What Am I?

Happy Birthday! No Pokemon for you!

Present Day
        “Jen,” Her mom said softly as she opened her daughter’s bedroom door, “you awake?”
        Jen sat up and smiled sleepily at her mom.
        “Happy birthday, sweetie.” She said as she walked to Jen’s bed with a tray full of pancakes, eggs, and apple juice.
        “Mom, you didn’t have to go and make breakfast in bed for me.” She giggled as her mom laid the tray on her lap.
        “I just thought it would be a nice birthday surprise from me to you.”
        Jen smiled sheepishly as she began to cut into her food, eagerly shoving bits of pancake and egg into her mouth.
        “You in a hurry or something? You might want to slow down or else you might choke.” Her mom warned.
        Jen smiled with a mouth full of food.  She quickly swallowed before responding. “You said I could go see Professor Oak today.”
        “I did?”
        “Yep. You promised that once I turned eighteen, I could go see Professor Oak, and get my very first Pokemon.”
        Her mom’s smile faded. “Can’t you wait another year or two?”
        Jen laughed, not realizing that her mom was serious. “I’ve been waiting ever since I was five to get my first Pokemon, and that was when Libby was ten and had her first Pokemon.”
        Her mom looked at her sorrowfully.
        Jen lowered her fork and hugged her mom tightly. “Oh, mom…don’t worry. I’ll always be your baby, but I want to travel the world like Libby. I want to become a Pokemon master.” She said softly. “I promise to call whenever I can and I’ll visit every once in a while. Okay?”
        Her mom didn’t answer. Instead, she stood up and walked out of the room in silence.
        Jen bit her bottom lip, worried that she had said something wrong. Her mom did promise her that when she had turned eighteen she could begin her travels as a Pokemon trainer. Jen had always believed that her mom was hesitant to let her become a trainer at age ten due to her being the baby of the family, but now she was a grown woman.
        She would also have to train super hard and beat all of the gym leaders before Libby, her twenty-three year old sister, became a Pokemon master. Libby had already traveled to Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and was almost done with Unova.
        Just then her phone began to ring. Jen leapt from her bed and sprinted for her desk. Speak of the devil, it was Libby!
        “Libby!” Jen squealed as her sister appeared on the screen.
        “Happy birthday, little sister. How does it feel finally to be eighteen and legal?”
        Jen laughed. “Good! I finally get to choose my first Pokemon today too!”
        Libby’s bright, green eyes flashed with glee for her younger sibling. “I’m so proud for you. Are you excited? Have you decided what Pokemon you want as your starter?”
        “I’m so excited, but nervous. I don’t know what Pokemon the professor has for me.” Jen answered as she scratched her matted platinum blonde hair.
        It was weird; Libby and her mom had brown hair and green eyes, while Jen had platinum (almost white) hair and blue eyes with tiny purple specks in them. She always figured that she inherited these traits from her dad.
        “And mom is allowing you to do this?” Libby asked with a chuckle.
        Jen grimaced. “I think so. She seemed a bit upset when I brought it up earlier.”
        “Don’t give it too much thought, Jen. She’s just worried about you leaving her to an empty house.”
        “She’s always worried about me. I’m getting too old for her to be treating me like I’m…I don’t know. Five?”
        “Do you want me to talk to her?”
        Jen quickly thought it over and shook her head. “Nah. I’m just going to go over to the lab.”
        Libby smirked. “All righty then. Hope you get the Pokemon you want, and have a good birthday.”
        Her screen shut off as the call ended. Jen snickered at her reflection in the black screen. She had some major bedhead.
        She made her way to her closet and began looking for possible outfits.
        Eventually she pulled out short demi-jeans, a pink long-sleeved shirt, and a gray jacket. Once changed with her hair brushed, she grabbed her messenger bag and ran downstairs. She slipped into her sneakers, which were laying out for her at the front door.
        “See you later, mom!” She called.
        No answer.
        Jen hesitated for a moment more, listening for her mom’s response. Without hearing one, she walked out the door and headed for the Pokemon lab.

 
        “Professor Oak, I’m here!” Jen called gleefully as she half walked, half ran into the lab.
        “We’re over here, Jen.” The professor called back.
        Jen skipped over to the back of the lab, but stopped when she saw her mom standing next to Oak. She looked disappointed.
        “What are you doing here, mom?”
        “Jen, honey, you’re not ready. You cannot leave, and nor will I allow you to receive a starter Pokemon.” Her mom said sternly.
        Jen’s eyes slowly widened as her jaw fell open. “M-Mom! You promised! You promised I could! Professor Oak, you heard her when she said I could become a trainer at eighteen, didn’t you?”
        Professor Oak looked at her with pity in his eyes. “Your mother may have promised you that, but she has a reason to keep you from leaving.”
        Jen couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “This is not fair!” She screamed.
        Her mom shook her head. “I rather you stay safe, here in Pallet Town, than somewhere where you could get hurt.”
        Jen glared at her mom. “This is not fair! I hate you!” She hissed as she ran from the lab.
        “Jen!” Her mom cried, but Oak held her back.
        “Lucy, wait. She needs time to herself.”
        “Oak, I’m scared that if she leaves the disease will come back. I’m scared for her.” Tears began to flow down her cheeks. “John saved her all those years ago with…I don’t know what. Now, he is gone, and if she falls ill again with that virus, no one will be able to save her.”
        Oak put a reassuring hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “Have faith in her, Lucy. Jen is a strong child. Perhaps it is time that you let her go.”
        Lucy backed away from Oak and glared at him. “I rather die than take such a risk!”
        Oak sighed and shook his head slowly. “Then I’m afraid to say that you have already lost her.”