Chapter 370: Longmen Waterfall

The ancient, mysterious village slept quietly before his eyes.

Hardly a few bird Pokémon could be seen flying overhead; only the wind's moan through the valley, like a whistle of history.

"Did nobody protest the move back then?"

Baimu turned his head to ask Zhenya.

"There probably were some, I suppose. I had only just been born back then, so I don't remember any of it." Zhenya thought for a moment. "But from what my mother told me, if the elder's seniority hadn't been deep enough, everyone would have wanted to strip him of his position."

"But in the end, you still chose to leave?"

"Judging by the current situation, yes. To strengthen exchanges with the outside world, and at the same time not disturb the dragons living in the Long Chao, we moved outside and established Meteor Village."

Zhenya said softly, "Still, this place became our ancestral land. Every New Year or during the Meteor Festival, we come back here."

"Meteor Festival?"

"Mm. The Meteor Festival is the once-a-year grand gathering where the People of the Meteor summon their clansfolk. When the time comes, every dragon tamer and every Person of the Meteor from every corner of the world will return. This year's Meteor Festival isn't far off either—remember to come, it's very important."

"…All right."

Baimu got the exact date from Zhenya and agreed.

Unexpectedly—

The guardians of this ancestral land were not humans, but several Dragon-type Pokémon. Zhenya said they were the guardian deities of the People of the Meteor, protecting this resting place of their ancestors from disturbance.

Afterwards, Zhenya led him on a tour of the former's old home—one she had heard about from her parents—and they tracked down the dwelling of his dragon-tamer ancestor.

Baimu pointed at himself. "My house?"

"Your house."

Zhenya nodded with absolute certainty.

After a slight hesitation, seeing the front door was unlocked, he gently pushed it open.

Creak—

The long-neglected door let out a piercing, eerie screech that seemed terribly loud in the silent valley, but thankfully didn't fall off.

Baimu glanced at the dust inside, then turned to look at the somewhat disdainful Mawile and said considerately, "How about you wait for me here?"

"Qiqi!"

Mawile shook her head and used Magnet Rise to float herself up, so she wouldn't have to worry about the dust.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth and began to wander through the dilapidated house.

When the People of the Meteor hadn't moved away, someone probably still came by to clean this place occasionally. But now that the whole clan had relocated, it was barely any different from a crumbling, dangerous ruin.

A house without the warmth of people always ages especially fast.

After a quick circuit, he found the inside was completely empty—nothing at all. No furniture, nothing else… although there were a few rotted screens.

"Mm… maybe I should come back sometime and renovate it?"

Baimu stood before the front door, murmuring softly.

Although he certainly wouldn't be moving in, his current identity and his future Mega Stone had both, after all, benefited somewhat from the shade of his forebears. Whatever the case, the ancestral home ought to be restored—it's not like he's short on money.

Still, no workman would come all the way to a place like this, would they?

Forget it.

There's plenty of time ahead.

There'll surely be a way.

Baimu quietly withdrew his gaze, and not far off Zhenya arrived with Jumpluff and Lanturn. "Yo! They didn't find anything either!"

Meteor Falls was actually especially, especially large. The path they had just walked and the areas they had passed through could only count as a small fraction, so with just three people it was basically impossible to think of covering every spot.

The Village Guard squad itself had only been assigned here to guard the ancestral land in the first place.

"We have to camp here until dinnertime. You've already seen the ancestral land and the Long Chao—if you get bored, head back first. The guardian deities all know you now, so no wild Dragon-type Pokémon will attack you."

Zhenya said rather plaintively, and held out the Poké Ball housing her Flygon.

"Mm, I'm very interested in that Longmen Waterfall. I want to go over and take another look."

Baimu took the Poké Ball and waved a temporary farewell to the three heroes of the Village Guard.

He ducked into the tunnel.

He walked back along the path from memory, wondering where Lei Gong might be holed up waiting for Team Rocket to take the bait, and whether Champion Dawu was still sleeping or had already arrived at Meteor Falls as well.

Even though so many people were already on guard against Team Rocket, he still felt it was a bit unsteady.

Sixth sense?

