Inspired by Silver Queen's "Dreaming of Sunshine" and Cross-Brain's (Xomniac, Hornet, and Patient ) "This Bites!"

I own Nothing. Cover art belongs to luigiix deviantart

The Choice Arc: Prolouge

Always go with the choice that scares you the most because that's the one that is going to help you grow. -Caroline Myss

'When does a stereotype become a cliche or vice versa?' was the second thing that came into my mind as I stared into what i can only assume to be a white abyss surrounding me. the first was my voice screaming at what had just accord to myself out of fear several minutes ago or so I believe. I'm dead.

Well, when you decide to take a trip halfway across the world, your plane decides to have mechanical problems and crash into the middle of the ocean, it tends to make oneself act...irrational to any and all situations.

So, here I am sitting on what I presume to be the ground and wait for whatever is to come.

.

.

.

And still waiting.

.

.

.

'Someone really should put a clock in here or something. Whats the point of an empty area when someones already dead?'

"Well when you decide to barge in here without any warning, it catches the host in a peculiar predicament as to what to do next."

A voice spoke, couldn't tell if it was male or female, from behind me. Slowly turning myself around to get a look at who it was, took a lot more effort than I thought it would. my whole body just feels numb and heavy too I finally manage to turn myself in the direction of the voice, what I was not expecting was to see a transparent shade of a human. It looked like a shadow with no details to describe itself other than a faint smile etching across its head.

"Huhuhu...Are you just going to lay about on the floor or do I need to actually pick up? Honestly, making me do more work than necessary."

The Shade begins to walk over towards me when it finally occurs to me that its growing bigger with each step. After a mere few steps, the size of the shade was comparable to that of a house from my perspective. I began panicking when I saw It reached out its left hand and grabbed my whole body within its palm. I don't feel the shades grasping me, let alone which part of my body it's grabbing me.

'P-PUT ME DOWN!? PUT ME DOWN!? WHAT HAVE-!'

When I tried to scream, I didn't hear my voice. I could only hear my thoughts bouncing around the blank abyss surrounding us like an echo.

The Shade had just kept smiling at me as it moved me in front of its face. "Not that I care of your little mental break down after losing your body, even if it is amusing, but can you pick up the pace so we can move on." Feeling the slight urge to punch this now certifiable bastard, I tried to calm myself by taking deep breaths...when I noticed that I couldn't even feel myself taking air into my lungs.

When I tried looking at my body, all I got was my perception of the world rotating forwards from staring at the smiling Shade to its dark translucent hand. Feeling nauseous at having the world turn around on me, literally, I straighten myself back to my previous position before I stuttered my next question. 'W-what am I?'

"Right now, you're an annoyance that I have to take care of but you didn't ask for my opinion. So to put it in simple terms, You are a Soul; a ball of light that has the memories of your previous existence. Although you're not supposed to have any self-awareness when you come here yet it does tend to happen every so often" the Shades smile drops into a frown for just a moment before reverting back.

'And w-where is h-here?'

Lifting its right hand into my range of view, the Shade moves its pointed finger skyward and shakes it side to side as if chastising a child. "That's for me to know and for you to remain ignorant. So, let's move on to the main purpose of you being here; Sorting arrangements."

If I had a face, anyone could tell that it was contorted to disbelief. Either this Shade could read it or feel it, it held its right hand up in a surrendering fashion while muttering "...easier without awareness."

'What exactly are you implying by Sorting Arrangements?'

"...A type of Reincarnation. That's all you really need to know." it said as the shade lowered its body to the ground into a lotus position. it moved its hand that is was on further in front of it so I could now see its entire body. Now free of me, the Shade waved its hand towards the ground and three beige boxes appeared out of nowhere. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole 'Reincarnation' thing before questioning the laws of physics.

"Now, since you are one of the unfortunate souls of having to deal with self-awareness, you have the choice of deciding where to go. Each box represents a world that is currently available to you. Pick one of them."

Looking at the now 'mystery' boxes, they looked exactly the same; beige color wrapping paper, a black ribbon tied into a bow on top and with numbers labeling them 1-3 from left to right. I just stared at all of them before looking at my choice.

'...Number One.'

The Shade moved the other boxes behind its body and removed the ribbon of my choice. there wasn't any flashing lights or confetti that said I chose the grand prize and there wasn't any vile smoke or daunting music to suggest eternal damnation. All that came out was a puff of air and the Shade put its hand into the box.

