The Strong Man

"Step right up! Test your strength against the Tower of Power! Do you have what it takes to dethrone the champ?"

A man dressed in black and gold finery shouted across the meandering circus crowd, drawing the attention of attendees who wished to prove their might. Across the midway, Danny - who had been deeply engrossed in a colorful jester's performance - turned to face the commotion. The jester huffed as a number of their spectators shifted attention to the flashing tower and shouting carnie.

A young college student with a meager stature and no real muscle to speak of, Danny had never been one to prioritize physical might. Still, the idea of impressing a crowd with raw strength held some appeal. He stood at a respectable 5'10", and what he lacked in athletic form, he made up for in earnest charm. Framed by short but messy blond hair, his face was soft and sported a kind grin and tender eyes. Sure, his appearance wasn't turning heads, but he believed that a kind heart was more important than a conventionally attractive body. Even so, sometimes he simply wished he could have both.

As Danny strode over to the high-striker game, a group of familiar voices pierced the crowd. Mike Gunderson and his friends strode up to the game, laughing and jeering as Mike took the hammer from the carnie and made a show of flexing before winding up for a big swing. A classmate from Danny's college, Mike was Danny's polar opposite. He had bulging muscles, numerous championships as captain of the wrestling team, and a reputation for bullying those he saw as weaker. Despite this, Danny had tried his best to connect with the man, hoping kindness would break through his abrasive shell. And yet, with each attempt, Mike only seemed to bully the meager boy more relentlessly.

Danny watched with anticipation as Mike brought the hammer down on the lever, and the gathered crowd held its breath. The puck shot up the tower, only to lose speed about halfway up and crash to the bottom. The crowd began to disperse as it became clear that even this ripped college athlete had failed the challenge. As Mike's friends teased him and the carnie gave a conciliatory remark, Mike's shoulders sank and he visibly deflated. Rejoining his posse, Mike shrugged off their jabs. Despite Mike's constant ill treatment of him, Danny sympathized with his bully, dashing through the crowd to catch the retreating group.

"Michael!" Danny shouted, grabbing the gang's attention as Mike whipped his head around. "Hey man! That was a good try! I'm sure you'll get it next time." Danny let out a big grin and reached forward to pat his classmate on the shoulder, only to have his arm violently batted away.

"Oh for fuck's sake. A soft weakling like you wants to give me shit, too?" Mike huffed and scowled. "It's a shit game, and I'm over it. Besides, you couldn't even swing the fucking hammer." Mike's friends chuckled along with his insults, almost causing him to forget his humiliation.

Danny looked down, dismayed. "No. I just wanted to say it was really impressive-"

"Well, keep it to yourself. I don't need pity from a weakling like you, got it?" Mike shoved Danny backwards and turned away, his friends laughing at the poor boy as they melted into the crowd.

