There are times that the most unlikely of factors comes together to create something unique. The origin of Animalia is a prime example, the result of two viruses mixing; one meant to make livestock stronger and healthier and another meant to cure muscle dysthropy through gene therapy. The result was accidentally dumped into the river and jumpstarted a community of intelligent anthro animals. The origin of the Dinotopian strain is another good example. The cocktail of fossil-derived DNA shouldn't have even worked on her if it were for an atavistic gene that been laying dormant in her.
This latest combination of unlikely factors just happens to take place at Dinosaur City where their own IAC Games were going on. It was certainly very interesting to watch the Dinotopians test the upper limits of their physical capabilities. There was quite a bit of attention being giving to the Flyer Games, for the winner may get more than just a medal. While Quetzal the Quetzalcoatlus wasn't as flightless as some paleontologic theories suggested, she was not a strong enough flyer to cover very far distances, let alone try to fly around the world. So the Flight Around the World was postponed. Which was just as well as the coronavirus was still raging across several countries. New candidates for a pterosaur to fly with Gabriel the albatross were being considered from the winners of the Flyer Games, depending on their capacities for long-distance flight.
Meanwhile, the New Horizons lab at Dinosaur City had its own puzzle to solve. Since the Herm Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction, many people have been wanting a hermaphrodite Dinotopian form. The most popular demand has been for a raptor of some type. Ever since Jurassic Park cemented Velociraptor's place in pop culture, raptors have been one of the most popular dinosaurs. Though the image of raptors has grown more accurate as feathered dinosaurs became more well-known and larger species than the turkey-sized Velociraptor has been discovered.
The problem with creating a herm raptor was that the herm gene was not bonding so easily to Dinotopian DNA. While Animalians and Dinotopians are very similar, it shouldn't be forgotten that there's a minimum of 66 millions years of difference. Considering it took the processing of a few fossils to get a viable strain for a new Dinotopian form, it became clear why the current strains are resistant to modification. But there was a theory that could allow for a herm raptor. The first herm Animalian, Iphis and Ianthe, were created by uplifting a mundane (if two-headed) anaconda with a hermaphrodite gene included. Using what they've used from Project Newrad, they could uplift a bird with a combination of raptor DNA and the herm gene.
In enters a most fortuitous and unlikely set of factors. Harper Hawkins, a retiring park ranger was wanting to join Dinotopia and he had brought his pet with him. Dakota was an osprey that Harper had raised ever since he found her as a chick, fallen from her nest. The fall had left her with crippled wings and she had never learned to fly. Raising an osprey wasn't without difficulties, Harper had the scars on his arms to prove it. But Dakota had at least learned to tolerate Harper like no else. Harper wasn't really ready to settle into retirement and he wanted Dakota to have a better life than as a crippled bird. As such, Harper went to Dino City so that Dakota could be made into a Dakotaraptor, hopefully with her converting him afterwards.
The opportunity to uplift a bird of prey into a raptor was fortuitous enough as it was. There was also the matter of adding the herm gene. Though Hawkins's psyche evaluation revealed that he was possibly open to bisexuality. What they needed to do was convince him to go through with this alteration.
“So…let me get this straight,” said Hawkins, “You want to make Dakota a hermaphroditic Dinotopian? Is that really necessary”
“Not strictly such,” said Jeremy, “But it would make things easier for other people who want to be hermaphrodite Dinotopians. And naturally, you’ll be moved to the top of the list after she has been uplifted.”
“But would she be happy like that?” asked Hawkins, “I know she won’t get to fly, but wouldn’t she resent her sex being changed?”
“The previous herm upliftings have shown the new Animalians being content with their new selves,” said Jeremy, “Animals aren’t like us. They don’t truly feel regret. It’s a bit hard to say what the state of their minds are before uplifting. But every uplifted Animalian has adapted well to their new bodies, minds, and places in society and none of them regret ever being changed.”
Hawkins nodded thoughtfully. “This won’t hurt Dakota too much, will it?” he asked.
