Myles Alfred

From Mutanthaven

Myles Alfred
Portrayed by Chace Crawford
Powers:	Transmorphosis, physical enhancements, healing factor, enhanced senses, claws
Residence:	Paradise Hotel, Room 403
Birthdate:	December 28th, 1990
OOC
Journal:	the beast inside
Player:	Nat

Contents 1 Details 2 Powers 3 Appearance 4 Personality 5 History 6 Trivia 7 Plots

[edit] Details

Real Name: Myles Alfred.

Aliases: Vivisector. There isn't much you can do with the name Myles, but people are allowed to be creative so long as they aren't cruel, and he'll realise you're talking to him if you call him Al', though he’d really rather you didn't.

First Appearance: December 2005.

Age: 19.

Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts.

Education: High school drop-out.

Occupation: Replacement receptionist at Paradise Hotel and 'security'.

Sexuality: Homosexual.

Relationship status: Single.

[edit] Powers

• Transmorphosis. By focusing on his emotions, both negative and positive, Myles can transform into a feral, werewolf-like creature. At present, he has a much easier time channeling negativity into his transformations which leads him to become very animal-like and compromises some of his control when in his feral form. In terms of size, Myles doesn't actually grow that much; a handful of inches in height at most, but he does bulk up, becoming heavier and more muscular through the torso. He is covered with dark hair in this form, has dark, animal eyes, and is very much like a werewolf, obviously. Myles can even speak in this form, his voice guttural and more like a growl formed into words, and he doesn't sound like he does when in human form. Myles' clothing also transforms, meaning he never has to face embarrassment or inconvenience following a change.

• Physical enhancements. These enhancements are more refined and much more obvious when Myles is in his feral form, but there are traces of them that crop up from time to time when he isn't transformed. His strength, speed, agility, endurance and reflexes are all heightened beyond the norm, and when he is in his feral form, they are far beyond the reach of any human and many mutants who don't have physical enhancements of their own.

• Healing factor. Myles is able to heal from physical damage quicker than is normal, though the speed depends on the severity and extent of the injuries he has sustained. Small, minor injuries, for example, heal much quicker than multiple, deep or large wounds. In the event of extensive damage scattered over his body, his healing factor will prioritize, concentrating on the more life-threatening injuries before moving on, its 'focus' always related to severity.

• Hyper-keen senses. All five of Myles' senses are heightened beyond the norm, and like his other physical enhancements, this only intensifies when he is in his feral form. His sense of smell is his most reliable, thanks to the lupine quality of his mutation, followed closely by his hearing and then sight; thanks to the latter, he even has night vision, to a degree. Myles' sense of taste is increased as well, leading him to steer clear of spicy or overly-strong foods, and he is more sensitive to physical contact of any kind, whether it be with another living being or something inanimate, such as a desk; he is much more aware of little changes than he should be, whether they be in temperature or texture.

• Razor-edged claws. When in feral form, Myles naturally has deadly claws and fangs, but it is the former that poses the greatest threat. That isn't to say he couldn't do some serious damage if he got hold of you in his jaws, but his claws allow him a greater range and are capable of cutting through metal, and as such, would have no problem with flesh and even bone, in some cases, especially when his real strength is put behind the blow. It is possible Myles can extend these claws from his hands without transforming all the way into his feral alter-ego, but if he can do this, he has yet to learn of it.

[edit] Appearance

Height: 5'6"

Hair: Light brown and on the messy side.

Eye color: Blue.

Build: On the slim-yet-well-built side of things.

Distinguishing features: None.

Style: Rather preppy. Shirts, blazers, neat slacks.