Maybe it's "fear of insufficient preparation" syndrome.

Baimu knew perfectly well he was the sort of guy who didn't quite dare make a move until he'd gathered enough intel.

Half an hour later.

He returned to the Longmen Waterfall. The river channel, shimmering with a pale blue glow, still teemed with a great many Magikarp, while in the waterfall itself plenty of Magikarp were plunging or leaping, trying to break through this barrier.

"It's your time to shine!"

Baimu opened the Poké Ball, and the shiny Feebas plopped into the river with a splash, immediately startled by the huge crowd of Magikarp around her.

"Bwa~ bwa~ bwa~ bwa~"

She rapidly spat out a string of water bubbles.

Fortunately, her Trainer's large hand was placed on her head in time. "Don't be scared."

The shiny Feebas turned around, and Baimu and Mawile immediately came into her view; the unease in her heart instantly eased.

"They almost certainly won't attack you—they're all waiting to climb that waterfall." Baimu pointed at the Longmen Waterfall. Even from a human's perspective, this waterfall was plenty big.

For the shiny Feebas, this waterfall was even more like a heavenly chasm—at a glance it seemed to have no end.

"Bwa?"

She looked around, saw that the Magikarp really weren't attacking her—didn't even care about her at all—and couldn't help but let out a relieved breath.

Then, the Shiny Magikarp looked at the Trainer with confusion; its Slow Start ability meant that even when the situation was so obvious, it still couldn't grasp the meaning behind the Trainer's words.

Baimu said patiently: "This waterfall is called Longmen Waterfall. It's said that any Magikarp that climbs to the very top and swims into the next river is guaranteed to evolve into Gyarados—so I want you to try it too."

"Bo?"

The Shiny Magikarp wore a look of utter bewilderment—could it even evolve into Gyarados?

Baimu smiled: "Of course you can't evolve into Gyarados—but the principle is the same. If you can climb this waterfall, evolving into Milotic won't be a problem for you."

"Do you remember what I told you before? Be confident. You're no worse than any other Pokémon—in fact, you're unique. Your unusual color marks your future as extraordinary. This waterfall is merely a small step on your journey—I hope you'll have the courage to cross it!"

He spoke slowly, because the Shiny Magikarp's understanding was limited. But as his meaning sank in, the Shiny Magikarp's expression grew resolute.

"Bo!"

It released a huge bubble, showing its determination to the Trainer.

That's right!

It had to cross this small step, take the next step toward broader waters. Since it had decided it no longer wanted to just sit in the tank and watch, it had to act!

Swim upstream! Swim upstream!

"Go!" Baimu smiled with deep satisfaction, waving as he saw the Shiny Magikarp's determined gaze. "I and Gyarados will be right here watching you!"

"Kichdo!"

Gyarados nodded solemnly.

"Bo~"

The Shiny Magikarp released a small bubble, then turned and swam toward the waterfall.

For some reason, the Magikarp that had been crowding together, ready to climb the waterfall, now willingly made way for it.

And at that moment,

the Shiny Magikarp realized these creatures weren't lining up—they were just watching, observing the few Magikarp that kept trying to climb the waterfall.

Like silent audience members in a mime show.

Even as those few Magikarp lost scales and bled profusely during their climbs.

Feeling watched by countless eyes, the Shiny Magikarp grew nervous. When it reached the base of the waterfall, it seemed the already towering cascade had grown even higher.

So high it couldn't see the top at all, radiating a terrifying aura that made it hesitate to approach.

Looking at the miserable state of those Magikarp,

the Shiny Magikarp's courage began to waver—

"One step! Take the first step! Failure doesn't matter—what matters is taking that first step!"

The Trainer's voice suddenly came from afar.

The Shiny Magikarp turned its head and saw Baimu and Gyarados giving it a thumbs-up. "Go on! Magikarp! Don't lose to a mere waterfall!"

"Bo!"

The Shiny Magikarp silently turned its head forward again.

Now, to say "I can't" or "I don't want to"—even if the Trainer and companions forgave it, it could never forgive itself.

Climb.

There was no other path!

