Crystal Ketchum hails from Saffron City and is currently pursuing her dream of becoming a Pokémon master. She specializes in a variety of Pokémon types, mainly favoring water/ice-types. She is the sassy, loquacious cousin of Ash Ketchum and is the childhood friend and girlfriend of the dragon-master, Lance, and is said to be the most beautiful female in all of Kanto. Rather than travel with human companions, Crystal tends to operate alone, hoping that she will become more in-touch with her Pokémon by doing so. She is recognized as being the youngest Pokémon League Champion in recent history and in doing so, means that she has defeated her boyfriend, whose Pokémon arsenal are perceived as 'virtually impossible to defeat', in battle.
Early Childhood[]
When she was just six-years-old, Crystal's parents divorced; while her mother stayed in Pallet Town, Crystal's father moved to Blackthorn City to farther expand his knowledge and study of dragon-type Pokémon. Crystal spent six months at a time with both parents and it was somewhere around that time did she meet Lance, whose grandfather was said to have been the greatest dragon master in history and who actually resided in the Dragon's Den. While he did not share her want of becoming a Pokémon master, Lance had expressed his desire of one day becoming a great dragon-master, claiming that he was descended from a long-line of dragon-type trainers.
As a child, Crystal was a spontaneous, somewhat clumsy person and had a knack for losing her possessions though, eventually, she grew out of it. She also conveyed a certain affinity for dragon-type Pokémon, and under the young (but unusually wise) guidance of Lance, learned the basics of mastering dragon-types. At the age of nine, her mother died of unknown circumstances, and Crystal was forced to stay in Blackthorn City with her father.
Adjusting to life in Blackthorn City[]
Soon after the death of her mother, Crystal is surprisingly comforted by Lance's younger cousin, Clair, an annoyingly arrogant girl who beleives that her dragon-taming abilities far surpass that of Lance's. Amazingly, they became quick friends.
During that time that Crystal and Clair become acquainted, Crystal obstinately becomes enrolled in Pokémon Academy, as her father wishes for her to become a Pokémon researcher rather than become a Pokémon trainer. Crystal, who wholeheartedly disagrees with her father's sudden decision to put her into school, she runs away from home and ends up in Mahogony Town.
Eventually, after two days of helping her father search for her, Lance, Clair and their grandfather find Crystal with relative ease in a department store. When she questions them upon knowing where she was, Lance replies, "I know you better than you know yourself. Your favorite thing to do is shop in department stores." After this, Crystal begins to think differently of Lance and starts to find him attractive.
Starting Her Journey[]
The Beginning[]
Violet City, Sprout Tower, Bella the Bellsprout trainer, & Falkner[]
Following her return to her father's house in Blackthorn City, Crystal is granted permission to start her very own Pokémon journey, much to Lance's dismay, as he shares feelings for Crystal.
She is taken to Professor Elm's lab in New Bark Town, where she is given a Pikachu (much like her cousin) as a starter Pokémon. For a parting gift, Crystal's father gives her $20,000, two potions, a full heal, a highly dependable backpack, four sandwiches, and five Pokéballs.
She starts her journey from Professor Elm's lab and ends up on Route 29, where she runs across and successfully captures a Pidgey and a Rattata (she eventually sends Rattata to her Pokémon storage system). She also begins to train her Raichu after asking around and discovering that her first gym challenge in Violet City is against a flying-type user, Falkner.
Before she challenges the gym leader, she meets a pretty but foolhardy Bellsprout trainer named Bella, who is reeling over a battle loss. Upon seeing Crystal, who is somewhat smaller than her in size, Deena picks a fight, one that Crystal emerges victorious. Bella then begins to berate her weak and defeated Bellsprout and Crystal immediately interveins. She defends the Bellsprout by reminding Bella that it is Bella's fault that her Pokémon is the way it is. Bella refuses to listen and runs off to Sprout Tower, a giant tower overlooking the village. There, she tells her grandfather, the Head Sage, of Crystal and her defeat against her while in battle.
To Bella's surprise, her grandfather is very content about the situation and expresses to his granddaughter that her Pokémon is so weak because of a lack of love and training. He even goes as far as comparing Bella's Bellsprout to the ranks of her four sister's, each of whom have either Weepingbells or HootHoots or both. Crystal returns to Sprout Tower to obtain the HM05 that Bella's grandfather has saved for the next trainer who is strong enough to defeat him. After battling through four stages of Pokémon trainers (all of Bella's older sisters), Crystal eventually battles against the Head Sage and defeats him with Pidgey, who she decides to use throughout the entire fight due to the type advantage and the fact that she hadn't really trained it.
