Snyderverse Neptunia Snippets

by Derald Snyder

Snippet 23- Return to Garreg Mach

Timeline- After 'The High School Turnabout'.

"Are we there yet?"

"Are you trying to be annoying?"

"It's been ten minutes since I last asked, according to the clock."

Professor Byleth Eisner sighed in mild exasperation. "Well, the territory definitely looks familiar now... shouldn't be much longer." He turned the steering wheel, driving up a winding mountain road... Sitting in the passenger seat was his spirit companion, Sothis, who was now able to take a corporeal form thanks to the alien goddess Haruhi Suzumiya. She was currently dressed in a dark coat over a green shirt and sky blue skirt, her feet clad in small winter boots. However, her hair and headdress remained the same as before, having refused to compromise on that. "Just remember to be polite when we meet my fellow professors and staff..."

"Yes, yes, you've said that a hundred times by now," Sothis sighed with her arms crossed, looking out the window. "I just wonder how that bishop will react when she hears my name..."

"Bishop Rhea?" Byleth said. "Hmm... well, just act like you have no idea what significance that name holds. It's not as if you remember anything about your previous life, anyway..."

"That is true, sadly," Sothis nodded in melancholy, falling into silence after. Soon enough, the familiar structure of Garreg Mach Military Academy came into view, Byleth turning into the parking lot, stopping the car in a staff-reserved space. As they unbuckled and got out, Sothis complained, "These boots are so tight and uncomfortable! I think that my bare feet could handle a little snow!"

"But could they handle hidden rocks beneath the snow?" Byleth pointed out, pulling his suitcase out of the trunk. "Remember, I'm supposed to have just nursed you back to health, so I wouldn't want you to get sick again..."

"Yes, yes, I know," Sothis sighed in resignation, letting Byleth take her hand as they began walking up the sidewalk to the academy proper. She felt a little embarrassed at the fact that she had to effectively relearn how to walk, having been used to being a ghost just floating around everywhere... She made a point of looking around like a curious child as they walked through the main gates, passing through the farmer's market before stopping in front of the gatekeeper.

"Greetings, Professor! Welcome back!" the gatekeeper greeted enthusiastically.

"Anything to report?" Byleth asked with a small smile.

"Actually, yes," the gatekeeper's smile faded. "Lady Blanc herself is here, discussing something with Bishop Rhea... she came by last week too. I dunno what they're discussing, but the bishop was looking quite distraught last week. And everyone heard Lady Blanc screaming in rage before that..."

"Doesn't Blanc have something of a hair-trigger temper, though?" Sothis spoke up.

"Well, yeah, but..." the gatekeeper put a hand behind his head. "I can't imagine what Bishop Rhea could have possibly done to get Lady Blanc so mad... and Seteth has been trying to quash any rumors about what might have occurred... Anyway, that's all I know."

"Thanks," Byleth nodded. "Somehow I get the feeling we'll be finding out soon enough... come on, let's head to my office."

"Oh yeah! Who's the kid with you?" the gatekeeper asked.

"Just an orphan I found and nursed back to health," Byleth replied. "Come on, Sothis, let's go."

"All right..." Sothis made a show of looking reluctant as Byleth pulled her along.

*Outside Byleth's office...*

"Well, speak of the devil," Sothis pointed as they approached, "isn't that Blanc herself right there?"

"It is," Byleth said in mild surprise, seeing Rhea standing at the CPU's side. Closing the distance, Byleth bowed deeply to the beret-wearing goddess... "Lady Blanc. It is an honor to meet you in person. And hello to you as well, Lady Rhea."

"Hello, Professor," Rhea managed a small smile. "How fared your mission with the Guild?"

"Not as well as I would have hoped, but we did manage to capture a person of interest. I'm sure she's being interrogated by the Guild as we speak," Byleth replied.

"Rei Ryghts gave me the details of your mission," Blanc spoke up. "You're damn fortunate that no students were seriously injured in your little sting operation!"

"M-my apologies," Byleth grimaced. "It won't happen again, I promise."

"Oh, but who is this with you?" Rhea inquired, looking down at Sothis, her expression unreadable.

"You can call me Sothis," the greenette introduced herself, hiding a smirk at Rhea doing a subtle double-take. "Byleth here found me sick and half-dead in the streets, and nursed me back to health. Since I didn't have anywhere else to go, he decided to bring me home with him."

"Oh, I... I see," Rhea nodded uncertainly. "Well, that was nice of him..."

"Anyway, Professor," Blanc cut in, "I've got something I need to discuss with you. In private." She gestured toward the office.

