An ancient and mysterious village lay quietly sleeping before his eyes.
Hardly a bird Pokémon could be seen flying across the sky; there was only the low howling of the wind through the valley, sounding like the whistle of history itself.
"Didn't anyone protest the move back then?"
Kashiwagi turned to ask Jinya.
"I suppose there must have been," Jinya mused, thinking back. "I was just a newborn then, so I don't remember much. But according to my mother, if the Elder hadn't been so respected and experienced, the people would have tried to impeach him right then and there."
"But in the end, they still chose to leave?"
"Looking at the current situation, yes. To strengthen our connection with the outside world—and to avoid disturbing the Great Dragons living in the Dragon's Nest—we relocated and established Meteor Village outside."
Jinya said in a low voice, "However, this place remains our ancestral home. We return here every New Year and for the Meteor Festival."
"The Meteor Festival?"
"Yeah. The Meteor Festival is the annual grand gathering for the People of the Meteor. Dragon Tamers and tribesmen from all corners of the world return for it. This year's festival isn't far off—make sure you come, it's very important."
"...Alright."
Kashiwagi noted the exact date from Jinya and gave his word.
To his surprise, the guardians of this ancestral land were not humans, but several Dragon-type Pokémon. Jinya explained they were the guardian deities of the People of the Meteor, protecting the resting place of their ancestors from intruders.
Afterward, Jinya took him to see his former home—or rather, the spot his parents had told him about—and eventually located the residence of Kashiwagi's own Dragon Tamer ancestor.
Kashiwagi pointed at himself. "My house?"
"Your house," Jinya nodded with absolute certainty.
After a moment's hesitation, Kashiwagi saw that the door wasn't locked and pushed it gently.
Creeeeeak—
The long-neglected door let out a piercing, shrill groan that sounded incredibly loud in the silent valley, but fortunately, it didn't fall off its hinges.
Kashiwagi took one look at the dust inside and turned to Mawile, who looked rather disgusted. Being considerate, he asked, "Want to just wait for me out here?"
"Mawile!"
Mawile shook her head and used Magnet Rise to levitate, ensuring she wouldn't have to touch the dust.
Kashiwagi twitched his lips in a half-smile and began wandering through the dilapidated house.
Back before the People of the Meteor moved out, there might have been someone to help clean the place, but now that the whole tribe had relocated, it was little more than a crumbling ruin.
A house without the breath of life tends to age remarkably fast.
He did a quick circuit and found it completely empty. Nothing remained—not furniture, not personal effects... though there were a few rotting folding screens left behind.
"Hmm... maybe I should come back and renovate this if I get the chance?" Kashiwagi murmured softly as he stood by the door.
Though he certainly wouldn't live here, his current identity and even his future Key Stone were essentially gifts from his predecessors' legacy. No matter how you looked at it, the ancestral home should be restored; and it wasn't like he was short on cash.
Then again, would any contractors even come out to a place like this?
Well. That was a thought for another day. There would be a way.
Kashiwagi silently withdrew his gaze. Not far off, Jinya arrived with Pompom and Renza. "Yo! They didn't find anything either!"
Meteor Falls was actually massive. The paths they had just walked and the areas they had passed through were only a small fraction of the whole; three people couldn't possibly cover every inch of it. The Village Protection Squad had been sent here primarily to guard the ancestral lands, anyway.
"We have to stake out here until dinner. You've seen the ancestral grounds and the Dragon's Nest, so if you're bored, feel free to head back first. The guardians know you now, so no wild Dragon-types will attack you."
Jinya spoke with a bit of a weary sigh as he handed over the Poké Ball containing Flygon.
"Right. I'm actually very interested in that Dragon's Gate Falls. I want to go back and take another look."
Kashiwagi took the Poké Ball and waved goodbye to the three heroes of the Protection Squad.
Entering the tunnel, he followed the path from memory. He wondered which corner Raikou was lurking in, waiting for Team Rocket to take the bait, and whether Steven Stone was currently sleeping or had already arrived at Meteor Falls.
Even with so many people on guard against Team Rocket, he still felt a bit uneasy.
A sixth sense?
Or perhaps just "Insufficient Preparation Anxiety."
Kashiwagi knew himself well—he was the type who hesitated to act without gathering enough intel.
