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It is said that, long ago, the sun and moon were locked in a war unending.
Equals and opposites, they could never touch each other, never leave their marks upon one another.
It was a cold war of celestial propositions.
But then, one day, the sun and the moon met. They touched, and the sky grew dark, save a single ring of light.
From their essences, a Kalon emerged. Born of day and of night.
When the sun and moon separated, the sky grew light once more, and the day and night knew peace.
But the Kalon knew.
They knew everything.
We were the sun.And we were the moon.But look now...
Look upon us and see
how the mighty have
fallen.
::Name::
Dara
::Gender::
Genderfluid (Demimale (Moon form, incarnation of the sun); Demifemale (Sun form, incarnation of the moon))
::Size::
Around the size of an average housecat.
::Age::
Unknown (Young adult)
::Powers::
Immortal and ageless (Though they can be injured temporarily)
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::The Change::
Each evening at sunset, Dara is cloaked in a swirling silver light like that of the moon. It starts out small and dim, but quickly grows brighter and envelops them completely. When it fades, their golden fur is dark as night. In the morning, as the sun rises, the same happens, but gold like the sun, dyeing their fur the light tones of day.
Initially, they hated their being together and believed this form and the immortality it holds to be a curse from the old gods as punishment for their warring, with each blaming the other for this divine retribution. As time went on, however, and they began to learn about each other more personally, they began to accept and even appreciate the life that they were given, eventually even considering it something of a gift - A strange one, but a gift nonetheless. In truth, it was something in the middle of the two thought processes; it was a punishment, but one designed to make the two come together and learn to appreciate one another, causing them to cease their fighting. And though it took some time, it worked.
The story below details events in their lives after this change, and how their views on their new form and each other changed over time.
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The evening rain was gentle on their fur. They stretched and yawned, enjoying the feeling of grass on one size and mist on the other.
Wait... Rain? And grass? And fur?
The Kalon leapt up, shock and horror on their face. They stood atop a grassy hill, the clouds overhead only just barely revealing the setting sun to the west.
Oh, gods and goddesses, what has happened? Where am I? they thought. "Hello?" they cried, turning about aimlessly. "Is anyone there? Oh, please help! I've fallen from the sky - Please, I must get back!"
A voice muttered in their mind, Must you be so loud all the time? It was familiar, and the Kalon grimaced.
"You! What have you done to me?! Come out here, coward! Show yourself!"
They rose to their feet. "Yes, yes, I'm here," the moon said. Then they gasped as it struck them. "My voice... Sol, what have you done?!"
"What have I done?! What have you done?!" the sun demanded. "How dare you?! Your cursed powers - You dare to reach out to me and turn me into this?!"
"My powers?! You are the one whose terrible light touched me and turned me into this golden beast!" the moon exclaimed.
"I did no such thing!"
"Then explain this form, o radiant fool!"
"Explain it to me, you shade-and-silver-cloaked demon!"
As they bickered and fought, the sun sank below the horizon, and their body, cloaked in a silvery light, changed. Where their golden fur once was was now gone, and the shadows of night now tinted their form inky blacks and blues instead.
"It is your childish fighting that did this to us!" the moon shouted, their voice now high and cool with the tones of night.
"What a repulsive form," the sun complained. "And how dare you pin the blame in this on me? I have done nothing to warrant this!"
"Repulsive? It's better than your gaudy light, that much is certain!" the moon snapped. "You've cursed us!"
"Why would I ever curse us both?! Why would I wish to trap myself in this hideous form with you?! This is your doing!"
"The feeling is mutual! To be trapped like this with you... Ugh! This is your fault! The old gods must have cursed us both for your childish warring!"
"Do not act like you've done nothing wrong!"
"I haven't!"
"If that's true, then neither have I!"
"Oh, go choke!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
And the Kalon was silent once more.
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It was some weeks later before they finally spoke again. As the sun gazed longingly at the horizon as the first rays of light peeked over the hills, the moon spoke up.
"We need a name," they said.
"I have a name," the sun replied. "Many of them. Sol, Helios, Apollo, Ra, Amaterasu-"
"Yes, and I will not be taking any of them."
"The feeling is mutual towards your names. Isn't one of them Tsukiyomi or some nonsense? Are you even male?"
"It is not nonsense, it is merely a title that I have been given. And unlike some of us, I appreciate those who can see my strength, beauty, and importance, no matter how they may choose to represent me."
