Death and Reincarnation

Here I lay, bleeding out, bones across my body broken or completely shattered. Yup, you guess the cliche of getting hit by a runaway truck. Truck-kun/sama if you will.

Most are sad and I imagine even quite a few are happy especially when they've read the kind of stories I have. Hoping beyond hope that they get reincarnated into their favorite world. I however felt regret. Regret that I had spent the last 20 years of my life being the good guy.

No not the white knight kind that comes to the defense of all woman kind, but just a genuine good person. Holding doors open for people, a friendly smile as we walked past, picking up litter if I happened across it. Things of that sort, I wouldn't say I was a saint by any means but I would consider myself to be at the very least a decent human being.

Only I wasn't treated equally. One time a girl got her phone and wallet stolen and tried to stop the guy but only managed to retrieve the wallet. The girl got mad at me for not saving her phone instead? Another a guy was about to trip into a busy street so I grabbed him, only it "hurt" his arm and he sued me for the "pain and suffering."

These are only a few examples of a multitude of different scenarios with varying degrees consequences for helping people. And you would think that after while I would get the memo, but nope. It took me once again helping a guy from walking into an intersection who was on his phone. When I pulled him back he turned to me and with my back now facing the street he punched me straight in the jaw and sent me tumbling into the street where I was hit by a truck.

I guess thankfully I saw people begin to restrain the guy, but I imagine with my luck he'll get off on some assumed I was trying to attack him first. Not like it matters. I'm dead now.

"Not quite, or at least not in the way you assume."

I turn my head inwardly cringing while awaiting the shooting pain through my body, only it never came. I opened my eyes slowly to look in the direction of the voice. My eyes met a middle aged graying haired man, who sat in a grand chair looking at me with a kind face.

He can hear m-..

"Yes I can. Though I'll try to refrain from making it obvious." He interrupted with a friendly smile, though truthfully it was giving me chills.

"So then what now?" I ask aloud and he maintains his smile as he waves a hand and a chair appears. He gestures to the chair and I rise from my spot and take my seat across from him. A small tea table and the appropriate materials needed appeared in between us. Another wave of his hand and the tea pot floated and filled the 2 cups, he grasped his and I did the same with mine.

"Now that we have some in our system lets begin with your question. Since you have lived quite the decent life, especially for a human, you can choose your place of reincarnation. And before you ask, no you cannot return to your earth."

I was only slightly disappointed at not being able to return to exact some kind of revenge, but then my thoughts trailed to those books I read. A warm smile flitted on to my face as I thought about one of my favorite game series. Pokémon.

"Pokémon is it? That can be arranged. You will be reborn as one of the children that received a Pokémon from professor Oak at the start of the show. For your good deeds in life I will even gift you a backpack with infinite storage without it increasing the weight. Lastly you will maintain your memories of this life"

I think it over while sipping on the tea, it really doesn't taste like anything but there is something comforting about drinking it. I set the tea cup down and gaze at man, or I guess he's God. I finally nod with a smile of my own.

"So when do I go?" I ask and I could have sworn I saw gleam in his eyes as he held up hand as if about to snap.

"Now." And with a snap the world went dark only to give way to the bright white walls of a lab. I was now sitting in a chair next to a girl who looked to be about 10 and a chill went down my spine. I look down at my own body to see that I'm also a young boy. It took all my will to not freak out, but it seemed the girl was to preoccupied with her own nervousness to notice my restrained freak out.

The door to our left opened and both mine and the girls eyes darted toward it. Gary was the one who walked in with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Well looks like you two at least were late, can't say the same for Ashy-boy though." He waved a hand as he sat down on the last open seat with his arms crossed over his chest and his right leg crossed atop his left.

"Why do you pick on Ash so much?" The girl on my right asked and Gary just smirked again.

"He deserves it honestly, don't you think Tess?" She scowled at him but didn't respond as the door to our right opened to reveal Professor Oak.

"Ahh it seems 3 of our promising trainers are here. I won't delay the proceedings just because one of you isn't here so follow me." Oak said with a gentle smile and we followed him through a hallway and eventually into a room that had a table holding 3 pokeballs.

"I choose Squirtle!" Gary yells as soon as we enter the room. Oak looks to us in exasperation before speaking.

"If Tess and Jace don't mind, as they were originally supposed to go before you." Gary looks at us as if he already knows our answer, but now it was my turn to smirk inwardly. After my last life I was done with doing the kind thing If I wasn't going to get thanked for it. I put on a timid face and nervous air.

"Uuhhh, well I had kind of always wanted a squirtle, but I guess if Gary wan-" Professor Oak held up a hand.