Half an hour later, he stood before Dragon's Gate Falls once more. In the riverbed shimmering with fluorescent blue light, a massive number of Magikarp were still swimming about. At the same time, many Magikarp were falling or leaping within the waterfall itself, desperately trying to break through the watery barrier.
"It's your time to shine!"
Kashiwagi opened a Poké Ball, and a Shiny Feebas plopped into the river with a splash. She was immediately startled by the swarm of Magikarp surrounding her.
"Fee... bas... Fee... bas..."
She quickly blew a string of bubbles.
Fortunately, her Trainer's large hand was placed gently on her head in time. "Don't be afraid."
The Shiny Feebas turned around, and seeing Kashiwagi and Mawile standing there, her anxiety instantly faded.
"There's a high chance they won't attack you, because they're all focused on climbing that waterfall." Kashiwagi pointed toward Dragon's Gate Falls. Even from a human perspective, the waterfall was immense. To a Feebas, it looked like a literal wall of water stretching into the heavens, seemingly endless.
"Bas?"
She looked around, seeing that the Magikarp really weren't attacking—in fact, they weren't even acknowledging her existence. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Feebas looked at her Trainer with confusion. Her Oblivious ability manifested physically: even though the goal was right in front of her, she failed to grasp the meaning of her Trainer's words.
Kashiwagi spoke patiently: "This is called Dragon's Gate Falls. They say any Magikarp that can scale the very top and swim into the next pool is considered a champion, destined to evolve into a Gyarados. So, I want you to try it too."
"Fee... bas...?"
Feebas looked utterly bewildered. She probably couldn't evolve into Gyarados, could she?
Kashiwagi laughed. "Of course you can't evolve into Gyarados, but the principle is the same. If you can climb this waterfall, evolving into Milotic will be nothing for you.
"Remember what I told you? You need to be confident. You aren't inferior to any other Pokémon. In fact, you're more unique—your distinct color means your future is destined to be extraordinary. This waterfall is just a tiny stepping stone on your journey. I want you to find the courage to cross it!"
He spoke very slowly, knowing Feebas's comprehension wasn't the fastest. But as the meaning sank in, the expression on the Shiny Feebas's face became determined.
"Fee... bas!"
She blew a massive bubble, expressing her resolve to her Trainer.
That's right! She had to overcome this small hurdle and step out into broader waters. Since she had already decided she didn't want to just sit in a tank and watch anymore, she had to take action!
Against the current! Swim against the current!
"Go for it!" Kashiwagi waved his hand with a gratified smile, seeing the newfound resolve in the Shiny Feebas's eyes. "Mawile and I will be right here watching you the whole way!"
"Ma-wile!"
Mawile nodded solemnly, her expression firm.
"Fee... bas..."
The Shiny Feebas blew a tiny bubble, turned around, and began swimming toward the waterfall.
For some reason, the Magikarp that had been crowding the base as if preparing to climb actually parted ways, carving out a path for her as she approached.
It was then that Feebas realized these Pokémon weren't exactly waiting in line. They were merely spectators—witnessing the few Magikarp that were desperately leaping against the falls over and over again.
They watched in silence, like an audience at a tragic play, even as those Magikarp emerged with shattered scales and bloodied fins.
Feeling the weight of so many eyes on her, Feebas grew tense. As she reached the foot of the falls, the towering wall of water seemed to grow even taller, radiating a terrifying pressure that made her want to back away.
Seeing the miserable state of the Magikarp, Feebas felt her courage beginning to waver—
"One step! Just take that first step! It doesn't matter if you fail; what matters is moving forward!"
Her Trainer's voice rang out from the distance.
Feebas glanced back to see Kashiwagi and Mawile both giving her a thumbs-up. "Go for it, Feebas! Don't let a little waterfall beat you!"
"Fee-bas!"
She turned her head back to the falls. At this point, even if she wanted to say "I can't do this" or "I want to stop," and even if her Trainer and friends forgave her... she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.
Climb. There was no other choice.
With a sudden, powerful snap of her tail fin, the Shiny Feebas charged straight into the towering cascade!
...
Nearby, Kashiwagi and Mawile both clenched their fists as they watched her move. Their eyes followed her every inch of the way, cheering her on in their hearts.
