Poor Man Reborn

Extrasensory Explosion

I hear the sounds of people moving and talking. What just happened? My breathing is normal, and I don't feel wet. What the hell is going on?

I open my eyes but immediately put my hand up to block the sun. The sun? It was just around 7 pm and was already dark out.

As my eyes begin to adjust to the light, I notice something. In the top left-hand corner of my view is a blinking blue icon. I focus on it and discover it's a blinking star.

Ignoring the icon, I had just noticed something. My hand was tiny. It wasn't even my skin color. I look at the small hand and skinny arm attached to it.

"Ok, I'm beyond freaked," I spoke these words quietly and slowed.

I took a deep breath. Alright, Dave, you seem to have somehow got yourself that second chance you wanted. I can't squander this chance, and I try to stand, but my body is so small and light I get tangled in my legs and fall on my face.

At the end of the alley, two people see this and laugh like crazy people, then walk away as nothing had happened. WAS THAT JUST A BULL MAN LAUGHING AT ME???

"All right, I can't just sit around when there is a whole new world for me to explore!" I say to myself as I untangle and walk to the alley entrance.

When I get to the street, I stop. Like completely. My mind does that thing to freeze all thought, diverting all power to comprehend what you are seeing. It's like when you see something that you can't believe it because it's just too unbelievable. That was everything.

This place defies the law of...well I think it defies all of them. There were humans and demi-human, animal people, orcs, gnome, the beetles, witches, wizards, lawyers, demons, androids, two for one BOGO shoe salesmen, more alien species than all eight MIB movies. And if that's not weird enough, none of the buildings matched up. It was like someone had picked one from every era that had happened on and many that hadn't.

"Grewdsa dersq...." I'm sure smoke was forming at my ears at this point as words failed, and I felt drool forming in the corners of my mouth.

So I wiped my face off after my brain caught up with the sensory overload and turned around. I went and sat down at the place I had been sitting before. Sitting down, I inspect myself, no shoes on, and wearing a burlap sack with a hole in it and string around my waist.

"Ugh, my brain," I say to myself, rubbing my pounding temples.

The blinking star catches my attention again, and I've noticed that it always stays in the same spot no matter where I turn. Looking at the icon, I move to touch it, but my finger can't reach it.

"Oh great, this is just great. I bet it's something cool and ill never be able to open," but an explosion of screens invades my view and cuts my complaints off.

Three alerts pulsate in the shape of blue windows, and the first one reads:

WELCOME TO THE RANDOM WORLD CHALLENGE!

The Random World Challenge is a race to the top! You will compete against other Advocates to reach the final round. The last one standing wins the next world choice, a bonus blessing, and an item for the next game.

Random World Challenge is a combination of all worlds and creatures. The NPCs are randomized, and their quests will be varied. To make it to the next round, you must gain points through NPC and World quests. World quests will be given to you durn special events, and they will come via message.

This round, you have been given two blessings that will help you advance in the random world.

The first is Transmigration, this allows you to retain your memories from your past life, and you also receive a guide, Trina. Trina is a Pack Faery and will help you this round.

The second is Destiny; this will see random acts to help the player get closer to his goal and ultimate reward. Destiny will be waiting for you in this world. She is waiting for you, Hero.

"So it was real, I did get to spend time with her, and I might find her here. Oh? What is this?" I say, absently looking at the bottom of the message.

ATTACHMENTS:3

Extra burlap sack

Wait a minute...

2.Extra string

Is this some bad joke?

3.Trina

So I got something useful after the first two disappointing items. Let's see now before it worked when I said open, so...

"Accept all?" I say as more of a question than a statement.

Another pulsing blue bar pops up.

ITEMS ACCEPTED

Access your inventory to use these items.

This heads-up-display was the kind of stuff from video games in my previous life, and I was getting excited. A game like this, with the blessing I have, could mean endless possibilities. There were still two more alerts on my HUD, so I decided to check them out, first looking around to see if anyone was watching me.

There must be an easier way to close, but before I could finish my thoughts, the message window closed, leaving the other two. This navigation system was useful. It would have been awkward to have to talk every command. I started to read the next message and narrowed my eyes.

RULES AND CONDITIONS

Anything goes. Eight chosen must compete till the last one is standing.

