Chapter Three: Departure

“I’m going to do this,” Cedus said to Phoro. “I don’t care how dangerous it is. Besides, I’ve always wanted an adventure. I want to swim in the great oceans like the Gyarados you tell of in your stories.”

Phoro smiled. “All right. I’m happy you’ll be doing what you want to do. But be careful, for Lugia’s sake.”

“I will, Phoro. And when I come back, the Gyarados will be free of the sickness.”

Idosa Neptune emerged from the depths. He was carrying something in his mouth. Without speaking, he set it before Cedus.

Cedus looked down at it. It was a skull. It smelled like a Gyarados... It was a Gyarados skull.

He looked up at Idosa Neptune. “Gy?” he asked.

“Put this over your head and use it as a helm,” said Idosa Neptune. “It is the skull of Ash-ash, a huge Gyarados that died around the time I evolved. When he died, he told the elders to give his skull to the one Gyarados that would have the Lake of Rage on their shoulders. Slip it over your head and wear it like a Cubone. It will help you in case of danger.”

Cedus looked down at the skull, up at Idosa Neptune, and then down at the skull again. “All right,” he said. “Um, thank you.”

He sunk a little and fidgeted with the skull until it was secured on his head. “You are like a warrior now,” said Phoro.



The sun was setting. The lake reflected the beautiful purple sky as the three Gyarados left it. Their shadow were cast to their left as they slowly moved onto land.

“Good luck, Cedus,” said Idosa Neptune.

Cedus nodded, his skull helm catching the light of the setting sun. “You won’t be disappointed,” he assured the old Gyarados.

Phoro smiled as Cedus turned to him. “Of course we won’t be,” he said. “Farewell, my young one.” The two crossed necks in a Gyarados hug, and remained motionless for some time connected with a bond like father and son. Then they pulled apart, and Cedus sighed.

“Goodbye,” he said.

Idosa Neptune nodded, and the two Gyarados left him to return to the lake.

Cedus was alone.

He suddenly felt helpless, sad, and confused, like a little Magikarp. As the waters reached out for his body, and then recoiled again, everything seemed to be changing around him while he stayed the same. Or perhaps it was the other way around.

Not until the skies became dark did Cedus snap out of the trance and realize he had wasted too much time. He turned his head, sighed, and began the journey south.



Smell... water... must get to river... sun... killing me... dying...

His tongue hanging out of his mouth, Cedus pushed himself further and further forward. Each time he felt weaker, like another stone had been added to his back. He had journeyed all night and now the sun had risen halfway into the sky. If he didn’t find water soon, he’d dry up.

He could smell the river in the air. Or he assumed it was a river, as it smelled something like a lake. He had never exactly been to a river before.

His lungs felt like they were shriveling up. For all he knew they might have been. Every ray of the sun seeped into his soul and added yet another burden. He felt like he couldn’t take it anymore. Like he was going to collapse, right there and then...

But finally, he heard a sound of running water. Straight ahead of him was the river.

He just stayed there, looking like a wreck, staring at it for a few seconds. His tongue stayed hanging, his mouth stayed open, his eyes stayed bugging. Then, with a new burst of enthusiasm, he grunted and pushed himself forward again.

He strained against the unbreakable rope that was the heat, until the rope went taunt. He finally collapsed, but at least when he did, his head fell into the river. Soon, the current dragged his unconscious body into its flow, and carried him downstream.