"No, Jace. Don't let Gary's overeagerness dissuade you from picking the Pokémon you truly desire. You were supposed to pick first anyways. Gary will just have to wait his turn."

I stare at him skeptically and glance at Gary who glares back. Cautiously I step forward and reach out slowly to the Pokéball holding Squirtle. Oak nods at my choice with a smile and pulls out a Pokédex and 5 Pokéballs.

"Here Jace, this is your Pokédex. It will already have all your personal information input inside it and will act as a form of identification along with the Pokémon identification system. These 5 pokeballs should kickstart your journey, though I imagine you'll need many more before long. Good luck on your journey Jace, I look forward to see how you progress."

I beam up at Oak with a bright smile as I cradle the Pokéball that holds my Squirtle. The extra Pokéballs going on slots on my belt and the Pokédex going to my back pocket.

"Thank you Professor Oak! I'll take great care of Squirtle." I said and he smiled down at me while placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sure you will, Jace." With one last pat on my shoulder I turn away from him and head towards the exit. Gary looked angry, but tried to feign indifference to my choice. Once outside the room I drop the smiling face and let out a sigh.

I chose Squirtle because I already know of where to find a Charmander that's going unquestioningly loyal. It will help with my plan of having 2 teams, a team for battling gyms and the like as Jace. As well as a team for my less than good activities. Stepping outside the building I feel the early morning sun hit my face and I bask in it for a moment. I run a hand through my hair to feel it longer than I usually kept it, so I pulled out my Pokédex.

The picture that was brought up was a kid with shoulder length pitch black hair, that falls straight down and locks framing the face. Piercing blue eyes gazed back at me set upon a soft round face. It's not a bad look I suppose but it's vastly different from my short shaggy brown hair I used to have and plain brown eyes.

Back to the picture I see a black long sleeve shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans, finishing it off with black ankle socks and and black tennis shoes that have purple and gold accents on the stitches and Pokéball design. My name now is Jace Winters from Pallet town, and grew up an orphan frequently attending Oak's summer camps.

With one last exhale I begin walking down the small hill to the trail, the trail that will take me to Viridian City. I still wasn't sure if I believed that all this was real, but I was going to embrace to the fullest extent if it was. I was about to begin walking when I heard something running behind me. Whirling around I'm met with the running and panting form of Ash in his pajamas.

"Hah, hah, Jace. You already got your Pokémon?" He asked in between breaths and I just nodded.

"Ya, I got Squirtle. Though Gary wasn't too happy about that. I'll catch you later Ash, I want to try to get a good distance to Viridian before nightfall." Ash stared at my Pokéball that held Squirtle with s sparkle in his eyes before looking up at me.

"Okay Jace! When I get my Pokémon and we meet again let's have a battle!" I smile with a nod to Ash as I turn to back to the route.

"Sounds good Ash. Until next time." I say with a wave over my shoulder and begin walking. The only thing I hear is the sound of Ash's footsteps charging up the hill to the lab. I hold Squirtle's ball in my hand before finally deciding to call him out.

"Come on out, Squirtle."

With a flash and a pop Squirtle materialized in front of me and gave a cry.

*Squirtle!*

I knelt down in front of it and held out my Pokédex. It seems this Squirtle is a male, and already knows water gun, tackle, and rapid spin.

"Hey Squirtle, I'm your new trainer and my name is Jace. I hope that we can become great friends. Though I must tell you that we may not always do the right things. I'm tired of doing the right thing and getting nothing in return. Now I'm going to do what I want and not let other people sway my choices. I hope I can count on you to stay by my side no matter what."

Squirtle stares at me as it thinks over what I said, eventually Squirtle nods with a determined expression on its face and it's small hand clenched out in front of it.

*Squirtle Squirtle!*

A smile crossed my face and i clenched a fist of my own and knocked it against Squirtle's. It looked confused so I explained.

"It's a fist bump, it's a thing friends do when they accomplish something or come to an agreement, or for anything really." He seemed to understand and held out another clenched fist and I chuckled as I held out my own. This time we equally knocked our fists together and he gave me a cocky smirk.

*Squirtle squirt!*

"Lets go, Squirtle."

He nodded and walked along side me down the trail, to the start of our journey and the start of my new life.

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Author's Note

Not exactly sure what I got planned, but the idea has been floating around my head a bit. I'll try to upload regularly. Jace will overlap with Ash from time to time, but not too often. As it's already been hinted at he's taking Ash's Charmander, though that's the only one of Ash's pokemon that I plan on stealing. Of course I could have just chosen a Charmander at the beginning and got a Squirtle later, but I wanted that scene to show that MC Will antagonize for no reason.

Hope you enjoy the read.