If you could reincarnate into any anime world, which one would you choose?
It was another one of those random surveys that popped up as I mindlessly scrolled through social media. A harmless question with a multitude of answers.
For me, though, the answer was crystal clear.
Naruto, Attack on Titan, One Piece, Hunter x Hunter, and other anime centered around the concept of "kill or be killed" were definite no-gos.
Romance anime, while enjoyable, lacked that "it" factor to satisfy my adventurous heart.
After all, unless you were the main character, nothing was really differ from the current reality.
So, what was my answer, you ask?
Pokémon!
It was a world I had grown up watching and it seemed like a fun place to live. Plus, having some fire-breathing, water-controlling companions certainly sounded extremely good.
So, without much thought, I clicked on that option.
Anyway, it's not like I was actually going to get reincarnated into such a world, right?
...
..
I died.
That much was clear.
Death is final; it's certain. It's the mysterious question that seems to serve as the final stage of one's life. Your last act, your coup de grâce, your moment of reckoning. Whether you die with a smile after fulfilling your heart's desire, with frightened eyes as you realize you never saw it coming, or with a horrifying expression as you endure your final moments—it doesn't matter.
Death doesn't discriminate. Death doesn't pity. Death doesn't spare. Death doesn't care.
I was not unaware of this. But I was unaware of how fragile the human body truly is. At any moment, a blood vessel in your brain could burst without you having any inkling of the impending doom.
In my case, it was rather mundane. A traffic accident—a story of a drunk driver and an innocent passerby.
It wasn't the infamous truck that claimed me, but rather the ride to the hospital. At least I passed out knowing I wouldn't be burdened by the massive bill the visit would rack up.
Curiously enough, when I resigned myself to never waking up again as I closed my eyes, something happened.
I opened my eyes once more.
...
"What happened?!" I muttered, clutching my head as a throbbing pain shot through it. The pain was excruciating, as if someone had forcibly crammed something into my brain.
"Argh!!"
I couldn't help but let out a small scream as flashes of images swirled in my mind.
Verdanturf Town, Pikachu, Ralts, Uncle, Aunt...
Pokémon—Wally.
"Are you okay, Wally?" A man with a clean-shaven face appeared before me, his footsteps rushed, but I was too overwhelmed to respond.
With a thud, I collapsed once again, catching only fragments of words as darkness took over.
"Quick, Chansey. Heal Pulse!"
...
I opened my eyes again, but unlike before, my thoughts were clear as I took in my surroundings.
"Chansey, Chansey," a pink, blob-like creature that resembled Kirby looked at me with a worried expression.
[Chansey: Normal-Type Pokémon. Adept at healing. Mostly used in Pokémon Centers.]
"I'm fine, Chansey. Thank you." I smiled slightly, calming the panicked Pokémon who rushed to take my temperature.
At that moment, a couple hurriedly opened the door, responding to the noise. It was the clean-shaven man. "Wally, are you alright?"
"You had us worried there," added a middle-aged woman with pink hair, looking at me with concern.
"I'm fine, Uncle, Aunt. I was just so excited about getting my very own Pokémon that it overwhelmed me a bit," I said sheepishly, rubbing my head with my palm.
"Oh dear, you ought to be more careful now," my aunt chided gently.
"Yes, we know you're excited about Pokémon, but you need to take care of your health," my uncle joined in.
"I know, I'm sorry." I apologized obediently, without a hint of dissatisfaction. "I'll take better care of myself. I'm sorry for worrying you."
"If you understand, then that's fine," my uncle said, nodding at my sincere attitude. "If you still feel unwell, let us know. We've got Chansey right here."
"Chansey!" Chansey nodded, patting its chest with its paw.
"I will."
"If you're feeling fine, then get ready and come downstairs. We don't want to miss your big day," my aunt said as she called Chansey back and turned to leave.
"Okay." I nodded, watching as the couple left the room.
With the door closing, I slumped back onto the bed.
"Holy God-Arceus... What the hell just happened to me?" I muttered, massaging my head slowly.
I was Grey, a streamer. I lived a good life until a freak accident.
I was Wally, a sickly boy who existed only inside a game screen— one of the future rivals of the main protagonist in Pokémon Gen 3 games.
Reincarnation? Awakening memories of a past life? Transmigration? I wasn't sure what had happened to me.
I was both Grey and Wally. It could even be said I was an amalgamation of the two lives.
Was it because of that survey? Or just some bored ROB who put me here?
My thoughts spun like a spindle, and I felt something build in my throat.
It was a cough. A series of rough coughs assaulted me.
"Cough! My meds..." I quickly took my tablets with experienced movements and gulped them down with water.
While it wasn't showcased much in the game, Wally was a sickly character. Even the first battle with the main protagonist happened because Wally wanted to prove to his uncle that he could go on an adventure despite his frail body.
Of course, now that I was Wally, I knew I was afflicted with a disease similar to asthma.
"In the game, toward the end, it seems Wally somehow overcame his illness..." I thought, as my eyes brightened.
Even the existential crisis I was experiencing quickly faded as I accepted the fact that I had become—or was—Wally.
Since it's already happened, the only thing I can do is accept it. No, not just accept it, but as the ancients said, I must embrace, adapt, and overcome.
...
Thanks for reading~