[ Or maybe he needs to keep them. ]

Ah, I just hitched a ride back with the first Kanto leader! I'll find them immediately after. I guess thinking on it, Takashi and I probably would be the most used to being outdoors? Ah, but I won't let them die! That would be too sad, don't you think??

[ He did offer to go collect them at that time, actually. But perhaps he should stop bopping around at a whim. ]

At any rate, those two are my precious juniors from home, so I'll look out for them no matter what.