Josh took a moment to think about the options of the other similarly arranged conjoined twins. He was still getting used to their current form, and he did not particularly like the idea of changing it. "Nah, lets stay with how we are."
"Agreed." Jerry smiled at his twin.
"So..." The program wizard began, "I can take it that you both have decided to set this as your final form?"
"No, almost though." Josh spoke before his brother had a chance.
"What do you mean?" Jerry looked at his brother quizzically, not following his chain of thoughts.
"Wizard, can you bring up the distribution list of our organs and such again." Josh spoke to the program.
"Of course." The program wizard then made the list reappear on the screen:
List & Distribution of Organs for Jeremy & Joshua Platte:
2 heads
2 spines, merging at coccyx and joined at thorax by sections of ribs
2 completely separate spinal cords
2 arms
1 broad ribcage with 2 sternums and fully-formed bridging ribs
2 nipples (all nonfunctional) *Changes to be implemented*
2 hearts in a shared circulatory system (nutrition, respiration, medicine taken by either affects both)
4 lungs with the medial lungs fully fused into a shared "super-lung"
1 diaphragm with well-coordinated involuntary breathing
2 stomachs
2 gallbladders
1 liver, both lobes enlarged and elongated
Y-shaped small intestine, which experiences a double peristalsis at the juncture
1 large intestine (one colon)
1 navel
4 kidneys: 2 left, 2 right
1 bladder
1 set of reproductive organs (each twin contributing a testicle that feeds into a single penis shared between both twins)
2 separate half-sacrums, which converge distally
1 slightly broad pelvis
2 legs
Josh smiled at the note by the the number of nipples. The wizard had already included that update for their final form. While still scanning the list, Josh spoke to his brother. "I just want to make sure there wasn't anything that stood out, or that we wanted to change. Might as well get it now before having to fix it later."
"Uh...." Jerry sighed heavily. "This is taking forever."
Ignoring his brother's comment. "Wizard, do we need two stomachs? The other organs, like our lungs and hearts, I generally understand why we need more of them. Having a body like this would require a better circulatory and respiratory system." Josh was thinking back to the basics of biology he had been learning in school, or that he had been learning in school as Edward. "If we have two stomachs, would Jerry and I be hungry at different times? Would we... you know... have to go to the bathroom more often because we each fill up separate gas tanks."
"Of the most current medical records, the majority of dicephalic parapagus twins, such as yourselves, have two stomachs." The program wizard noted. "However, your joint body will not need two stomachs to function appropriately. If you would like, I will reduce the number of your stomachs to one, albeit a slightly larger stomach?"
"Sounds good." Jerry and Josh unintentionally answered at the same time. Jerry continued, "And I think that is the last of the changes, right..."
"Right." Josh conceded. "No more changes from me."
"I will incorporate those changes to your final form." The screen of the distribution of organs vanished. "However, you will need to decide on the memories of those involved in the full-scale reality alteration, including yourselves."
"What do you mean?" Jerry asked.
"Simply put, do you want everyone's memories to adjust to the new reality of you both being conjoined twins?" The program wizard asked.
"Yes." both twins answered.
"As I am sure you have realized, I have already uploaded new procedural memories into your brains, so you know how to move your joint body together. This significantly reduced the 'learning curve' you normally would have experienced otherwise. You now innately know how to cooperate your limbs to walk, run, play an instrument, and the numerous other actions you need to take jointly. Do note that even though you know how to move together, cooperation, agreement, and communication are all required for you two function adequately." The program wizard smiled. "However, I have not uploaded any new episodic memories, the episodes of your life. You will need to decide if you want your own memories to be adjusted to include the changes to the reality." The wizard then displayed the options on the screen:
Memory Overwrite - Users will have new memories downloaded, old memories replaced.
Memory Upload - Users will have new memories downloaded, old memories maintained.
Progressive Memory Overwrite - Users will have new memories downloaded slowly, old memories replaced overtime.
Progressive Memory Upload - Users will have new memories appear within their minds slowly, old memories maintained.
Memories Maintained - Users will have no new memories uploaded into their brains.
"I didn't know there were so many options..." Josh commented.
"There are others." The program wizard interjected. "This is, as I have said before, the tip of the iceberg. These are the five chosen most often, but your can dictate a different memory upload to me as well."
"What should we pick?" Jerry asked, as the twins stared at the screen.