I'm sorry this took so long, but we all know the pains of writer's block. Since I'm on Winter Break now, expect a chapter at least once a week for the next three weeks.
Also, I've gotten comments and PMs that this story is hard to follow due to horrible updating and short chapters. Thus, should I put up a chapter at the beginning of the story that constantly shows the events of the last chapter? Perhaps make one on my profile? I think this would help clear up a lot of confusion, but I need your feedback first.
Note: If I owned Pokemon, Ash Ketchum would be a distant memory.
Three Days after the Events of Intoxication…
FireRed lay on his large, comfy sanctum of his mattress. The radio blared out some random station that had happened to be caught by the receiver, and the twilight sunlight beamed in through the half-drawn blinds. His Pokeballs are away in his bag, along with his other things. He was almost glad to leave this dump, this room where he stayed worrying about his next match. At least he didn't have to worry about his semifinal match.
Pearl emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered with hair a deep violet and her skin a milky vanilla color. Still dripping in her robe, Pearl decided against talking to her roommate today. He had been in near-total silence since the events at Pyrite Coliseum, and she knew he had reasons. She had read him far enough to know he had entered a skirmish of his own, but she didn't pry deep enough as to let on she was doing so.
They stood atop the building, yet Emerald was long gone. Wes slammed his foot on the ground in frustration, cursing loudly. FireRed ignored what had transpired, but still noticed the note lying at his feet. Kneeling down to pick it up, FireRed read it with a curiosity tinted with spite.
"Terios is where you are, and is where we are." Wes's attention instantly honed in on FireRed, snatching away the piece of paper left by their visitor. FireRed voiced his thoughts, letting the wind flow through his overshirt and chestnut hair. "Terios? Wes, this is…"
Wes snapped back. "I never should've gotten you involved," he yelled. "This is Covenant business, not for…"
FireRed had enough. He grasped the popped collar of Wes' trench coat and pulled him an inch away from his face. FireRed grunted with closed teeth. "Next time someone tries to kill me, then maybe you can leave me alone, eh?"
Wes had saved FireRed's skin twice, that much was certain. Zasalamel would've picked him apart back on the SS Crystal, and Kite was about to succeed in his Kamikaze mission had Wes not intervened.
FireRed pushed a piece of paper into Wes' chest. "It's my Pokenav number," he forced out, "use it."
Wes smiled to himself as FireRed unleashed his Pidgeot, preparing to ride back to the hotel. He softly said, "I'm glad you're on our side, FireRed."
For better or for worse, FireRed knew the standard 'I fight for no one' line of his wouldn't fit. The alternatives were to fight for the Rockets or Cipher, and that wasn't going to happen. He was a Covenant by default.
Instead, FireRed blew it off. "Keep in touch," he half ordered, half asked.
FireRed hated to admit it, but Wes was an ally he didn't want to lose.
Pearl had finally decided to speak up. "FireRed," she said nervously, yet still in monotone, " I assume you heard about the tournament?"
He knew. The Pyrite Coliseum was closed off, so the next stage of the Coliseum was to be held elsewhere. He didn't care where. There would be two more days before the remaining finalists would compete in an arena again. FireRed nodded.
"Then you must be aware, " she paused briefly, "that the only way to knock out trainers is to defeat them in town. I wish to go to the Pokemart a few blocks down, if only for a bit, and…"
FireRed sighed with annoyance, but understanding. The doughball was using her head for something other than reading minds for once. FireRed sat up and gazed into her blue eyes. "Let me know when,' he reluctantly said. There were a few days left as Pearl's roommate. He may as well act like one.
…
Creo entered the large, extravagant office of Hoenn's leader, Elite Four Leader Diamond. The room was still Steven's in spirit: there were still portraits of him up on the wall, but those infernal pictures of him with Ruby, Sapphire, and Wally were long gone. Diamond stood away from the door to his room, glaring out the large window at the whole of Evergrande City in its entirety. Creo stood in front of Diamond's large wood desk at attention, holding a parcel in his left hand. Creo's hair remained in its spiked blue state, contrasting with Diamond's hair hidden by a hat. Diamond's back remained to Creo, but he began to speak.
"I always knew that Ruby would be trouble," Diamond began, talking to himself while knowing that Creo was there, "Yet I never imagined him to be noticed by my right-hand man. Tell me, Creo, what has happened?"
Diamond turned to face Creo, his welcoming eyes waiting to pounce. Creo did not have to announce his parcel as he laid it on the desk, which was instantly ripped apart. "So, they call him Ruby? What of the other boy?" Creo inquired.
