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Bat in the Belfry Written by Leo_Todrius Commissioned by Guderian

The Rathbone Museum of Art was one of the city's crowning jewels. It housed a robust and varied collection of art so large that it could not display all of its pieces at one time, and rotated them through from season to season. It was a sociological Mecca, bringing together those from all walks of life. Students, street performers, connoisseurs and collectors walked through the halls, taking in every piece. Even the building itself was a work of art, built using some of the most exotic designs from some of the world's most mysterious architects.

As diverse and varied as the experience was during the day, however, that particular scope shrank at closing time. By eleven at night, the entire museum was seen through the lens of four guards. Louis remained beneath the museum with the vault, Carlos made patrols around the outside of the building, while Billy and Gilbert divided the interior. It was a bit of overkill considering the museum had invested in motion sensors, pressure sensors, even carbon dioxide detectors in the most sensitive reaches. The one thing they had skimped out on was the typical number of cameras. For Gil, that was alright with him. It was job security.

Gilbert moved down the promenade hall, the beam of his flashlight swaying side to side. The hall was long, crisp white, and the starlight gave it a soft ambiance through the rib like windows running down its length. Every so often he'd catch a faint glimpse of his reflection and remember just how inartistic he was.

Gilbert was thirty three. He'd already succumbed to male pattern baldness and had elected to shave his head instead, but his generally red skin tone from good circulation hadn't helped his appearance much. His hazel eyes surveyed everything through the glasses resting on his Swiss nose. As Gilbert reached the end of the hallway, he reached down and tapped a small remote on his belt. A tiny LED indicator at the end of the hallway flashed blue, indicating that the motion sensors had accepted his presence. True to form, any exception to the security system had to be double checked.

"Gilbert, location?" Billy questioned. His partner's voice sounded bored, tired of the monotony. Out of all of them, Billy had the hardest time adjusting to the night life.

"I'm about to enter the belfry, don't mind me." Gilbert replied. Again the coms went silent. Gilbert moved into the rotunda, relieved to be in a bit of a larger space. Sensing an occupant, the spotlight snapped on, illuminating and glinting off of the massive copper statue at the center of the room. The statue had come from Mister Rathbone himself, one of the many pieces contributed to the museum upon his death. It was a bit of an enigma, though countless stories had sprung up about it. For Gilbert, there had always been something.... weird about it.

The statue was almost twelve feet tall, stand included, depicting a massive anthropomorphic bat creature. Its wings were spread wide, its arms carefully flexed, showing off massive pectorals, abdominal muscles, and behemoth legs. Even its posterior was painstakingly forged, showing an inordinate amount of detail. While the metallic depiction of some sort of loin cloth covered the front genitalia, the muscled ass cheeks were on full display with even the hint of detailing deep down.

The statue's face had the hooked nose and fox like profile of a variety of different species of bats, and its ears were perked up tall and proud, as if sensing any threats from the distance. Gilbert stood before the statue, looking up at the copper metal with a strange mix of emotions. He felt confused, as he did most nights, but he also felt an odd sense of jealousy. High school students like to tell stories about how Mister Rathbone had been some sort of vampire and the statue was his mascot. Others simply chalked it up to him being some sort of Furry and the statue was an ultimate expression of ego and vanity. Gilbert wasn't sure why, but the statue irritated him. Perhaps it was because it was an ultimate expression of an artist, untrapped and unfettered by society. Perhaps it was because this sublime creature had everything he wanted, everything he had failed to have.

Gilbert circled the statue, his heart racing as he looked at it. He had wanted cool hair, but had lost it. He had wanted muscle, but had never gained it. He had wanted to be talked about, to be famous, to be liked... Nothing. Gilbert stopped behind the statue, looking at the copper ass, not sure why he was lingering so long. Why couldn't life be easier?

Gilbert moved closer to the metal, gazing into the reflection, almost mesmerized. He wondered if it had been some kind of jock if he ever would have been so bold, if he ever could have had a body even remotely as toned as the statue. Without thinking, a hand reached out and touched the copper. Beneath the spotlights it was warm to the touch, practically body temperature. Somewhere deep near the back of his mind, the guard was pleased that there was no camera in that room, and no way for Billy to approach without him being warned with motion detectors snapping off and on. That way no one would get the wrong idea.

