FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Animal Inside

Disclaimer

The following is a work of fiction and is not suitable for readers under the age of 18 or 21 depending on their respective countries/states. Furthermore, for audiences who do not like scenes depicting M/M sexual interactions, muscle growth, cock growth and anthropomorphic creatures, please do not read further.

You have been warned.

******

For eons man has constantly strived to become better, to evolve. Conquering the world and laughing in the face of God had always been mortal man's ambition regardless of how they reasoned otherwise. Scientific progress, ground-breaking inventions and world-changing events were all secretly geared towards furthering man's standing in the universe.

"There has always been a degree of balance between the need for evolution and change versus the demand of society."

Paul yawned softly as he watched the slides flicking displayed on stage flick from one generic scene of man's progress to the other. He felt an elbow jab his side. Davis shot him a piercing look through his thick glasses and jabbed a finger towards the screen, quietly telling him to pay attention. Rolling his eyes, Paul forced himself to listen to their guest presenter's words.

High school assemblies were always boring. In a vain attempt to encourage some actual learning in the masses, the schools had these presentations. But in Paul's honest opinion, there was little need. With the info tonics that were so freely available on the market, it was a wonder why there was such thing as a 'school'. He could just take a drink of the delicious fluids and all the information that was embedded into the nanobots within the tonic would flood him, implanting it into his mind. No need to spend hours on end in classrooms, listening to rules on how to spend their money and undergoing tests that everyone knew the answers to.

Okay, he had to admit that there was some rationale behind the tests they had to take 80% of their classes. There was a difference between having knowledge and applying it but taking these tests for several hours five times a week?

Was it really necessary?

Once again, he yawned, a little louder this time but it was still drowned by the presenter's voice.

"Evolution is a reaction to demand," the man continued, standing at the podium. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of silver wrap-around glasses even though they were indoors in the massive great hall of Rushwater High School. Though despite those glasses, Paul couldn't shake the feeling the man was judging them all. Couldn't really blame him. Everyone was bored. Everyone knew Darwin's theories of evolution, everyone knew about the doctrines of the multiple religions and everyone knew the differences between supply and demand.

Was this lecture really necessary?

Nope.

"Presently, however," the man began, "evolution has become stagnant. Multiculturalism, at one stage, has each and everyone one us have s fragment of every race on Earth's face in us. This gives us the great traits of all races but also increases risk of the failures all humans suffer from exponentially. So what did man do? Man has perfected 'genetic cleaning', allowing humanity to alter our very genes to reduce the risk of heart failure, cancer, disease and practically eliminate hereditary sicknesses. There was a need for this. But no more."

The man paused, his eyes seemingly fixating on Paul. The young man straightened, a frown on his face. He felt a heavy blush touch his cheeks and he was forced to adjust the scalloped cravat that every other student wore in the hall around him.

"Did man stop there?" asked the presenter. "No. Humans pursued this genetic modification beyond just eliminating birth defects and pushed them to physical alterations. The effort in evolving has been taken out, the hardship to change and the necessity to the alterations trivialised to cosmetic changes. I would be surprised to find anyone here with an ounce of body fat."

Paul begrudgingly agreed to that. The trend these days was to be incredibly ripped. Just looking around, he spied every student in the all-male population of the school to have physique of a male model upwards to a bodybuilder even though the eldest was just maybe eighteen to nineteen. All of them bulging out of their maroon coattails with golden buttons and top hats of different sizes in their hands. All of them wore the same black, buckled boots with their broad pants tucked neatly into the rims of the knee-high boots.

Everyone may have had different hair styles, different eye colours and different skin tones but each and every one of them were like clones; humans built from the same template with just slight variations to cast the image of diversity.

But were they diverse?

"Commercial modifications have taken out the effort in evolution and as such, the need for evolution," the man continued. "The game has changed. If you want to change your body in one way or another, just buy it online. If you want to grow your hair long, no need to way for months, just buy an accelerant and perhaps some gene splicers to make sure it's the right colour and texture you want. People no longer change according to the demands of their environment. They change depending on the norm of society. There is no direction to evolution except the whimsy of the human society. Worse yet, man had deluded itself, no longer capable of telling what is necessary to evolve and what is merely cosmetic."

The man leaned forward, his gaze somehow making everyone in the room straighten. Even the school staff were sitting up, listening to his every word.

"This is not evolution. This is commercial mutation. In the past, man evolved bigger brains to deal with their surroundings and foes. They grew to adapt to the situation. Are present day humans doing the same? Or are they just changing ourselves on a whim and ignoring the true problems? What will happen with the environment changes and something unexpected comes down to shatter that complacency? Is he simply not limiting every human on the planet to the same template, thereby increasing his vulnerability to the same weaknesses? Evolution eliminates those incapable of surviving in a changed situation and rewards those that can survive. I can assure each and every one of you now, there is something bigger and stronger than mankind as a species and if it ever comes to Earth, it will wipe out mankind as easily as mankind can buy a genetic splicing device off the shelf."

Taking a deep breath, the man leaned back and looked about ready to finish up his presentation. "Man is adaptive, that has always been his greatest trait. However, this rampant modification of genes doesn't hold that trait justice. When we narrow our perspective to what is readily available on the market, it breeds laziness and complacency." He tapped the side of his head. "Evolution is up here and not how big your biceps are, the width of your chest, the colour of your eyes or the size of your feet. Adapt to incite evolution. Evolve to live. Live to adapt. Thank you."

No one applauded. Paul was pretty sure it was because the man had just insulted everyone in the room - well, except for Paul. He turned towards his friend, Davis, whose glasses really were just there for cosmetic purposes. He didn't really need them. Davis gave him a shrug in return and remained silent. In the faint reflection on those glasses, Paul saw himself... though he doubted he needed to. Just looking at Davis was like looking in a mirror...

"Thank you, Mr. Reaper," the principal said, coughing nervously. "A haunting message. Now everyone, please stand."

The rest of the assembly went on its normal paces. Some school spirit speeches to remind everyone about the upcoming athletics rally followed by the singing of the national anthem and then some final announcements after the guest and major staff had left. Paul was barely listening at all. Reaper's words continued to haunt him.

The day came to a close faster than he had expected. He was sure he had barely passed the tests he was forced to undergo and that would raise some eyebrows but it was nothing to be worried about. Given all the tonics he had consumed, he could have done those tests in his sleep. But that made him wonder... did he earn that knowledge? Did he earn that B+?

