[hider=Shift][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/taCQRPt.jpg?1[/img][/center]

[b][color=SkyBlue]Name[/color][/b]
Valora Beaumont

[b][color=SkyBlue]Alias[/color][/b]
Shift

[b][color=SkyBlue]Age[/color][/b]
25

[b][color=SkyBlue]Gender[/color][/b]
Female

[b][color=SkyBlue]Personality[/color][/b]
At the base of her personality Valora would simply be described as a “nervous wreck”. Nearly every action she does has an undercurrent of fear or anxiousness, and while at her core she’s kind-hearted Valora can put people off due to being unable to suppress her nerves naturally. It’s not uncommon to find her fidgeting during conversation, darting her gaze around everywhere but at the other person’s face, or in extreme cases hyperventilating. This is particularly prevalent around animal presences.

This provides a ripe breeding ground for Valora to be easily cajoled as well, provided she’s not more afraid of whatever task is presented to her. She has a deep desire to either be seen as helpful, or at least not useless.

Of course, all of these personality traits can disappear under unplanned use of her abilities.

[b][color=SkyBlue]Powers[/color][/b]
As may be determined by her alias, Shift is a shapeshifter. Specifically she specializes in taking on the form of any animal presented to her, particularly if they are physically nearby. While she doesn’t [i]need[/i] an animal nearby in order to take on its form, it makes it significantly easier - when touching the animal the transformation is near instantaneous. If it’s in the vicinity the transformation can take a few seconds, while a more exotic animal that wouldn’t be around her can take up to a minute.

However, Shift doesn’t need to fully transform herself either. She’s able to shift or grow only certain body parts, and with effort can be a mix-mash of creatures [up to three]. She is also not limited by the physical restraints of the creature, but rather by her own energy - in one instance of being exposed to a canine after an optimized week of rest and food her subsequent transformation reached four hundred pounds. Her usual shifts at regular health end up with her transformation being slightly bigger than the normal perimeters of the animal. Further, animals appear to be attracted to her presence and respond to her emotions if presented.

The apparent downfall of her powers lays in the fact that Shift, when not transforming on her own, can be influenced by nearby animals. This usually manifests as being unable to help but take on some aspects of their appearance [she has reported often having feathers sprouting while in the Tower], but more dangerously her personality can be influenced by creatures as well. In the Tower she sometimes finds herself collecting shiny objects, as an example. In the most extreme circumstances when her personality is completely overtaken by animalistic urges, usually from predators and her own fear response, she can fall to rages. Peculiarly, staff at the Academy and subsequently handlers from New Horizon often find themselves the targets of these rampages.

[b][color=SkyBlue]Precautions[/color][/b]
Dampening Bracelet
[indent]Due to Shift’s lack of control at times, she’s fitted with Dampening Bracers to avoid uncontrolled transformations in the Tower. Incomplete shifts are still possible.[/indent]
[b][color=SkyBlue]Equipment[/color][/b]
Injector
[indent]Fitted to the inside of Valora’s left bicep is a small device, a little over three inches long in total. During missions a needle at the base of the device inserts into Valora’s bloodstream and injects her with a cocktail of drugs to calm her enough to operate, as her fear of her own powers might usually prevent. Weekly checkups are required to calibrate the Injector for safety, as well as after every mission.[/indent]
[b][color=SkyBlue]Appearance[/color][/b]
Standing at an impressive six feet even, Valora’s height along with a thin frame combines to make her have a somewhat sickly appearance with boney features, compounded further by a rather pale complexion. She has somewhat wavy dirty blonde hair going down to just beneath her shoulder blades, and even when her hair is pulled up she has long bangs that always cover her eyes.

This is particularly true on the left side of her face, using her hair to hide the lack of eyeball, as well as the deep and unattractive scarring that mars the skin on that side. It’s the worst around her eye, cutting thin lines across her brow and eyelid with deeper marks just below, dragging across her cheek to just above her jaw. The drag of teeth left the most noticeable marks, but on closer inspection the puncture scars are visible as well.  Because of her lost eye Valora wears a simple cotton adhesive eyepatch, except on missions where her transformations would see her lose it anyway.

