The Host POV:

What was that? I was moved into a dark room, met this weird shadow figure that said he was me, and while I was unable to control my own body, I was able to see through a hovering screen in the darkness and see what he was doing…

And it turns out that this person is a lot stronger when he’s in control than when I am. Is it because he doesn't have a limit in his subconscious, allowing him to use 100% of the power my body is capable of?

“Don’t forget to interrogate the hostage”

Eh?

I’m… in control now… Damn, I feel sore.

Stretching my arms I look down at the shadowy figure. I think my theory was correct, he really doesn’t have a limiter...

Hmmm… Whoever this shadowy figure is, I don’t think they’ll be able to get away with attacking the next heir of the Walker family.

Nudging the now still figure I hear a moan. Not dead I see.

I don’t know… Should I nudge it again?

Perhaps I should use some healing magic? That could work… Or not, healing an unknown most-likely-hostile-figure seems like a bad idea.

But if they aren’t awake I won’t be able to interrogate them… Screw it.

I chant, “Aheal Undar” and watch as the arms snap back into position with painful cracking sounds and the skin forming where they were torn.

“Who are you and why did you attack me?”

“...”

“Can you tell me what you’re looking for?”

“...”

“Can you say that again? I didn’t really hear that.”

“I was under orders…”

“What type of orders? Why did you target me?

“I was ordered to find someone who was able to defeat me…”

“Why?”

“I was to take the person who would defeat me as my husband…”

Okay… I have heard of men getting attacked these days… It usually ended in the men getting killed though. I guess I’m lucky that the mysterious person decided to step in and help me?

I think he said he was a part of me...

Well, as the next heir, I can’t just marry random people can I?

“I’m sorry, but I can’t be married right now.”

“Why” she says while staring me in the eye. I notice the fact that her eyes are red.

Okay, that’s straightforward, much better than whispering, or muttering, or whatever.

“Because I’m not the one who beat you.” There, simple, and easy to understand. Or maybe not as the whatever the figure person thing is, is looking at me with its head cocked to the side.

“What I’m saying is, someone helped me fight you.”

“Then I just need to bring that person out, probably by fighting you, right?”

Ahhh…. Does that mean she's going to kill me? What? No! What if this connection to this… Side personality doesn’t work… GAH!

Hey… Anyone in there? I try saying into my head.

Wha? Urgh… I was just about to sleep…

Well damn, it looks like she’s about to kill you… I don’t have enough energy though… Relax for a moment, there, yes…

Establishing connection.

Connection established.

After so many years of whacking a tree, shouldn’t you have learned something like, I DON’T KNOW, THE FUCKING TREE CAN’T MOVE SO WHEN YOU GO AFTER SOMETHING THAT MOVES, THAT IS A VERY, AND I MEAN A VERY BAD IDEA! AND ALSO, WHY HEAL THE PERSON THAT JUST ATTACKED YOU?! DO YOU NOT HAVE COMMON SENSE?! Sigh… I have almost enough energy for time to break all her bones… And yup, establishing connection.

Parasite POV:

The hell man, I broke her arms and legs so she wouldn’t be a problem, and you go and fix her, good job mate.

I didn’t think she would immediately go all yandere on me!

Shouldn’t you be more concerned that you have a split personality?

Who gives a shit if I have a split personality? All that matters is that I live.

I was about to take a nap, so you owe me now. Also FOR THE LOVE OF WHATEVER GOD YOU WORSHIP, DON’T HEAL THE PERSON THAT JUST ATTACKED YOU!

I’m sorry?

Tell me you're sorry when you mean it.

Focusing back on the situation, I grab the girl by the throat and throw her as far as possible when I hear a tearing sound.

That’s my arm, were humans that weak? Why would the arm just break from that…

Heal it! OH MY GOD HEAL MY ARM, PLEASE!

Right right, stop freaking out.

But I don’t think I can use the chants… Whatever. Sending the energy (that I gained from the wolf dog thing) into the torn muscle… And there. Accelerated cell growth basically making him heal faster by using this energy… I think I’ll just call this Mana.