[edit] Personality

Take one look at Myles Alfred, and you wouldn't think 'werewolf'. Then again, he isn't a werewolf at all, per se, but it just doesn't seem to fit no matter how you look at it, especially when you follow the stereotypes. Myles is a nice young man, very well presented and generally just polite and well-spoken and considerate, always looking out for his friends and even putting in a kind word for people he hasn't gotten a chance to know; that's just how he is, how he was raised, and he gets several of these positive traits from his mother. He also has a touch of her negative traits as well, though he is nowhere near as submissive as her. Myles will back down from a fight if he can do so willingly, but if he has to defend himself, or others, then he will. He's braver than he looks, that much is for sure. Disliking conflict, Myles will avoid arguments if possible, either relenting to the other person's point of view if it means an unnecessary confrontation can be avoided or talking others down from potential tension or violence. If he had his way, no one would ever fight, and everyone would accept the beliefs and rights of others, but he's not a fool and he knows that's just not going to happen, at least not overnight.

With a high IQ and a great education, Myles is intelligent, an expert in literature but otherwise just plain smart. He knows his facts, and doesn't bluff when it comes to the truth; he can talk his way out of most situations and he knows more than his fair share about a wide variety of topics. While he is only seventeen, he has essentially had a full education, thanks to his intelligence and the classes his teachers enrolled him in. Myles was well on his way to Harvard before his life took such an unexpected turn, and it is something that weighs on his mind more than he lets on; part of him believes graduating from Harvard would have finally earned him the attention and approval of his father, but while Myles is an optimistic young man, he isn't naïve. If he's honest, he resents his father, and talking or thinking about the man puts him in a foul mood, which doesn't do anyone any favours. Well aware that negative emotions are much more likely to trigger unplanned transformations, Myles does his best to remain calm, and a big part of that relies on him simply ignoring his father altogether; not talking about him, not thinking about him, simply pretending the man doesn't exist. It's better off that way.

Paradise Hotel is home to Myles, and it has been for a couple of years now, and as such, he takes its safety and the continuation of what it represents very, very seriously. Everyone in it is important to him, regardless of how well he knows them. Myles is loyal to a fault and deeply protective of his good friends, but truth be told, he will fight, physically or verbally, for anyone who resides in the old building, regardless of where they are. Even if the odds are against them, he won't abandon a fellow Paradise resident. After Marie-Ange was badly wounded in the attack by Stryker, Myles stepped in to temporarily replace her. At least, Myles believes it is temporary, and can't imagine Paradise without the bubbly young woman who's always ready with a smile at the reception desk. But until she's back on her feet, something that, if he's realistic, seems a long way off, he does his best to keep things running at the front desk, greeting new mutants who find their way to the hotel, or just being a friendly face for residents coming and going. His position also sees him, in a manner, responsible for the security of the hotel, at least as much as he can be responsible from his place at the desk and with his abilities. With his senses and his position in the lobby of the hotel, he can detect potential danger and alert others. Such is the theory, at least; Myles hasn't yet been put to the test, and for that, he is secretly thankful.

Myles doesn't trust his powers, yet. He's still learning. He's only had them for a couple of years, and they came at a difficult time, when there was tension in his family, confusion in his personal life, and discomfort at school. As such, he associates his powers with the darker aspects of who and what he is. Myles knows he isn't bad, or in any way evil, but when he is in his feral form, he has trouble separating right from wrong, and can, quite simply, go overboard. His feral form brings a thirst for violence and even blood, and that frightens him. His hope is that a more experienced, balanced transmorph or metamorph will arrive at the hotel, one he can seek guidance and advice from, but until then, he does his best to remain optimistic, calm, and even happy; all the positive emotions that seem to keep the inner 'beast' from showing itself without an invitation or a reason.

[edit] History

The only child born to Edward and Mary Alfred, Myles never really wanted for anything; his family wasn't poor or struggling and in that vein, he was rather lucky, in the eyes of many. His father was a university professor, renowned in academic circles and highly successful in his chosen career, while his mother was an ethnomusicologist. However, as family units went, they were far from functional. They didn't argue or resent one another; they just didn't really click. Myles was often spending time by himself, his father seldom present and neglectful even when he was home and his mother a rather meek, easily intimidated woman who was far from outgoing, leading the boy to become rather introverted and difficult to reach in his own right. The money his family had didn't mean anything to him, and Myles never even really spent any of it; he didn't see the point in spending money just because he had it. Why not wait until he needed it, and then use it? As such, as soon as he was old enough to have a bank account of his own, all his savings went into it, and he refused to touch them. His mother would treat him to new things occasionally, usually to try and make up for the fact that his father was never around, and when he was, barely even seemed to acknowledge Myles, as if the boy was uninteresting and needed to prove himself worthy of being rewarded with attention.

