All was quiet that night in the Pokemon Zoo. No guests walked among the exhibits, all the Pokemon were asleep…
Well, most of them were asleep. Four shadows scurried across the path and stopped behind a bench. They ducked under the bench and rolled across the path again, stopping behind a trash bin.
One of the four Piplup peered out from behind the trash bin. He turned to the three Piplup behind him and pointed to the tallest one.
“Kowalski. Status report.”
The tall Piplup opened up a brochure with a map of the zoo. “We’re three clicks away from the stink zone, Skipper.” The stink zone. Smelly, but an efficient way to cloak their scent and leave anyone following to lose their trail. “Once we’re past that it’s just a hop to the mechanical field.”
“Is the Golurk really going to help us out?” the shortest Piplup asked. “It’s not like he’s a close neighbour or anything.”
“Don’t you worry your cute little head, Private,” Skipper said. “I already had a chat with him, it’s no problem.” He looked at the fourth Piplup, one with a scar on his head and a crazed look in his eyes. “Rico, the smell neutralizers.”
Rico nodded, grinning with his tongue hanging out, and he coughed up four clothespins that the Piplup placed on their beaks.
“Now let’s move.” The Piplup dashed down the path, hanging close against the wall. On the other side, the Stunky enclosure was still save for the occasional sleeping Stunky burping up a bit of Poison Gas.
After the Stunky enclosure the four Piplup passed a few paths before they reached the looming Mechanical Exhibit building. All they’d have to do was flip themselves up to the third floor where the Golurk was.
Then as they passed another intersection, Private tripped, and he fell to the ground. The other Piplup turned as they huddled against the wall.
“Private!” Skipper called out.
“Skipper!” Private shielded his eyes as a light shone on him. One of the zookeepers walked down the path.
“Hey, what’s this?” she asked. “What are you doing out here?”
“Cute and cuddly, Private!” Skipper whispered.
Private stood up and walked forward, looking around with a vacant look as if he had no idea how he’d gotten there.
The zookeeper picked Private up. “You’re pretty far from the Piplup exhibit, aren’t you? Come on, let’s get you back–” Private nipped her on the nose. Next thing, the other Piplup tackled the zookeeper to the ground. With a Pound of a flipper they knocked her out, and they lifted her onto a bench as if she’d just sat down and fell asleep.
“Good work, boys,” Skipper said. “Now let’s get to that Golurk exhibit.”
“You Piplup are crazy, you know that, right?”
Skipper looked up. Watching them from the enclosure above was a Croconaw.
“Hey, mind your own business, toothy,” Skipper said. “This is an official secret important highly-classified hush-hush critical certified grade-A essential secret official Piplup operation here.”
“Right,” the Croconaw said. “You’re probably just going across the street to the frozen treat shop to get some ice cream.”
“What? No. No, of course not. no, of course that’s not what we’re doing.” Skipper turned around. Curses, the Croc’ knew.
“We gotta head back, boys,” Skipper whispered. “Our secret plans have been compromised. We’ll have to regroup at base and try again tomorrow.”
The Piplup hurried back to the Piplup Exhibit to replan for their next attempt to obtain delicious ice cream.

-Odemon #393 Piplup