~*~Prologue~*~

Down, down deep… in a watery world few have seen… lay thousands of white eggs, all round and shimmering like a great hoard of pearls. They rested there holding tiny bits of life; a treasure greater than any other thing man has been given. Though, man would find the things inside not worth anything…

As the eggs swelled from water and pressure, the creatures inside of them began to feel the need to escape into the world around them. They did not know why they felt this, but they did, an imaginary voice urging them on. The soft shell revealed that the youngsters were now struggling for freedom, their lives in jeopardy even before their birth. After only a few minutes, however, they were all quickly popping out of their lifelong homes and adjusting to their new terrain in the ocean. The water soon seemed to be stained orange-red with thousands of newborn Magikarp, each one with its own thoughts and feelings, emotions and ideas, but not a one thought to be wirth anything. When there are so many, a single life is nothing.

Their voices high yet gentle, the Magikarp all started crying out their names, as they grew accustomed to speaking for the first time. However, the great noise, movement, and color attracted a large number of hungry Mantine, and the large Pokemon enjoyed a large crunchy snack. Though adult Magikarp are impossible to eat and anything but satisfying, young ones are like potato chips to a desperate carnivore.

Soon the thousands had dwindled to only about twelve, and these dozen baby fish fled for their lives silently and deliberately, a little female leading the way. Their eyes were large and unblinking, with a rather stupid look to them, and they swam with their mouths gaping as open as their eyes. Their little fins moved as fast as possible until they were sure they were a safe distance away, but even then they still didn’t stop. That invisible voice that had commanded them to leave the safety of their homes at the worse possible moment was now driving them towards the shallow waters, where large creatures could not reach them.

The little female that had led the way now held back to catch her breath, then continued on. She and her brothers and sisters were constantly shifting positions, now afraid to lead into what might be danger, now afraid of something attacking from behind. The female did her best to stay in the middle of her school, where she was sure she would be safe, though her siblings wanted that position also. They were very much lucky that their small group passed through the ocean unnoticed, until they made it to the warmer waters in the bay. If she had been in any other group, the female Magikarp, as tired as she had been, most likely would not have made it.