Hey all! I'm going a bit of a weird direction with my character, so if it’s too silly or out there, I'm happy to tweak and edit, or completely scrap it as necessary!

[@Naril] I took a few liberties, in that my host is a former PHI Agent, so I have a history with the agency, & I used Sol in my background scene, but if that was an overstep I can totally change it around. Hopefully I captured his personality okay. The Dr. Yomoto character was just some throwaway side character within the organization, I'm imagining is in R&D or working on a cure for Alexandra or some such thing. 

I tried to leave enough leeway to allow people to influence the history they might have with Alexandra Smalls and whatnot. I'm totally open to conspiring with the rest of you on who gets along or hates my character, or any other kinds of crazy twists and turns regarding my arc, assuming it's accepted. Thanks for your consideration!

[hider=SLF-XJ7L][b]Name:[/b] 

Entity "Husk" S.L.F.(Sentient Life Form)-XJ7L : Currently Inhabiting the Body of PHI Agent Dr. Alexandra Smalls.

[b]Gender:[/b] 

N/A - Current Human Host is Female

[b]Race/Species:[/b] 

Sentient Fungus

[b]Age:[/b] 

SLF-XJ7L is of indeterminate age. Safely regarded as ancient, the sealed cavern tomb where life-form evolved in isolation pre-dates Sumerian culture and even the last Ice Age by thousands of years. (Estimated c. 10,000-13,000 BC)

	Age of Verifiable Sentient Consciousness - 3 Years

		Age of Host at time of Assimilation - 31 Years


[b]Appearance:[/b] 

SLF-XJ7L is a singular colony of Coral Fungi that aggressively colonizes in a distinct fuzzy webbed pattern. It emits a soft white bioluminescent glow when stimulated by touch, currently known to be centralized to a cavern tomb located in modern day Borneo. The cavern of it's origin has been sealed and under strict surveillance since the incident involving agent Smalls.

Prior to said incident, Alexandra Smalls appearance was relatively unremarkable, rather typical in a girl-next-door kind of way. Soft blonde hair kept wrapped smartly back in a tight bun, light hazel eyes perched behind thin glass frames of a strong prescription, with a gaunt, hawk-like face, sun-kissed by a handful of freckles. A body built by her habits, very little muscle definition or curves to speak of, though typically any to be found were kept hidden under a lab coat or hazard suit. Her sylphlike shoulders held a slight slouch from too many hours in a lab or at a computer, often with bags under her eyes to accompany it.

Despite the internal changes, XJ7L has altered very little about Alex's outward appearance, though to a careful observer you would notice that she seems to be aging in a slow, but distinct reverse pattern in the 3 years since the incident. From beneath what borders on uncomfortably taught skin, her veins let off a scarcely noticeable glow, seeming to bulge and pulse with energy and life. Reminiscent of the fungal growth itself, this light will increase in intensity when stimulated, struck or otherwise injured, as the entity engages it's healing ability. Blood no longer flows from open wounds, instead a thick syrupy substance resembling luminous Elmer glue oozes out and hardens as the cells regrow.

Those closest to Alex would quickly catch on that the slouch is gone. Along with once necessary glasses, so too has most of the pigment in her eyes disappeared. They gradually transition between levels of a misty opaque hue which would lead most to believe she has gone blind. The blonde hair has been cropped back to a short buzz, which the entity sites as a decision made for 'utility.'


[b]Personality:[/b] 

After emerging from a weeks long catatonic state, PHI found the young operator Alexandra Smalls had been replaced something altogether alien. Unsettling to those that once knew her best, the entity has found a shaky, if ultimately cooperative alliance within the PHI organization over the last 3 years. Still, there is a largely unspoken tension, as most in the organization are still waiting on R&D to synthesize a cure for Alexandra Smalls, while the entity for its own part has stayed less than forthright about what, if any, it’s true intentions long term.

