Morning arrived more quickly than anyone expected, settling over Theo with a sharper chill than the day before. A pale grey mist rolled across the fields surrounding the town and clung to the quiet lanes that led toward the central district. For most people, it was an ordinary day. For the million students across Sinnoh and neighbouring regions preparing to take the Pokémon University Entrance Test, it was far from ordinary. It was a day that decided reputations, futures, opportunities, and, in many cases, entire destinies.
In the Roberts home, the atmosphere carried a subtle tension. Not fear, not panic, but a quiet alertness that filled the air from the moment the family awoke.
Aaron stood in front of his mirror, adjusting the collar of his shirt for the fifth time. He did not care about appearance for vanity's sake, but today demanded order. His hair, black and stubborn, refused to settle neatly, and after several attempts he accepted that there was only so much one could do with something that had its own natural determination. His sharp blue eyes looked particularly intense in the morning light that filtered through the curtains.
Behind him, Lila sat cross legged on his bed, hugging her Buneary plush with a seriousness wholly unusual for a girl of six. "You look fine," she announced at last. "You look like someone who is about to pass a million tests at once."
"That is not how it works," Aaron replied, but he appreciated the sentiment.
His mother, Elena, appeared at the doorway, her expression calm but alert, much like her Roserade waiting just behind her. "Breakfast is ready," she said. "You will not perform well on an empty stomach."
Downstairs, James sat at the table, reading the regional bulletin on his digital pad. His Staraptor perched on a stand by the window, feathers ruffling subtly in the cool draft. The creature watched Aaron with the same focused intensity as James, as if judging whether the boy was ready for the day ahead.
"You slept better than yesterday," James observed, not looking up.
"I forced myself to," Aaron replied. "I needed a clearer head."
"A wise decision," his father said, lowering the device. "Entrance tests reward clarity, not anxiety."
The family sat around the table and ate quietly for a few minutes. The silence felt natural, a form of concentration rather than discomfort. Eventually, Elena leaned forward, folding her hands. "The test will cover everything you learned in Junior College. You already know that. But remember the thinking section. They love to ask questions that challenge reasoning rather than memory."
Aaron nodded. "I revised the ecology notes last night. The sections on habitats and ecosystem transitions."
"Good," she said. "Those questions separate the top students from those who memorise without understanding."
James cleared his throat. "You should also expect questions on prehistoric Pokémon and early Sinnoh settlement patterns. They want to see if you understand not only the facts but also the reasons behind them."
"I went through the timeline twice yesterday," Aaron said.
Lila leaned forward, resting her chin on the table. "Are you scared?"
Aaron paused for a moment. "Not scared. A bit nervous."
"That is the same thing," she declared.
"No," he said, managing a faint smile. "Being scared means you want to run away. Being nervous means something matters."
His father nodded, satisfied. "Correct."
After breakfast, they left the house together. Theo had only one testing centre, located near the town square. The streets were busier than usual, filled with families walking their children to the exam hall. The air held a hum of excitement mixed with the unmistakable undercurrent of pressure. The test was the same across all major centres: a rigorous assessment worth half of a student's total score, added to their Junior College results to produce a final mark out of one hundred.
The stakes were high. Almost a million students took the test each year, and the top four universities accepted only a thousand in total. Jubilife offered three hundred seats. Eterna and Veilstone each had two hundred and fifty. Hearthome, the most demanding of them all, accepted only two hundred. In most years, only students who scored above ninety were even considered. Those who fell short of the cut offs often ended up in private or rural universities, many of which lacked the prestige or opportunities of the top institutions.
As they approached the testing centre, the atmosphere shifted. Stalls had been set up nearby to accommodate waiting families. Groups of parents whispered strategies, encouragements, or, in some cases, quiet worries.
Elena knelt to adjust Lila's scarf, then turned to her son. "We will wait for you outside. Do not rush through anything. The test is designed to reward precision, not speed."
James placed a hand on Aaron's shoulder. "One last reminder. When you find a question that feels unfamiliar, do not panic. They want to see how you think. Not what you memorised. Think it through."
Aaron nodded, taking a steadying breath. The building loomed ahead, a plain structure designed for function rather than beauty. Students walked through its doors in steady streams. Some looked confident. Others looked terrified. Aaron placed himself somewhere between the two.
Lila held out her small hand. "Here. For luck."
He paused. In her palm was a single, smooth stone she had found weeks ago during a family walk near the river. It was pale blue, nearly white in the sunlight, shaped almost perfectly round. She had refused to clean its slight imperfections because, she had claimed, they made it unique.
He took it, closing his fingers around it. "Thanks, Lila."
"Come back with good news," she said firmly. "Or I am telling everyone you fell asleep during the test."
He managed a small laugh and walked inside.
••
The testing hall was vast, filled with hundreds of desks arranged in perfect lines. Screens at the front displayed countdowns and instructions. Proctors moved around the room with clipboard in hand, each wearing badges from the Sinnoh Education Board.
Aaron found his assigned seat near the centre. He placed Lila's stone on the corner of the desk, not as a superstition but as a reminder of the people waiting for him outside.