Again, he felt an elbow in his side. Davis was standing there with Stefan, another senior like him and possibly the biggest guy he had known throughout all of high school. Stefan grinned, his square jaw creaking like iron. He had consumed so many fitness tonics that he had to have his clothes custom built for him. He was simply bursting from his blazer.

"Are you alright, Paul?" Davis asked. "You've been out of it all day."

Paul managed a weary smile and nodded. "Just a little tired. I think I'll just go home. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow for the rally?"

Stefan grinned. "Looking forward to seeing splattered on the wrestling man, mate."

The instant when Paul was consumed with a reflexive need to consume a tonic to make himself bigger overnight disgusted him. He was scowling slightly and shook his head. But then again, Stefan was much bigger than him and unless he guzzled an unhealthy amount of tonics tonight, he would never catch up. "Yeah, right."

He slung his back over his shoulder and was out of the school faster than anyone else. As he strode down the streets, he saw men and women dressed in the fashion of the time. Ladies wore exuberant hats of flamboyant colours that matched their frilly, wireframe dresses. Men had all forms of blazers wrapping around their muscular frames or vests that hugged their broad figures perfectly. Always, they wore loose, silky, white shirts with long sleeves that ended in lace frills. Though there were sparks of individuality here and there, the clothes were just wrapping for the same type of candy. Everyone was the same!

And it sickened him.

Paul stopped for a second and regarded his reflection in a nearby coffee shop. His curly, blonde hair was perfect. Not a strand out of place and it glistened in the sun like it was made of finely crafted gold. Each of his blue eyes was perfect in every aspect, not a flaw in them and a 100% guarantee that they would never fail him - approved by ten doctors. Every feature on his marble-like face was chiselled to perfection, perfectly symmetrical in every aspect and never scarred by a single pimple while being genetically altered to prevent any sort of facial hair growth. It would have been great to have such features... if only everyone didn't have the same face.

A slight tapping on the window made him freeze. Realising he had been staring for far too long. The man sitting on the other side of the café's window was probably a little puzzled. To his utter surprise, however, it was actually Mr. Reaper.

Seeing an opportunity, Paul quickly navigated through the café, pushing through bustling waiters and nearly tripping over a woman's heavy dress and parasol before coming to a stop in front of the strange man. He noticed that unlike the other people in the café, he was not dressed like everyone else. In fact, he was dressed in a jet-black suit, no coattails and his cravat was actually linear instead of scalloped like Paul's. The shirt he wore beneath his suit was plain white and no frills jutted out of his blazer's wrists. His pants also went all the way down to his ankles and he wore shoes, not buckled boots.

"Can I help you?" asked Reaper, his gaze hidden behind silvery sunglasses. He ordered a coffee for himself and another one for Paul, paying for both immediately.

"Yes." Paul cleared his head and his thoughts. "My names is Paul Smithson. I'm from Rushwater High School. The school you just gave a speech at?"

Reaper lifted his gaze and gave Paul a dazzling smile. "I thought I recognised that crest. Have a seat." He waved towards the empty seat across from him and Paul eagerly sat down. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Paul sat himself down opposite and leaned forward eagerly. "I was wondering if you could further clarify your ideas on evolution. I mean, doesn't the fact that we can alter our genes at whim - even at a steep cost - mean that we have reached the pinnacle of adaptability? We can adapt on the fly quicker than any other animal in existence."

Reaper tipped the coffee in to his lips and grimaces. "Ah... That's a little too hot."

He frowned at that. The norm these days was to have everyone possess a high tolerance to heat especially on their tongue and mouth. Furthermore, there was a standard heat for all hot beverages that aligned with this genetic alteration. It shouldn't be 'too hot'.

The thought was pushed away as Reaper spoke.

"You misunderstand. I wasn't talking about physical evolution. I'm talking about mental." Again, Reaper tapped the side of his head. "When an animal evolves, they do so over a persistent need. Because the need for, say, camouflage or a prehensile tail is necessary, they know how to use it and are responsible with it. But with all the rapid changes people can have at their fingertips, this world is just one spark away from an apocalypse."

"What makes you say that?"

Reaper clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them, gazing deep into Paul's eyes. It felt like that hidden gaze was drilling straight into Paul's very soul. "Everyone is built off the same template. When a new trend of gene splicing comes in, everyone gets it and everyone basically becomes a clone of one another. There are a few variances, yes, but mentally, everyone is exactly the same. With that in mind, what do you think people will do if something comes alone and kills a mere thousand people? How will people react when their genetic doubles were killed?"

"We wouldn't survive."

"Exactly." Reaper pointed at Paul. "It's that kind of mentality that will spell the doom of the world. There was a time when man fought and would have said, 'we'll find a cure' or 'we'll ensure the survivability of the human race' but these days, everyone is just so confident in their gene splicing that if anything cut through their thin defences, they just give up! The survival instinct has been bred out of humans."

Paul was starting to feel very much insulted. Was Reaper calling them all - including himself - a genetic failure? Was he saying that humans had evolved into a genetic dead end not physically but mentally? Was he calling humans stupid?

"Another scenario," coughed Reaper as he set down his coffee. "How would you discern what is a 'genetic mutation' versus a 'genetic alteration'? What happens if a couple decides to leave a certain genetic quirk in their child and they, say... had a sixth finger on each hand? This child displays an amazing talent for playing the piano and becomes world famous. What happens next?"

The student shrugged. "I'm not sure..."

"It becomes a trend," answered the man. "Suddenly, everyone wants a sixth finger. Everyone wants to be able to play the piano like a professional. They extract the gene form the talented individual and next thing you know, he is no longer special as everyone has the same talent and genetic modification he has. Not only are we destroying what makes a person unique but we are adding a cosmetic change to our bodies that has was only present due to the desire of mortal whim and not a reaction to the environment. That is not evolution."

"What would you suggest, then?" he asked tersely.

For a moment, Reaper looked away and tapped his chin. In that moment, Paul saw his eyes. His heart leapt to his throat. They were sapphire-blue but unlike normal eyes, they pupils were shaped like eight-pointed stars. He had never seen eyes like those before. Were they a genetic defect? No... that's impossible. Defects like that would have been detected at birth and corrected. Or maybe his parents had left that defect in like in his story? An alteration later in life? But how could that be possible? What did those eyes see?