Just a hundred feet away, the performing jester peered out across the midway to see the scene play out. Closing their performance with a bow, they scampered off and watched as the boy dusted himself off and thrust his hands in his pockets, tears welling in his eyes. Watching as Danny sulked off into the crowd, the jester reached into their colorful coat and pulled out a small music box, cranking it as they snuck along ever-so closely behind.

~~~

Wandering through the crowded tents and attractions, Danny tried to stay upbeat and not wallow in his. Sure, some of what Mike said was true. He was weak. He couldn't play sports or stay in shape. He would never stand up for himself. But did that really matter? What was the point of being strong if he didn't have a heart?

A sour jingle rang through the air as music interrupted Danny's thoughts. He glanced around and realized there were no longer dense crowds surrounding him. The stalls and tents around him looked empty and abandoned. The sound of this faded, out-of-tune jingle in the air became the haunting melody of an eerie, liminal space.

Danny whirled around, and behind him he found the source of the melody. At the end of a long alley of abandoned tents stood an enormous canvas big-top surrounded by trees and covered in vines. The exterior appeared worn and tattered, but the flaps were pinned open and Danny could faintly spot swirling lights as if a performance was in progress. No sign marked its purpose, and no one stood outside beckoning him in, and yet Danny felt compelled forward, curiosity overtaking unease. The lilting music summoned the boy forth, a drunken chorus echoing within his head. Danny swaggered towards the tent, almost unaware of his actions.

Peeking in through the open flap, Danny's eyes flitted about, expecting to see an audience or performers, however all he could make out was an empty tent. From the inside, the canvas looked vibrant and new as colored lights danced around it. The source of the lights - and the music, for that matter - remained a mystery. Again, strange curiosity compelled him forward, and Danny took a few uneasy steps through the threshold.

With a flash, the dancing lights whirled around the room, sending Danny's head spinning. The music crescendoed in consort with the lights, picking up speed like a fading music box being rewound. Shaking his mind free from the stunning display, Danny wheeled back in time to see the canvas flaps of the tent close behind him, encasing him in a chamber of dizzying sensations. He gripped his temples and tried to regain his composure, redoubling his effort to search for an explanation.

"H-hello?" The boy called out, feeling himself shake with uncertainty and fear. No one else was clearly visible in the tent. No performers or attendees. Was this a prank pulled off by his tormentors? Could they have even orchestrated such a thing? "M-mike, if this is you it's not funny. I'm sorry for making things worse, just p-please let me go..."

"Let you go? But we've only just begun!" An unfamiliar voice echoed through the tent with sensational flair. "Tonight's performance is a very special one, I hope you're very excited! I'll be your ringleader for the evening, Cornelius." With a burst of smoke in the center of the ring, the lights all focused on a lone figure who Danny swore had not been there before.

He was tall: about six and a half feet, Danny guessed. He wore a sparkling red and gold coat with long coattails and held an ornate baton in his large, meaty hands. His slacks hugged tight along his strongly-defined thighs as his sleeves bulged against his impressive biceps. Atop his head sat a tall black hat with gold and red ribbon above the brim. His shiny black shoes were enormous; Danny couldn't even guess at the size. The man was a mountain, towering over the meager boy in both stature and demeanor. He stood center-ring with overwhelming confidence and domineering showmanship.

"But please, put your hands together for the real star of the show: Danny!" The sounds of applause and cheering filled the tent, with no visible audience to produce them. Danny stared at the man, dumbfounded. Cornelius winked the boy's way and spoke out in a lower tone, "I understand you may find this overwhelming, but I assure you by the end, this show will exceed your wildest dreams."

Danny didn't know what to say. While the idea of being welcomed into an act was flattering, the shock and surprise left Danny anxious, and a deep unease was filling his gut. His head still spun from the bombardment of lights and sounds. "I-I'm genuinely flattered that you'd do all this for me, but... I feel a bit out of it and could really just use some water and a chance to sit down..."

Danny started backing away slowly, but felt a soft hand on his back. With a jump he turned and saw the jester from before, their colorful clothes sparkling in the dancing lights. "Ladies and gentlemen, my assistant: Beck!" The jester waved to the nonexistent crowd, then nudged Danny toward the center of the tent and made an exaggerated blowing motion with their hands and lips. A strong force sent Danny stumbling back towards the ringmaster, who produced a wooden stool and placed it in the middle of the tent. With incredible grace and strength, he guided Danny into the seat, his firm hands grasping the boy's shoulders and pulling him down.

"No need to worry, Danny. We've prepared this show especially for you. I think you'll find playing your part to be easy, relaxing, and deeply satisfying."