The guard stood there with one hand on the ass, gazing into the metal. He leaned closer and closer, trying to make out the detailing within the crevice, or at least trying to figure out how it had been made. It obviously was a pucker, as ass hole, a sphincter... But who would take the time to put one on a statue? Who would go to such efforts? It was insane, but then again a twelve foot bat man was equally insane.

Once more Gilbert's ideas were running away from him. The bat statue wasn't just a jock, it was the captain of the football team. It was his rival, his opponent, a competitor in everything he had done in his life. In a strange, uncontained fit of rage the guard slung his flashlight in his belt and grabbed onto the other ass cheek with his free hand and started to push on the statue.

It was a crazy act of rebellion, of discord, of defiance. Gilbert imagined the statue toppling off its stand, falling to the ground, breaking. An investigation would be launched, he might even have been found out. Without cameras he could think up some story. He'd be fired for gross negligence and the insurance company would reimburse the museum. In his own mind he'd know what he had done. He would have vanquished unrealistic ideals. He would have dethroned the version of man he never would have been.

Gilbert gritted his teeth and pushed harder, leaning into it, edging ever closer to his target. He groaned and grunted, straining. Veins were popping out on his forehead and neck. His muscles bulged and a sweat stain formed on the chest of his shirt. He opened his mouth and let out a deep grunt of exertion before something unexpected happened; something warm and soft pressed to his face. More than that, it was pressing around his face.

Two perky, muscled ass cheeks were sliding up around Gilbert's face. They slipped over the guard's cheeks with ease, parting as an earthy aroma surrounded the young man. As his face delved deeper, it suddenly hit bottom in the form of tight, tiny ring of wrinkled flesh. As the pucker hit Gilbert's lips, it parted just enough to let out an erotically, sinfully wrong aroma. It smelled of nuts, of earth, and of musk.

Something unexpected game as an electric twang ripped through Gilbert's body. His fingers curled, his cock stirred in his pants and his nipples stood on end. Panic ripped through Gilbert's mind. He opened his eyes, but didn't see copper. He saw gray fur with metallic undertones. The furry ass was coming around his face until his vision was obscured. The guard suddenly reached out to try and get it off of him, but the muscled ass only clamped down more tightly. He mumbled and grunted, trying to pry himself off but every time he pushed against those ass cheeks it only served to tighten the hold the figure had over his head.

A low, delighted purr came from somewhere above Gilbert as the copper casing ebbed and faded, releasing the petrified statue. The bat beneath was free and he slowly rotated his ass, keeping the guard trapped inside. Gil struggled and hit at it to get free, but his efforts came to no avail. The smell was overwhelming, but more than that it was getting in his mouth. The flavor was everywhere; on his teeth, his tongue, his nose. He tried to spit, but that just lubed his face up so it slipper around easier. It felt like torture, contrary to everything Gilbert had done in life. He decided to take a risk and turned his head as much as he could before he bit down.

There was a momentary shriek of hypersonic pitch before the bat fell forward. Gilbert stumbled back, his face wet with musk. He panted hard before he turned and ran out of the room, his feet pounding down the hallway floor. He rounded the corner, pushed through the doors and circled the stairs. Before thirty seconds had passed he was out of the building and running through the parking lot. Maybe he had snapped. Maybe the statue had fallen when he'd pushed it and it had landed right on his head. Whatever had happened, it couldn't explain the sensations he had of being trapped in that furry ass, feeling the hot flesh against him. Nothing about it made sense and only some clear air could help, or so Gilbert hoped.

---

The sun was slowly setting over the city, casting shade s of amber and citrus across the sky. Only the bravest of tars had dared show up, and for some reason Gilbert had been brave enough to drive to work. He had been afraid that day to even look at his phone. The voice mails had stacked up, the missed calls numbering more than half a dozen. Whatever the news had been, it couldn't have been good. Eventually the pressure had been just too much and he wanted to be done with it... but the messages weren't at all what he had expected. There were messages from the shift supervisor about proper clocking out procedure, as well as messages form his co-workers about going home sick. They had assumed he got some sort of food poisoning or flu, that he had fled work and broken protocol. His absence had triggered a quick investigation, something that the museum HR department had informed him cost a good deal of money, but everything had been accounted for - which, of course, meant the statue too. If the bat statue was there, in its place, unsullied, then he truly had gone insane. It all had been in his head.

