Friday, January 30, 2026, was supposed to be a great day. It was Pokémon Ascended Heroes release day , and I had everything planned perfectly. PTO was approved. Morning strategy mapped out. The goal was simple: grab at least one  pack of the new set on release day and enjoy the hype. What I didn’t know was that this would turn into one of the most confusing, frustrating, and oddly memorable Pokémon hunts I’ve ever had. The Early Morning Optimism The alarm went off early, but