After a grueling four hours, the exam finally concluded.
The sheets magically lifted from the desks, enveloped in a psychic aura, and floated towards an Alakazam on the stage.
Peter watched, awestruck.
"This is beyond amazing," he thought, his heart racing with the thrill of witnessing real telekinesis.
"So, did you wake up from your 'dream' in time for the exam?" Yellow teased, nudging him playfully.
Peter felt a flush of embarrassment as he remembered his earlier antics, believing it was all a dream.
"Uh, y-yeah, I guess," he stuttered, internally chastising himself.
Great, I'm only confident in dream mode. Nice one, Peter.
"Is everything okay?" Yellow asked, noticing his discomfort.
"G-Good," he replied, trying to mask his inner turmoil.
"The exam went... good."
Yellow's face lit up with excitement.
"What kind of Pokémon do you think we'll get for the practical exam? I'm hoping for a cute one, like Meowth!"
Peter, still trying to calm his racing heart, managed to ask, "Y-Yellow, can you t-tell me more about the p-practical exam?"
Yellow looked at him, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"Sure. We'll be divided into groups, each given a random Pokémon from Professor Oak's ranch. Then we'll have a round fletching match."
"A round fletching?" Peter echoed, confused.
"Right, each competitor plays in turn against every other," Yellow explained.
"Oh, a round robin," Peter mumbled, finally understanding.
Yellow looked at him curiously. "A robin? What's that?"
Peter quickly dismissed it.
"It's nothing." He glanced around, noticing everyone leaving the hall, and followed suit with Yellow.
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In front of a sprawling track field, Peter stood with five other students, their eyes fixed on the examiner – who was about to begin the practical exam.
"Okay, students, are you ready for the practical exam?" the examiner asked with an encouraging smile.
Peter wanted to exude confidence, but that would've been a lie. Surrounded by people who were well-versed in this world of Pokémon, he felt like an outsider.
"Will that déjà vu feeling come to the rescue again?" he wondered anxiously.
The examiner's voice broke through his thoughts.
"Don't be nervous. This exam is simple. Two pairs will be formed out of you five. Each win in a battle gets you 10 points, and there will be five matches in total for each. You may select one of these five Pokémon," she explained, gesturing towards a tray holding five Pokéballs.
One of the students, eager for more information, asked, "Do we know which Pokémon are in these Pokéballs?"
"No, but rest assured, these Pokémon are roughly the same age and level of power," the examiner replied reassuringly.
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The examiner then began pairing up the students.
"Joey vs. Carl, Jimmy vs. Kelly. Ash, your match will be against one of the winners."
Nervously, Peter and the others stepped forward to pick their Pokéballs. He noticed Joey got a Caterpie, Carl a Spearow, Jimmy a Weedle, and Kelly a Pidgey.
With a deep breath to steady his nerves, Peter picked up a Pokéball. It was a standard design, red on top and white on the bottom, with a central button.
He pressed the button, and out popped a small, quadrupedal rodent Pokémon that had purple fur with a cream-colored face and underbelly. Its eyes were narrow with red irises, and it had rounded ears and a single whisker on each cheek. Its most striking feature was its large, prominent teeth.
"Hello there," Peter greeted the Rattata, extending his hand cautiously.
Rattata approached slowly, its behavior cautious yet curious. It sniffed Peter's hand before gently placing its small paws on his palm. A bond seemed to form between them as Rattata looked up at Peter trustingly.
The examiner scribbled something on her clipboard, and Peter noticed the other four students trying to replicate his approach.
Peter's heart swelled with a mix of pride and happiness.
"I can't believe this is happening. I'm going to watch a real life Pokémon battle," he thought, still in awe of the situation.
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As Joey and Carl's Pokémon battle kicked off, Peter watched with the intensity of a seasoned strategist, recalling the wisdom of Sun Tzu: "Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril."
Watching these battles, Peter felt grateful for the unexpected advantage.
"Thank you, FromSoftware, for teaching me the importance of studying patterns," he mused, his fingers absentmindedly stroking Rattata's fur.
The small Pokémon squeaked under his touch, blissfully unaware of the strategies unfolding in Peter's mind.
Joey's command broke the silence, "Caterpie, use Tackle!"
Carl wasn't far behind, countering with, "Spearow, use Peck!"
Peter watched, his excitement mingling with a growing sense of confusion.
The battle unfolded in the most basic manner imaginable, each Pokémon launching into their attacks with no hint of strategy.
"They're fighting like children," Peter mused, scratching his head.
"Just attack after attack, no strategy."
His hopes for a more tactical display in the next match were quickly dashed.
Kelly and Jimmy's battle was just as straightforward as the first.
"Again, no strategy? Just brute force? What's going on here?" Peter pondered, his confusion mounting.
"Know thy self," he reminded himself, approaching the examiner with a question. "Excuse me, could I know Rattata's moveset?"
The examiner handed him a card, revealing that Rattata knew Focus Energy and Tackle. "So these Pokémon do have more than one move. Why aren't the others using them?" he wondered, looking down at Rattata, who seemed just as puzzled as he was.
Despite his initial nervousness, a spark of confidence ignited within Peter.
"I can win this. I just need to create the perfect strategy. I'll show them the mind of a true gamer."
Rattata looked up at him, its small eyes gleaming with an understanding.
"Little lady, I think I have a plan to beat everyone here. You with me?" Peter asked, half-expecting the Pokémon to comprehend his words.
Rattata's response, a spirited squeak, was all the confirmation he needed.
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Peter's heart raced as he stepped onto the field, facing Carl and his Spearow. He leaned down and whispered a plan to Rattata, who nodded in understanding. As the examiner announced the start of the match, Carl immediately commanded, "Spearow, use Peck!"
Spearow charged, but Rattata just stood there, unnervingly calm. Just as Spearow was about to strike, Peter screamed, "Now!"
The volume of his shout startled everyone, including Spearow, which faltered in its attack.
Seizing the moment, Rattata used Focus Energy, orbs of light swirling around it and infusing it with power.
"Peck again!" Carl ordered, but Peter was ready.
"Now!" His shout echoed across the field, throwing Spearow off once more. Rattata, now charged up, easily dodged the attack.
"Tackle!" Peter commanded. In a flash, Rattata struck with a critical hit, sending Spearow flying across the field, knocked out.
The examiner stared, not so much at Peter's victory, but at his clear use of strategy. He had used his voice as a tool, unnerving Spearow and setting up Rattata for a powerful attack.
"Wow," the examiner murmured, scribbling notes on her clipboard.
Peter couldn't help but beam with pride as he scooped up Rattata. "You were amazing out there! We showed them, didn't we? Smart and strong – that's us!"
The subsequent matches were just as successful, each showcasing Peter's quick thinking.
Against Caterpie, Rattata played a game of chase, exhausting the bug before striking.
For Weedle, Rattata used a nearby rock as a shield, outsmarting its opponent.
Against Pidgey, Peter used his jacket to appear larger, intimidating the bird Pokémon and giving Rattata the upper hand.
The other competitors voiced their complaints about Peter's unconventional tactics, but the examiner remained unphased, continuing to jot down her observations.
After the final match, Peter knelt down to Rattata, a mixture of joy and sadness in his heart.
"Hey, buddy, we did it! But I guess this is goodbye, huh? You're one heck of a Pokémon, Rattata. Thanks for being the best partner I could have asked for."
Rattata nuzzled his hand, understanding in its own way.