So, I had this idea for story including Tynx (for anyone who doesn't know who Tynx is: he's a Jianuo, which basically looks like a small, super-cute fox. At least he does ), in which Tynx, while exploring some cave/pit/thing in our world, encounters an ancient relic (or sometihng, I'm still working out the details), which contains some kind of dark magic. Upon being exposed to it, a 'second' Tynx is created within him, without his knowledge.

But as the story progresses, and he meets two siblings who try to help him do... something, the second self shows itself, completely taking over Tynx's body, changing his fur color, his personality, everything. He can't stop it, and it hurts him when he under goes the change (both the change itself and the fact he can't stop his other self from causing trouble and harm). But eventually the second self completely leaves Tynx's body and becomes its own, and a whole heap of trouble.

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for his second self? Anything that should be included? Either in what he does, or the technical details of how his second self shows itself, and then leaves Tynx's body?

Sounds like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, almost.


Hmm...what exactly do you mean? Forgive me if I am muddled unnecessarily.

Haha, it does, doesn't it? I never looked at it that way before. I watched a TV show episode today that had someone who had 3 personalities. But I don't think the characters could handle three Tynxes.

The confusion's probably on my part. Sorry. I'm wondering if there's anything I should know about a second 'personality', how it shows itself (how it affects the body, maybe). Just a smaller details that might not be known to readers, but inforation that I could use so it will make more sense to me.

Yeah, it does sound like Jekyll and Hyde.

You might want to think what would trigger his second-self appearing and what would cause it to go away. What kind of personality would it have? You could go with the traditional good vs. bad angle, but it would be neat if you could change it up a little.

I also like the idea of the second personality becoming its own separate entity.

*Echoes Ivan* It would be neat to have both 'selves' not quite altogether bad or good.

*Thinkeths* Hmm... Well, I guess what the second Tynx looks like would depend on its personality. A more cunning second identity might have squintier eyes and sharper teeth, while a more outright evil identity might look altogether different.

Ivan- That's a good idea. It'd make more sense than his second self showing up at random. What are some ways it can be triggered?

Milly- His fur color changes drastically (black and dark minty sort of green, with dark eyes). He could probably get a little bigger, with longer fangs, and claws.

I had been thinking the good vs. evil route. What could I do to change it up and make it different?

Maybe Tynx's second self has a soft spot, a chunk of unmixed sugar in the muffin, if you will. Is he so rotten that he's not loveable?

Hm, I haven't thought about it. I had mainly thought of his second self as being one who gets the MCs and co. in trouble.

He could be obsessed with balloons. Tynx loves sitting on them, so that could carry over to his second self?

Sounds fun. Yeah, my advice would be to put a soft spot in his heart just big enough for people to feel bad for him at the end of the story. Emotion manipulating!

I'm thinking it could start out as random, but eventually Tynx learns to transform at will and he does it so often his second self ends up breaking away.



I do like Milly's idea. Tynx's 2nd could start out evil, but eventually there is a change of heart there.

Milly- Yeah. Then... then I'd feel horrible and wouldn't have the heart to kill the villain. How could the MCs manipulate his emotions?

Ivan- Ooh. There's an idea. The change of heart could be interesting. It could play into another Tynx story I thought of (involving his family and his older - and larger - power-hungry brother). I don't know about transforming at will, but it could get so bad his second self finally takes over and breaks away.

Oh, I was meaning manipulate the reader's emotions. Heehee!

That's the point, though. Even though killing him is serving out justice, he has a change of heart at the end and so you mourn for him.

*Whispers* I know how you mean, about feeling horrible and not wanting to kill him. I'm still debating with myself whether or not to kill a well-beloved character.

Ohhh. I could do that too. So, he could have a change of heart at the end, but by then he's messed up everything so badly there's not much else he can do to fix except... somehow creating an emotional scene where he dies?

Yep, something like that.

*snuffles pathetically * Sorry I'm so late.

So, have you ever witnessed someone who has split personality syndrome (don't ask me what the technical term is, I can't remember ).

Interesting thing. They don't just act different, they have physical differences, too. In people, the one side may be somewhat of a frump dresser, while the other one dresses to the t for a fashion runway. The split personalities in the person often have some night and day differences. The one is very soft spoken and shy, the other has a commanding voice and carries themselves like they know what they are doing.

Is there a way you can show the split personality as being opposite of the other?

And why does he split his personality. Most people who have split personality syndrome have it because of something traumatic in their past. It is a coping mechanism, of sorts. They were victimized in some way, and they don't want to be the weakling anymore. So their mind creates the strong side of themselves, but they still have those weaknesses, so they can't get rid of them. Thus they become two people.

No, I haven't (unless you count TV).

His second self does look different. Fur coloration is completely changed. That's what I have right now, anyway.

Opposite as in personality? His second self is much more of a trouble maker, and evil. Even to the point to taking over the mind of one of the MCs and creating a weird, surreal environment.

Tynx was exploring a cave with his brother (a villain), who had first discovered an ancient, dark magic, of sorts. He gets Tynx to release it, but it attacks Tynx and it takes on his second self, then eventually becoming its own body instead of using Tynx's.

Ah! Cool. Those sound look good things to start out with.

Reminds me of Spiderman 3. Sounds interesting. Have you written anything including this yet?

Not much. I have way too many other stories I should be working on. But it had a few paragraphs.

Aww, that's a shame. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this.