"Yeah, yeah, you're sooo good and sooo pure and sooo perfect, blah blah blah. I'm still not taking your names, and I have no plans to share my own with you."
"Then we need a different name."
"I like my names."
"Well, like it or not, you are no longer the sun and I am no longer the moon. We are stuck like this and will take another name together."
The sun scoffed. "As though I will take any name you choose."
"Then we will find a third party to choose for us."
"Whatever. I'm still the sun. Nobody will change that or take that from me."
The moon sighed. "We're stuck like this, Sol. We have to learn to work together. I don't like it either, but at least I'm making an attempt. The least you could do is try to do the same."
"...Fine. We will seek someone to give this form a name tomorrow evening."
"I can accept that."
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It took them some time to find a name they agreed upon, but at last they came to a decision - This form would be given the name Dara, a unisex name meaning star. It was fitting enough - The sun is a star, after all, but most stars shine brightest alongside the moon at night. It was the closest thing to common ground they could find.
After that, the sun and moon returned to their mostly-silent togetherness for some time yet. It was an uneasy quiet, but tensions had lowered a bit, and though it was hard to admit, they supposed they were grateful for that.
"...Do you think this form needs to eat?" the sun asked one day.
"It's been two full lunar cycles since we awoke. If we needed to eat, we would be dead by now," the moon replied.
"...Do you think we can eat?"
"I... Why would I know that? I would suppose so, given that we are in the body of a Kalon, but-"
"I'd like to try eating."
"Hm. Look at you, trying new things."
"Is it wrong of me to try and make the best of an unfortunate circumstance?"
"I suppose not," the moon answered, rising up from where they lay on the ground. "Kalons, from what I've seen, consume primarily fruits, fish, nuts and insects-"
"I am not eating bugs. I may have been forced into a weak and ill-fitting form, but I will not stoop that low."
"Well, I'm glad we're on the same page about that, at least," the moon agreed, stretching and flapping their wings. "There is a river nearby; We'll fly down there and see if we can't spot a school of fish we can snatch up for a snack. The sun has nearly set, so be prepared to take over so we don't fall from the sky or drown."
"Yes, yes; I'm not stupid, you know."
"It's rather hard to tell sometimes," the moon teased, flapping strongly downwards and taking off into the sky.
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So, asked the moon, now quiet within their mind, what do you think?
"This whole eating thing... It's not bad, really," said the sun.
Mmm, yes, I can see why some creatures make a habit of eating even when they don't need to. Your thoughts on the fish?
"That fish with the pinkish flesh... What did you say it was called again?"
Salmon.
"Right, right salmon. Yeah, the salmon was good. Probably my favorite of the bunch. A good, Hearty, meaty flavor. Not overpowering, but noticeable. I appreciate it."
Huh. I'm surprised you prefer a darker fish, the moon mused. I mean, isn't lightness and airiness your whole deal, being the sun and all?
"I suppose I'm not all you thought I was," answered the sun with a chuckle. "I imagine, therefore, that you favor the salmon as well, with your whole dark heavy rock thing?"
Actually, I think I prefer the trout, the moon replied. It's lighter, a more delicate sort of flavor. I imagine some fresh green herbs and lemon would do it wonders when cooked.
"Cooking, you say? You speak like you're familiar with it yourself."
Not personally, intimately familiar with the process, no. But I always was closer to Earth than you, at least in a physical sense, so I've sometimes seen the people of this planet preparing their foods in various ways. Slathering them in batter and frying them in oil, wrapping them in foil and baking them over a fire, mixing together spices to make seasonings to rub over meats and the like; It's an interesting concept, really. I imagine they all create quite different outcomes and flavors, all best suited for different things. And each culture on this planet prepares their food differently. Some prefer to match their foods... You know, light with light, sweet with sweet, savory with savory, salty with salty, or so I've heard them say. But then others seem to mix together all sorts of things with all sorts of different flavors and create a cacophony of tastes.
"You seem to have put a lot of thought into this."
You have much time to observe when you're locked in orbit around a planet, I suppose.
"Fair enough," the sun admitted, stretching out their wings. "You said Kalons eat fruit as well, correct? Perhaps we could seek some of those out as well."
Don't be a glutton, the moon jabbed, laughing gently in their mind. I believe some miles away there's an orchard with apple trees and fields of bushes covered in berries, and even a few grape vines. I doubt the owners will notice if we pop in during the night for a small snack, yes?
