Raikou would "rather die" than reveal the source of his information.
However, he was absolutely certain that Team Rocket's next objective was Meteor Falls.
Why?
It had only been two days since their base was wiped out. How could they regroup and advance on a new target so quickly?
It was truly suspicious.
Furthermore, the number of Team Rocket members in that previous base shouldn't have been small. Losing an entire facility ought to be considered a significant blow to them, right?
Originally, toward the end of the Original Series, they had already begun showing signs of a manpower shortage...
Could it be that the problem was solved in the later seasons?
Regarding this villainous organization—which had existed as nothing more than a perpetual background fixture since the Black & White era—Kashiwagi was completely in the dark about its current status.
Hopefully, those captured Grunts will cough up some vital intel, he thought.
Seeing Steven making several serious phone calls, Kashiwagi felt tempted to eavesdrop, but ultimately decided it would be rude and gave up on the idea.
A short while later, Steven put his phone down.
"No traces of Team Rocket activity have been discovered for the time being... It seems things are even more troublesome than anticipated."
He looked toward Raikou. "While I'm personally inclined to trust your judgment, it's not realistic to mobilize a large-scale search party around Meteor Falls without concrete evidence."
"Rrr-ghoul!" Raikou growled.
He never intended to rely on the power of humans anyway. Hearing Steven's words, he turned his head with an air of indifference and padded into the house, picking a spot on the carpet to lie down.
Having searched for nearly the entire night with nothing to show for it, the legendary beast felt somewhat weary. Guided by a certain instinct, he had tracked his way back to Kashiwagi's lodging.
Who knew he'd run into the Hoenn Champion here?
"...Does Raikou dislike me?" Steven asked, turning to Kashiwagi with a look of confusion.
He felt a bit slighted.
The latter shook his head. "No, that's just his personality. Actually, he's already showing you a lot of respect by at least acknowledging you. Usually, he just ignores me entirely."
Steven: "..."
How on earth do you two usually get along? Steven's eyes were filled with bewilderment.
"Anyway, isn't Meteor Falls the territory of the People of the Meteors? Why not seek their help?" Kashiwagi changed the subject, not wanting to discuss the "cold shoulder" treatment he constantly received from Raikou.
Steven blinked and asked in return, "Haven't you been in contact with that Draconid named Zinnia? Didn't she tell you about their situation?"
"Uh... I know very little so far."
"Well, I didn't expect that as a descendant of the People of the Meteors, you'd need an outsider like me to tell you about your own homeland."
Steven organized his thoughts and began, "More than ten years ago, the reclusive People of the Meteors lived deep within Meteor Falls—in a place called Meteor Village. Many powerful Dragon-type Pokémon live there, making it an ideal place for Dragon Tamers to train.
"However, as times changed, the village Elder saw the rapid development of the outside world. He moved the village out of the falls and built a new settlement in the forest nearby, encouraging the youth to head out and see the world rather than staying shut away."
"A village built on the outside?"
Kashiwagi was stunned for a moment. He quickly opened the map on his phone and spotted a small landmark named Meteor Village very close to Meteor Falls.
To be honest, he had seen this village while searching for terms related to the People of the Meteors before. But since there was so little information online, and his subconscious told him they lived inside the falls, he hadn't paid much attention to it.
Who would have thought it was built after they moved out?
"Correct. Because of the Elder's decision, most of the capable young Dragon Tamers have already left the village. So, even if we ask, they likely can't provide much help. Meteor Falls is quite large, and the environment inside is extremely complex."
Steven nodded. "Of course, we should still give them a heads-up—I'll leave that task to you. Since you're already in Fallarbor Town, you weren't planning on skipping a visit to Meteor Village, were you?"
"Hmm..."
Kashiwagi pondered for a few seconds and nodded. "I should go."
Even now, he found it hard to believe that a forged wooden plaque could escalate things to this point. But facts spoke louder than words; his identity as a descendant of Dragon Tamers was set in stone. It was only right to go check it out.
It wasn't as if a group of people had suddenly appeared demanding he contribute to the village; the current reality was that if he wanted to obtain a Key Stone, he still had to rely on the People of the Meteors.
A slight smile appeared on Steven's face. "I'm glad you aren't rejecting your bloodline. That's a good sign."
