I woke before the alarm.Habit, more than anything.
The sky outside my window still held the faded blue of early morning. Tangela was curled at my feet like a mossy blanket, Mankey snoring upside-down on the cupboard rail, and Pikachu was sprawled across my chest like a fuzzy heater.
I shifted gently.
"Sorry, buddy. Training time."
"Pi…kaaa…" he complained, rolling off to the side.
I stretched, washed up, and grabbed my gear.Before anything else—
I released Pidgeotto.
She materialized with a soft cry, her left wing stretching stiffly. The leaf-bandages from yesterday rustled.
"Let me check."
Evergreen Power flowed from my fingertips, warm and controlled this time—not the uncontrolled flood from yesterday.I scanned her wing carefully:
• No fractures• Bruised tendon• Minor feather shaft damage• No toxin residue
"Good. Nothing hidden."
Pidgeotto cooed proudly and nudged my forehead.
"Mankey, your turn."
The little fighter raised his arms dramatically as if presenting a champion bodybuilder pose. Evergreen confirmed only soreness, nothing more.
One by one I checked the rest:
Pikachu ×2 → StableTangela → Extra healthy (as always)
Breakfast was simple—paratha rolls, milk, and pokeblocks for the Pokémon.
By the time we stepped outside, the neighborhood was still mostly asleep.
Today was a big day.
The first field meeting of the Pokémon Department.
The first forging lesson.
The first step toward building India's realistic Pokémon infrastructure.
I took a deep breath and headed toward Aarey.
7:30 AM – Aarey Forest Checkpoint
As I arrived at the forest edge, I wasn't surprised to see Bhavesh already there.
What did surprise me was that he wasn't alone.
The entire ranger squad—about twenty people—stood in a semi-circle around him as he gave instructions like a seasoned field officer.
His confidence had grown overnight.
When he noticed me, he jogged over.
"Morning, sir."
"Morning," I replied. "Are you sure you don't want rest today? Ekans still hasn't hatched."
I pointed at the padded sling bag on his back where the egg rested safely.
He grinned.
"No, no, I'm good. Forest feels… more like home than home now. And…"He lowered his voice like a kid sharing a secret."…I'm thinking of catching a Water type this trip. Maybe a Poliwag. I want a Poliwhirl."
I didn't shut him down.A trainer's choices had to be their choices.
But I had to remind him of the new world we were entering.
"Do what you feel is right. Just remember—abandoning a Pokémon will become illegal once the laws pass."
He straightened the moment I said that.
"You're a member of the Pokémon Department now. You'll be held to a higher standard."
He nodded firmly. "Understood."
He continued walking to the resting area at the edge of the forest.
The Rhyhorn herd was lounging like armored boulders scattered across the clearing.
When they heard my footsteps, both of my Rhyhorn stood immediately and trotted over.
"Morning," I chuckled, patting their rocky heads. "We've got work to do."
The herd rumbled back in greeting.
Then came the part I'd been looking forward to.
I took out the freshly crafted Pokéballs—two regular ones and two Heavy Balls—and held them out.
"Alright. Let's see how well these work."
One by one:
• Mankey → click (Poké Ball)• Pikachu 1 → click (Poké Ball)• Rhyhorn Leader → clunk (Heavy Ball)• Rhyhorn Junior → clunk (Heavy Ball)
Pidgeotto stayed in her original Pokéball—until I perfected a new ball type specialized for flying types.
I released everyone.
"Alright, listen up."
All Pokémon turned toward me.
"Pidgeotto—take the Pidgey squad. Today's job is berries and apricorns. Don't bring too much take half of ripe berries from each tree. "
She chirped once, spread her wings, and launched upward.
"Good. That'll give us enough raw materials once crafting starts."
I turned to the Rhyhorn herd.
"Follow me."
The entire herd rumbled in approval.
We kept off the main trail.
We walked deeper, looping around a natural ridge until thick vegetation blocked any line of sight from the outside. Only when I was sure the canopy concealed everything did I stop.
"This is good."
The land ahead was flat, fertile.
Perfect for a long-term farm.
"Rhyhorn—start clearing."
The herd split into groups instinctively.
Leader and Junior took point. The others lined up like bulldozers.
"Steady. No stampede. Push and crack, don't uproot wildly."
RHY—HOOORN!
Trees groaned as the first wave pushed forward, snapping trunks cleanly at the base. Not one Pokémon habitat was disturbed—Rhyhorn were smart enough to avoid burrows and nests.
Every thud of falling wood echoed powerfully.
Within ten minutes—
An entire one-acre clearing lay open.
Perfect.
"Mankey—your turn."
The little fighter leapt forward with a determined "Maan!"
"Break the trunks into manageable pieces. Uniform size."
Mankey's chops were precise, methodical. Each strike turned thick fallen logs into half-meter segments.
Rhyhorn immediately moved in again, nudging and carrying the cut pieces to the side like construction workers transporting beams.
It looked almost too efficient—like a trained engineering unit.
I pointed to the group of Rhyhorn who had mastered Rototiller .
"You guys—start tilling. Same spacing I marked."
The ground shook with every step.
Rhyhorn dropped their heads, horns vibrating as they dug into the soil.
Dark, rich earth overturned in deep waves.
Ten rectangular farm plots began forming one after the other—neat, clean, and wide enough for full-scale berry cultivation, medicinal plant fields.
The air filled with the fresh smell of churned soil.
This was it.
The beginning of India's first Pokémon agriculture site.
"Pikachu—your mission."
Both Pikachu perked up.
"Go deeper into the forest. Collect medicinal leeks—mature ones, seedlings. Bring them back safely."
"Pika!"
They zipped away like yellow sparks disappearing between the trees. Mankey followed behind.
Half an hour later, they returned dragging bundles of long green medicinal leaves almost twice their size.
"Good job," I praised, patting both.
There were enough to plant one full farmland.
But first—
I kneeled and separated the leeks:
• Mature stalks → for immediate medicine crafting
• Healthy bulbs → for planting
• Smaller roots → for propagation experiments
I placed the mature stalks in the storage box.
Then I walked to the central farmland—the largest one.
"Alright. This will be the medical crop zone."
Carefully, I planted each leek in evenly spaced rows.
The Rhyhorn who had finished tilling lined up proudly, waiting for approval.
I watered the field manually using stored river water.
By the time we finished—
The central farmland looked like a proper, organized Pokémon botanical garden.
Ten farmlands created.
One fully planted.
An agricultural base established.
A smile tugged at my lips.
"Good work, everyone."
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