"I'll fly us there if you tell me where to go."
This cooperation between the two... It wasn't half bad.
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It was some time later when they at last decided that they should take the opportunity with these new forms to explore the world of mortals and get to know the planet and people they had provided for for so long in person. That evening they strolled through the cobblestone streets of a small town, listening to the people and Kalons chatter, before at last coming to a stop at a small store that seemed to have bits and pieces of everything on display in the windows.
"This place seems interesting," the moon mused. "I think I'd like to check it out."
"Sounds fair to me," the sun agreed, and they pushed the door open and headed in. They strolled the aisles a while, looking at the collections of things; foods, clothing, toys and games, household things... The little store seemed to have anything and everything.
"Can I help you find anything today?" asked a voice from behind them as they looked through the aisles. They turned to see a young man dressed in khakis and an emerald polo, the shop's name emblazoned on the front. He looked to be barely out of his teens, and his voice, while pleasant, indicated clearly that he couldn't wait for his shift to be over.
"Oh, that's alright, we're just looking," both halves of Dara said at the same time.
"We?"
Ah- Had they said we? They didn't have much time to ponder it right now, but they supposed that yes, they were a we at this point. How many months had passed while they were stuck together like this? It had been a while, that much was certain.
"Oh, yeah, we," the sun intervened. "I'm here with my roommate, Luna-" They turned about, gesturing to... Nothing. "Oh, huh. Guess they wandered off." They shrugged. "Eh, they'll show up eventually. Anyway, we're okay for now. Thank you regardless."
"Alright," the man said. "I'll be up front by the registers, then. Holler if you need anything." And with that he turned around and walked off.
When he was out of earshot, the moon sighed. "Nice save," they whispered. "Thanks."
"No worries," the sun answered. "Now, let's see what sort of stuff they have, yeah?"
They browsed for a while, looking over the wares on the shelves (And diving behind one such display to hide when the silver glow appeared around them and they began to shift forms), before at last something caught their eye that the moon absolutely adored.
"Sol- Sol, look at that," they whispered, taking control to prop them up on their hind legs and place their paws on a shelf. On display was a cookware set made up of several pots and pans, spoons and ladles and spatulas, even a colander.
"Man, it's like a whole kitchen," the sun said.
"It's got everything!" It really didn't, but the moon's entheusiasm was abundantly clear. "Oh, Sol, you know how I was talking about mortals and how they prepare their foods a few weeks back, we have to get this! We simply must! I've got to try cooking like them while we're stuck here!"
"We've got no money," the sun pointed out.
The moon sighed. "Mmm, true..." they mused. "...But perhaps we could ask them about it regardless!"
"What- Luna, you can't just-"
"I'm going to try it! No harm in asking, yes?" And before the sun could do anything (not that it would have done much with their shared control at this point), they plopped back down on all fours and trotted up front. "Excuse me, sir!"
The young man yawned and looked up from where he was sitting at the register, and then, seeing nothing, shrugged and went back to flipping through the magazine he was reading.
"Um... Pardon me, down here," they said, propping themselves up on their hind legs and sticking a paw in the air.
"Hm?" He glanced over the counter and then jumped up. "Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there!" he exclaimed, voice suddenly changed into that customer service voice he'd put on earlier. "How can I help you this evening?"
"Not a problem at all, sir," the moon said, doing their best to sound polite and pleasant. "I was wondering, you see, how one might go about obtaining some of your wares when one has no currency with which to pay."
His smile faltered a bit for a moment. "I'm sorry, I think I may have missed some of that. Would you mind-"
"Yes, yes, of course! You see, we - My roommate and I, that is - we have no money. We were hoping to obtain some of your goods, however... Well, you can see where the difficulty lies. We can't simply take something off the shelves and bring it up here with a few coins and bills, you see. So we were wondering if we might be able to work out some alternate payment!"
The man kept smiling, though his eyes gave his true feelings away (and at this point it was really more of a grimace than a proper smile). "Um... I'm not sure we'd be able to... Ah... Let me just grab my manager, okay?"
"Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you!" the moon said, watching as he stepped out from behind the counter and headed towards the back of the store, rubbing his temple and mumbling something about how much he hated working retail under his breath.