Fishing around, neither of us spoke which gave me some time to sort out my thoughts on whats happening to me. Yesterday I was packing my suitcase to go on a trip with my...family? No that doesn't sound right. Friends maybe? I...I don't remember.

'Why can't I remember anything? What did you do to me!?'

Shade stop rummaging for a second before pulling a folder that appeared normal sized when it held it. Only when the folder was opened was my question answered.

"Your dead, you no longer have a connection to your old world now. Though you can remember past experiences, the people you've once connected and bounded to have no place in the next. Call it cruel if you want, it spares you the pain of never seeing your loved ones again." It said in a dead tone at having to answer such an obvious question. Silence returned to the both of them with the exception of Shade moving one page to the next. After what felt like an hour, the folder snapped shut causing the sound to bounce around, catching my attention.

Looking forward once again, I could see five pieces of paper floating in front of me. Each one had a different picture on it; A paintbrush, a Viking helmet, A pawprint, a pair of human arms and legs and finally a fish. the pictures were black and white, only showing the barest detail to explain what the are.

'And what are these suppose to be?'

"These pictures represent the different races that inhabit the world you chose previously. Unfortunately for you, the choice of being human is no longer optional. So choose one."

'What do mean I can't be human!?' I screamed as loud as I could. the mere thought was already ridiculous and now I can't even be myself.

Shade moved its hand to pinch the bridge of its nose out of irritation for having to deal with me, but I'm not sorry. I want a reasonable explanation, not someone telling me what to do.

"You were human in your world, in this one you cant be human. Those are the rules. If you don't like, not my problem. Now choose."

'You're an ass, you know that' I said irritable but all I got in return was a shrug and "Whatever..."

Looking back at the pictures, with what little information I had I said my answer. 'The middle one, the one with the pawprint.'

With a wave of its hands, the Shade made the other four pictures vanish and the one I choose flew back to it. The Shade grabbed it and placed it in the folder before more pieces of paper appeared. This time instead of pictures there were letters on them. From left to right; NB, EB, SB, WB, PD, and NW.

I waited for to see if the Shade would clarify what these new sets of letters mean but all I received was a hand gesture to choose again.

'EB..?'

The letters vanished once again and the 'EB' flew back into the folder. It pulled out only three this time but were of different colors; Blue, Red, and Black.

"Each color represents an action to the choices you will encounter. You will pick out one of these three that represent who you are or wish to be." Shade spoke as it moved its right hand towards the first color while giving a brief description before moving on to the next.

"Blue represents Order and Stagnation, a symbol of balance. Red is of Change and Reason, a symbol of the unknown. Finally black represents Individuality and Desire, a symbol of freedom. Choose."

So the choice now is to determine my personality? Why not just...ah, I'm dead so its most likely telling to leave my old self behind. Yet is that what I want?

'...Black.'

The two colors vanished into thin air but the black one didn't move at all. looking up, I could see that the being in front of me was clutching its face for some reason. "hu... huhu... HuhuhuHAHAHAHA... So, you won't change yourself for anyone. Not even if it means you could live a better life? HAHAHAHAHA..." the Shades smile had grown twice as big with each chuckle.

After the laughter finally died down, I spoke my reason. 'Why would I give up who I am to fit in? I am who I am, why should I change for someone else. If they don't like me, that's their issue.'

The smile didn't lose any of its mirth as the Shade reached out and grabbed the black paper. Clutching it, the Shade moved it back towards itself. But instead of putting it in the folder, it opened its palm upward and exhaled a breath of air. The black paper turned into a flurry of particles that flew right at me.

I will admit, I tried to cover myself from the sudden display but...no arms.

At least it stopped right in front of me before splitting up into three part; The one to my right began to form into a 3D model of a sheathed blade, to my left was a black crown and floating above was some type of fruit with a single leaf on it.

"Consider this a parting gift. Once you decided, you will then begin the start of your new life. Just for your own benefit, you won't have any recollection of this place or conversation. Best of luck to you."

The Shade said as its body began to evaporate into smoke. when the last trace of it vanished, I was left all alone with these three objects. Looking at each one to see if there was anything that stood out.

'I guess I'll choose...the Fruit.'

Once I said that the other two dropped to the ground like water and began moving towards me. When I tried to move away, they shot out of the ground and latch onto me. I began screaming when the puddles started dragging me THROUGH THE FLOOR!

'AAAHHHHH!'

The last thing I saw was countless lights falling all around me.