Chapter 5: Allies in the Spotlight
The drizzle over Goldenrod City had settled into a fine mist, cloaking the neon-lit streets in a dreamlike haze. Inside Souichi Kiruma's apartment, the air buzzed with the electric hum of his livestream, the PokéNet chat window a chaotic cascade of emojis, taunts, and fervent praise. Souichi leaned into his mic, his grin sharp as a Scyther's blade, as the *Pokémon Masters* victory screen flashed across his monitor. Another doubles match dominated—his virtual Butterfree's Hypnosis Powder had locked down the opponent's team, leaving Machamp to mop up with surgical precision. The chat erupted, a mix of awe and mock outrage:
*"Emperor Souichi, you're a menace! Butterfree needs a ban!"*
*"My poor Gyarados never woke up. RIP."*
*"This tactic is filthier than a Grimer's lunch!"*
Souichi laughed, his voice warm and teasing. "Come on, Johto squad, don't hate the player—hate the game! Silk's out here inspiring legends." He gestured to his Caterpie, sprawled contentedly on a nearby cushion, munching an energy cube with a smug little wiggle. Silk's pink antennae twitched, catching the glow of the laptop screen, and for a fleeting moment, Souichi swore he saw a spark of draconic green in its beady eyes. The system's holographic panel flickered in his vision, a constant reminder of the absurdity tethering his life:
[Task Update: Finishing Touch Proficiency: 40%. Caterpie's draconic potential nearing critical threshold. Objective: Achieve 50% proficiency to stabilize partial transformation. Alert: High-profile trainer engagement increasing—monitor for strategic alliances.]
*High-profile engagement?* Souichi's pulse quickened, but he masked it with a playful shrug for the camera. "Alright, who's next? I'm ready to send another team to dreamland!" The chat roared, demanding more chaos, when a dazzling flash cut through the screen—a Master Ball gift, its confetti effects exploding like a festival flare. The sender's ID glowed in gold: *FightingMan*. Souichi's breath caught, his grin freezing as the chat went ballistic:
*"RED?! THE RED?!"*
*"Kanto's Champ just dropped a Master Ball! Emperor Souichi's officially big-time!"*
*"Misty's crying in the club, and Red's out here stanning!"*
Souichi blinked, his mind racing. *Red. The Red. Kanto's undefeated Champion, the kid who crushed Team Rocket and claimed Mt. Silver like it was his backyard.* He'd seen Red's name in PokéNet forums, whispered in awe by trainers and analysts alike, a living legend whose Pikachu could probably solo half the League. And now, here he was, gifting a Master Ball on *his* stream. Souichi's fingers hovered over the keyboard, his usual bravado faltering. "Uh… yo, FightingMan, that's some serious love! Thanks for the Master Ball, boss—Silk's eating like a king tonight!"
The chat exploded with speculation: *"Red's here for the Emperor!"* *"Bet he saw the Misty beatdown and wants a piece!"* Souichi's eyes flicked to his Pokégear, where a private message notification blinked. His stomach flipped. *No way he's actually reaching out.* But the ID was unmistakable: *FightingMan*. He didn't open it—not yet. The stream demanded his focus, and he wasn't about to let his audience smell nerves. "Alright, let's keep the party going. One more match, and we'll see if Butterfree can keep its crown!"
Across the Kanto region, in the quiet warmth of Pallet Town, Red sat in his childhood bedroom, the glow of his laptop casting shadows over faded posters and a cluttered desk piled with Poké Balls and training notes. His crimson cap rested on a chair, his dark hair slightly mussed as he leaned forward, eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and battle-hunger. Beside him, Yellow sipped her tea, her straw hat tilted back as she watched Souichi's stream with a soft smile. Her Butterfree, perched on a bookshelf, fluttered its wings in quiet approval of the tactics unfolding onscreen.
