Striking out on Your Own

Story by Gabriel Moon on SoFurry

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#70 of Commissions

A man hunting an urban legend finds out more about the species than he bargained for.


"How in the hell...?" I asked aloud as I walked around the empty lot, the full moon shining down on me. There wasn't anyone else around, though no one would believe why I was here anyway. I wasn't sure what would happen if I was found trespassing. But what I was here to find was worth the risk.

I was here visiting New York for a week on a much-needed vacation, taking in all the touristy stuff. It has been great so far, for the most part. The local news focus seemed a little odd, though. Everywhere I looked, someone was talking about gargoyles alive and prowling the skies around New York like it was a daily occurrence. I figured it was something silly that the locals used to mess with tourists. Maybe some ad or publicity stunt. But no matter where I went, I overheard people talking about gargoyles. Fucking real-live gargoyles! The whole city seemed to be nuts.

I didn't bother thinking about it much beyond that, wrapped up in the events of my trip as I was. But that all changed in an instant. I was heading back to my hotel around three or four am after a night out. I wasn't drunk; as it turns out, there were plenty of activities that were best taken in during the wee hours that didn't require alcohol.

As I walked alone in the street, something became caught in my periphery that made me pause. Someone was crawling up the side of a nearby building, moving entirely vertically on what should have been a smooth surface. At first, thinking it to be some sort of stunt climber or employee, I wouldn't have thought anything of it if not for the sheer speed the person was climbing!

Stopping for a closer look, I was instantly perplexed. My first impression was that it wasn't human, but that couldn't be the case. Yet I didn't think it wasn't an illusion or a trick of the light. It was a bit bigger than a man, with a pair of long protrusions on its back like some kind of cloak. As I watched it reach the top of the building, it suddenly let go and unfurled a pair of giant bat-like wings, and took off!

I had witnessed something that had denied all reason, all logic. I had to follow, to see if it was real or a trick of the light. I took off running, trying to keep the thing in my line of sight. It was far too early in the AM for there to be many other people around, so I couldn't exactly ask if anyone was seeing what I was. I could have used a second opinion!

I figured the thing would get away rather quickly, and I'd lose it. But to my surprise, it landed in an abandoned lot just as the sun was coming up. I climbed through a hole in a nearby fence, desperate to get a closer look at the human-shaped thing that had flown on its own power. Was it one of those fucking gargoyles!? I knew it wasn't safe to run after it in the event it was hostile, but curiosity won out in the end. I had to try and see it up close!

The sun was rising over the horizon by the time I made it into the storage area. To my shock, I found that the door was open. Not just open, but ripped away. I examined the torn structure closely, noting a series of sharp-looking imprints in the door. They almost looked like... claw marks? But what could leave claw marks in solid steel?

I stepped into the building with a mixture of fear and apprehension, looking for the thing that had broken in. I should have been petrified. After all, something that strong could rip me limb from limb. The inside of the warehouse was mostly empty, covered with dust as though it had been abandoned for months. Yet there was one object in the center of the room that immediately attracted my attention. To my shock, it was a standing statue of a stone gargoyle. Was that what I had seen?

I walked over, using the light from my phone to illuminate the oddly placed figure. Although I had not seen it clearly in the night sky, its dimensions seemed to match what I had witnessed. Its body was skinny with pronounced muscles in the chiseled stone as its four-fingered claws reached outward. It was a little taller than myself with a thick, beak-like muzzle, long stony hair, and two thick horns on its head. Behind it trailed two massive wings, looking more decorative than something to allow such a hefty creature flight.

This had to be some kind of joke. A fake gargoyle statue left as some sort of prank for people who believed in the rumors. But then, what had I seen flying? And what had opened the door in here? And finally, why did not a speck of dust lay on the statue when everything else was covered with months and months worth?

I could hardly sleep that day from the excitement of what I'd seen. If it was a gargoyle, could it possibly be stone during the day? It seemed impossible. Nothing like that existed in nature. Yet the evidence in front of me was overwhelming.

I mulled over a plan in my head, deciding whether or not I would bother to follow it through. In the end, I figured why the hell not. If I was wrong, I would just find a lone statue once more. But if I was right...

So here I was, fighting a mixture of fear and apprehension as I came up to the torn door once more, just after dusk. If my theory was correct, then I had no real idea of what time it would wake up. But I didn't want to be seen entering the potentially private property by any security personnel, even though the lot was apparently abandoned. I was easily able to enter the same way as last night without a sign of detection.