Danny was bewildered, and the dancing lights and dizzying sounds were making it so hard for him to focus. He desperately wanted to leave, but Cornelius' firm grip on his shoulder assured him that escape was not an option. He was far too weak to put up a fight, even without the fog slowly filling his brain. "P-play my part?"

"Oh yes, my dear boy, you're the most important part of the show. It's not a difficult part to play: just stare into my eyes and breathe deep. The rest will come naturally." Danny felt his eyes unconsciously focus on the ringleader's, his body naturally relaxing as all his senses focused in on the source of these soothing words. Danny found himself unable to question his own actions. He simply stared deeply into Cornelius' eyes as their colors swirled with the dancing lights.

"Now, my dear assistant, please help our guest get nice and comfortable. We wouldn't want him to fall out of his seat..." At once, Beck bounded forward and mimed pulling a seemingly endless rope from their pocket. They made a motion to tie a loop in the invisible rope, whirled it in the air, and lassoed it towards Danny, still seated and dazed.

To Danny's surprise, he felt the weight of the nonexistent rope as it tightened around his torso, pinning his arms to his sides. "W-what's going on?"

"It's all part of the act, dear Danny. Just relax into your seat and we'll make sure you stay exactly where you're meant to be." Cornelius smiled cheerily as the jester began skipping circles around Danny's stool. The boy could feel the rope winding around him, cinching him tighter and tighter, thwarting his meek attempts to move his arms.

"Can't... move... so hard to... think..." Danny's head swirled as his body tightened in place. It was becoming difficult to tell if the feeling in his gut was fear or excitement. "W-what are you going to do to me?"

"The answer is quite simple. We have a knack for knowing people better than they know themselves, and we've seen your deepest desires. Our one desire is to make yours into reality."

"Y-you don't know anything about me..."

The ringleader chuckled softly, giving a warm smile and drawing Danny deeper into his gaze. "We know you hate being bullied for being kind and caring. We know you wish you were stronger so people would take you seriously. We know that you would never hurt a fly and truly want to love and support your friends. We know who you want to be. Who you deserve to be."

Danny stared deeper into his captor's pupils, his body shivering and mouth agape as the truth of the ringleader's words cut deep. "H-how could you possibly..."

"Does it matter? We're going to give it all to you. All you have to do is focus on my voice... my eyes... my body... my performance..."

Danny tried to fight it, but a feeling of curiosity washed over him as he tilted his head up to stare at Cornelius. The man smiled and flexed his muscles through his jacket. Danny watched with fascination as the fabric strained against his upper arms until it could contain the man's bulging biceps and split with a loud tear. As the glossy fabric fell away, the ringleader's bare skin shone with the dancing colored lights and Danny became utterly transfixed. He stared at the man's muscles deeply and intently as every vein bulged and twitched.

"That's a good boy. Focus on what you desire. The strength.. The power... Let it fill your mind until no other thoughts are left." He stepped closer, spinning his baton in a mesmerizing display as he posed his glistening muscles before the helpless captive.

Danny wanted to struggle. He knew deep down that something wasn't right, but he also knew that he was weak, and Cornelius' words lured him deeper into mindless trance. He felt dizzy. He felt confused. He felt afraid. But most of all... he felt anticipation. The man's muscles filled him with an arousal he would have denied if his inhibitions weren't so rapidly deteriorating. But now, inundated by the surreal music, flashing lights, and mesmerizing words, he couldn't deny his deepest desires. The cock straining against his jeans made it all abundantly clear.

The ringleader smiled, noting the shift in Danny's demeanor as the hypnotic spell took hold and the helpless boy sank into lust. "Such a good boy, just let yourself go. You love my muscles. You need my muscles."

The words echoed through Danny's head, melting all other thoughts away. Love the muscles. Need the muscles. "Y-yesss..."

"Love my muscles. Need my muscles."

"L-love your muscles... Need your muscles..."

A devilish grin spread across Cornelius's face as he strode up to the boy, dropping his baton and placing a hand on his crotch and rubbing it softly. "Again."

"Love your muscles... Need your muscles..." The words felt so easy in Danny's mouth. He could feel their truth oozing through every cell in his body as his cock twitched under the ringleader's fingers.

"You're the star, Danny. Give the audience a performance they'll remember."

The ringleader gripped Danny's bulge with a light squeeze, and the helpless victim cried out in pleasure. "I love your muscles! I need your muscles!"

Among the overwhelming cacophony of music and echoing words, Danny could hear cheers from the hidden crowd as he descended further and further into the clutches of the circus.

"This is where you belong, Danny. The circus is your home. We are your family. You were born to perform with us."

A grin began to creep across the boy's face. No longer did he desire to leave, he just wanted to give his best performance. "The circus is my home... This is where I belong..."