Shift’s ‘costume’ appears to just be one of the standard issue New Horizon jumpsuits, with tow stripes of white going down the front. What makes it so unique is the outfit's ability to change with Shift's transformations, allowing her to make use of smaller or larger forms without loss of her uniform. For public appearances she’s been provided with a cloak that hangs off her right arm, made from the pelt of a grizzly bear to further emphasis her abilities.

[b][color=SkyBlue]History[/color][/b]
Like so many before her, Valora started out as just a normal girl. The Beaumont family worked the lands of their own vineyard, having a somewhat small but selective collection of wine made and bottled by them. It was on these gently sloping hills and between the twisting vines that Valora often found herself playing as a small child, watched over by her parents or their various workers.

It was during one of these explorations that Valora, barely six years old, found herself at the edge of her parents’ property. It was harvesting season, and as such she was meant to stay out of the way, so off she went to this area at the edge of the overgrown forest nearby. As was usual for the girl she found herself playing with the birds that liked to collect around her, hopping at her feet or perching in her hair. However, it wasn’t just these avians that had taken interest in the girl that day. 

The first thing that alerted the young girl that something was wrong was her little feathered friends scattering. Some merely hopped back, while the less brave merely took off to the trees. Following the collective gazes of the birds, Valora found a shaggy and malnourished wolf cautiously approaching, a limp to his front step - he was hurt. And though Valora’s innate gift brought him to this place and soothed his agitated nerves, a hurt predator was a hungry predator.

As such when Valora let out a startled scream it snapped whatever spell had fallen over the starved wolf. When the young girl scrambled to run instincts and desperation took over as the beast lunged after her. The blood curdling screams drew the nearby workers over, and though reluctant at first the wolf ended up dropping his meal and fleeing when struck repeatedly.

The attack couldn’t have lasted more than a minute, but the effects of the starved predator would stay with Valora forever. Even after she recovered the once outgoing girl was far happier huddled up to her mother’s skirts or within the safety of her family’s home, left with the permanent reminder of her attack by the maiming of the left side of her face. The birds that crowded around her window in the morning were terrifying reminders now, not the joyful song to wake up to. The neighbor’s dog was no longer a friendly pet, but a jaw full of sharp teeth and crushing jaws. It was a lonely existence the trauma made; afraid of outside her home, shunned by her younger siblings for her shifted worrying and hovering nature, terrified of what dangers lurked out there.

It didn’t help when Valora’s nightmares started haunting her waking hours. How her nails became almost like claws. Feathers sprouted along her arms. Her teeth, sharp and scraping against a broad tongue.

It culminated in high school. She had been doing so well hiding what was happening, for Valora was no fool. Something was [i]wrong[/i] with her, something powerful and terrifying. Then one of her classmate’s parents brought his dog along to pick him up, and the creature got loose. Jumping on people, licking their face. To Valora, frozen in fear, when the dog jumped on her all she saw was the creature’s mouth opening wide and the white of his teeth, looming and sharp and [i]dangerous[/i]-

She didn’t remember anything else of that day.

What Valora [i]did[/i] remember was waking up in the hospital, with the people she’d find out were from New Horizon Academy. There she was informed of what happened - people injured, a dog killed, and Valora - what was [i]supposed[/i] to be Valora anyway - fled into the wilds before being found, human and covered in blood. It was here she was given a choice, one she grabbed onto like a drowning man. The Academy would teach her how to stop this, how to control what was happening so it would [i]never[/i] happen again.

Turns out a shifter is too valuable for people to be bothered with simple things like trauma. Valora was trained, yes, but rather than being able to forget she ever had these abilities she was instead thrust into the public eye as Shift, resident of the Tower and reluctant hero.

It’s rather ironic really, being caged up and used like little more than an animal.

