A loud purr from Aslan rattled Josh a bit harder than he was used to. It was a sign of the lion king's excitement, ready to lead his pride in an effort to save some lives. It was what Hoenn's Rangers were all about: going into the wilds and positively affecting the lives of both people and Pokémon.

Josh's eyes drifted to Moiraine's saddle; he wanted to catch one and give it a try, but the Gym Leader was tall; even on quite the large Pelipper, there wouldn't be a lot of room to sit. It would be similar to riding a Sharpedo, but in the sky and without a fin to hold onto. "Excellent. I'm more familiar with Mauville than Fortree. How about you lead the way, then? I'm sure you know the most efficient way to get to the coordinates in the briefing." If Knight was too nervous about taking point, Josh would step in kindly.

"When we get these kids back, I have to take you to one of the best Unovan places in the region. It's called the Beautifly and Dustox Bar and Grill." If there was one thing Josh loved, it was Unovan cuisine. Nothing like a burger and a beer... or in his case, a quart-sized glass of lemonade. "Great sports bar. I haven't eaten there in a hot minute. Used to all the time when I was stationed out of Fortree. Then I became a Gym Leader and worked with Mauville closely. Now that I'm a Champion, I help out all over the region."

As Josh likewise observed the collapsed ground, he was amazed that there were only two people that had suffered minor injuries. "They can't have fallen too far," Josh concluded aloud. "There would have been more injuries. Also there should be a trail of smoke from the engine." Surely enough, there was -- in the other direction from Knight. "Aha. Based on the wind direction, it has to be right below us. Aslan can jump that far, but I don't want to squish anyone hidden down there. Nala, Rani, and Vitani, see if you can find a trail that we can use to get them back up, okay?" With purrs that rattled the air, the three females trotted about, on the lookout for such a trail.

"Good eye, Knight," Josh encouraged the young man. "See, we can do this if we work together. There's only so much one person can do on their own. There's only so sharp one pair of eyes can be. You can't underestimate the value of a second set of eyes -- or a second mind to bounce ideas off of."

If Knight were to land and regroup, Josh would have several vials of Super Potion for him. "Take these down to the Pokémon and make sure all their wounds get sprayed. My pride is already hunting for a way to get down to them -- and more importantly, back up."

Josh's pride's search would prove fruitful; while it wasn't easily traversed by foot, there was a trail, covered in fallen trees, that could be navigated from the back of a sure-footed Pokémon. Taking it down to the jungle floor, it did not take them long to find the bus. Vitani yelped as she stepped on a shard of glass. No doubt the entire windshield had been blown out in the events leading to the vehicle's destruction.

OBJECTIVE A: COMPLETED

With two of his three Pyroar returning with their results, Josh radioed to Knight. "Naito, this is Champion Devlin. My pride's found a trail down, but we can't walk there on foot. I'm bringing my whole pride down there to help. Will rendezvous as soon as possible. Any luck finding the kids or the driver? Over."

Returning his attention to the other two Pyroar, Josh asked, "Where's Vitani? I thought she was with you." Through purrs, growls, and other nonverbal communication, the Champion was able to piece together what had happened. "There's little time to lose. Let's go!" Squeezing Aslan's sides, Josh ordered the golden lion to bolt down the trail, relying on the feline's superior footing to keep them stable.

Whine it wasn't as pungent as jet fuel, the distinct smell of gasoline burning in open air told Josh and his pride that they were close. He reined Aslan toward its source. Just as he turned his head toward the wreckage, he got Knight's reply. "Roger. I have a visual now. Heading toward your position, over."

It would not take Josh long to meet back up with Knight and his Pelipper. The young Ranger's Cottonee seemed to have most of the first aid under control, though the Champion couldn't help but get Super Potion ready to treat some of the smaller injured Pokémon. He could have sworn he lost his hearing for a moment when a child's Whismur let out a loud screech upon feeling the sting of the medicine being applied.

OBJECTIVE B: COMPLETED

Once all the Pokémon had been treated, including a wild Vivillon that Josh had mistaken for a trainer's, he introduced himself. "Elite Ranger Devlin or Champion Devlin, but please, call me Josh. We're here to get you home. These ten Pyroar are our ticket back to Fortree. Climb aboard, and we'll get you back to school."

High-pitched celebratory cheers drowned out wild Pokémon cries, a wild Togetic swooping in a bit too close to Simba and slightly agitating him. "You mean, we get to ride on your Pyroar?" an expectant middle-schooler asked as Josh noticed the bus driver placing a call, presumably to the school.

"Yep! Any of them!"

One of the students was nervous about getting on one of Josh's lions by himself. After some convincing, he managed to get the young girl to agree to be a passenger on Aslan behind him. Astride his golden lion again, the Gym Leader returned to Knight to check on him. "How's everything going over here? Think they'll be strong enough to ride back to Fortree?"