Brigit's Flame, January week #1, JFF

[keppiehed]

Title: Better Half
Author: Keppiehed
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: language, adult situations
Word Count: 1231
Prompt: “Forces of Nature vs. Nurture”
A/N: Written for Just For Fun week #1 Brigits_flame. This is going to be the beginning to a longer set of linked stories about circus personalities. I first introduced these characters in the September mini-contest with the

Comments

[rubyelf]

Silly Keppie. You don't have any weaknesses!

This is really pretty amazing, the two brothers, Armande so controlling and Phillipe trapped in the most intimate and inescapable way imaginable... and the intimations about what might have happened to Suzanne are chilling even as unspoken shadows.

Oh, and it suits the prompt brilliantly, too!

[keppiehed]

You are always the first in line to cheer me up! I was worried about the fact that this was obscure or didn't fit the prompt very well, so I'm glad you thought their relationship was interesting and that it was relevant to the challenge this week. And I hope to see you competing here and/or in All Stars. I've missed your writing! (and love your icon. OMG, you always have the best!)

[rubyelf]

Ugh... I just wrote a comment about how the issues of nature vs. nurture played out in so many interesting ways in this story... and then my internet disconnected itself and ate it. Grr. Oh, well. You get the idea.

And yes, I will play in the All-Stars competition... I feel very privileged to be among such fine company. Of course, I don't have a CLUE what to write... as usual!

[bluegerl]

OOOh Keppie, that is extraordinary. I never thought that two different personalities could be shared in one body that way. Siamese twins have usually been (in my little experience) of a like mind, but this pair.. its beautiful. Oh my goodness, what depths there are in these two, tied as they are to each other. GOlly. Frightening.

Sounds like a rather nasty circus too. Never was one for the freak shows, it hurt me too much, poor people. Oh lor, I feel for poor Phillipe, and that poor dead mouse - non of his doing...aaaaah oooh Marvellous writing Keps. whew.

[keppiehed]

I have to say that I have never known any conjoined twins, so the way their personalities work is an entire fabrication from my point of view. As for the circus being a nasty place, that is also a fabrication, a I have never actually even attended one! :) So I just entirely discredited my writing! But I hope it was fun to read anyway, even if it was far from factual. And I will shed some light on these two in upcoming installments. I just thank you for reading at all. *hugs*

[rubyelf]

Actually, if you are the kind of nerdy person who researches things like that for fun... many pairs of conjoined twins have very distinct personalities, and often they're not physically identical either; it's not uncommon for one to be stronger in body or personality. The way that the bodies of conjoined twins are assembled can lead to one of them being physically weaker due to their connected circulatory system favoring the stronger twin, or other anatomical inequalities. If you are interested at any point in continuing to write about these two, feel free to come looking for me... developmental anomalies is my current favorite research topic. Yeah. This is what I do for fun.

[keppiehed]

You know, I find genetics fascinating myself, but I find I have to be careful not to be a know-it-all. When I research something I tend to info-dump all the technical terms in, like "look how smart I am!" which is not that fun to read. But I might just use you as a consult in the future, so you might be regretting your offer, missy! Having you explain things might make me sound less like I looked it up. So get ready to explain the finer points of dwarfism, hirsutism, etc. ad infinitum! Hehe! Fun times ahead!

[hbart]

How frightening to be attached to someone who treats you so badly. And he seems to be a bit scared of him too. Poor guy. As for the mouse ... yikes. *looks around for surgical instruments to free poor Phillipe* Great use of the prompt!

[keppiehed]

The prompt was a bit of a noodle-scratcher. But I decided to enter just for fun, so I think I am going to go in a really outlandish direction this month since I am not being held accountable in the polls. I hope it will be fun to read?

[bardiphouka]

I was probably of the last generation to run away and join the circus, albeit briefly. I always wondered what the sideshow people were on about when they were alone. And from what little I know you are spot on about it. And then to work it into the prompt? Wonderful indeed.

[keppiehed]

*laughs* As I told Blue, I am not exactly working from any sort of factual base, so this is all a complete fabrication on my part and I am probably way off. All I can hope is that it is entertaining. I need to work on lengthening my stories, so maybe this will be a good chance for me to do that, to see if I can hold the interest of my audience. January will be a good test case for me!

[belluminabyssus]

The mouuuuuuse. :( That made me so sad.

I really like this piece -- especially the dynamic between the conjoined twins. Usually in fiction you see conjoined twins being so complimentary towards one another, and being so utterly similar, but here you've taken the opposite approach which I really like. Because even though they're very literally attached at the hip, it doesn't mean they're the same person inside -- just like "real" twins can be so utterly different.

BUT THE MOUSE. D:

[keppiehed]

Bella! Where have you been? *glomps you* It's good to see you back around here!

I feel like I've lost my touch, but I'm glad you liked this anyway. You know me. It's January. Blech. More blech. Hope I can save some sparkle for All Stars. But that one didn't go too great, either. I went out with a bang in December and now I'm all limp-noodle writing.

[belluminabyssus]

I've been around! I've been focusing more on my novel lately so that's why I haven't been competing.

I'm sure your Allstars one is great. I'm excited to read it later! :D :D :D

[keppiehed]

Have some sense, girl, and skip that one! :D