#can y’all tell I’m a rabid NightshadeShipping fan

[sincerely-sofie]

Making my case for every eeveelution:

I love the idea of Eliana being a Flareon because of the idea of her being trapped in darkness and stasis for so long in the Dark Future and making herself into her own sun. Plus, she would be like one of those microwaveable plushies that are amazingly cozy to hold. I am looking directly at Dusknoir and my headcanon that his species adapt to the ambient temperature they’re surrounded by during their pre-evolutions— and as a result of the Dark Future not having sun privileges, he’s really cool to the touch. Something something they achieve thermodynamic equilibrium via cuddles.

Jolteon is absolutely metal the longer you think about it. Eliana was separated from Grovyle in a storm. It’s described as being very sensitive and uses its negative charged ions and less-than-stellar moods to generate greater power. There’s a metaphor in there for what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

The idea of Vaporeon Eliana kills me softly. Eliana washing up from the ocean initially. Vaporeon preferring “beautiful shores” and Eliana meeting Lu at the beach that she does. Being able to melt in water and become invisible feels like a metaphor for ignoring your own issues to maintain the status quo. Also I feel like the Elizabethan ruff-like neck fin is fun and the idea of her emoting with it subconsciously akin to how Dusknoir uses his own frill-y thingymajigs makes me laugh. “What do you MEAN i look like him when I’m angry??? I don’t!” Meanwhile she has the exact same posture, tension, and glare.

I can absolutely see Eliana evolving into an Espeon. Psychic-typing to complement Lou’s Fighting/Steel is a fun contrast between them, but the fact that the Ruby/Sapphire dex entry specifically says “It is said that this Pokémon developed its precognitive powers to protect its Trainer from harm” + Ultra Sun stating “Although it originally had no powers at all, people say its precognitive faculties were awakened by its need to protect itself” makes me insane at the idea of her evolving mid-battle. Also, the fact that espeon is mentioned so many times as being able to predict weather patterns and the thing that separated her and Grovyle being a storm slays me utterly. Also: Espeon sunbathing to build energy and canonically not being good at battling at night is super fun.

Umbreon Eliana makes me instantly think to myself “we love a couple with matching rings that glow in moonlight.” That aside, Eliana considering umbreon as an evolution in honor of Dusknoir and then viciously scratching out that idea as a possibility is wonderful— especially when we consider the idea of an accidental nighttime evolution as she comforts Lu after a nightmare or something similar. Umbreon spraying poisonous sweat into the eyes of enemies also has a lot of comedic potential when Dusknoir is built like he is.

I’ll be honest, Glaceon doesn’t have much going for it in terms of lore to pair with Eliana beyond “Dark Future cold. Fox-Rabbit-Cat-Dog adapts to conditions she spent much of her life in despite no longer being in them.” Regardless, Glaceon’s design has EXTREMELY Eliana energy somehow.

Sylveon as well doesn’t have much Eliana to it in my eyes. But I could see a sort of split evolution between leafeon and sylveon being a thing for her where she gets flowers that open and close depending on the time of day / season instead of bows + vines instead of ribbons. And now I’m tempted to draw it.

And finally, Eevee. Not evolving is a fun alternate angle for her. She’s stuck in her past by virtue of how she holds grudges. She could refuse to evolve in a sort of anger about how things were and a paralyzing fear of making the wrong choice by questioning how things are. Plus, it yields the fun idea of her evolving into one of the affection-centered evos in a quiet yet climactic scene where she forgives Dusknoir, who she’s kind of turned into a symbol of her resentment for past events.

I’m just curious.