“There will be discomfort,” said Jeremy honestly, “It’s all part of how this reverse evolution works. But it will only be temporary. Afterwards, Dakota should be quite pleased with her new self.”
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Even a relatively tamed bird of prey was going to make a fuss about getting shots. As such, it was necessary to put a falconer's hood on Dakota before they have her the shots. The hood was kept loose enough that it would easily come off. There wasn't much point in uplifting her if she ended up being strangled before she outgrew the hood. Still the osprey did try to take a few pieces out of the scientist before he left. Fortunately the tailored serum wasn't in her system long enough for the wounds she caused to be infectious.
Not long after the scientist left, Dakota shook the loose hood off. But she kept shaking afterwards. It soon became very clear when she started surging in size. There were soon several unpleasant cracks as Dakota's crippled wings changed drastically. The feathers on them remained about the same size, though they looked relatively small on the arms they were becoming. Like other dromaeosaurs, Dakotaraptor had fully-feathered forelimbs that resembled wings, even if they were obviously useless for flight. But these new arms were obviously more functional as three-fingered hands started growing at the ends of them.
Dakota's strong claws, designed for catching fish, were shifting drastically. The opposable claw meant for gripping was rapidly diminishing as the feet became more adjusted for extended running. The innermost claw on each foot grew bigger and sharper, becoming the distinctive sickle claw on a raptor's foot. The legs connected to these feet were already long, befitting a fish-hunting eagle. They became longer still and more toned and shapely. The tailfeathers extended outwards as the tail stretched out into a reptilian shape. Cracks appeared in Dakota's beak, drops of blood leaking from the sensitive flesh developing underneath it. But soon the pieces of beak dropped off, revealing the saurian muzzle underneath.
As Dakota neared her final size, her anthro features became more noticeable. Her hips and ass plumed out to a pleasing shape as her waist contracted inwards. What had started as avian squawks which turned to saurian snarls became feminine moans as Dakota felt her chest. Though still covered in feathers, it became obvious when her new breasts started pushing out. They soon became very distinctive as they reach a considerable size. Dakota played with her new nipples before reaching down between her legs. It seemed she was only playing with her clit at first before something red was seeing growing between her fingers. Dakota stroked this new addition, moaning louder as hir cock grew bigger and bigger. It grew to a respectable size before it shot out a small jet of seed.
Dakota was a Dakotaraptor now, but hir osprey roots were still plainly visible. Hir feathers were the same coloration as an osprey: a brown back and tail, white underside and legs, brown feathers speckling hir chest, and a head covered in white feathers except for a brown mask-like strip over hir eyes. The only parts not covered in feathers were hir hands, feet, and muzzle. Befitting the second-largest raptor, Dakota was 6'6" with an amazonian body common among herms. It was obvious shi was a herm from the breadth of hir shoulders and the musculature of hir arms even as hir cock retreated into its new sheathe.
Dakota looked at hir new arms, which were adorned with long brown feathers. "So this is what it's like to have arms," shi said as shi flexed them, "Feels good."
"Are you feeling ok, Dakota?" asked Jeremy over the intercom.
"I feel great," said Dakota, "But what am I supposed to be? Am I a bird or a lizard? Am I male or female?"
"Both, really," said Jeremy, "You're now a dinosaur called Dakotaraptor. You are part of the family of theropods that eventually evolved into birds."
"I'm pretty sure dinosaurs didn't have these," said Dakota, cupping hir new breasts.
"No, you're a Dinotopian, a dinosaur spliced with human DNA. You've also been given the hermaphrodite gene so that you're both sexes," said Jeremy.
"Both sexes?" asked Dakota. Shi reached down past hir sheath and felt around. Shi soon found where hir cloaca had went. Though shi now felt the term 'vagina' more appropriate. "Yeah, I'm packing both," shi said, "So what happens now?"
"Well, when you're ready, perhaps you'd like to make Harper into a Dinotopian like you," said Jeremy.
Dakota grinned, showing off hir new fangs. "Yeah, I like the sound of that," shi said.