Suddenly, the Shiny Magikarp flicked its tail and charged toward the towering waterfall!

Nearby,

Baimu and Gyarados, seeing its movement, clenched their fists, their eyes locked on the Shiny Magikarp as it surged up the waterfall, silently cheering it on inside.

Had they not feared burdening the Shiny Magikarp, they might have shouted aloud long ago.

For its first attempt at climbing, the Shiny Magikarp broke through the water like a barrage of bullets, pouring every ounce of strength into pushing upward, inch by agonizing inch.

But climbing a waterfall demands momentum—once the first burst of energy fades, even if the second follows immediately, it may not gain another inch.

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The Shiny Magikarp's first attempt at leaping the Longmen ended the moment its first burst of energy faded. It stared at the still-unreachable summit, its body sinking helplessly—

Boom!

Water splashed up.

It floated up from the bottom, disheartened—was this really all its utmost effort could achieve…?

"That was great! Don't panic! You've already swum halfway!" Baimu's voice came again. "Believe me! This isn't your limit! And this is only your first try! Let's try again!"

"Kichdo!"

Gyarados's voice followed into the Shiny Magikarp's ears.

It looked at the Trainer and companion, still cheering it on, their faces showing not a trace of disappointment, and mustered courage for its second charge!

Again!

Unfortunately, bursting forth wasn't that simple.

The Shiny Magikarp failed again on its second try—even felt it did worse than last time.

But the Trainer shouted: "Good! Higher than last time! Don't be afraid! We improve bit by bit! One more time, Magikarp!"

"Kichdo!"

Higher than last time?

The Shiny Magikarp instinctively trusted the Trainer and companion. Realizing it had improved, it launched its third charge!

Seconds later.

Boom!

It fell again.

"This time wasn't as high as last time—but that's fine! Your climbing posture is becoming more standard! Once you're practiced, everything will be easy! Let's try again!"

The trainer's voice sounded for the third time.

The Shiny Gyarados still chose to trust, and launched its fourth attempt.

"Come on! This time it felt right!"

Then came the fifth.

"Next time, aim a little more toward the center! That spot's best! Once you master the technique, this waterfall will be easy for you!"

Sixth… seventh…

Up it surged, down it fell—again and again.

From its initial ease, the Shiny Gyarados grew weary; its body shifted from numbness to pain, its scales feeling as if they would split open.

But more painful than fatigue and agony was the truth of its own utter powerlessness.

By this point, even the Shiny Gyarados with the Slow Start ability understood that the trainer and the Gyarados had been comforting it—it had made no progress at all, and in fact, its jumps had grown worse.

At first it swam halfway, but now it barely made a quarter.

Could it truly leap across? Could it truly conquer this waterfall and step toward a new beginning?

The fantasy and reality were too far apart.

The Shiny Gyarados had believed it feared nothing anymore, yet in the end, it found itself still the same creature—unchanged.

Did it think that just by staying among the strong, it too had become strong? That it could now speak boldly?

No.

Its own weakness and ugliness had never changed.

Listening to the trainer's and Gyarados's encouraging voices,

it fell once more.

At this moment,

the Shiny Gyarados was so exhausted it barely wanted to swim; with its eyes closed, it sensed the Karp's gazes turning to mockery and derision.

As if to say: Even we dare not challenge it—what are you, to boast of taking this step?

The worsening jumps are proof!

Why? Why?

So tired.

Too tired.

Don't want to go on anymore…

"Bo…"

The utterly exhausted Shiny Gyarados slowly closed its eyes, and in its dimming vision, saw a figure leap into the river, swim swiftly to its side, and lift it up.

Faintly, it recognized the face—it was the trainer.

In the next instant, the Shiny Gyarados fainted completely.

——

"Bo!"

The Shiny Gyarados jolted awake, then looked around dazedly, realizing it was back in its familiar fishbowl, inside the rooms of Meteor Village, its familiar companions each absorbed in their own activities.

Had all that just been a dream?

"Gurrr?"

You're awake?

A large face of Bonsly appeared before it, explaining the current situation.

