Abilities: Mutant ability to fully imitated the closest mutant he is near. Proximity activated, the change can be started by Richard or the mutant he is imitating. If he initiates the change, Richard can override the flaws in the mutant he is imitating, however if the mutant initiates the change, it can cause severe pain for Richard, from a brief headache to what appears to be an epileptic seizure.

Bio: Richard Cale was born in Easton, Pa, a town known for being kind to mutants, and where mutants and humans live in piece together. Richard is an only child, but the eldest of 4 cousins, which at one time was 5 cousins. He is part of a wealthy family, and one of the founding families of the city. Richard, however, would wish to live a normal life.

At age 12, Richard Cale believed his uncle Bastion had killed himself. At age 13, Richard Cale lost his grandfather. Shortly afterward, Richard Cale had his first encounter with an evil mutant. He discovered of the evil plans of his adopted cousin, Elane Bonstein. She ran, but vowed revenge on him.

When Richard Cale hit age 16, he was almost framed for the crimes of Davis Skinur, a mutant who had been his friend. Davis manipulated anything when he heard music. Richard Cale used his own ability to stop Davis. He later testified at the trial.

At age 18, Richard Cale went to college. After the Onslaught occurrence, Richard Cale felt it was best to change schools. He joined the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. His arrival initiated changes in the student, Penance, who learned to speak and control her powers. The two fell in love. This also grabbed the attention of Emplate. This, plus Rich's mutant ability, made for a dangerous adversary for Richard Cale.

A month after joining the school, Richard Cale discovered a terrible truth in the Cale family. Bastion Cale was the head of Operation: Zero Tolerance. This, plus his use of deadly force to stop Black Tom Cassidy, pushed Richard Cale into a depression where the student attempted to kill himself.

Not long after that, Generation X, had to face a problem that followed Richard Cale. His ex-cousin, Elane, attempted to abduct Richard and Penance from the school. There is suspicion that Elane is working with Emplate.

Interests: Richard Cale has interest in science-fiction, computers, and video games. He has great interest in the supernatural, judging by some of the books in his personal library. He does, however, spend most of his time with Penance.

Notes: Although Richard Cale's ability is triggered by distance, if he holds an ability too long, that ability is his for good. Depending on the ability, this can be both a good thing, or a disaster. Richard Cale has demonstrated that he has temper, that if he had Professor Xavier's powers at the time of Onslaught, could create a creature that even Onslaught would fear. His epilepsy is controlled by medication, but his reactions to nearing his fellow mutants can be judged by these similar seizures. His ability has also shown some remarkable effects. I have witnessed his imitating of Jonothan Starsmore's abilities. When he loses that ability, Richard Cale's chest reforms. One would wonder if this would show a possible way to discover a cure for the Legacy Virus, but this must be discussed at a later date.

A talk with Richard Cale reveals that he worries about his family, but he doesn't wish to return home. He has grown fond of life away from his family, for which I belief most of this is due to his love for Penance. Richard Cale does mention that he misses his cousins, and he also misses a family pet, a cat. He says that there is something special about the cat, but it is hard to explain.

Final Remarks: As being a member of the X-Men, I would not be surprised to see both Richard Cale and Penance joining the ranks of the X-Men. I see potential for the students to become leaders, but I pray that Emplate never gets his grip on them.

-Henry McCoy.