Gilbert slowly got out of his car, locked it, and made his way into the museum. He bypassed the main entrance and took the employee doors. His badge was swiped, his body scanned, and he picked up his security belt. A few of the employees even said they were glad he was feeling better. Gil did his best to smile softly and continue on his way, feeling more and more ashamed by the minute. But, there was one thing that kept him going. If he had gone insane, then he needed the health insurance from work to cover his expenses. Being a nutcase was never cheap.

The sun set, the moon rose, the stars came out and the museum was closed. The main lights dimmed to a third brightness as the security system armed. Gilbert moved through the halls, trying to calm himself looking at the prehistoric mammals room. The bones always gave him an odd sense of calmness. It didn't last though.

"Maybe it was that taco truck..." Carlos asked over the radio. Gilbert groaned.

"I didn't eat at the taco truck." Gilbert replied.

"Well, Maybe it was... Wait, you still pack your lunch in tin foil, right? Dude, you really need to use the common room fridge, man. You're going to catch yourself some salmonolla." Carlos replied.

"Salmonella, not olla... He isn't getting Ebola." Billy corrected. Gilbert didn't comment, wondering in his head if it really could have been something he ate... He had mushrooms in his salad, but they had come from the grocery store. Out of the corner of his eye Gilbert caught sight of a red light so he tapped the remote on his belt. True to form, the radio crackled. "Ah, Gil, where are you at?" Billy asked after a moment. The question caught Gilbert off guard. He paused where he was and realized that he'd fallen into his usual routine, going through the motions, walking on autopilot. He blushed before hitting his microphone. The answer, though, took a split second longer to admit as a cold chill ran down Gil's spine. He took a big swallow before speaking.

"I'm at the belfry." He said weakly.

"Well, don't let anything bite you." Carlos chuckled. Gil said nothing, willing himself to step into the room. He knew that seeing the statue in its place would have comforted him, and while he would have kept thinking about it for some time, his encounter would have eventually faded from his mind. Nothing could have prepared him for the fact that the statue was now in an entirely different position.

The guard dropped his flashlight to the floor and began panting, looking at the bat statue with shock and borderline terror. No longer standing tall and proud, the bat was in a three point stance like some sort of super hero landing for a glory shot on a poster, though he was leaned a bit more forward, bringing specific emphasis to his metal posterior... and in the new position, the metal loin cloth did nothing to hide the bat phallus when someone was looking from behind.

After a few moments of freaking out, Gilbert started to circle the statue, taking a look at it. Surely someone would have noticed such a profound change when they ran the inspection. Had the mere presence of a bat been enough to convince them everything was fine? Did none of them pay as much attention as he? Gil was nearly shaking in his boots, almost in as much rage at not getting caught as being in the predicament in the first place - until he saw the info graphic plaque at the base of the statue.

There had always been a display coated in plastic explaining all about the statue. It had a photograph which seemed redundant given the statue was right above it, then a cross section, a picture of the molding casks, and then a text description. Gil had looked at the plaque a thousand times, even read it a few dozen as he had with the other pieces in the museum... But it hadn't just been the statue that changed position. It was everything. The picture, the molds, the cross section... Even the postcards on the far side of the room showed the bat statue in its new position. Gil circled around it in shock, doubting his memories, his psychological condition, and then... his senses. He slowed to a stop as that earthy, salty, manly musk hit him again. As if preparing for a big meal, his mouth started to water. Gil got so embarrassed he was practically green... but there was no denying that his nipples tightened, his cock hardened, and his body started to quiver.

It was hard to place just why he felt like he felt. Was it the fact that he'd shared such a profound experience with the statue, an experience that the entire world was unaware of? Was it that he had been trapped in the ass of all he was jealous of? Was it that taste that had coated his mouth, that he had washed out only after four beers and some Listerine... Gil stopped right behind the ass of the statue, looking at it on full display.