I think it’s about time to head back, don’t you think? (Host)

Yeah yeah, which way was it?

To your right.

Thanks.

Leaping forwards through the forest, I make fast progress through the woods and arrive at my Host’s estate.

“There you are Alan, how was the hunt?”

Err… I’m handing the control over… Alan.

No problem, and what should I call you?

Just call me… Just call me Edward for now.

Alan’s POV:

“The hunt was good! I caught a Wod!” (Wolf + Dog)

“And what did you do with its core?”

“I ah, I absorbed it, or I attempted to”

“What do you mean attempted to?! You either succeed or you don’t!”

“Well I was able to disperse the gathered Mana before it exceeded my body limit”

“I’ve never heard of anyone doing that… Your father and I have decided to send you to school after your initiation, by the way”

“Sure okay. Wait what?! School? Which one?”

“Not exactly a school, but we were thinking of sending you to the Church of Gaia, after all, your best talent right now is in the healing department…”

“I see… So I’ll be leaving after my Initiation right? When is it?”

“We’ve arranged for you to take your Initiation next week”

“Isn’t that a bit too fast?”

“It’s not”

“I… I see, I’ll be in my room for now”

Edward POV:

I finally have some time to myself after helping the stupid Host…

It’s been about 8 years since I entered Alan’s brain, and I’m surprised that I just haven’t encountered a single one of my brethren.

The last thing I saw was of them in the intestine area… Hmmm… I’ll give them a visit later.

I’ll visit them after I change a few more times. I’ve eaten about 2 neurons a year, for a total of 16.

With each change, I could feel as if… As if I was splitting apart, maybe I was becoming a multicellular organism? That could be the reason, regardless, I had changed.

Maybe it was because I was using human DNA as a base, but my current form is extremely similar to that of a human, except I don’t have a face, or any other defining factor.

I look like a humanoid figure cloaked in shadows. Did I mention that my tail hasn’t changed a bit? Except for the fact that it can split into 10 different parts and has the ability to grab ten cells at a time.

I may or may not have eaten more than a few red blood cells *cough* but I haven’t tried any Protectors yet, I don’t want to test my combat ability yet.

I might have taken 200 cells a day… But I checked! Alan regenerates more than 200 cells a day! It’s all good! I swear!

As for the reason to why I didn't seek out more of my kind, well, would they actually help me? If I randomly appeared, wouldn’t I be the outsider saying:

"Sup guys! I'm your long lost brother or something. So now I'm just gonna stay at your place for a bit and be a complete nuisance as I do absolutely nothing!"

Yeah, you usually probably don't say that.

As of currently, I have the ability to take control over Alan’s body, just not for long periods of time, and when I’m not in control, I can just see what he’s doing.

And who said I had to take control of his body? Do you know how annoying that body is? I have to manually open and close the lungs, tell the heart to beat, tell the eyes. Nothing is automatic because of the fact that there isn’t any muscle memory built in for me… I suppose looking almost like a human is a good thing?

Who knows.

You know… After trying to send Mana to one part of Alan… I wonder what happens when I do it to myself?

Focusing a small portion of what energy I have, I generate it into my right arm. Hey, I’m a lefty, so it doesn’t matter if I lose my right arm.

“Ouch”

My right arm just fell off and now it’s wriggling on the floor, and now it’s transformed into a small figure…

Only this figure is pure white, the exact opposite of my apocalyptic color.

“Who are you?”

There isn’t a response, maybe it isn’t smart enough? I’ll put more Mana into this, thing at a later date. For now, I’ll let it follow me around I guess.

Perhaps I’ll make another one…

Focusing the Mana into my left leg, I create another one of these… clones…

But this clone looks exactly like me, I wonder why my first one is different?

It seems like I can communicate telepathically with these things huh… I order you to connect to the Host’s thought processing area

And the little bugger speeds off. And the original is still following me.

I suppose this ability is reminiscent of a slime?

By the way, slimes are awesome. Those guys are boss class monsters with 99% immunity to physical damage and they’re pretty resistant to magical attacks.

Enough dilly dallying, I think the host is calling for me... Jeez, I only had a 5 day break? Come on man...