CHAPTER III

The First Step

Pyrrha was starting to feel more and more nostalgic now. She felt homesick. She missed so many things from Remnant. She missed her team, her friends, but most of all, she missed Jaune. She really missed him.

Pyrrha's eyes were getting filled with tears as she looked at the strawberries. She didn't want to feel like that now. She wanted to learn more about this world and try to be happy even in this new life as Saori Saga. She would be Saori Saga. Now and always.
And the new people she met on Earth. They were so attentive and kind with her. Yoriko, Miyuki, Natsumi… the police department officers of Bokuto station always saved some time on their schedule to visit her and help her with her rehabilitation.

Pyrrha liked everything and everyone about the Earth. It was a wonderful world, despite being different from Remnant. She was happy to meet new people, people that weren't her friends from her old world. People that didn't know about Remnant and her once glorious story as Pyrrha Nikos, she was making a new life in this world as Saori Saga, her life would be very different from what she used to do. A different destiny, a different story, a different life. She really hoped it would be a happy story, for both her and Saori…

With authorization from Doctor Matsushita. She was declared ready to get back to work. The night before returning to the police department. Pyrrha could barely sleep. She had her eyes open as she was lying on the bed. She couldn't sleep. It was very late at night, but she was excited about going to work.

Pyrrha looked at the clock, it was almost time to go. She got up from the bed and started to get ready. She would return there as Saori Saga now. Would her workmates like her? Would she like the job? She wanted to do everything right, just like Saori. She wanted to be perfect at everything… Yoriko left a white cardboard box in her room. Pyrrha opened it. The box contained a brand new Tokyo Metropolitan Police uniform.. A white shirt. A darker blue skirt, a matching vest and tie…

She was surprised to see the box and the uniform inside. It was a uniform similar to the ones she had seen the women police officers wear, and it was in her size. She tried on the uniform and looked at it. The shirt and the dress were all a little strange for her, but at the same time, it was kind of... pretty. And even her size! Pyrrha was now staring at her image in the mirror. Her long hair was tied in a ponytail, like it was in Remnant, but she was dressed very differently. And yet, she still felt... well, like Pyrrha Nikos. Like herself. Her trademark combat attire was gone, and her long and shiny red hair was brown now. Instead of her signature armor and cape, she was wearing the dress and shirt of a police officer. Yet, she still felt herself. It was hard to explain.

She was still Pyrrha. Even on the Earth.

Miyuki came to pick her up on her Toyota Sports 800, and brought Saori to the station. Natsumi Tsujimoto and the rest of the traffic department force were eager to see her again. Nikos was excited, but she was trying to remain calm. What would the other police officers think about her now? She wanted to see what would happen next.

Pyrrha was going to start her new life.

—"Good morning Saori-chan. Are you ready?" Asked Miyuki as Pyrrha boarded her car.

—"Good morning, Miyuki-san." replied Pyrrha as she got in the car. "Yes, I am ready."

Nikos was excited and also very nervous. The other people were there. They were going to see her. She had to act like Saori, she had to act like this new life was real. It was going to be a strange day, for sure. She was ready for everything. Or at least... she was going to try… She didn't know what to expect now. But she had to go there. They were at the front of the Bokuto Police Precinct, the place where Pyrrha would work as Saori Saga now. The place where she would have her new life.

Pyrrha was still a little bit nervous, but she was ready. She opened the door and got out of the Toyota. She went to the building, still not able to believe that she was really here.

—"Officer Saga. It's nice to have you back. You're a valuable member of our team. This place was very silent without you" Said the elderly lady who kept the place clean.

—"Good morning." Pyrrha said as she bowed. She felt nervous as she did it, but she had learned that this was how people greeted others in Japan. She could really start this new life. She could make this world her home. She was also thinking of her friends in Remnant. She wondered if they knew that she had been reborn? Did they know that she was now Saori Saga? Her chest was feeling tight. She had to calm down. She had to do it. She can't give up now…

Every officer and worker she found on the way to the upper floor where the whole traffic department greeted her. If only they knew she used to be the Invincible Girl of Remnant. She sighed remembering the old days as the pride of Mistral...

—"Saori-chan. Are you okay?" Asked Miyuki

—"Yes, Miyuki-senpai. I'm fine." replied Pyrrha as she continued walking with Miyuki. They had almost arrived at the traffic department. She felt like crying, but she didn't want to show any emotions there. She didn't know how to react to things, she just knew how to do her duty.

