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Lysandre wasn’t sure what to expect from his trip back to Kalos then. While he appreciated seeing its familiar beauty, guilt still gripped him. He still had to atone for his selfish actions against it. While his recovery in Unova was progressing well, he still felt uneasy. He still felt a need to give back to his homeland properly. It’d weighed heavily on him, leaving he and Serena on edge. As such, they walked along Route 15 to calm their nerves. Fall was upon it now, painting its landscape in rich, earthy jewel tones. It was enough to cast his worries aside for the moment. As they walked hand in hand, Serena rubbed against him and sighed. She hoped nothing would get in the way of such a “perfect” day. They had no great plans, just each other’s company just then. However, a female Liepard rushed past them, her tail swaying like a ribbon. As they watched her pass by, a male Mightyena trailed after her. Their movements seemed frantic, as if deeply disturbed by something. While Serena wondered about it, the feeling soon passed. However, Lysandre held onto his concern more tightly. Something seemed off about them, as far as he could tell. From his time with Professor Sycamore, he’d learned about “proper” Pokemon behavior. Those two were far too erratic for it to be natural here. Unable to restrain himself, Lysandre ran after the Pokemon. He rushed through the landscape, appearing like a burst of flame. Though she knew he meant well, Serena just groaned to herself. As strange as it was, she hadn’t prepared for such a debacle today. “Oh, for Arceus’ sake, Lysandre! Wait for me!”She instantly ran after him, part aware of what would be. He still retained his passionate nature, albeit in a more benign way. He loved to tell her about her interests, to which she listened in eagerly. Ever since his recovery, Lysandre had taken to other pursuits to fill his time. One of them was Pokemon rehabilitation, something he recalled from his past. While he’d helped injured Pokemon before, it’d been ages since he’d done it. It’d been lost to his other pursuits, but he still cared deeply for their well being. The ferocious beauty of Pokemon spoke to him, especially those of a feline sort. That wild Liepard’s frantic worry drove his senses mad. No cat Pokemon should feel this bad, no matter the circumstances. He wasn’t sure if Serena understood it fully, but it was of no matter. All that did was her own concern, born of that same compassion. As they chased after the creatures, they ran through thickets of jade grass, laced with fallen leaves. While it was hauntingly beautiful, it also obscured their sight of the Pokemon. They listened for their cries, allowing them to guide the way. With every step, the leaves crunched underfoot, adding to their suspense. Once they were free from the fall grass, Serena took a moment to catch her breath. They were still on Route 15, that much she knew. However, she wasn’t exactly sure where they were, having been gone from Kalos so long. She peered forward, only to come across a wooden bridge nearby. The faint sound of rushing water soon greeted her as well.As she stepped on the bridge, Serena glanced to the river below. At its grassy edge, she could make out Lysandre, alongside the wild Pokemon. Relief washed over her to see them unharmed; Within moments, she left the bridge and ran down to the riverbank. Once there, she stood beside Lysandre and the Pokemon. “Oh God, I almost lost you, Lysandre! What’s going on?”Mightyena sniffed the air, seemingly in search of something. Meanwhile, Lysandre and Liepard stared at the river, seeking something as well. The creature swatted at the water, her golden whiskers twitching. All watched the river for a bit, only for a large, cardboard box to come down it. Lysandre asked the creatures if that was their concern, to which they nodded back. With that in mind, he reached for the box, only for it to slip away. Serena followed suit, trying to block it with her arms. Though she’d gotten wet, it was of little concern. Once she’d captured the box, Serena lifted it up to determine its contents. She could make out faint sounds and dropped it in shock. As it fell onto the grass, Mightyena lunged forward to protect its contents. With the box in his grasp, he sniffed at its cardboard. His eyes snapped open, only for him to tear at it with his teeth.Liepard drew closer and inspected the box as well. She soon fell to her partner’s frenzy, and began scratching at it. As they shredded wet cardboard, the sounds grew louder. They now evoked a familiar pang in Serena, one she knew from her time in Kalos. Her suspicions were confirmed once the box’s top part was fully torn off. “Oh my God, they’re Espurr! There must be a dozen of ‘em in there!”Serena set her hands to her mouth, only for her face to go pale. She glanced to the river, then to the mangled box. They’d all been crammed inside, their bodies now frail. She couldn’t imagine how torturous the trip must’ve been for them. It seemed so unreal to her that anyone would do such a thing. When she turned back to Lysandre, he mirrored her sentiment. Rage painted his icy eyes, laced with a livid disgust. His brows were furrowed now, joined by a deep scowl on his mouth. Unable to retain his composure, he dropped down to the box. Liepard and Mightyena backed away, allowing