They would have been shouting at the top of their lungs if they weren't afraid of putting too much pressure on her.
On her first attempt, Feebas tore through the crashing water like a living torpedo, pouring every ounce of strength she had ever possessed into the ascent.
But Waterfall climbing is all about momentum. Once that first breath of energy falters, even if a second wind follows immediately, it's rarely enough to gain another inch.
Feebas's first attempt at "leaping the Dragon Gate" ended the moment her initial momentum broke. She looked up at the still-distant summit, her body feeling utterly weightless as she began to plummet—
Splash!
Water sprayed everywhere.
She bobbed up from the depths, looking dejected. Was this really the limit of her "everything"?
"That was amazing! Don't panic! You made it halfway up!" Kashiwagi's voice reached her again. "Trust me! That wasn't your limit! And that was only the first try! Let's try again!"
"Mawile-!"
Mawile's voice followed suit, ringing in Feebas's ears.
She looked back at her Trainer and teammate. There wasn't a hint of disappointment on their faces—only encouragement. Finding her courage once more, she launched a second assault!
Again!
Unfortunately, "breaking your limits" isn't as easy as just wanting it. Her second attempt failed as well; in fact, she felt like she hadn't gone as high as the first time.
Yet, her Trainer shouted, "Nice! Even higher than last time! Don't be afraid! We'll take it one step at a time! Again, Feebas!"
"Ma-wile!"
Higher than last time?
Feebas instinctively chose to believe them. Realizing she was making "progress," she launched a third charge!
Seconds later... Splash! She fell again.
"Not as high as the last one, but that's okay! Your form is getting better and better! Once you get the technique down, this waterfall will be a piece of cake! Let's go again!"
For the third time, Kashiwagi's voice provided the spark. Feebas chose to trust him again and went for a fourth.
"Keep it up! That one felt right!"
Then a fifth.
"Try aiming a little more toward the center next time! That's the sweet spot! Master the trick and this is easy for you!"
Sixth time... seventh time...
Dash up, fall down. Dash up, fall down.
Feebas went from feeling light to feeling lethargic. Her body went from numb to aching, her scales feeling as though they were about to crack under the pressure.
But more than the fatigue or the pain, what hurt most was the realization of her own powerlessness.
By this point, even with her Oblivious nature, she realized that Kashiwagi and Mawile were just trying to comfort her. She wasn't making progress at all; in fact, she was getting worse with every jump.
She might have hit the halfway mark at the start, but now she wasn't even reaching a quarter of the way up.
Did she really have the ability to jump over this? Could she truly conquer this waterfall and reach a new beginning?
The gap between her dreams and reality was simply too wide.
Feebas had thought she wasn't afraid of anything anymore, but in the end, she realized she was still the same old self. She hadn't changed at all.
Did she really think that just by standing next to powerful teammates, she had become strong too? That she was allowed to talk big?
She wasn't....She wasn't strong at all.
Her weak, ugly essence had never changed.
Even with the encouragement of her Trainer and Mawile ringing in her ears, she fell yet again.
This time, the Shiny Feebas was so exhausted she could barely bring herself to swim. With her eyes squeezed shut, she could feel the gazes of the surrounding Magikarp turning into sharp needles of mockery and ridicule.
It was as if they were saying: Even we don't dare challenge it. Who do you think you are, making such grand claims about moving forward? Look at you—getting worse with every jump!
Why? How?
She was so tired. Too tired. She didn't want to go on...
"Fee..."
Utterly spent, the Shiny Feebas slowly let her eyes close. Through the haze of her fading consciousness, she saw a figure dive into the river, swim rapidly toward her, and scoop her up. She caught a fleeting glimpse of his face—it was her Trainer.
A moment later, she blacked out completely.
...
...
"Fee-bas!"
Feebas jolted awake, looking around in a daze. She found herself back in her familiar tank inside their room at Meteor Village. Her teammates were nearby, each busy with their own tasks.
Was everything just now... a dream?
"Ag-gron?" (Awake?)
Aggron's massive face appeared before her as he began to explain the situation.
Only then did Feebas realize that it hadn't been a dream. She really had gone to challenge Dragon's Gate Falls, and she really had failed over and over, letting her Trainer down.
At the thought, she blew a sorrowful, lonely bubble. Nothing hurt more than failing to live up to the expectations of her Trainer and her friends.