Diamond held the stone in his palm, glazing over it as a child would with his first Pokeball. The lights inside it swirled around in unpredictable directions and patterns. Diamond shrugged the question. "Wally's just a sidekick of his,' Diamond said, "Nothing to be concerned about."
Diamond finally put the ball down and began to talk seriously. "However," he spoke as he walked around the still in attention Creo, "Ruby has been known to interfere with plans of certain organizations before. I had hoped LiH had enrolled every trainer of his kind into their Coliseum, but apparently we can't be perfectionists."
'Should I take care of him, sir?" Creo asked.
Diamond highly disapproved of his colleague's idea. "If you take Ruby head-on, no matter how many men you take, he will prevail. Heroes are known to do that," Diamond chuckled angry laughs. "I have a better idea…"
Creo listened.
…
Ruby and Wally hadn't bothered themselves with the Covenant of Light mystery since the Mirage Island incident. Tonight they decided to get out for a change, maybe meet a few women. However, Ruby despised the Rusturf bar, regardless of how good the alcohol-free drinks were. He felt suffocated, sitting at a booth watching Wally chat up some rather attractive women. The bar was much more upscale than Ruby would've expected, with a classy band playing smooth jazz whilst the chefs cooked out in an open bar. Ruby glared nonchalantly at the pictures of famous people over his head, including Professor Birch.
"So then I says to Sapphire," Wally bragged on to five girls around him, "get to da choppah! Get to da choppah now!"
Ruby didn't remember that ever happening. Instead of ruining Wally's good time, however, Ruby got up and walked away. Wally did not even notice, but Ruby didn't take offense. At least one of the friends was able to have fun.
Ruby stepped out from the bar and onto the cold autumn night. The lights of Mauville began to dim at this time of night, yet Ruby ignored this. He walked along the sidewalks of the cold streets, doing his best not to worry about Sapphire. She would be fine, he thought…hoped…prayed.
Sapphire lay on the grass outside the burning Verdanturf Tunnel. The authorities began to flood into it to arrest any remaining Magma or Aqua operatives, yet none noticed the pair of teenage youths laying not far away. Ruby knelt beside his friend, cradling her head. Her burn luckily hadn't hit any vital spots, but it still hurt like hell. Ruby stayed there with Sapphire that night, thankful that he had been with her during that fight with multiple grunts.
He also remembered how nice that first kiss felt.
Ruby came back into reality, looking at his location: an intersection, with no traffic coming. He stepped into the center of the barely illuminated streets, and looked upwards into the overcast night sky. Where was his love, if not with him?
Ruby noticed something odd about the night. Wind was whipping up faster than normal…but it was a warm wind on a hot night. That only meant one thing…Aerial Ace.
Ruby rolled on the concrete at the last possible second as a blue bird came down upon his previous location faster that a speeding bullet. Before Ruby could stand, he was surrounded. Seemingly from out of nowhere, four Cipher Operatives were upon him, cloaked in gray uniforms and their iconic goggles. They unanimously let out their Pokemon: the bat Pokemon Zubat, the rock Pokemon Graveler, the grass Pokemon Victreebell, and the Swellow that had attacked Ruby flew to its trainer's shoulder.
Ruby was surrounded, with one Op per street in the intersection, and him playing monkey in the middle. Ruby reached for a Pokeball with one thought: Goddamn it.
…
The night streets of Pyrite City weren't as crowded as they were dangerous, FireRed instantly picked up on. Pearl kept close to him as various men looked her over, some of them trainers and others basic rapists. They were almost at the Pokemart, but FireRed had a hunch that Pearl didn't request his company just for an escort. The instant he told her to stay close, Pearl latched onto his arm and didn't let go. FireRed decided to avoid any thoughts that could offend her by carrying a conversation.
"So…did you hear from Dante yet?"
"No."
"Well…how did you get away from the..?"
"The Police escorted me."
Pearl wasn't much for conversation tonight. However, she did pick up on this and try to talk. She comforted FireRed, "I assume you don't wish to talk honestly because you don't feel safe around a psychic?'
FireRed loved the irony in having his mind read to find out he hates having his mind read.
"Don't worry. My powers are…imperfect, to say the least. At best they work when my emotions are heightened, like in a battle…
FireRed noticed a paradox. Pearl is holding his arm and reading minds…
Yet, to FireRed's dismay, after years of not trusting anybody, he felt like he could trust her. Pearl leaned her head upon FireRed's shoulder, and FireRed responded by placing his head upon hers.
They walked right by the Pokemart.
End Hesitation I: Forging Bonds