Greetings, everyone. I present to you my first commission piece! This was requested by Darkkseid, who wanted a four-chapter fic containing snippets of the life of Pyrrha, a goddess of both War and Love, when she comes to Remnant under the guise of a human woman named Pyrene and falls in love with a mortal Jaune. This first chapter is supposed to depict her initial decision to leave Heaven and her first meeting with Jaune. Enjoy (especially you, Darkkseid)!

If a mortal eye were to look in on the room of Pyrene Nikos on a certain day near the end of Fall, the watcher would think that she was alone. They would also believe that she was simply an old woman taking a nap in the middle of the day. Both of these assumptions, of course, would be wrong. Pyrene Nikos was surrounded by four figures, four goddesses, who knew that she was on her deathbed.

"It's not too late," said the white-haired goddess, her mist-blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "We'll plead your case for you. The Council will understand."

Pyrene smiled gently. Despite the graying of her fiery hair and the wrinkling of her fair face, her emerald eyes shone with a strength that continued to defy her weak body. "Weiss, my old friend, how can the Council possibly understand when you don't?"

There was a pause, and three of the goddesses looked guiltily at each other. The dark-haired goddess didn't move or speak. The smallest deity, who had shining silver eyes and a red cloak, cleared her throat hesitantly. "I get why you left," she murmured. "But, I don't get why you won't come back."

"That's what I'm saying!" The golden-haired goddess threw her hands in the air. "You've had your fun, but it's gonna end soon. Come back with us, and everything can be just the way it used to be! Remember?"

Before Pyrene could protest, the goddess who stood in the shadows cut in. "She does remember. That's why she doesn't want to go back." Her eyes changed color for a few moments before settling on a glowing amber.

The old woman smiled gratefully at her friend before looking at the other three. "Blake's right. Many things have changed over the years, but my feelings haven't. Not for Remnant, and not for what used to be my home." She closed her eyes, her mind drifting back to a time long, long ago.

…

Every god and goddess knew that eternal life was a gamble. They were fated to either be worshipped and revered, or forgotten entirely with the passage of time. For Pyrrha, Goddess of Love and Victory, the former was true. It always had been true, since her defeat of the demon Salem during the War for Remnant, when the Grimm were wiped out and a new reign of peace was ushered throughout the land.

She was seen as a symbol of power during times of war, and an icon of sexuality and fertility during times of peace. As a being of both love and bloodshed, she was considered by those around her to be both alluring and unapproachable. Therefore, she was placed on a pedestal, both literally and metaphorically. Mortals prayed to her for strength and romantic prowess, seeing her as the ideal woman in practically every way. Her fellow deities still revered her for her ancient battle against Salem, and would often bow or avert their gazes when they passed her, as if she was too radiant to look at.

It was a simple matter to smile and nod back, hiding the pang of sadness that always struck when this happened. Reverence was better than hatred, after all, especially in the case of divine beings.

Over the centuries, however, Pyrrha began to see a ray of hope: The mortals were beginning to forget.

At first, tales of her fight against Salem began to change, so that the role of the mortals became more and more emphasized. Eventually, Pyrrha was only a banner that the ancient Huntsmen had ridden behind. Then, she was a symbol of creation, becoming one of many stories that were often told but never believed about how the universe was born. Finally, she realized that, if face to face with a mortal, the short-lived being would likely not even recognize her. And, if they did, they would choose to ignore it.

This realization was what led to her initial decision to leave Heaven.

It wasn't uncommon for gods and goddesses to take on mortal guises and appear physically on Remnant, after all. Blake, Goddess of Knowledge and Justice, often would go in the form of a cat Faunus and work to sway the prejudiced humans of the world to see their brethren as equals rather than animals. She was the one Pyrrha approached for advice.

"It's not difficult," Blake said calmly. "You've observed the mortals closely for years. You know how they act. You just have to adjust so that you're more like them. Even on Remnant, we carry a certain…glow. You have to be sure to keep that in check. Even though they don't believe in goddesses, they'll wonder about you."

She started to return to her book before something else occurred to her. "Oh! And you should take on a different name. Having the name of a god or goddess these days is considered strange."

"I see." Pyrrha nodded slowly. "I'll observe for a few more days before going down. Thank you, Blake."

Those next couple of days were spent taking special note of human and Faunus mannerisms, clothing, and interactions. After much deliberation, Pyrrha decided to take the form of a young human woman approaching her twenties. That seemed to be the age when mortals had the most fun and the most freedom. If she was going to do this, she'd might as well have a good time.

She also may or may not have been swayed by the especially amorous nature that surrounded the men of that age. Mortal guise or no, she was still the Goddess of Love.