When Reaper's lips curled lightly into a smile, Paul remembered to breathe.

"I propose that mankind be tested. A test of their ability to accept change versus their desire to change."

Was he talking about destroying the supplies of tonics? Was he suggesting an act of terrorism?

"Evolution is all about survival of the fittest, the need to change your species will die out," Reaper said, turning his gaze back towards Paul, making the young man freeze once more. "Both mentally and physically, this needs to be present. Humans may be physically the fittest but intellectually, they do not have the drive or the will to survive. They just change themselves because they want to but is there a need for it? It's just like the entire human race has become the lazy fat kid at the back of the classroom that's given up on trying to better himself and just eating more and more while rotting in front of the computer on videogames without any aspiration in life except waiting for his parents to die out so he gets the house. What's worse, everyone is this kid. Equality at its extreme. No one wants to get better, figuratively speaking, that is."

Paul frowned. What fat kid? He knew there had been an epidemic of obesity in the 2000's but this was a thousand years later. There was no such thing as the 'fat kid'.

"They've given up," Reaper surmised. "Humanity just keeps throwing these gene altering tonics into their system while consoling themselves that they're making themselves better. But really, they're dying." Reaper leaned forward, tapping the side of his head. "But deep down, that will to survive is still there. Buried under all the cosmetics and inundated by the genetic modifications, it lies there, dormant; an animal hibernating. Merely reactivating that will set humanity back to path of true change. Or... you know... doom it."

Paul was suddenly very, very scared. "I'm not sure we should be forcing this change on the world..."

"You're absolutely right." Reaper smiled idly. "How about we make it interesting then?" He rose from his seat and extended his hand. "This change, let us ensure that it only becomes active if the recipient wishes to accept it. What do you say? Will you be part of this revolution, Paul Smithson?"

Regarding the extended hand, Paul could not help but think that he was making a deal with the devil. Swallowing hard, he considered his options. After all, just a few hours ago, he was content with just being another face in the crowd, content with being an amalgamation of humanity's best traits and comfortable in the knowledge that if something unknown came, there was a tonic for it that would let him overcome it. Then he met Reaper... who came with outrageous ideas about humanity losing its will to survive and evolve...

For a moment, he regarded himself in Reaper's eyes. There were a couple of young men about his age sitting in the table behind him. They were looking at the standing stranger. Seeing his own face side by side in the man's reflection showed him just how similar they were. They were dressed the same, sat the same and though their features were the same, the expression on their faces were exactly the same.

Everyone thought along the same lines...

... and that scared him.

"Deal."

They shook hands and Reaper looked incredibly pleased. "Good to hear." When they pulled their hands away, Paul noticed that there was a card in his palm. It was just a calling card with a single number on it. "Enjoy your drink, Paul."

When Paul looked away from the card, Reaper was gone. He quickly snapped his head from right to left and back towards the door. Gone. Just like that. By the dismissive looks of the other patrons, he guessed none of them saw the strange man wearing sunglasses disappear.

Frowning, Paul picked up his coffee and idly sipped it. It was hot but his genes were perfectly spliced to deal with it.

"Good coffee," he murmured.

*****

Paul's father, Quinton, was one of the leading geneticists that developed splicing formulas every day and made it readily available for commercial use. Like Paul, he was blonde but due to some preference of his own, had his left eye coloured green instead of its natural blue. He stood taller than Paul by a few inches and was slimmer than his more athletic son. Still, despite all his perfection, there was stress in his eyes and his thick, light brown bear was looking a little ragged.

"Something wrong, dad?" asked Paul as he stepped into their luxurious, double-storey home.

His father looked up from where he was half-buried in a pile of papers on the dining table. "Oh Paul... No, not at all."

Of course he was lying. "Dad..."

Quinton sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I think my field is coming to a close, Paul. There just aren't enough genes to modify these days. Ten people were fired today."

Paul's throat closed up. Maybe Reaper really was right. Were they truly modifying themselves to a genetic dead end? They were already mentally at their limits and what would happen when they reached physical perfection?

He dropped his bag next to the counter and looked over his father's shoulder. "Are you looking for other jobs?" The newspaper in front of his father had janitorial duties circled.

"Yeah. Just in case." Quinton stood up and grasped his son's shoulders firmly. "Look, I don't want you worrying about this, okay? I've got this. I'll take care of you like I always have." Then he broke into a bright - yet terrible forced - smile. "And hey, you've got that athletics rally tomorrow, right? Did you need some extra muscle? Longer legs? You know there's no better time to do it than now, right? Best to do it overnight or your muscles will be all sore come morning."

Was it really that easy? To get the edge on the field, you just had to drink some concoction and come morning, you were equipped to beat any other guy on the field? Reaper was right. Growth and development was no longer an exercise in how much effort you wanted to put it, it was a question of resources.

"No thanks, dad. I think I'll be fine. Davis and Stefan were looking a little slow out there."

"If you're sure."

Paul nodded and offered a shaky smile.

Dinner was... average. Not to say it wasn't delicious. Far from it. His father had taken a 'parenthood' tonic when Paul was born. It implanted in him the best knowledge on how to raise a son. When their mother left for a 'physically superior man', he had to take some extra tonics that would allow teach him how to cook, clean and do more maternal tasks. There was no need to read instructions or learn from experience. Just drink the tonic and poof. Instant knowledge. That mean the mean was scrumptious as always and the genetic alterations to Paul's tastebuds allowed him to appreciate the subtle hints of spice in the chicken skin matched with the tenderness of the breast meat and the bitterness of the salad. All perfect.

But when you had a perfect meal for every night, were any of them ever really special?

In fact...

"Hey dad, what's your favourite food?" he asked.

Quinton set down his cutlery without so much a sound - another piece of genetic knowledge he had implanted into himself. "I can't say I have one, son. I appreciate all food. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Do you know mom's?"

Again, his father shook his head. "She never had one either." He inclined his head to the side. "Paul, are you sure everything is alright?"

Much to his relief, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Davis.

"Sorry, dad," he said. "Mind if I eat in my room. It's Davis."

"Sure thing, son."

Paul stood up and carried his plate up to the second floor. He wasn't feeling much like eating and more and sat down on his bed, pressing the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey man," Davis began. "How're you doing? I know Stefan talks smack but you don't have to worry about him, okay? I'm sure you'll smash him tomorrow."