Myles never really had many friends, growing up, preferring to keep his nose in a book and out of trouble, as it were. As such, from a young age, he was accomplished in literature, and excelled in his classes in general, even managing to skip a couple of grades and shave some time off his academic career. If he did this in a bid to make his father proud of him, it fell flat on its face; Edward barely even batted an eyelid, continuing with his own life and barely even so much as asking his son how his day had been while they ate at the dinner table. Myles wasn't put off by his father's attitude, and continued to apply himself, joining clubs and signing up for extracurricular activities as much as he could, earning himself the - justified - title of 'geek' and even 'overachiever' at his school. And that was what he was, plain and simple. At least in the case of the former. He even wore glasses for most of his younger years, inheriting his mother's short-sightedness, something that only seemed to encourage kids at school to tease him, usually from afar, thankfully.

At least, that was the pattern for a while. But boys, being boys, can only tease from afar for so long. Not long after Miles turned fifteen, a group of bullies cornered him after school and proceeded to tease and torment him. Myles didn't understand why, couldn't say or do anything to make the boys stop, and with every little thing they said, all the negativity inside of the targeted student just seemed to build, until finally, it reached boiling point. Suddenly, the boys were on the ground, crying and scrambling to get away from Myles. Some of them were even bleeding. Myles was shocked, wondering if he had blacked out while something terrible had come to pass, until he realised he could smell blood, feel it on his hands. Not hands. Claws. Looking down, Myles saw the vicious claws that had extended from what should have been his hands, the dark fur that covered them making him stumble back. He hit the bike shed behind him, and fell to the ground, catching his reflection in a nearby puddle. What he saw panicked him, and he tripped and tumbled over himself to get home. Thankfully, by the time he reached his front door, he was 'normal' again. It was only when his mother quietly asked him where his glasses were that he realised he wasn't wearing them anymore. Myles hadn't even noticed, his vision was so clear. Muttering an excuse about them being in his pocket, he hurried up to his room and proceeded to do the only thing he could do. Think. For hours on end, he thought, and then resorted to the internet, scouring site after site, researching this and that, forgetting all about the time and everything else until he'd made pages of notes and his mother poked her head in to remind him he'd missed dinner and really ought to be in bed.

It didn't take long for Myles to realise the boys had reported him. Naturally, no one believed the boys' claims of a 'beast' attacking them, but they did believe Myles could have used a knife to cause the damage, and before Myles really knew what was happening, people were asking questions and investigating, and his father was being dragged into the matter. Myles was frightened, knowing that his father wanted his son to do great things, and now what? Now bullies were saying Myles had attacked and hurt them - which he had, but not without provocation - and he couldn't see it ending well. His father confronted him, paying more attention to his son than he had done in years, but only in the worst way. He accused Myles of being a constant disappointment, told him he was repeatedly letting the family down, and might, one day get something right, but Edward said he wasn't holding his breath. And then, for the first time in his life, Myles talked back to his father, and it all just came streaming out before he could stop himself. He got upset, asking his father why he cared, when he had never cared before; not only did Myles blurt what he suspected about himself - that he was a mutant - but he also said, for the first time in his life, what he had been feeling for some time, something that guaranteed silence from his stunned father. Myles told Edward Alfred that he, the man's only son, was gay.

After that, Myles felt like he couldn't stand it anymore. He hated his father, a state of mind made worse by the older man's look of disgust after the stream of admissions from his son. Myles packed what he could, left a note where he knew his mother would find it, and left without a word. He had enough money on him at the time to catch a bus, one that took him all the way to California before he finally got off, hoping he was unremarkable enough to not be remembered by any of the staff or other passengers. Not that he thought his parents would look for him, but he just didn't want to be found. Now he just had to figure out what to do with himself. Santa Monica didn't exactly cater to a wandering fifteen year old, as Myles quickly found out, and it didn't take long for him to resort to sleeping wherever he could, anywhere that had a roof just so he wouldn't get wet whenever it rained. Equally, it didn't take him long to run into trouble, the kind that all too quickly triggered memories of the bullies and the repercussions, and in turn, his 'powers'. Before he could stop himself, he transformed in front of the two guys who had decided he was an easy target, and before they could yell or pull a weapon on him, he turned tail - not that he had a tail - and ran, putting as much distance between himself and potential danger as possible.