"...You know that when his manager hears about this we're going to be kicked out of the store, correct?" the sun commented, leaning up against the counter.
"I mean, I'd like to try and look on the bright side. Something that I would hope you know well, being the sun and all."
"The whole sun is bright, Luna," they said. "I'm just being realistic."
"And I'm being optimistic!"
The sun sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be winning this battle until the manager themselves came out to see them.
"-could be stealing something right now, why would you leave them alone when they blatantly said they wanted our stuff but had no money? And there's two of them, too! They could easily just grab what they wanted while you ran out back to get me, are you serious? You should have at least brought them with you..." the manager's voice mumbled, ranting and raving under her breath, only stopping when she turned a corner and was trotting down the aisle towards the front of the store. "Yes, yes, hello, I'm here, how may I assist you?"
"Up here!" called the moon, waving a paw and leaning over towards the aisle to get a better look at this manager. It was... another Kalon? Her fur was a light sky blue, decorated with darker blue and purple diamonds and a golden hollow diamond-shaped shine on her tail. Her eyes were mismatched, one blue and one purple, while the fur on her head was blue with purple tips slicked upwards and back, and it led down to a purple mane running down her back towards her hindquarters. Though her fur was short and it gave her a slimmed down appearance, she was still a bit bigger than they were. "Thank you for coming out to see us- Er, me!"
"Yes, yes, not a problem at all- Oh!" Her ears perked up as she turned the corner and got a better look at them. "Oh, Jason hadn't mentioned that you were another Kalon! I was expecting a human." She flicked her tail and sat down. "I have to say, I love your tail! Is that made of mist? I can't say I've ever met a Kalon with a tail like that. It's quite pretty."
"Why, thank you!" said the moon. "Your coat is quite pleasing as well - It takes a lot of work to pull off that sort of asymmetry, I'm sure."
"Oh, it's nothing, really, I simply woke up like this. Combed my hair, of course, but the rest is all natural, really," she assured. Then her demeanor changed; still pleasant, but more serious. "Oh, but of course, we should be discussing business. You had a question for me?"
"Ah, yes. You see, a cookware set you have displayed a few aisles down caught my eye, and I was hoping to obtain one of my own... But you see, I have no money. I was wondering if there might be some sort of arrangement we could set up so that I might be able to get one?"
"Ah, right. Hm." She scrunched up her lips. "Well... Hm. That would be the tramotina set you were looking at, yes? Fairly inexpensive?"
"Yes, that sounds right... That's the dark grey one, right? I could walk you down to it-"
"Oh, no need, no need! I know exactly which one you're talking about." She paused for a moment, as if in thought, then nodded. "Let me guess; You're just out of high school, starting college away from home in a few weeks, and you and your roommate need a set of cookware so you can eat something other than dry cereal and cup ramen for every meal, but you haven't been able to find work, right?" Before they could respond, she continued. "No need to say anything, we've all been there before. Well, all of us who've gone to college, anyway. I'll tell you what." She turned and yelled down the aisle. "Jason! You're getting off early tonight, clock out and go home!"
"Thank god," the man called back in response from where he was arranging a shelf in the back of the store.
"Oh, yes, it's so awful having to work for a living, you poor baby." She rolled her eyes.
"It is when you have to work two jobs," he replied, pulling a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket and setting it on one of the shelves he'd been working on, where he quickly scribbled something on it.
"Maybe if you actually worked harder you'd get a raise!"
"With what money? We barely sell enough to keep the store open, it's a miracle I'm still getting paid for my work here," he half-joked, stuffing his timesheet back into the pocket he pulled it out of and heading up front by the door. "See you tomorrow. Don't go giving my job away, yeah?"
"No promises," the Kalon said as he headed out the door. She snickered as it closed behind him. "Anyway, there we go!" she smiled. "For tonight, I'll be your boss. You can call me Fay. I'll have you do some stocking and cleaning tonight, and your payment will be that cookware set. How does that sound?"
"Sounds wonderful!"
"Great! I'll take a bit to show you the ropes and let you get started, then."
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"I don't know how mortals manage to spend their lives like this," the sun complained as they carried the set of cookware down the quiet early morning street, heading back towards the hillside cave they'd come to know as home for the time being. "Always working, slaving away at such menial tasks, and for what? A bit of pocket change? A handful of coins for time in their lives they'll never get back, usually doing something either difficult or demeaning? Even this is little more than a pittance."
