Name: Boyce Ryan
Goes By: Bo (pronounced “Bow”) or other variation
Age: 5
Equivalent To: Somewhere between adolescence and early adulthood
Birthday: May 30th
Gender: Male
Species: Labrador Retriever Shifter
Sexuality: Unknown
Religion: N/A
Category: 1st Grade Student (Accelerated) **
Appearance:
Personality:
Powers:
Species Traits:
History:
Additional Information:
**Bo never attended school in his hometown due to his job as a farm dog. However, during his late night lessons with his Master’s children, he did learn some basics. As the Academy staff were unsure of his intelligence equivalent, they simply started him from the beginning - in an accelerated unit, of course, as he can pick up the simple concepts easily and already has background knowledge.
Bo is very allergic to chocolate.
Due to being released, Bo is currently Masterless. However, this will most likely change, and change often.
Goes By: Bo (pronounced “Bow”) or other variation
Age: 5
Equivalent To: Somewhere between adolescence and early adulthood
Birthday: May 30th
Gender: Male
Species: Labrador Retriever Shifter
Sexuality: Unknown
Religion: N/A
Category: 1st Grade Student (Accelerated) **
Appearance:
- 5’11”
- Built for agility, lean muscle, little body fat
- Soft black hair, very pale skin
- Large, warm chocolate eyes
- Sharp chin, strong jaw, heart-shaped face
- Canine teeth seem a bit sharp
- May or may not retain a pair of floppy black ears and a tail, both black
- Has a brown and black collar around his neck at all times. It is unable to be removed.
- Often wears a collared shirt, scarf, or other clothing item to hide his collar, unless specifically instructed otherwise by a Master or person of high authority.
- Otherwise, Bo’s clothing is often quite uneventful. He doesn’t dress in anything too fancy or flashy, generally going for comfort and convenience.
- It should also be noted that Bo speaks with a strong southern accent, characteristic of the deep American south
- Bo also has a questionable vocabulary with equally questionably grammar at times. He stutters often, speaks slowly, and has trouble formulating complex words.
- Finally, Bo is even more prone to clumsiness in his human form than his canine form. He can move correctly most of the time, but still stumbles, especially when running or performing complex movements
- Clothes seem to shift with Bo, which is pretty convenient.
- Average-sized pure black lab
- Built for agility and quite fit from arm work
- Warm, round chocolate eyes
- A bit of extra fur around his ears, giving them extra fluff and softness
- Rest of coat is slick and smooth
- Teeth are pearly white, well-kept and sharp
- Retains his collar in this form as well, though he has no means of covering it unless someone ties a scarf or bandana around his neck.
Personality:
- Calm, timid
- Cuddly, often walking up to people (even strangers) and showing some sort of affection
- Gentle and kind-hearted; doesn’t go out of his way to hurt anything (except squirrels)
- Rather clumsy, which is a common hindrance
- Despite his clumsiness, Bo does have a good ability to focus. In fact, he often finds it hard to multitask when set to a specific job, as his mind is singularly devoted to finishing his task successfully.
- When not set on a specific job, though, Bo is prone to distraction.
- Related to this single-mindedness, Bo possesses a sort of dedication only known to canines. When set to a task, he goes after it with enthusiastic determination until the very end
- Very curious about things he doesn’t understand, especially those that move. Loves to investigate and is easily excited by new things
- Dislikes to be confined, especially indoors, and is happiest when allowed to roam through the outdoors.
- Loves to swim, as any lab does, and is no stranger to mud rolling
- Also quite fascinated by the snow; it is his favorite weather
- Intrigued by most animals, but possesses an unstable hatred for squirrels
- Speaks quietly and carefully, avoids speaking if he doesn’t have anything to say
- Quick to respect authority figures and rarely disobeys them
- Can’t really comprehend the idea of lying. Trusts blindly, speaks honestly, doesn’t really hide any aspect of himself. Totally genuine in nearly everything he does.