Paul frowned. "What makes you so sure?"

Davis paused a second and Paul thought he sensed the young man frown as well. "Um... Dude, your dad is a geneticist_. Like you've bragged so many times before, he can get you any tonic you_ want. Just chug a few muscle growth stimulators, maybe a bit of extra height and arm reach and you'll be good! Of course you'll want to keep proportional for the ladies."

A deep disgust rose up in Paul's voice and snapped more than he intended. "Screw the ladies, Davis!" His best friend took a deep breath. "Look," he whispered, lowering his voice. "I just need to think, for a second, okay? I'm having doubts about... changing myself so much. I mean, is it even necessary?"

Davis made a strange noise. "Necessary? Of course it is. If you want to win tomorrow..."

"But is that really winning? Or am I just using my dad's money to make myself stronger? Did I even earn that?"

"Oh... What whackjob Reaper got to you, didn't he?"

Paul realised he couldn't worry Davis with his problems or tell him that he had made a secret deal with the mysterious presenter with wild ideas. So, instead...

"Maybe... But it's more... my dad."

"Your dad...?"

"Ten guys got fired from the lab today. He's worried that he might lose his job. I don't want to stress him out by buying more tonics than necessary."

Davis was quiet on the other end.

"Davis?"

"Yeah, I heard you man. That sucks_. But... you know, if you need a place to stay..."_

Paul laughed softly. "Dude, you live in a single storey house with two other brothers, your mother, your father and another brother on the way. You don't have enough room!"

"We can... squeeze you in somewhere."

Again, Paul chuckled softly. He still appreciated the gesture, though. "Thanks Davis. See you tomorrow, okay? Be sure to pump yourself up if you want to win that basketball match."

"You too man. Sleep tight."

Paul flicked off the phone and sighed heavily. He stared at his dinner and finished it silence. The food was tasteless to him as he worried about his father's finances and his own situation. Maybe bringing on a new change wouldn't be so bad? It could get his dad a more secure job... If something unknown was introduces to the world, people would be scrambling to either enhance it or destroy it... His dad would be stuck in the lab for years trying to decipher it... if whatever 'it' was didn't kill everyone first...

He just wished he knew what he had agreed to...

With these thought milling about in his head, Paul brought his dishes back downstairs. His father had retired for the night which a little odd as Quinton usually didn't go to bed so early. Usually, he was always so busy with work left over from the lab. Worry stabbed at the young man as he washed his dishes and headed back upstairs, noting the distinct lack of light from his father's room.

With a heavy sigh, he returned to his own room and stripped off the collared shirt and pants. He slipped on his nightly pyjamas, basically a long, white nightshirt, and lay back on his broad, fluffy bed. The young man slipped into sleep without knowing it, his mind still racing with the deal he had made with Reaper and his father's plight.

Despite his worry, however, his body became surprisingly very relaxed for the better part of his first hour of sleep. Then, it abruptly went rigid. A soft moan escaped the young man as his hand went instinctively towards his crotch. The hard piece of young manhood pressed up against his loose nightshirt. A distinct wet spot appeared against the fabric, the smell of his arousal and precum rising in his bedroom long with his temperature.

Paul moaned softly and rolled onto his side, his hand now fully grasping his erect cock. A feral growl rippled from his throat. The muscles around his chest began to tighten and relax rapidly, matching his heavy breathing. Every time he took a fresh breath of air, his lung expanded, pushing his ribs further and further out and forcing them to broaden and stretch. His already firm pectorals ballooned out, pushing against his nightshirt and straining the limits of the torso area. Firm nipples pushed against silken cloth, a low moan rising from his throat.

Rrrrrip!

The young man let out a relieved gasp as a rush of hot air exploded out from the rip in his shirt. Firm, muscular pecs glistening with sweat touched the cool night air, making him shiver slightly. A sigh of relief followed shortly afterward as the scant hairs on his chest began to spread like wildfire all over the mountains of his perfectly square chest muscles. They took on a creamy white colour and covered every inch of his chest. For a second, the fur stood on end... and then pressed back down against his flesh, wrapping his pecs in a comforting, warm embrace.

A soft purring emanated from his throat as he subconsciously reached out with his other hand and tore off the rest of his nightshirt. Finally freed, his cock bounced in the air and drooled more precum onto his sheets. Paul shivered slightly when his bare hand touched his member. Slowly, he began stroking himself, purring to himself. His already hard abdominal muscles pushed out against his flesh, looking so hard that they looked painful. His lats broadened with his shoulders. The same white fur that covered his pecs quickly migrated to his abdominals, first as a big, furry treasury trail. It trailed like a river into the valleys of his abs before overflowing over the mounds and turning into a bright orange as it curled around his flanks and around his back.

The muscles on his back hardened like concrete, setting in stone the defined shape of every mound of muscle along his spine. A ripple ran down his spine. As it passed, the orange fur spread across every vertebrae and embraced it tightly as if to stop it from shivering. Again, Paul was purring to himself as the rippling rolled down to the top of his rounded, bubble butt. The sound of stretching flesh filled his room as a new, excited appendage slowly curled out from the base of his spine. A long, striped, orange tail lashed excitedly behind him, thrashing against his bed and matching the soft faps of his hand rolling up and down his erect cock.

The orange, striped fur quickly rolled over his ass, covering it completely. Paul was panting, his legs curling up against his body as instincts took over, base instincts of pure, animalistic pleasure. His long, lean legs were pumped full of raw strength and muscle as the fur spread all over it. With his two, tree-trunk like legs rubbing against one another, Paul was forced to spread his legs slightly as he twitched in pleasure. His toes curled and twisted as they took on a new shape; the toes becoming bigger, stubbier and even the nails being consumed in the thick, white fur that covered the base of his feet. Black, leathery pads pushed past the fur at his heels and the tips of his toes followed by a quick flex and relaxing of new, sharpened claws that put a smile onto his sleeping features.

The change migrated rapidly towards his cock and balls like it was rushing over to an aspect of his body that it had forgotten. A louder purr rippled from his throat and the young man rolled onto his back, his tail lashing between his legs as white fur covered his rapidly expanding balls. Subconsciously relishing the pleasure, he let go of his cock even as it continued to pulsate and spew precum like there was an invisible hand stroking it. The flesh of his cock became bright pink, the nerves becoming extra sensitive. The white fur stopped at the base of his cock, forming a little sheath that had already been retracted to allow the full length of his rapidly expanding and lengthening cock to break free.