No longer was the bat ass hidden, or the ass cheeks pressed together by proper posture. The bat was leaning forward which jutted his ass right out, parting the cheeks, leaving the copper ring on display. Gil blushed as his manhood hardened in his pants. He'd never been gay, he'd never been a freak, but there was something magnetic about the statue. There it was, that ass, right there... and it had been so delicious, so inviting, so welcoming and comfortable.

Gil took a step toward the statue, then another before finally he ran at it and grabbed on with both hands. The young man's head leaned in, his tongue emerged and touched the copper sphincter. There was the familiar tingle of heat, almost of electricity before hte sphincter opened up and caught his tongue. Gil let out a grunt of surprise as his head was reeled in and his tongue was pulled to its limit.

The pressure tat the back of his tongue was immense, pulling his jaw forward by the excessive musculature that anchored it all in place. His taste buds stood on end, his tongue was so tight it couldn't even flail... And then slowly, ever so slowly, it started to stretch. At first Gil thought he was getting loose, but that wasn't the case. His lips were tight on the ass of the bat, but his tongue was exploring the fleshy depths of the apparently metal statue.

Gil tried a few times to push away from the bat statue, but just like before it didn't work... So he did something else instead, he leaned his head all the way in. The cheeks closed over his own, the light of the museum room disappearing. He was smothered in warm, soft, furry bat ass. His tongue had found the rich deposits of musky, earthy oils inside that ass and it was saturating his tongue. Gil started to wriggle his fleshy appendage, letting the motions bring some small remote pleasure to the magnificent ass keeping his head prisoner.

As if sensing his compliance, the bat ass slowly loosened, giving him some control over his tongue - but Gil didn't snap it back out. He started to thrust his tongue back and forth, tongue fucking the bat ass. As he gave in and embraced his strange destiny, the tingling throughout his body only intensified. His already hard cock started to throb and ache in ways it never had before, stretching longer and longer, the mushroom shaped head tapering to a point. Even Gil's mouth was different as his long tongue slipped between the longer, sharper points of his canine fangs.

Given a little bit of tether, it was easy to see his tongue was at least a foot and a half long, disappearing up into the crouching bat that was turning fuzzier by the second. Gil's grin was manic and fang filled, and his hands had fumbled with his pants until he had freed a twelve inch, purple, thick bat cock. His hand worked it up and down before he let out a squeaky groan and gobs of his semen splattered out across the wide stand the statue was displayed on. At last his long tongue slipped free and Gil fell to the floor, enjoying the last throes of his orgasm.

Wet spots grew across his tan uniform where the semen had landed, staining it in ways it would take special soaps to get rid of - but Gilbert didn't care. He gazed up at the ceiling with a soft, odd grin on his face. It had felt amazing to tongue fuck that statue, to become one with it in such a strange way... but his enjoyment was limited. He only had a certain amount of time to make it to the checkpoints, then to make it back. With luck he'd have one more opportunity in the belfry before his shift was over, but it was clear he had to keep his job. If he was fired, he might never have another moment alone with the statue.

Gil forced himself to his feet and stuffed his wet cock back into his pants, looking back up at the statue. It was copper once more, returning to its original form. Gil panted hard before finally leaving the belfry. Once he had put enough distance between him and the room, the security sensor snapped back to red. The grid was armed against any movement and any intruders. Gil had a strange grin on his fang filled face, running his fingers across his chin. It'd be hard to get through the end of shift without his co-workers noticing, even harder to come back the next day, but he had a plan...

---

The time clock chirped and sang like a canary as employee badges were swiped through the slot, allowing the steady flow of tour guides, gift shop clerks, and other museum staff to filter out into the parking lot. As they left, the night guards were coming in through the side door.

"Have a good night Keith." Billy called out, brushing his blond bangs out of his face as he clocked in. He maneuvered around those that were leaving with enough ease, standing in the scanner long enough for Louis to give a nod of confirmation that he was not in fact carrying any equipment that could be used to rob the museum. Billy smiled and moved around the corner to the box that held their gear, but as he reached for his belt he realized one was already missing.

