433She died. One moment she was alive, the next she wasn't.
She couldn't recall much of what exactly had happened, other than having had a long day at work and feeding the stray cat she'd come to fondly call "Nugget" on her way back home. No fear, no pain, no end – merely darkness. And now light. Gazing around at the infinite spread of white surrounding her, she could only conclude that she was in the afterlife, or very-well on her way to it.
Frankly, she was a little disappointed. How could the afterlife be this boring? If she knew it'd be even blander than her daily life, then she'd probably have tried a little harder to stay alive.
Well, I just hope someone else will feed Nugget from here on out…
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a low, buzzing noise suddenly filled the silence, quickly turning into a cheery little tune akin to a game intro. There didn't seem to be a source but, before she could really question it, a screen popped open right before her eyes, making her stumble back with a yelp.
[Welcome CHOSEN!]
Please select one of the following options:
Move on into AFTERLIFE
Move on into NEW LIFE
What the heck…
Was she being given a choice between properly dying or being reincarnated, then? Well, it certainly beat staying in this annoyingly empty space for eternity. The afterlife didn't sound all that appealing just yet, though, so it was without hesitation that she pressed a finger on the floating screen and selected the second option.
You have selected: NEW LIFE
Please select one of the following options:
Reincarnate in HOME WORLD
Reincarnate in RANDOM WORLD
Hell no, if I'm getting a shot at being reincarnated, it sure as hell won't be in my own world! Though I might be given the choice of when I'd go back… Ugh, no way! Not even time travel can appeal to me in this sort of circumstances!
She promptly selected the second option. No matter how tempting it might be to get reincarnated in another time period, she hadn't paid enough attention in History class to guarantee her survival. Without warning, though, a giant red wheel with sparkling lights and colorful stripes appeared beside her, and a new message popped on the screen:
You have selected: RANDOM WORLD
Please spin the wheel to find out which world you will be reincarnated into!
Now that sounds like fun!
A bit giddy, the young girl promptly grabbed the shiny handle and pulled it down, setting off the wheel. She couldn't see any of the options written on it, only blurring letters and pictures alike, and she was eventually forced to look away when she began growing dizzy from all the spinning. After a couple of seconds, though, a resounding 'DING, DING' DING' echoed as the wheel finally came to a stop, and small confetti canons popped all around her as a victorious tune echoed in the background.
Congratulations!
You landed on: ONE PIECE
Please wait as we proceed to CHARACTER CREATION
To what now?
She could barely bring herself to rejoice at the selected option as the wheel, the lights, and the confetti promptly puffed out of existence, and the endless whiteness surrounding her suddenly faded to black. Mere seconds later, though, light returned, revealing a vastness of blue. Looking down, she was surprised to find herself literally standing on water, small ripples running through it with each movement she made. The general background music had also changed, becoming a familiar tune – the orchestral version of the first One Piece opening, that is. She couldn't help but sweatdrop a bit, though.
What if I'd ended up with Attack on Titan? Or Tokyo Ghoul? Would there have just been blood everywhere?
Yeah, she'd definitely lucked out. Now that she understood what exactly the screen meant by "RANDOM WORLD", she realized just how badly this could have gone had she not possessed pure S-ranked luck.
[Welcome to CHARACTER CREATION]
[Tutorial: START]
Numerous screens abruptly appeared all around her, all showcasing various options such as physical traits, abilities, or even equipment. Everything was moving a bit too fast for her to properly take in every detail, but she noticed all of the prices written next to most of the options offered. Before she could start to try and make sense of everything that was being thrown her way, however, particles of light began gathering right before her, quickly turning into a humanoid form… with a panda head.
"Pandaman!" she gasped.
"Welcome to CHARACTER CREATION!" greeted cheerfully the cutesy man wearing a panda head. "Since you randomly selected One Piece, this STAGE, the tutorial as well as my current appearance have all been designed to ease you into the initial immersion."
"Oh, so you mean you're not actually Pandaman?"
"Quite so! This is merely the appearance best suited for the current STAGE."
"What's a STAGE?"
"STAGE refers to your reincarnation profile. A STAGE is set according to each Chosen's respective choices and eventually becomes a pocket dimension based on the selected world. These profiles exist in order to avoid Chosen individuals running into each other and accidentally messing up their reincarnation experience."
"So you're saying that even if someone else gets reincarnated in One Piece, I won't ever run into them? This… reincarnation experience is a solo gig?"
"Correct! The only way in which one's STAGE can interfere with another's is in the Character Creation phase. Like so!"