"Mmm, it's not the most glamorous life, is it?" the moon agreed. "It's unfortunate both society and nature expect so much from mortals while offering so little in return. One would think the value life is worth something, no matter what one does with it." They paused. "...Well, so long as they are not harming others."
"Agreed. It's almost tragic, in a way. Thank the gods we aren't in their positions for anything more than little luxuries like these, eh?"
"Indeed. I know I wouldn't want to spend hours of my life each day slaving away at tasks like those just to get by. Thank you for agreeing to this, by the way. I'm sorry it had to be in the evening. I would have done it myself-"
"Don't worry about it," said the sun. "Just try to repay me when you have the chance. Perhaps with a good meal cooked in one of these." He wiggled the box around for emphasis.
"Yes, of course," the moon assured. "I... don't suppose you know how to start a fire so we can actually cook, do you? I'd do it myself, but I've always been more of a cool, watery sort, what with my influence over the tides and whatnot. But you... Well, fire is sort of your element and all, yes?"
The sun rolled their eyes. "You could just say you don't know how to start a fire, you know."
"...It seemed like a simple sort of skill. I feel somewhat foolish admitting I don't know something that most intelligent creatures have been capable of since ancient times."
"It's fine. Everyone starts somewhere, yes? I'll teach you when we arrive." Then the sun began to slow a bit, and they closed their eyes and twitched their ears. Down a nearby alleyway, they heard a strumming music beginning to rise over the quiet dawn - A peddler playing their guitar on the streets of the little town, likely seeking out a bit of change with which to buy breakfast. "Mmm. Not an easy life, but perhaps more glamorous and fun than the job we worked tonight," they mused. "Shame we don't have any money to offer them. They play well."
"Ah, right. The Greeks and Romans associated you with both the sun and song, didn't they?" asked the moon. "I suppose it makes sense that you would appreciate even a simple tune like that."
The sun shrugged and chuckled a bit. "Apollo was an accurate representation of me in that sense, I'll admit. Never learned to play anything myself, being just a floating, burning orb in the sky and whatnot, but perhaps someday."
"Perhaps," the moon mused. "I could cook and you could play while we wait for our food to be done. It seems like a nice way of passing the time, I think."
"If we're to be stuck in this form together, I think I'd at least be satisfied with that." They stretched a bit and returned to their faster pace. "Well, let's be off. This fire won't start itself, and I'm quite interested in seeing what you manage to whip up."
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"You... You really purchased a guitar for me?" asked the sun. It was evening, just as they were beginning to take control for the night, when the moon had pulled it from the depths of their cave. "How did you get the money to do this? And without me noticing, no less?"
"I spent a few weeks working part-time at one of the stores in town, around noon when you aren't here enough to even speak. You agreed to work that night for the cooking set I was looking at; I figured I ought to do something like that for you, too," the moon answered. "I thought it would make for a nice surprise. We're even now."
It took a moment for the sun to reply. "...Thank you," they managed at last. "But... You do know I don't even know how to play, right? Not to sound ungrateful-"
"I thought of that as well. And so I signed us up for lessons. There's a man in town who teaches music theory and how to play various instruments as a side job. And he does it in the evenings, so it'll be all you! Well, all you in control. I'll just be listening in. Not a bad setup, eh?"
The sun chuckled. "I didn't exactly get you cooking lessons, though. So I guess now I owe you this time, right?"
The moon waved it off. "Don't worry about it. We're in this together, right? Consider it my way of saying 'truce.'"
The sun didn't know what to say at that - They'd spent so long at odds with each other, it was hard to imagine them getting along at all, let alone being pleasant to one another. But... "Truce, then. When we get back to our true forms, I'll let you be. And I'm sorry about the past."
"Hah, no worries, it happens. But thank you. I'll try not to give you so much crap from then on, too."
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It was many months, perhaps even years, later when the sun and moon once more rose in the sky together. The mortals had been saying for some time now that there would be another eclipse. When the morning came, Dara came forth from their cave wielding a guitar in one paw and a hot iron pan cooking fish in their other one. They sat on the hill above their cave, playing their music and munching on their food, waiting for the eclipse.
The new moon began to cover the sun, slowly, and Dara said their goodbyes. They'd come together after an eclipse, and so it only made sense that they would part during one as well.