"I'm not late, am I?" Billy asked. Louis chuckled and shook his head.

"Nah, Gilbert even beat me here. He's already on the clock... No permission of course, so he'll get in trouble for overtime." Louis replied. Billy smirked.

"I guess he's just trying to make up for going home early that night, try to look eager. It isn't a bad job, it'd be terrible to lose it." Billy said, slinging on his belt. Before long they'd all have the place to themselves.

---

Each guard patrol had a certain amount of distance to cover, certain checkpoints to reach, and a general flow. They all had their quirks and foibles, though they all had off nights too. The boys had given Gil a bit of fun regarding his early work ethic, but most of the radio chatter had come from Carlos as he relayed blow for blow reenactments of a verbal altercation a drunk couple was having at the edge of the parking lot. None of it really phased Gil.

The bald guard had evaded any recognition of his changed state. He'd clocked in, he'd passed through his first five checkpoints in the minimum amount of time he could manage without suspicion, and he'd been waiting at the edge of the belfry for what seemed like an eternity. He gazed through the doorway with his hazel eyes, looking at the statue that was waiting for him... and Gil knew it was.

No longer in a three point stance, the bat was on all fours, its wings splayed out like metal arches. Sticking out right behind it, aimed at the archway Gil stood behind, was that pert, muscled, delicious ass. Gil couldn't see the face, but he imagined it to be frozen in the throes of passion, a prelude of what was to come. Gil grinned his fang grinned smile, a hand working his bat cock, feeling it dribble precum across his stomach.

Whatever jealousy there had been before was long gone. He'd spent the day masturbating more than he had in his teenage years, covering his apartment in cum... and yet he was still horny. Nothing would satiate him but his bat lover, and today would be the day. He hadn't washed his mouth out this time and the flavor of that ass was still with him, but he wasn't hear to tongue fuck it again. No, he was going to put his new anatomy to use. Gil glanced down at his watch and decided enough time had passed to get through without suspicion. He pressed the button on his remote and the light flicked from red to blue.

"Hey Gil, where you at?" Billy asked. Gil cleared his throat before he clicked the radio and stared walking.

"Just about the halfway point, passing through the belfry." Gilbert said in his best attempt at sounding normal, but as soon as he said it he clicked the timer on his watch and moved in. The guard's shirt hit the floor first, then his boots were dropped one by one, and finally his pants. Gil hadn't put on any underwear, or even an undershirt. He had let his uniform be the one thin layer between his inner secret and the outside world. With a confident stride he approached the statue, his hot hand finding the curve of the metal globe making up one pert ass cheek.

A long, dripping tongue snaked out of his mouth, slipping around his face. Gil still hadn't fully gotten the hang of using it, but he was getting better. His cock, on the other hand, was something he had mastered over the last twenty four hours. His apartment was a rancid, cum soaked wasteland. He'd masturbated in every corner, to every bat related fantasy his mind could think of... but now it was different. Now he was at the heart of it all, where it had all started to change for the more interesting and the better.

Gil moved up behind the statue, coming closer until his hands were groping and massaging the metallic ass cheeks. They still felt so shockingly warm to the touch, like living entities. He knew with his touch he could bring it to life, but this time he wasn't going to rim the sexy monster, he was going to claim it as his. Gil's bat cock edged closer and closer to the copper anus, looking at the detailing in the sphincter. It was clear that this was no ordinary sculpture. It was a sublime living creature, a beast trapped in some way. Gil wondered if his cock was the key that would unlock the entire mystery.

In one electric instant the cock head touched the metal asshole. The metal turned to flesh and accepted the intruder. Gil thrust deep, ramming up between those furry brown cheeks as the metal ebbed away. The guard was thrusting in wild passion and ecstasy, his bat tongue hanging out of his mouth. His fingers dug into the meaty cheeks, savoring them for what they were.

As he gave in to the frenzied fucking, Gil felt his inhibitions dying away. No longer was he trapped in his old life, with his mundane routine. He was something more, something special. Even if it all came crashing down at once, he never would lose this day. Gil thrust deeper, harder and faster, all watching the metal erode from the monster before him... and the monster was breaking free.