The fur rippled down his arms next, rolling off his bowling ball sized shoulders and expanding his biceps to the size of watermelons. Matched with the ballooning of his triceps, his upper harm was simply enormous. His arm instinctively twitched towards his cock, his arm resting on the cut, silhouette of his abs through his soft, white fur. Another twitch and the change rippled down his forearm, thickening them to match his rapidly expanding musculature. One final twitch and his hand transformed into a big, fluffy, white and orange paw that instinctively found purchase around his throbbing, 16 inch meat.

His purring rose into a rumbling growl. His neck thickened to match every aspect of his body. The shape of his skull changed, a square muzzle pushing itself out of his perfectly picturesque face with a big, flat, pink nose to match. His rounded ears broadened and moved to the top of his head, losing their curves and canyons to become a simple, rounded, furry radar dish that now folded back in pleasure. His teeth sharpened, becoming long, sharp fangs made for shredding.

His growl became so loud, so thunderous that it was almost a roar. His paw gripped his cock and with one mighty burst...

"Yeaaaaaaah!"

A whole slew of his cum splattered all over his creamy, white chest. His entire body was wracked with spasm after spasm as his body gave in to the beast within. His eyes were half-closed and his tail lashing wildly in the throes of his orgasm. Ragged tears appeared across his sheets as his claws tore into them.

When the last burst of cum sprayed out of his cock, Paul rolled onto his belly, pushing the cum further into his fur. At the same time, however, his free paw dragged the thick sheets over his form.

Quinton came in a second later, quietly poking his head in. He fully understood what a stressful life a teenager could lead and having just dumped a bombshell on his son, he understood some 'stress' needed to be relieved. Seeing his son's quietly snoring form, he ignored the heavy scent of musk in the air and closed the door, reminding himself that no matter what happened - whether or not he lost or kept his job - change was in the air.

Of course, he had no idea what changes those were.

*****

Quinton was just picking up the paper from the doorstep - reminding himself that these deliveries might just be one of the expenses they'd have to cut if he lost his job - when...

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

He jumped at the deafening, booming cry that sent made him grateful his morning routine involved going to the toilet after just getting up. When boom-boom-boom of heavy feet hit his ears and the tell-tale squeak of the second step from the ground floor of the stairs, he spun towards the stairwell. What he saw, made his eyes go wide in both shock and amazement.

"Dad! What did you do!?" the enormous eight foot half-tiger, half-man roared in front of him.

Quinton had to blink several times before he recognised his son's blue eyes. "Paul...?"

For a second, the tiger's surprisingly expressive face became one of confusion... and then turned into rage. "Reaper..."

"What...? Paul. Is that you?"

"Of course it's me!" growled Paul. "It must have been Reaper! I bet he put something in that coffee! He turned me into this... this..."

"Magnificent specimen," Quinton finished, unable to help himself. Quinton the geneticist - not Quinton the father - fully took over and he approached his son, dropping his coffee abruptly and the paper on the floor. He instantly seized his son's enormous arms and forced them to flex. "Amazing..." When he saw Paul's thrashing tail, he grasped it gently, eyes wide. "How...?" He looked towards Paul's crotch, amazed at the plump, white sheath that sat that. Shamelessly, he reached for it but was quickly slapped away by his son. Quinton saw his son's 'paws' and seized them next, amazed at the claws sticking out of them. "This is..."

"Crazy? Horrific? Downright fucked up?"

Paul surprised himself. Did he just say 'fucked up'? That was not like him. But he couldn't help it. There was a primal rage boiling inside of him. His brain, heart and body was being overwhelmed with all sorts of sensations. He could smell his father. The scents of the spilled coffee was beyond the bitterness. He could detect the sweetness of the sugar, the slight scent of milk and even the cinnamon his father liked to add. There was a scent on the paper that he could only guess was the delivery boy's. His tail felt so alien yet so right and it took an incredible amount of effort to retract his claws.

"Who did this to you?" his father asked, circling Paul several times.

"A guy names 'Reaper'. He was a guest speaker at my school. Was talking about how humans had reached a dead end not genetically but mentally. He called us all lazy because -"

"We evolve not from environmental need but from desire."

Paul spun around to face his father who gave him a sad smile.

"Son, that's why we're getting fired. The government thinks that we're being a detriment to society. People really don't think for themselves. They just follow trends and as such, change their very genetic structure to those trends. Genetic modifications has become our drug and because of that, we weaken our ability to truly adapt. What if -?"

"Something comes along that we can't adapt to fast enough or adapts faster than we do," Paul finished grumpily. "I know, I know. Reaper said exactly the same thing."

"This Reaper is a very smart man." His father ran a hand along Paul's thick fur on his arm. "Very smart... I wish I could tell how he did this... What tonic he used..." Quinton's eyes sparked up. "Paul, will you let me take a sample of your DNA?"

"If it helps find a cure, fine."

"A cure?" replied Quinton incredulously. "Son, you're the next step in human evolution!"

"Do I look human to you!?"

"I'm sure if we asked the humans of 2013 I wouldn't look human either," answered Quinton with a faint smile. "Paul, don't you understand what this means? If we can isolate the gene that changes you... we can reintroduce an environmental need again. Maybe instead of just tigers, we can introduce canines, wolves, equines, bovines! It won't just be a matter of using the same template but we'd be helping people adapt to their environments! They can be wolves if their environment suits them. If they need to be a bovine, then that is what they will be! It's not just a matter of who you want to be. It's who you have to be!"

"But can't they just take another one of whatever potion you're cooking up to change themselves?" Paul growled.

"Yes but then they'd be uncomfortable! How'd you feel being a cold-blooded scaly lizard in the middle of Canada? Or a thick-furred wolf in the middle of the desert? They'd be forced to evolve on their own!"

"But then people will just made tonics to modify the genes they've been given! You'll get exceptional examples of... of... of whatever I am!"

Quinton's face only brightened. "So what? Humanity won't be using the same template! They won't all be the same and that would ensure people will adapt in their own ways!"

A realisation suddenly struck Paul and rage bubbled up deep inside him. "You just want this so you can keep your job... don't you?"