[b][color=SkyBlue]Other[/color][/b]
Has zoophobia, with a particular fear of canines. Therapy has only somewhat helped.[/hider]

[hider=Relationship Table][center]
[b][color=gray]Ka'van Soeray[/color][/b]
Initially I wasn’t sure how to react around Ka’van. There are so many things that could be starkly different between alien and human. What if offering a handshake could be seen as threatening by reaching out to him? Well, it turns out my fears were unfounded, at least in this case. Ka’van is quite a gentleman, his presence calm and collected. There's times we can both be in the same room with a mutual quiet that I can't often find with others. It's comforting. Though, there’s this air of graveness that tends to hang around him. When I’m canine-shifted, at times it makes my fur bristle. Still, I wish I could do more for him. It’s obvious he doesn’t like it here.

It’s rather telling that on finding an alien presence New Horizon’s first reaction is to cage it. How Ka’van doesn’t resent all of humanity every time he looks to the stars I couldn’t say.


[b][color=sandybrown]Silas Myers[/color][/b]
Personally I blame the Tower birds affecting me, but every time I see Silas I just want to build him a nest of blankets and feed him. He worries over others so much, and I appreciate his concern, but I don’t think he spends nearly enough time worrying over himself. He’s so pale, and the food he eats can barely be [i]called[/i] food – oh, don’t tell him I said that. Anyway, I try to bring him food whenever I cook, but that doesn’t help the nesting part. For someone who’s powers involve sleep it seems he doesn’t get nearly enough. Plus he seems so defenceless on the field...Seems we’re destined to mutually worry over each other.

I’ve never mentioned it to anyone, but I think he manipulates my dreams sometimes. More specifically, my nightmares. Before the tower I’d wake up terrified whenever I had them, but lately not so much. I [i]know[/i] it’s not me getting over my phobia, but I’m afraid to bring it up in case I’m wrong or it makes things awkward. I’m thankful, if he is.


[b][color=orange]Ricardo Fenix[/color][/b]
Ricardo... Ricardo is... Well, he’s Phoenix Dawn. Both on and off the field. The bright shining light, fiery and with a presence that demands attention. He’s, well... to be honest he’s intimidating to me, and not just because of his legend. That’s – that’s not to say he’s not a nice man! He is! It’s just, sometimes he reminds me of a puppy; all bright eyes and toothy grin, and lurking beneath that friendly exterior the power of a beast in wait. It doesn't help that sometimes when I shift I can see him eyeing me. I suppose the exotic animals could be interesting to someone not terrified of them, but why always my ears? Does he think it weird Victory scratches behind them sometimes? ... Would his scratches be too hard?

Maybe I can muster up the bravery to at least talk to him properly. I still feel really bad about our first meeting.


[b]Alice Jefferson[/b]
Some of the others don’t like Alice that much, but I ... actually really admire her. Even before becoming part of New Horizon it was hard not to look up to Victory for all that she represented. Despite becoming disillusioned with the organization myself, I know whenever I’m dispatched on a mission that she’ll do her best to get us all back home safe. That's the type of person she is. Though, I'll admit she [i]can[/i] be a bit frightening with the Victory Armor. The shouting puts my shifts on edge sometimes. Still, I enjoy her company in the tower – have you ever heard her tell a story of her days before New Horizon? She’s one of the people I don’t really mind spending time with, she's genuinely a good person and it's not just some act for the public. Oh, and don't tell anyone, but she also gives the [i]best [/i]scratches behind my ear when I'm forced to shift.

... I just ... wish she didn’t think so highly of New Horizon...


[b][color=265582]Sydney Lorraine[/color][/b]
Sydney is one of those people that I can’t help but fret over. You tend to pick up bits and pieces of others’ past while in the Tower, and from what I’ve overheard ... Well, on top of that, she’s the youngest of my team, and can’t even touch many things without cover! That's not good for a person's development! Then to add on that she's an open book, plus the nature of her work with the police... Just the thought gets my feathers ruffled. She's only [i]eighteen[/i] for goodness' sake, she doesn't need to see those things! I know it helps people, but what about helping her? I try to check up on Sydney but to be honest, sometimes I can’t read her very well despite everything. I do appreciate that I can speak my native tongue with her however. That might be part of why I’m so fond of her admittedly, on top of everything else.

