Honestly, if you had asked me what I expected from life a year ago, I'd have said sports, Daring Do, and not dying 'til I'm older than dirt. If you had asked me last month, I'd have answered with hanging with my friends, saving the world from magical bad guys. and going big as a band.

Keep in mind that nowhere in that frame of time did I ever say I expected... this.

As on a normal Saturday, I woke up at ten in the morning, and opened my eyes to see what for the life of me looked suspiciously like a text box out of a role-playing game. "Eh?" I asked, thoroughly confused. Was I still dreaming, or was the pizza I ate last night laced with something, because there's no other way I'd be seeing this. Naturally, I tried to swipe the thing away, but my hand went right through it. Amazingly, it felt... warm. Now even more confused, I decided to actually read what it said.

Welcome, player Rainbow Dash, to The Game.
[Player: Rainbow Dash] Level 1
[HP: 300/300]
[MP: 250/250]
[Title:] Gamer
[Stats:]

• Str: 15
• Def: 14
• Dex: 14
• Agi: 16
• Int: 10
• Wis: 9
• Cha: 14
• Lck: 15

[Perks:]

• Gamer's Body: Your body is that of a video game character, allowing use of the menu screens and stat points. (Passive. Level: MAX)
• Gamer's Mind: Your mind is hardwired to keep calm, even in the worst situations, preventing status effects like confusion and insanity. (Passive. Level: MAX)
• Athletics: Years of athletic training make your Str, Def, Agi, and Dex all grow faster. (Passive. Level: MAX)

[You have not selected a character class. Would you like to do so?]

[Yes] [No]

'Well, I suppose I've got nothin' to lose anyway.' I thought to myself. I reached out to press my hand against the button to accept, focusing on the warm feeling from before, and laid my hand on the button. Immediately, warmth flooded me and I saw a bright flash.

When my vision cleared up, I was standing in what looked like Spear Pillar from Pokemon Platinum (Hey, I may be an athlete, but Pokemon is life), and there were statues of... me? But they weren't me, if that actually makes any sense at all. There were six in all, and each one showed a different me. Curious, I walked up to one and read the plaque on the base of it.

The Sorcerer: A magic-wielder of old, channeling the forces of the arcane.

I passed that one up. I like role-playing games, don't get me wrong. However, I never could play mages. Living my life as one just wouldn't really be something I'd want to do, y'know? I checked the other statues for what they were, and each had their potential ups and downs. There was the Sorcercer, the Shinobi, the Sniper (which would have been cool, except that had a bow, and I suck at archery), the Healer, the Warrior, and the Shinigami. 'Sorcerer and Healer both use magic, so that's out. Shinobi sounds sweet, but I'd like to experiment a little before immediately going that route. I guess Shinigami sounds pretty rad.'

Descision made, I walked back up to the Shinigami statue, and examined the plaque again, this time touching it.

The Shinigami: Spiritual warriors who serve in the Gotei 13, passing on souls through Konso, or Soul Burial, and cleansing Hollows, souls who, through various means, have lost their hearts, and their minds to the hunger that all Hollows feel.

Is this the path you seek?
[Yes] [No]

I pressed Yes, and was surrounded by another flash of light. When I could see again, I was back in my room, but now my outfit was different. I wore a black robe (shihakusho, my mind told me), black hakama, a white waist sash (obi), white socks, and sandals. Tied to the obi was the sheath of a katana (Zanpakuto), which I drew, and inspected the blade. It was a daito-style blade, with a white-wrapped hilt, a cyan guard that looked like a cherry blossom, and a white blade that shone all colours of the rainbow when the light hit it. "Heh. Looks like I'm twenty percent cooler!"

Suddenly, a new text box appeared.

Congratulations! Due to becoming a Shinigami, you have learnt new skills!
[New Skills:]

• Zanjutsu (Level 1): The art of Zanpakuto-based combat. Leveling this skill grants +5% Attack Damage and +5% Attack Speed.
• Hado (Level 1): The Way of Destruction in Kido, or Demon Arts. Leveling this skill adds +5% Spell Damage and -3% MP cost.
• Bakudo (Level 1): The Way of Binding in Kido, or Demon Arts. Leveling this skill adds +5% Spell Effect duration and -3% MP cost.
• Shun-po (Level 1): Flash Step, a method of moving faster than the eye can see. Leveling decreases MP cost by 2%
• Hakuda (Level 1): Hand-to-hand combat. Leveling adds +5 unarmed attack damage and +3 attack speed.
• Konso (Passive. Level MAX): The ability to perform Soul Burial, which passes on spirits to the Seireitei. Press the pommel of your Zanpakuto to the spirit's forehead to perform Konso.
• Hollow Cleansing (Passive. Level MAX): Cutting a Hollow's mask in half cleanses the soul, sending it to the Seireitei or Hell, depending on the soul.

"Hah! This is gonna be sweet!" I cheered, jumping around like a squirrel on crack. Suddenly, I noticed what looked like a sleeping copy of myself laying on my bed, still in the pajamas I'd fallen alseep in. "Eh?" I questioned, not quite understanding what I saw, until it hit me. 'Okay. Somehow, I'm no longer in my body. Apparently, my body is now like a costume that I can take off to go full Shinigami. Alright. So, all I need to do is crawl back into my body.' With that in mind, I slowly lowered myself down into my body, and noticed a slight heaviness as I took control of my... vessel? Shell? ...Meatsuit?

'Okay, no. That last one was just wrong. How about...' The answer came to me, like instinct. 'Gigai.'

Now firmly set into my Gigai, I walked outside, and began to run to school, noticing along the way several figures that were transparent, and had strange chains hanging from their chests. Then I remembered that now that I'm a Shinigami, I could see the dead. 'These must be all the ghosts!' I realized, eyes wide. Now, Sci-Twi would probably go on and on that ghosts don't exist and that seeing them is a sign of hallucinations, but I knew that was bullshit. Here, all along the path to school, were more ghosts than you hear about in old Irish castles.

Ain't that a kick in the teeth for ya.

I arrived at good old Canterlot High, and saw that Sunset, Rarity, and Fluttershy were already there, waiting. "Hey guys!" I shouted, slowing to a halt in front of them. Suddenly, I was glomped by a pink blur shouting my name, and fell to the ground with a yelp.

"Hi Dashie!" Pinkie chirped, giving me a huge grin. Sighing, I pat my hyperactive friend on the head in greeting, knowing it would probably be like this forever.

"Hey Pinks. Mind letting me get up now? The ground ain't comfy, ya know?" Blushing, Pinkie stood up, and I climbed to my feet, dusting myself off.

"Rainbow Dash, you'd think you'd have learned by now that you will always be tackled by Pinkie Pie. There will never be a time where it doesn't happen." Rarity said, her posh British accent light with barely-hidden amusement.

"Oh hah hah, Rares. The only reason she doesn't do it to you is because you'd whine all day about dust on your skirt." I replied, smirking. Rarity huffed good-naturedly, crossing her arms over her chest like it would protect her from the truth.

She was spared further teasing by the morning bell, signalling that we oughta head on to first period, which meant dealing with History again. I groaned mentally, praying that my Gamer's Mind would help me deal with the headache I normally get when trying to remember all those dates and names.

Though, upon arriving, I found it pretty Ironic that we were starting on Japanese legends today.

'This might actually be fun.'

Author's Note

So, if you happened to read the first chapter of the mirror of this story, you already know what the Makai I'm doing here, so same rules. Ja ne!