Only then did the Shiny Gyarados realize it had not dreamed—it had truly challenged the Dragon's Leap Waterfall, failed again and again, and repeatedly disappointed the trainer.

Thinking of this, it sadly released a bubble.

Nothing hurt more than betraying the trainer's and companions' expectations.

Wouldn't the trainer also rather not see it anymore?

Seeing the Shiny Gyarados in this state, Bonsly growled softly to comfort it, "Gurrr~"

It's only day one—nothing major. With time, you'll improve, and one day you'll succeed in climbing that waterfall.

"Bo~"

The Shiny Gyarados shook its head; it knew its own limits, and that waterfall…

it could never climb.

"Gurrr."

Bonsly suddenly grew serious, warning the Shiny Gyarados never to underestimate its own limits—limits are precisely things meant to be broken again and again!

Bonsly shared its own past example to inspire the Shiny Gyarados.

But the Shiny Gyarados believed that a powerful, exceptionally gifted Pokémon like Bonsly could break limits naturally—they were not even in the same category. One was so strong; one was so weak.

"Gurrr…"

Bonsly fell silent for a moment, then told the Shiny Gyarados that it had never truly been strong—not in the past, nor even now. Once, it had been utterly weak.

"Bo?"

The Shiny Gyarados could not believe it. How could a Pokémon so trusted by the trainer, whose training strength everyone had witnessed, claim to be anything but strong?

And weak in the past? It simply could not believe it.

"Gurrr."

Bonsly looked at the Shiny Gyarados, and slowly revealed its old wound—the time it had been cruelly abandoned, living in darkness within a cave.

Whether the Shiny Gyarados believed it or not, that experience had been real: its weak self had become a discarded thing, thrown into a terrifying, alien place.

It had thought its life would end there—until it met Baimu.

The one who saved it.

Under the gaze of the oddly-colored Feebas, utterly astonished, it told everything it had been through and everything that had happened after meeting All Baimu.

Aggron had actually made peace with it; otherwise it would never have spoken of it.

And the oddly-colored Feebas, who had listened to the whole account, simply could not believe that the Aggron it had always worshipped had such a past. Even in its loneliest days it had always had food and drink — how could it possibly imagine Aggron's plight of cold and hunger in that cave?

"Aggr..."

The oddly-colored Feebas suddenly realized that this seemed to be the first time it had really looked closely at Aggron's appearance. Before, because it worshipped Aggron so much and felt a little inferior, it had never dared to stare for too long.

On that shell that seemed incomparably hard as steel, scars of every size were carved, each one representing Aggron's effort and perseverance.

It finally understood.

Aggron was not born strong; it had gotten there step by step, through slow, steady effort.

No matter how weak it once was, no matter what it had been through.

As long as you don't give up, as long as you hear your trainer's encouragement, you must stand up and repay his expectations — even in a death-throe struggle, you must perform a feat great enough to turn the tables!

Only then can you be without regret!

"Gyaaah!"

Aggron looked the oddly-colored Feebas straight in the eyes and told it earnestly that trainers never lie, never fail to do as they say.

If he believes you can climb that waterfall, then you certainly can.

It doesn't matter how many times you fall from above.

There is only one thing you have to do.

Climb!

Go climb!

The oddly-colored Feebas was swept up in emotion, lashing its tail, wishing it could go to Longmen Falls once more, push toward a higher place, and cast aside every unnecessary distraction!

Suddenly.

All Baimu walked in from outside the door, toweling his hair, and seeing the oddly-colored Feebas awake he immediately came over with a smile. "Awake? You did really well today — even though you didn't make it over, I believe you've already adapted."

"Aggr!"

The oddly-colored Feebas nodded firmly.

"It's really great that you're this spirited, but I still have to say one thing — don't be afraid of failure. Failure will pile up and turn into experience. Every jump you make is not wasted; it will turn into strength stored within your body."

All Baimu took out his phone and showed the information on it to it. "See? You leveled up! During the climb, you gained something without even realizing it! Miracles do exist in this world — as long as you keep going!"

"Aggr~"

The oddly-colored Feebas looked at the screen. Even though it couldn't understand a thing, it was enough to taste that joy from its trainer's words.