After experiencing over a decade of hardship, for a group of people to suddenly claim you are "so-and-so" and assign you a completely mysterious identity... even from Steven's perspective, he knew it wouldn't be easy to accept.
Fortunately, Kashiwagi was mature enough—that was something Steven greatly admired about him.
"It's a pity your goal is the Orre Championship. Otherwise, I'd really like to recommend you as Drake's successor," Steven remarked out of the blue.
Kashiwagi didn't immediately register why Steven said that, so he replied jokingly, "Why couldn't I be your successor?"
"Oh? Are you actually interested in that?"
Steven's eyes lit up. "Then why not challenge the Hoenn League? With your strength, I'm certain you could win the Ever Grande Conference. Wallace would be delighted to meet you, too—"
"I was kidding! Just kidding!"
Kashiwagi waved his hands frantically, wearing a pained expression as he apologized for his previous boldness.
To make his rock-collecting hobby easier, this guy constantly swapped the Champion title back and forth with his best friend Wallace (who preferred running the Wallace Cup). Though Kashiwagi wasn't sure why Steven had taken the title back recently...
One thing was clear: even in his twenties, Steven was already thinking about finding a successor.
He also seemed positively obsessed with scouting replacements for the Elite Four members who were nearing retirement.
Hearing the explanation, Steven let out a quiet sigh—whether it was an act or genuine disappointment, it was hard to tell.
"Anyway, Steven-san, is that rock really a sleeping Jirachi?" Kashiwagi asked, pivoting the subject again.
The moment they touched on his interests, Steven's disappointment vanished, replaced by an excited smile. "I'm glad you asked! I'll need to start with the external patterns and textures..."
Steven went on a non-stop lecture for what must have been ten minutes.
The final conclusion?
The object was indeed a sleeping Jirachi, no doubt about it. However, why Jirachi slept for a thousand years and its resonance with a celestial comet was a mystery that required further research.
"This might be a bit forward of me, but I hope you'll allow us to study the Wishing Star," Steven proposed.
"With the technological resources of Devon Corporation, we might be able to uncover the secret of Jirachi's slumber. We could find a way for it to wake without waiting a thousand years, or perhaps even understand the power that grants wishes...
"Of course, I'm not forcing you, nor do I have any intention of keeping it for myself. Six months—we only need six months."
Kashiwagi couldn't help but glance at the Wish Star. If the sleeping Jirachi could react to his words, he'd probably ask for its opinion...
But as things stood, Jirachi was out cold, completely isolated from the outside world. If he kept the Wish Star with him for six short months, could he really perform a miracle like "sincerity moves mountains" and wake it up? It wasn't realistic.
"Of course you can. Please, don't even worry about it," Kashiwagi agreed.
In the end, even if Jirachi were awake, whether it would accept him was a big question. Mythical Pokémon usually have strong personalities and choose their own partners. The requirement for the Wishing Star was a "pure-hearted child."
Was he pure-hearted? That was a big question mark.
Having secured the agreement, Steven was all smiles.
"Thank you. It's getting late, and I heard you're currently challenging the Pokémon Contest circuit? In that case, I won't disturb you... or Raikou any further." He glanced at Raikou, who was lying on the carpet flicking his tail, and Steven's smile turned slightly mischievous.
Despite Kashiwagi's repeated insistence that they weren't Trainer and Pokémon, the actual vibe between them... well, he had his doubts.
Raikou seemed to sense Steven's teasing thoughts. Feeling annoyed, his tail flicked faster and faster, signaling his irritation.
This brat is getting more and more entitled lately. My constant tolerance is only being met with more insolence!
Just you wait. Once the Hoenn Champion leaves, I'm going to give you a piece of my mind.
Raikou suddenly stood up and walked toward the bedroom, giving Kashiwagi a "you're in for it" look before leaving.
A sudden chill ran down Kashiwagi's spine. He rubbed his arms and tried to offer Steven a place to stay. "It's so late, where are you going to stay? The trains have stopped running, so why not just crash here for the night—"
"No need, a helicopter is coming to pick me up."
Steven shook his head with a smile, saying words that made Kashiwagi swallow the rest of his sentence.
I'm so naive, Kashiwagi thought.
The man wasn't just a Champion; he was one of the richest people in Hoenn. At the peak of wealth and status, it didn't matter if it was three or four in the morning—having a helicopter on standby twenty-four hours a day was perfectly normal.
