As a note: I literally am writing this out of boredom, and on my phone so do forgive any accidental wonkiness. This will be the only chapter in first person, mostly because I find writing in it to be weird. Like it, hate it w/e bc this is literally just for fun. I cannot promise anything other than probable weirdness and shenanigans.
Life had a funny way of bringing in the unexpected. Sometimes bringing in events with unforeseen ripples across the future, others so small that they were barely a drop in the ocean. I wasn't entirely sure what this event I found myself in signaled.
[GAME OVER]
Would you like to start a new game?
The words hovered before me, the tacky blue box illuminating the otherwise grey and blurred room that looked suspiciously like a hospital. I blinked. However long I stood there staring unseeingly, I couldn't tell you. It felt like forever and nothing at the same time, the words and their meaning not quite comprehending in my brain. It might have been the shock of not wanting to believe I was dead. And there was shock, believe me. Shock, messy crying, and a mental breakdown as everything that happened- and all that I lost came rushing to the surface. I won't spare the messy details of that unfortunate event, but suffice to say I hit all the stages of grief in a possibly short amount of time. Car accidents could be brutal, and my clothes had the blood and tears to prove it. Ick.
Eventually the tears and heightened emotions faded into numbness, my mind deciding it had enough trauma for the moment. There was something far more interesting before me now. My eyes flicked back up to the hovering...menu, I suppose I should call it.
[GAME OVER]
Would you like to start a new game?
[YES] [no]
It was slightly different now, options being added in the time I had a moment. Built in grief check? Possible. An idle thought if there was any. Right, new game it was then. My teeth dug into my lip and gnawed, body tensing in anxiety as I reached out. There was no going back from this, was there? My finger hovered, resolve wavering against the unknown before the other half of me decided 'fuck it, yolo'. I was already dead apparently, so what cold it hurt?
Bing!
Instinctively, the sound causes me to flinch as the window pops from existence. The air hums in my ears, the sound reminiscent of a disc being read, and all I can do is tense in anticipation as the world around me darkens and fades. My stomach flops, hair standing on end as a sort of electricity fills the air. But before I could even consider, everything stops.
Bing!
Around me the darkness bleeds away, color blooming bright across my vision until I was standing in a quaint, movie perfect bedroom. A cool breeze fluttered through thin curtains, playfully caressing my hair as if to tease me with its secrets. I could actually smell the unmistakable mix of scents that could only suggest a forest was nearby. It was enough to put me at ease. Before me, a series of four menus spread across my vision, one partially disrupted by the soft light from the window diffused throughout the room. It was literally creepily cinematic.
Welcome to the character creator for your next life! Here your points, perks, and appearances can all be customized to suit your preferences. Choose wisely, as you never know what your next life might bring!
Okay, fair enough. I dismiss that particular notice from over the center menu, scanning the remaining three below with interest. To my left was a surprisingly lifelike rendition of myself, bloody clothes and all. I looked unsurprisingly what one might call 'a hot mess'. Being dead did that to a person. In the middle of the menus sat your usual character sheet, the kind of thing you might expect in a game that had stats of any kind. It looked pretty customizable too. To the right was what looked like a number of perks and starting skills. Each seemed to have a corresponding number of points they cost to aquire. I had a pretty decent number of them too, so I could guess that whatever this 'game' was, they let you diversify quite a bit. Good, that was always the fun part. I had no idea if id keep my memory as I played, so the least I could do is make an interesting life for my new self.
Time for the painstaking process of crafting my character. Mentally, I cackled and rubbed my hands together. First things first, some basic character info…
[Name]
[Age] 15
[Gender] Female v
[Birthday] January 19th v
[Race] White v
[Nationality] American v
[Species] Human v
Attributes: 0/10 points
[STR] 5 + 1
[DEX] 5 + 1
[STA] 5 + 2
[CHA] 5 + 2
[WIS] 5 + 2
[INT] 5 + 2
[Health] 100/100 + 10
[Mana] 100/100 + 30
Stats were relatively easy to dole out, hopefully put into things that would make it easier for me to get stronger in the future. The more personalized sections? Not so much. Particularly when a certain line was consistently unchangeable no matter how much I pressed. Fifteen, really? Really game? That was high school and puberty all over again- though I could take the high school any day if only to do better than my first time around. But, something far more interesting was quick to steal my attention.