Taking a deep, unneeded breath, Pyrrha stepped through the shining, prism-like gate that stood between the realm of mortals and the realm of the gods. As she walked, she felt her body take shape. Gods and goddesses usually had ever-changing forms with only a few consistent qualities, due to the varying depictions of them by their worshippers. Pyrrha was almost always shown with fiery-red hair and shining green eyes and, despite her wish to blend in, she couldn't help but keep them. Her shifting skin settled on a fair, slightly-tanned color. Her form remained tall and muscular, but not quite as well-endowed as certain exaggerated statues liked to show.

Finally, donning blue jeans, white tennis shoes, a dark tee shirt, and a red hooded jacket, a young woman named Pyrene Nikos stepped onto the streets of Downtown Vale.

The first thing she noticed was just how bright and real everything was. Heaven felt incredibly muted in comparison to the hard pavement beneath her feet, the sweet chocolaty scent of a bakery that caused her mouth to water, and the ongoing waves of chatter that seemed to wash over her as she passed people by. Instead of an ever-changing land shaped by the inconsistent fancies of mankind, this place was a solid creation of the determination of a certain group of people during a certain time, whose ideas were still being seen in the form of streetways, houses, and stores. The vision of those builders of the past melded effortlessly with the lives of people in the present, who used the buildings and streets to do business, socialize, eat, or simply walk in silence, blissfully unaware of the previous generations and decisions that led up to their simple presence wherever they happened to be.

It was all so straightforward, poetic, and beautiful, that Pyrrha couldn't help but smile. Her eyes glittered as they took in the shop windows, bustling people, and even a lone wasp that hovered around a nearby lamp post.

She caught the eye of a young woman, who quickly dropped her gaze. It was only then that Pyrrha realized that there were several pairs of eyes trained on her. Quickly, she tried to rein in her emotions and withdraw into herself as much as possible.

Remember what Blake said, she told herself. Keep your "glow" from being too obvious.

She continued down the sidewalk, now staring at the ground, trying desperately to keep herself from looking the slightest bit extraordinary. Hm. Maybe I should have made myself shorter. I seem to be taller than most females here. That will certainly attract attention…

Unfortunately, she was now so intent on keeping herself in check, she was no longer focusing on her surroundings. She rounded a corner, only to walk straight into someone, who let out a loud "Oof!" and fell backwards onto the ground. An armful of books scattered across the concrete.

"I'm so sorry!" Pyrrha gasped, immediately kneeling down to see if the person was okay. "I wasn't looking where I was going. You're not hurt, are you?"

The boy groaned, sitting up slowly, wincing at an obviously-sore backside. "Ugh. My pride's basically dead, but I think the rest of me will be okay." He looked up at her, tilting his head. "Hey, are you a student here?"

As Pyrrha picked up the scattered books, she took stock of this young man. He looked to be around the age of the college students in this town. He had friendly blue eyes and slightly-messy blond hair. "Not yet," she said. "I haven't decided if I'll be attending this semester." It was true. She wasn't sure yet if she wanted to pretend to be a college student during her time on Remnant, or if she wanted to simply wander through various walks of life as a young woman.

The boy stood up, giving her a puzzled look as he accepted his books. "Thanks. What do you mean 'haven't decided?' The semester starts in a week."

Pyrrha mentally facepalmed. Grand job researching this place. Really grand, she scolded herself. "Um, I…was given an extension," she ventured.

Thankfully, that seemed to have been the right thing to say. The boy raised his eyebrows and let out a low whistle. "Beacon extended your application deadline to now? Man, they must really want you. Why haven't you decided? Got some Ivy League schools lined up?"

"Yes," Pyrrha said. "But…I'm not sure if they…have what I want in a college." She hoped that the boy wouldn't notice her pauses.

"I hear ya," the boy replied. "Ivy Leagues look good on paper, but I think they're overrated. And expensive. I'd like to have my loans paid off before I'm dead, thank you."

Pyrrha chuckled. "I can definitely understand that." Deciding that she liked this boy, she held out her hand. "I'm Pyrene Nikos. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The boy shifted his books so that they were in one arm before shaking her hand. He had a firm, but not too firm handshake, and seemed surprised at how strong Pyrrha's grip was. "Nice to meet you. The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it."

"Is that so?" Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, an amused smile coming to her face.

"Well…I hope they will." Jaune faltered, his cheeks turning pink. "Uh, well you're a lady. You tell me."

Pyrrha's smile widened a little. She resisted the urge to laugh, not wanting to hurt the boy's feelings unintentionally. "I think it suits you just fine." As she spoke, she allowed some money to materialize in her pocket. "There's a coffee shop down the road. If you don't have any plans, I hope you'll let me make up for knocking you over."

Jaune's awkward smile turned into a full grin immediately. "I never say no to coffee. Throw in a pastry, and I'll even let you knock me down again."

This time, Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh fully. She was heartened when her new friend started laughing with her. "Tempting, but I'd hate to injure your pride any further," she said as she led him down the sidewalk.