"Take care then..."
Kashiwagi watched weakly as Steven packed up the Wish Star, the Fire Stone, and the Fire Gem, then hopped onto Metagross's head.
"You have four Gym Badges now, right? It just so happens that Wallace is the current Gym Leader of Sootopolis City. You might want to wait until you have seven badges before going there; it'll help you gauge your strength before the Conference. I'll be looking forward to your performance at the Sootopolis Gym!"
With a final smile, Steven and Metagross departed.
A moment later, the Shiny Metagross turned into a silver shooting star, vanishing into the night.
...
Kashiwagi stood on the lawn watching him go until Aggron walked up beside him, resting a claw on his shoulder with a low growl.
"Hey there! Thanks for the hard work, big guy!"
He reached out to stroke Aggron's shimmering silver cheek. Feeling the uneven pits and scratches on the metal, Kashiwagi felt a strange sense of calm.
As the team grew, the most obvious change was that he had less individual time for his older partners. It was unavoidable; since he couldn't use Double Team on himself, his energy was naturally divided among the other Pokémon.
Fortunately, Aggron had a gentle and generous personality. Instead of blaming him, he took the initiative to look after the Pokémon Kashiwagi might miss.
Like the Shiny Feebas.
Every time Kashiwagi went to change her water, he found it had already been done. After talking with Feebas, he learned that Aggron got up every morning to help change the water.
Kashiwagi was moved. While Aggron had always been helpful, he suddenly had the quiet realization that his "child" had truly grown up.
"Gron-hhhooo!"
Aggron's pale blue eyes crinkled into crescents, his massive frame gleaming under the moonlight.
As the ace of the team, Aggron knew that being able to share the Trainer's burden was even more important than raw power. He knew he still had much to learn, but he wanted to make things easier for his Trainer in every way possible.
If I helped you even a little, then that's the best reward~
Aggron tilted his head slightly, looking at Kashiwagi with eyes full of trust, joy, and an unbreakable attachment. To him, his Trainer was both a partner walking the same path and an inseparable family member.
Because of his Trainer, he was cared for in every detail and could live a life free of worries every single day.
Sensing the emotion in Aggron's eyes, Kashiwagi reached out and gave him a big hug.
"I'm so glad I chose you back then."
"Agg-ron!" Me too.
Aggron wrapped his arms around Kashiwagi as well. His breathing was steady and powerful, radiating a deep sense of reliability.
...
...
The Bedroom
Kashiwagi crept stealthily into the room, only to see a pair of copper-red eyes glowing intensely in the pitch-black darkness.
"Rrr-Roar..."
"My bad! I didn't mean it earlier—AH!"
Blue sparks flickered. Kashiwagi winced, rubbing his arm as a numbing sensation surged through it. He quickly hopped around, trying to dodge the bolts of electricity Raikou was shooting at his feet.
Naturally, his reflexes were no match for lightning. His legs went numb, and he nearly collapsed.
Fortunately, Blissey was quick to steady him, and Hydreigon caught him by the collar just in time.
"happy!"
Blissey glared at Raikou. She felt he had gone a bit too far this time—zapping an arm was one thing, but zapping someone's legs was dangerous!
Hydreigon joined in with some muffled, incoherent protests.
The "Husky-Dragon" had never liked the look of Raikou anyway. Not only did the beast constantly pester his Trainer, but now he was attacking him! If Hydreigon didn't know he was outmatched, he'd definitely teach this "big cat" some manners.
Raikou ignored Hydreigon's grumbling but looked a bit sheepish under Blissey's scolding. Out of all the Pokémon on Kashiwagi's team, Blissey was the only one who could occasionally make the legendary beast feel a twinge of intimidation.
"Rrr-Raikou..."
He let out a yawn and turned his head away awkwardly, signaling that he'd let it slide this time.
Recovering his composure, Kashiwagi chuckled. "Talk about power by association. Who would've thought the mighty Raikou of Ho-Oh's personal guard would be afraid to face a Blissey's lecture?"
Raikou froze mid-crouch. When he turned back, he looked genuinely annoyed.
Can't go one minute without causing trouble, can you?
"Alright, alright, I'm shutting up. It's late—everyone, go to sleep."