I braced myself, taking a deep breath as I stepped through the torn door. Nothing but the sound of my footsteps echoed in my ears as I walked into the expansive warehouse once more. Carefully running my flashlight over the space, I drew it slowly to where I had seen the statue. Nothing. I traced the flashlight over the room quickly, wondering if perhaps I'd forgotten where it had been sitting. But I could find nothing in the empty space to signal it had been here.

I carefully scoured the ground, looking for any signs I might have missed. Claw marks like the ones that still adorned the door, tracks where it had been pulled out, anything. Walking over to the spot where it had stood, I suddenly spotted shards of what looked like rock or stone lining the floor. They were small, too thin to be any natural rock. And they, too, lacked the dust that covered the rest of the surface in the vast room.

I picked one up gingerly to examine it under the light of my flashlight. Yet as soon as I did, a lance of pain shot through me "Ahh Fuck!" I yelled suddenly, the stone skin having unexpectedly sliced my hand.

My flashlight played over the thin line of blood that coated my palm, a few drops of crimson staining the stone fragments. Fuck, why was this thing so sharp?

More carefully this time, I played my light over the fragment in my hands. There was far too little left here to make up the entire statue. If the statue had been removed and damaged, why were the fragments so thin? It was almost as though an outer layer had been forcibly removed from the statue's surface.

A strange tingling in my hand drew my gaze downward to the cut. To my curiosity, it wasn't hurting anymore. I was a little concerned that the wound was too deep and had severed some major nerve. In fact, I saw quite the opposite. The cut looked...smaller? It was difficult to tell under the bloodstain, but the more I stared, the more I realized that it was healing before my eyes. What was going on?

The sight of more blood moving across my hand brought me out of my stupor. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't blood that was spreading across my skin. I watched in fascination as a reddish hue radiated across my palms, reaching up to my fingers and covering the backs of my hands. Soon the light shade had deepened to a dark, muddied red and was even starting to crawl up my arm. All the hairs on my arm fell away and evaporated as the discoloration touched them, as though removing them from the roots. The hell was this shit?!

I reached up with my other arm, my fingertips brushing against skin much more firm than the human skin I'd been born with. It felt surprisingly smooth under my touch. This was far beyond any flesh-eating virus or disease I was aware of!

A sharp pulse from my fingers raised my gaze to my nails, the keratin melting seamlessly and painlessly into the red flesh. I stared in horror as my ring finger and pinky started fusing together. The skin melted like wax as the skin, joints, and even bones merged and became one, effectively removing my pinky. The tips of each digit started extending outwards, growing pointed and tapered. They looked like claws! Like...the thing that left the marks outside at the entrance?

I flexed the new digits experimentally, noting the power they seemed to possess. I should have been scared by the change, but I couldn't help but be a little enamored. They could flex as well as my human ones, my thumbs included. I was not robbed of my human range of motion, at least. And my claws were sharp, not deadly, per se, but certainly strong. I had no doubt that I possessed claws like the ones that had gained entry via ripping through the metal doors.

The prickling covering my arms drew my attention upwards to see the skin had spread relentlessly up my arm, removing all the hair as it did so. I groaned slightly as the muscle underneath started to pulse and expand against my skin. I brought my still-human hand up to touch it, feeling my biceps and triceps swelling under my touch. The writhing meat formed a definition that was unheard of on my average frame. Despite the bizarre nature of the change, I couldn't help but be excited!

My other hand was aching now, and I stared as the now-familiar changes overtook it. I was able to relax a little, knowing what would happen as my other pinky and ring fingers fused. My nails faded, and my fingertips grew powerful and pointed. They were so powerful, so alien yet so strong.

Suddenly my chest began swelling under my shirt, the hairs falling out as the muscles stretched and grew. In fact, the confines of my shirt were starting to get a little tight. Without thinking, I raised my clawed hands and tore off the fabric, intent on seeing what had become of my form. My average chest was flattening, adorning me with a lovely pair of pecs the envy of any bodybuilder. My belly started to contract, the muscles writhing underneath as they formed the beginnings of a six-pack. I moaned aloud as my chest and stomach continued to bulge and grow, the red skin spreading over my flesh as I changed. I didn't know what was happening, but I couldn't deny how much I liked the results!