- Easily puzzled by indirect communication and complex ideas. Generally takes things at face value and is better with simple concepts
- Likes to play and often tries to convince people to entertain him with balls and the like, even if they are busy
- However, a sharp “no” is all it takes to send him away
- Very obedient, even to people he has not met, but is only unconditionally obedient to his current Master
- Food is one of the only exceptions to Bo’s obedience policy. Like many dogs, if he sees good food he isn’t supposed to eat, chances are he’ll eat all of it.
- Honestly, Bo all-around just eats a lot. Sometimes, he even consumes items that aren’t even edible.
- Luckily, balancing this out is Bo’s high energy levels. Though he’s a calm and cuddly, he will gladly leap up a wall if told he can do so.
- Extremely conscientious of the emotions of people around him, especially those who hold authority over him (which he feels are most people)
- Tries to avoid causing negative emotions, but is most sensitive to disappointment and anger. Tries to prevent them at all costs
- Often goes out of his way to be around other people, being a very social creature. Just as he hates to be confined, Bo also hates to be alone.
- Respects his current Master and will obey him without exception. He tends to follow his Master around like a… well, a lost puppy, and is very committed to them
- However, Bo is uncharacteristically protective of his collar. Though he is rarely aggressive to people, he may snap and growl is anyone tries to Leash him. This applies whether he is already Leashed or not.
- Bo is afraid of disappointing the people he depends on, but more than that, he is afraid of being dependent on others forever. Deep down, he wants to overcome the power of his collar and be truly free, but he knows that currently, that’s impossible.
Powers:
Though this isn’t really a power, Bo is linked to a magical artifact that controls a major portion of his life. From this artifact, a collar (appearance shown in the appropriate section) that he wears constantly, Bo is subject to a form of temporary familiar bonding known as Leashing.
Once given to a dog shifter of Bo’s breed, his collar allows a person to become his Master - i.e. they have complete control over Bo’s actions. He is literally unable to tell his Master know with his current abilities and is devoted to them unconditionally. He also feels drawn to be around his Master and grows restless when apart from them, despite whatever personal opinion he may have on their personality.
Bo’s Master is determined by the last person to make skin contact with his collar. Bo himself has no say over who this may be, aside from his own defenses. At most, Bo may have up to three Masters. This is achieved when multiple people touch his collar at the same time. Bo is able to feel when someone new has become his Master, and he feels the tug to them immediately - even if the touch was only accidental. To release Bo from his partnership completely, the Master must say “Run free”. Accidental uttering does not count, as the words must have honest meaning behind them. The release does not cancel out the effects of the collar entirely; it only cancels out the current Leash.
Bo’s collar is currently unable to be removed. It fits snugly yet comfortably around his neck, with enough space for people to scratch beneath it if they’d like, but strangely cannot be removed or damaged whatsoever, nor can it be tightened or loosened. The collar expands and contracts with Bo’s shifting and is present in all forms.
Once given to a dog shifter of Bo’s breed, his collar allows a person to become his Master - i.e. they have complete control over Bo’s actions. He is literally unable to tell his Master know with his current abilities and is devoted to them unconditionally. He also feels drawn to be around his Master and grows restless when apart from them, despite whatever personal opinion he may have on their personality.
Bo’s Master is determined by the last person to make skin contact with his collar. Bo himself has no say over who this may be, aside from his own defenses. At most, Bo may have up to three Masters. This is achieved when multiple people touch his collar at the same time. Bo is able to feel when someone new has become his Master, and he feels the tug to them immediately - even if the touch was only accidental. To release Bo from his partnership completely, the Master must say “Run free”. Accidental uttering does not count, as the words must have honest meaning behind them. The release does not cancel out the effects of the collar entirely; it only cancels out the current Leash.
Bo’s collar is currently unable to be removed. It fits snugly yet comfortably around his neck, with enough space for people to scratch beneath it if they’d like, but strangely cannot be removed or damaged whatsoever, nor can it be tightened or loosened. The collar expands and contracts with Bo’s shifting and is present in all forms.