"Really...?" Byleth seemed a bit nonplussed. Turning to Rhea, he requested, "Bishop, I hate to drop this on you, but could you look after Sothis while Lady Blanc and I are talking?"

"Huh...? OH! Oh, yes, most certainly," Rhea snapped back to awareness. "Perhaps I'll show her the greenhouse..."

"You do that," Blanc nodded, turning to walk in the office, Byleth following behind her and shutting the door.

Rhea watched them enter, before turning back to the little girl. "So... is your name really Sothis?"

"So what if it is?" Sothis crossed her arms, frowning. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Ah... how about I explain on the way to the greenhouse," Rhea suggested, taking Sothis by the hand and leading her off...

*Byleth's Office*

"So, what did you need to ask me, Lady Blanc?" Byleth asked as he set his suitcase on the desk and unlatched it. "Something about my operation with the Guild?"

"No, this is... more personal." Blanc began, looking uncertain. "Tell me... how much do you know about your mother?"

"My mother? Sitri?" Byleth looked shocked. "Well... I know that she lived here all her life, and that she was pretty stoic before she met my father... actually, I met with a monk who had been quite fond of her, and ... well, he tried to bring her back from the dead, and ended up turning into a grotesque monster which I and the other students had to put down. He really should have known better..."

"I can't argue with that," Blanc deadpanned. "Well then, you're really not going to like what I'm about to tell you... You see, after I heard about your mission from Rei, I had a few questions nagging at me, so I went to ask Bishop Rhea..."

"...Apparently you didn't like what you heard," Byleth said hesitantly.

"Damn straight," the CPU growled. "As it turns out, Sitri wasn't born the natural way. She was, in fact, a homunculus, created by Rhea herself."

"A... homunculus?" Byleth's eyes went wide. "As in... an artificial human?! But... why? Why would Lady Rhea do that?"

"...She was trying to revive her mother from the dead," Blanc dropped the bombshell. She noted Byleth taking a half-step back, tensing up significantly. "Apparently she lost her mother at a young age, and missed her terribly. Believe me, I read her the riot act when I heard that. She's not gonna try that shit again anytime soon..."

"I... her mother...?!" Byleth stammered. "But... what does that make me?"

"For all intents and purposes, you're Rhea's grandson," Blanc replied. "That's likely part of the reason she showed you so much favor since you first arrived here..."

"Really? I thought it was because of my old man's reputation," Byleth countered. "But... grandson? Rhea's not even that old..."

"She's older than she looks, believe me," Blanc retorted. "Anyway, the reason I was so concerned is because of that sword you use..."

"My sword...? You mean this one?" Byleth pulled the disassembled Sword of the Creator out of his suitcase, grasping the hilt, causing the weapon to reassemble into blade form in seconds. "Bishop Rhea said it's a relic from Lowee's ancient history..."

"But did she tell you exactly where it came from?" Blanc asked pointedly. "Perhaps you should sit down for this..."

*Meanwhile, at the greenhouse...*

"See? Isn't this flower pretty?" Rhea said to Sothis.

"I suppose, but I've seen it before," Sothis shrugged. "I'm more interested in all the cats and dogs you let run around here..."

"Well, most of them are strays, eating either scraps thrown out by the kitchen or fish from the nearby pond," Rhea replied. "Thankfully they all seem to get along, for the most part... Did you want to try and pet some of them?"

"Maybe later," Sothis demurred. "So, you say that I'm named after Lowee's first CPU? So what was she like?"

"Ah..." Rhea's gaze went distant. "Well, she was kind and just, always wanting the best for her people, but unwilling to let them cheat their way through life, so to speak... Er, or so I've read," she quickly appended.

"Is that so..." Sothis raised an eyebrow curiously. "So she wasn't one to suffer fools gladly?"

"I daresay not," Rhea nodded. "When the demon known as the Game Genie first arose, she clashed with it in a ferocious battle that nearly devastated the nation... But in the end, Sothis won, destroying the Game Genie and rendering his cheat codes inert, ensuring gamers would only win by their own skill and effort."

"Cheaters never prosper," Sothis quoted.

"Indeed, they don't," Rhea nodded, before wincing as a gurgling sound was heard.

"Was that your tummy? Has Lady Blanc's cursing you out so upset you that you've forgotten to eat?" Sothis ribbed.

"Ah... it would seem so," Rhea's face colored a little. "Well, the mess hall is not far from here. What do you like to eat? And please don't say candy."

"I dunno," Sothis shrugged. "I'll try anything. I'll just have whatever you get, okay?"

"Very well, let us go," Rhea nodded, taking Sothis by the hand once more...

*To be continued...*