Tryst with Destiny: The Beginning of the End (Main Story)

3 : Strategy Time

(4 Days Later)

Ash clutches his hair in desperation as he groans "Oh, my head is hurting."

"Pika Pika," Pikachu amuses himself as he rolls on the floor, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and mock me. Good to see that it's at least doing someone something good," Ash replies before pausing, "I have been studying nonstop for four days straight and I still need to study the second half of the third chapter. Not to mention, mom is tailing me like a Staraptor. Oh Arceus, what will I do?"

"Ash, the professor is here. Come downstairs, now," Delia shouts from the kitchen.

"Coming," Ash groans back following which he starts walking down with an ecstatic Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"Hello, Alexa. Good morning Professor Oak," Ash replies while sitting on the dining table and proceeding to eat his breakfast.

"Good to see you, Ash. I see you're looking tired, which is a good sign. Looks like someone is burning the midnight oil for their future," Oak remarks as Ash mixes his Pikachu Thunder flavoured cornflakes with Moomoo chocolate milk. 

Before Ash can reply he gets cut off by Alexa.

"Ash, it's been fun travelling with you. But I am afraid, I must now leave. I need to give my reports to my boss personally because the submission date is very near. I guess I will see you in Kalos, that is if you pass the exam. Best of luck," Alexa says as she and Helioptile wave everyone goodbye, turn around and exit the house.

(Half an Hour Later)

"I must say, I am quite surprised that you managed to complete two and a half chapters in four days time. No small feat, considering that you used to be that ten-year-old, irresponsible boy who woke up late on his first day to get his first Pokemon. Very well done indeed. Now listen here, Tracey and I have analyzed KIP's entrance exam papers from the past twenty years using sound statistical methods. Needless to say, we have come up with a strategy with which I hope you'll be able to crack the entrance exam," Professor Oak says as he pours milk in his coffee.

"Go on Professor. Pikachu and I are listening," Ash replies after swallowing a spoonful of cereal.

"There are about nine days left before you have to give the paper. You need to cover another three chapters. They are chapters six, seven and eleven of the book I have given you. Combined these six chapters should account for seventy-five to eighty-five per cent of the paper by our estimate. Then, you'll solve as many questions as you can get your hands on and revise. Now, before we go into more details on what to study. Let us first talk about the pattern of the KIP entrance examination," Oak says before pausing to take another sip of his coffee.

"As you're aware, there are two tests. The first test is a multiple choice test with a hundred questions. Normally to get in you have to score eighty-five above without scholarship and ninety-five above with scholarship," Oak says while Delia comes out of the kitchen bearing toast and butter on plates.

Oak smiles at the kind gesture before he and Ash take a toast each. Both then proceed to take a bite of the toast.

"Since you have forty-four badges in your possession, therefore, you will need to score fifty above to pass without a scholarship and seventy above to pass with a scholarship. Obviously, our target will be seventy-five above, just to be safe. Thankfully, there is no negative marking in the first paper. Now if you pass the first round then and only then, will your second paper be checked. The second paper will be an essay type question in which you shall have to describe one official battle with a Pokemon where you won despite having type disadvantage and what strategy you used along with why that particular strategy was used etc. You will also need to include in what other ways you could have improved upon in your battle," Oak says as both he and Ash finish their first toasts each.