I noticed that the last few chapters have been a little heavy on the FireRed x Pearl stuff. I apologize for alienating the readers who look to Reincarnation for a dose of older Pokemon action. However, as you all must know by now, Reincarnation is more of a teen angst work than either a Pokemon or an action fiction. Sure, this does have a predominant fighting tone, but wasn't Dragonball Z a Kung-Fu soap opera?

But either way, Hesitation is all exposition. Trust me, when the next four chapters are done, you'll be glad you read through this arc. It'll make the last two confrontations that much more intense.

Note: If Nintendo thinks I'm trying to make money by turning Pokemon into an anime-style angst drama, then they need something better to do.

As Birch stormed the in the lab, Ruby followed in with determination. The lights and computers slowly flickered to life as the professor hit multiple switches along the wall. Ruby had seen the inside of the Pokemon Lab on the first day he met Sapphire, and not much about the place had changed. There were still endless shelves of books that Ruby never saw as necessary to love Pokemon; there were still computers the size of his desk as well as computers so thin that one would need a magnifying glass as well as balls of steel to be able to take them apart; there were still pictures of the professor, his wife, and two children, happy together on a nice day in June. Ruby remembered it because it was the first time he saw Sapphire with another hair color (he really did like her in light blond, but it was a moot point).

Birch put his things on the desk next to his hardware and computer tower. He tried to ignore Ruby, who was busy making a scene.

"Professor, please," Ruby begged in a demanding tone. "I need this. Sapphire might be in danger and I won't be able to do anything about it unless you help me!" Ruby was standing right next to Birch, yet seemed to be getting no more notice.

Birch pressed the 'on' button to his desktop computer, which let out a loud note. Birch spoke to the computer, not even bothering to look his daughter's lover in the eyes. "No, Ruby. I cannot let you look at files of Legendary Pokemon! It's not allowed! Not even if you were Red would I let you see the data."

Ruby refused to become angered, like he did last time he paid a visit to the Pokemon Prof. Instead, he decided to speak as though it wasn't about either of them. Ruby knew which chord he could use to get information. He only hoped Sapphire would forgive him later. "Is it just me, or do you have a thing with giving up on your children?"

Birch stopped moving. It was as though someone had his a pause button on him. Ruby continued. "Seriously, do you like seeing your kids just go off somewhere and die? Because to me, it seems like this is becoming a personal hobby…"

"Get out. That is an order, Ruby."

"No, I won't leave. Sapphire is out there alone and in trouble, and you're just going to let her big brother devour her like he did to himself."

Birch turned slowly to Ruby, and Ruby could easily tell that he managed to his the Professor where it hurt. Birch looked furious, but not angered to the point of blows; he was hurt by the memories that Ruby had awakened. Birch looked at Ruby with harsh eyes. "You know nothing," he said. "You didn't know Emerald. He was a bright, happy boy…you cannot comprehend what happened to him, or his family. You cannot…"

As Birch was pushed nearly to tears, another voice sounded. It was strangely familiar to Ruby. "Well said, Professor. Well said indeed."

Birch looked past Ruby, and despair shone in his eyes. Ruby turned around and felt similar feelings. The kid from before: spiked blue hair, khaki pants, and white button-down shirt, was here. It was Creo, and he wasn't alone: five men walked in behind him, and two more were outside. Creo stood a few feet outside of Birch's office, just close enough to have goons take down Ruby if necessary.

Creo squinted his eyes at Ruby. It was more like a devilish smile, but it wasn't a smile at all. "Ruby, right? Is Wally here? Yes, No, maybe so?"

Ruby looked nervously at Birch, who was deadpan. He spoke softly. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I had no choice. It was either like this or they would kill you…"

Ruby became wide-eyed. He understood: Creo was here for him. Ruby recognized this scene out of an old western, where the sheriff corners the villain, but the villain gets one last monologue before being riddled with bullets. However, Ruby wasn't a villain in rural Ohio, and he wasn't afraid of a guy his age with blue hair. Ruby reached for his belt, and Birch winced. "Please don't, Ruby," he chided. "You don't know…"

"Please, old man. I've heard that same phrase repeated again and again since Sapphire left. Let me handle this." Ruby didn't mention the other line, about his supposed destiny. Well, if he did have a destiny in this, now was as good a time as any to start believing. Ruby drew the first ball from his belt, holding it as one would a pistol. His hand shook, yet Ruby had never been so anxious to battle. Interestingly enough, he didn't know why he reacted to Creo this way.

Creo drew his ball, twirling it between his two fingers. Cocking his head to one side, Creo sighed. "Are you sure about this? You won't win anything besides a wounded party, if you're lucky."

Ruby raised his eyebrows and smiled his smile that usually showed, as Ruby called it, "triumph over adversity." Sapphire called it cockiness. Ruby hoped she was wrong.

