It was unexpectedly unnatural how rapidly the Rockruff had adjusted to his new acquaintance. Any other wild Pokémon would have immediately run off after that fateful day to continue on with their liberated lives, especially without any human restriction. At first, Shin refused to put aside the fact that Anonymous was still wounded during their first encounter. He had beckoned Anonymous to stay with him in his room-- at least until the pup was well enough to fend for himself. So Anonymous followed the boy home that day, and he was tucked into bed in Shin's closet with the remaining oran berries and a makeshift bed of his baby blankets and a soft pillow.

Shin would often check on the resting Pokémon every five minutes or so, adjusting his covers so it would warm his neck or simply watching him breathe calmly within the trance of sleep. Occasionally, when he was forced to leave his room for more medicine or food, he would come back and pet Anonymous' fluffy ears and quietly tell him stories about the adventures he had with his parents.

Anonymous would listen even if his eyes were closed, showing the faintest of smiles or letting out small grunts when the boy became more excited during his storytelling. The Pokémon always found it funny when Shin would notice his rambling and dramatically apologize to him. He always made sure to reassure the child by giving his hand a gentle lick.

Two days went by and Shin hesitantly allowed Anonymous to travel outside. Although he was worried about the Pokémon's freshly healed injuries, he couldn't shake the fear of Anonymous bolting into the trees, never to be seen again. His mind kept telling him that Anonymous should be able to make his choice, as he was not his trainer, that he should be happy for Anonymous if he chooses to find his family instead of stay for a while longer. Shin held his breath as he watched him tread around the area and curiously sniff the air around him.

It was then that something occurred to Shin as he studied the exploring Anonymous: The pup was clueless, almost as if he was never exposed to the environment around him before. He growled at the Cutiefly and began whimpering as they flew near. He pawed the grass cautiously and shivered as it tickled his feet.

The child bit his lip, spotting a fiery plumeria flower and plucking it from the ground. He soon bent down and called Anonymous to him, who came trodding over slowly. Shin held the flower up to Anonymous, who flinched at its bright colors. "Do you know what this is?" The Pokémon took in its scent, almost jumping back at the sweet fragrance the blasted through his nose. Shin chuckled, beckoning Anonymous closer. "It's a flower. You can use it to decorate things."

He began grabbing some more flowers in an array of varying colors, weaving each stem into the other as Anonymous watched carefully. When he was done, Shin placed the lei around the Rockruff's neck. "See? You can decorate yourself too. It won't hurt you." Anonymous looked down at the lei, continuing to shudder at its sudden presence. He whined slightly, and Shin sighed as he unlooped it from his rocks. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I know how nervous you can get." Anonymous glanced up at Shin, soon licking the boy's pale hands and feeling its clamminess.

It was then that a thought suddenly crossed Shin's mind. He took a moment to recollect his thoughts, gazing at Anonymous' mysterious collar while doing so. "Anonymous, can I ask you something?" he asked it, wetting his lips. "Do you remember where your home is?" The pup only stared at him, cocking his head at the unfamiliar word, causing Shin to tense.
"Do you... have a home?"

Anonymous responded with a disappointed blink of his aquamarine irises, which darted to a corner. Shin's eyes widened. Sweat began to dampen his palms profusely as he tried his best to think of what to do. The poor Pokémon had nowhere to go, at least that was what he suggested. The boy couldn't fathom how lonely it would get, or how it would even survive out in the wild if it got scared by such simple things. It bothered him as it began to remind him of a familiar feeling that had agonized him for so many years. He remembered it eating him alive and spitting out his empty shell only to gnaw him up all over again and toss him into the empty abyss.

No. He wouldn't let it happen again. Not to this Pokémon.

Shin took a deep breath. "If you don't know where you're going... I'd really like to show you so many things about Alola. You don't have to stay with me all the time, but if you'd like to come and visit after you explore outside, I'd be happy to teach you!" Anonymous' head shot up as he became alert to Shin's offer. The two seemed locked into each other's promising eyes, attempting to search for the much-unneeded want of truth in their expression. Shin placed his hand on the Rockruff's cheek and gave it a soft scratch.

"I don't want you to be scared anymore. No Pokémon deserves to feel like that. I want you to be happy here!"

I want you to be happy.

The words echoed inside of Anonymous' head, bouncing off the walls of his brain. He questioned the abrupt pang of warmth that hit him in his chest, wondering if it was a good or bad sign, wondering if it was a sign of threat to his life... or something else? He couldn't quite place it at the time, but he soon found himself nuzzling into Shin's warm chest, listening as their hearts seemed to beat as one.

