Prompt #2: Steven faces a truly intimidating challenge: fans...
"Wallace, what is that?"
Wallace didn't even have to look up to know that Steven was hesitantly peering out the window. He could hear the commotion outside from where he sat.
"Oh, it's just your fan club."
"My what club?"
"Fan club. You know, a horde of adoring followers that get together to stalk your every move."
Steven leaned back from the window and rolled his eyes.
"I know what a fan club is - wait, did you say stalk?" The tinge of alarm edging into his voice was not lost on the water-type trainer.
Wallace simply nodded. "Mmhmm. Not to mention their ultimate goal is to profess their everlasting and undying love for you. It's something that as a Master Coordinator and Gym Leader extraordinaire I deal with on a frequent basis." It was all so matter-of-fact.
"You do? Wait, what? Undying love?"
This was too much fun.
"Oh all the time, Steven. In fact I've signed so many body parts I can't even begin to tell you which one was my favorite."
"Body... parts...?" By now, the young heir had turned a sickly shade of pale.
"Sure! Hands, arms, cheeks," Wallace began to tick down on his fingers, "This one time there was a magnificent pair of... oh, and even the occasional baby!"
Steven was nearly shaking by the time the list was finished. "Wallace... I can't go out there."
"Of course you can! If you can stare down the most fearsome trainers in the region without breaking a sweat, surely you can handle a few excited admirers."
"That's different and you know it," Steven protested, albeit a bit weakly, and Wallace offered a sincere smile.
"You're going to have to get used to it at some point, you know."
"Ahh, you're right... It's just..." Steven ran a hand nervously through his hair, "I'm not really very good at talking to people."
"You talk to me all the time."
"You're my friend, Wallace. Of course I can talk to you."
But Wallace was having none of Steven's stalling. As the Champion leaned over to peer out the window once more, Wallace got to his feet and stealthily closed in on his friend. Once he was close enough, the Master Coordinator threw an arm snugly around Steven's shoulders and in one motion whisked the pair of them to the door.
"Then we'll face these fans together! Just think of me as your translator."
Stumbling a bit under the sudden movement, Steven barely had time to react before Wallace's hand was on the doorknob.
"Wallace, no, wait -"
The door was thrown open with fanfare, and Wallace dragged Steven out into the throng.
"Hello lovely citizens, behold, your Champion!"
Steven groaned.