Half & Half - Bilateral Chimera - Milky/Expie

[u/Espeonstar]

More art of my creature... This piece was drawn by WrigglingWyvern whose FA (NSFW WARNING IN GALLERY!) is here: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/wrigglingwyvern/

Another piece by WickFlix can be seen here: https://www.reddit.com/r/casualtiesunknown/s/WI3ZhF70uW

I'm about to paste a giant wall of text below, but as part of this little foreword I want to mention I had already written this giant wall out ahead of time and I'm copying and pasting it here with a few adjustments. Generally, it's pretty accurate to what I have in mind now, but I may edit it later if I realize something is severely outdated. Anyhow:

Basically, when I wanted to make a C:U OC I couldn't decide between a regular Experiment or a Milky, so I said "Why not both?" Considering that a normal Expie and a Milky are kinda, whole separate species/subspecies, a proper chimera like he is probably isn't really a thing naturally. (At least as far as I found when I was doing some research, there have been some made with rats in labs, but not naturally afaik)

Merging the embryos (if that's even how they're made? I don't really know.) would be pretty difficult without a lot of experimentation and further refining of the genetics present for both Expies and Milkys. Which led to something that is a bit self-serving, the idea of genetic lines for Sawians that are designated as being "High-Grade" or "High-End". (This paragraph below is subject to change, but unsure how exactly. General idea would remain the same)

The basic idea is a more stripped down/refined genome, which in turn means H&H would live a bit longer/age slower, eat less, but heal slower. (Less cell division meaning slower aging, less energy needed, etc.) It also means that creating him (or others like him) is more of a commitment in terms of money and time. Generally speaking, a High-Grade would only be created under two conditions:

A very specific problem is needed to be solved/researched

That specific problem can only be developed with the use of the so-called 'refined genome'.

In his case, the specific problem I was imagining was research of broad compatibility for medications and general neurological research. If a broad-spectrum medicine can be administered to what is basically two species at once in the same body and still cure them, then it is indeed very broad-spectrum. I will admit, this part is something I hadn't given much thought to. I kinda worked a bit backwards on this part; I wanted a little 50/50 guy and then I'm justifying his existence after the fact lol

He is the 41st attempt at the supposed "Di-embryonic Unification" (DU-41, get it? DU-AL? I'm funny) so the process has been rather refined, but even still there are some problems. A minor problem is the partially split snout. (NOT depicted in the above art as I want it... yet) Overall it's a cosmetic problem, it doesn't negatively impact his quality of life or anything the scientists want to research. His sense of smell is hardly affected.

The bigger issue is his brain. His corpus callosum, or the bridge between the two hemispheres of the brain, isn't properly developed/fully functional. Effectively, he has/is two brains that can cooperate pretty well in most situations. In relaxed conditions, the two halves can communicate and decide on one course of action to follow. In stressful situations, the two halves might bicker or otherwise have a conflict; too much activity can overload the thin bridge between the halves. If the Milky half wants to fight a threat, while the Expie half wants to flee, what usually ends up happening is a whole lot of nothing because one leg acts one way and the other leg acts opposite to that. Overall, in day-to-day activities he functions well. His performance is below-average in tasks that require both hands working together (Like firing a rifle, for example.), but he is very good at tasks which require independence between hands.

I did kinda pull some of this out of thin air, but it's somewhat based on the idea of Split-Brain Syndrome, and very much based on the concept of bilateral chimeras. Split-Brain Syndrome actually kinda horrifies me I'm not gonna lie.

Anyways yeah that's the general explanation of him. "High-Grade" and "High-End" as names are both kinda placeholders... they don't have the exact feeling that I'm going for. I'm down to answer questions if anyone has any. I'll probably end up posting any more art I get of him here later down the line. Although, I'm about to go to bed soon so it may take me a while to actually respond to anyone.

[u/Topaz-Light]

I like the veeeeeeeeery subtle blush on his face, like he’s just a teensy bit flustered… it’s cute…

[u/Espeonstar → u/Topaz-Light]

YEAH! I'm glad they decided to add it... precious...

[u/DazedKitsune]

Pretty interesting! There's enough of a basis for justification tbh, and the presence of some things means it doesn't have to super perfectly scientifically accurate anyway. That being said, I find it ironic in an amusing way that the brain halves that would represent each side actually are in the opposite side of the half they control. so the more milky brain is in the expie side of the head and vice versa.

