The morning mist clung to the grassy edges of the farm like a secret. Ashwin stood at the edge of his field, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at the treeline to the west.
He had the location.
But he needed confirmation.
[System Alert: Priority Recon – Smuggler Lair Mapping]
Status: Recon Preparation CompleteObjective: Use recon Pokémon to infiltrate the suspected lair location and gather visual + terrain data.Participants: Zigzagoon (Galarian), Woobat, Diglett, Munchlax (support)
Ashwin knelt beside Zigzagoon and fastened a tiny, lightweight lens module to its collar. It licked his hand playfully before dashing off into the forest with Diglett slinking underground beside it. Woobat swooped down and gently landed on his shoulder before taking off with a flutter of wings.
Munchlax followed, not for stealth, but to assist in quickly hauling back any loot or injured team members if things got dicey.
Hours passed.
Ashwin monitored the Pokégear's feed, which occasionally pinged soft pulses of movement detection. He tensed when one of the feeds cut off.
Then, it returned with visual static. Moments later—
[System Update: Recon Successful – Mapping in Progress]
An image unfolded on his screen: a half-buried structure covered by thick vines and boulders. Smoke plumed faintly from a camouflaged exhaust, and two suspicious figures patrolled the perimeter.
[Discovered: Hidden Smuggler Storage Facility – West Ravine Sector][Weak Point Tagged: Northern Cargo Tunnel – Infrequently Guarded][Loot Detected: Crates marked with League emblems, rare Pokéballs, incubation tanks]
Ashwin's grip on the Pokégear tightened.
This was no petty criminal hideout.
Loot Report — Recovered by Recon Team
1x Rare Candy (hidden in old tree stump, snagged by Zigzagoon)
2x Energy Roots (foraged by Diglett underground)
1x Miniature Escape Device (damaged but salvageable – brought back by Munchlax)
1x Pokéball Storage Key Fragment (recovered by Woobat)
Even in the tension of planning, Ashwin didn't skip training.
Vespiquen, now acting as the team's coordinator, conducted multi-Pokémon drills while Ashwin supervised:
Turtwig practiced defense shifts behind mock obstacles.
Skwovet was pushed through agility courses with Munchlax.
Woobat worked on precision psychic bursts.
Zigzagoon specialized in silent takedowns and looting.
[Training Gains:]
Vespiquen: +3% Command Aura
Turtwig: +6% Defensive Flexibility
Zigzagoon: +5% Stealth Pathing
Skwovet: +4% Burrow Response
Woobat: +6% Echo Mapping
As the day wore on, a lone figure in a brown coat approached the farm. A badge shimmered from his chest: Courier-Class Messenger from Rustleaf Guild HQ.
He tipped his hat. "Ashwin, huh? Guild's been watchin' your reports. Got somethin' for ya."
He handed over a sealed letter.
[System Message: Received – Emergency Guild Packet]"Be advised: Pokémon trafficking activity has spiked. Proceed with caution. Reinforcements not available. Raid authorization granted."Attached: Guild Surveillance Patch – x1 Use: Reveals all moving heat signatures in a 500-meter radius for 30 seconds.
Ashwin pocketed the item with a nod. He was on his own—but now officially sanctioned.
Ashwin gathered his team for the nightly check-in beneath the star-speckled sky. The Pokémon huddled around him, some already dozing off, others eager for the confrontation.
Tomorrow, the groundwork would begin—the tactical execution. But tonight was for planning.
[System Reminder: Begin Planning Phase for Raid – Active Sub-Zones: Guard Post, Main Crate Room, Incubation Chamber][Optional Objectives Unlocked – Rescue, Resource Recovery, Smuggler Identification]
Ashwin scratched Munchlax behind the ear as the farm wind blew through his coat.
"It's almost time," he whispered.