When Creo tossed his ball onto the floor, a magnificent Pokemon with a luminous blue glow and a misty mane made Ruby reconsider…almost. Even in the face of a Legendary, Ruby never backed down. This was no exception.

…

Silver walked slowly across the Pyrite Pier. He looked to his wristwatch: 11:37 PM. It was almost time for the trainers to board the boat and for the Coliseum to truly begin. The night sky shone brightly over the ocean. Silver stared into the moon, standing next to the magnificent SS. Beauty,which was a liner far inferior to the Crystal, but good enough to serve for an hour-long boat ride. Silver fingered his belt: six Pokeballs, as usual. But tonight felt different. It was as though he was saying goodbye to a calm, saying goodbye to his childhood as well as his final Pokemon tournament.

He didn't want to retire, especially as he entered his prime years, but family business mattered first. Giovanni was reaching old age, and Silver would have to take up the head of the Pokemon Mafia ASAP. Unfortunately, that meant axing the life of a Pokemon Trainer. Silver had angst towards his father before, but this was completely different from a simple teenage mood swing or adolescent rebellion. This was Silver's destiny, his inheritance, and yet suddenly being head of one of the strongest organizations in the world wasn't appealing. What purpose was there to being leader of Team Rocket if it wasn't fun?

Silver instantly realized what Gold meant that time they met, all the way back in New Bark Town. Gold trained for love of Pokemon; Silver trained for power. He found it ironic that now Gold was being used for his power while Silver felt he would give up love for Pokemon. Silver groaned. Growing up was a bitch.

"What's wrong, boss? Can't wait for the end?"

Silver turned around in the blink of an eye, Pokeball at the ready. Standing behind Silver was the enigmatic Emerald, wearing a green shirt, khakis, and a headband. How Emerald could be at the ocean dressed as he was without being cold was a mystery to Silver. Emerald smiled devilishly to Silver, showing his pointy teeth and cat-like eyes. Silver lowered his Pokeball. "I told you not to call me that," Silver said.

Emerald stood beside Silver, both watching a crescent moon high in the night sky. "That's what you'll be soon, though, right? I'd better practice calling you that."

Silver bit his lip. Being called 'Boss'…he sounded so old! Silver shrugged it off in favor of making small talk. "Are you ready for the last stage of the plan?"

"Of course I am, boss! You know my employer told you I'm the best of the best, yet you still doubt me? I'm insulted!" Emerald made a childlike pouty face that somehow fit him. "If you still think I don't have raw power, then I can prove it to you."

Silver changed the subject quickly. "You still haven't introduced yourself to my father. What's that about?"

Silver didn't want to fight. Emerald noticed this, and barbed Silver. "What," Emerald joked, "You don't think your full-grown Lugia can take me on?"

Silver smirked back. Apparently, either Emerald wanted a fight, or his reason for not talking to Giovanni was his own. Silver returned a jest. "No, I simply don't want to destroy my father's hired goon before he needs to be used."

"Rest assured," Emerald dropped all pleasantries, "I am not here only for Giovanni's mere Coliseum campaign…"

"This has something to do with Terios, doesn't it?" Silver tried to read Emerald for a response, but there was none. Emerald was unlike any man he had ever met. Emerald was either childlike or monster like, one of the two. But regardless, Silver knew not to underestimate Emerald, regardless of the situation. Giovanni's goons were always capable of incredible things, but they were never anywhere near as calm, perhaps even as anxious as Emerald.

Emerald looked away from the moon, brushing his polar hair. "Terios isn't of Team Rocket's concern. That is for LiH only, and that is that. Once this Coliseum is done, the world can forget about this stupid tournament."

Silver likened Emerald to his father. Pokemon were not stupid. They were Silver's friends. He hated this, but it wasn't his fate to be Pokemon Master.

Silver roared in despair as Gold's magnificent Pichu finished electrocuting his Typhlosion. Why was he so much better? In Mt. Moon, when there was nothing but darkness and solitude, why was Gold such a better trainer?

"It's because your Pokemon aren't your friends," Gold said slowly. Silver looked up at his rival, listening intently for the first time. "You order them around. If they were your friends, then Pokemon would fight for you without having to obey orders. They would fight for you because they felt honored to."

Silver felt like he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. He befriended his Pokemon, and became a name in the world. Now he would have to say goodbye to the creatures that made him.

…

As soon as Blaziken erupted from the Pokeball, Ruby was already thinking of a way out of the match. Against Creo, Ruby knew his odds of winning were non-existent. However, the odds of escaping were slightly better. Ruby looked around the lab. It figured that the room wouldn't have a vent or window in sight.