Woah, that is intense. So this is some eight-way royal rumble in random land. The thought makes me chuckle, and I closed that alert. I couldn't help feeling excited, my previous life had been just one thing after another, and this was my chance for payback.

I knew some of those seven other Advocates or whatever we are were to blame for some of my past injustices. I would get even with them and the one who planned it all. That window closed, and I looked at the last window.

SAFE AREA

This 6x20 Area is a player safe zone. There are other zones, but they are rare, and each player only has access to his or her location. While in this zone, you are invisible to dangers in the world.

As I closed the last alert, I sighed. That should have been the first alert or the second, but not the final. At least now, I could concentrate on what I was doing.

I opened my inventory, and a simple grided screen with five blocks appears in that pulsing blue. Three slots had items, and I selected Trina.

The image fell off the grid and hit the ground, making a white cloud of smoke. Small coughing sounds were coming from the cloud that swallowed me.

"Jeez, do they need to be so dramatic," said a small female voice.

Soon the smoke cleared, and I could put a face to the voice. I was pretty surprised, and I'm sure my little kind face barely hid my excitement of had at seeing the small female faery.

"Your Trina?" I asked excitedly.

"The one and only! Welcome to the new world. My job is to help you along the way with understanding this new place. I will also be your pack!"

As Trina finished, a backpack five times her size appeared on her back from a cloud of smoke. This accessory made the cute faery look ridiculous, but the weight didn't hold her down. I also noticed that the transparent inventory grid had gained fifteen more slots.

"So, do I have stats or a character sheet?" I ask, thinking about games I had the chance to play in my previous life.

"Oh, yes! You can open your AVATAR to see your stats and skills. EQUIPMENT will show you the items you have equipped. There is also a MAGIC book to show you the spells you have learned. Just think what you want to open, and it will appear."

Well, this seems pretty basic so far. Let's close my INVENTORY and open EQUIPMENT. The grid closed, and another screen of me appeared. This mirror-image was my first time getting a look at my new self.

My avatars hair had mud in it, but I could see brown strands. I was not very impressed with the look as small kids go. The sac I wore was in the chest slot, and the sting was in the belt. Both had low durability, but they were above half.

"Well, I didn't start with much."

"Trina tried to tell you that it would be all random, but cheer up! Destiny is on your side this time, and you're going to beat Fate this time! With Trina's help, it will be no problem!"

"What do you mean, you told me? Are you the god Transmigration?"

"Yup, that's me! I look different normally, but my true name is Trinity. Though in this world, we are different."

"So, do you know my name?"

"Woah Woah, Woah, Trina can't tell you that. Only the gods know those, and I'm not a god right now, just your partner! Let's look at your stats. Maybe there is a surprise waiting there for you," Trina spoke hopefully, but she looked a bit apprehensive.

"True, let's see if I have some unique passive talent or a cool skill. Maybe my stats are jacked!" I closed my view of the dirty child I was and opened my AVATAR.

This page had all my stats and skills on it. I hear Trina let out a sigh beside me, and I started to scan the page. As I reviewed everything, my heart fell from my chest to my feet.

LEVEL: 1

EXP: 0/10

HP: 10/10

MANA: 5/5

NAME: Snaggle Tooth

AGE: 7

CLASS: Street Urchin

STATUS: Hungry

WEALTH: Non-existent

HOME: Do not have one

STRENGTH:1

CONSTITUTION:1 (+5)

COMBAT:0

SPEED:1

???:0

MANA:0 (+0)

???:0

???:0

ABILITIES

SKILLS:

I wasn't prepared for this. Dammit, what kind of cruel joke is this. I was just poor my entire previous life. Were there going to be people waiting at every turn like last time? Was this just going to be an elaborate repeat of my past experience?

"Cheer up. Trina thinks this is all for a reason. Don't be sad. Destiny gave you her blessing, and it's one of the most powerful ones you could get. Destiny has a funny way of guiding you to the exact places you need to be at the right time."

"I guess so. I guess I was hoping for too much," I laugh as I stand back up.

To hell with Fate, I'm going to make it to the top. I won't let anything beat me down this time. Not even this ridiculous name, it felt like Fate's last grab to do something to bother me.

I lived my last life as a poor and defeated soul. I'll find you one day, Destiny. Until then, I, Snaggle Tooth, shall make my way in this new, disjointed world. Poor Man Reborn: As Poor Kid! SMH!