"It's been... It's odd saying this, but it's been nice spending this time with you. It was weird at first, and I'll be honest, I absolutely hated you when we first came together like this, but I'm glad we did."
"Agreed. It was nice getting to know you properly. It'll be almost weird going back to the way we were before," they laughed. "I'm going to miss playing music and eating your food. You were a natural chef, really."
"And you were the most skilled musician I've met in our short time here. I hope when we next cross paths in the sky, we'll do it as friends."
"We will. I'm sure of it."
Dara nodded and closed their eyes, looking to the sky and feeling the breeze in their fur. And then they laid down in the grass next to their guitar and their pan and slept as the moon covered the sun.
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The evening rain was gentle on their fur. They stretched and yawned, enjoying the feeling of grass on one size and mist on-
Wait. We've done this before, haven't we?
Dara rose and looked down upon themselves, and let out a soft, "Huh." They looked about. On one side sat their guitar - On the other sat their pan. "Seems... The eclipse did nothing. We're still stuck like this."
"...Huh. Well, isn't that something?" their other half commented. They paused. Then, after a few minutes of silence, gazing around at the sky and the horizon and the earth, they said, "You know, I don't think I mind a while longer here with you."
"There is a lot to this world that we haven't experienced," they admitted. Then they smiled. "I suppose, if we're here, with all this time to see this world, there's nobody I would rather do it with."
"I couldn't agree more." And they gathered up their things and flew down to their cave to prepare. There was still a lot to see and do on Earth, the world that they had guided through the sky all day and night for so many years. Might as well take the opportunity to experience it all.
Perhaps this life the ancient gods had given them wasn't a curse after all.
Dara
::Gender::
Genderfluid (Demimale (Moon form, incarnation of the sun); Demifemale (Sun form, incarnation of the moon))
::Size::
Around the size of an average housecat.
::Age::
Unknown (Young adult)
::Powers::
Immortal and ageless (Though they can be injured temporarily)
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::The Change::
Each evening at sunset, Dara is cloaked in a swirling silver light like that of the moon. It starts out small and dim, but quickly grows brighter and envelops them completely. When it fades, their golden fur is dark as night. In the morning, as the sun rises, the same happens, but gold like the sun, dyeing their fur the light tones of day.
Initially, they hated their being together and believed this form and the immortality it holds to be a curse from the old gods as punishment for their warring, with each blaming the other for this divine retribution. As time went on, however, and they began to learn about each other more personally, they began to accept and even appreciate the life that they were given, eventually even considering it something of a gift - A strange one, but a gift nonetheless. In truth, it was something in the middle of the two thought processes; it was a punishment, but one designed to make the two come together and learn to appreciate one another, causing them to cease their fighting. And though it took some time, it worked.
The story below details events in their lives after this change, and how their views on their new form and each other changed over time.
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The evening rain was gentle on their fur. They stretched and yawned, enjoying the feeling of grass on one size and mist on the other.
Wait... Rain? And grass? And fur?
The Kalon leapt up, shock and horror on their face. They stood atop a grassy hill, the clouds overhead only just barely revealing the setting sun to the west.
Oh, gods and goddesses, what has happened? Where am I? they thought. "Hello?" they cried, turning about aimlessly. "Is anyone there? Oh, please help! I've fallen from the sky - Please, I must get back!"
A voice muttered in their mind, Must you be so loud all the time? It was familiar, and the Kalon grimaced.
"You! What have you done to me?! Come out here, coward! Show yourself!"
They rose to their feet. "Yes, yes, I'm here," the moon said. Then they gasped as it struck them. "My voice... Sol, what have you done?!"
"What have I done?! What have you done?!" the sun demanded. "How dare you?! Your cursed powers - You dare to reach out to me and turn me into this?!"
"My powers?! You are the one whose terrible light touched me and turned me into this golden beast!" the moon exclaimed.
"I did no such thing!"
"Then explain this form, o radiant fool!"
"Explain it to me, you shade-and-silver-cloaked demon!"
As they bickered and fought, the sun sank below the horizon, and their body, cloaked in a silvery light, changed. Where their golden fur once was was now gone, and the shadows of night now tinted their form inky blacks and blues instead.
"It is your childish fighting that did this to us!" the moon shouted, their voice now high and cool with the tones of night.
"What a repulsive form," the sun complained. "And how dare you pin the blame in this on me? I have done nothing to warrant this!"