Species Traits:
Unlike most of Manta Carlos’ shifter population, Bo’s default form is not human. Rather, he was born a dog, bred into a line that possess human-level intelligence and the power to shift. Despite the fact that he can shift between human and canine forms - sometimes with ears and tail in human, sometimes without - Bo is, at the heart of things, a Labrador Retriever. He has the same instincts as a Lab does, even if diluted by sentience, and the same physical aspects as well.
In any form, Bo is able to reach a solid speed of 14-18 mph. He is able to see in the dark so long as there is enough light to reflect in his eyes, and his sense of smell is strong enough to make him eligible for hunting; search and rescue; and arson, drug and bomb detection. Bo is very agile, fit for long cross-country outings, and has enough persistence to herd animals and chase down prey for a hunter. Bo’s hearing is also heightened. He can hear frequencies about twice as well as humans and can distinguish and identify sounds at least four times as well. The distance is also increased, meaning that what a human can hear at 20ft away, Bo can hear at 80ft. As such, loud noises are painful to him. He can also pick up a dog whistle.
In general, Bo’s instinct allows him to be a very good judge of character, and he is able to tell when someone may be bad news - though he often doesn’t act on his suspicions due to his desire to please, except for special occasions. Bo can also instinctively figure out a person’s ‘pack ranking’ - that is, how much respect they demand. Interestingly enough, he is also able to tell when someone is pregnant.
This all being said, being a dog still has its setbacks. For example, Bo is more prone to training than an ordinary person would be - and he has been trained extensively his whole life. Being a very well-trained dog means Bo strives to please, not only his Masters, but all people around him. He responds nearly unconditionally to commands such as sit, stay, shake, and roll over, and he is compelled to acknowledge anyone who requests his attention. Though Bo has his own free will, years of training have masked a good portion of it with instinctual reaction, and he finds it very difficult to act against another’s wishes.
He is also subject to many of the strange behaviors dogs find themselves performing, from mud rolling to senseless barking to feeling an insatiable desire to fetch. Bo pants instead of sweating and chases squirrels up trees, and he’s a master of soaking everyone in a general area when he shakes after swimming. Perhaps one of the only instincts he isn’t affected by is chasing cats; as Bo grew up on a farm, he was often around cats, negating the instinct. He is actually quite pleasant around felines.
In any form, Bo is able to reach a solid speed of 14-18 mph. He is able to see in the dark so long as there is enough light to reflect in his eyes, and his sense of smell is strong enough to make him eligible for hunting; search and rescue; and arson, drug and bomb detection. Bo is very agile, fit for long cross-country outings, and has enough persistence to herd animals and chase down prey for a hunter. Bo’s hearing is also heightened. He can hear frequencies about twice as well as humans and can distinguish and identify sounds at least four times as well. The distance is also increased, meaning that what a human can hear at 20ft away, Bo can hear at 80ft. As such, loud noises are painful to him. He can also pick up a dog whistle.
In general, Bo’s instinct allows him to be a very good judge of character, and he is able to tell when someone may be bad news - though he often doesn’t act on his suspicions due to his desire to please, except for special occasions. Bo can also instinctively figure out a person’s ‘pack ranking’ - that is, how much respect they demand. Interestingly enough, he is also able to tell when someone is pregnant.
This all being said, being a dog still has its setbacks. For example, Bo is more prone to training than an ordinary person would be - and he has been trained extensively his whole life. Being a very well-trained dog means Bo strives to please, not only his Masters, but all people around him. He responds nearly unconditionally to commands such as sit, stay, shake, and roll over, and he is compelled to acknowledge anyone who requests his attention. Though Bo has his own free will, years of training have masked a good portion of it with instinctual reaction, and he finds it very difficult to act against another’s wishes.