They arrived at the traffic department. It was a little bit different from what she was used to in Remnant, but she could learn how to work here. She had to do it... She couldn't turn back now.

—"I'm so sorry. Officer Saga's injuries...are due to my negligence. Because I... wasn't paying attention while I was working. I take full responsibility for everything. No matter what the punishment is, I will accept it…" Meanwhile, Natsumi begged for the captain's forgiveness at his desk.

—"Wait a sec, Tsujimoto. It's not that serious of an accident. You don't need to talk like that" Kachou tried to calm the officer down, even if he had to lie about Saori's condition. He didn't want Natsumi to blame herself for a single second.

—"But at that time I was…" Natsumi continued her declaration, until she was interrupted by Pyrrha's voice.

—"Good morning" She opened the door and greeted everyone.

—"Saori-chan? You're alright already?"

Many of the officers were surprised to see (who they thought it was) Saori Saga returning so early to service after the accident she suffered. Only with a bandage on her left ankle.

—"Sorry to make everyone worry"

She greeted the officers with a bow. She still felt weird. But she couldn't show it. She was Saori Saga. She had to play as her. She had to keep doing it. It felt strange to be praised by these officers. They didn't know, and they wouldn't know, who she used to. She couldn't tell that secret to anyone. She wasn't Pyrrha anymore.

This was it now. This was really happening. She had to embrace this new life.

—"Whoa, whoa! You're out of the hospital already?" Kachou asked in awe as he saw the young officer walk in.

—"Yes, it was just a slight sprain," Pyrrha lied, trying to calm everyone down. "Look! I'm fine already!" But after just two steps. Pyrrha felt Saori's ankle hurting her heavily, and she limped, almost falling to the ground.

—"Saori-chan!" One of the female officers rushed to assist her. A beautiful lady with short auburn hair, who appeared to be very strong and brave. She looked at her, and felt like she was looking at Yang Xiao Long if she had to compare her with a Remnant person. "Don't force yourself!" Natsumi Tsujimoto got up from her desk and embraced Saori Saga. She was almost in tears.

—"Good morning. Natsumi-senpai" she greeted the lady. ''Sorry senpai. I was wrong for being dumb"

Saori greeted the lady with the name 'Natsumi-senpai'. She didn't really know what that meant, but she thought that it was a respectful way of greeting this lady. She felt the eyes of everyone on her right now. She was going to have to prove that she was as capable as Saori Saga. She couldn't fail. This new life of hers depended on it. She had to be ready. She had to be perfect. She looked at the lady and smiled, trying to be the most polite as she could be.

—"Saori-chan. Thank heavens you are alright" She sobbed "You scared me so bad. It was all my fault!"

—"It's alright. It was an accident." Saori said with a comforting tone. Pyrrha was surprised to receive such an embrace so early in the day. But she also felt... touched?

—"And I am sorry for making everyone so worried about me. It's nothing. I'm sorry to have let that truck in the restricted area. We have to maintain strict control so as to protect the world's order and to ensure the safety of civilians. It's our responsibility as policemen, and my responsibility. So I can't just rest because of a sprain, senpai." Pyrrha Nikos felt like Jaune, Ruby, and the rest of her friends in Remnant would feel guilty about her demise at the hands of Cinder Fall. Pyrrha acted as if she was easing the pain of one of them when she hugged Natsumi and declared such an intention to keep the people of her new home safe from danger. She felt the tears starting to come out of her new eyes. "It's good to see you. All of you"

Pyrrha Nikos then looked at the man behind the desk. She thought that he really reminded her of someone. He reminded her of Professor Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy.

—"The Chief" She thought

—"Saga-kun is right. Didn't you think of it that way too, Tsujimoto?" The Chief said. "Keep taking her until the end. Backing away at the last minute isn't you, Tsujimoto"

—"At the last…" Natsumi uttered.

—"Natsumi-senpai. Please advise me properly. Please take it easy on me" Pyrrha bowed with a smile, trying to comfort Tsujimoto. Pyrrha was still a little bit shocked at all the attention she was receiving. She didn't think she was so valuable to them. And yet they were looking at her like she was some kind of hero.

—"Alright! Sorry to have let everyone worry. Thats right, I have to be myself in order to work hard! First, we need to totally eliminate drivers who take shortcuts and cause traffic. Everyone please cooperate!" replied Natsumi with huge, newfound determination as everyone cheered, supporting her idea. Then Saori imitated the gesture she saw the Atlas Military do when they saluted their superiors. Fortunately for her. The same gesture (putting her hand on her forehead and standing up with respect) was used for the same purposes on Earth. She put her hand on her forehead and stood up with respect, like the people on Earth did.