"Repulsive? It's better than your gaudy light, that much is certain!" the moon snapped. "You've cursed us!"
"Why would I ever curse us both?! Why would I wish to trap myself in this hideous form with you?! This is your doing!"
"The feeling is mutual! To be trapped like this with you... Ugh! This is your fault! The old gods must have cursed us both for your childish warring!"
"Do not act like you've done nothing wrong!"
"I haven't!"
"If that's true, then neither have I!"
"Oh, go choke!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
And the Kalon was silent once more.
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It was some weeks later before they finally spoke again. As the sun gazed longingly at the horizon as the first rays of light peeked over the hills, the moon spoke up.
"We need a name," they said.
"I have a name," the sun replied. "Many of them. Sol, Helios, Apollo, Ra, Amaterasu-"
"Yes, and I will not be taking any of them."
"The feeling is mutual towards your names. Isn't one of them Tsukiyomi or some nonsense? Are you even male?"
"It is not nonsense, it is merely a title that I have been given. And unlike some of us, I appreciate those who can see my strength, beauty, and importance, no matter how they may choose to represent me."
"Yeah, yeah, you're sooo good and sooo pure and sooo perfect, blah blah blah. I'm still not taking your names, and I have no plans to share my own with you."
"Then we need a different name."
"I like my names."
"Well, like it or not, you are no longer the sun and I am no longer the moon. We are stuck like this and will take another name together."
The sun scoffed. "As though I will take any name you choose."
"Then we will find a third party to choose for us."
"Whatever. I'm still the sun. Nobody will change that or take that from me."
The moon sighed. "We're stuck like this, Sol. We have to learn to work together. I don't like it either, but at least I'm making an attempt. The least you could do is try to do the same."
"...Fine. We will seek someone to give this form a name tomorrow evening."
"I can accept that."
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It took them some time to find a name they agreed upon, but at last they came to a decision - This form would be given the name Dara, a unisex name meaning star. It was fitting enough - The sun is a star, after all, but most stars shine brightest alongside the moon at night. It was the closest thing to common ground they could find.
After that, the sun and moon returned to their mostly-silent togetherness for some time yet. It was an uneasy quiet, but tensions had lowered a bit, and though it was hard to admit, they supposed they were grateful for that.
"...Do you think this form needs to eat?" the sun asked one day.
"It's been two full lunar cycles since we awoke. If we needed to eat, we would be dead by now," the moon replied.
"...Do you think we can eat?"
"I... Why would I know that? I would suppose so, given that we are in the body of a Kalon, but-"
"I'd like to try eating."
"Hm. Look at you, trying new things."
"Is it wrong of me to try and make the best of an unfortunate circumstance?"
"I suppose not," the moon answered, rising up from where they lay on the ground. "Kalons, from what I've seen, consume primarily fruits, fish, nuts and insects-"
"I am not eating bugs. I may have been forced into a weak and ill-fitting form, but I will not stoop that low."
"Well, I'm glad we're on the same page about that, at least," the moon agreed, stretching and flapping their wings. "There is a river nearby; We'll fly down there and see if we can't spot a school of fish we can snatch up for a snack. The sun has nearly set, so be prepared to take over so we don't fall from the sky or drown."
"Yes, yes; I'm not stupid, you know."
"It's rather hard to tell sometimes," the moon teased, flapping strongly downwards and taking off into the sky.
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So, asked the moon, now quiet within their mind, what do you think?
"This whole eating thing... It's not bad, really," said the sun.
Mmm, yes, I can see why some creatures make a habit of eating even when they don't need to. Your thoughts on the fish?
"That fish with the pinkish flesh... What did you say it was called again?"
Salmon.
"Right, right salmon. Yeah, the salmon was good. Probably my favorite of the bunch. A good, Hearty, meaty flavor. Not overpowering, but noticeable. I appreciate it."
Huh. I'm surprised you prefer a darker fish, the moon mused. I mean, isn't lightness and airiness your whole deal, being the sun and all?
"I suppose I'm not all you thought I was," answered the sun with a chuckle. "I imagine, therefore, that you favor the salmon as well, with your whole dark heavy rock thing?"
Actually, I think I prefer the trout, the moon replied. It's lighter, a more delicate sort of flavor. I imagine some fresh green herbs and lemon would do it wonders when cooked.
"Cooking, you say? You speak like you're familiar with it yourself."