[Species] Human v
Witch
Werewolf
Vampire
I admit I had to stare at that part in particular for a rather large amount of time. What the hell kind of world was I being reborn into, and why couldn't I have signed up sooner? My choice was rather clear, despite all the options being equally intriguing, and in a flash I chose my poison. Who needs carefully considered sheets? Pain and suffering was what made things interesting. Now then, a name. Instantly my mind flashed to a character of a book I enjoyed- fittingly also a female werewolf. Though… I eyed the gender section contemplatively. Being a dude was also highly tempting. If only for the experience.
Sadly, I think I preferred my soft and squishy female one more. Maybe next time, if there was one.
[Name] Vivien
[Age] 15
[Gender] Female
[Birthday] January 19th v
[Race] White v
[Nationality] American v
[Species] Werewolf v
Attributes:10/10 points
[STR] 6
[DEX] 6
[STA] 7
[CHA] 7
[WIS] 7
[INT] 7
[Health] 110/110
[Mana] 130/130
Perfect! Well, at least until I messed with the perks and skill section. Speaking of- I spent the next however long doing just that, pouring over the details on each perk and skill before carefully choosing what I thought might be fun to have as a character. All that was left was adjusting the rest of my character's info to fit, and finish up with changing my appearance to suit.
[Name] Vivienne
[Age] 15
[Gender] Female
[Birthday] January 19th v
[Race] White v
[Nationality] French-American v
[Species] Werewolf v
Attributes:10/10 points
[STR] 11
[DEX] 6
[STA] 12
[CHA] 7
[WIS] 7
[INT] 7
[Health] 110/110
[Mana] 130/130
[Perks] 3/3
[0]Bilingual Native- You grew up speaking two languages growing up, either due to your parents or some other circumstance. Speaking either is as easy as breathing.
Gain French and English as languages. (Free with background).
[0]Predatory Roots- Unlocked with Werewolf. Everything from the way you walk, to the way you look at others screams predator. The perfect stalker whenever you wish to scare someone from behind. Or for convincing everyone around the block that you're the biggest bad around.
Gain bonuses to stealth and intimidation actions. Increased sight, taste, hearing, and sound. 5% exp bonus when part of a pack. Increased aggression around the full moon. +5 STR +5 STA; gain +1 to each every successful full moon.
[3]One Classy Bird- The way you move, talk, stand, and look carries a hint of times past. Everything you do carries a touch of elegance not present in today's time.
Every level gives + 1-2 points in DEX and CHA.
[Skills] 5/5 points
Dance- Competent
Parkour - Novice
Krav Maga- Competent
…
…
A long heavy sigh escaped my lips as I studied the final look through of everything. It looked good, or at least well rounded enough to do for starters. All that was left was the way she looked. Er, I looked. Tomato, tomato. I cast my gaze to the final menu, squinting fiercely as I poked around the window to figure out how it worked. For a moment, nothing happened other than another breeze. Only when it settled, did the menus and background fade to grey and a full-sized copy of myself appeared in front of me. Okay, not going to lie, it was a bit uncanny. Was this how twins felt?
Hesitantly, I approached myself. Fingers poked and prodded, discovering to my satisfaction that pressing certain parts of my doppelgänger opened up menus that let me adjust my features. The first thing to go was my height. No more short gene! I was fairly certain my face was twisted into an unholy grin at the thought. There was no stopping me now, and the difference in my previously chubby body at a solid 5'10" was disorienting. But ooh that delicious height. I missed out on being almost 6ft in my life before this, but not this time suckers. Wish fulfillment was the name of this game- and lets be real, who wouldn't? I quickly learned just how far the rabbit trail went. It was surprisingly mature of them to let me adjust literally everything. Dark hair went to light, judicious abuse of freckles and beauty marks were a go, and the perfect pair of tits were crafted. The only thing I couldn't really do yet was adjust muscle tone. Apparently that came with time and skill, just like the real world. Vivienne really did turn out to be supermodel pretty. I could only hope she would be a vibrant personality as a grand sweep, I saved her appearance and returned to my previous setup in the room. For all intents and purposes my job was now complete. Just in time for-
Bing!
[Would you like to proceed? Any unused points will be lost beyond this point.]
[YES][no]
Apparently the game agreed with me- or just read my mind. The latter being the most likely of suspects. I gave no thoughts to regrets before hitting yes. Once more, the world around me blurred. I felt sick and dizzy all at once, but before I could even consider anything else sleep slammed into my body with all the subtlety of a raging river. All I could recall seeing before my brain faded into unconsciousness was a final notice.
...
...
[GAME START]
Bonus to you if you know the book the name comes from. /dies