He is also subject to many of the strange behaviors dogs find themselves performing, from mud rolling to senseless barking to feeling an insatiable desire to fetch. Bo pants instead of sweating and chases squirrels up trees, and he’s a master of soaking everyone in a general area when he shakes after swimming. Perhaps one of the only instincts he isn’t affected by is chasing cats; as Bo grew up on a farm, he was often around cats, negating the instinct. He is actually quite pleasant around felines.
History:
Boyce Ryan was born to a black lab named Jezebel in a litter of five. The line was well-known in the black market, the breeders famous for their sentient, shifting pups, and Bo was only one of many to be born at the time. An average sized, healthy pup, he was adopted fairly quickly after spending the mandatory eight months with his mother.
Bo was brought back to a large farm with his owner, a man whom he knew as Master William. He was given his collar there and Leashed to his new Master, before beginning a rigorous year of training and discipline. Bo was told that he was brought home because he was a ‘smart dog’, and they needed a smart dog to help around the farm. Bo was a working animal. To his Master, he was not a part of the family at all… and he was not allowed to shift out of his canine form.
After his year of training, Bo started full-time work as a farm dog. His intelligence helped him in his tasks, but his clumsiness hindered him as well. Master William was a no-nonsense man, and he couldn’t stand to have such a clumsy worker. “You’re a smart dog, I’ll tell y’that, but I swear you sure are stupid,” he’d say. “If you don’t shape up, I’m’on take you back.” William didn’t realize what exactly being a ‘smart dog’ meant. As far as he was concerned, Bo was little more than a witty animal, incapable of true emotion and complex ideology. I couldn’t see Bo as a person at all, despite his shifting ability, and so he never treated him as such.
>Bo wasn’t allowed to eat inside the house unless it was raining, and even then, he wasn’t allowed near the tables. He'd beg, his Master said, so he couldn’t be in the kitchen. He couldn’t bark unless told to, as it would startle the animals and the children, and he couldn’t shift into his human form as, frankly, it was improper. Master said that he was a dog, and no amount of human skin could make his mind grow. What William didn’t know, though, is that Bo’s mind was always growing. He did understand what his family members said, and he did understand that he was little more than a slave in his own ‘home’.
Perhaps one of his only saving graces were the children. Well, Master William’s mate, Lady Elizabeth, sometimes snuck him scraps from the table, and she sometimes sat down and pet him for a while, but she still only treated him like a pet. The two young children, Mary and Jack, were the only ones who ever looked past his paws and fur. “Daddy says you’re a kinda magic dog,” Mary, the older child, said to him one night. “He said you ain’t smart like us, but you can turn into a boy - he’s right, ain’t he?” Bo, honest to a fault, nodded yes. “Alright then,” Mary said, “show me.”
It took a little while for the kids to realize Bo couldn’t just shift. His Master told him not to, and he was bound to obey. It took them a little longer to realize why. Through watching their dog and father interact, they realized that it was Bo’s collar that assigned him a Master. By touching it, his Master changed, and so they began thinking. Late at night, when Bo was allowed in the house to sleep, they lead him upstairs to the attic - the two played up their often, and so the parents didn’t question it too much. There, they swiped their hands over his collar and told him to shift.
At first, Bo wasn’t really sure what to do as a person. He couldn’t speak very well, could hardly stand, and didn’t know the things the children learned in school. More than that, Bo was afraid. His Master would surely be upset if he discovered Bo, not only speaking, but in his human form. His Master would surely hit him. If he was caught, the results would be disastrous, and he didn’t want anything to happen to the kids, either, even though they were treated so nice… However, the children soothed his worries. They encouraged him and taught him how to speak, how to write - if shakily - and how to do some basic math. They snuck food up from dinner when they had something extra, and all in all, they made Bo’s life something he felt was worth living. He wasn’t just a slave anymore. Maybe his days were filled with harsh commands and constant work, but his nights were laced with affection.