Suicune, the magnificent Legendary Dog, didn't react to Blaziken. Creo found it interesting that the two Pokemon would stare each other down like they were doing. Was Suicune uninterested in a weaker opponent? Or was Suicune honoring a Pokemon with power rivaling its own? Creo thought the second choice was more accurate, seeing as Blaziken was not only one of Professional Pokemon Trainer Ruby's Pokemon, but Blaziken had been Ruby's signature Pokemon ever since it was a Torchic. Blaziken was the best Ruby had to offer, which was probably why Ruby brought a fire-type to fight a water Pokemon, Creo assumed.

Finally, Suicune made a move. It rushed Blaziken, as if out of a sudden nervous twitch. Suicune left a stunning aquamarine trail as it glided gracefully across the lab's tile floor. Blaziken dodged the move with ease, coming from a lifetime of training. Blaziken stepped to Suicune's side, and launched a triplet of roundhouse kicks, all with an ignited foot. Suicune weaved through the kicks, which were so fast that the goons behind Creo looked stunned.

Ruby kept looking around, but there was nothing he could use to escape with. Creo must've known that when he decided to corner him here, Ruby thought. He tried not to think why Birch would set him up, despite being like a father to him. There was always a way out, he just had to find it. Ruby suddenly had an idea. He looked down the exit of the lab, which was guarded by two burly men in suits. Beyond that, Creo and his two other men were only feet away from him. Escape didn't seem so impossible after all.

Ruby commanded Blaziken. "Use Smokescreen, now!"

Blaziken held its hand up high as an impenetrable field of black smoke covered Ruby, Birch, and itself. Suicune looked around, confused. Creo roared to his goons, knowing that Ruby was planning to escape under the cover of the smoke. "You two!" he screamed. "Block the doors!"

The other goons blocked the door as well, now having all four suits blocking the exit. Ruby grinned at being able to outsmart a man with a Legendary. "Fire Kick, now!" he commanded. Blaziken responded by flying out of the smoke, roundhouse kicking Suicune smack in the neck. Suicune reeled across the floor as Blaziken retired to the ball, replaced by another Pokemon: the magnificent flying Pokemon Staravia soared valiantly out of the smoke, over Creo and past the four suits, all whom were knocked back by the force of the Fire Kick. Creo looked out the lab in agony, seeing Ruby and Birch fly high into the skies.

Creo clinched his fists as his Pokenav ringed. Diamond's ring tone played.

…

The secret base was relocated to a cave on outside Mauville City, in the desert area. Michael had set out moderate furnishings again, with the only addition being an air conditioner. Wally sat with a silent Birch, who still had his bag from when he first entered the lab. Michael stood along the walls, letting the air conditioner blow directly on him. Ruby paced around the room, furious. He threw his bag to the floor in anger.

"This is getting fucking ridiculous," Ruby shouted. "Covenant Ops are acting like Rockets, the Government is acting like Team Cipher, the whole fucking world's heroes are gone—nothing is working like it's supposed to. Why in the hell would I get jumped in the middle of a town? Christ, this is bogus." Ruby tried to calm down, but only wound up laughing at himself. Destiny was a cruel mistress. He wound up surviving his fourth Legendary Pokemon encounter, only to wind up saving the world.

"I…" he started to ramble, "I didn't ask for any of this. All I wanted was to be here for my girlfriend. Why is this happening?"

Michael was brief. "It's happening because Diamond is trying to capture the Legendary Dogs. It's as simple as that."

Ruby stopped rambling, Wally stared intently, and Birch maintained his deadpan stare as Michael elaborated with a sodden look. "While Ruby was getting jumped and Wally was hitting on women," Michael shot a glare at Wally, "I actually made it to a wireless online hotspot where I could research without being traced.

"Apparently, the Legendary Birds have been captured by average Joe Trainer, traded all across the world. Nothing was irregular there. The Legendary Forest Pokemon were still missing, and Palkia and Dialga have been missing since they first tried to take over Sinnoh.

However, the Dogs were entirely different. After Gold first set the Dogs loose, apparently another trainer captured the elusive Suicune. I traced him like the other people, to make sure that nothing was weird. Interestingly enough, he took a job with…"

Wally cut him off. "Team Cipher, or Team Rocket?"

Michael sighed. He was either ticked off or distressed, and Ruby felt both at the same time. Michael continued. "No, that's what I thought at first, but he joined an unknown party. They called themselves the LiH, some organization fixated with stealing Pokemon research. Our mystery man worked with LiH for three years, and that takes us to the present day."

Ruby slammed his fist on the table. "That's Creo you're talking about, right?"

Michael nodded. "No last name provided, of course. Either way…wait, how did you know that?"

Ruby bit his lip in frustration. "Did you ever tangle with a Legendary before, Michael? I'm pretty sure that you notice when one's basically toying with your best efforts."