"That Hypnosis setup is brutal," Red said, his voice low but tinged with excitement. "He's not just spamming sleep—he's reading the opponent's switches, baiting their counters. It's like he's fought in arenas, not just sims." He tapped his Pokégear, the message to Souichi already sent: *"Great plays. You've got skills—ever battle in the real world? Let's talk."* Red wasn't one for idle chatter, but something about Souichi's flair—his audacity, his knack for turning a "weak" Pokémon like Butterfree into a nightmare—had hooked him.
Yellow glanced at him, her cheeks faintly pink. "You're really into this guy, huh? Thinking of dragging him to Mt. Silver for a spar?" Her tone was teasing, but her eyes held a spark of intrigue. She'd caught the same rumors Red had—the PokéNet buzz about a Johto kid with a Caterpie, tied to the Hoenn crisis. Souichi's quip about "riding Rayquaza" felt too specific, too raw, to be pure bluster. "If he's half as good in real life, he'd give you a run for your money."
Red smirked, leaning back. "I'd like to see him try." His confidence was unshakable, forged in battles against legends like Mewtwo and the Elite Four. But Souichi's tactics were a puzzle—unpredictable, precise, almost otherworldly. "He's not just a streamer. No one pulls off plays like that without real-world grit. I want to know his story."
Yellow nodded, her Butterfree chirping as if in agreement. "His Caterpie obsession's cute, though. Reminds me of my own team—underdogs with hidden spark." She paused, her gaze softening. "You think he's the one from Hoenn? The Rayquaza rumors?"
Red's eyes narrowed, his mind replaying the grainy photos of a green dragon—not quite Rayquaza, but close—slicing through Hoenn's fractured skies. "Maybe. If he is, he's got more than tactics. He's got destiny." He tapped his Pokégear again, checking for a reply. Nothing yet. *Kid's probably freaking out. Good.*
In Cerulean City, Misty was still nursing her wounded pride, sprawled across a couch in the Gym's lounge, her Staryu spinning lazily in a nearby tank. Her Pokégear buzzed with notifications—friends and fans ribbing her about the *Pokémon Masters* loss. Red's message had been the final straw: *"Tough break, but Souichi's a beast. Don't sweat it."* She groaned, tossing her ponytail. "A beast? He's a dirty-trick gremlin!" But as she scrolled through Souichi's stream archive, her scowl softened. His banter was sharp, his tactics ruthless yet brilliant. And that name—*Emperor Souichi*—kept tugging at her memory, linked to whispers of a Johto trainer in Hoenn's chaos. *If Red's watching him, he's no ordinary kid.*
Back in Goldenrod, Souichi wrapped his stream, the chat still buzzing with Red's appearance. "Alright, Johto, that's a wrap! Keep hyping Silk's glow-up, and maybe we'll show you some dragon vibes soon." He signed off, the screen fading to black, and slumped back, heart pounding. He opened Red's message, reading it twice to be sure. *"Ever battle in the real world? Let's talk."* His breath hitched. *The Kanto Champion wants to talk. To me. A nobody with a Caterpie.*
Silk crawled onto his lap, antennae glowing faintly, and Souichi felt the system's hum intensify: *Alert: Strategic alliance opportunity detected. Engage with caution.* He laughed, a mix of nerves and exhilaration. "You hear that, Silk? Red's calling. Guess we're not just streaming for fun anymore." The Caterpie chirped, its body pulsing with a faint green aura, as if eager for the challenge.
Souichi typed a reply, keeping it cool but respectful: *"Yo, FightingMan, honored you dropped by. Real-world battles? I'm just a freshman with a Caterpie, but I'm game to chat. Name the time."* He hit send, his pulse racing. The world was shifting—legends, gods, and now champions were circling. Groudon and Kyogre loomed on the horizon, but for the first time, Souichi felt a spark of possibility. *Allies. I need allies.* With Silk by his side and Red's attention, the path to the Sky Pillar seemed a little less impossible. The rain outside whispered of storms to come, but Souichi grinned, ready to face them—one dirty tactic, one dragon spark, at a time.