Chapter 4: Starvation
"I-It hurts~!" cried Izuku. He was hugging the platform edge of the pool. He had stripped off his clothes as soon as the pain in his legs started. Instinct telling him he needed to be in the water. His legs felt like they were on fire as they began to slowly fuse. Izuku's skin itched as white and jade scales pushed through his skin. His waist felt like a hot knife was cutting into it as his gills formed. His Jaw ached as his teeth were replaced sharp jagged fangs.
Izuku wasn't sure how much time had passed since the start of his transformation. Clinging to the platform as the pain had finally turned to a numb throb. Izuku wearily opened his eyes enough to take in his new body. His legs were now a long slender serpentine tail with the flattened into a fin. Izuku moved the new appendage adjusting to it. Looking at his hands he found his nails were replaced with long claws. Slowly peering over his shoulder, he now had a large dorsal fin that were tipped with barbed spins.
Izuku did not want to move from the platform. Too tired from the slow and excruciating transformation. However, his new scales were starting to itch the longer they were exposed to the open air. Sluggishly he dipped the rest of his body under the water. Hesitantly he breathed in the water, relaxing when he did not feel like he was drowning. Flinching as he felt the movement of his sensitive gills.
Tiredly and clumsily, he made his way to the artificial cave. There he found a spacious area coved in soft moss. Izuku coiled into the moss, wrapping his new tail close to his body. His mind quickly faded to darkness as fell into a dreamless sleep.
Izuku was startled awake when he heard a loud banging on the metal door. With a tired groan he clumsily exited the cave and rose to the surface. Izuku spotted the guard open the door and place a bowl full of rice and cooked fish on to the floor of the platform. The guard then quickly left with out a word closing the door with a loud bang.
Izuku made his way to the platform hefting his heavy body over the edge so he can bring the food closer. The food was thankfully warm and savory and brought back memories of his mother. Tears forming at the edge of his eyes. As he finished his meal he rubbed at his belly as his hunger was not satiated. Izuku shivered in fear as the hunger pains slowly grew.
Izuku could not remember how many days it's been. All he could think about was the painful gnawing in his stomach. No matter how much he ate the hunger never went away. In fact, it only grew worse with each passing meal. He had even resorted to hunting the fish in his pool, greedily swallowing them whole.
Soon his vision became foggy, colors fading into shades of grey. With the exception of some specks of light. All a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors; each pulse with a vibrant energy. One not too far from where he was shone large and bright enough as if it was a second sun. Izuku these lights with awe and wonder as the days passed.
'They look so beautiful,' thought Izuku 'They look so tasty, like little bits of scattered rock candy.'
Izuku was resting on the sandy floor of his pool when tried to shift his body to get a better look at the light. Except he had bumped into the wall of the pool with his body or tail?
'Did the pool get smaller? I could have sworn I was resting in the middle when I started to gaze at the lights.'
Izuku tried to uncoil himself from his tail. During the process he was constantly bumping against the walls of the pool.
'When did this stupid pool get so small!' Izuku hissed.
Izuku was only pulled out of his frustration and thoughts when he heard the door open with a loud clang. There at the door he watched on of the smaller light move closer to him. Izuku slowly lifted his head out of the water, his body feeling unusually heavier than normal. Izuku flicked his forked tongue to get a better read on the light that had entered his territory. From what he could till was that it was one of the guards that had frequently guarded the door.
It was strange as the guard approached Izuku and went on to his knees and bowed.
"I apologize for the long wait my prince, but I had to wait till you were in your true natural form. That way you will have a better chance of escaping and returning to your father," explained the guard.
Izuku flicked his tongue and gave a low annoyed his as another loud protest erupted from his stomach.
"I-I know you are starving dear prince. It is I am here so that way I can aid you in your escape. I happily offer myself to you prince."
The guard then stood up and spread out his arms and stared at the massive sea serpent before him and smiled.
"My core should be strong enough to get you to the harbor. There your brother is waiting to teleport you to your father. I just hope you get there safely my prince.
Izuku let another hiss as he opened his massive maw.
"For the future of ALL leviathans! ALL HAIL, ALL FOR ONE! ALL HAIL, PRINCE IZUKU!"
Izuku then descended on to the guard eating him whole and a gave a purr of satisfaction. His stomach giving a hint of satisfaction from finally been given something. He stared at the open door before him and then to the light the that shined like the sun. With out another thought he rushed through door. His massive body destroying the doorway.
As he made his way through the hallways that could barely contain him. He focused on the second sun, mouth drooling. He ignored the screams of both staff and civilians as broke a large set of doors. Before him was the blinding light that was within a brilliant golden trident. Izuku salivated at its beauty and quickly bit down on the trident only to be painfully electrocuted.
Izuku screeched in pain as he let go of the trident. Coiling into himself as he writhed in pain.
"Do not worry for I AM HERE!" yelled a muscular blonde man as he burst the hole Izuku had made. "Foul leviathan how dare you try and steal our precious treasure!" The man then stretched out his hand and the trident raced towards him. The man caught it with and pointed it at Izuku.
Izuku shivered and whimpered in fear before fleeing past the man. Narrowly missing a deadly strike. As Izuku escaped the building he sped through one the many canals, the man close behind. Izuku blindly navigated the canals until a strangely familiar scent was picked on his tongue. He instantly changed directions towards the scent.
At the edge of one of the city's docks stood a man shrouded by a heavy black cloak. In the distance he heard the screams of the citizens and destruction of buildings. The sound of the destruction was quickly drawing closer to him. The man pulled out a small pulsing purple gem and spoke into it.
"Kurogiri he's coming! Open the portal!"
Suddenly a dark purple mist formed. Growing large enough to fit a massive creature. As the shrouded figure passed through the portal Izuku had crashed through the dock's gates. Following the scent Izuku hastily passed through the same portal. The portal quickly closed behind him. The man with the trident had narrowly missed out on his prey, cursing under his breath.
The portal opened up into a deep dark sea trench. The shrouded man exited the portal now sporting a pale white mer tail. Shortly after Izuku had also exited, the portal closing behind him. Swiveling his around while flicking his tongue, Izuku took in his new surroundings. Izuku's eyes zeroed in on a massive pile of lights and bolted towards them.
"WAIT!" yelled the shrouded man.
Izuku ignored the man as he approached the lights. Izuku opened his maw and took a large bite of the pile. Izuku greedily ate at the pile unaware of a low rumble as the walls around him started to move.
"Hmm, now what hatchling would dare steal from theirs kings hoard," boomed a loud hiss.
The fog finally clearing from Izuku's mind he looked up from the pile of cores. There he found looming over him with massive blood red eyes was a gargantuan white and red sea serpent. The serpent flicked its tongue, sampling Izuku's scent. The serpent's eyes grew wider with shock.
"M-My dear hatchling!" cooed the serpent as it carefully nudged Izuku with its massive snout.
"Y-Your w-what?" chirped Izuku finally completely snapping out of his hunger driven craze. He then looked at his body to find he no longer had a mer body, but that of a green and white sea serpent.