His Twin Identity by bratfarrar [doppelganger challenge]

[bratfarrar]

Title: His Twin Identity
Author: Brat Farrar bratfarrar
Characters: John (gen)
Word count: 607
Disclaimer: Neither character nor setting belongs to me
Notes: Takes place during The Rising.
Summary: John doesn't know himself anymore.

Comments

[kensieg]

great piece. I'd love to see a companion follw on piece where John sees confronts who was/is behind him

[bratfarrar]

Well, the person standing behind John is his doppelganger - hence the bad luck if John turns around, and how it's been his only companion for a while. So there's not really anyone to confront - except himself, since it's just a shadow of him.

But I'm glad you liked it!

[apple_pi]

Wow, this is interesting - I like the continuing metaphor of being broken into pieces through all of this. Cool!

Unrelated, I thought I was the only person in the world who had ever read Brat Farrar - awesome username! :-)

[bratfarrar]

Thank you! It took me a ridiculously long time to come up with this, and I've got about eight other versions that didn't quite work, so I'm glad you think this one did.

The thing about being in pieces comes out of the AU I've been putting together, where John deliberately shuts down a chunk of himself so that he can get into the military as a pilot and not as something else. When I wrote the story that dealt with him doing that, I found myself wondering whether he could ever get it back.

Coming up with backstory is fun.

I love Brat Farrar - and all the rest of Tey's books. Have you read Daughter of Time? It's another one of my favorites.

[kriadydragon]

This is good. His indecision is so tangible it seems painful, and is a heck of a lot more poignant than him just flipping a coin.

[bratfarrar]

Oh, thank you. He might flip a coin later - I'm not sure. What I wanted to write wasn't so much his actual decision over Atlantis, but rather him reaching the point where he could even consider (possibly) giving up flying. Since I am firmly convinced (with saphanibaal) that flying is essential to who/what he is.

So it's good that his indecision really comes through, since that's pretty much what this is all about. Indecision where he once had certainty.

[adafrog]

Wonderful. Loved the flying not filling all the holes.

[bratfarrar]

Thank you! I was trying to figure out why someone who loved flying so much would risk losing the opportunity to do so.

[wildcat88]

Self-confrontation can be a powerful thing. Your description of him facing himself, considering what he really wants, is very good. Enjoyed it.

[bratfarrar]

Thanks! Seems that if anyone could force/shake someone into that, it would be something like the whole "There are aliens--you're part alien--come to another galaxy with us, please?" thing.