I always liked animals/mystical creatures more than humans. There were some happenings in my past, that made me dislike normal people and myself beeing merely human. The same was with some friends and my best friend I found on the internet.
When I started watching Pokémon, my first own female character appeared in my head. She basically looked like Ash and was a person, who could change between a human-like and a dragon shape. That was 1 or 2 years before we got internet. (so 11 1/2 or 12 1/2 years ago). I began daydreaming about her. Dreamed about adventures and such things in the pokémon world.
Now something that I'm not sure about it: I'm not sure if I changed her name and shape later or if I got the idea of a new female character. I don't know if she is the same person, because I'm not sure about the name. It's such a long time ago. I think it was around the time where we got internet.
But with the new character or the new shape of my first one named Yumio, I began dreaming about a new world. It's basically the earth how we know it, but some things are different. To long to explain.
Soon I invented a male character who looks like Supreme Kai (Kaioshin) with the name Neo. Years later a third character, who is supposed to be my alter ego named Ryuu. All my characters are shapshifter.
Within the past 7 years I began to love dragons and other creatures more and more. With the idea of my alter ego, meeting other furrys and surfing for furry-related things on the net during that time, I understood what I am. Someone who just refuses to be only human. Sometimes I just want to break out of my normal life, get wings and fly away. I just can't live like a nomal human does.
I think thats why I feel so free when I can run around in cosplays/fursuits on conventions. There are people who wish/pretend to be someone else, just like me.
Since I read another thread here, I think I'm a therian and not only a furry.