"Alright time to eat!" Brock called out.
The gang was relaxing with their new friend, Todd, as they ate their lunch. Ashlyn knew what was going to happen soon and she didn't want to do it. But if everyone gangs up on her about it, then she'll have no choice.
"Hey I just realized something." Misty spoke up.
"What's that?" Volkner wondered.
"Ashlyn hasn't won a Gym Badge in a while." She pointed out.
Ashlyn looked thoughtful, "That's...true, but then again Cinnabar Island is pretty far."
"Speaking of which, how are you feeling about going to the Cinnabar Gym? I mean this will be your seventh badge." Brock reminded her.
"I know. But don't worry, I know who I'm going to use against Blaine." Ashlyn assured them.
"Who are you going to use?" Misty asked.
"Natsu, Rory, and Wartortle." Ashlyn listed off.
"Good choices." Volkner commented.
"Thanks." Ashlyn smiled, "I can't wait to battle him."
"Well he's a tough fire type user, Ashlyn." Flint pointed out.
"Really? Do you think you could go toe to toe with him?" Ashlyn questioned.
Flint rubbed the back of his head, "Maybe."
Todd then thought of something, "Hey Ashlyn I just thought of something! You should take the Pokémon League Admissions Exam."
"Admissions Exam? What's that?" Misty questioned.
"Its an exam where people are allowed to access into the Pokémon League without having to earn Gym Badges." Todd explained.
"That sounds a lot like that Pokémon Tech School we visited once." Ashlyn commented, "Besides I enjoy traveling and collecting badges."
"I wouldn't go for it either." Volkner commented, bluntly.
"Why don't you just try it?" Misty suggested.
"I don't want to, Misty." Ashlyn refused.
"It could be interesting." Brock said.
"Togephrii! (Interesting!)" Togepi added.
"Definitely!" Todd insisted.
Seeing that she was outvoted, even though Volkner and Flint didn't want to enter it either. So she, reluctantly, decided to take it.
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The group arrived at the Pokémon League Admissions Exam building. Ashlyn walked up tp the registration desk and was instantly greeted by a kind woman, "Hello, are you here to take the Admissions Exam?"
"Yes ma'am." Ashlyn said politely.
She registered him in the computer database before giving her a number which she took, it read "7" on it meaning it was her testing number.
"How come the twerp got number 7 and not me!" a female voice complained.
Ashlyn instantly turned her head towards her making her turn away. She rolled her eyes, that was obviously Jessie disguised a schoolgirl. She knew why Jessie was here and honestly she couldn't care less.
"Please follow me to the examination room." The woman said leading the group to where the exam was. Looking around they saw there were other people here, too.
"Look at all of the people here." Misty said looking around.
Nurse Joy then came into the room and Brock spotted her immediately, "Nurse Joy~!" but before he could follow her Misty yanked him by the ear.
"Don't even think about it." Misty growled still holding his ear.
"Togi Togi (Don't think about it)!" Togepi repeated with a smile.
As they walked into the room the group was greeted by the head instructor, he was a tall man wearing a blue jacket that had the letter "P" on it, "Welcome, before you take the test please place your Pokéballs on the counter."
Ashlyn nodded and did just that, but she gave Tesla over to Volkner who let the electric type jump onto his other shoulder which the other shoulder was occupied by Levina, "Behave yourself, okay Tesla, Levina?"
"Raichu/Pikachu. (Good luck)." Tesla and Levina said.
Ashlyn smiled at her friends support before turning to Nurse Joy, "I have to ask though, why are you taking the exam Nurse Joy?"
Nurse Joy smiled, "Well you see, I'm here to take the exam so I can be a Pokémon Master."
"I-I see." Ashlyn smiled nervously.
"By the way Nurse Joy, where are you from?" Flint asked.
"I'm Nurse Joy of the Fuchsia City Joy's. Sister to the Vermilion City Joy's." Nurse Joy replied.
"Aha, you're the most beautiful one yet!" Brock complimented with heart shaped eyes.
"That's what you always say, Brock." Misty pointed out in a flat tone.
"Togepi!" Togepi chirped.
Then Ashlyn spotted James walked in pretending to be a schoolboy, but she knew it was him.
'They couldn't think of better disguises?' She thought with a sweat-drop.
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Soon the exams had begun. The first test was about a person's knowledge of Pokémon. They had to answer true or false. Ashlyn found this easy because she had studied about Pokémon with Prof. Oak and had been travelling with Pokémon had helped her so much as well. The next test was about a person's ability to recognize Pokémon. Jessie got in a rampage and called the test a joke. The head instructor expelled her immediately.
