Pokemon: This Gary is Very Different

---

"That's Mauville City up ahead. Should we challenge the Mauville Gym first, or should we try to find Sidney from the Elite Four?" Hilda asked, gazing at the distant outline of Mauville City.

"We should definitely challenge the Mauville Gym first," Rosa responded immediately before Gary could answer.

"After all, we don't know exactly where Sidney is right now. It makes sense to handle our own goals first, then we'll have plenty of time to find him," Rosa added, providing a reasonable explanation.

"What do you think, Gary?" Hilda asked after considering Rosa's point, turning to Gary for his opinion.

"I think Gary agrees with me, right?" Rosa chimed in again, playfully shaking Gary's arm.

Gary smiled, appreciating Rosa's enthusiasm. "I think Rosa's idea is a good one," he agreed. "We should challenge the Mauville Gym first."

"Alright, then it's settled. We'll take on the Mauville Gym first!" Hilda said, nodding in agreement.

"Great! Let's get to Mauville City and challenge the Gym as soon as we arrive!" Rosa exclaimed, leading the group with renewed energy.

"Even though we're heading to the Mauville Gym, we don't have to rush things," Hilda cautioned, watching Rosa's eagerness.

"We've been traveling non-stop for days, and our Pokémon are probably exhausted. Let's take some time to rest before the battle."

Gary nodded in agreement with Hilda. "That's a good point. Our Pokémon have been through a lot lately, with training and battles against other trainers. They deserve some rest before we take on the Gym."

"True," Rosa admitted, her initial excitement tempered by the realization that both she and her Pokémon were tired. She smiled sheepishly. "I guess I got a little too excited."

"Let's head to Mauville City first," Gary suggested, estimating that the city wasn't far away.

"Okay," Rosa and Hilda agreed. The three of them quickened their pace, making their way toward Mauville City.

After a short journey, they arrived in Mauville City as planned.

Once there, the group headed straight to the Pokémon Center. They booked a room and handed over their tired Pokémon to Nurse Joy for some much-needed care. Under Nurse Joy's attentive treatment, Gary, Rosa, and Hilda's Pokémon soon began to recover.

---

The next day, Gary, Rosa, and Hilda left the Pokémon Center early in the morning and made their way to the Mauville Gym, guided by a city map.

When they arrived at the Mauville Gym, they found the door closed. Rosa, who was the liveliest of the group, knocked on the door and called out, but there was no response.

"Is there no one in the Mauville Gym?" Rosa asked, turning back to Gary and Hilda.

"It's possible," Hilda replied. "No one's answered for a while, so the Gym Leader might not be here."

"Let's go in anyway—the door is unlocked," Gary said, having some knowledge about the Mauville Gym. He stepped forward and pushed the door, which unexpectedly fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"What's going on?" Rosa and Hilda exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"You'll understand soon enough," Gary said with a mysterious smile.

Though still confused, Rosa and Hilda followed Gary into the Gym, stepping over the fallen door.

As they entered, their presence was immediately detected by a camera, which transmitted their image to a private room inside the Gym.

"Oh, it seems we have another challenger!" In the private room, an older man smiled slyly. "Let's activate the device."

A young man beside him, wearing glasses, raised a concern. "Sir, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"It's fine. Think of it as a warm-up test," the older man replied dismissively, ignoring the young man's objections as he pressed a button in front of him.

Back in the main area of the Gym, Gary and the others suddenly noticed two handrails rise from the door they had just stepped on.

Before they could react, the door transformed into a roller coaster-like platform and began to move quickly through a tunnel within the Gym.

"What's happening?" Rosa and Hilda, caught off guard, were stunned by the sudden movement and instinctively grabbed onto Gary for support.

Unlike his companions, Gary remained calm, having expected this. He stood confidently on the platform, watching as they sped through the Gym.

The platform eventually slowed to a stop in front of a closed door after crossing a pool.

Before Rosa and Hilda could fully recover from the ride, the door in front of them suddenly opened, and a massive creature charged at them.

"Is that... Raikou?!" Rosa and Hilda exclaimed in unison, recognizing the legendary Pokémon.

"Electabuzz, use Thunder Punch!" Gary called out, having anticipated this moment.

Gary's Electabuzz emerged from its Poké Ball and delivered a powerful Thunder Punch, slicing through the approaching figure.

The "Raikou" was revealed to be a mechanical replica, split in half by Electabuzz's attack.

Realizing they had been tricked, Rosa and Hilda were both frustrated and relieved. "What's going on here?" Rosa demanded, clearly annoyed by the deception.

---