The late morning sun filtered through the farmhouse windows, casting golden shafts of light across the polished kitchen counters. Ashwin sat at the table, poring over parchment plans and strategy charts. The hum of activity outside was comforting—construction crews finished up the Breeder's Wing while Pokémon sparred and trained under the orchard trees.
With the smuggler raid plan locked, it was time to execute the prep-stage quests, each crucial to ensuring survival and success.
[Quest: Recon Cache Collection – ACTIVE]
Objective: Use scouting Pokémon to locate hidden stashes or objects of interest in the target zoneTeam Assigned: Zigzagoon (Galarian), Zubat, Diglett
Ashwin stood near the southern edge of the field, pointing at a map laid out over a tree stump.
"We'll begin today's reconnaissance sweep along the forest trail north of the ravine," he explained to the eager trio.
Zigzagoon leapt up with its usual boundless energy, its tongue lolling out in excitement. It darted into the trees, its instincts honed for sneaking and sniffing. Zubat circled overhead while Diglett vanished into the soil, tunneling steadily alongside them.
After two hours of methodical movement and mapping, Ashwin's Pokégear buzzed.
[Ping! Recon Team Reported Cache: Rusted Crate Hidden Near Oak Trunk — x2 Revival Herbs, x1 Nugget Discovered][Zigzagoon picked up: Unidentified Mechanical Part – Sent to Inventory][Diglett tagged terrain weak spot – Path for stealth entry marked.]
Ashwin smiled. The pieces were falling into place.
[Quest: Raid Supply Crate – ACTIVE]
Objective: Craft portable medical and support kits using foraged and prepared itemsTeam Assigned: Munchlax, Skwovet, Vespiquen
Ashwin returned to the Breeder's Grotto, where Vespiquen's royal hum signaled coordination. Munchlax had found a large patch of Oran and Sitrus berries nearby, dragging them in with triumphant grunts. Skwovet had already begun sorting, its tiny paws deftly separating ripe fruits.
Vespiquen, meanwhile, used her pheromones to signal the creation of a sticky resin to seal berry juices into containers.
Ashwin quickly assembled the supplies:
3 x Mini-Med Kits (restores moderate HP)
2 x Swarm Salve (removes status effects)
1 x Emergency Feed Bundle (restores energy & morale)
[System Notification: Raid Supply Crate Completed – Stored in Inventory][Bonus: Supply Badge Acquired – Medical Effectiveness +10% during Raid Missions]
[Quest: Field Trainer Drill – ACTIVE]
Objective: Train Pokémon teams to act in tandem under live mission simulationTeam Rotation: Turtwig, Vespiquen, Woobat, Seedot, Gogoat
Ashwin stood in the wide pasture now marked with chalk boundaries and simple wooden obstacles. Today's drills focused on coordination, stealth entries, and emergency retreats.
"Woobat, use Air Cutter for signal clearing. Turtwig, hold position and deploy Razor Leaf to simulate suppression. Vespiquen—deploy Defensive Order to the rear!" Ashwin barked with precision.
He watched his team move in elegant harmony.
Seedot rolled into cover after each order, while Gogoat galloped around the periphery to simulate hostage extraction or carrying supplies.
Training meters updated one after another:
Turtwig: +6% Tactical Response
Seedot: +8% Mobility Efficiency
Vespiquen: +4% Group Morale Effect
Gogoat: +7% Load-Bearing & Sprint Recovery
Woobat: +5% Environmental Mapping Accuracy
Ashwin's breath quickened—not from exhaustion, but exhilaration. They were starting to feel like a true rescue team.
[Quest Complete: Field Trainer Drill – Raid Readiness Improved!][Bonus: Morale Boost – All Pokémon gain +5% resistance to fear effects]
The team gathered in the Breeder's Grotto. The new supplies were stacked neatly in wooden crates labeled with simple sigils. Pokémon lay resting on hay piles or nibbled berries as Ashwin reviewed the reports.
He took a deep breath and looked up at Vespiquen, who gave a slow, regal nod. She had grown not just in power, but as a beacon of stability among the farm's residents.
[System Notification: All Pre-Raid Quests Completed – Readiness Tier: High][Suggested Next Step: Target Confirmation – Final Smuggler Lair Mapping Pending]
Ashwin exhaled slowly. The time was drawing near, but there were still small tasks left to polish and fine-tune. Recon results had provided a potential entry point. Resources were secured. Team synergy was rising. There was one final step left—
Making the strike feel like justice, not just duty.