Before it had been furtive changes of position, warping reality around itself as it changed from spot to spot, but now... Now it was all becoming free. The bat's right wing stretched out suddenly, grabbing the metal ring holding the display lights. Toes curled as they turned from metal to flesh. The bat's broad chest started to move and heave with breath as its jaw slowly opened, revealing more of its huge, sharp fangs. After decades of silence, a barking squeak came out, then another. To Gil's ears it was almost like music, but something about it reminded him of himself... A creature trapped, breaking free, experiencing life. It was beautiful, it was majestic, it was supernatural.

Gil brought his face down into that furry backside, huffing and puffing as he fucked brilliantly. He ground and twisted, tilting his hips to give increased friction. He bore his own fangs, his tongue slathered around and he began to let out grunting squeaks of his own. The bat before him, immense in size, started to move around in response. Its wings and paws came down hard onto the ground as it hiked up its ass, making for an easier entry.

Gil moaned hard, especially as the muscles around his cock started to flex and contort, tugging him in and practically milking him. His cock felt massaged in ways he thought impossible, but he was loving every second. The last patches of copper disappeared form the massive bat beast as he was finally free. No doubt there was some instinct to fly, to flee, to escape, but he had awoken to the best ass fucking of his life. The bat snarled in bliss and then let out a screech that rattled the windows and the displays. It was intense, echoing back and forth, saturating Gil. His entire skull vibrated and felt like it was risking a chance of shattering.

Somewhere, despite the aching in his ears, he heard his radio crackle. The other guards were no doubt wondering what the sound was... but Gil couldn't understand their words. Not after that sonic blast, not after the growing feeling inside him. He looked down at himself slowly, realizing that his cock was swelling and lengthening, growing wider and thicker, plunging deeper into the bat... but it wasn't just his cock growing. The hands he held onto that furry back with were stretching, the fingers growing longer. They gummed together as they touched, spreading out a thin membrane between them. The fleshy web was jus t the start to what Gil knew was coming next.

Gil wrapped his arms around the bat's immense back even as his arms ached and throbbed, growing longer and longer. The elbows toughened up, the joints thickened, and the flesh in his arm pit started to spread and grow. It was leathery at first, but it became more ductile as it came down his arms, anchoring them to the guard's naked ribs. His arms fluttered, stretching the new flesh between them as he grew into his wings.

The bat suddenly reared forward, pulling Gil onto its back. Gil grunted at that, his legs dangling behind. He dug into the furry back with his knees to keep the force he needed to fuck it, but his dangling legs were changing now as well. His feet elongated, stretched and grew. His toes looked less human and his musculature was changing entirely as well.

Gil's flesh rippled as the muscles moved and changed beneath the surface, hooking up disparate parts of his anatomy... but it was all magical in a way. Gil's bald head was growing fuzzy with brown fur. His nose was rising into a point, his pointed ears were climbing the sides of his head and a tiny nub of flesh was pulling away from the base of his spine, his tailbone was becoming a real bone.

With each heartbeat, alien blood was moving through Gil's body, nourishing what he was becoming. His spine elongated, his ribs pushed apart to make a larger lung cavity, and his bones changed in their own density and nature. Gil thrashed like an animal, not because he was lost in sexual bliss, but because he was becoming an animal.

As Gil's fur grew in, covering his forehead and nose, cheeks and chin, even his back, it was clear he was a darker color than his mate. The colors were muddled, but still nice in their own way.

The former statue thrashed against the beast fucking it just enough to keep the process going, its squeaks becoming softer and more subdued. The cock penetrating its ass had started to strike the prostate over and over, bringing it immense pleasure. The two were a tangled mess of limbs, wings, and fur. Gil felt so big now it was hard to keep track of everything. He had to be at least eight feet tall and a few hundred pounds of muscle. He stretched, he flexed, he showed off his new body... but nothing could stop the carnal act binding the two together.

The friction around Gil's cock was intense. The in and out, faster and deeper along with the constriction of the muscles made him feel like he was burning up - but it was a glorious heat. Gil kept going, panting hard before he suddenly sunk his fangs into the bat's neck. The bat hissed and squeaked, but his ass clenched down harder. It only served to intensify the pleasure. Gil went at it faster and faster, at blinding speeds. He stumbled a little, knocking the bat to the side, knocking down one of the display podiums and then the post card stand. The animals didn't care, simply going at it.

