Shapeshifting

Shapeshifting is the magical ability that one has to change his/her age, size, gender, species and so on. Frank Zhang's family is the only family known to use this ability.

Divine Shapeshifting
Gods and Titans are beings of pure, radiant energy in their true form, but since that it's too dangerous to simply glare at them in this form (or being in their presence if it is a titan), both beings are capable to assume physical form in order to safely interact with "lesser beings". For the most, their appearance is that know on myths "adapted" to the current world potency's culture (Zeus, for example, is described as an "angry-looking hippie" wearing a tuxedo), but they can change their form into anything that they want to be, with Athena and Hypnos having turned into birds in the past, Poseidon and Demeter having a horse as a child, due to having reproduced in form of a horse and a mare respectively. Of all the gods, however, Zeus is notorious to use shapeshifting to disguise himself from Hera during his affairs with other women, having turned himself into an eagle, a swan, a bull, and even a woman, and rain of gold.

Not all shapeshifting by immortals are for pleasure. Rather, its a way that nymphs, for example, have used to protect themselves from gods' affection, with Dafne and Siringe, for example, having turned themselves into plants to avoid Apollo and Pan respectively.

Mortal Shapeshifting
Normal humans have no natural power to change form, but some mortals may inherit this power though divine ancestry, also know as Legacy. The Zhang family, for example, are all descendents of Periclymenus, mortal grandchild of Poseidon, and they all inherited his ability to turn into animals. Examples include Frank Zhang, who is capable to turn into both normal while mythological animals, and his grandmother who was apparently forced to flee for her life in form of small bird. Frank's mother was a Canadian soldier who had attempted to use her shapeshifting in Afghanistan to help the American troops. The plan was unsuccessful, since she was killed in the action.

Other mortals that shapeshift without inherent power normally change form as a result of divine punishment upon them. Indeed, some monsters like the Gorgons and Lycanthropes were originally normal human beings that somehow offended the gods and were turned into monsters as punishment. Circe is also notorious to turn men into animals, but some may protect themselves by using molly (or Hermes' Multivitamins) against her magic. Not all forcefully shapeshifting is punitive, though. Rather, this may be a way for gods to protect their loved ones from the fire of other gods. This is evident in Zeus' case with Io, when he turned her into a heifer to hide her from Hera, and several centuries later with his daughter Thalia Grace, as she was gravely injured in a fight against Underworld monsters, Zeus turned her into a tree to avoid Hades from claiming her soul. Due to Kronos' manipulation, Thalia and the tree now exist as separated entities.

Mortals users of Shapeshifting

 * Emily Zhang
 * Grandma Zhang
 * Shen Lun
 * Xu Fu
 * Periclymenus