Hello, very fabulous leaves on your blog 👀 thoughts on SS Leaf w short hair + matching dark green stud earrings? Let’s forego the hat /hj I think she would look stunning in your art style especially 🥺❓💞
I love your Leaf posts! your art is so good I've recommended it to a friend! it's so nice to see more people posting about her. nowadays I only see art for the newer Pokegirls or Dawn and Lyra from the older gens
AWW thank you! It’s incredible that you recommended it to a friend- like, every time I get told my art gets somewhere, I’m always so excited, because I know how that feels to be on the other end. Our community is a small one, but it circulates and I’m glad to be able to add to it. And yeah! The new pokégirls are all fantastic in their own right, but FRLG was my first entry into the Pokémon games which meant I literally grew up with Leaf as *my* Pokémon protagonist. Red who? Anyways, I hope you continue to enjoy the world of Pokémon fanart :) have a good one!
Aha. The time has come for me to answer this question.
The thing is, I *don't* have any headcanons for the main "canon" pokémon characters. I let them be. So technically, nothing for them is canon in my head. Not even the fact that Green Oak has a crush on Red. I respect the canon for what it is, and leave it at that.
But if we're talking about slightly *altered* versions of them, such as what I write for them... ahaha. Yes. That's when I allow myself to become a little creative. (The only issue is, there are different alternate timelines. I'll give you a basic rundown of what goes on in my head.)
more under the cut
Pokespe Inspired (Universe 1)
This is the first story I attempted to write, and as all things written by a child, the contents are a little wild. I'll say what I plan to carry through, however:
Green Oak has a crush on Red. Duh. It was clear the moment he doubled around. No, he wasn't "waiting" on you. PFfft. He just wants to prove he's the best. *Ensue depression after Red's disappearance*. Red, however, is on the aroace spectrum, which means they have to learn and navigate what an intimate/romantic relationship means to them, if they even have one.
Green feels a lot of emotions, which leads him to act irrationally at times. Red is overall a lot more introverted (not to say more calm, but appears to be) which can be hard for Green to read. Like a hot/cold dynamic
Professor Oak, at one point, became the Pokémon Champion due to a mixture of interest in pokémon and perserverence. He never, however, understood the bonds between pokémon, and ultimately dropped the job to pursue studying them. His lack of knowledge considering the bonds between pokémon is what makes him unable to gauge how much Green's pokémon like him, and ties into the fact he also bad at connecting to his very human family
Green's mother is the spoiled daughter of Professor Oak who was also very type A- and so dominant only her last name transferred to her children. Aspects of his personality, such as his cleanliness, and at times deep desire for perfection and insecurity, is a result of her high demands for overachievement
Blue (F) has experienced with traumatized children (Silver) and taking care of Yellow is natural for her because of it. After the events of the main story, she goes back to seek for Yellow, and emotionally and physically helps her grow into her own.
Kanto is generally misogynistic when it comes to female trainers in power and Blue does her damnest, resorting sometimes even to radio broadcast, to slowly shift public opinion on the matter.
Red's primary goal is to befriend pokémon, understand them, and change the region's attitude towards pokémon training (such as with whips, etc.) He doesn't take the championship seriously by the end, which infuriates Green, and only beats Green to bring some finality. Red initially partakes in media to discourage whipping and abusive practices, and stays for a little bit, before ultimately receeding to the mountains due to how overwhelming and impossible it is for one kid to change the world. Red is the one who makes the stairs in the mountain as a subconscious plea for someone to come up and find him, even if he won't go back down himself
There is way more on the second gen I could talk about, but I haven't even drawn any of them yet, so that's for the future I presume
FRLG Inspired (Universe 2)
Unfortunately, in the first universe, Blue (F) ultimately cannot surpass Red and Green, has to deal with the disappointment, and shift priorities. It seems that if only the female trainer exists, she can be the Champion. However, if she were to exist alongside Red, Red always has to win. This AU is an exploration of that notion.
Red and Leaf have the same mother, they look similar, therefore they are twins. However, in the games, they are never seen together. Thus, while Red is raised by his mother (if player chooses Red), this story has Leaf travelling with her father for the majority of their lives, making them estranged siblings. But no hard feelings. (Mostly).
By the time Leaf goes to pick up the pokéballs, only Bulbasaur is left.
Blue Oak is a lot ruder in this AU than he is in the other stories I'm writing, where his and Red's relationship is the core focus. Which is to say, he acts exactly as he does in the game, always trying to prove he's better and one-ups Red.
Leaf is never mentioned beyond FRLG, such as in HGSS. Yet, she must have existed. I imagine her to take a much more relaxed (thus hidden/less flashy) approach to the journey than Red and Blue do. While the boys take the spotlight, she takes unconventional paths around the region, focusing on befriending pokémon. Does she fail at waking Snorlax because she doesn't have the pokéflute? Well, fine, despite not knowing fly, she'll tell Pidgeot to fly over the dang thing, take a running start, and alley-oop over that giant monster.
Due to her more mischevious, shadowed nature (and harkening to her name) Leaf usually favors pokémon such as Butterfree, Crobat, Parasect, Venonat, Golduck, Victreebel, Cloyster, Hypno, Tangela, and Mewtwo. Her more mysterious nature sets her apart from the usual peppy female protagonists. There is something unsettling and amusing/curious about her. If you get decieved by her innocent smile, well...
The test as to whether any of this matters, if she can surpass the popularity of the stars of Kanto, comes to a head at the end of the story.
During HGSS, while Red is on the mountain and Blue handling the gym, she goes to Hoenn (referencing a 2005 postcard of her with a combusken), where she meets May. Traveling with May (who is a climate change activist, thanks to RSE's theme of, well, climate change) is a welcome break from the box she was forced into during her time in Kanto. An experienced, lightly jaded adventurist and an inspiring adventurer with a heart of gold make for an extremely heartwarming journey
Wow! I didn't think I'd have so much to say when I saw this, I was genuinely scrambling for headcanons until I laid out some of the stories I have swirling around my head. Apparently there was a lot in there! The more you know.