Trainer probably doesn't even want to look at me anymore, right?
Seeing her like this, Aggron let out a low, rumbling growl of comfort.
"Ag-g-gron..." (It's only the first day, no big deal. Keep improving and one day you'll clear that waterfall.)
"Fee..."
Feebas shook her head. She knew where her limits were. That waterfall... she couldn't climb it.
"Ag-gron!"
Aggron suddenly turned serious. He sternly warned Feebas never to underestimate her own limits; "limits" were things meant to be broken again and again!
The great steel beast began to recount his own past to inspire her.
Feebas, however, felt that for a Pokémon as powerful and gifted as Aggron, breaking limits was only natural. They weren't even in the same league—one was so strong, the other so weak.
"Ag-gron..."
Aggron went silent for a moment. He then confessed to Feebas that in the past—and even now—he didn't consider himself inherently powerful. In fact, he had once been incredibly weak.
"Fee?"
Feebas couldn't believe it. As the Pokémon her Trainer trusted most, whose strength was evident in every practice session, how could he say he wasn't strong?
And that he used to be weak? She didn't buy it for a second.
"Ag-gron."
Aggron looked at Feebas and slowly pulled back the curtain on his old scars—the days of being heartlessly abandoned, living a life of darkness in a lightless cave.
Whether Feebas believed it or not, that experience was real. His weaker self had been treated as a discard, thrown into a terrifying, foreign place. He had expected his life to slowly flicker out until he met Kashiwagi.
The man who saved him.
While Feebas watched with wide, astonished eyes, he told her everything—what he had endured and how his life changed after meeting Kashiwagi.
Aggron had truly come to terms with his past; otherwise, he never would have spoken of it.
After hearing the whole story, Feebas was in shock. She never imagined the Aggron she idolized had such a history. Even in her loneliest days, she'd had food and water; she couldn't fathom the cold and hunger Aggron had faced in that cave.
"Fee..."
Feebas suddenly realized that this was perhaps the first time she had truly looked at Aggron's appearance. Before, due to her hero-worship and her own low self-esteem, she hadn't dared to stare for too long.
Across that supposedly impenetrable steel armor, there were countless scars, large and small. Every single mark represented Aggron's hard work and perseverance.
She finally understood.
Aggron wasn't born strong; he had fought for it, step by agonizing step.
No matter how weak you once were, no matter what you had been through,
as long as you didn't give up and could hear your Trainer's encouragement, you had to stand up and answer those expectations. Even in a final, dying struggle, you must find the strength to turn the tables!
Only then could you live without regrets!
"Ag-gron!"
Aggron looked Feebas straight in the eye and told her firmly: their Trainer never lied. He always meant what he said. If Kashiwagi believed she could scale that waterfall, then she absolutely could. It didn't matter how many times she fell.
She only had one job.
Climb! Keep climbing!
Feebas felt a surge of adrenaline, her tail fin twitching with the urge to head back to Dragon's Gate Falls immediately. She wanted to push higher, casting aside every unnecessary doubt!
Suddenly, Kashiwagi walked through the door, drying his hair with a towel. Seeing Feebas awake, he immediately leaned over with a smile. "You're up! You did great today. Even if you didn't clear it, I'm sure you've started to get the feel for it."
"Fee-bas!"
Feebas nodded with absolute conviction.
"It's great to see you've got your spirit back. But I have to tell you: don't fear failure. Failures pile up to become experience. Every time you jump, it isn't a waste; it's turning into power stored inside your body."
Kashiwagi pulled out his Rotom Phone and showed her the screen. "See this? You leveled up! Without even realizing it, you gained something from the climb! Miracles exist in this world, Feebas—as long as you keep at it!"
"Fee... bas!"
The fish stared at the screen. Even if she couldn't understand the data, she could taste the pure joy in her Trainer's voice.
Author's Note:
Huge mistake on my part: I was catching up on the Pokémon anime today and realized that during the time Ash is in Kalos, Iris should actually be traveling through the Hoenn region—she came here chasing after Rayquaza.
At this point in the timeline, she hasn't become the Champion yet.
That's my bad! I'll find a way to see what I can do about it. For now, let's just proceed with the assumption that she isn't the Champion yet.