"Good boy." Cornelius removed his hand from Danny's crotch and the boy whimpered.

"Please don't stop..."

"Oh, don't worry, dearest Danny. We're just getting started." On Cornelius's nod, Beck wandered over to a large lever and pulled it. With a quick mechanical whir, a pair of gymnastic rings dropped from the ceiling above the ringleader, who firmly grabbed one in each hand and lifted himself into the air effortlessly. Danny stared in awe as the man's muscles bulged and he swept his legs up in a dazzling display.

After Cornelius finished his flourish, the Jester crept up behind him and tore his button-up shirt away, revealing his glistening bare chest. Danny could see his pecs bulging, his core tensing, his abs rippling. In a flash the man kicked up his legs and sent both his giant shoes flying in the air, and sailing straight into the Jester's outstretched arms. Now barefooted, Cornelius swung his feet to brush against Danny's crotch and he shook in his bindings, still tied tightly to the stool. Then, with one final flourish, the ringleader-turned-acrobat positioned his feet on either side of the boy's concealed cock, teasing at it with large, muscular toes. A groan escaped Danny's lips as he sank deeper into submission. The crowd roared.

"You can feel it, can't you? That arousal tells you that this is what you need. This is right. The circus is your home. We will give you what you've always wanted." The ringleader continued to tease Danny's growing bulge while the boy groaned and whimpered helplessly. "All you need to do is give in. Ask for it. Beg for it. And we will give it all to you."

Awash in a sea of arousal and clouded thoughts, Danny could not bring himself to fight any longer. Had he ever stood a chance? Was he doomed from the second he entered the tent? Did it even matter? The more he listened, the more he watched... the more certain he felt that this man was right. The circus could do for Danny what he had never done for himself. He could become strong and prove that kindness and strength were one and the same.

"Do it. Please... I need it so bad..."

In a movement beyond Danny's comprehension, Cornelius' feet released the boy's cock from its denim prison and it sprung into the air, already throbbing and leaking precum.Danny's heart pounded and his breathing picked up. Every thought that remained turned to pleasure and release. And above it all, something was surging into his body. Changing him. He liked it. He needed more.

Cornelius began massaging the boy's cock with his feet. Starting gently but picking up speed quickly. Beck watched with delight as each stroke caused Danny's body to shake. The changes began subtly. First Danny's cock began to gain length and girth. The invisible crowd gasped as the throbbing member nearly doubled in size from a meager 6 inches to a foot long.

Next came the muscles, and they came in fast. The deposits of fat across Danny's body melted away as definition and contours began to outline every angle of his body. He could feel his strength and energy building as veins and musculature rebuilt his very form. With every stroke of his cock, his body began to strain harder against the invisible restraints.

"I feel it... it's filling me with power..." Danny grunted out as the ringleader continued to massage his cock.

"Very good. The circus changes all of us into who we were meant to be. Embrace it. Take it in. Let yourself grow and show the world who you really are."

Danny cried out and did as he was told, relaxing his body to let the changes in. His once-round belly flattened into a hardened core. Six-pack abs gained definition beneath his t-shirt. His calves and thighs thickened and defined themselves as his ass tightened and firmed up. As his torso widened, his biceps swelled out to the size of watermelons, straining against his restraints.

With every stroke of his cock, Danny groaned and neared the edge. The tension swelled along with his muscles until he was certain he would burst apart. The crowd whistled and cheered as the ringleader edged Danny into a state of mindless lust and power. "Now Danny! Give the crowd your grand finale!"

A shattering roar filled the air as Danny's cock exploded, shooting cum dozens of feet in the air. The now-massive man flexed every muscle in his upper body and effortlessly ripped through the intangible rope. As the crowd went wild for Danny's explosive transformation, he stood up from his seat and shredded his shirt with a single flex, biceps and pecs glistening in the colored lights.

In a swift motion he ripped off his pants and looked down at his thick legs and monstrous cock, now nearly two feet long. Danny's feet strained against his shoes until they burst with a loud rip, his toes emerging from the shredded leather. Kicking the final useless tatters of his clothing away, Danny grinned and flexed his naked body, posing for the invisible crowd that erupted into applause and swoons with every motion.

Finally, as power finished washing over him, Danny looked to the ringleader with surprise as realization dawned. Through all his changes, the meager boy had exploded into an enormous man, towering over the ringleader who had once appeared a mountain to him. At nearly 8 feet tall, Danny dwarfed the other two performers in the ring.

The jester gleefully applauded as Cornelius admired his creation. "How do you feel?"

The Strong Man took a deep breath and bellowed out. "I feel more alive than ever. I feel... powerful."