After witnessing Crystal's performance, Bella decides to clean her act up and raise her Bellsprout with love, even going so far as to giving it a hug, as to which, to Bella's amazement, it evolves into a Weepingbell. The Head Sage then thanks Crystal for turning Bella's act around and awards her with the HM.
Violet City Gym Battle: Zephyr Badge[]
After reviving her Pokémon and taking a couple of days off of training for relaxation, Crystal comes across Falkner, who is training his Pokémon as well. Crystal advances towards Falkner and he doesn't take kindly to the gesture. He orders his Pidgey to direct a strong Gust attack towards Crystal and her Pokémon. Enraged, Crystal orders her Pikachu to give Falkner and his Pidgey a well-aimed Thunderbolt.
When Falkner's Pidgey faints, he questions Crystal and they become familiar with one another. She then demands a gym battle for the Zephyr Badge. Not only does Crystal end up defeating Falkner with the help of her Pikachu, but because she's intrigued him so much, he gives her a TM31 as a parting gift and intends to see her off the following day.
Departing from Violet City[]
Before she leaves, Crystal is startled to find Falkner, Bella, her four sisters, and their grandfather waiting for her outside of the Pokémon Center. Bella, who feels as if she will forever be in Crystal's debt, gives her five Gold Berries (which restores 30 hp). They then part with a friendly hug and the Head Sage advises Crystal to continue to raise her Pokémon the way she's been doing so that maybe her love and dedication towards Pokémon will influence trainers like Bella to see and think better of their companions. And with that, Crystal makes her way to Azalea Town to face Bugsy and acquire the Hive Badge.
The Road to Collecting all 8 Badges[]
Heading to Azalea Town[]
On her way to Azalea Town, Crystal runs into Lance, who explains that he too, has started his own Pokémon journey alongside two of his most loyal Dratini. They spend the night camping out under the stars, whereas Lance finally admits his feelings towards Crystal. After she comes clean about how she'd felt about him since the department store incident, they share their first kiss with one another.
The next day, Lance heads off and Crystal continues her journey to Azalea Town.
Capturing Jigglypuff[]
Along the way, she meets a girl named Karen, whose in charge of running a daycare center for lost and abandoned Pokémon located in the forest on the path to Azalea along with her older brother, Valen. Karen is having trouble raising a disobidient Jigglypuff and, captured by it's cute, innocent, and infatuating charm, Crystal decides to capture it and claim it for her own. Unfortunately, the Jigglypuff has already been abandoned by its trainer, and upon realizing that Crystal is a trainer, it develops a deep disliking towards her.
Three days pass by and Crystal is confident on capturing Jigglypuff and demands a battle. Jigglypuff, on the other hand, has plans of her own and after singing Crystal, her Pidgey, and anyone else within earshot to sleep, runs away.
Shaken by Jigglypuff's sudden disappearance, Karen and her Parasect set out to try to recover the lost Jigglypuff. Crystal, feeling guilty about the whole situation, accompanies Karen. Valen tries to reconsider, blaming Jiggypuff's running away on Crystal, but Karen insists that Crystal comes with her, in hopes that Crystal would calm and capture the rebellious Jigglypuff.
After a few hours of searching it begings to rain and Karen and Crystal find shelter in a nearby cave, Mt. Moon. There, they find Jigglypuff, shaken, hungry, lost, and crying. Crystal tries to soothe it with words of reassurance, but this only angers Jigglypuff and soon a fight between Pikachu and Jigglypuff insue. After a strong Thunderbolt attack by Pikachu, Jigglypuff is severely weakened, opting Crystal to capture it. Soon after they return the next day, Jigglypuff shows a drastic change in its personality. Valen apologizes to Crystal, stating that he was "caught up in the heat of the moment" and Crystal, along with her new Jigglypuff, heads to Azalea Town (with directions from Valen and Karen).
Arriving in Azalea Town[]
Crystal, who was training her Pokémon while on the road to Azalea Town, decides to head to a nearby Pokémon Center where she is greeted by two members of Team Rocket, Butch and Cassidy. They demand that she give up her Pikachu and Jigglypuff, and when Crystal refuses due to lack of intimidation (much to Cassidy's dismay), they begin combat. Crystal emerges victorious and Team Rocket flees, promising to come back for the Pikachu in due time.
Crystal finds the Pokémon Gym with ease and with the help of her Pidgey and newly captured Jigglypuff, defeats the gym and earns the Hive Badge.
List of Pokemon[]
| #26 Raichu | #87 Dewgong |
|---|---|
Thunderbolt |
 250 hp / bold natured |
| #18 Pidgeot | #38 Ninetales |
Wing Attack |
Flamethrower |
| #149 Dragonite | #40 Wigglytuff |
Dragon Claw |
Bubblebeam |