Way Of The Sun

Origins

  Dusk ran quickly through the kingdom to the castle. He avoided eye contact and kept a low profile whilst going through the market. He bowed when he entered the palace and saw Colonel Illunis.
  "What is it this time?" Colonel Illunis asked.
  "They were... I don't really know. It's kind of like how we go to the moonstone and hang out for the night once a month. I guess today was that day for them, too, because they were prancing around... the sunrock?" Dusk said.
  "HUH. That's weird because tonight we will have a gathering at the Moonstone. I guess our times aren't that different. It's almost time for dinner. Wash up."
  "Yes, Colonel Illunis," said Dusk, bowing again. Then he scurried off to get ready for dinner.
  Later, at the long dinner table in the heart of the castle, Prince Dusk sat at the end and picked at his food.
  "Son, eat up. We have a big night," his father, King Cloudless. Dusk looked at him, annoyed, because other than meeting at the Moonstone, tonight was his "wedding" that he didn't even agree with. He was supposed to marry a Shiny Sylveon princess from another tribe, the Twilight Tribe. King Cloudless was the leader of the Nightfall Tribe.
  "I told you, I don't wanna marry Starless. I'm only 13. That's basically illegal."
  "Son, we have talked about this"-
  "talked about what, How To Make My Life Miserable? Yes, I think that's the guidebook you read for the conversation we're having right now."
  "Dusk Noble Layne, you WILL marry the one I choose."
  "NO! It should be my choice who I marry!" He got up. He was in his Noble Suit.
  "No. This is the final decision, and you can't back away from it now. The wedding is only in a few hours. And besides, Starless adores you. She'd be pleased to have a husband like you."
  "No! I'm not marrying her! Her adopting me doesn't make it any better! You don't know what she tried to do to me."
  "Mhm, and what did she do?"
  "She locked me in the closet at prep school and tried to kiss me... her locker is also filled with drawings and photos of me.."
  "I don't care," said Cloudless finally. "You WILL marry Starl"-
  But in the blink of an eye, Dusk was nowhere to be found.

  I have got to get out of here, thought Dusk.
  The Nightfall Tribe was currently at war with an Espeon tribe called Dayrise Tribe. It went back hundreds of years ago, and Dusks' father believed that if he married Starless, they would finally be powerful enough to conquer the Espeon's tribe. But that wasn't what Dusk wanted.
  Dusk came up to the border of his tribe and the Dayrise tribe, which was marked with a sword stabbed into a rock. He had never been this close to it before. He could just step over it. He was a spy, and he only gazed at the Espeon's through a strong spyglass to see what they were doing. But this time, he was sure that he wanted to know how the Espeons lived.
  They had a much nicer kingdom. The whole thing was a large palace with markets and villages and everything on it. It was much fancier than the Nightfall Tribe's boring villages and markets.
  He stepped across. Maybe he broke the law, but he did it with passion. He pulled up his hood. He came prepared. He glued on a fake Espeon tail, and he tucked in his real tail into the cloak. He painted his whole body purple. He even added a little gem on his forehead.
  He walked past the gaurds, who thought he was an Espeon.
  He walked up several stairs and finally to the village. He wanted to see this princess and to somehow make a peace treaty without revealing himself.
  "Hello, do you know if the princess is accepting visits right now?" He asked an Espeon passing by.
  "Yes. She should be taking the last request right about now." They said.
  "Where is she?"
  "The Royal Hall," said the Espeon, pointing to a window in another tower that branched off of the market platform.
  "Thank you," he said as he rushed off.
  He rushed up the stairs and finally made it to the Royal Hall where he saw a Shiny Espeon in an extravagant gown sitting on a throne.
  "Hello, your majesty," Dusk said, bowing deeply.
  "Greetings. So what will it be, then?"
  "Huh?"
  "Your request?"
  "Oh, yes. Uh..." Dusk fumbled on his words. "The prince of the Nightfall Tribe would like to meet with you in order to make a peace treaty."
  "Okay. When?"
  "Tonorrow."
  "Okay, I will squeeze that in. When tomorrow?"
  "Look for the glint of the sword in the stone in the evening sun's light. That is the time," he said.
  "Okay. Now, then. Begone."
  "Wait," he said quickly. "One last request."
  "Make it quick."
  "Do you perhaps know where I could stay for the night?"
  "You can sleep in the guest room in the fourth tower."
  "Could you lead me there?"

  There were many towers, but the fourth one was dedicated to guests or tourists since they often had a lot, especially around this time of year when the flowers were blooming. He settled into his guest room, what the Espeons called "plain and ordinary".
  But this was the exact opposite of plain and ordinary. It had marble walls, a ladder in the corner leading up to a bed with a workspace underneath, a kitchen and lounge area, and even a living room space, but there were no other rooms. Just this one. There was also a balcony that faced the Nightfall Tribe.
  It was getting dark, so he went to bed. He was glad he didn't go home. This was much better. He wondered why the Espeons got to live in luxury while the Umbreons were old fashioned and boring. It seemed unfair, but that was part of why Dusk wanted this peace treaty. And besides, the princess was beautiful, especially in that dress. Maybe the teachings that Dusk read all his life were wrong. Maybe Espeons weren't purple cat monsters who used their psychic powers to melt your brain. Slowly but surely, Dusk was falling asleep, and proud that he missed the wedding on purpose.

Wordcount: (1073 words)
Tysm for reading, comment #esbreon for part 2! ✨️