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The matter was actually a bit complicated.
It started over half a month ago.
Incineroar had become fixated after hearing midnight cat cries that kept it from sleeping. And so, on a certain night, when the cat cries sounded again, while Li Xiang was fast asleep, it quietly slid open the sliding glass door, ignored Greninja whom it had awakened, and followed the sound of the cats.
"What are you doing?"
Greninja's voice came from behind. It had followed.
Without turning its head, Incineroar replied, "Found something... Don't wake Li Xiang; he's tired enough during the day."
"Okay. Should I wake Riolu?"
The voice was still right behind it.
"Why would you call that shorty? And why are you following me anyway?"
Incineroar turned its head, looking at Greninja in confusion. "You should be sleeping! Go back to sleep!"
Greninja sat cross-legged in mid-air. "Li Xiang said not to go alone; it's safer to act in pairs. Also, he said curiosity killed the cat."
"Curiosity killed the cat? What does that have to do with me, Incineroar?"
Incineroar said righteously. "Don't you trust your big brother Incineroar—fine, follow if you want."
It was about to glare when it heard the distant cat cries suddenly become urgent, so it decisively gave up on persuading this chuunibyou frog.
It jogged towards the source of the sound.
Greninja followed behind, floating along without its feet touching the ground the entire way.
Moving forward, passing through the low shrubs behind the villa, Incineroar arrived at Mist City University's so-called "Lovers' Paradise," the Water Lily Garden.
The garden connected to a tranquil Mist Lake. From a good spot, one could watch the rising sun over the horizon at dawn.
Of course, Incineroar wasn't here for the scenery. It was looking for the source—
'There!'
Incineroar's eyes lit up slightly as it saw five shadowy figures in a small grove: two fleeing, three chasing.
Without hesitation, relying on its boldness and skill, it pushed through the dense bushes and, using its night vision, saw the true forms of the five shadows.
—Two little white cats with black ears, only slightly bigger than its own head, each with an oval gold coin on its forehead. They were desperately running. Chasing behind were three ferocious-looking, multi-colored spiders, baring their fangs and claws.
'Newborn Meowth and Ariados?'
Incineroar frowned very human-like, thinking just like Li Xiang would.
But after thinking for two seconds, it charged forward, growling low at the Ariados.
"Stop!"
Because the Ariados had already bound the two Meowth with silk, not giving it time to pause and think.
"Help! Help!"
The two pitiful kittens cried out like that.
Not far away, the Ariados who were reeling in their catch turned their heads.
Immediately, they saw Incineroar, towering and imposing in the dark night, its figure somewhat blurred, with only a flame-like pattern flickering, exuding an aura of "not to be messed with." Their movements froze.
The two Meowth's cries for help became even clearer.
"Help! Save us!"
"Help!"
Incineroar parted the low-hanging branches and stepped forward slowly, using a tone that brooked no argument. "Let them go!"
"None of your business! Get lost!"
"That's right! They're thieves! They must be punished!"
"We're not easy to mess with!"
The three Ariados snapped their sharp insect fangs at Incineroar, their faces ferocious.
However, there was a hint of bluster in their actions.
'Thieves?'
Incineroar paused slightly, looking at the two trussed-up Meowth.
"What did you steal from them?"
But it didn't get the answer it wanted. The Meowth continued to cry for help incessantly, looking at it with their watery, wide eyes, pitifully.
'Communication difficulties... Newborns, indeed.'
As was well known, the higher a Pokémon's energy level or the longer it lived, the smarter its brain became.
Newborns were like human infants—silly and simple-minded, not understanding much.
Incineroar couldn't help but feel a headache. Where were these two's mother or father? Had they abandoned them?
Fortunately, the fierce-looking Ariados kindly answered the question.
"Food!"
"The food we stored!"
"My midnight snack!"
They clamored to speak, as if they had found someone to vent to... no, a teacher to adjudicate for them, while they were the bullied elementary school students.
'This...'
Incineroar scratched its head helplessly but also breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it was just food.
"Here's the deal. You let them go, and I'll compensate you with food. My home is right over there."
It pointed towards the distant villa cluster.
The Ariados looked at each other and decisively shook their heads.
"No way."
"Why should we trust you?"
"Distrust!"
Hearing this, Incineroar's anger surged to its head.
'Hey! Don't I, Brother Incineroar, have any face? We're all out here in the mix; my word is my bond!'
Thinking this, it gritted its teeth, ready to make these three ignorant fools go see its home and whether it could pay up.
Of course, before that, it would make these three submit physically first!
"I'll give it."