him to peer at the Espurr.Countless eyes stared back at him, their lilac depths hollow and frightened. Though they wriggled away, they had little energy to escape their strange “captor”. As they lay against each other, Lysandre reached out to stroke their fur. Despite the box’s cover, the ones at the bottom were absolutely soaked. He knew they couldn’t remain in such a condition any longer.Serena caught onto his concern and began taking them out of the box. As she sat them on the grass, they tried to shake themselves dry. Liepard drew close to them, allowing the Espurr to cuddle against her. As they fell onto her side, Lysandre got the rest out and set them aside Mightyena.While he rubbed against them, the man noticed one last Espurr in the box. He’d gotten the brunt of their folly, as he was in shock. His tiny body was set out stiff, and felt wet to the touch. Driven by aching pity, Lysandre picked him up and checked his vital signs. They were stable, to his great relief.As Serena tried to dry them with some tissues, the wild Pokemon licked the rest off. It wasn’t ideal, but it’d have to do, considering the Espurrs’ condition. Meanwhile, Lysandre held that last Espurr in his arms. The creature seemed rather light, compared to his siblings. He was the faintest of all, causing the man to draw him closer.Though his vision was blurry, the Espurr sensed a great warmth upon him. He felt around Lysandre’s chest, only to find his jacket’s fur trim. It reminded him of his mother Meowstic’s pelt, how it felt when they snuggled together. Espurr latched onto Lysandre’s chest, his paws against his cravat.“It’s okay, little one. You’re safe now. Serena, how are the others faring?”“They’re still in shock, but they’re better now. To think, we almost lost them, too! Oh, Lys, what are we gonna do? We can’t care for this many Espurr, can we?”“Well, first things first, let’s go to a Pokemon Center. I’m sure they can help these guys more than we can.”Serena sighed to herself, taken back by it all. She knew he was right, but she still felt she could do more for the Espurr. With that in mind, she fished out extra Pokeballs from her Bag. Likewise, Lysandre got his own Pokeballs out to assist her. Once all the Espurr were contained, she put them away for safekeeping. Meanwhile, Lysandre had put his Espurr in his jacket, his head against the fur trim. They had a long road ahead of them, but it’d be worth it to help the Espurr out. Once they were ready, Serena waved to the Pokemon, thanking them for their help. As they departed, Mightyena sniffed the air once more. Liepard glanced at him, then drew closer. She rubbed against him, a small comfort in their time of need. They peered at the river again, their eyes seeking something yet unseen. As Liepard’s whiskers twitched, her eyes shot open.She shifted her gaze upward and yowled loudly. Mightyena caught onto it and peered up as well. The river’s current was faster now, sweeping all manner of debris in its path. As the Pokemon stared at it, they saw a blur of dark blue and white approaching them. Mightyena lunged at its source, only to capture dark twin tails.As their owner fell into his grasp, Liepard reached for the other white blur. Soon enough, they’d captured their owners and set them on the riverbank. A male and female Meowstic pair greeted them, their bodies soaking wet from their impromptu trip. Liepard and Mightyena knew them as well; They’d been the Pokemon of a nearby Trainer, as noted by a local Hex Maniac. He was an irresponsible breeder, obsessed with shiny variants. He abandoned his Pokemon when they failed to meet his standards. As such, the wild pair often helped those which he left on Route 15. The Meowstic pair were no exception, as were their children. As the creatures tried to regain their bearings, Liepard meowed to them. Her voice was full of concern, as well as sorrow. As the female Meowstic listened in, her blood ran cold. Her greatest fears were reality, causing her to cry in anguish. As her partner consoled her, Mightyena barked at them, his voice knowledgeable. The Meowstics listened carefully, afraid for their children’s fate. Mightyena spoke of Serena and Lysandre’s presence, how they’d helped their Espurr so. Though her unease remained, female Meowstic sighed in relief. She was just glad her children had survived their “trip”. As she tried to compose herself, male Meowstic asked the pair where they’d gone to.Mightyena tilted his head to the East, where Dendemille Town rested. He howled to them, urgency clear in his voice. With a knowing nod, Liepard offered her support to the Meowstic pair. The female Meowstic thought back to her children. She couldn’t bear the thought of them being scared and weary, despite the humans who’d helped them out.With that in mind, she summoned her courage and tapped at Liepard’s shoulder. Liepard knew what was to be, and offered her help once more. She dropped down, allowing female Meowstic to get on her back. Once seated, she commanded her partner to do the same.Within moments, male Meowstic sat on Mightyena’s back, clutching his dark, flowing pelt there. His partner gave him a knowing nod, and tapped at Liepard’s neck. Soon enough, they were off to Dendemille Town on their fellow “steeds”. Despite their own unease, all the Meowstic cared about were their children, hoping they were safe once and for all.