He is ten when he has his first real nightmare.
He's taken completely by surprise. It starts with the same general image he's had for years: a faceless figure of average height sits on the swings beside him and they pump their legs, chatting amicably with a nondescript voice about something or other. Feathered glances are tossed between them, and colorless, shapeless eyes zero in on every passing form, usually with a friendly wave or a shouted greeting in a neutral pitch.
Green finds himself watching another passerby who looms nearer until they stand straight before the set, heeled sandals speckled with woodchips and sandbox residue. Their form sprouts bobbed auburn-black hair, and colorless skin is dyed a light olive-orange. He turns to look at his fantasy friend for reassurance in light of the strange new woman, but finds that their shapeless, uncolored hair has faded to a pale ash brown and their height has been stunted, eyes slanted to resemble a Meowth's.
A tight ball of worry knots in his abdomen as the woman strides forward to collect a handful of the girl's hair and yank her away from the swing, mouth spouting horrible insults and petty comments that make his stomach turn with definitive slaps and hits so loud he can feel them in the air. The ash-haired girl leans her arms against the chip-layered ground, hard, and he can see her breathing heavily, chest and shoulders heaving as her head sinks.
Then the girl in his fantasy looks up at him, dark, verdant eyes making contact with familiar burning yellow, and Green finally leans to pull her away.
He awakes with a start, and the guilt gnaws at him even before he returns from his waking panic. How could he not have helped his friend sooner, and sat to watch her be kicked around and insulted by her own kin? He feels sick — inhuman — to have mutely observed her being mistreated as he had.
Leaf mustn't know of his hesitance, he decides vehemently, and resolves never to fear for her sake again.
a/n look at that i updated, it's a miracle