Shin pressed his hand against his mouth as he walked into the parking lot of the department. His fingers burned at the heated sensation of his cheeks, and he forced himself to stop in his tracks to calculate what had just taken place.

Oh my God... Did I just do that...?!

On his right, a soft yip was signaled to the man, and he turned to face the sudden noise.

The familiar face of Anonymous soon popped his head around the corner casually as if he were trying not to attract any attention. He padded next to the flustered Shin, sitting back on his hind legs and gave a slight cock of his head.

Shin began to notice that the Lycanroc held a deliberate stare as he looked on. Those aquamarine eyes glinted with a cunning, contented emotion about them. The man half-expected himself to be somewhat frustrated at this fact, but his entire body seemed to refuse. His breaths felt like boiling steam that constantly ran past his skin, yet a feeling of elation made an excited smile creep up his lips under his sweaty palm.

He glanced away reluctantly, then reset his complacent sight on Anonymous as he murmured sincerely: "Thanks for that, bud." The Pokémon sent a satisfied howl through the air, and Shin chuckled. With his outstretched arm gesturing the way, he beamed at the jubilant Anonymous. "We've got our first assignment... Let's get to it!"

The man and his Pokémon willingly set off towards the sidewalk of the highway that bordered the edges of the building. Their feet tapped rhythmically on the tarred pavement like a sweet melody. It was a moment before Shin shifted his head to his partner, curiously. "Where'd you learn how to do that?" he then asked playfully. Anonymous only replied with his own mysterious look that spurred an adoring bubble in Shin's stomach. He let out a short exhale through his pink nose. "Just... after everything that happened to you, I never thought you would be such a good wingman." He found himself laughing at his own remark.

After another moment to ponder, he let his thoughts spill out from his mouth. "I still can't believe we both made it out of that whole mess," he breathed. "It seemed almost like a nightmare. What Elizer told me about everything... about Dad... It's still haunting me, but in a way, I can't find a reason to believe him.

...I don't think Dad was a bad person. Yes, what he did in that lab was a horrible mistake, but why he did it...Mom and I were always poor-- she always tried to earn money in any way she could. She wasn't the best person at that time, but I know she did it because she wanted me to live happily. And Dad... wasn't he just doing the same thing? Elizer said it was for desperate money. For his satisfaction. But I don't think so. They might have not done it the best way, but in the end, they did it because they loved me... and each other."

After he had spoken, Shin suddenly came to the realization that he had stopped walking entirely. Anonymous stood by him, patiently listening to every word with perked ears, and when the Pokémon had caught the man snapping back to his senses, he, too, rose to his feet curiously to await his partner's next course of action. Shin only chuckled quietly, nervously flattening the back of his hair with his left hand. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away there. I haven't talked about Dad in a while. It just feels good," he admitted, something of a heartfelt tone in his voice as he did so. He beamed brightly at the Lycanroc next to him. "Let's go."

As the two walked beside each other, the man noticed that the Pokémon had gone awfully quiet after his previous comment. Worry began to stir within him, and so he decided to check on the Lycanroc after the silence had settled in. How desperately he wanted to speak, how much he longed to enter the Pokémon's brain and calm his troubles, whatever they were, but Shin knew that if he did, Anonymous would have shrouded away, hiding his problem forever as he did so long ago, and with that, Shin managed to catch a glance of Anonymous.

He followed his eyes and soon realized that he had rested a guilty gaze on his missing limb, his expression forlorn and full of regret. Shin felt a painful pang in his chest echo throughout him, and raw scars from those wounds in the past were reopening themselves upon his heavy chest. How much he yearned to comfort his friend tore him apart.

He needed to know. Anonymous needed to know the truth.

The man ceased his movement and stood still on the asphalt.

"Anonymous."

The Pokémon froze at his name, gaping at Shin with anxious eyes. Shin took a long sigh.

"I love you, you know that. I know what you're thinking... None of this was your fault. You were under Elizer's control for all that time. He was the one manipulating you."

When he received an unfazed glance from Anonymous from behind his fluffy white collar, Shin bent down on his knee to Anonymous' height, placing a tender touch on the top of his matted head. "We can't let any of this get to us— Elizer wanted us to give in... I won't allow any of his scars to torment us anymore. Your mutation... It doesn't define who you are. Everything Elizer said was completely wrong. Dad's not a monster. You're not a monster. You are alive."

The expression on Shin's face became stern with willpower, sending a shock of warmth through Anonymous' spine. The man's irises radiated with undying confidence that could fuel the entire sun.

"Yes, it's hard to adjust to my arm, but that's just another of the millions of reasons why I have you with me. This thing doesn't even come close to the time I had to hit you that night. I guess we'll call ourselves even now." Shin gave a melancholic smile, the corners of his lips curving like burning paper. "To be honest, after separating us from each other, I really don't deserve any of this...

But if that's what destiny wants for us, then I'm more than honored to take it. As long as you're by my side, I know my life is more than complete."

Anonymous barely had time to react before he was pulled into a warm swaddle of Shin's chest and arm. In his embrace, the world stopped still on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no rain. Anonymous' mind was at peace. The canine rested his head on his shoulder, sighing happily as he did so. He sunk into the warmth of his uniform, and somehow, his touch made the air warmer. All of the pain over every passing year seemed to ebb away within each other's grasp.

Neither of them wanted to leave.

Anonymous pulled away slightly, and with a gentle sniff, he compassionately nudged Shin's bandaged forearm as if it were the most precious gem in existence. His cold nose pressed against some of his exposed flesh and provided a satisfying sensation for the man. They both took in every moment before Anonymous shifted to plant a small kiss on the tip of Shin's nose as he had always done when he was a Rockruff with that little innocent boy.

How he had changed. Now that boy was all grown up.

Those curious times on the beach... Those tranquil moments wrapped in the warm clothes the scattered the boy's room... only exist in the Pokémon's memory, yet he found himself more than happy to accept that.

Now, all he cared for was to make new memories with his dear friend, that precious boy he will always love for all eternity.

"I will never trade you away, even if it meant the world. I swear to you."

Anonymous smiled. Even if not spoken, he knew they swore it to each other deep down in their hearts.

Forever and always.

With that, Shin stood up tall, the golden badges that adorned his outfit gleaming proudly in the marvelous sunlight. He tipped his navy leather hat at the eager-eyed Lycanroc.

"Well, bud..." he promptly said to his partner. "Shall we? Together?"

Anonymous barked with overflowing anticipation.

Of course...

To the ends of the Earth!