Crystal Ketchum:A New Generation Begins The moon was shining brightly that night, casting a silvery glow over anything it touched. A young girl was sitting on a windowsill, staring at the moon, her shoulder-length jet black hair blowing gently in the breeze. She was thinking peacefully. The girl loved moonlit nights because, on nights like this, she sometimes wished she could fly away like a Butterfree. The girl's name was Crystal Ketchum, daughter of Ash and Misty Ketchum. Crystal had inherited her aquamarine blue eyes and a love for Water Pokemon from her mother, and she inherited her stubborness, apeitite, and determination from her father. The reason why Crystal was up so late, was because tomorrow was her 12th birthday, and she was also thinking of another reason why tomorrow was a special day-she would be old enough to receive her first Pokemon, and start a journey like all other Trainers. As her blue eyes continued to gaze up at the silver orb, a figure was standing in the doorway. That figure came to be her mother, Misty Ketchum, wondering why her daughter had not yet gone to sleep."Crystal," she softly spoke, quietly walking over to where her daughter was sitting. Realizing that it was her mother's soft voice that spoke to her, Crystal quietly said "Oh, Mother. It's you. You startled me," turning her gaze away from the moon into her mother's aquamarine blue eyes. "Crystal, you should really get some sleep," her mother quietly spoke. "You don't want to oversleep and almost not get a Pokemon, like your father did when he started his journey." Crystal giggled, for her mother often told her the story of how when her father, Ash Ketchum, was young, he had overslept and he had rushed all the way to Professor Oak's Labratory, still in his pajamas, trying to get his first Pokemon. He later found out, that if he had gotten to the lab on time, he would of been able to choose from:Bulbasuar, a grass Pokemon, Charmander, a Fire Pokemon, and his original choice, Squirtle, a Water Pokemon. Just when all hope was lost, Professor Oak presented to Ash, a Pokeball with a tiny thunderbolt etched into it. The Pokeball opened up, a bright white light flashed, and a small yellow Pokemon with pointy ears with black at the tips, a lighting-bolt shaped tail, red cheeks, and a cute little smile appeared. It was a Pikachu, a Electric type. Their first meeting got off to a shocking start. (get it, shocking?) At first, Pikachu didn't like Ash for a new trainer, because when he tried to capture a Pidgey, he asked Pikachu to battle with it, but instead, it ran up a tree, and watched as its new human trainer tried to catch the Tiny Bird all on his own. But after being pecked upon by the Pidgey, after a failed attempt to try and catch it, Pikachu was up in the tree, laughing. But later on, Ash and Pikachu get chased by a flock of angry Spearow, after Ash acidentally hits the Spearows' leader with a rock, leaving a huge bump on its head. Just as the flock of Spearow were diving closer and closer, Pikachu saves the day with a very powerful Thundershock attack. The Thundershock scared off the Spearow, but left Pikachu injured in the process. So, Ash had to find the nearest Pokemon Center, which was in Viridian City. On the way, Ash saw a mystical flying Pokemon (a Ho-Oh) flying majestically, leaving a rainbow in its wake, and earning a lick on the face from Pikachu. After Misty was finished telling her story, Crystal was fast asleep. So, Misty carried her daughter over to her bed, tucked her under the covers, gave her a good-night kiss, and quietly closed the door on her way out, leaving Crystal alone in her room, with a one-way ticket to dreamland. The next day The next morning, all was quiet in Crystal's room, until that is, the alarm clock on her bedside table rang loudly. And for the third time that morning, Crystal once again pushed the "Snooze" button on the clock, wanting to sleep in a little longer. Then, after finally realizing that today was her 12th birthday and also that she was going to get her first Pokemon today, she was in such a rush to get out of bed, that she fell on the wooden floor below, tangled in between her bedsheets. After 5 minutes of trying to untangle herself from the bedsheets, Crystal neatly made her bed, then grabbed an outfit from her closet, underwear from her underwear door, and headed off for the bathroom to take a shower, brush her teeth, (you know, basic morning stuff). When she finally came out from the bathroom, she was dressed in army cargo pants, a white tank top, a army cargo bandana on her head, and white flip-flops. Just then, the aroma of bacon sizzling in the frying pan came across Crystal's nostrils. She walked downstairs and to the kitchen, where she found her mother making breakfast. "Good morning, Mother," Crystal said sweetly, sitting down at the kitchen table. Misty brought a plate of bacon and eggs and a glass of orange juice to her daughter, gave her a good morning kiss, and said "Happy 12th Birthday, Crystal." "Thank you. Is Daddy up yet?" Misty giggled to herself and said "No. But he should be, knowing the smell of bacon in the air." And speak of the devil. As soon as the word "bacon" was mentioned, a young man with messy black hair, dressed in a white tank top and blue boxers just happened to walk into the kitchen, a electric Pokemon accompanying him. The young man was none other than the former Pokemon Master and Crystal's father, Ash Ketchum. "Daddy!" Crystal exclaimed, getting up from the table and running into her father's open arms. "Good