My expanding shoulders started to hurt, prompting me to reach out to rub the sore flesh. Yet the pain would not so easily go away. I fought through the growing agony as something underneath the flesh desperately tried to burst through, threatening to rupture my flesh at any moment. The ache forced an audible groan from my lips as new protuberances exploded outward. What seemed like a new pair of limbs began to take shape as they pushed further and further from my body. I leaned forward, grunting from discomfort. What the hell were these?

I couldn't see what was happening above my back. The curiosity was nearly killing me! Careful of my changed digits, I took my phone from my pocket, turning on the camera function to face me. I wasn't prepared for the sight of what looked like two new limbs grew longer and more flexible as I watched. I growled a little as my mind seemed to form new neural connections capable of moving these strange new appendages. It was bizarre to have a second set, to say the least!

The ends of the limbs began to tingle as three new digits popped out at the end of the new arms. They weren't as articulated as my actual fingers, yet they could still move. Suddenly, a strange sensation erupted from the base of my new "hands", extending from the tips and spreading outward. The flesh was much thinner than I expected, expanding the distance between my fingers and thumb.

It was only then that I realized what they actually were. I had wings! Actual wings! I flapped them experimentally, yet for all the waving I did, nothing happened. I couldn't fly like this! I wondered for a moment how they were to actually be used. I was a little lighter than my human frame, despite the muscle that was forming under my skin. But I was still far too heavy. If I couldn't fly, couldn't take off from the ground, then maybe I could glide? That would explain the sightings I read up about. None of the creatures were ever spotted at ground level, near as I could tell.

Just then, my waist started to expand and dig painfully into my jeans. On reflex, I lowered my clawed hands to tear at my belt. Judging by the size of my chest and stomach, I knew I would outgrow the confines of my human pants. But still, I was more curious than afraid at this point. It was obvious I was becoming a facsimile of the thing that I was seeking, strange as though the possibility was. My waist wasn't growing that much thicker, but my belt was far more confining than I would have preferred. And something was pressing painfully against my ass, as though sticking from out of my spine. Oh shit! Was that a...

I tugged off my belt as a loud pop echoed in the vast room from my pants button bursting off and my zipper forcibly tearing down the center. Yet I hadn't finished growing. My pants were too tight! I wanted to tear off my belt, but my calves and thighs were swelling in the already-tight jeans. Why had I gotten a pair with no wiggle room?

I had to pull them a little to get them off and was greeted with a powerful rip. Obviously, I didn't know my own strength! There was no helping it now. The loud tearing sound echoed in my ears as my sharp hands pulled apart the rags of my jeans, letting them fall regretfully onto the floor. At this point, I was left clad in only my underwear.

The same thick, reddish flesh that covered the rest of me, spreading over my calves now. Was this the coloration of the gargoyle whose stone skin was changing me? I was glad I'd gotten out of my clothes when I did. There was no way these swelling calves could have fit in my jeans. The gargoyle that had been here was smaller than me, I was certain. My legs, my chest, and my arms were swelling to almost double their original girth!

Soon, my feet started to bunch uncomfortably in my shoes, and I braced myself for the inviability. There was no way I could get them off in time. And judging from the sight of the feet of the beast, I wouldn't be able to wear such things in my new body. I groaned a little, bending over to alleviate the irritation. My toes were getting larger, the tips growing pointed similarly to my hands, no doubt. They pierced the already-strained leather, and I growled as I felt the entire shoe tighten around my foot. It was a fight between my feet and the material of the shoes. And my feet were going to win!

An audible rip echoed as my clawed red feet burst forth into the stagnant air, pulling apart the leather like wet paper. I gasped at the sight of the claw-like appendages that sank into the bare dusty concrete, relieved to be free of the confines of my shoe. I instinctively flexed the changed digits, noting how much stronger and more flexible they were becoming. Like my pinky, my little toe fused with the toe beside it like putty, seamlessly merging into a single digit. My large toes, however, began to rise up along my foot towards my ankle, pulling into my body as though becoming vestigial. Yet I could still feel them tugged backward inside my skin, as if preparing to reform into something else.

My ankles started to stretch, and I leaned forward, trying to maintain my balance. Something itched at the base of my spine, but I ignored it for now. I was far more concerned with how my ankles were forced backward, pushing me on my tiptoes until my weight was held up entirely by my new thick clawed digits. I could feel something bursting out of the back, gaining strength and articulation that matched my other claws. Looking down, it was obvious what had become of my big toe, having pulled at my skin until it was a perfectly formed toe where my heel once was. It was certainly strange to have it there now!

