But more than the fatigue and pain, what saddened it the most was the harsh reality of its own helplessness.
At this point, even the sluggish-traited Shiny Feebas understood that the Trainer and Mawile had been comforting it all along, while it actually hadn't made any progress and was jumping worse and worse.
It might have swum halfway at the start, but now it probably hadn't even covered a quarter.
Did it really have the ability to jump over? Could it really conquer this waterfall and step towards a new beginning?
The gap between expectation and reality was too vast.
The Shiny Feebas had thought it feared nothing, yet in the end, it realized it was still the same self, never having changed.
Did it think that by staying among the strong, it too had become strong? That it could boast?
No.
Its weak and ugly nature had never changed.
Listening to the encouragements of the Trainer and Mawile.
It fell once more.
At this moment.
The Shiny Feebas was so exhausted it was almost unwilling to swim again, and with closed eyes, it felt the mocking and sneering gazes of the surrounding Magikarp.
As if to say, even we don't dare challenge, what are you to boast about taking this step?
Getting worse with each jump was proof!
Why? Why?
So tired.
Too tired.
I don't want to continue anymore...
"Blub..."
The utterly fatigued Shiny Feebas slowly closed its eyes, and in its haze, saw a figure jump into the river, quickly swim beside it, and hold it up.
It faintly made out the face of the other—it was the Trainer.
The next moment, the Shiny Feebas completely passed out.
——
"Blub!"
The Shiny Feebas suddenly woke up, looking around in confusion, realizing it was in the familiar fish tank, surrounded by the room in Meteor Village, with its familiar companions each going about their business.
Was everything just now... all a dream?
"Grr?"
Awake?
Aggron's big face appeared in front of it, explaining the current situation to it.
Only then did the Shiny Feebas understand that everything just now wasn't a dream—it had indeed gone to challenge Dragon Gate Waterfall and failed repeatedly, disappointing the Trainer each time.
At this thought, it sadly blew a bubble.
Nothing made it sadder than letting down the Trainer and its companions' expectations.
The Trainer probably didn't want to see it again, either, right?
Seeing the Shiny Feebas in such a state, Aggron lowly growled in comfort, "Grr~"
It's just the first day, it's no big deal, progress will come with time, and one day you'll successfully climb over that waterfall.
"Blub~"
The Shiny Feebas shook its head, it knew its limits, that waterfall...
It couldn't climb over it.
"Grr."
Aggron suddenly became serious, advising the Shiny Feebas never to underestimate its limits, as limits are things to be broken again and again!
The Big Monster shared its past experiences to motivate the Shiny Feebas.
Yet the Shiny Feebas thought it was only natural for a strong and gifted Pokémon like Aggron to break through limits; they weren't Pokémon of the same realm, one being so strong, the other so weak.
"Grr..."
Aggron was silent for a while, then told the Shiny Feebas that in the past and even now, it wasn't considered strong, and that it was once incredibly weak.
"Blub?"
The Shiny Feebas couldn't believe it at all, as the Pokémon most trusted by the Trainer, seen practicing with strength every day—how could it not be strong?
And weak in the past? It couldn't believe it.
"Grr."
Aggron looked at the Shiny Feebas, slowly revealing its old scars—the days of utter abandonment, living a dismal life in a cave.
Regardless of whether the Shiny Feebas believed it, those experiences were real, a weak self abandoned in a completely unfamiliar, terrifying place.
Just when it thought life would gradually come to an end, it encountered Baimu.
The one who saved it.
In the bewildered gaze of the Shiny Feebas, Aggron shared everything it had been through and what had happened since meeting Baimu.
Aggron had long come to terms with it, otherwise it would never have spoken about it.
And after hearing the whole story, the Shiny Feebas could hardly believe the Aggron it had always admired had such a past, unable to imagine, even in its loneliest days, Aggron's dire situation of hunger and cold in the cave.
"Blub..."
The Shiny Feebas suddenly realized that this seemed to be the first time it had taken a close look at Aggron's appearance, previously not daring to gaze too long due to excessive admiration and slight inferiority.
The seemingly indestructible steel armor bore countless scars, each one representing Aggron's toil and perseverance.
Finally, it understood.
Aggron wasn't inherently strong; it had become strong step by step through effort.
No matter how weak one was in the past, no matter what experiences endured...
As long as you don't give up, heed the Trainer's encouragement, stand up and repay his expectations, and perform awe-inspiring feats, even in moments of struggle!
Only then can you live without regret!
"Grr!"
Aggron looked straight into the eyes of the Shiny Feebas, earnestly telling it that the Trainer never lies, always keeping promises.
If he thinks you can climb that waterfall, then you certainly can.
No matter how many times you fall from above, it doesn't matter.
You only have one thing to do.
Climb!
Go climb!
The Shiny Feebas's heart surged, wagging its tail, eager to go to the Dragon Gate Waterfall again, striving upward, discarding all unnecessary distractions!
Suddenly.
Baimu walked in, towel-drying his hair. Seeing the awakened Shiny Feebas, he immediately approached with a smile, "Awake? You did quite well today; although you didn't succeed in climbing, I believe you've already adapted."
"Blub!"
The Shiny Feebas nodded firmly.
"I'm so glad to see you so spirited, but I still have to say, don't fear failure. Failure accumulates and turns into experience. Every jump you make isn't wasted; it will transform into strength stored in your body."
Baimu took out his phone, showing the information on it to it, "See? You've leveled up! During your climb, you unknowingly received gains! This world holds miracles, as long as you persist!"
"Blub~"
The Shiny Feebas looked at the screen, and though it couldn't understand a thing, it could taste the joy from the Trainer's words.