His father gave him an incredulous look that was clearly strained. "Paul, I -"

"You sick son-of-a-bitch!" Before he knew what he was doing, he was hoisting his father off the ground and slamming him hard against the nearby wall. Quinton gasped as Paul's claws dug into his shoulders. "You'd turn all of humanity into monsters just so you can keep your job!? I should kill you right now -"

He paused.

When had he been so murderous? He could smell his father's fear and it riled up the beast deep inside of him. With a growl, he tore his claws away from his father's flesh, bringing a gasp. He spun and marched up the stairs, each of his steps a thunderous boom that shook the house.

"Where are you going!?"

"To meet Reaper!"

Paul slammed his door shut the moment he entered his room. The doorframe cracked with the force and he stared at his now very massive hand... paw? He was many times stronger than he had been before and that scared him. Trying to stem his anger, he searched his clothes for that calling card Reaper had left. When he found it, he had a little trouble manoeuvring his stubby fingers over the dials of his phone. In the end, he was forced to use his claws gently.

"The café where we met?"

He blinked a couple of times, regarding his phone and Reaper's voice at the same time with surprise. "You knew?"

"We made a deal, didn't we?"

"You turned me into a fuckin' monster!"

When did he swear so much...? Yet at the same time, this wasn't exactly a 'normal' situation. Swearing was a perfectly normal reaction to being turned into a tiger-man.

"The monster was always inside of you, Paul."

"This is not who I am inside!"

"Are you sure? Take a good, long look at the mirror. Who do you see?"

Paul pulled his gaze towards the mirror in his bedroom. What he saw... was odd but it still felt like it was him for some reason. More 'him' than what he had been before. The stripes were uniquely shaped, the colours and tones of his fur were distinctly his own and even the matt of blonde hair he had just... it just felt like he was looking at himself for the first time.

"I thought so," Reaper answered, snapping Paul out of his reverie. "Come to the café this morning, Paul. Bring your school things. There are clothes in your top drawer that will suit your build."

Then he hung up.

Puzzled, and a little scared, Paul wandered over to his drawer and pulled it open. True to Reaper's words, there were clothes that suited his immense bulk. Within the hour, he was marching out of the door in a white, shirt that had a plunging neckline to expose his firm adnominal muscles. As with the style of the times, it had long, silky sleeves with lace wrists. A black vest with golden buttons wrapped around his chest, hugging the shirt's loose form to accentuate his 'V' shaped form. A pair of dark blue pants tucked into his boots, showing off his calves.

He felt self-conscious walking out into the middle of the street. There was something about Reaper's tone that told him everything would be alright and though he got a lot of curious stares, no one minded him. Had humanity dropped so far that even when a tiger-man walked the streets, they just assumed it was the latest trend and coveted it? Even when he passed a few policemen, they nodded at him and bid him a good day! One even complemented him on his stripes!

When he reached the café, Reaper was once again there with a coffee in his paws and one already ready for Paul. The tiger sat down, the seat creaking beneath his weight.

"Explain," he growled deeply.

"All I did was unlock the potential deep inside of you," answered Reaper, taking a sip of his coffee and wincing. "Still too hot." He coughed a couple of times and regarded Paul with his hidden gaze. "That you were turned into a half-tiger, half-man hybrid is merely the product of that."

"What 'potential'? How can this be me?"

Reaper shrugged. "I just opened the door, Paul. What came out, is entirely you. Maybe you've always felt very tiger-ish. A bit of a loner. Little territorial but also a very caring about those around him. A hunter and predator when things get difficult? Didn't you spy me in this very café, saw an opportunity and took it? Didn't you consider the rest of the world to be alien and you so alone that sought to change that situation?"

"You have no right to do this to me!"

"Like I said, I didn't change you into what you are. I just opened the door."

Paul realised there were going in circles. That didn't stop the rage from bubbling up inside of him. His claws were retracting and scraping against the table. To keep his mind off mauling the man before him, he said, "How did you do this? Why?"

Reaper suddenly pointed upwards. "Short answer? Magic. The Big Cheese saw where humanity was going; saw how they were becoming lazy slobs that were destroying every fragment of individuality by overdosing with genetic alterations. Individuality was failing and with individuality, the desire to change naturally. Humanity was becoming fleshy robots, all built around the same template with only a spark of ingenuity once every year when there was a time a thousand years ago when the world was simply afire with new discoveries, new movements in various fields and, most of all, there was competition."

"There's still competition!" Paul protested.

"Is there really?" Reaper leaned forward, a knowing smile on his face. "When your friend Stefan challenged you, did you feel that spark of desire to outdo him?"

"Of course!"

"For how long before the knowledge that he would beat you because he'd taken more tonics than you throughout his life quelled it?"

"I thought that was in the spirit of your speech! I didn't want to take the tonics to better myself!"

Reaper laughed softly, shaking his head. "Paul, my speech wasn't about not taking the tonics to better yourself. It's about not trivialising the evolutionary process. Look around you. You're an effectively a new species walking amongst these people and they're looking at you with a predatory stare as they want what you have, but better. Humanity wants to better itself, that's fine, but when people start blindly looking at anything new as something they want without considering the implications... they're suffering from the most carnal sin of envy. Worse yet, envy will bring greed."

"Then what purpose will changing me like this serve?" Paul asked, calming down slightly. "They'll just take my genes, splice it and make potions that will change them into creatures like me... just like my dad said."

There, Reaper chuckled. "When your father gets to his lab, he will come to the horrifying conclusion that you are still essentially human. Your DNA has not changed whatsoever. In fact, if you were to find a girl right now and impregnated her, your child will be human." Reaper lifted a finger and pointed it at Paul. "It's about choice, Paul. Choice and hardship dictates who we are. Maybe a teenager will decide to remain human to rebel against his parents but change for that special someone. Maybe they want to change immediately to fit in but will regret the decision later on.

"Evolution comes from the need to change, not the desire to. Countless stories will face hardship. People will suffer. There will be protests. There will be pain. But humanity will be the stronger for it. I predict rallies, racism, wars. But in the end..." Reaper sat back, folding his hands over the table. "... humanity will be saved from itself. And you need not worry. I'll be here to keep it all safe. But where this goes from here, whether you advertise to the world that you are here as their saviour, lie about it being a gene tonic or some other way, it's entirely up to you."

"You're leaving this up to me?"

"You still have my calling card. I can come in and help whenever you need me. Don't worry, though, other people are changing just like you around the world. You aren't the first."