Stumbling across a construction site, he scrambled inside, still clutching his tattered backpack in one 'hand', looking behind him all the while to check he hadn't been followed. It was only when he pushed through a heavy tarp and entered a large room, confident he hadn't been followed, that he turned his head and realised, quite abruptly, that he wasn't alone. Across the room stood a teenage girl, around the same age as him, a brightly-coloured pile of paperclips and assortment of sugar packets at her feet. The two stared at one another, boy at girl, girl at... well, thing. And then, as all the anxiety and fear and panic melted away, curiosity and puzzlement taking over, he changed smoothly back from 'creature' to Myles, and asked, quite simply, why she had such seemingly unimportant items in such large numbers. And so he met Morgan Vigneaux, another runaway like himself, and more than that, another mutant. So they stuck together, spending the nights wherever they could, hunting out opportunities and meals and the like.

They came across Paradise Hotel after a time wandering Santa Monica together, and after watching the place for a short while, decided it was safe to assume it was just being used by squatters. So they headed inside, only to find themselves in a showdown of sorts, the teenage pair quickly confronted by the residents of the 'deserted' building. Inevitably, Myles and Morgan's powers were revealed in the confrontation, and just like that, their 'attackers' backed down, and went on to surprise the two by telling them they could stay. It turned out Paradise was a sort of haven for people like them, mutants with nowhere else to go. Myles quickly realised they wouldn't get everything for free, and he started doing odd jobs around the hotel to help out, do his part and try to earn his keep.

Not long after he and Morgan moved in, a man named Stryker attacked Paradise with a small army of followers. Thankfully, the outcome wasn't too disastrous, with only a couple of hospitalisations on their part, but it put Myles on edge. In the attack, his mutation had been triggered once again, and he was finally coming to understand that negativity caused him to lose control of his powers, something that could only prove disastrous if he didn't start to try and understand how everything worked. So in between those odd jobs and completing his high school education - something he was able to do at the age of sixteen thanks to his skipped grades earlier in his 'career' - he put more and more time into practising and, at the very least, understand exactly what he could do, how, and what benefits could come from those abilities.

Almost eighteen months after the first attack by Reverend Stryker, the man struck again, this time with greater forces and the damage he did was considerably greater than it had been in the past. Myles was on his way to the lobby when he sensed something out of place, his discomfort and nervousness causing him to transform as he moved to investigate. Before anyone could be warned, Stryker and his men attacked the lobby with explosives, and several people were hurt, Myles himself included. Struck by debris and the force of the initial blast, he was badly wounded and lost consciousness, going down before he even knew what was going on, coming to his senses some time later in hospital. Many residents of the hotel had been injured in the attack, and Paradise had taken considerable damage. Worst of all, Marie-Ange had been critically wounded in the explosion, and would need extensive medical care if she stood any chance of making a decent recovery. Thanks to his healing abilities, Myles wasn't out of commission for long, and as soon as he got back to the hotel, he insisted on trying to help with anything he could. Warren eventually approached him about temporarily taking Marie-Ange's place while she was recovering, and Myles accepted the job without even needing time to think about it.

[edit] Trivia

• Used to wear glasses out of necessity, but after his mutation manifested, he found he no longer needed them at all, and has obviously stopped wearing them.
• Doesn't like to gamble; he's actually very good at most card games, but he's never seen the point in risking hard-earned money on games.
• Doesn't mind who knows that he's gay; Myles doesn't see it as anything to be ashamed of, and would never dream of denying it, regardless of who's asking.
• Featured article for April 2010

[edit] Plots

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