A voice sounded from the dark tree.
The Ariados, upon hearing it, instantly jumped to the side and promptly spat silk.
However, the silk strands were blocked halfway by something invisible.
A blood-red scarf fluttered in the wind. Greninja, hanging upside down from the branch with its arms crossed, looked down at them calmly.
"Don't be alarmed. I'll give it."
The Ariados retreated several steps, even forgetting about the two Meowth, watching Greninja warily, dangerous glints flashing in their eyes.
If they weren't holding onto hope from its words, these big spiders would probably have vanished without a trace immediately.
Every wild Pokémon that could survive on Mist City University's campus was cunning as a ghost.
"Is this enough?"
From who knows where, Greninja produced three colorful Pokeblocks and tossed them down.
The Ariados' eyes lit up. They spat silk to precisely intercept them and stuffed them into their mouths, chewing noisily.
They knew very well that the fancier these little cubes looked, the better they tasted and the greater the benefits for their bodies.
"Enough, enough."
"Going home!"
"Wait for me~"
Not being greedy, the three Ariados decisively retreated, abandoning the two Meowth without even a glance back.
Pokeblocks were actually quite filling, despite being ridiculously small.
The dark forest fell silent once more.
Even the two Meowth stopped crying, looking at Incineroar with adorably wide eyes.
"And so, the importance of acting in pairs."
Greninja jumped down from the tree, narrowing its eyes. "If it weren't for me..."
"It would have been the same without you."
Incineroar interrupted it, then asked, "Where did you hide those Pokeblocks? Did you bring a bag?"
Greninja pointed to its own "scarf."
"Ew~"
Incineroar immediately made a disgusted expression.
"You also hide your cigars in your own mane! What's with the 'ew'?"
Greninja said displeased.
Incineroar: "That's for me to eat myself!"
"If it weren't to help you! This is for me to eat myself too!"
"It's different!"
"How is it different?!"
The cat and frog were about to get into a big argument.
Unfortunately, the voices of the two Meowth successfully interrupted them.
"Help! Hungry!"
"So hungry!"
They cried out, trying to attract their attention.
And they succeeded.
Greninja looked at them, bound hand and foot. "What do you plan to do? In this situation, you can't make the decision anyway; you'll still have to find Li Xiang!"
"Ask first."
Incineroar crouched down, easily tore the silk binding the Meowth, and showed a kind smile. "Little ones, where are you from? Where is your mommy?"
Freed, the Meowth looked at the slightly fierce-looking Incineroar but showed no fear. Instead, they actively rubbed against its legs.
"Hungry!"
"So hungry!"
'Tsk. Communication this difficult? I don't think I was this simple when I was little?'
Incineroar scratched its head in confusion.
'What to do now? Take them back to the villa? Wouldn't that just add trouble for Li Xiang! Two more Meowth.'
"Take them back for now, give them something to eat," Greninja said quietly from the side.
"I know that even without you saying it!"
Incineroar waved its paw impatiently.
Just then, in the darkness, a sneaky figure appeared under the moonlight.
It was a somewhat sleazy, chubby Volbeat, the light from its rear almost imperceptibly faint.
"Do you want to know their origins?"
This fellow was quite old, with extremely long antennae drooping down like a beard.
It chuckled.
"Where did you pop out from?" Incineroar pulled the two Meowth behind it with a claw tip.
"Never mind me. Give me one of those cubes from before, and I'll tell you how to find out their origins. Hehehe."
Volbeat covered its mouth, almost drooling.
Greninja was decisive. Like performing a magic trick, it produced a Pokeblock and tossed it over.
"Speak quickly. Don't think about running away; you can't escape."
"Why would I run? I've seen the strength of you two. Sssluurp~"
Volbeat carefully held the Pokeblocks, sniffing its powder intoxicatedly. "Head west. There lives a Grumpig there. It's a Pokémon belonging to a cafeteria auntie at Mist City University, known as a know-it-all. Ask it, and you'll definitely find out!"
'West?'
Incineroar looked around and had no trouble identifying the directions.
Greninja, however, looked utterly lost.
It couldn't tell directions.
The Volbeat left, clutching the Pokeblocks.
Incineroar looked at the two Meowth who only knew how to cry "hungry," then exchanged a glance with Greninja.
"No choice. We've started this, so we must finish it."
Greninja said initiatively.
Incineroar nodded. "Let's go home first. You go get some food."
"Why me?"
"Because if I go in, Li Xiang will definitely be woken up by these two."
"...Fine."
The cat and frog carried the two little kittens and headed home.