Zoku

An alien from abroad, Zoku is a genetically modified, manipulated or mutated Roin'Esh. Initially captured by the Malvans for use in their great arena, Zoku's use of his shape-shifting out performed the others of his species who were captured, and as such he was able to survive many rounds more than he was deemed capable of. A handler of many species and creatures held in captivity for the games requested Zoku explicitly due to this ability, and upon acquiring him, performed whatever process of manipulation that led to Zoku's remarkably limitless shape-shifting abilities. Though he spent an additional amount of time fighting, he was eventually pitted against heroes from another planet, and was able to garner enough sympathy to be half-heartedly rescued from his captivity and forced combatives.

Eager to prove himself worthy to the heroes who had abedded his escape, Zoku offered what services he could, beginning to temper his trained, subservient nature with empathy and emotions. Though not able to convey them in the same way as other alien species, he used his gestures and abilities to remove any doubt as to his good intentions, fueled by necessity to survive in the wild regions of space, alone and separated from his own species forever, due to the tampering of his genetics.

Eventually the group of heroes met with champions from other words, particularly, a group of intergalactic heroes from Earth. Having recently heard of Roin'Esh scouting parties arriving on their home planet, the Earthly heroes were able to convince Zoku to come with them, and offer what insight he could. Complying without fear or hesitation, certain that any life elsewhere was better than the life of captivity he had endured before, the meta-Roin'Esh arrived on Earth and was transferred to UNTIL's control. Though initially disturbed by being placed in a closed chamber yet again, Zoku remained open minded and listened to what UNTIL's debriefing agents had to say. His best possible efforts at communication were improved when he had the opportunity to touch one of the agents, take on his shape, and use his vocal chords to talk in a familiar human manner.

After this event, in the relative privacy of the room in which he was temporarily to be held, he begn to test his abilities further, taking on shapes meant for communication and appeal. As he began to gain access toward witnessing human culture, and learning more about the various bodies encountered, he began to model his humanoid form to be more similar to that of the average homo-sapiens. Though Roin'Esh often utilized the practicality of the four-limbed humanoid shape, Zoku manipulated himself to be more similarly proportioned to the humans he encountered in and about UNTIL's facility. As such, he often had the athletic build often seen in the soldiers and operatives, though with further, supervised exploration, he found within the facility's gym a variety of physiques which led him to be both more curious in regards to human shapes and sizes, and more open-minded in deciding what shape to best take depending on a given situation. When engaging with the intelligence operatives seeking to ask him questions in regard to Roin'Esh history, Zoku would provide the best he could while maintaining the lean figure that many of the desk-oriented intelligence officers had; whereas when dealing with the rare bodybuilding soldiers who occasionally escorted him, he'd take on more bulky, powerful form.

After several months in which he provided to UNTIL all the information he could, and emphatically stated his desire to be free from any and all captivity, he was eventually referred to UNTIL's Millennium City Headquarters for initial evaluation and testing, prior to being given the opportunity to integrate into society. For several months, Zoku complied, his patience borne through years of residing in a cell helping him, as he went through ll the steps necessary to secure his relative freedoms. Eventually, they were granted to him, though with many guidelines and requirements, which he nevertheless agreed to fulfill.

Finding himself on the city streets for the first time, Zoku was almost overwhelmed at his new found freedom. Taking on a computer generated appearance offered to him thoughtfully by his UNTIL sponsor, he started off his exploration of this new world as a free alien rather slowly. For a few weeks his acclimatization took him to various establishments meant for social interaction, places of business, recreation, and fitness, where he rarely interacted with others, merely observing and learning. In private, he would practice his own behaviors: mannerisms, way of speaking, the outward image he would shape-shift into.

As he began to grow more accustomed to his strange surroundings, he nevertheless sought refuge in sights that were familiar to him. Such a place was Carl's Gym: the largest gym and arena found in Millennium City, he found it a strange comfort. Though in a way it reminded him of his many painful years as a captive, it was also an environment he was acclimatized to. With the presence of humans, aliens, beasts and others who were working together, becoming friends, or being sworn to obeying law and order, and with his own freedoms far different than what he had during his days as a combatant, he found the setting to be reassuring, and soothing to his uncertainties about the strangeness of cultures surrounding him.

Indeed, as he began to step outside of his comfort zone, and interact with others, he began to discover a group of society that would have envied him for his ability to so easily change shape. The dedicated individuals who put so much time and effort into becoming bigger and stronger, or lighter and more lean, very much would have accepted such an ability as being able to manipulate their own physique with a mere thought. Having concealed his powers in order to not cause harm or fear among the general populace.

As he began to develop closer connections and friendships, his desire to retain those relationships strengthened Zoku's resolve to be empathetic, and to use his remarkable ability to make friends of others, by helping them, or providing appeal to certain interests. With no teachings regarding such social parameters, Zoku's open-minded nature and acceptance has made him a favorable companion to those who seek a brotherly figure, a broad-spectrum actor, and anything in-between.