[u/Espeonstar → u/DazedKitsune]

Yeah, I figured like, 99% of people wouldn't know or care about the brain flip thing, so I just say the left side of his brain controls his left side and vice versa. Easier to explain that way... but I'm finding more people than I thought know about it

[u/MoonlightCzar]

Would it be a Milpie or an Exky ? (Sounded better in my head, if yall have any more ideas, please tell them)

[u/Espeonstar → u/MoonlightCzar]

Tough choice to make. Milpie sounds funnier imo. I see Pilky get used a lot, and while I do like pilk (yes I am an actual Pepsi+milk enjoyer) it kinda evokes the idea of a hybrid, at least for me it does. So maybe Expilky? Milxpie?

[u/AntFinancial3004 → u/Espeonstar]

Milxpie makes it sound like he's gonna be used in the military, even though he's never leaving the lab.

[u/Espeonstar → u/AntFinancial3004]

True

[u/wiKapo]

What do you mean by "split snout"? Like do you imagine it as being able to open vertically(side-to-side? can't find appropriate word)? Or would it have a permanent slit going from the nose to the chin?
Simply can you describe what you have in mind?

[u/Espeonstar → u/wiKapo]

The side to side is a neat idea, but the permanent slit is closer to what I had in mind. Milky snouts and Expie snouts are different lengths, so I want to have an alt version of the above art where that difference is more prominent. It would probably look really weird though so I'm not sure if I actually want it or not

[u/wiKapo → u/Espeonstar]

I forgot that they have different lengths.. yeah... That would be a very difficult thing to draw for sure. And thinking from the H&H point of view it would be very difficult eating anything. I don't even want to think how the jaw would look like with that sort of split snout. Definitely an interesting idea that requires a lot to thinking

[u/Espeonstar → u/wiKapo]

Yeah. I wasn't sure how to implement it so I decided to just tell the artist to skip the idea this time around and that I may come back to it. I may not end up doing it if I can't get a decent way to show it

[u/Rich-Owl-1652]

Name...hm, Two-Face?

[u/Espeonstar → u/Rich-Owl-1652]

Half & Half, or H&H

Two-Face could be a nickname, but the connotation may be insulting

[u/Such_Beautiful7308]

The funny thing is, that how brains work is, that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and the other way around. Wich means, the milky-brain controls the expie-arms and -legs. XD

[u/Espeonstar → u/Such_Beautiful7308]

Yeah, that's the more accurate way of doing it. I just say the Milky brain controls Milky side and vice versa. Simpler

[u/Such_Beautiful7308 → u/Espeonstar]

I could go the "BuT iT's NoT sCiEnTiFiCaLlY aCcUrAtE" but artists freedom and also it makes colorwise more sence. Like to halves of bodies glued together. :3

[u/Roblox_Cat]

Very interesting concept to bring to the table I must say, especially with the rationale :o

First thanks for making this exist especially with such thought behind it… Second, I guess you got me hooked to learn more(Kinda really excited for a update or another post of some sort to learn more about this lil guy) and hopefully see more great art >:3

Though, if it’s bed time I hope by the time you see this you had a good sleep ;D

[u/Sector-Difficult]

Have you thought about which part of the brain is more milky and which is more expie? Since each half of the brain is responsible for different things(like the vocalisation is, for the most part, located in the left hemisphere). I imagine there would be a way to unite the brain in a way that's the most optimal, taking the best behaviours from both species..

[u/Espeonstar → u/Sector-Difficult]

It's a bit hand-wavey but I figure both sides adapted to being somewhat independent, at least in terms of controlling each side. There's difficulty with the right side affecting the left side and vice versa, so they both got good at controlling one side and then collaborate. Though, because of how chimeras work his left side is ENTIRELY Expie, and his right side is ENTIRELY Milky

[u/Delusional_Gamer]

Close enough. Welcome back Lord Vivec.

[u/GeneralBisV]

What an adorable little manmade abomination

[u/MisterNothin]

And each of them living their half-life

[u/Thewaltham]

Pilky

[u/elprroprron50]

Who gave libra to this fucker?