Definitely interested, and I already have a character, if that's alright.
Name - James Venture
Alias - Chimera
Age - 18
Power[s] - Animal Instincts: James's instincts essentially allow him to perceive others as animals, in terms of where they stand on the "food chain" in reference to him based on power level. For example, an Omega level mutant, like Xavier or Cable, would be perceived as a tiger, and James would feel like a sickly, flightless bird. He can also use this ability to perceive relationships between people in a similar manner. Again using Cable as an example, he would be seen as a tiger cub to Jean Grey or Scott Summers' mama or papa tiger, and Jean and Scott would be seen as mates. This isn't typically a passive ability, he usually has to focus on the individual to perceive them this way, but if an Omega-level mutant or similarly powerful being were to threaten him, it would trigger a fight-or-flight response.
Animal Shapeshifting: James can assume the form of any animal that is known to exist, and can even add traits of other animals to his forms, creating hybrid forms, hence the nickname "Chimera". For example, he could turn into a lion, add a reptilian tail with spikes or quills on the end, and add oversized bat wings and become a manticore.He can also add animal traits to his human form, like wings, or claws, or scales, and can even assume an animal's internal layout without changing his form externally, like turning his insides to that of a mongoose to resist poison, or increasing his olfactory receptors to match those of a bloodhound, so he can track by scent.
Weaknesses - Standard human weaknesses, plus the weaknesses of whatever form he is in (poor vision as a bat or a rhinoceros, tiny, squishable body as a mouse, etc.), and while he can shift to an animal roughly the same mass as his human form in a few seconds, it takes longer for larger or smaller forms. Also, the stronger the predatory instincts of the animal he shifts into, the less able he is to control the form. If he's in bear form, and gets shot with a shotgun or something of similar power, he's likely to go berserk and lose himself in the mentality of a bear, to the point where it could take a psychic to retrieve his mind from the depths of the animal's. He also loses the ability to speak in most animal forms, though he can restructure his vocal chords to accommodate human speech, albeit with difficulty.
How long at the Institute - Two years
Favorite subject - Music
Favorite teacher - Beast, for obvious reasons.
Appearance - James has long black hair and gray eyes, tanned skin, and an athletic build. He tends to dress well, but never over-dresses, favoring button-down shirts and suit vests with dark jeans and brown or black leather boots. On his back is a large tattoo of feathered, hawklike wings, a tiger prowls up his ribcage on the right side, his left upper arm is encircled by a viper, and a tortoise adorns his right deltoid. His chest displays a bear, and his hips are inked with sharks.
BRIEF Bio - James was born in LA, to fairly well-off parents. His father is a music promoter, and his mother is a lawyer who is frequently employed by his father's musician clients to settle royalty suits or grievances against record labels. Growing up around the music business has rubbed off on James to no small degree, and he has been playing every instrument he could get his hands on since he was given a violin at age 5. His younger sister, Karen, was his primary source of grief before they were forced to relocate to New York. Karen is a shameless flirt, and James, protective of her by nature, hasn't taken kindly to her flaunting her sexuality in front of every guy she meets. When James was 16, his powers began to manifest, at first in the form of increased strength and agility, and in the middle of a baseball game in gym class. After offers to join the baseball team following his suddenly improved performance, black vans began following him, and he informed his father after he was chased down by over a dozen men with guns in black suits on the third night after that day in gym class. His father decided to move the family to Bayville, New York, since he had a number of contacts in the music industry in New York, but didn't want to live too close to the city. James was approached by Xavier, and after having mutants and mutant powers explained to him, he decided to join the X-men, making fast friends with Kurt Wagner and Kitty Pryde and discovering a kinship with Hank McCoy. He even developed a crush on Rogue, and was rocked as hard as anyone by her death.
Notes - James can usually be heard playing one of his dozens of instruments at any given time in the mansion when he's not in class or training in the danger room, and he regularly goes to a coffeehouse in Bayville where they have frequent open mic nights that he performs at, usually with a guitar or saxophone. His sister Karen is also a mutant, and I'll leave her power up to the GM. I mostly just want her living at the Institute and causing me grief.