Gil pulled his fangs out of his victim's shoulder, lapping at the wound. The blood didn't taste like he expected, nor particularly exhilarating, but at least the carnal act had been sexy. He panted and groaned, his larger eyes closing in his more vulpine looking face. He grunted and groaned before he let out an ear piercing shriek of his own. His bat balls churned, his cock throbbed and he let out an immense, burning hot orgasm into the bat's ass. The first few sprays were creamy and white, but as it went on it became slicker, yellowed, the arcane jism of a true bat creature.

For a good four minutes the two basked in their pleasures. the former statue even came, letting loose on the display stand that had held him fro so long. The hot bat sperm splattered across the dark wood, giving it a mottled discolored appearance.

Before Gil was ready, he was slowly slid off the other bat's backside, landing in a heap. The other bat stumbled free, stretching its wings, moving and circling around the room. Gil felt too good to be bothered to move, though he did look up in wonder. The other bat flexed and stretched, contorting and moving in ways it hadn't been able to. When the other bat finally turned and looked at Gil, there was something strange in the eyes... Something like sorrow or regret. Gil was about to ask what was wrong when he felt it. Gil looked down, watching as his toes and feet, his ankles and fingers and wrists, they all started to turn to bronze.

The petrifaction was strange and heart rending. It felt as hot as hell and ice cold at the same time. He felt the tingles of a limb going asleep. He felt numb and hard and trapped... but he also felt strong, powerful, majestic. It was a heady mix of fear and power, almost like a drug. Gil tried to pull away, to escape, but he was fused to the display stand. The bronze crept up his ankles to his thighs, and it moved up his arms to his elbows. He had been caught in a bit of a stoop. It wasn't the most graceful of poses, but at the same time he knew the other bat had changed his positions a few times.

Gil tried to bring his back into alignment as the metal crept up to his shoulders and hips before it rounded his back and stomach, swirling around like an infernal cyclone. Before long even his neck was held in place, trapping his gaze in the direction of the other bat. The former statue was sitting, waiting, watching. It knew what the prison felt like and what it had taken to get free, but at the same time Gil wasn't afraid. He knew that he wouldn't be alone anymore. He knew the bat would return for him, and in a strange way... now he was more important than ever.

The bronze metal spread through Gil's eyes, locking him in place for the day ahead. A wave of silver light passed outward from his body, rewriting the plaque and the postcards, then the books in the gift shop and the files in the archives. The light spread outward from the museum out to every memory, every memento and every relic that had traveled out into the world. Every image now reflected Gil, collapsed in his pile of sexual after glow, a magnificently detailed bronze bat.

One by one, the stars disappeared outside. The calm, quiet serenity of night gave way to the warm, crisp glow of morning. The museum was secured, the oddities of the night logged, and the guards clocked off. As the museum staff returned, the building came back to life... and soon the doors were opened. Thousands of people filtered through the building, looking at the exhibits, reveling in the mystery of it all. While Gil wasn't aware of each and every passing moment, he did get brief glimpses of his life as people stopped in front of his statue to ponder the lost mystery, to consider the meaning in his form. If only they knew... If only they could understand.

Eventually the visitors thinned out, and the staff disappeared. Night was falling again. Gil was shocked how fast it seemed, like the blink of an eye. The museum was silent, quiet, still... but then out of the corner of his hearing there was a faint beep and a familiar crackle of the radio.

"Benji, what's your location?" Billy asked.

"I'm just about to get to the... what did you guys call it?" The young guard questioned, "The place with the big bat statue."

"The belfry." Carlos replied over the radio.

"Ah, right! Bat in the belfry... I get it. I'm just about to go in." The guard said happily. Gil couldn't see the young guard yet, but he knew his best asset was already on display. While Gil hoped that the copper bat would return for him before long, the former guard wasn't opposed to making a new friend either. Perhaps this was the start to a beautiful relationship. He waited and wondered, trying to look as good as he could for the brand new soul wandering into his domain.