While interacting with the world at large, SLF-XJ7L is equal parts curious and cunning. Though initially the entity struggled with motor function this period was short lived, the measured cognitive function and reaction times quickly progressing from what was little more than a toddler in an adult's body, to executing advanced & intricate techniques ranging from watch-making to rock climbing, ballet to free diving. 

Any physical tasks seem to come relatively naturally to the entity, though even after several years it still struggles to relate and interact with humanity at large, particularly in the fields of empathy and emotion.

Often described as aloof, there is seemingly nothing one can do to rattle Husk's cage, so to speak. Largely because it simply isn't operating within the confines of a human consciousness anymore. There is no fear, no love, no anger. While it attempts to understand the motivations behind these urges, it thus far seems to lack any capacity to experience them first hand. This is most apparent when it comes to magics and technologies geared to affect humanoids and their biochemistry. 


[b]Powers, Traits, and Abilities:[/b] 

SLF-XJ7L's main power comes from the natural properties of the fungus which inhabits the host. Cells mutated by XJ7L replicate at a grossly accelerated rate, allowing a perceivable healing rate to any trauma. This ability to rapidly repair the host body's structure grants it a virtually unparalleled level of endurance, and though not superhuman, certainly capable of feats of strength and speed well past what the body's frame would indicate.

Similarly visual and motor function has improved dramatically past human limits, allowing Husk to aim and throw objects with scary accurate precision, and as such, is very little fun to play skee-ball with.

Worth repeating and of special note : the widespread and unique transformation has resulted in the entity's biochemistry being immune and remaining unaltered by any conventional or supernatural means. Drugs, poisons, the power of suggestion, blood magic, succubi : all find their abilities wanting, the fungus able to adapt and overcome before the entire system is affected. Few produce results and those that do are underwhelming at best, as each fungal cell is able to compensate for any nearby that become afflicted.

Overall Husk is considered a top-flight agent on paper, and has the skills to back it up, but the disconnect between XJ7L and many of the other operatives is considered a liability.


[b]Background:[/b] 

"I don't know what to tell you, Sol. It is absolutely fascinating, I've never seen an organism that can assimilate a host with such rapid efficiency. There are other fungi that can create zombie like effects in ants, but this… The entire circulatory system is flooded with XJ7L spores, cognitive and motor functions are operating normally despite the sedative we administered." Dr. Yomoto juggled the transparent scans across the back-lit monitor, his eyes wide.

"To hell with your fascination. That's a human being in there, doctor." The tower of a man leaned heavily against the glass, staring in at the woman seated stiffly in the interrogation room, handcuffed to table and wearing only a hospital gown. "Alex was a good agent, and a friend. We already lost two today. How do we save her?"

"I... I don't know that we can."

"What exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"In my professional opinion, that is no longer Alexandra Smalls, sir."

"You're telling me, that [i]mold[/i] erased her?"

"With respect, Sol, the scans speak for themselves. Whole body lit up like a damn Christmas tree, she's a walking colony. Look at the difference in these brain images! This one on the left is Alex when she joined.... On the right, I mean..." The doctor squawked out an awkward, disbelieving laugh. "It doesn't even look human in there. Whatever aspects of the brain that made her Alex before she went into that cave, we can't find anything that resembles it now. I can't even begin to speculate if we went in with surgery."

"Out of the question." Sol replied, eyeing the Japanese doctor critically. "What are our options?"

Yomoto sighed heavily, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck as he peered at his shoes, trying to avoid the burden of telling Sol they might as well have lost three agents in a single incident.

A sudden pounding on the two way mirror shook both of their attention back to the room. A glowing smear of brilliant white seeped from the degloved hand which was planted against the glass, as the skin slowly crawled back up the wrist to encase the exposed musculature and bone. 

The entity that had formerly been their friend uncannily followed their gaze back to the cuffs hanging uselessly from the table in the center of the room, expressionless. “This one wishes to speak to Ada.”[/hider]