anything.
The three were led down the halls and through the courtyard before reaching one of the buildings on the property. Upon entering, the Shepherds were surprised to find what looked like a classroom.
"Seteth, is there something you needed?" asked a green-haired young man as he and the students turned to the visitors.
"Byleth, these three wished to speak with you. They say they have an important message for you," replied Seteth.
"Is that so," said Byleth, turning to the Shepherds. "What is this message?"
Robin stepped forward and handed Byleth the envelope. Opening it up, Byleth's eyes widened slightly at what he was seeing.
"What is it, Professor?" asked a white-haired girl in red.
"I've been invited to Smash?" asked Byleth, looking up at Robin in confusion.
"Ooh! I've heard of that!" exclaimed a busty brunette.
"You have, Dorothea?"
"Of course, Edelgard! It's supposed to be a tournament of sorts where people from different worlds come together to compete!" explained the songstress with a grin.
The rest of the students talked amongst themselves, excited that their own teacher was invited to such an event. Seteth on the other hand…
"Preposterous! Other worlds? Such things don't exist!"
"How do you?" questioned Nowi with a slight pout. "My best friend is from one of the other worlds. He's an angel with pretty white wings and even works for the Goddess of Light!"
"Now I know that you are lying, child. There is only one Goddess and she has never gone by the title of Goddess of Light," replied Seteth with a frown. "It seems that your parents should do better at raising you if you're going around telling lies."
Nowi pouted even more before Tharja stepped forward, anger billowing off her in waves.
"Watch what you say, you pompous ass. Don't act all high and mighty just because you work for a church," hissed out the dark mage as she glared at the man. How dare he talk to Nowi like that!
"I beg your pardon?!"
"Tharja!" snapped Robin. Once he got her attention he continued. "If you're going to hex him at least wait until we're done here."
Tharja gave off her signature grin and giggle while Seteth gaped like fish. Byleth and his students stared at the scene with wide eyes, shocked that anyone would talk that way to Seteth.
"She's a lot like you, Hubert!" stated Dorothea with a smirk, being the first get over their shock.
"Hmph, you are imagining things," replied the dark individual, crossing his arms over his chest.
"P-Professor," called out the shyest member of the Black Eagles. "A-Are you going to accept the invitation?"
Byleth looked back at the paper in his hand before looking back at his class, finding them looking at him with curiosity.
"I believe I will," he replied, surprising all of them. "I am quite curious about these other worlds."
"I see," replied Edelgard, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Then we all wish you luck, Professor. We'll miss you."
"Well technically, anyone can visit," stated Robin, getting everyone's attention. "Take my wife for example. She's not a Smash Fighter, but she pretty much lives with me at the Smash Mansion."
"I already told you that I won't let you out of my sight, Robin," replied Tharja as she wrapped her arms around her husband's torso. Nowi, not wanting to be left out, joined in on hug as well.
"The point is," continued Robin, patting Nowi on the head. "It's not like you'll never see your teacher again. You are all welcome to visit anytime you wish."
"Would we be able to come with you then?" asked Edelgard with hope lacing her words. "We could help Professor settle in."
'More like you just don't want to leave the Professor's side,' thought Dorothea with an amused smirk. It was obvious where Edelgard's heart led.
"I cannot allow this!" exclaimed Seteth, not liking where this was going. "And more importantly Lady Rhea will not allow this!"
Tharja gave off a huff. "As if we care what she thinks."
"You will show her respect!" hissed out Seteth.
"Enough," said Byleth in a no nonsense tone. He turned back to his students. "Go and gather your things. We will leave for this Smash Mansion shortly. Think of this as a little field trip."
With a cheer, the Black Eagles quickly went to pack, although Dorothea had to go with Bernadetta to make sure the shy girl didn't hide in her room.
"I must inform Lady Rhea about this at once!" stated Seteth, quickly leaving the House to find the Lady.
"…I don't like him. He's mean," said Nowi with a pout.
"Seteth can be…hard to work with at times."
"Is that what you call it?" questioned Tharja with a raised brow.
"But he does mean well," finished Byleth, crossing his arms.
