Two weeks had passed since the mountain raid, and Daichi sat on his porch, a literal shiver running down his spine as he replayed the comedy sitcom his life had become.
The first week had been a blur of flashing lights and stiff formal wear. He had been awarded the League's Medal of Honor, a heavy piece of metal that felt more like a a piece weight in his pocket. To his shock, the League had promoted him aggressively, pushing his name into the headlines while Drake who had literally reshaped an mountain and fought against 48 enemy trainers was sidelined.
When Daichi had finally cornered Champion Steven Stone to ask why the he was getting almost all the credit while the "The Sword of Hoenn" did the heavy lifting, Steven had just leaned back with a playful glint in his eyes. "Drake is an old-timer, Daichi. He's past his glory days," Steven had teased.
From the corner of the room, Drake's grumble had sounded like a Dragonite with a sore throat. "Youth these days," the old captain had muttered. "Zero respect for their senior citizens. In my days, we were to afraid to even look at eye level with our seniors, tch."
Steven had just chuckled, unbothered. "Drake's fine, Daichi. But you? You're sixteen. You're from an ordinary background. You're the perfect role model for the commoner trainers just starting out. You're the hero they can actually relate to."
Daichi had accepted that logic, figuring he could just hide in his jome or a forest until the hype died down. He was wrong, he was sooo wrong. Not even three days into his promotion, the "Daichi Fanbase" had manifested and exploded out of thin air.
He groaned, burying his face in his hands as he remembered the internet threads. They compared him to Wallace's legendary elegance and Steven's princely charm. They literally called his face "rugged and homely" like, what could it even mean?. He could still see the comments in his head.
'That greyish-black hair and those light brown eyes are peak husband material,' and the one that made him want to jump into a hole and hide there forever, entire forums dedicated to his Adam's apple.
Right now , he had actually called Steven, asking how to make it stop. Steven had listened for exactly five seconds before bursting into a fit of laughter so loud it crackled through the phone's speakers , he seemed to be very amused at the situation.
"Good luck, Hero!" Steven had managed to wheeze out before hanging up.
A legit black line of annoyance appeared on Daichi's forehead as he stared at the dead screen of his phone. "Some Champion you are," he muttered to the empty air.
He went to the fridge to make dinner but realized the fridge was empty, "Great, this just gets better... guess I'll have to go grocery shopping."
Daichi wore casual clothes as he walked towards the marked .He reached the berry stall, a small wooden shop tucked away in a quiet corner of the market.
"Excuse me," Daichi said. "Mind if I let my partner help pick the stock? He's a bit of an expert."
Before the shopkeeper could answer, Daichi tapped his Pokéball. With a massive thump Snorlax appeared. This wasn't just any regular Snorlax ,you see Daichi's was nearly double the size of an average one, a mountain of blue and white fur. The shopkeeper let out a sharp yelp, stumbling back against a crate of Pecha Berries.
"Easy, easy!" Daichi said quickly, raising his hands. "He's a total softie, I promise. He just has a very refined palate."
Snorlax ignored the commotion, his nose twitching constantly. He leaned over the counter, sniffed a basket of Nanab Berries, and gave a dissatisfied grunt. Then, he pointed a massive, clawed finger toward a crate of hidden, premium Sitrus Berries at the very back. He knew exactly where the high quality ingredients were.
After buying a massive haul of ingredients, Daichi started walking toward the local park, Snorlax dutifully carrying the heavy bags in his giant arms. A group of seven children, barely five years old, stopped dead in their tracks. Their eyes went wide as saucers.
"Whoa... is that a real giant?" one of them whispered. They scrambled over, looking up at the towering Pokémon. "Can we... can we play with him?"
Daichi felt his heart melt a little. "Of course. Just be gentle, okay?" He looked at Snorlax. "You too, big guy. Easy does it."
Snorlax didn't need the reminder. He sat down with a oomph and let the children scramble over his belly like it was a bouncy castle. They jumped on his soft stomach, giggling as they sank into his fur, and began feeding him small candies they had in their pockets. Snorlax closed his eyes, leaning his head back, he looked like he enjoyed it , a real softie indeed.
The peaceful moment shifted when an older girl, perhaps a teenager, walked over to pick up her younger brother. She looked at Snorlax, then at the trainer, and her jaw dropped. "Wait... the hair... the eyes... You're him! The Hero of the Mountain, You're Elite 4 Daichi !!!!"
Daichi grimaced , please, not here, he thought.
But the girl wasn't one of the frantic fans from the internet. She stood straight and gave a respectful, solemn bow. "Thank you for what you did at the mountain," she said softly. "My cousin was one of the lower rank rangers the Guild had captured. You saved his life."
The children caught the word "Hero" and "Elite Four" and immediately erupted into cheers. "Show us more pokemon! Please, Mr. Hero!"
Daichi couldn't say no to those faces. He sighed and released Blissey and Audino. The two pink healers immediately joined , Audino using its feelers to tickle the kids and Blissey handing out soothing eggs. Watching them play, Daichi's expression softened.
They should stay this way, he thought , their innocence brought a smile to his face. They shouldn't have to worry about crime and criminal teams like he once had. They should enjoy the time they have as kids.
As evening approached, parents began to arrive. Seeing a high-ranking League official covered in toddlers, they rushed forward, apologizing profusely for their children "bothering" a member of the Elite Four.
"Please, don't apologize," Daichi said, helping a small boy down from Snorlax's shoulder. "Your children are wonderful and incredibly well-behaved. Honestly, I think I enjoyed this more than them."
Once the park cleared and the sun began to dip below the horizon, the silence returned. Daichi stretched his back and looked at Snorlax, who was already reaching for the grocery bags again.
"Time to go home, buddy," Daichi said, patting the giant's arm. "I'll make that special berry stew tonight." Snorlax let out a happy rumble, and the two of them walked back toward the apartment, the "Hero" feeling like
a normal person again.