Pandaman lifted a hand, and a screen appeared, presenting… Devil Fruits? It was a list of Devil Fruits, but some of them were blanked out, like the Noise-Noise Fruit or the Force-Force Fruit, which she faintly recalled as original creations in some of the numerous fanfictions she'd read over time. At the very top of the list was listed a price:
Pick a Devil Fruit of your choosing! – 50 coins
"The reincarnation system cannot allow copycats, so to speak. Each story must be completely unique and, as such, options for Character Creation can become limited depending on the Chosen's preexistent knowledge of possibilities."
"In other words, fuck plagiarism?" Pandaman merely nodded, and she took a closer look at the list. "Wait a minute… I could get Akainu's Fruit? How?"
"A STAGE can only be set following the basic timeline given in the original world. As such, were you to pick the Magma-Magma Fruit, you would be obligated to pick a reincarnation period ulterior to when Akainu originally came into possession of this Devil Fruit. That is why most of the Chosen who reincarnate in One Piece pick nameless Devil Fruits, so as to ensure they can follow the original timeline as closely as possible."
"I see… What about the prices? How many coins do I have?"
"Each Chosen is given a hundred coins to use as they please! Any coin that isn't used at the end of CHARACTER CREATION will be directly transformed into local money – Berries, in the current circumstances." The entity gestured to all of the screens around them. "Feel free to take your time and choose wisely – once you are reincarnated, there will be no going back. And please do note that you will not be given a second STAGE – once you die in your new world, you will move on into the afterlife like any other regular person."
"I understand. I'll take a look around, then."
"Don't hesitate to call on me should you need anything else!"
With a small nod, she then began looking around. The more regular physical traits such as hair or eye color were free, but adding horns or wings costed between five to ten coins, depending on the type. There was also an option for 'race', with a note indicating that some physical traits were inherent to particular races and, as such, could not be changed – in other words, if she picked a Giant, then she wouldn't be able to not be thousands of feet taller. And if she picked a Mink, then she'd have no choice but to essentially become an animal.
Physical abilities could be interesting – namely "Strength of a Giant" or "Speed of a Super-Sonic Duck" or even "Underwater Breathing of a Fishman". Each cost a pretty penny, though. There were also more varied abilities such as "Fearless", "Photographic Memory" and "Smoldering Stare", any of which could become interesting if used intelligently.
And then there was the most interesting stuff, such as Haki.
HAKI
Armament Haki – 25 coins
Observation Haki – 25 coins
Conqueror's Haki – 50 coins
With only a hundred coins to spare, it was difficult to pick between balancing various strengths, or going right for the overpower – to a point where it might very well become a weakness. Plus, there was one thing even more interesting than the rest.
Will of D. – 50 coins
And then there were endless other options, ranging from random skills like playing the harp or cheating at poker, and even lineage options – she could literally become Gol D. Roger's daughter, for the hefty price of 90 coins (though it was a good way to get the Will of D. without paying for it). There was also equipment, clothes, fighting styles, reputation – she could pay 80 coins to have Kaido's eternal respect, whatever that meant and implied. And of course, there was still the matter of picking when and where she would end up in the story, too.
Grow up as a child with Luffy in Foosha Village? Get recruited by Ace with the Spade Pirates? Become Vivi's loyal maidservant in Alabasta? Be reborn as Doflamingo's yougner sister and pray he doesn't let his psychopathic tendencies loose while she's nearby?
Endless options. Endless possibilities.
"Hey, Pandaman?"
"Yes?"
"Isn't there a randomizer option?"
"… a what?"
"Randomizer option. Isn't there a button I can press that'll just randomly select all of this stuff for me?"
Pandaman violently shook his head, somehow managing to appear absolutely horrified despite not having a proper face. "NO! Why would there even—no! Why would anyone even pick something like that? You get to pick exactly how you'll look, what you'll be able to do, who you'll be affiliated with – you get the chance to plan your next life exactly as you'd like it to be!"
"But that's boring," she replied with a small huff. "I already know what's going to happen in the original storyline – that ought to be enough, right?"
"But- but—!"
"I don't really care what I'll look like. And even if I'm lazy as hell, there's a bunch of stuff I'd like to learn on my own, without this fast-pass you're handing me. And the One Piece world if filled with all sorts of interesting people whom I want to meet on my own terms!" She glanced down at her hands, unblemished and pristine. "My old life… It was safe and comfortable, sure, but it was boring. I was on my own, unable to accomplish anything unique or extraordinary… In my next life, all I want is the opportunity to grow into a different kind of person. The kind that faces life head-on and comes out on top." She looked back up at him, offering an apologetic smile. "I'm really sorry to trouble you with this… but is there anything you can do about it?"
