Lost Spark

Wendy stretched and smiled as she sat down at her desk, flicking on the light so that it was the only source in the dim room. It had been a long day for the Ranger as Hastings had forced her to more or less run laps across the entire Almia region, but it'd been worth it since it had helped his research quite a bit. The Shadow Crystal--now the Luminous Crystal--was no longer a threat as it'd been about three years since Dim Sun had held any power, but he was still researching the little shards that they had collected. There were still many secrets to unlock behind the crystal and its ties with Almia's past, but Wendy let the thoughts slide from her mind as her gaze shifted to a familiar picture. The smile turned into a frown as she picked it up and sighed, running her fingers over the joyful smile that was on Summer's face. The photo had been taken three years ago, just shortly after the young girl had become a Top Ranger. It was hard to believe so much time had passed since those days when Summer used to smile so brightly and joke around with all of the other Top Rangers, pulling harmless pranks on each other. In fact, Wendy's hair was still vibrant pink from the time Summer had put a little too much dye in her shampoo. The memory made Wendy's lips twitch a bit, but it faded when her mind drifted to the most recent she'd had with her friend. Summer had changed. The events surrounding the Societea and the Pinchers had seen to that. Summer had always been serious and dedicated to her job as a Ranger, but it was like something had snapped. Wendy remembered the determined look in Summer's eyes when she'd set off for the small region, that ever-present spark still alight as she eagerly awaited her next mission. But something had changed when she'd come back. That spark had gone. The joy she'd felt from being a Ranger had faded. She knew Summer still loved her job but...she was just...different. She had become silent and shut herself off from others even more than she had previously which was saying a lot. Even to the other Top Rangers--Wendy included. The only one she remained close to was Solana, but she still didn't completely understand why. The look on Summer's face when she'd gotten off that Latias would haunt Wendy forever. She had greeted her friend with smiles and hugs, but Summer hadn't reciprocated. Instead, the younger girl had just moved as if she were carrying a hundred pounds on each leg. Her shoulders had been hunched as she'd carried the Pichu that had become her partner. Her once joyful brown eyes had been completely blank as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. After learning what had happened, it was no wonder. Having to fly through a storm created by a Zapdos...going through an active volcano...facing down angry Raikou and Entei...then seeing Dolce Island destroyed with a lot of Pokemon... It'd forced Summer to confront her greatest, mot deep-seated fears. Fire, thunderstorms and, most of all, mortality. Summer had regained some of her spark in the past two years as Wendy had seen from their short meetings, but it never fully returned. Even while Summer were at the Union for a week, sometimes two, she would never join in the pranks that the Rangers--especially the Top ones--pulled on each other. And the same thing had happened recently. Again, something in Summer had changed. The girl never stuck around the Union long over the past couple months. Really, it was just for an hour, maybe two. Summer looked absolutely paranoid whenever she came around, almost as if she were afraid of losing something or someone. But she was resistant and avoidant to any questions Wendy asked. She had approached Chairperson Erma, but even the old woman refused to divulge what had happened. It was the same with Solana... With a sigh, Wendy put the picture down and grabbed a spare set of pajamas, showering before she headed to bed, worry creasing her face even as she slept.