Profile G2-0100: Leilani

✧ Name: Leilani

✧ Age: 26

✧ Gender: Female

✧ Personality: Very blunt, she means well and wants to help, but her “help” normally comes across as unkind and even bullying to some people. Comments like “you would look MUCH better if you did this with your hair!” are not out of the ordinary for her. 

Underneath all of that, though, is an insecure woman just trying to find her footing in a world that tried to keep her down. She’s still just figuring everything out, and the second someone points that out to her, her arrogant personality would crumble.

✧ History: Leilani was born to a couple that were both very career-driven. The pair often used that as an excuse to not spend time with their daughter, choosing to spend time with each other while building their business. Leilani tried really hard to not take it to heart, but the neglect from her parents got to her. As a Pichu, she pleaded with them to spend more time with her, but it fell on deaf ears. On the rare occasion they DID spend time together, her mother would criticize and critique every aspect of Leilani’s personality and especially her looks, while her father tended to not even speak with her outside of single word answers, while very rarely even looking at her. 

The neglect and critique got to Leilani, and it crippled any amount of self esteem she had. She chose to cover herself up with clothing, growing her hair out to cover her face, and made herself as small as possible. That was how she lived for quite a few years until she was 17, when she decided to pack up and leave her parents behind. They never looked for her, never even bothering to find out if she was alive.

After leaving, Leilani found herself in a big city. After a lot of wandering, she finds herself in a small stylist shop with a “Help Wanted'' sign out front. Not having anywhere else to turn, the Pikachu heads inside to try her luck. Once the owner hears her story, she decides to give Leilani a trial run and personally train her. After a few short weeks, Leilani realizes she has a knack for this kind of work. Bringing out the looks of a pokemon in such a way was never something she thought spoke to her, but she was a star. As word of her talent spread, the small shop gained more and more business, and Leilani was the main stylist that ‘mon wanted to see. 

Her love for life continued to grow with the business, but there was still a gnawing in her core. Something was wrong. 

After much self-searching, Leilani realized what the problem was. Every time she looked in the mirror, she could see her mother staring over her shoulder, criticizing the poor Pikachu. No matter how successful she was, there was always this shadow looming over her, talking down to her in her mind. She needed to break ties, and she knew how to do it. 

Sitting on her bed, the Thunderstone beside her Leilani studied herself in the mirror one last time. She saw her mother staring back with hate-filled eyes. She heard her mother’s voice whispering venom into her ear. In her final moments as a Pikachu, Leilani smiled sadly, and was finally able to verbalize her feelings. 

“I hate you.”

Whether those words were to her mother or herself, she wasn’t entirely sure. But as soon as they were spoken, she grabbed hold of the Thunderstone. A blinding white light filled the room, and Leilani had to close her eyes. After several moments of feeling like her eyes were burning, she felt herself sitting much taller. Her feet felt much larger, her tail much, much longer. Slowly, her eyes opened, and her jaw almost dropped. 

In the mirror before her was someone virtually unrecognizable to her. Long, wavy hair that reached the bed she was sitting on, striking markings, tall, confident frame. The now-Raichu teared up as she stood and made her way closer to the mirror. Gently, she reached a paw up to touch her face, unsure if it was really her. Tears slowly rolled down her face, and she sobbed. She was free. She was free, confident, and damn, she was BEAUTIFUL. 

“…they were wrong about me.”

✧ Fun Facts:

       ✦ Theme song is Might Love Myself by Beartooth

       ✦ Leilani likes to collect jewelry, especially rings. She has a very large selection and loves to show it off if asked.

       ✦ Leilani has a pet Zorua named Gylfie. Gylfie is able to transform into an approximation of her clients, and she uses this to help demonstrate what a hairstyle or style choice might look like on them before they have to commit to anything.