After the test was finished the scoreboards came up. Ashlyn managed to get to the high score board. "I thought that the visual portion of the test was impossible." she said, "But it was interesting."
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The last part of the test was Pokémon battles. They had to battle the head instructor with three Pokémon. There were belts, that held three Pokémon and you weren't allowed to see what Pokémon you received until the battle. Ashlyn and James picked up their belts and got ready.
James went up against the head instructor before Ashlyn and to not to her surprise, he lost because he broke the rules. Then it was her turn go against the head instructor.
The Head Instructor sent out another Pokémon, "Flareon, lets go!" Out came Flareon.
"Flareon!"
Ashlyn sent out a random Pokéball and was surprised when out came a Weezing.
"Ashlyn got a Weezing?" Misty blinked.
"That's surprising." Brock said.
"Yeah, but Ashlyn doesn't look like she minds though." Flint commented.
Todd snapped a picture of Ashlyn's calm demeanor.
"Flareon, use Flamethrower!" The Head Instructor commanded.
Flareon fired a stream of flames at Weezing.
"Dodge it!" Ashlyn ordered.
Weezing moved out of the way of flames.
"Use Smog!"
Weezing expelled smoke from its mouth at the flames, which explode and send Flareon flying backwards.
The Head instructor smiled, "Excellent attack! Now, use Leer!"
"Use Smokescreen to hide!" Ashlyn countered.
Before Leer could take effect Weezing hid within the Smokescreen, leaving Flareon looking around confused.
"Now Tackle!"
Weezing shot out from the Smokescreen and tackled Flareon, knocking it out cold and giving Ashlyn the win.
Todd snapped a picture, "That was impressive."
"Ashlyn uses Weezing a lot better than James from Team Rocket does." Volkner commented.
"Team Rocket could win if they battled like that." Brock said.
The Head Instructor nodded his head in approval, "I am very impressed with your battling strategy. Now call out your next Pokémon!"
Ashlyn returned Weezing and called out her next Pokémon, which was an Arbok.
"Chabok!"
"First a Weezing and now Arbok. Isn't it strange that Ashlyn is battling with two Pokémon from Team Rocket?" Misty questioned.
"Maybe, but you've gotta admit that Ashlyn probably knows more about Weezing and Arbok than James and Jessie do." Brock said.
"No kidding." Flint agreed.
The Head Instructor called out his next Pokémon, which was a Jolteon.
"Jolteon!"
"So the instructor is using a Jolteon this time." Brock said.
"Yeah." Misty nodded.
"Jolteon, use Agility!"
"Use Glare!" Ashlyn ordered.
Arbok glared at Jolteon, stopping it in its tracks and giving Ashlyn the chance to attack.
"Use Iron Tail!"
Arbok's tail glowed white as it slammed its tail right at Jolteon, making it a direct hit.
"Finish this with Tackle!"
Arbok shot at Jolteon, slamming into it and ending the second battle and making the Ashlyn the victor once again.
"Yeah, that's showing them Ashlyn!" Misty cheered.
"Amazing! Jolteon didn't even get to attack once!" Todd snapped a picture.
The Head instructor sent out his last Pokémon, which was a Vaporeon. Ashlyn sent out her last Pokémon too, which was a Meowth.
"Meow!" Meowth said.
"A Meowth?!" Misty and Flint exclaimed.
"That makes three Pokémon of Team Rockets that Ashlyn has used in the third exam so far." Volkner commented.
"Three for three...who would've guessed?" Misty smiled nervously.
Ashlyn decided to make the first move, "Meowth, use Screech!"
Meowth screeched really loud; so loud that it made Vaporeon hold its ears in pain.
"Now use Pay Day!"
The yellow gem on Meowth's head glowed as it sent yellow coins at the ground near Vaporeon, distracting and preventing it from doing anything.
"Wow, so that's what the gem on Meowth's head does." Misty stared.
"We've never seen Team Rocket's Meowth doing something like that before." Brock commented.
"Use Night Slash!" Ashlyn commanded.
Meowth's claws glowed purple as it slashed Vaporeon, sending the water Pokémon flying backwards and faint.
The Head Instructor smiled, "That's enough! The victor is examinee number 7! You pass!"
Ashlyn smiled, bending down to scratch under Meowth's chin, "Great job, Meowth."
Meowth purred as Ashlyn scratched underneath its chin.