It was at that moment that the two became inseparable.

While the days came and went, Anonymous would spend his time journeying the outside and introducing himself to the world around him when Shin was not at home. So many items and concepts baffled him at first, but he soon grew accustomed to them, seemingly conquering his fears at an exceptional rate. Anonymous would then scale the slanted roofs of Shin's house and wait patiently at the windowsill until he heard the click of the doorknob.

"Anonymous! I'm home!"

Shin would call this into his room every day when he got back from school. The pup would always rear his head over the opening of the window and pant joyfully as he jumped into the boy's arms and bombarded his face with licks. Shin always looked forward to it, as it was always the happiest part of his day. No matter what had happened earlier to bring him down, the sight of Anonymous alone always ended up lifting his spirits and cleansing him of any negativity. He could always count on the pup to bring a genuine smile to his lips.

With Shin's help, the plants and local Pokémon finally became familiar to Anonymous' sight, and with that, he would always expand his boundaries until they reached the nearby coastline, where he first saw the endless field of ocean spray. The Pokémon, instead of cowering in fear or becoming hostile, as he had done with most things, marveled at the vast blue gem that surrounded the region.

Shin demonstrated how to build sandcastles for the Sadygast and Polyssand as well as play in the ocean with the Pyukumuku and Mantine. Even if it was an extraordinary day filled with fun, Anonymous was grateful that Shin was there with him, and Shin treasured the fact that he finally had someone else to share these experiences with again. The child was overjoyed at the fact that he had made the friend he had always longed for since his father left. Having Anonymous created a new sense of completion in his heart, and he barely noticed as the despondent thoughts of his father soon began to ebb its way out of Shin's mind as the new joyful experiences with Anonymous replaced them.

Although the joy was not easy to contain, Shin always had to force himself to keep his feelings low, for he knew that if his mother found out, she would shut out Anonymous for sure. Shin found that whenever his mind conjured up the day that he had made his promise with his mother, chills would manifest and crawl up his back with its eerie tendrils. The burdening weight that lingered upon him battled his conscience and beat him to a point where his attempted confessions towards his own mother about his secret friend seemed to get caught in his throat by a ball of forced silence. Shin even went as far as shielding Anonymous from the local people as to not arouse suspicion.

Before he knew it, it was too late to tell his mother without completely amplifying his betrayal of trust. It was then Shin finally concluded that there was no going back: He had to swear his loyalty to the one who had saved him from his torment of isolation, for both of their sakes. He felt deep down that one could not continue on without the other. He found himself distancing himself from his mother as a result. It was difficult, however, the boy knew that if his Anonymous remained by his side, everything would be alright in the end.

And it was with this that the two happily lived on with their hidden friendship, continuing their daily routines of studying the world. Even as the boy grew older, Anonymous never failed to meet up with his partner, always anxious to learn more things every day. Shin would rapidly finish any homework he had received from school and rush out the door to meet Anonymous outside, making the excuse that he was off to hang out with his friends to his mother. If the weather did not cooperate and the sun his behind the murky clouds, Anonymous would hop through the window and the two would lay in bed as Shin told his stories about school to the sound of the tapping rain. Anonymous would listen tentatively, sometimes letting Shin's soothing voice lull him into a nap as he curled up next to his leg with a full belly of oran berries, and when the boy had noticed his friend sleeping peacefully, he would whisper a soft, "I love you" in his fluffy ears before giving it a gentle pet.

Shin always seemed to know Anonymous' usual habits; he seemed to know the pup like the back of his hand after so much time spent with him. However, at times, Shin questioned about the one aspect he failed to understand about his friend: Anonymous' odd tag. The curiosity of its origin continued to grow within him over the years, yet along with this interest came the growth of the fear of losing Anonymous. Even if the pup couldn't recall his previous home, Shin could never evade the fact that someone must have given the collar to him before they met. At the very least, something must have caused Anonymous' injuries.

The boy couldn't help but hold a fragment of resent for the individual who caused his best friend to suffer. Even if that wasn't the case, he never understood who in their right mind would call their Pokémon a "project." It disgusted him, but he always shunned himself for chastizing someone he didn't know. What if Anonymous had been in the same situation as Shin where someone had abandoned him in his life?

In the end, despite everything, Shin was always grateful to that individual who had destined him with the Pokémon that had brought back so much joy in his world. Anonymous was the glow in the darkness that lifted him up into the blissful sky, the one piece that Shin had been searching for the longest time.

The boy finally felt the clouds of despair diminish and the lovely kiss of the sunlight bathe his life in a new feeling of hope.

He knew for a fact that nothing could come between them.