Wally's jaw dropped at the thought of a Pokemon capable of defeating Ruby's signature fighter, and Michael attempted to move on. "That leaves us with the only unaccounted Legendaries being Groudon, Lugia, Ho-Oh, and of course, the Sinnoh Legendaries. Since Diamond's from Sinnoh, we should assume he has any of those."

Wally spoke up. "He's working with LiH also, right? But I read about them in a magazine last year. They've been busted on every Pokedex heist they ever tried."

"Wait," Ruby said. "What makes you thing LiH wants the Dogs, and not the Birds or something?"

"Well," Michael didn't even look at Ruby, "I researched an experiment that Oak performed once. It involved harnessing the powers of Legendaries. However, it didn't work. The only connection is that the Legendaries were Zapdos, Entei, and Ho-Oh two years ago. They were released after the thing failed, of course."

Wally picked up. "You think the experiment failed because the Legendaries were from different families? It makes sense…" He didn't need to explain the part about the Orb that could contain Legendary energy, as all in the room all knew of it.

Ruby leant against the corner of the base. "LiH already has Suicune…so then, why would they even want Legendary energy?"

Birch turned a pale color. He closed his eyes, letting a lone tear streak across his proud face. Michael, Ruby, and Wally all turned to the Professor instinctively. Birch looked up at Ruby. "I'm sorry," he said. "You are like a son to me, Ruby. I never meant for you to be caught up in this. Nobody has ever been as perfect for my daughter as you have been."

Ruby let a small grin come across his face. It was only in his dreams where Birch would finally accept him as Sapphire's boyfriend, and it finally happened. Ruby only wished it didn't happen on the verge of Armageddon. He became horrified in the next instant. Birch continued, looking at his feet.

"What if LiH was only an unknown organization on the on the outside, because that's they prefer to work under our government's noses? What if LiH has been stealing all of our information from behind our backs for the last twenty years, planning for this very year?"

Birch looked at a confused Ruby, and nonchalant Michael, and a horrified Wally. "What if I told you that the Coliseum, the confusion of Factions, Diamond taking office, and the very way each of you live your lives is a figment of an organization that has monitored humans since Pokemon were first discovered? Would you want to know?"

Wally went stone cold. Ruby walked to the outside of the cave, taking deep breaths, trying not to laugh or deny the information that had been suggested. Michael looked to Birch, who was surprised at the emotional fortitude the teenage boy possessed. Michael beat around the bush of asking things that he could figure out.

"…You said that LiH was planning for this. Planning for what, exactly? Some…strike on western civilization using Legendary energy as a fuel source?"

Birch prepared to answer, but he was cut of as a razor leaf suddenly sliced through his shoulder, causing him to fall to the ground. Michael and Ruby pulled out Pokeballs, and Wally went to the aid of Birch. Ruby cursed under his breath at the group of men standing in the doorway of the secret base, and at the teen with the spiky blue hair standing with them.

…

FireRed embraced his girl, his lover, his Pearl one last time before the tournament really began to take off. They were dressed, packed, and ready to leave with the rest of the trainers in the hotel. The lights of the hotel room remained off, and the bed sheets unmade. FireRed knew that the moment he went onto the next tournament floor, Pearl would become his enemy. Why did he have to choose between vengeance and love?

Pearl cuddled against FireRed, enjoying his warm arms. She understood the magnitude of falling in love for the first time during a tournament. She didn'tknow that she would lose the tournament on account of this sensation, but she just had the feeling that she wasn't meant for being Pokemon Master. Regardless, she still enjoyed the experience. Pearl reached into the back pocket of her skirt and removed a small bag. She took something shiny out of it, FireRed noticed against the intimate darkness of their room. FireRed was about to question when Pearl put a finger over his mouth. Pearl brushed her hand over her beau's eyes, and he abruptly closed them.

When FireRed opened his eyes, he felt something hanging from his neck. It was no ordinary necklace. It bore an emblem that he had donned long ago, one that men all around the known world looked to for hope and courage. FireRed clutched Red's Symbol, the iconic green angle. Pearl said nothing, and FireRed understood.

She knows who I am, FireRed thought. How much of his mind had been read during their first and final night as a couple? FireRed was instinctively alarmed at the thought of somebody knowing his true identity, knowing that he was running away from the shame of defeat.

FireRed held Pearl closely, her head resting on his chest, her breasts pressed to him, her mystifying violet hair flowing down his hand, which rested on her back. FireRed didn't have to be afraid of Pearl. They were no longer the strangers that met on a dark bus, weeks ago.

FireRed hoped that Pearl wouldn't change after the Coliseum was over and done. Red was a person, with hopes, dreams, and loves. FireRed was becoming a person as well. He hoped Pearl would be there for him.

But he also understood the other meaning behind the green angle. He wasn't only FireRed. He bore the weight of the fallen Red on his soul. It was time for Red to be able to rest in peace.

End Hesitation VI: Cryptic Lovers