At the coffee shop, Pyrrha took a moment to smell her latte before taking a taste. The bitter tang combined with the sweet and spicy cinnamon syrup the barista had put in was honestly better than any projected food from Heaven. She glanced at Jaune, who was watching her obvious enjoyment.

"I take it you haven't had good coffee in a long time, huh?" he asked.

"You could say that," Pyrrha replied. "Places like this usually have something extra, you know?" She was already getting better at improvising answers.

"Definitely. Starbucks is good if you're desperate, but nothing compares to a local shop." Jaune sipped his own drink, a vanilla latte, and eyed the piece of chocolate cheesecake Pyrrha had bought for him. "Thanks again for treating me. You didn't have to."

"I really don't mind," Pyrrha assured him. "I prefer to dine with a friend, rather than sitting alone." As she spoke, she wondered if she was being presumptuous calling this boy her friend so soon. However, the way he perked up in response quickly reassured her that she hadn't overstepped any boundaries.

"So, what are you going to school for?" Jaune asked.

"I'm…studying History," Pyrrha said quickly. History was a safe subject, and one she was certainly knowledgeable about.

"Yeah?" Thankfully, Jaune still wasn't noticing her somewhat-hesitant answers. "Are you thinking of being a teacher?"

"Yes," Pyrrha replied. Teaching was something she could do, certainly. It was a way to relive history in a way that wouldn't arouse suspicion. "I would like to specialize in folklore: deities, legends, things like that." As she spoke, she realized that she was telling the truth. She was interested in seeing exactly what goddesses like her had become to mortals over the years, and how relevant they still were in the grand scheme of things.

"That's really cool," Jaune said, clearly impressed. "I hear there's a good Folklore professor at Beacon. Port, I think his name was." He took a bite of cake. "I'd like to go into Video Game Design, personally."

"Oh? What kind of games do you want to make?"

"I really like strategy and puzzle-based games." Jaune's eyes lit up with the familiar spark of someone discussing their passion. "I'd like to make new ways for puzzles to be integrated into plot-based games, like in Undertale or The Legend of Zelda."

Talking about strategy games led to Pyrrha noticing a chess board sitting on a nearby shelf along with some other games. Of course, this led to the two playing a few rounds. To Pyrrha's surprise, Jaune beat her three out of the four times they played. As they started packing up the board, his phone started buzzing.

With an apologetic look, he flipped it open, looking at a text. "My mom," he explained. "We rented a hotel room up here, so she can get a look at the campus and help me move in on Sunday." He rolled his eyes. "I can't wait till I'm here on my own. My parents still treat me like a kid who can't tie his shoes by himself."

"Are you the oldest or youngest?" Pyrrha asked. "I know that parents tend to be very protective when their first or youngest child goes off on their own."

"No, but I'm the only boy. That could have something to do with it." Jaune shrugged. "I guess I'm lucky. My sister Mary got it a lot worse when she left. Our family is just really close-knit." He sent a response to his mother and closed his phone before grinning at Pyrrha. "But, hey. This meant I got to meet you, right? If you end up coming to Beacon, I'll already have a friend here on the first day!"

Pyrrha smiled warmly. "I've definitely been swayed more toward Beacon." She quickly materialized a phone and flipped it open. "If you like, I can text you when I know for sure." Of course, by this point, she had already made her decision.

Jaune quickly opened his phone again, fumbling a bit in his eagerness. "Okay!" They exchanged phones and punched in each other's numbers. Afterward, Jaune bid Pyrrha a reluctant farewell. "Nice meeting you, Pyrene. Hope to see you at orientation!" He waved over his shoulder as he left the coffee shop.

After the door closed, Pyrrha leaned back in her chair, unable to keep the bright, content smile from her face. A few people paused while walking past her, drawn to her godly aura, but she didn't notice. She was too busy savoring a sensation that she didn't think was possible for her: casual happiness.

She had just spent several hours with someone who talked to her as if she was a regular person, who was friendly on his own and not because he felt obligated to be, and who honestly hoped to see her again.

Enrolling in Beacon would be a simple thing. She'd just have to go into the heads of a few administrators, influence a few machines, and create a believable ID and bank account (which would be just as easy as it had been to materialize her money and phone).

Pyrrha finished her coffee in a few gulps, not bothered by the fact that it had gone cold by this point. She made a silent vow to herself that she would definitely see Jaune Arc again soon.

This was a lot of fun to write! I'm already looking forward to the next chapter. Fair warning: as per the request, it's going to take place two years later and will depict an intimate scene between Jaune and Pyrrha. I don't commission Lemons, but I do dabble with Limes, so the next chapter will be rated a very high T.

If you're interested in commissioning a piece from me, details are on my profile, and you can message me for more. Four slots are still open currently.

Peace out!