Morning, sweetheart," Ash exclaimed, planting a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "Happy Birthday." Crystal giggled and said "Thank you." Pikachu then jumped down from its master's shoulder, and into Crystal's arms, licking her on the face, also wanting to wish her a happy birthday. "Thank you, Pikachu," she said happily. Shortly thereafter, the family of 3 plus Pikachu sat down to breakfast, eating quietly. After breakfast, the dishes were cleaned and put away, then Ash asked his daughter "So, Crystal. You excited about getting your very first Pokemon today?" Crystal then looked into her father's chocolate brown eyes and said "I sure am, Daddy. I can't wait." Then her mother asked "Have you decided on which Pokemon you wanted?" Crystal then turned her attention from her father to the aquamarine eyes of her mother and said "Yup. I've decided that I wanted a Squirtle, the water starter." "Great choice, honey," her mother stated, knowing that her mother was the former Water Pokemon Master. 20 minutes later Crystal was all packed up and ready to start her journey, having all the necessary items that a beggining trainer would need, like Potions, a First-Aid kit, Pokeballs, etc. "Well, that's everthing," Crystal said excitedly. "Now remember," her father said, looking into her aquamarine blue eyes, "When you get to Professor Oak's Labratory, make sure to call us." "Don't worry, Dad. I'll will," Crystal said, before she walked out of the white picket fence that surrounded her house, and started on the path towards Professor Oak's Labratory. "Well, there she goes, Ash," Misty quietly whispered to her husband. "Yup. Our little girl has finally become a Pokemon Trainer," Ash said, wrapping his strong arms around his wife's waist. "I'll know she'll do great," he whispered in her ear, before pulling her into a long, passionate kiss. "Ew, gross," Crystal exclaimed, a digusted look on her face, covering her eyes from the kissing scene in front of her. "Couldn't you guys have waited until I have at least walked down the road?" "Crystal," both of her parents exclaimed, blushes on both of their faces. "What are you doing back so soon?!" "I just came back to get a map. That's the one thing that I forgot," she said, embarassed. After receiving the map, she said "Thanks. I'd better be going," she said, before she continued back on the road towards her father's hometown of the quiet and peaceful Pallet Town. At Professor Oak's Labratory After about a hour of walking through the Viridian Forest and into Pallet Town, Crystal had at last reached the infamous Oak Research Labratory. She walked up the steps and the front door and knocked loudly. A moment later, a young man in his mid-twenties with green hair and a sketchbook in his hand came to the door. "Hello, I'm Tracey. You must be Crystal. Come on in. Professor Oak has been expecting you," signaling Crystal to come in. Tracey closed the double doors behind Crystal, then led her to the upper level of the labratory, where the starter Pokemon were being held. Once upstairs, Crystal asked "Do you know where Professor Oak is? I was hoping that I could meet him." Tracey turned around and said "Yeah, I'll go get him. Be right back," he said before disapearing into another room. So, while Tracey was gone, Crystal found a nearby Videophone, and notifyed her parents that she made it to the lab, safe and sound. After getting off the phone with her parents, Tracy brought with him, a old man in a white lab coat with a wooden cane in his hand. "Hello, you must be Crystal. I'm Professor Oak. I take it you're here to receive your first Pokemon, am I correct?" Crystal nodded silently. The three then walked over to where three Pokeballs were sitting in three seperate glass cases. "Tell me, Crystal. What kind of Pokemon do you want to start out with?" Crystal thought about it for a moment, then replied "Well, I've given it a lot of thought, and I've decided to start out with a Squirtle." "Hmmm...A Squirtle. Good choice," Oak happily replied, before opening up the last glass case. He held the spherical object in his hand, opened it up, and a small baby blue Pokemon with a shell on its back appeared. "Squirtle?" it asked, looking at its surroundings. Upon laying eyes on the Tiny Turtle Pokemon, Crystal automatically fell in love with it. "Awww...you're so cute," Crystal exclaimed happily, scooping up the Pokemon into her arms, cradling it as if it were her own child. Oak then walked over to the two, asking Squirtle "So, Squirtle. What do you think? Do you want Crystal as a Trainer?" Squirtle then looked up at the girl who was hugging it and happily exclaimed "Squirtle!" Oak then happily said to Crystal "Then, it's decided. Squirtle has chosen you, Crystal, as its new trainer." "Oh, Squirtle. Just you wait. We're going to have so much fun on our adventures!" Crystal happily said to her new Pokemon. Oak then handed Crystal Squirtle's Pokeball and told her to take good care of it. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Professor Oak. Squirtle and I have already become the best of friends." Crystal then recalled Squirtle inside its Pokeball, and placed it her on her belt clip. After thanking the Professor for giving her the Squirtle, she was standing outside of the gate of the labratory. After waving goodbye to Tracey and the Professor, she was ont the road once again, continuing her journey, with a new friend by her side. So, that's where Crystal is now. She's currently on her way to Pewter City, to battle the gym leader for a Boulder Badge.