"Uh huh," replied the dark mage, not believing that for a second. "If he or that witch try anything, I'm hexing them."
Byleth was silent for a moment before giving off a shrug. "As long as you don't harm my students, do whatever."
Robin had to quickly reign in his wife before she did anything he would regret.
Later, the Black Eagles stood outside the monastery with the Shepherds, ready to set off to the Smash Mansion. Unfortunately, Rhea was there as well to try and stop them.
"I cannot allow this, Byleth."
The professor turned to the unhappy archbishop. "Lady Rhea, I believe this little trip will be a great learning experience for my students."
"Nonsense. All of this just seems like a plot to hurt the church," replied Rhea with a frown. "You have helped us greatly, Byleth. We cannot allow these outsiders to take you away from us."
Before Byleth could reply, Robin stepped forward.
"If I may say something, Rhea…you are a fool."
"You dare speak to Lady Rhea like that?!" exclaimed Seteth as he glared at the white-haired man while Rhea gave him a narrowed look.
Rhea and Seteth soon tensed up as Robin made his way closer. He was giving off an aura that unsettled them greatly and they could have sworn his eyes glowed a ghastly violet.
Looking Rhea right in the eyes, Robin continued in a tone that only she and Seteth could hear.
"It would be in your best interest to let Byleth and his students come with us. Not only is this an opportunity of a lifetime for Byleth, but you will not like the outcome if he doesn't come with us."
"Wh-What are you talking about?" questioned Rhea, hating the fact that she was showing weakness in front of this…mortal.
"I don't know what exactly you are planning, but it is obvious to me that you see Byleth and these students as nothing more than tools," stated Robin. "So much so that I also believe that you would try to drag them back here by force if need be."
"You know nothing," replied Rhea with a hiss.
Robin merely raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I know more than you think, Rhea. Such as if you do try to attack, you will lose. I have many friends and family at the Mansion that I will protect with everything I have. Not only that, but we have a Goddess of Light and an Umbra Witch that can kill goddesses on our side. So if you value your life…know your place."
As Robin turned to return to his group, Rhea shook in fear, something she had not felt in a long time. This was no mortal she was dealing with. Just who was this man?
Byleth and his students stared at Robin with wide eyes, wondering what the hell just happened.
"Robin?" questioned Byleth.
"Rhea won't be bothering you anymore," replied Robin with a smile. "Come on, let's get going."
The Black Eagles watched as Robin walked on ahead, before quickly following after. They might not have known what exactly Robin just did to put Rhea in her place, but they did know one thing…
"Tharja, you are a very lucky woman to have someone that as a husband!" stated Dorothea, looking at the dark mage with a grin.
"Tell me something I don't know," replied Tharja with a grin of her own, although this one said she was going to do many private things with her husband later.
Nowi gave off a set of giggles. "Robin's the best! He always gets rid of the bad people!"
Dorothea let out some giggles of her own. "Aw, you're just so cute!"
The little dragon girl looked up at Dorothea in confusion before noticing something. She gave off a smile.
"Your boingy bits are as big as Tharja's!"
"N-Nowi! I thought both me and Tiki told you to stop talking about that!" exclaimed the dark mage, blushing up a storm. She had to chase after the giggling girl, who ran off to walk with Robin.
Meanwhile, Dorothea was also blushing at Nowi's lack of tact.
"…Professor, are you sure this was a good idea?" asked Edelgard, turning to the man she admired.
He only nodded. "As I said, this will be a learning experience and part of that will be meeting people much different from yourselves. There will also most likely be more children like Nowi at this Mansion, so best to get used to them now."
While the students accepted their teacher's words, Byleth thought of one thing.
What sort of experiences would he encounter on this learning expedition?
FIN
-:-
I'm actually disappointed that Byleth is the last character of the first Fighters Pass, especially since it was stated that the characters in the Fighters Pass were supposed to be from series not represented in Smash.
Not only that, but Byleth is kinda boring. If Sakurai absolutely had to put in an FE character, Edelgard would have been a better option since she actually has a personality.
Also, fuck Rhea.