IC:

Name: Shane Athair

Age: 16

Physical Description: Shane is of moderate height for his age, probably about 5 foot 5. He has straight red hair that he usualy cuts at about his ears. Normally he wears jeans, sandals, a T-shirt and a khaki jacket over it all. Most people notice his jeans are a little extra baggy.

Equipment: Other than a cell-phone, nothing special.

Shape-shifting powers: Ever since Shane was 12 years old, he's had a tail. That's about as simple as it gets. He's kept it secret from his family, but as far as he knows, none of them have tails, so he thinks he's the only one (although he never knew his real father, his mother re-married shortly after he was born). In moments of anger, sadness or desperation he grows heavy brown hair around his face while his face takes on the features of a feline muzzle, like a lion, but it always returns to normal when he calms down.

History: Shane is just your totally normal, average high school student from the suburbs, who has been trying to keep secret the fact thatt he has a tail.

IC: Trees passed by on either side of the taxi as Shane stared out the window. He couldn't believe he was here in Pennsylvania, on the other side of the country, because of a stupid letter. When the courier had brought it to him, he didn't know how to react.

Shape-shifter? What shifting? The only shifting that had happenned was when he was twelve and woke up to find that he was sleeping on a limb he didn't have when he went to bed. The tail was short then, just coming a few inches off his backside. It was easy to hide then. But it got bigger, and now, at the age of sixteen looked like a fully-grown lion's tale.

This was not an easy thing to hide. Even now, Shane sat uncomfortably in his seat. He had to run it through his pants leg under his leg when he sat down, lest it look like he had a pole in his pants. His step-father assured his mother that the baggy jeans were "just a phase". What did they know.

So when Shane had first gotten the letter, he had sent the courier away. The man left his card, and left Shane to think. And think. And think. For days, Shane could not get the letter off his mind. Someone out there knew about the tail, so maybe someone out there knew WHY he had a tail. He couldn't turn down the possibility. He called the courier back up, and arranged for his parents to think that had gotten a job as a camp instructor.

If only they knew that he was actually heading for Freaktown, USA.

The Taxi pulled up in front of a large ornate gate. At the crest of the gate was a large "W", in the same style as on the envelope Shane had received. A security guard, stopped the car, so Shane lowerred his window and held out a letter.

"I'm sorry, no cabs on the premises," said the guard. He was already handing the happy cabbie a fifty.

Grumbling, Shane grabbed his duffle bag, and stepped out of the cab, which quickly took off.

"Sorry, about that sir," said the guard. "Security reasons." He flashed Shane a grin, and Shane noticed that he had gigantic teeth, particularely his canines. "I'll radio a golf cart to take you to the main house."

Later, Shane would think back on the guard's teeth as the most mild thing that happenned to him that day. As the cart sped towards the mansion, he saw all manner of strange things.

There was a man relaxing in a pool with his top half out of the water, the bottom half ended in eight long tentacles akin to an octopus. Then there were the twins wrestling on the lawn. Whenever one got knocked down, his hand turned into a large bear claw, which he used to knock the other one over, causing the same ting to happen again. And let's not forget the rabbit. One second, Shane thought he was looking at a rabbit running alongside the cart, the next a human appeared.

"Hi," he said, and the human was gone in the blink of an eye, once again replaced by a rabbit.

It was a lot for Shane to take in, but from the second he saw the half-man, half-octopus, he knew what to do. As soon as he got to the main house, he ran inside to the first bathroom he could find and slipped his pants off. A short rip later, and Shane departed the bathroom, tail trailing behind him.

IT was the first time Shane walked up straight since he was twelve.

Name: Leon McDonald

Age: 14

Physical Description: Leon is very tall for a 14-year-old, with an unusually lanky build. This would not seem odd if it were not for the fact that Leon's skin is scaled like a reptile's everywhere but his face. Because of this, he tends to wear clothing that conceals most of his body.
Also has a small pair of horns jutting outward from his forehead, which he usually hides with his long, dark hair.

Equipment: A small switchblade knife and a pair of goggles and not much else.

Shape-shifting powers: Leon's skin has the unusual property of being able to alter its color and pattern, though not entirely at will.

History: After birth, Leon;s parents assumed he was a 'freak' and kept him mostly sealed off from the outside world. At 13, he ran away from home and lived on the streets for awhile before taking up temporary residence at a shelter, where he recieved his letter.
-------

Will IC later when I'm more awake.

Name: Andy Pancost

Age: 15

Physical Description: Tall, lean, high school quarterback-like physique. Traditionally wears a t shirt with the sleeves cut off along with his jeans. Short, brown hair. His eyes are a bright greenish color, and upon closer inspection, are narrow, like a snake's.

Equipment: The clothes he's wearing.

Shape-shifting powers: Can turn any part of his body into any type or kind of snake of any size. For example, he could easily enough turn each of his fingers into snakes and grab something acrossed the room with them. Every snake's senses are fully functional - he can see what they see and smell what they smell, etc etc.