Everything changed when William came into the attic one night after he said he was going to sleep. Bo was shifted at the time. He was talking to the kids, chewing on a steak bone. They were teaching him how to read. Bo’s Master was… furious, to say the least. He got loud, he got violent, and Bo was scared out of his wits. He tried to listen, even shifted back. He took it all when his Master started swinging at him. “Damn dog!” William cried, “Gon’ hurt my kids! Gon’ disobey! I’ll show you yet!” Bo could handle this. Even if it meant no more nights of feeling like he mattered, Bo could handle it.
What he couldn’t handle was when Mary and Jack, eleven and eight, threw themselves on top of their friend of five years. “Don’t hurt him!” they cried, “Don’t hurt our brother!” and Bo couldn’t take that. He’d been nothing more than an object to his Master his whole life, and now these two… No. William wasn’t his Master right then. Those kids were still last to grab his collar, not William. They were the ones who controlled them indefinitely. Still, he had never planned to hurt William. He really hadn’t.
It was just, when he lunged for those kids… Bo knew he was only going to get them out of the way, but he just reacted. He bit down hard on that lunging arm, bit until he tasted blood, until he couldn’t bite any further. Blinded by the adrenaline, he hung on strong when William started shaking his arm and when the little ones started screaming. It wasn’t until he was finally knocked away with a punch to the head that he realized the gravity of what he had done. “I’ll kill ‘im!” William hollered, “I’m’on kill that dangerous little mutt!”
Bo knew he meant it, too.
William rushed out of the attic, and the kids were right behind him, tugging Bo along by his collar. “Run, Boyce! Run!” they cried at him. Frantically, Jack and Mary shoved him out their front door just as William came barrelling down the house stairs, shotgun cocked and loaded. Bo wasn’t sure what to do. Staying meant death, but leaving meant separation from his Masters, and he couldn’t risk it. Not when the collar told him to stay. Luckily, the two knew about that.
“Run free, Bo!” they cried, and Bo felt the heavy weight of the Leash fall from his shoulders. With one last look at his home and one last cry of “Run!”, Bo fled into the night.
He was found a few days later in a town ally, a cloaked scout coming up to address him. “C’mon, Boyce Ryan,” he said, and his smile was warm. “We’ve got a home for you yet.”
Bo was brought back to a large farm with his owner, a man whom he knew as Master William. He was given his collar there and Leashed to his new Master, before beginning a rigorous year of training and discipline. Bo was told that he was brought home because he was a ‘smart dog’, and they needed a smart dog to help around the farm. Bo was a working animal. To his Master, he was not a part of the family at all… and he was not allowed to shift out of his canine form.
After his year of training, Bo started full-time work as a farm dog. His intelligence helped him in his tasks, but his clumsiness hindered him as well. Master William was a no-nonsense man, and he couldn’t stand to have such a clumsy worker. “You’re a smart dog, I’ll tell y’that, but I swear you sure are stupid,” he’d say. “If you don’t shape up, I’m’on take you back.” William didn’t realize what exactly being a ‘smart dog’ meant. As far as he was concerned, Bo was little more than a witty animal, incapable of true emotion and complex ideology. I couldn’t see Bo as a person at all, despite his shifting ability, and so he never treated him as such.
>Bo wasn’t allowed to eat inside the house unless it was raining, and even then, he wasn’t allowed near the tables. He'd beg, his Master said, so he couldn’t be in the kitchen. He couldn’t bark unless told to, as it would startle the animals and the children, and he couldn’t shift into his human form as, frankly, it was improper. Master said that he was a dog, and no amount of human skin could make his mind grow. What William didn’t know, though, is that Bo’s mind was always growing. He did understand what his family members said, and he did understand that he was little more than a slave in his own ‘home’.
Perhaps one of his only saving graces were the children. Well, Master William’s mate, Lady Elizabeth, sometimes snuck him scraps from the table, and she sometimes sat down and pet him for a while, but she still only treated him like a pet. The two young children, Mary and Jack, were the only ones who ever looked past his paws and fur. “Daddy says you’re a kinda magic dog,” Mary, the older child, said to him one night. “He said you ain’t smart like us, but you can turn into a boy - he’s right, ain’t he?” Bo, honest to a fault, nodded yes. “Alright then,” Mary said, “show me.”
