Chapter 7
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Once they had gotten to the Mauville Gym, they discovered that it was locked.  However, there was an old man sitting outside.
"Hey," Andrew called to him, "do you know why the gym is locked?"
"Of course," said the man.  "The gym leader locked it because of power difficulties."
"Power difficulties?" Julia inquired.
"Yes," replied the man.  "You see, this is an Electric gym, and in order to power his…well, traps, he needs an extensive amount of power."
"Okay…" said Julia.
"Let me finish.  Now, there's an underground…catacomb, I guess…that has a power generator.  This power generator has not been working correctly, and the gym's power has been going on and off.  Since he cannot power his gym's traps, he has not been open for battling," the old man explained.  "He is also looking for a trainer-or two-that can help him restore power to the generator."
"Why can't he do it himself?" Andrew asked.
"Because there are apparently Electrode and Magneton guarding it, and since he has nothing but Electric Pokémon, he can't battle them."
Andrew sighed.  "Julia, come on.  We're going to have to solve this ourselves."
As they walked away from the gym, the old man coughed.  "Ahem," he said.
"What?" asked Andrew.
"Do you know where it is?"
"Uh…er…" Andrew stuttered.
"Beneath the Cycling Road. There's a small cave entrance."
"Hold up!" Julia intervened.  "If we do this, the gym leader will battle again, right?"
"Of course," the old man replied.  "You have my word."
Andrew and Julia headed south of Mauville again, and to the Cycling Road.  Just as the old man said, there was a tunnel going beneath it.  They entered the tunnel, and into "New Mauville."
They worked their way to the center of the "power plant," and were immediately confronted with dozens of Electric Pokémon, such as Plusle, Minun, Pikachu, and more.
"Andrew," said Julia, "I think this is their home.  They are attracted to the power that this gives off."
"It doesn't matter!" Andrew responded.  "We have to turn this off."
"There must be another way…"
"There isn't."
Julia thought for a moment.  "Wait-there is another way.  Remember what the man said?  He said that the gym's power is cut off.  But the gym's power is just excess electricity used to power traps.  He doesn't need those.  These Pokémon need this power generator."
"Well…yeah…" Andrew gave in.  "All right, let's go.  But…but how are we supposed to convince the gym leader that-"
"We'll do it."  Andrew nodded.
They came back up to the surface, went back to Mauville, and straight to the elderly gentleman.
"We're sorry," Andrew started, "but we can't do what you requested.  You see…"  He waited for Julia to pick up where he left off.
"Oh, uh, Pokémon are living there.  We can't just beat them all up and deactivate the generator.  They'll lose their home," she said.
"Hmm…" the old man thought.  "This is what I have been looking forward to for a long while."
"What was that?" Andrew said.
"Any normal trainer would have beaten all of the Pokémon, turned off the generator, and come back here expecting a match.  It warms my heart to see the two of you show some compassion for other living things.  You may enter the gym and fight me."
Julia and Andrew stared at each other, dumbfounded.  "You-you're the gym leader!?" they exclaimed.
Wattson, Mauville's Gym Leader, chuckled.  "That's right!  Now, come inside and fight me!"  Julia and Andrew followed Wattson into his gym.  "Now!  Who's going to fight me first?"
"I will," Andrew answered.
"Ha!  All right.  Voltorb, go!"
"Poochyena, go!  Bite!"  Poochyena charged at Voltorb and chomped down on the Electric ball Pokémon.
"Voltorb, Charge!" Sparks shot out from Voltorb as it charged up for the next attack.
"Take Down!" Andrew commanded.  Andrew's Dark Pokémon slammed its body down on the Voltorb, doing a considerable amount of damage.  However, Voltorb performed the attack Spark, making the battle pretty much equal.
"It ends with this," Andrew muttered.  "Faint Attack!"  Poochyena vanished for a moment, struck Voltorb, and then reappeared.  Voltorb fainted.
"Ha, nice.  Pikachu attack!"
Something very unexpected happened next.  Before Pikachu could get off an attack, Poochyena started glowing.
"Wha-what's going on?" Andrew exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"Whoa.  Your Pokémon is evolving," Wattson remarked.  Poochyena morphed into a larger, darker Pokémon.  It's snout lengthened, and black fur now ran along the grey fur.  Andrew took out his Pokédex.
"Mightyena," said the Pokédex.  "The evolved form of Poochyena.  This Pokémon is remarkably stronger than its previous form, and possesses powerful Dark moves."
"Yes!" Andrew burst out.  "Mightyena, Quick Attack!"  Mightyena rushed at Pikachu, and then headbutted the small mouse Pokémon.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Wattson commanded.  Pikachu shot out lightning, zapping Mightyena.  Mightyena, with its last bit of strength, used Bite.  Both Pokémon were knocked out.
"It seems that you have won," Wattson said, "since I only have one Pokémon left and you have two.  Nevertheless, I will not go down without a fight.  Especially since this is my best Pokémon.  Magneton, go!"
"Treecko, I choose you!  Leech Seed!"  Seeds were implanted in Magneton, sapping away a little health.
"Magneton, Shock Wave!"  Electricity swarmed around Treecko, doing mediocre damage.  Andrew recalled his Pokémon and sent out Torchic.
"Ember!"  Magneton is Steel-type, and thus weak against Fire, he thought.  Magneton suffered through the damage, but quickly returned fire with Swift.  He followed up with Thunderbolt, nearly knocking out Torchic.  Torchic spat out small flames at Magneton, but it still did not knock him out.
"Finish it with Shock Wave!" said Wattson.  Torchic was fried, and fell to the ground.
"Treecko, come out again and defeat Magneton with Razor Leaf!"  Treecko's attack sliced Magneton, knocking it out.
"Ha!  Very good.  Very good indeed…here!  The Dynamo Badge."  Wattson handed Andrew his third badge.
Julia stepped up.  "Wattson, are you ready for me, now?" she declared.
"That I am!  Magnemite, you're first!"
"Mudkip, go!  Dig attack!"  Mudkip burrowed her way underground, and then waited Magnemite to make its move.  Magnemite could do nothing except await its defeat.  Mudkip struck Magnemite from beneath the earth, one-hit K.O.
"Electrike, go!" Wattson shouted.  "Bite!"  The attack did a minute amount of damage; Mudkip easily defeated its opponent with Mud-Slap and another Dig.  "Well, you, too, have done remarkably well.  Better than him, in fact!"  Andrew scowled.  He loathed the fact that his sister has done better than him.
Not just in this battle, either, he thought.  In every gym battle, she does better.  Well, no matter.  I'll surpass her soon enough.  She won't be better than me for long.
By the time Andrew looked up to see what was happening in the battle, it was almost over.  Wattson's Jolteon was almost knocked out from Mudkip.  Mudkip used Water Gun and knocked out Wattson's final Pokémon.
After Wattson had given Julia the Dynamo Badge, too, Mudkip started glowing.
"Look!" Julia shouted.  "My Pokémon is evolving, too!"  Mudkip developed into Marshtomp.  Julia recalled her newly evolved Pokémon.
Even her starter Pokémon evolved before mine, Andrew thought.  What he failed to realize was that the reason that Julia's Pokémon evolved sooner was that she had fewer Pokémon to raise, and primarily used her Mudkip, while he used many Pokémon.
They left Mauville and continued their trek north.