After a moment, Pandaman nodded sharply and spun around, quickly typing on various screens that had appeared before him. She patiently waited as he worked and, after a few minutes, he let out a victorious exclamation… and without warning, a pedestal abruptly rose from the ground, right before her, with a shining golden button attached to it, and the word "RANDOM" engraved on top of it.
RANDOMIZER – 100 coins
If you select this option, the coins will be distributed randomly
"This ought to do the trick…" murmured Pandaman, turning to face her again. "Be warned, however, that since I've just adjusted the system, some bugs might occur. It's a really big risk, so make sure you think carefully—"
She pressed the button. Pandaman sweatdroped.
"Are you absolutely certain—"
She pressed it again. And again. And again. She started pressing it repeatedly, and Pandaman promptly pushed her hand away with a small cry.
"What is wrong with you? I just told you there might be bugs, you gotta be careful with it!" With a sigh, he leveled her with what she guessed to be a glare. "Are you absolutely sure about this? There's no telling who you'll become."
She merely grinned. "Perfect. I can't wait to find out."
Understanding there was no talking her out of this crazy idea, the entity slowly backed away from the pedestal and snapped his fingers. The button began shining gently, and she belatedly realized the system hadn't been active up until now.
"I've decided that we will be using your STAGE as a mean to test the Randomizer Option," he then announced. "As such, you will be granted more coins to be randomly distributed so as to optimize your survival rate and allow us to collect as much data as possible. Please try your best to make the most of what you'll gain and live your new life to the fullest. The longer you live, the more data we'll be able to collect, after all."
"Got it. I'll try my best not to die too early," she snorted, cracking her fingers a bit.
"Then… whenever you're ready."
She didn't need to be told twice. With an eager grin, she pressed the golden button one more time. Confetti exploded around her as all of her coins vanished at once, and the background music grew louder as the golden light became brighter and brighter, until it blinded her completely.
The last thing she saw was Pandaman cheerfully waving her way, and then darkness completely overcame her.
.
[DOWNLOAD]
[NEW WORLD: ONE PIECE]
[DOWNLOAD]
[CHARACTER CREATION: RANDOMIZER]
[DOWNLOAD: NEW LIFE]
.
.
.
[DOWNLOAD COMPLETE]
[REINCARNATION COMPLETE]
[STAGE XXXXXXXX—ERROR]
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
.
.
.
[STAGE 0: BEGIN]
.
.
.
When she opened her eyes, the sun was shining brightly above her. Blinking a few times, it took her a few seconds to remember what exactly had happened – the dying, the character creation, the reincarnation. Slowly sitting up, she gazed down at her hands. Her skin was darker than it used to be – an unfamiliar, milk chocolate tone. And tumbling down her chest were messy, somewhat dirty locks of silver-white hair.
Pushing herself up to her feet, she let out a small yelp when an unfamiliar weight on her back pulled her right back down, making her stumble in the thick grass. Confused, she twisted her head, and her eyes went wide when she finally noticed the fairly large, black-feathered wings.
Then this means…
'DING'
[Welcome to the world of One Piece!]
Endless adventures and endless dangers – such is the world in which you have been reincarnated. Wealth, power, and fame await you, but only the strongest will be able to leave their mark. Will you attempt to claim the greatest treasure of all for yourself? Will you join the ranks of a centuries-old rebellion? Will you fight for the ideals of the World Government? Or will you go completely off-charts?
Will you seek justice, peace, freedom, or more?
The choice is yours.
Welcome to your new life, Lucky D. Brynlee!
She grinned.
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Hello hello, everyone!
I've decided to try my hand at a Gamer Fic! Well, sort of. It'll contain elements of traditionnal Gamer Fics, but the system used will be a little different. Feel free to offer suggestions or advice if you think it might help make it more consistent, though!
Also, here's a VERY IMPORTANT detail regarding this fic: it's going to be short chapters! While this story will follow a proper plotline, the chapters will be very short and will mostly focus on the interactions between various characters as well as the impact my OC will have on the original storyline. In other words, there's a lot that might be skimmed over or outright skipped.
I want this to be a lighthearted fic where I can just explore the Gamer experience without the stress of having to produce 15K chapters every week. So, let's just have fun and enjoy the ride together!
I ACCEPT IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS IN REGARDS TO INTERACTIONS, VARIOUS PLOT HOOKS AND RANDOM HAPPENINGS! I can't guarantee I'll use every single one of them, but I'll gladly integrate requests if possible! So, share as many as you want!
That's that for now. Toodles~!