"How do I change others?"

"Just like we agreed. Just have them agree to be changed. That's the magic of choice. As long as they want it and they accept it wholeheartedly, they'll change to whatever lies beyond the door made of up cosmetic mutations and genetic junk."

Paul frowned deeply, staring at the man squarely in the eye. "Who are you?"

"Let's call me a... consultant." He pointed upwards. "The Big Cheese up there saw where humanity was going, saw that it was becoming a complacent, stubborn child without a desire to move forward. Humanity was becoming a stagnant race that has slowed to evolution's equivalent of going backwards. Not all trends are good for you, after all."

"You work for God?" Paul blinked a couple of times. "What's he look like?"

Reaper chuckled and stood up. "Now Paul, you know I can't tell you that. In the meantime, you best head off to school. You'll be late."

*****

Heading back into Rockwater High School, Paul couldn't help but swagger a little. His tail was swishing behind him proudly as people stared at him both in shock and awe. Seeing the world divided between envy and disgust made him proud.

Reaper was right, he would polarise the world but it also meant there would be competition in the world. The need for change was introduced again. And humanity would change for it.

"Paul!?"

He looked down at the much smaller Davis. Everyone seemed so much smaller. "Hey buddy," he replied. "How'd you know it was me?"

Davis pointed at his bag. "I only know one person with a bag that has a scratch on its left pocket like that and wears a drink bottle in the actual bag poking out instead of in the bottle holder."

Was that really all that made people unique these days? How they wore their bags?

"Well, you got something else to identify me by," Paul said proudly, flexing his muscles. "Like the new stripes?"

"Yeah!" Davis exclaimed enthusiastically. Then he reeled himself in. "H - How'd you do this? Wh - What tonic did you take?"

"I -" Paul tried to think quickly of an excuse but he became all too aware of the strange scent of arousal from Davis and the bulk forming in his pants. A predatory smirk crossed his features and he took a step towards his friend. "Have you always been attracted to me, Davis?"

The young man's eyes bulged and he retreated a step, only making the bigger Paul smirk. "I - I - What? Dude, you're... you're not making sense."

"You're right," Paul answered, an evil gleam in his eyes. "Hey, I'm sweaty in this heat. All this fur and all. I'm going to shower in the gym."

"I'll come too!" Davis said all too eagerly.

That only made the tiger smirk. He swaggered through the hallways with the rest of the school staring after him. Stefan emerged from the locker room just as they were entering. He let out a gasp and a very girlish yelp, leaping back in surprise.

"Whoa! What the!?"

"Hey, mate," Paul said, adding a growl to his words just for extra emphasis.

"P - Paul!? Wh - What happened to you?"

Just for kicks, Paul said, "Magic." He wrapped a massive paw around Davis' shoulder and guided him to the lockers rooms. "Come on, Davis. You need a shower too. You stink."

Davis blinked several times and gave him a befuddled look. "I do?"

Paul leaned down, his lips and muzzle hovering over Davis' ears in a whisper. "Yes. Of arousal."

The younger human swallowed loudly and numbly followed Paul as they entered the locker room. Many of the early morning teams and those preparing for day's athletics rally were just leaving and stared after Paul as he reached an empty locker and began to strip off his clothing. Though the locker room smelled of sweat and dirt, he could detect all of their different scents and more than one smelled of arousal. Some of them had the pungent stench of fear on them and they were quickly out the door. Those that stayed, were either aroused or didn't care and that made him proud. Change was in the air.

Glancing over his shoulder at the semi-stunned Davis, he confirmed that change was definitely in the air.

"All of you, out," he rumbled.

Everyone that remained obeyed. Davis was about to get up but Paul sized his shoulder and forced him to sit down on the bench.

"Not you." Paul rubbed his furry sheath, licking his lips seductively. "What would you say if I told you that I could make you like me?"

Davis' lips quivered. "Y - You mean a tiger?"

"Not necessarily." Paul couldn't help it. The predator in him was rising to the surface and with it, giving rise to his arousal. It felt good to have the blood pumping towards his loins once more. Every word he uttered came with a soft, feral growl followed by a gentle purring. "Depends on what you've got into you, Davis. Feeling up to taking the plunge?"

His friend swallowed loudly. "What would I have to do?"

It was his choice how he dictated this change would progress. So why not make it fun?

"Take off your pants and bend over."

Davis' eyes widened. "P - Paul..."

"Are you saying 'no'?"

The young man shook his head and slowly wiggled out his pants, tossing aside his buckled shoes. His cock was already fully erect. Davis bent over on the bench, quivering. "B - Be gentle... I... I haven't done this before..."

"Sure thing."

Grinning broadly, Paul slowly pressed his cock against Davis' waiting ass. The touch of the warm ring of muscle against the tip of his cock sent shivers down his spine and urged the animal forward. With a deep growl, he pushed himself into his friend, only barely reigning in the beast from impaling Davis completely. The young man gasped first in pain but that quickly turned into a soft whine.

Paul's lips pulled back in a grin as he saw a thick coating of white fur start to ripple out from the point of contact. He pressed himself further into Davis, sliding his cock in and out in slow, taunting motions that made both him and Davis shake in delight. A deep rumbling filled his chest, his heart racing. The beast wanted to get in there, to ravage the boy but Paul told it to hold back and relish the moment. There was going to be plenty more asses to fuck. He was already devising a reason why it had to be the ass - didn't want to risk pregnancy, after all.

He pressed his paw against Davis' back, being sure to keep his claws retracted. His friend's whine became a full blown whimper as the white fur rapidly spread across his hardening ass. His glutes firmed up like steel buns, gripping Paul's cock in their vice-like grip. Paul growled deeply, pushing himself deeper into Davis' shifting body. The white fur rolled onto Davis' thighs just, spearheaded by thick, pulsating veins that pumped fresh mass and muscle into the young man's legs. The curves of his muscles and the bulging of every mound made the boy shiver. The fur became grey as it wrapped around his legs, crawling down to his thickening calves. Bones cracked and his toes wiggled in joy. Black claws jutted out of his toes as they became shaped just like Paul's.

Davis was panting wildly, barely able to hold himself up as the intense pleasure of having the friend he had lusted for years finally entered him in the sexy form. Better yet, the change was sending wild, new sensations into his brain that drove him absolutely wild. His cock was dripping precum in rivers and he could feel Paul's own natural lubricant flood his ass like warm sap that fed his body with the change. He accepted it, willed it further and mentally begged Paul to drive further and further into him.

