Kasumi's Love

Dressed in her favorite pajamas, Rosie snuggled up next to her aunt and leaned against the woman's side. Bedtime stories were a nightly ritual for the young girl, especially when her Aunt Misty was babysitting her. Her eyes locked on the open book in her aunt's lap, she took in the vivid illustrations and colors detailing the story of a young woman waiting for her love to return. It was an old Cerulean City legend told by sailors, but it was one of her favorite stories.

Rosie had always believed the woman to be beautiful with her light-brown skin, dark brown hair, and eyes as blue as the ocean she loved. Her love, the man she longed after, was tan from days spent in the sun as he traveled the world with sandy brown hair and eyes as brown as chocolate.

Her aunt's voice was soothing as she recalled the tale of the woman who'd fallen in love with the man when they were young. The two of them dreamed of traveling the world together and training pokemon, but the woman's family obligations kept her home, so the boy had gone off on his own in search of a legendary pokemon.

As the boy grew older, he traveled further and for longer stretches of time. The villagers would mutter about how the woman was wasting her time and how she continued to turn down suitors of equal or higher status. Her family had tried to marry her off to another young man in the village, but she had refused. Her heart belonged to someone else, and she stuck up her nose, claiming that one day he would return to her for good.

"When will you return?" Her aunt read, her voice warm and comforting to match that of the young woman. After months of separation, the man had finally returned home for a visit, but no sooner than he arrived did he have to leave again. The woman was always grateful when the man visited, but she longed for the days when he would no longer leave her.

"Soon, but never too long," the man replied, his smile as warm as the sun beating down on them. "I am like a ship traveling the seas, and you are my harbor. Your love is the light always guiding me back home. I am so close to finding the legendary Zacian, and when I do, I will return home to you."

The two embraced one last time before the man set off, promising to return home soon.

As the years went by, though, the woman's faith grew shaky as she waited for her love to return. She started to doubt that he would ever give up his dream to be with her.

Then, one night, she traveled to the cape that overlooked the ocean, and as the light shining from the lighthouse illuminated the sea below, she spotted a lone boat in the distance. Recognizing the boat, she rushed down the hill and to where the ocean met the land. As the boat crashed onto the shore, she spotted the young man, and she wept with tears of joy. He rushed to her, scooping her up as he spun her around, her feet gliding across the sand. When he put her down, he rested his forehead against hers, pressed a pokéball into her hand, and whispered the words she'd longed to hear.

"I'm home."

Rosie sighed as her aunt closed the book and set it aside. "That's my favorite story."

Misty giggled, pulling her closer. "That's what I've heard. It is a beautiful story. It was one of my favorites when I was your age."

Rosie's eyes lit up. "Really?" Misty nodded, and Rosie smiled back. She'd always known there was a reason Misty was her favorite aunt. Slumping down, Rosie nestled her head onto Misty's lap and closed her eyes, letting the feeling of her aunt gliding her fingers through her hair lull her to sleep. Her breathing slowly began to even out, and she could feel herself falling asleep before a thought crossed her mind.

"I hope I meet a boy like that one day."

Misty held back a snort of laughter. "I think you're a little young for that, Rosie," she replied as she ruffled the girl's hair. "But one day, when you're older, maybe you will."

Rosie bobbed her head, satisfied with Misty's answer. "Mommy said that you were like the lady in the story."

Misty furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

Rosie leaned forward and grabbed the book from the nightstand. She placed it on Misty's lap and opened it to her favorite page, the one with the illustration of when the man and woman reunite. Pointing at the picture, she explained, "Mommy said you're waiting for a boy you love to come back so you can be together. Just like the beautiful lady in the story."

"Oh."

Rosie turned and looked at her expectantly. "Do you think he'll come back, Aunt Misty?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

oOo

Misty sat at the kitchen counter, burying her feelings in ice cream while trying not to think about what Daisy's seven-year-old daughter had said.

Was she really like the woman in the story? Had she really become those women she used to scoff at for wasting away their lives for a man? Sure, she was still a romantic, but she was also realistic. But what about the guys like Georgio who had asked her out, but she had rejected, claiming she just wasn't ready to date yet? Had that just been an excuse to justify what she'd really been doing the whole time?

Misty shook her head. No. She was not going to let herself believe that. She'd gotten over her feelings for him, and not once had he given any indication that he felt the same way. This was just some fable her niece had come up with based on one misguided comment Daisy had made. There was absolutely no truth to it.

