Anonymous {2nd Place in Miscellaneous (PWA 2018)}

All Shin Harper had ever wanted was a Pokémon by his side.

As an only child living with his mother in the empty outskirts of the Alola region, isolation was a common plight. Shin longed for someone to share his memories with for the rest of his days, someone to experience his pain, his happiness, and his grief. When his fate crosses paths with a shy Rockruff, he feels as if the universe had finally heeded his call. He didn't care what his mother said. As long as he had his friend, the child felt like the future would be something to hope for.

But little does he know that this Rockruff is much more than he looks to be...

...And that, many years later, the call of destiny will beat for him as he is thrown into the true darkness of his beloved region.

~ ~ ~

WARNING: This story includes mild cursing, descriptions of violence, death, blood, and the sort, some mature flirting, and darkish concepts and depictions of said concepts