Paul began thrusting his hips hard into Davis as the young man's body lengthened and adjusted to fit the monster cock. Between each pant, Davis was letting out gruff barks. The immense sensation of release began mounting at the base of the young man's spine, first manifesting as a little nub of flesh that wiggled with his heartbeat. Slowly, it lengthened to about an arm's length, covered in the thick grey fur that covered his legs. His newfound tail thwacked lovingly against Paul's hard, abdominal muscles, painting the image of their shape in Davis' head.

Davis let out one particularly loud bark as the change rippled up his cock. His manhood shot forward to its full 14 inches, letting out a large spurt of precum that hit his chin.

The noise attracted some attention, however.

The door to the locker rooms sprang open and Stefan stood at the door, eyes wide open.

"Holy -!" He quickly shut the door behind him. "Paul! Davis!? What the -?"

"You want in on this, man?" Paul asked, grinning from ear to ear. "Wanna be big, furry and buff like me?" He flexed his free bicep taunting. From the corner of Davis' eyes, he could see the mound of muscle and found himself drooling. "All you got to do is get in line and let one of us fuck you up the ass!"

There was a flicker in Stefan's eyes. "Is... Is that the only way to change...?"

"Yup."

Davis couldn't help but grin. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to have Stefan change around his cock. He lusted for it. He was growling as the change rippled up from his cock and up his abdominal muscles. A moan escaped him as his belly became covered in the same white fur as Paul's but his flanks were wreathed in the same grey fur around his legs. His belly clenched as the muscles tightened and broadened. For a second, he couldn't breathe as his chest muscles ballooned out but the moment they became the plump, perfectly square shapes they were destined to be, he let out a happy bark.

"No!" Stefan cried, stepping back. "I am not going to be one of you if that's the price I have to pay! Get away from me!"

He was out the door, slamming it behind him.

"Stefan!" Davis growled.

Pauls' rough tongue across his shoulder made him shudder. "Let him go, Davis. This is part of change; part of evolution. This is humanity's destiny."

Davis could only whimper softly as Paul pressed his hard body against his broad, muscular back. Like stretching old muscles, his back broadened to greedily press more of his flesh against Paul's much bigger Chest. Davis found himself growing a little taller than Paul, his body build for running and covering long distances while Paul was all about power... power that he loved. Davis twisted his head around to face Paul's muzzle. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite press their lips together.

That was quickly rectified.

Like someone was pushing his face out from inside his skull, he found his lips pushing forward followed by his hardening nose. The tip of his nose became a jet black and flattened out. His long, flat tongue lashed out and brushed against Paul's lips. Paul smiled at the gesture and pressed their lips together. The moment they kissed, the change in Davis spread down the young man's arms and took the rest of his head. His ears became large and triangular while his biceps became lean and muscular, nowhere near as large as Paul's but still much greater than any human's.

They both collapsed on the locker room bench, Paul's hips thrusting hard into Davis' ass. The newly formed wolf seized his own cock with his massive paw, stroking himself and loving the touch of the slick piece of meat that tapered to a point. He moaned into the kiss, a howl building in his throat as he felt a large bulb start to form at the base of his cock. Taking a peek, he found a knot starting to form and couldn't help but grin.

Paul wrapped his tail around Davis' thighs as his thrust became wild and frantic. The tiger was growling, his body tensing more and more as their climax came rushing towards them like a tsunami. With the force his body allowed him, Paul threw Davis on top of him and thrust his cock upward, arching his back. A thunderous roar rippled from his throat as his cock sprayed his load straight into the wolf. Davis let out his howl of ecstasy, broken only briefly when his own cock spurted hot, seed all over his chest.

Both boys were left quivering for a few short minutes as their cocks continued to spray seed onto the locker room floor.

Paul nibbled lightly on Davis' shoulders. The scent of their lovemaking was in the air... but so too was the scent of other young men. Slowly, the tiger tore himself away from the sleep that was threatening to take him and looked around.

About a dozen other guys were standing around them. Not all of them had erections but those that didn't were looking with the lust of power in their eyes.

"Can I help you guys?" he asked, grinning and already knowing the answer.

There was silence for a second.

Then...

"Stefan said that to become like you guys... You got to fuck us."

"That's right," rumbled Davis, filled with energy. He pulled himself off Paul's cock, leaving the tiger shivering and wanting more of the wolf's embrace. But seeing the wolf on his feet and bouncing with enthusiasm, filled himself with just as much energy. The beast inside him awoke from the post-orgasm nap and saw all the prey around him... all willing men to join the revolution.

Paul grinned broadly. "Who's first?"

*****

The café was simply abuzz with the news of the new 'anthropomorphic revolution'. Half of the people in the state were already changed and humanity was quickly being polarised between maintaining their humanity to 'taking the next step'. As different species began to emerge from the transformations, personal preferences were also arising. Normally herbivorous species no longer ate meat while carnivores exclusively ate nothing but red meat. Dissension ruled the ranks of the new species but that was made them unique. Each species was geared towards their own tasks, their own preferences and their own destinies.

"Not everyone shares the same destiny now." Reaper took a sip of his coffee and scowled. "Still too hot..."

"You could always make it colder."

The finely dressed man smiled at the figure across from him. "Maybe. But I think I've messed with this world enough, don't you?"

"You've done exactly as I requested."

"Well, it is your world, after all."

"And for that, I thank you for aiding me. I was afraid I would be responsible for the extinction of individuality in my world." The man sighed. "I guess even after you earn your story, there are still many lessons to learn, huh?"

"We never stop growing. That is what evolution is all about. That doesn't exclude those of us who have the power to create our own worlds."

Another sigh. "Thank you. And thank you for keeping my secret from my son."

"I respect your decision, Quinton. Everyone builds their worlds however they see fit." Reaper smiled slyly. "Though tell me. Do you plan on asking him to fuck you now?"

Paul's father sat back, folding his arms smugly. "We'll see. I still have much work to do to make sure the transition can be smoother. There are those in my lab who are frantically trying to find a 'cure'. I need to let them keep believing that for a little longer. It's too soon for them. Evolution takes a while, after all. Change doesn't happen overnight."

Reaper laughed softly.

"Tell that to your son."