The unfamiliar sensation above my ass suddenly took precedence as a protuberance pushed its way out of the thickened flesh. I instinctively reached back to feel it, but it was obvious to me what it was. The statue had a very clear tail, and it was more than likely I was sprouting one myself.

I could feel my spine extending into the new limb as it grew outward, filling with muscles and tendons, and vessels benefiting such an appendage. To my shock, I realized I could move it! I spent a few minutes twitching it experimentally back and forth while it continued to develop. It was like having a whole new limb! It had a range of motion I couldn't even begin to fathom! As the tip tapered off and the length pooled down my legs, I could tell it could wrap around me almost perfectly. It was bizarre, to say the least!

A tickling from the tip of my new tail made me a little confused. What was happening now? It was as though several hairs were poking out of the skin above my newest protrusion. But all of the hair on my body had fallen out as my reddish skin took shape. Then what was this? I looked to see thickening hair spreading all the way up my tail, thickening to a bushy texture that did not match any of my precious hair. I had to admit, it did look rather fetching.

The transformation was nearly over, as best as I could tell. My form nearly matched a flesh and blood version of the stone gargoyle I'd seen this morning. Save for my head, yet the insistent tingling let me know that was soon to change as well.

How had this happened? I'd cut myself on a piece of stone, and the transformation had begun soon after. Was that the stone skin of the gargoyle? The reason they were never seen during the day? Stone by day and flesh and blood by night?

My face started to ache, and I took out my phone once more to watch the inevitable changes. I was still curious about the process, despite what it would eventually do to me and whether or not I could revert to my human self. I turned the camera around gently, careful not to crush it with my claws and powerful arms. I was just in time to see that the red skin spreading up my cheeks, erasing my facial hair as it engulfed my head. It reached all the way up to my scalp, causing my hair to start to fall out from the roots. Yet judging from the itching rising up my back, I wondered if I would remain bald for long!

A tingling in my lips made me raise my fingers to touch them even as I watched in the camera. My red lips started to thicken and extend from my face, the flesh hardened from its previously soft texture into something that resembled keratin. Soon it had extended a few inches out of my face and was still growing, the flesh spreading like putty. It looked like some sort of beak! I recalled the statue had a similar-looking mouth, a thick beak half the size of his head.

It was more than just my lips that were changing. As my face stretched forward, so, too, did my teeth, my tongue, and my mouth. As near as I could tell, I was adding a few molars to fill the space. My teeth remained relatively similar to my human ones, the teeth of an omnivore. Though my still-growing beak did have some tooth-like protrusions on the surface, accenting the changed features rather well with a menacing look.

I could feel the rest of my head starting the change as the last of my human skin was enveloped by the thicker red flesh. My nose remained where it was on my face, though it grew more pointed. My eyes were still forward-facing, but I could swear that the darkened room was a little more clear. My forehead started to slope, fading into my flesh and giving me a more streamlined appearance. My ears began to ache as they stretched outward, matching the length of my head and still growing. I winced a little as something started poking from my temples, two large lumps that started growing with surprising speed. They raced up my head and swept backward, looking like the beginnings of a pair of horns.

The changes were nearly finished now, as best as I could tell. The itching on my back intensified as what I felt to be thick hair ran up the length. My head was starting to itch as well from the sensation of hairs growing from my scalp. It was thick, black, and coarse, extending outwards in a sort of black mane, growing far more shaggy than my human hair had been. And it was still growing thicker, spreading down my cheeks into a black mane that looked like a lion's. It was rather attractive, I had to admit.

A tingling in my cock made me jump a little. I was still clad in my underwear, the rest of my clothes strewn on the floor as my changes completed. But as far as I could tell, my cock was unchanged until now. The handsome appearance of my gargoyle features seemed to awaken a bizarre sensation in my loins, given the circumstances. Was the change making me horny?

Despite the fear, I had to see what was becoming of my maleness. Careful not to rip away my underwear, I reached down a clawed hand and pulled at the elastic band. What I saw shocked me to the core. My groin was bare, my human hairs having fallen out like the rest. My cock, however, was still human, but that was not to last long if the tingling was any indication. Either way, I was boned!

