The gentle chirping of pidgey combined with just as pleasurable morning rays of sunshine made for a pleasant awaking for the girl. On the less pleasing sounds that accompanied said moment was sudden thud, followed by glass shattering on a hard surface
Sarah rushed out of her bed, sheets on the floor as she rushed downstairs, not even putting on her slippers in the hurry. The old stairs creaked under her as she peeked into the kitchen from the railing. Her childhood home had a really strange layout with an open kitchen that allowed her to see the whole lower floor when on the stairs
Much to her relief however, no one has fainted or fallen, instead her parents stood over a broken glass, cleaning up a spilled liquid and laughing
“Did we scare you? I’m so sorry Sweetheart, your mother just dropped a glass is all”
The soft, caring voice she knew all her life spoke up, offering her apologetic smile the moment their eyes met. Her father would proceed to swipe the broken glass and throw it out. He waved his hand softly. His light brown hair showed signs of graying out slowly, the white-ish colour slowly taking its roots. The glasses he wore almost slipped off his face before being put back on their place. The old detective chuckled, moving over to the counter, picking up a plate of pancakes with one hand to theatrically point to it with other
“We did, however also made some breakfast for you, so you can enjoy it before you fly back home~”
Quite happily, he set the plate on the table with a pleased hum. In this house it was always David, her father, that cooked the meals, he was overall more of a housewife than Sarah’s mother, which never really bothered the girl. She found both her parents, dad who’s a detective and mom who’s a policeman, very interesting
Thinking about it, Sarah figured out it’s their influence that made her want to be a cop in the first place, to serve and protect those she loves, like they do. To follow truth and morals appropriate to her position. She loved what she did, even if Sarah herself didn’t find her actions much of a help in most cases
Guy, Callie, Miss Juliet, Mister Edgar or Mister Harvey however… those people she respected so, so much. The work they did, from day to night, from every file to the field missions. They worked so hard, so, so hard. Not to say that Sarah didn’t try or train, she in fact did her best to be a great trainer and even better policeman, she just didn’t exactly succeed
She was snapped back into reality by a tight hug from her mother, Adeline, who, despite having her cast off, still visibly had her arm quite hurt. They didn't go into detail how both her and David's arms got hurt so much they needed her to nurse them back to health throughout the entire summer. It didn't really bother her to begin with - after Toro's trouble with Neo Noir this was a pleasant vacation (even if she remained worried about her friends back in the region)
"Sarah, sweetie, you did remember about your flight, right?
I know you're so comfy back with us you'd like to stay, but a cop gotta do their job"
With a playful boop on the nose, the elder woman walked over the table. That's when Sarah realised she's been standing idly for a while now, not on the stairs anymore but in the middle of the kitchen. Spacing out
"I know, I know… Are… you sure you'll be alright? You just took off your cast-"
Her parents just shook their head, noticing how their daughter looked out of it, to say the very least. Or moreso David did, Adeline was very bad at reading the mood if her husband didn't point it out
"Today is a very lovely day, if you want to go see Kanto's seashore to say your goodbye"
Sarah offered her dad a gentle, thankful smile as she walked past the table, opening the door and walking out. Her parents didn't say anything, only setting aside some of the pancakes for the girl to heat up later
The girl walked for a bit, uneasy. She was so focused on helping her parents she forgot how quickly the blissful yet draining summer days flew by. The girl arrived at the beach to see the sun, just above the sea line, warming her up gently since for once she had not been wearing her coat - only a lose shirt, shorts and her boots
Though, not very surprisingly, soon enough the sun was not enough to keep her at a comfortable warmth level, as well as the silence, which she in the past highly enjoyed, now felt almost threatening. Unlike Kanto, Toro had been… loud, crowdy, exciting. Unlike her life here, back there silence usually meant something was up, or someone was hurt. The only thing that could help with it, that Sarah figured out to do, was call out Ember, her dear Arcanine companion, her most trusted partner, on par only with Ignis
The red flash quickly faded, the big dog-like creature looking at it’s trainer with excitement. It quickly read the mood, laying down next to her and wrapping the fluffy and warm tail around the short blonde, making her cuddle up to him with a bit of relief. She always was incredibly sensitive to cold, that’s why she always wore that coat. Big and fluffy.
It’s better to be too warm than too cold
And it was better to be alone to think than in a loud group
Or so Sarah found, never really a social beast
The woman looked towards the sun, never directly at it as to not burn her eyes. Summer ending was always such a melancholic thing for her. Made her think. After all, soon all life will become more distant - in some lands leaves will fall from the trees, and soon snow will come as well. Coldness
Those moments alone, like this, Sarah took to break her feelings down to every simple moment. Every fear, anger and bits of sadness that troubled her inside she would let out by screaming at the last summer sun
The first few times it happened, Ember was here too, the Arcanine taken back when the usually happy and soft trainer would let out angry cires - screaming names and things it didn’t quite get, but later on it knew why it happened, not what, but why. And so the Pokemon sat there with her, howling along to make her feel less lonely
Sarah was grateful for her partners, both the Pokemon, and the humans that were around here, and she always tried to be her best self
But you can’t always put a good face to a wrongful game. It’s a hard to learn lesson that comes in due time to most, some unlucky never learn to let their anger go
Anger, after all, much like the summer, is just a phase - needed, important and as much part of life as the spring
Sarah stood up, much to her Arcanine’s surprise. She usually didn’t move for a while after her screaming matches with the wind. The girl gently reached her arm to the sky, reaching, grabbing for the first and at the same time last of the sun’s light
The girl never quite got over how they couldn’t help Shiv and Hien. How much pain and suffering could’ve been avoided - even if some part of her knew it was not her fault
Callie and her Pokemon’s suffering
Guy’s pain that she couldn’t ever figure out how to help him with
The constant nagging between coming back home to her elderly parents and going to Toro where it feels like she just belongs
Many other things bothered her, anger at the enemy, at herself
And although she was crying, embarrassed over her own pathetic way of reacting to anger, Sarah smiled
She knew it will pass
It will also come back to pass again
“Come on, Ember, it’s time to go home…”
The Arcanine, although confused, gleefully ran up to her side, letting itself get the pets that they so deserved
“Let’s get our bags”
And it’s alright
“Back to our new home, to Toro”
Summer, like all the seasons is, after all, beautiful