So I decided to continue. Not really sure why, but probably because of all the good reviews. In one, someone proclaimed I was their favorite author, which means the world to me.
Opening the doors to the school, Randy split detention. He couldn't be sure of what was happening because his senses were all scrambled. The last thing he could remember was defeating a robot, but he wasn't sure what was real after that.
He vaguely noticed that he was walking, but he was unsure of where he was going. Passing a small group of trees, he turned and jumped onto the lowest branch. Curious as to what he was doing, but unable to access any control, he patiently waited. Perching himself on the highest branch he could access, he looked up to the sun.
'Why am I in a tree?' He tried to talk, but his voice only made sounds inside his head.
"We are looking over our new habitat." Randy heard his voice out loud, but he didn't recall saying anything. He also wasn't sure where the words came from.
He heard himself laugh. "We are now one, and I can now take control."
'Control of what..?' He heard his voice slur inside his head, not even recognizing that it wasn't said out loud. He felt the air whoosh past him as he jumped out of the tree, but he didn't even realize he had jumped until he hit the ground.
'What's going on?' Randy started to become more aware that something was not right. He felt an inhuman force from within him, and it was not a comforting feeling. As he walked along, it felt like he was in a video game; looking but not really there. He realized only last that he was not in control of his body.
'What is this?' Randy tried to stop walking, turn himself around, anything, but he couldn't do anything. "Stop struggling. There is no need to fight. We are safe."
'We? Who are you?' As he turned down an unfamiliar street, he screamed out. 'What's happening?!'
Holding onto his head, he felt his own voice vibrating in his mind. The pain was excruciating, but whatever was controlling him seemed to feel it too. "Stop screaming. There is no need to scream. We are safe."
Holding his tongue, Randy decided to just watch and think. He needed to think about what was happening to be able to draw a a conclusion. After being led down a few streets, he came to the conclusion that he was taking an alternate route towards the woods.
Keeping his voice quiet to avoid more pain filling his head, he talked to whatever was controlling him. 'Why are we going to the woods?'
"It is my habitat. It was my home. It is where I was born." Passing the outer ring of trees, he stopped at a random tree and put a gentle hand on it.
'It was?' He felt a smile on his face. "Different set of trees but this is the same forest."
Thinking heavily, Randy asked the most logical question. 'Why were you born in a forest? Who are you?"
They kept walking, circling around any random tree they happened to be standing next to. It took a few minutes, but he did finally get an answer. "Who. Not what. That is quite refreshing."
'You didn't answer my question.' "Do I need to? You are the Ninja. You are chosen because of your heart and mind. Surely you can figure it out."
Randy held back all his questions. He had a feeling that none of them would be answered. Every few trees, he uttered the beginning of a question, but he never got it out.
Nearing sundown, he finally talked again. 'I need to get home.'
"Need? You don't need to do anything. We are together, and being together is all we need." Approaching a large tree compared to the others, he jumped. Hooking his arms around the bulky part of the branch, he hoisted himself up. Every few branches, he nearly fell. He could feel frustration from whoever made them a "we".
"Humans. No wings..." He thought on that, confused, but stopped as they reached the top of the tree. He surveyed the woods. Seeing the town somewhat far away, he could point out to himself where his house probably was. He knew he had to get back, no matter what he was told.
'I do need to go home. My mom will be worried.' He sat down on the tree, and he could almost feel the other looking in on him.
"Stop speaking. There is no need to speak. We are safe." He felt himself lying down, and himself becoming extremely tired, even if he felt wide awake just a few seconds earlier. "Sleep now."
'Wait... no... I can't sleep here...' "Why not?" He felt his head lay against the trunk of the tree. 'I'm not a bird. I'll fall.'
Through his cracked and tired eyes, he saw his legs wrap around the branch of the tree. It was surprisingly comfortable. His eyes shut for a few seconds, but then he opened them again. 'Bird... trees. Born in a forest. You're a bird.'
"That is correct, young Ninja." His eyes closed again, and he had no energy to keep them open. "You know me. You know who I am. I am what you refer to me as the Tengu."
...
I basically wanted this chapter to be the Tengu's thoughts and Randy's role in their shared body relationship. It is not the same wit the Tengu and Howard because Randy is the Ninja. Howard seems to have absolutely no control or thoughts on top of the fact that Howard becomes a bird. I want the Tengu to become human (Randy), and he finds out because only the Ninja would have some control over the Tengu while a human would fall comletely under it's control. Thoughts?