Misty sighed. She could try to fight it, but...

The front door opened, followed by the tapping of Daisy's heels and the low whisper of her and Tracey's voices as they talked. When they walked into the kitchen and saw Misty seated at the counter, their conversation came to a stop.

"Hey, Baby Sis," Daisy greeted her as she walked toward the cabinets to grab a drink. "Thanks again for watching Rosie. It's been so long since we've been on a date, so Trace and I owe you big time."

Misty nodded. "Sure, no problem."

While Tracey went to check on Rosie, Daisy poured herself a glass of wine and sat across from Misty. "Is she asleep? She didn't cause you too much trouble, did she?"

"No, she was perfect," Misty replied. She'd babysat Rosie a few times before, and everytime the little girl was a little angel. "But she did share something very interesting with me."

Daisy raised her eyebrows. "Oh yeah? Was it about pokémon? She's been really into Trace's old watcher books."

I wish, Misty sighed internally. "No. We were reading that story she loves, Kasumi's Love. The one about the woman who waits for that guy she loves to come back?" Daisy nodded in understanding, taking a sip of her drink. "Anyways, when we were done reading, she told me this crazy story about how you told her that I'm like the woman in the story?"

"Well, yeah," Daisy stated matter-of-factly. "You kind of are."

Misty furrowed her eyebrows and gripped her bowl tighter. "What? You're kidding, right? It's a story, Daisy. It's not real. Where did you come up with that crazy idea?"

Daisy frowned, looking slightly offended. "Uh, news flash, Baby Sis, it may be a story, but you're living it. Can you honestly sit there and tell me you don't drop everything to go to Pallet Town the second you hear your little boyfriend's coming home?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Misty hissed. "He's my friend"-probably her best friend if she was honest- "who I happen to miss when he's gone, so sue me!"

Daisy waved her off, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You know I love you, right?" Daisy waited for Misty to reply, but she refused to say anything. Whenever Daisy said those words, it usually meant she was going to give her some unsolicited advice. "I remember when you left home, shouting how you wouldn't come back until you were a water pokemon master. Well, it's been eleven years, and you're nowhere close."

Misty glared, her teeth clenched. "Are you trying to make me feel bad? I run a gym, Daisy, remember? One that you guys dumped on me! It's a full-time job. I don't exactly have time to chase my dreams, but if I could, trust me, I'd be out of here in a second."

Daisy was undeterred by her anger. She took another sip of her drink before placing it on the counter. "So why not? I've offered to take over for you hundreds of times. If you want to get out so bad, why are you still here?"

"Because I single-handedly rebuilt this gym's reputation, and I refuse to let you, Lily, and Violet destroy it."

"Blah, blah, blah, move on already. That excuse is getting kind of old, so why don't you try something new?"

Misty went wide-eyed. "What?"

"You heard me. Blah, blah, blah. Old excuse..."

Misty clenched her fists, wanting nothing more than to throttle Daisy. If her sister had just kept her mouth shut, none of this would have happened. "I was really happy, and then you guys had to go and ruin everything with your stupid trip around the world. And now you're giving me crap for taking responsibility?"

"No," Daisy firmly replied. "I'm giving you crap for sitting around here waiting. My baby sister doesn't sit around and wait for people to tell her when or if it's okay to do something. She just does it. It's okay to be scared, Misty, but sitting around and waiting here? You're not going to find any answers."

Misty sighed. For a few minutes, she let herself really think about what Daisy said.

Why was she still here?

She wasn't lying when she said that she didn't trust her sisters to run the gym, but Daisy had grown-with her assistance-into a decent battler, and she had Tracey to help her. If given the opportunity to go after the dreams she'd put aside, she could part ways with the gym. It would be scary to leave behind her life for the last seven years, but she really missed traveling. For once, she wanted to be the one who did the leaving instead of the waiting.

But she couldn't leave. If she left, he wouldn't know where to find her.

Daisy watched her as she opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it when the words got stuck in her throat. She could admit the truth to herself, but could she really say it out loud? Once it was out there, she couldn't take it back; she'd be using the last excuse she had for staying at the gym so long.

Before she could protest, Daisy filled another glass with wine and pushed it over to Misty. Wordlessly, Misty took a swing of the glass before setting it to the side. With her head resting in the cradle of her arms, she groaned in annoyance.

Just call her Kasumi because Daisy was right.