“Looks like even I’ve got my own end challenge like you guys do.”

Brian would say, softly scratching at his arm as he and his friends entered the plaza in Lightvale City.

Sammy turned at him, curious.

“Why’s that?”

“So for one thing, Mom told me I’d find out who took over her gym once she retired..and apparently that ‘thing’ Tommy wanted to tell me both equated to the same scenario. Turns out, Tommy’s the 8th gym leader..”

Tyler gasped.

“What!? That’s crazy, I thought Tommy was just a Pokemon performer.”

Brian sighed.

“That’s what I thought too! I guess he just hides it really well because people don’t normally get that far.”

Sammy placed her hand on his shoulder.

“So what are you going to do? Your bro’s one of the strongest trainers in the entire region. Just behind the Champion and the Elite Trainer League, really.”

“That may be true, my dear Sam, but if anything, that’ll only motivate me to try harder..and that only starts and continues with our Gym Challenge!”

He’d say, hopping up on a rock with a confident gaze towards the Tower that held the Lightvale Stadium.

The tower was 7 stories high, with the gym leader and the stadium arena being on the top floor. A cardigan welsh corgi with mixes of red and black marks all over his fur came up from the floor as the trio entered the Gym.

“Hiya! I’m Jax, and I’ll be the guy helping you on your Gym Mission for today. However, this won’t exactly be a normal one! In order to face my younger brother Anthony at the top floor, you three will be answering riddles.”

Tyler scratched his chin.

“Okay. Doesn’t sound too hard, I’m fairly good with riddles.”

“Wait, aren’t you and Anthony the younger siblings of Baxter, one of the region’s Elite Trainers?”

Jax nodded his head and nervously laughed.

“Ah..haha, indeed we are.”

He looked up to the screen.

“Here’s one that’s fairly easy. ‘I'm hated by my foe , and I'm great with Venoshock. But all you really need to know, is that I’m incorrectly claimed to evolve from Arbok.’”

Tyler scoffed.

“Easy. Seviper!”

Jax’s eyes widened for a minute, before clicking the green button that would allow the trio to advance.

“That’s correct! I’m surprised you figured that one out so quickly. The other ones will definitely require you to think though, so be ready!”

“That is a challenge we’re willing to accept!!”

Thanks to Tyler’s quick and rather clever thinking, it didn’t take long for him, Brian, and Sammy to reach the top of the tower. They found that, like the previous 6 floors, the walls were also LED-filled but the path to the battle arena was only a solid yellow color. 

“I’ll be honest, that’s probably the quickest any challenger has done this challenge. Congrats, you guys! Only thing left is to face my brother, who awaits you at the arena!”

Jax spoke, with a very enthusiastic and practically impressed tone in his voice.

The trio waved as they approached the hallway.

“Well. Here we are. Who’s gonna face him first?”

Brian asked curiously. 

“I think Tyler should, it’s been a bit since he’s gone first in a battle. Besides, he got us through this entire thing so it’s only right.”

Sammy responded back. They both looked over to Tyler.

His eyes shifted away.

“I…Well, yeah I did help but that doesn’t mean-”

Brian softly nudged him.

“Dooooo iiiiiit.”

The husky-wolf chuckled.

“Aaaah. Alright thennnn.”

He slowly walked forward, looking around the stadium arena as many people sat in the audience, much like his previous battles. He soon came face to face with the person that stood on the battlefield that was awaiting his arrival. He was a lot like Jax, just slightly taller and all the red was replaced with a neon-ish blue.

“Well well well. Look who it is. Gym Challenger Tyler, and younger bro to my good pal Adam.”

Tyler sheepishly chuckled.

“Hi Anthony.”

 

Anthony gave him a smirk.

“I hope you’re heckin ready to lose, because I ain’t goin easy on ya.”

“Well I could say the same about you. Just because you’re friends with my brother doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you, either.”

Tyler would say, returning the taunt.

“We’ll just have to see about that, then. Hehehehe.”

The tone in Anthony’s laugh made Tyler a little nervous as he watched him step back a few feet, before sending out his first pokemon: Vikavolt.

Tyler looked down at his Pokeball.

“Counting on you for this one, my good friend.”

He’d throw it.

“Go, Torracat!”

Anthony pondered.

“Hmm..Torracat. Interesting. Vikavolt, use X-Scissor!”

He commanded, sending his Bug type Pokemon zooming forward, head first into Tyler’s Torracat.

“Use Flame Charge in return!”

Tyler shouted.

“Use Dig to dodge the Flame Charge!”

Tyler watched as Anthony’s Vikavolt burrowed its way down.

“What the-”

“I had a feeling you’d do that, so I simply responded accordingly.”

Anthony would say, giving Tyler a smug grin before commanding his Pokemon to reappear and strike Torracat from below, and causing him to be sent backwards.

Tyler winced as he saw his Pokemon tumble.

“Torracat! Are you okay?”

He heard a painful mrow, but an almost confident one as he watched him get back up on his feet and into a defensive position. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

He gestured his hand forward.

“Go ahead and use Fire Fang!!”

Brian looked at Sammy as they sat on the sideline.

“This is going to be one long but very hard fought battle..”