Kashiwagi promptly surrendered. He changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed, specifically picking the side closest to Raikou. He slowly reached out and ran his hand through the thick, storm-cloud-like fur on the beast's back, successfully stroking his warm spine. He rested his other hand in Hydreigon's mouth.
Perfect now. Time to sleep.
He closed his eyes and drifted back into dreamland.
Feeling the weight on his back, Raikou cracked an eyelid open. After a few silent seconds, he made no move to protest and closed his eyes again.
The night passed without incident.
...
The next morning, Raikou was up early.
In truth, he didn't really need sleep, so the moment he saw the sun and felt Kashiwagi waking up, he prepared to leave.
Just because he hadn't ambushed Team Rocket yesterday didn't mean he wouldn't find them today—
"Wait!"
A bleary-eyed Kashiwagi stopped him, his voice still thick with sleep. "Don't be in such a rush. We're heading the same way today. Since I'm going toward Meteor Falls too, how about giving me a lift?"
Raikou looked at him with sheer disbelief. Does this brat even know what he's saying?
You want to RIDE me?
"Come on, we've known each other for so long. Just give me a ride. It's not like you're still injured and can't carry me. Besides, my legs are still numb from you zapping me yesterday—I can't walk today!" Kashiwagi said, half-joking and half-exaggerating.
Raikou stared at him with cold eyes, his face practically screaming "NO" in bold letters. He ignored him and turned to head out of the bedroom.
"Waaaaah... I can't walk... My legs are so numb... Waaaaah."
The crying was so fake it was painful.
Standing at the door, Raikou desperately wanted to blast this shameless human with a Thunder attack. But then he caught a glimpse of the hopeful look in Kashiwagi's eyes. As if by some strange spell, he gave a tiny nod and agreed.
"Roar..."
"You agreed!"
Kashiwagi's eyes lit up. He had only asked on the off-chance it might work—who knew he'd actually succeed!
Awesome!
Excited, he flipped out of bed, completely forgetting that Hydreigon's big center head was right above him. His forehead slammed into the dragon's nose. "Ouch!"
Kashiwagi curled up on the bed, clutching his head and rolling around, while Hydreigon blinked awake in confusion, nibbling on his own head with one of his smaller side-heads, not quite sure what had just happened.
Raikou let out a small, huffing laugh at the sight before turning to sunbathe in the bright courtyard.
...
A short while later, Kashiwagi approached, freshened up and carrying Mawile.
"I'm counting on you! You can just drop me off nearby."
He looked at Raikou, who had lowered himself to the ground but was pointedly looking away. Kashiwagi carefully parted the curly, purple, cloud-like fur on the beast's back, then hopped on while holding Mawile. "Alright! Sit tight!"
Raikou rose slowly.
Kashiwagi wobbled for a second, nearly losing his balance. He grabbed a handful of the purple fur to steady himself. "Ah! Sorry! Did that hurt?"
Raikou turned his head and looked at him like he was an idiot, then let out a low growl and leaped toward the forest outside the courtyard.
The sudden sensation of rising and falling weightlessness made Kashiwagi feel like he was on a drop tower ride—it was strangely exhilarating.
Raikou moved at an incredible speed, like a bolt of lightning. The scenery blurred past them at a terrifying pace. It reminded Kashiwagi of riding his hover-bike back in Pyrite Town.
Eyes closed, throttle pinned—as fast as the machine could go.
He looked down at Mawile and saw a look of nostalgia on her face. He knew she was remembering the days sitting in the bike's sidecar. "Feels a bit like the motorcycle, doesn't it?"
"Maw-wile~"
Mawile gave a soft chirp of disagreement.
Not quite. The hover-bike didn't have this level of weightlessness.
Kashiwagi checked his phone. The GPS showed they were closing in on Meteor Falls at an astonishing speed. A journey that should have taken at least half a day would likely be over in less than an hour.
However, as Steven had said, Meteor Falls was massive. The area was littered with craters from frequent meteorite strikes. The largest one was clearly visible even on a satellite map.
That crater was likely the spot where the Giant Rock had crashed down from space.
Could the ruins be inside Meteor Falls?
Kashiwagi thought it was possible, though he vaguely remembered the ruins being pillar-shaped, somewhat like the Sky Pillar...
Probably not the Sky Pillar, though.
"Not having enough info makes everything so complicated," he sighed.