She was still a little bit nervous, but she was trying to hide it. She was trying to show that she was going to be really good in this new life of hers. She couldn't turn back from this. She couldn't be Pyrrha anymore. And because of that, this life was all that she knew now. She had to do everything right.

A computer stood in front of her. They had computers back in Remnant. But that one looked different. "It's on. Just press any key" Advised the female officer who sat beside her. A beautiful lady with long wavy brown hair and green eyes as beautiful as the ones Pyrrha had back in Remnant.

—"Any key? Computers in Remnant don't have keys" Thought Pyrrha.

The lady smirked and by pressing a key on the odd looking keyboard. Pyrrha was a little bit confused at the computer now. It was so different from what she was used to in Remnant. But the female officer was there to help her. The monitor illuminated. Saori smiled at the screen. A robotic voice greeted her with a "Good morning Saori-chan."

—"Good morning." Saori said as she pressed a key on the computer. She wanted to make it look like she was used to it, like the real Saori Saga. She wanted to start her new life with the right foot. She wanted everyone to like her… Aoi Futaba. The beautiful officer beside Saori giggled at the sight of Saori greeting her computer. She thought that she was just acting silly like always

Pyrrha was still confused by everything. But the computer asked her a question now. And she had to respond to that. If she wanted to give the impression to everyone that she was really Saori Saga, she had to try her best...

—"Hello again." Saori replied with a smile. She tried to sound confident and happy, like the real Saori Saga. She also couldn't wait to see what other things the computer would do for her… She didn't want to admit to Aoi that she also didn't understand. She felt like she should know what she was supposed to do now. But she had no idea at all. So, she tried to think of something. What would the real Saori Saga have done? She had to think quickly. She wanted to do her best to keep the act going...

—"This is all new to me." Saori said to Aoi. "What am I supposed to do now?" She asked with a small, nervous laugh.

—"Checking the traffic reports of the week" Aoi answered with a smile so warm that Pyrrha thought it could melt all the ice of Atlas. She was surprised that Aoi knew what she had to do. But she also felt happy. Aoi really seemed like a nice person. And she was really pretty. She reminded Pyrrha of her friend Nora… They both shared that energetic aura.

—"Oh, right." Said Saori. "I have to check the traffic reports of the week."

She looked back at the computer and went through the traffic reports of the week. She was starting to understand what her job was. There were reports of a car robber and of a couple of thieves on a motorcycle. The police had to find them... Back on Remnant. Yang Xiao Long had something like a motorcycle. But it was slightly different than the earth ones.

She was thinking about how to react to this information now. So, she had an idea… "I think we should search for these thieves. I'm sure they're just outside of the city. We can catch them if we act quickly." Saori said…

—"Typical Saori!" A male officer who wore sunglasses and white gloves said as she heard that.

—"Who's him?" Pyrrha Nikos murmured once more to Aoi

—"Nakajima Ken" Aoi replied "The White Falcon of Bokuto"

—"Why a falcon. Can he fly?" Saori said, genuinely confused. Aoi giggled again.

—"Because he's very fast and smooth when riding his bike" Said Miyuki with love in her voice. Pyrrha Nikos could tell immediately that her new friend Miyuki was head over heels for Nakajima. Like Pyrrha was with Jaune Arc back in Remnant.

So, this Nakajima Ken was known as the 'White Falcon'... that was something. Pyrrha was still confused about the falcon thing. But she didn't want to seem silly in front of everyone now.

She listened to Miyuki for a moment, and she could see the look in the woman's eyes... She was in love with this Ken guy, it was so obvious.

But Saori felt she couldn't be her old self right now. She was Saori Saga. She had to act like her, even if that was so hard...

Aoi Futaba taught Pyrrha to print the traffic reports and she showed them to The Chief "If you feel okay. You can go out to patrol. Officer Saga. I think you're ready. Officer Futaba will join you" said The Chief.

"Yes, sir!" said Saori with a brave face. She felt a little bit relieved to go outside now. This was what her real life was going to be. Her life as a traffic police officer. Saori started to patrol with Officer Futaba. She didn't know this woman, but she seemed nice. She felt it, she didn't even know why. But she felt it.

This new life of hers was so complicated…