It was a profoundly stupid way to die. It was neither heroic, nor tragic hell it wasn't even interesting.
Eren knew the vending machine in the office was wobbling, its frame rattled every time someone kicked it in frustration.
He had even joked about it once, "One day this thing is going to kill someone."
He never imagined that the universe would mark those words and say, "YES HIM!"
The last thing he remembered was tilting the machine forward to try and retrieve the soda stuck in it. The machine was on its last leg and this kind of torture was unbearable for it and so gravity said, "Let there be pain!"
He tried to sidestep but he failed, the machine won rather quickly and darkness swallowed his vision before he could even curse the machine and his own tongue.
*****
Warmth was the first thing he sensed accompanied by him being enveloped inside a warm liquid, he felt as though he had fallen asleep under an electric blanket.
But it was not soft nor was it comforting, it was small and restrictive. Like he was inside a container of sorts.
"...ugh."
His voice never came out, only the thought remained. He tried to move but his body pressed against something hard from every side. A shell? He thought as his body touched the surface.
Where am I?
There was no answer but instead a flicker swept through his mind. At first it was a whisper, calm and very bored like a service voice that doesn't like their job but can't really resign.
[World Assimilation System booting…]
He froze as he heard the words uttered by this voice which now was somewhat robotic all of a sudden.
[Verification complete.]
[Reincarnation successful.]
[Species: Dragon(Unhatched)]
Dragon? The word didn't fit his situation…dragons were majestic, winged creatures…they didn't get stuck inside claustrophobic eggs with no room.
I'm…what? How?
The same whisper came as if it sensed his confusion.
[Cause of death: Impact trauma delivered by…Vending Machine Type-03C.]
There was a rather long pause after that, as if it was mocking how uninteresting and stupid his death had been. Then it continued.
[...Unfortunate.]
He was not offended over this, he would have laughed if he had a mouth. So this wasn't a dream, he really died…by a vending machine and now he was an egg somehow.
The shell pulsed around him, and as if it was instincts his limbs, tiny and barely formed, twitched at the tug.
[Recommendation: Hatch.]
How?
[Push.]
The advice was irritatingly simple but he didn't have a clue on how to push. Eren braced and pressed what he assumed his front limbs were against the inside of the egg.
Cracks formed across the interior and light seeped in through thin lines. A weird sensation sparked inside of him. A sensation so raw and heavy he couldn't help but want to be free, to breathe and to exist.
He shoved again, this time harder. Cracks formed as a section of the shell broke away. The cool air rushed in carrying the scent of the earth, leaves and the sweet scent of flora.
Eren wriggled forward and pressed his snout, an actual snout through the opening. He pushed once more and the egg collapsed in on itself.
He tumbled out awkwardly and confused by his limbs, wings and that tail that refused to coordinate.
He blinked his eyes which got used to the light around him. The world was enormous, towering trees loomed in front of him, their branches were thick. Light illuminated through the gaps in the leaves of the trees and he saw a small cluster of glowing mushrooms scattered across the floor.
He wobbled towards the mushrooms with a look full of awe, as it was the first time he saw glowing mushrooms.
His limbs, wings and tail had calmed down a bit and he was able to move them as if checking the controls before you started a new game.
A tiny hiccup escaped his mouth, followed by a puff of heat and a narrow jet of orange flame.
It was not strong, more like a lighter being flicked in someone's face but it startled him enough to slip and fall backwards.
The mushrooms sizzled, and the air smelled faintly of burnt mushrooms. So, he could breathe fire even if he and the fire were baby-sized.
He tried to stand, but his legs wobbled beneath him, then he flapped his wings once, twice and immediately tangled around his front claws. His tail whipped around without asking for permission and smacked him in the face.
Graceful. Truly majestic and peak dragonhood. He took another step, and another but then he fell on his belly.
He hissed, or tried to but only a squeaky rasp came out which was somewhere in between a kitten's meow and a kettle.
He had to admit that if anyone saw him right now, they wouldn't think of him as a, "dragon." Rather they'd think of him as a, "lizard with identity issues."
[Status Stable]
The system's voice came again, lazily drifting through his head.
[Size: Hatchling.]
[Affinities: Fire, Minor mana.]
[Mobility: Limited(Wings: Decorative)]
Decorative?
The system ignored him and continued.
[Objective: Survive.]
"That's…reassuring," he muttered mentally. Then a rustle came from the bushes not far from him. Eren stiffened, a rabbit hopped out and sniffed the air as it stared at him.
He stared back at the rabbit, but it tilted its small head, Eren did the same but it didn't impress the rabbit as it hopped closer and sniffed his snout. Eren resisted the urge to sneeze, just barely.
His stomach growled and as soon as the rabbit heard it, it bolted out of there instantly. Eren tried to chase but his legs decided to hold a protest and tangled under him again. He slid face planting into the damp soil.
"Great." He spat out a leaf. "First day in my new life and I'm already losing to a rabbit."
He pushed himself up and ignored the lingering humiliation. He wouldn't let something this trivial get him. He was given another chance, he would not waste it like this. He would definitely make the best out of it.