It took a little while for the kids to realize Bo couldn’t just shift. His Master told him not to, and he was bound to obey. It took them a little longer to realize why. Through watching their dog and father interact, they realized that it was Bo’s collar that assigned him a Master. By touching it, his Master changed, and so they began thinking. Late at night, when Bo was allowed in the house to sleep, they lead him upstairs to the attic - the two played up their often, and so the parents didn’t question it too much. There, they swiped their hands over his collar and told him to shift.
At first, Bo wasn’t really sure what to do as a person. He couldn’t speak very well, could hardly stand, and didn’t know the things the children learned in school. More than that, Bo was afraid. His Master would surely be upset if he discovered Bo, not only speaking, but in his human form. His Master would surely hit him. If he was caught, the results would be disastrous, and he didn’t want anything to happen to the kids, either, even though they were treated so nice… However, the children soothed his worries. They encouraged him and taught him how to speak, how to write - if shakily - and how to do some basic math. They snuck food up from dinner when they had something extra, and all in all, they made Bo’s life something he felt was worth living. He wasn’t just a slave anymore. Maybe his days were filled with harsh commands and constant work, but his nights were laced with affection.
Everything changed when William came into the attic one night after he said he was going to sleep. Bo was shifted at the time. He was talking to the kids, chewing on a steak bone. They were teaching him how to read. Bo’s Master was… furious, to say the least. He got loud, he got violent, and Bo was scared out of his wits. He tried to listen, even shifted back. He took it all when his Master started swinging at him. “Damn dog!” William cried, “Gon’ hurt my kids! Gon’ disobey! I’ll show you yet!” Bo could handle this. Even if it meant no more nights of feeling like he mattered, Bo could handle it.
What he couldn’t handle was when Mary and Jack, eleven and eight, threw themselves on top of their friend of five years. “Don’t hurt him!” they cried, “Don’t hurt our brother!” and Bo couldn’t take that. He’d been nothing more than an object to his Master his whole life, and now these two… No. William wasn’t his Master right then. Those kids were still last to grab his collar, not William. They were the ones who controlled them indefinitely. Still, he had never planned to hurt William. He really hadn’t.
It was just, when he lunged for those kids… Bo knew he was only going to get them out of the way, but he just reacted. He bit down hard on that lunging arm, bit until he tasted blood, until he couldn’t bite any further. Blinded by the adrenaline, he hung on strong when William started shaking his arm and when the little ones started screaming. It wasn’t until he was finally knocked away with a punch to the head that he realized the gravity of what he had done. “I’ll kill ‘im!” William hollered, “I’m’on kill that dangerous little mutt!”
Bo knew he meant it, too.
William rushed out of the attic, and the kids were right behind him, tugging Bo along by his collar. “Run, Boyce! Run!” they cried at him. Frantically, Jack and Mary shoved him out their front door just as William came barrelling down the house stairs, shotgun cocked and loaded. Bo wasn’t sure what to do. Staying meant death, but leaving meant separation from his Masters, and he couldn’t risk it. Not when the collar told him to stay. Luckily, the two knew about that.
“Run free, Bo!” they cried, and Bo felt the heavy weight of the Leash fall from his shoulders. With one last look at his home and one last cry of “Run!”, Bo fled into the night.
He was found a few days later in a town ally, a cloaked scout coming up to address him. “C’mon, Boyce Ryan,” he said, and his smile was warm. “We’ve got a home for you yet.”
Additional Information:
**Bo never attended school in his hometown due to his job as a farm dog. However, during his late night lessons with his Master’s children, he did learn some basics. As the Academy staff were unsure of his intelligence equivalent, they simply started him from the beginning - in an accelerated unit, of course, as he can pick up the simple concepts easily and already has background knowledge.
Bo is very allergic to chocolate.
Due to being released, Bo is currently Masterless. However, this will most likely change, and change often.