History: Discovered his power at the age of about 13. Has NEVER used it around others, but whenever he's alone, he'll use it freely just for the sake of doing it.

I'll IC in a few hours here, so seeya.

OOC: Both your characters are fine, just go ahead when you're ready (and if anyone else still wants to join, feel free to jump in).

Name: Elias "Eli" Lyndon

Age: 14

Physical Description: A 17 year old boy of regular body build. About 5'6", 145 lbs. He's been able to hide his secret from everyone, besides the people he can trust. He has grey hair, light blue eyes and he wears a visor beanie, a gray thermal long-sleeved shirt, and size faded black 30x30 slim fit pants.

Equipment: An army knife, a grey bandana, a skateboard, a paintball harness that carries spray paint cans.

Shape-shifting powers: He has fuzzy grey wolfs ears present on his head all the time (hence the beanie) and can transform into a wolf at will. Not a werewolf but a full wolf. He can also communicate with other canines such as wolves and dogs.

History: Born into the family of James and Donna Lyndon . He has and always will be a little trouble maker. He is a graffiti artist, a skater, an all around good guy. He sometimes has used his power to his advantage, like in running from the police, terrorizing bullies, well you get the picture. He wears a beanie almost all the time so you can't see his ears. He was teased as a young child so he is very insecure about them. He eventually found a group of friends who could shapeshift too. However, lately his friends have been dying in many "unfortunate accidents." It's happened ever since he moved in with his girlfriend. He recently suspected her of being involved in these incidents.

==========

Eli laid on his couch in his apartment and listened to the Sex Pistols when his dog, Tazer, jumped up on top of him. "OWW! WHAT THE HELL DUDE?!" Eli barked. "THAT HURT!"

The doorbell rang. Probably a second time because Tazer only baks when it does ring. "I'M COMIN'!" Eli yelled. He opened the door and the man at the door handed him a letter. Eli looked down at it and the looked back up and cocked an eyebrow. "For me?" he asked. The man did not reply. So he opened it up and read it. "Huh..." He said.

Elias reflected on his life for a second. He was so happy, but there really was alot of "accidents" happening to his friends who could also shapeshift. He knew what he had to do. He looked at the courier. "I accept." Said Eli.

OOC: I almost forgot entirely about this. Sorry, Srol.

IC:

Andy was standing some ways away from the gate, having a sort of mental conflict about whether or not he wanted to go inside after all. His unusual power had always caused him a scotia of turmoil, and maybe this would help him loosen up a bit, and maybe get rid of some stress. Yet, he had his suspicions about the meeting. It really seemed like he was being baited out, and he at first refused the offer... and as the deliverer of the message turned to leave, he ran after him, saying that he changed his mind.

Andy took a deep breath, and passed through the gate after talking with the man guarding it.

What he saw made him feel both scared and at home - the octupus-from-the-waist-down man, the bear claw kids, and he looked up to see a person flying on large, white wings. Everyone else seemed so at home... they surely have been here longer than he. So he approached the only other person he knew was a new entry here: Shane.

"You're new here too, right?" Andy asked. "I'm Andy, you?" He held out his hand, looking into Shane's eyes with his own deep green, slitted ones.

OOC: a scotia
<3

IC:
Leon sat cross-legged in the corner of the dormitory room of the Boys' home, which was dimly-lit by the lamp on the table at the far side. At this table were several tough-looking boys engaged in a game of poker. He pulled his battered sweater's hood up and lowered his head, and was drifting off to sleep when he was woken up by a figure hovering over him.

"What the hell do you want?" he mumbled, but the person (Who it was now apparent was a delivery man of some sort) said nothing, only extending an arm towards Leon, whose own hand flew with lightning speed to the flick-knife clipped to his belt, before he realized that what the mailman (or whatever he was, as he seemed rather better-dressed) was holding was a letter addressed to him. He sheepishly thanked the man and took the letter, slipping it into his pocket.

Later that night, after all the other boys had fallen asleep, as he lay on his cheap, uncomfortable mattress, he took the letter out from under his bed and turned it over in his hand several times, marvelling at the expensiveness of it, from the high-quality paper to his own name written in flowing, highly-polished calligraphy. At last he opened the seal with his knife and took out the letter, reading it over dozens of times, assuring himself that this was reality and was actually happening. Others like him? It seemed impossible. But yet, how would he talk to the man who delivered the letter? He had disappeared after giving Leon the letter. After a while, Leon put aside the letter and drifted into an uneasy sleep.
---

Leon's question was answered the next morning when, after breakfast, he spotted the mysterious courier in a corner of the lobby, and walked calmly over to the man, saying nothing, but the man appeared to understand.
---

Leon stood in front of the gate of the Worthington estate, a huge, wrought-iron affair that was ornately detailed and looked like it could withstand a pack of charging rhinos. Leon thought with a chuckle that considering where he was, it was likely deisgned for this exact purpose. He smiled to himself for the first time in years as the feeling that his past troubles were behind him and he was beginning a new chapter in his life washed over him and he walked through the opening gate.