A digital voice echoed through the speakers. "Students of Theo district, prepare for the Pokémon University Entrance Examination. You will have three hours to complete all sections."
The room fell silent.
The screen on Aaron's desk lit up.
Section One: Pokémon Habitat and Ecology
The first questions came easily. They asked about forest transitions, migration patterns of Starly flocks during winter, the effect of heavy rainfall on Shinx territories, and the feeding behaviours of Bidoof communities near riverbanks. These were second nature to him, largely thanks to Elena's work. He had spent many afternoons following her through the woods, learning to identify tracks and flora long before his classmates did.
He answered steadily, his mind sharp.
Section Two: Geography and History of Sinnoh
This section required deeper thought. They asked about the settlements of early Sinnoh communities, the regions connected to ancient trade routes, and the geological shifts caused by Mount Coronet centuries earlier. Some questions required interpreting maps, others demanded understanding how geography influenced Pokémon distribution.
Aaron paced himself, refusing to allow the ticking clock to unnerve him.
Section Three: Prehistoric Pokémon and Fossil Studies
Questions about Shieldon and Cranidos, the restoration of fossils in Oreburgh City, and the behavioural theories surrounding extinct species filled this part. He thought carefully through each scenario, recalling lessons from his final year of Junior College.
Section Four: First Aid and Emergency Basics
This was more practical. Identifying the right berry to treat poisoning, choosing between a Paralysis Heal and natural remedies in survival scenarios, recognising early signs of dehydration in grass type Pokémon. He answered all confidently. His father had drilled these into him during camping trips.
Section Five: Reasoning and Thinking Questions
This was where the real challenge lay. The section included hypothetical situations, unusual environments, and puzzling Pokémon behaviour patterns.
One question displayed a scenario involving a pack of Luxio splitting territory unexpectedly. Another described a river that had shifted overnight, affecting local Barboach habitats. A third required choosing between conflicting pieces of evidence to identify an unknown track in a forest clearing.
These were not about memory. They were about logic.
Aaron slowed down even more here, reading each prompt twice before selecting his answers. He was no genius, but he possessed something equally valuable: patience. And he trusted his instincts, especially when the questions linked to real world conditions he had observed with his parents.
After three hours, the voice returned.
"Time is up. Submissions locked. Please exit the hall in an orderly manner."
A collective exhale swept across the room.
Aaron stood, collected the stone, and walked out of the building with a steady pace.
Outside, his family waited exactly where he had left them.
Elena's eyes searched his face. "How did it feel?"
"Tough," he admitted. "But fair."
James crossed his arms. "Did anything catch you off guard?"
"A few questions," Aaron said. "But I reasoned them out."
"That is what matters," his father replied.
Lila tugged his sleeve again. "So did you pass?"
Aaron laughed softly. "We will know soon enough."
They walked home together. The day passed slowly. Results would appear online that evening, but the hours stretched like days. Aaron tried reading, but his concentration slipped. He tried helping Elena with chores, but even Roserade seemed to sense his distraction. James suggested a walk, but the boy felt too restless to leave the house.
As dusk settled over Theo, the family gathered around the dining table. A quiet anticipation filled the room.
Elena refreshed the results page.
Nothing.
James checked the time. "They should release the scores any moment."
Another refresh.
Still nothing.
Lila shuffled in her chair, unable to sit still. "They are taking too long. They should hurry."
Finally, after what felt like an entire year compressed into five minutes, the page updated.
The screen displayed a list of names arranged alphabetically. Each entry included the aggregated score combining Junior College marks with entrance test results.
Elena scrolled down slowly.
Then she stopped.
There it was.
Aaron Roberts — 94 out of 100.
A long silence filled the room.
Then Lila screamed with excitement.
"You did it! You got ninety four! That is so high! That is so so high!"
Elena pressed a hand over her mouth, her eyes shining. "I knew you could."
James nodded, the proudest expression the children had ever seen on him. "That score will get you into any of the top four."
Lila climbed onto Aaron's lap and hugged him firmly. "So you are going to Hearthome now, right?"
Aaron did not answer immediately. He stared at the number again, feeling something settle inside him. Relief. Pride. Determination. A shift. This was no longer a distant dream. He had earned a place among the top students in Sinnoh.
Elena opened the admissions page. "You can submit your preference list now. Hearthome is available."
There was no hesitation.
He clicked Hearthome University.
A confirmation message appeared.
Application successfully submitted.
The family held their breath as the system processed the application.
Then the acceptance message appeared in bold letters.
Congratulations. You have secured admission to Hearthome University.
Lila shrieked loud enough to startle Roserade in the other room.
James stood and placed a firm hand on his son's shoulder. "Your real journey begins now."
Elena wrapped her arms around both children. "We are proud of you. All of us."
Aaron looked at the screen once more, the words glowing softly in the dim light of the room.
Heathome University.
Exactly where he wanted to be.
The misty morning of Theo felt far away now.
Everything was moving forward.
And he was ready.