WHAT DO YOU WANT TO B—
I'm sorry, what?
WHAT DO Y—
Wait.
A black void, a booming but otherwise nondescript voice, I can't feel my everything and my last memory is something completely innocuous?
...
I'm dead, aren't I?
...
YES
...
Fuck.
...
...
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE REBORN AS?
...
Huh. That’s actually a thing, is it?
Wow.
…
...
…
...
WHAT DO YOU WA—
Yeah, I know, I know.
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It’s just... I’m still coping, y’know?
Anyway, let’s just— HOLD IT! This has the feeling of a set-up! Imma need some background-info, before making a decision, ya dig? And I immediately regret having said it like that. Jeez, that’s embarrassing. I’m pretty sure I’m just trying to distract myself from a panic attack because I died, I died, oh god I died wait no don’t stop stop stop stop STOP!
Okay, okay. Breathing. Just breath.
...
...
Okay, I’m fine. For now anyway.
My point still stands, though. I mean, am I going to be reborn on earth? If so then when? Or is this an Isekai situation? Am I going to remember my past life? And if I do, will I do so from the start or will it come to me later? What are even my options for me to be reborn as?
INFORMATION ON YOUR DESTINATION WILL NOT BE GIVEN.
What?! Why?!
...
No answer, huh? Fine. What about my other questions?
YOU MAY RETAIN YOUR MEMORIES.
AVAILABLE OPTIONS ARE DESIGNATED AS EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION AND THUS WILL NOT BE GIVEN.
...
AS WELL AS THEY MAY BE FOR THEIR NUMBER IS INFINITE.
Okaaaay? Hm.
What if can’t decide?
THEN YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED AT RANDOM.
Yeah, I figured. Hm. Hm, hm, hm. Infinite. So I could be anything.
!!!
I would like to become a shapeshifter!
THEN YOU SHALL.
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As the dawning sun cast its twilight upon the edge of the grove none were there to witness the creation of a new life on this world.
There they were. Two shadows dancing around each other heedless of the light’s direction.
Then they collided. They dove into each other, their writhing creating the illusion of depth.
Until that illusion turned into reality. The shadow bulged and heaved off the ground, folding in on itself, simultaneously becoming more and less. Then it stilled.
Laying there on the ground was a thing. A thing not recognizable as the infant it was. It had no parents to care for it and no way to find nourishment. It was helpless. It would die.
Unless it was found by benevolence.
A hunched creature sniffed the air, eyes wide and searching. The scent of wild magic hung in the trees. Walking on four and two legs interchangeably it carefully inspected its surroundings for the source.
And the creature found it. A baby. It sniffed again and reached out with its furred and clawed hand, nearly as big as the child.
Scooping up the infant, the creature brought it closer to its tapered maw full of sharp teeth and sniffed once more.
There was no mistaking it. This was an ordinary child, seemingly born recently. Small snout, paws, tail, and covered in translucent fuzz. And shivering.
The creature frowned and cradled the cub against his broad chest, guarded against the cold. Looking around he came to a decision.
Thus the changeling found a home among the barghest.