Halfsie

**Halfsie** refers to a being who is half shadow and half human. The best known halfsie, though apparently not the only one ever to have existed, is Gustav Gloom.

## History

Little is known for certain about halfsies, and much of what has been said about them comes from sources that are, to put it mildly, untrustworthy. Gustav, perhaps the most famous example, was biologically the child of Hans and Penelope Gloom. However, when Penny was killed only six months into her pregnancy, her shadow managed to save Gustav and carry him for the remainder of the term. This resulted in Gustav's becoming part shadow, making it impossible for him to leave the property around the Gloom House without perishing due to a lack of shadow magic.

Penny's shadow approached the shadow criminal Hieronymus Spector in hopes of learning a means whereby Gustav might be able to live a normal life, presumably by becoming fully human. Hieronymus claimed that, not only was it not possible, but that his life would grow increasingly dangerous as he grow older. This would be a result of the Dark Country, apparently in reaction to Gustav's very existence, creating dangers meant to eliminate him as unnatural. However, Hieronymus was actually aware that Gustav being able to venture outside his family property was possible, having seen at least one painting providing evidence of it in the Gallery of Possible Futures. Penny's shadow, Great-Aunt Mellifluous, and others would later become aware of this possibility as well.

While posing as Gustav himself, the shadow criminal Nebuchadnezzar claimed that only a handful of halfsies had ever existed. As part of his efforts to convince Fernie and Pearlie What of his assumed identity, he claimed that it was possible for a halfsie to become a shadow. His claim was that a sudden shock had the potential to push a halfsie one way or the other, making them fully human or fully shadow. However, when Fernie told Gustav that Nechadnezzar had claimed to be Gustav turned into a shadow, Gustav discounted this notion as preposterous.

Lemuel Gloom's shadow was familiar enough with the concept of halfsies to recognize Gustav as one on site, despite having been imprisoned in terrible isolation since some time before Gustav was even conceived. Gustav's halfsie nature also enabled him to escape after ending up in one of the chairs in the Too Much Sitting Room. Shadows living in the Dark Country were also familiar with halfsies, and Gustav noted that it was typical for most shadows to be disdainful of them.

## Traits

Assuming Gustav is typical of halfsies, then they possess a number of qualities that blend the natures of their human and shadow halves. Having been raised by shadows, Gustav was possessed of great speed and agility beyond that of a normal human. He also had extremely keen eyesight and hearing. Though shadows can typically make themselves as solid or as intangible as they desire, Gustav could touch, climb on, and even harm shadows in the latter state.

Due to being part human, Gustav still required rest and nourishment, with the latter in particular being provided by his shadow for the vast majority of his life. Due to his limited stamina, he could only maintain his incredible speed for short periods of time, as contrasted with a shadow's typical tirelessness. Also unlike a shadow in most situations, Gustav was susceptible to injury and death, and thus had to exercise caution in battling shadow opponents. He was as solid as any human being, and thus could not escape or avoid being seized by enemies swift or fortunate enough to touch him.

Though he had to remain within the close confines of a shadow house in order to survive on Earth, Gustav did not find this necessary when he visited Silverspinner's world. As he had traveled there aboard the Cryptic Carousel, it is unclear whether this was simply an aspect of Gustav's nature, a property of the carousel, or perhaps due to the nature of that planet itself.

## References

1. ↑ As revealed in *Gustav Gloom and the Nightmare Vault*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 As revealed in *Gustav Gloom and the Cryptic Carousel*
3. ↑ As revealed in *Gustav Gloom and the Castle of Fear*
4. ↑ As revealed in *Gustav Gloom and the Four Terrors*
5. ↑ As revealed in *Gustav Gloom and the People Taker*
6. ↑ As revealed in *Gustav Gloom and the Inn of Shadows*