The flowing redness stopped at the base of my shaft as the color darkened to black where it touched my cock. The tingling was almost erotic, as though I was lightly touching myself. To my surprise and delight, I could feel the shaft start to thicken and lengthen, matching my new stature. The skin began to crack painlessly as new ridges and dents formed on its surface. My flattened cock tip grew pointed and black, held by the layers of rigid flesh that adorned the underside. It was the cock of a beast!

I had to touch it. Gingerly I ran my thick clawed hands over the surface, careful not to injure myself. But my cock was far more sturdy, and even a more forceful touch caused me immense pleasure and no pain. I began stroking myself roughly, moaning in a voice deeper than my own as my needy cock tip leaked all over my claws. The feelings welling up in my cock were far better than anything I could have imagined.

My other hand reached down to play over my plump, black balls, loving how full they felt. Every inch of my changed body was far more sensitive than my human form. I was so close already, and I couldn't even hold back to enjoy the moment with the intense need welling up inside! If it felt this good to be a gargoyle, then it was worth the bizarre nature of the change. I couldn't stop stroking, faster and faster as my balls tensed, and my mighty load was pushed up towards my meaty shaft. I was going to explode!

"Uuhhh...ahhhh!" I yelled out as my cock shot all over the floor, my body wracked with orgasm. More seed that I thought I could generate covered the floor in a rank, sticky puddle.

I cried out again as the full force of my release overtook me. The waves washed over my powerful muscled body, far more erotic than I had ever felt before. I was a beast, a muscled Adonis whose physical and sexual prowess exceeded any man!

Slowly, I came down from my orgasmic high, panting from my larger beak. Yet it took only a moment for me to regain my composure, even after such an intense change. Free from the distraction of my transformation, I was able to finally explore my new body. I gingerly stepped over my torn clothes, careful of balancing on my new claws. It felt so weird to walk hunched over, but my new tail helped me to adjust somewhat. It was long, trailing behind me and much more flexible than anything my arms could do. It was insane how powerful it was!

There was no denying what I knew to be true. I was a gargoyle now, one of the creatures that most thought were urban legends. I was a little over six feet tall in this body, even when hunched over. With the strength in my arms, I felt I could lift hundreds of pounds, if not more! I took a moment, rubbing my clawed hands over my muscled frame. The sight of my sexy form made my cock twitch and burble out another spurt of cum. I was tempted to give my body another round, but I had more pressing concerns at the moment.

I gathered the fragments of my clothes, recalling the loincloth-like shape that had covered the gargoyle statue. Using the torn remnants of my pants, I tried to use my belt to tie them around my waist as best I could. After a few minutes, I was able to get them around myself sufficiently to be seen in public. As much as I could as a beast, at least!

I braced myself as I exited the building, scared to enter the world like this. Yet as soon as the night air hit my powerful body, I felt a sense of elation. I flexed my powerful wings, wondering how I would fly with these. They weren't powerful enough to get me off the ground, I was sure. I needed to get higher up. But how?

A glance at the side of the building told me all I needed to know. The claw marks! The other creature must have scaled the wall to get to a higher landing to glide!

I decided to follow suit, trying to dig my claws into the holes that he had left. My own talons seemed larger than my predecessor's. They didn't fit! Yet the strength in my body was sufficient to make my own dent in the side of the building. I smiled at the notion that I was larger than the other member of my new race. It made my cock burble out another drop of cum into my loincloth. I loved the notion of being dominant!

It was easy to lift my powerful body up towards the roof, my arms and claws propelling me upwards, even faster than I had seen the other gargoyle move last night. I was elated by the power in my body. Though the building was only about 20 ft high, I felt that I could easily scale a much larger surface with ease!

Looking out at the night city, I decided that my new form needed a new identity. The name Colin didn't really suit me anymore. I was alone in the world unless I could find more gargoyles like me. I would be striking out on my own in this new form. Striker. That sounded kind of cool. Yeah. I could get behind that.

A shadow covered me, and I looked up, seeing a now-familiar shape gliding above me. I felt a sense of trepidation from its presence. What would he think of me? Was he used to other humans changing into gargoyles? Whatever happened, I needed to see him.

As though on instinct, I leaped off the building, my wings unfurling as I caught an updraft. I let out a yell as my body was carried upward, allowing me to ascent towards my new kinsman and my new life.