I worry she gets cold when we go on missions, too. I don’t understand her uniform choice, but I suppose she [i]is[/i] Canadian. Still doesn't explain the lack of underwear - I kind of want to curl around her protectively when I'm shifted, even if I know it's a bad idea.


[b][color=a36209]Jane Martin[/color][/b]
When Jane was first assigned to Omicron I... okay, I admit it, I was a little weirded out. Please don’t say anything! I’ve come to appreciate her more in the three months she’s been here. I wasn’t sure how to act around her at first but she’s just a teenage girl in an odd body. Plus she just genuinely wants to help others, and I can respect that even if she’s taken to mimicking Ricardo in mannerisms (enchanced hearing makes her yelling [i]extra[/i] loud). That being said, despite who she’s chosen to emulate I still feel an unfortunately animalistic protectiveness over Jane due to her age and limitations. I’ve been working up the nerve to bring her food ever since she let slip she used to love cooking. Oh, and her base yellow color is so bright – I really like it, and I should tell her that someday.

Despite the numerous, [i]numerous[/i] short-comings of New Horizon, I’m glad they gave Jane a place she could be accepted, both by us and the public.

[b][color=crimson]Leolin "Leo" Cwm Annwn[/color][/b]
Another alien, another being caged to New Horizon. Leo is another one of us ‘heroes’ who is more often than not withdrawn, and after he was treated on coming to Earth it’s not hard to understand why. Given his responsibility to then be little more than a tool... I feel for him. Things must be so different. I respect him for wanting to help others, but, well, to be honest he’s [i]really[/i] intimidating to me. Between his strong and silent demeanour and those eyes of his... They’re beautiful, but I didn’t even need to see him on the battlefield to know he’s deadly.

If things don’t change soon, then when other starcrawlers look upon humanity will we be branded as nothing more than slavers? Will it even be wrong?


[b][color=red]Elliot Reider[/color][/b]
She is very quiet, a trait I can appreciate greatly. I enjoy her presence from the times we’ve managed to catch each other since her introduction to the tower, and Elliot appears to be quite well-read. I even managed to have a discussion about statistics! I never get to talk numbers with anyone! ... But I’ve heard a bit of her past [seriously, no one thinks about animal-enhanced senses for some reason, it’s not like I [i]mean[/i] to overhear]. It worries me from the snippets I’ve found out, not to mention the knowledge she was once part of a terrorist organization... Apparently on the field she does a 180, too. That can be a very major trauma flag. Forcing her from one organization to be caged in another isn't a very healing environment.

Despite that I hope she finds a new home here, I certainly plan to be as welcoming as possible and keep an eye on her. The Tower can be a prison, it’s true, but at least the people can also feel like family. I can very easily see my urge to protectively nest encompassing Elliot.

[b]Joseiah Kimbell[/b]
The pun master himself. I admit sometimes they don’t translate so well in my native tongue, but I swear he makes them simpler around me to keep me included – I appreciate it. He’s very ‘chill’ (was that right?), not to mention a jokester. He reminds me of my little brother actually, though I suppose that’s inevitable since he acts like the big brother to so many people in the Tower – Team Omicron especially, I think. Even when I’m feeling overwhelmed he always seems to realize when I just need quiet, a trait well honed by siblings. On the field I know he’d have my back, and I would have his – oh, and his ice sculptures are beautiful! I suppose that’s inevitable as well, considering his powers.

Something about Joseiah bothers me at times. Maybe it’s my own fears, but at times he reminds me of what they say about clowns and comedians – those who enjoy the happiness in others are often the ones most in need of it. I hope I’m wrong, he’s too sweet to be suffering.

[b][color=#EEE8AA]Foo Dog[/color][/b]
I understand he’s a vigilante and I shouldn’t think much of him, but I envy his freedom... at the same time, he can turn into a [i]lion[/i]. Why. [i]Why this?![/i]

[b][color=Black]Onyx[/color][/b]
[b][i][h3]WHY?![/h3][/i][/b]

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