Too long, didn't read.
No, I actually did. To be honest I didn't play any of the games after gen3. I'm now trying to find gen5 in emulator, but still now the game has changed a lot, so I don't know if I'm going to enjoy it. Reborn is surely darker than you'd expect from canon games. Worry not, because if you are worthy, you might stand a chance. 9 gym is the middle, so don't worry about reaching the end. Some things happen faster than others, but still, the game has so much to offer to you, that you can stop the gym quest for sidequests, event pokemon, grand hall farming money, discovering several secrets (like Toxic Orb), and much more.
We are happy to have you join our crew. You can go to the secretary to pay us with your soul and the contract will be complete.