The Head instructor returned Vaporeon and walked over to Ashlyn, "You did very well, young lady."
"Thank you, sir." Ashlyn thanked the Head Instructor.
Suddenly a Thunderbolt attack hit the field. Everyone turned towards the perpetrator. It was the Pikachu that James used for the exam. They then heard laughter and saw it was none other than Team Rocket, but Ashlyn already knew they were here and wasn't surprised.
"Thanks for the little test but I think its time we do things our way." Jessie smirked.
"That's right!" Meowth grinned.
The Head instructor blinked, "A talking Meowth? I'd love to catch that talking Meowth there!" He took out a Pokéball.
Ashlyn placed her arm in front of him, stopping him from throwing the Pokéball, "I wouldn't try to capture it if I were you, sir," Ashlyn told him, "It'll just give you a major headache later on."
"What was that twerp?!" Meowth yelled.
James had two Pokéballs in his arms and threw them, "Now let's go, Charizard and Ivysaur!" Out came all the rest of the Pokémon.
The Head instructor wasn't pleased, "Return those Pokémon at once!"
Ashlyn stood next to him as the Meowth next to the girl got ready to battle too.
"Sorry, but we'll be keeping these Pokémon! Ivysaur, use Vine Whip! Charizard, use Flamethrower! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" James ordered.
All of a sudden the Head Instructor smiled, "All of you, about-face!" And just like that all three Pokémon turned their attacks at Team Rocket instead of the Head Instructor.
Ashlyn smiled when she understood why, "I get it, they listen to you because you're their real trainer and you raised them."
The man nodded, "That's right. You're quite the smart one."
Ashlyn sent out both Arbok and Weezing, "Why don't I give you a hand? Arbok and Weezing, use Tackle on Jessie and James, Meowth, use Scratch on Meowth!"
Arbok and Weezing Tackled Jessie and James while Meowth attacked their Meowth with Scratch sending them flying backwards.
"Now Weezing, use Explosion!" Ashlyn ordered.
Weezing got closer to the three and glowed white, exploding and sending Team Rocket blasting off into the sky.
"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" Team Rocket screamed as they disappeared into the sky.
=======================================================
Afterwards, the Head Instructor handed out badges to those who passed the exam. The Head instructor even asked if she wanted to be inducted into the League but Ashlyn refused. She enjoyed traveling with her friends and seeing the world, not to mention meeting new Pokémon. He accepted her answer and let her keep the badge as a memento. The gang bid farewell to the man and left the building.
======================================================
"Well...I guess this is it." Ashlyn said to Todd.
Todd was heading someplace else than the rest of the gang. He was going off to some mountain to take pictures of some more Pokémon while the gang headed off towards Cinnabar Island.
"Yeah, I got some good pictures of you in the exam Ashlyn. Once I get them developed I'll make sure to let people know about you." Todd smiled.
"You don't need to do that." Ashlyn smiled nervously.
The others laughed at her awkwardness.
"But could you send them to my mom instead?" Ashlyn asked.
Todd nodded, "Sure."
Ashlyn gave Todd the address to her mom's and bid their farewells to Todd as they went their way.
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Having passed the test with flying colors and bidding farewell to their friend Todd, Ashlyn and her friends are off on the road once again.
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Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Pidgeot (F), Ivysaur (M), Shiny Charizard (Natsu)(M), Shiny Gyarados (Rory)(M), Wartortle (M), Pikachu (Levina)(F), Dragonair (F), Kadabra (M), Persian (F), Seadra (F), Dewgong (M), Marowak (F), Growlithe (F)
Prof. Oak's Lab:
Mienfoo (F), Jolteon (F), Flareon (M), Vaporeon (F), Sandslash (M), Butterfree (M), Pink Butterfree (Momo)(F), Gengar (M), Rockruff (M), Raboot (M), Braixen (F), Kingler (M), Magnemite (Genderless), Muk (M), Nidorina (M), Nidorino (F), Cubone (M), Dewgong (M), Vulpix (F), Eevee (F), Kangaskhan (F), Tauros (9), Porygon (Genderless), Shiny Suicune (Azure)(F), Shiny Entei (Searius)(M), Primeape (M), Scyther (F), Clefable (F), Jigglypuff (F), Aerodactyl (F), Boltund (M), Shiny Rapidash (Comet)(M), Shiny Raikou (Thor)(M), Shiny Umbreon (Mani)(M), Espeon (F), Glaceon (F), Leafeon (F), Shiny Sylveon (Parisa)(F), Shiny Farfetch'd (F)