Not personally, intimately familiar with the process, no. But I always was closer to Earth than you, at least in a physical sense, so I've sometimes seen the people of this planet preparing their foods in various ways. Slathering them in batter and frying them in oil, wrapping them in foil and baking them over a fire, mixing together spices to make seasonings to rub over meats and the like; It's an interesting concept, really. I imagine they all create quite different outcomes and flavors, all best suited for different things. And each culture on this planet prepares their food differently. Some prefer to match their foods... You know, light with light, sweet with sweet, savory with savory, salty with salty, or so I've heard them say. But then others seem to mix together all sorts of things with all sorts of different flavors and create a cacophony of tastes.
"You seem to have put a lot of thought into this."
You have much time to observe when you're locked in orbit around a planet, I suppose.
"Fair enough," the sun admitted, stretching out their wings. "You said Kalons eat fruit as well, correct? Perhaps we could seek some of those out as well."
Don't be a glutton, the moon jabbed, laughing gently in their mind. I believe some miles away there's an orchard with apple trees and fields of bushes covered in berries, and even a few grape vines. I doubt the owners will notice if we pop in during the night for a small snack, yes?
"I'll fly us there if you tell me where to go."
This cooperation between the two... It wasn't half bad.
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It was some time later when they at last decided that they should take the opportunity with these new forms to explore the world of mortals and get to know the planet and people they had provided for for so long in person. That evening they strolled through the cobblestone streets of a small town, listening to the people and Kalons chatter, before at last coming to a stop at a small store that seemed to have bits and pieces of everything on display in the windows.
"This place seems interesting," the moon mused. "I think I'd like to check it out."
"Sounds fair to me," the sun agreed, and they pushed the door open and headed in. They strolled the aisles a while, looking at the collections of things; foods, clothing, toys and games, household things... The little store seemed to have anything and everything.
"Can I help you find anything today?" asked a voice from behind them as they looked through the aisles. They turned to see a young man dressed in khakis and an emerald polo, the shop's name emblazoned on the front. He looked to be barely out of his teens, and his voice, while pleasant, indicated clearly that he couldn't wait for his shift to be over.
"Oh, that's alright, we're just looking," both halves of Dara said at the same time.
"We?"
Ah- Had they said we? They didn't have much time to ponder it right now, but they supposed that yes, they were a we at this point. How many months had passed while they were stuck together like this? It had been a while, that much was certain.
"Oh, yeah, we," the sun intervened. "I'm here with my roommate, Luna-" They turned about, gesturing to... Nothing. "Oh, huh. Guess they wandered off." They shrugged. "Eh, they'll show up eventually. Anyway, we're okay for now. Thank you regardless."
"Alright," the man said. "I'll be up front by the registers, then. Holler if you need anything." And with that he turned around and walked off.
When he was out of earshot, the moon sighed. "Nice save," they whispered. "Thanks."
"No worries," the sun answered. "Now, let's see what sort of stuff they have, yeah?"
They browsed for a while, looking over the wares on the shelves (And diving behind one such display to hide when the silver glow appeared around them and they began to shift forms), before at last something caught their eye that the moon absolutely adored.
"Sol- Sol, look at that," they whispered, taking control to prop them up on their hind legs and place their paws on a shelf. On display was a cookware set made up of several pots and pans, spoons and ladles and spatulas, even a colander.
"Man, it's like a whole kitchen," the sun said.
"It's got everything!" It really didn't, but the moon's entheusiasm was abundantly clear. "Oh, Sol, you know how I was talking about mortals and how they prepare their foods a few weeks back, we have to get this! We simply must! I've got to try cooking like them while we're stuck here!"
"We've got no money," the sun pointed out.
The moon sighed. "Mmm, true..." they mused. "...But perhaps we could ask them about it regardless!"
"What- Luna, you can't just-"
"I'm going to try it! No harm in asking, yes?" And before the sun could do anything (not that it would have done much with their shared control at this point), they plopped back down on all fours and trotted up front. "Excuse me, sir!"
The young man yawned and looked up from where he was sitting at the register, and then, seeing nothing, shrugged and went back to flipping through the magazine he was reading.
"Um... Pardon me, down here," they said, propping themselves up on their hind legs and sticking a paw in the air.
"Hm?" He glanced over the counter and then jumped up. "Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there!" he exclaimed, voice suddenly changed into that customer service voice he'd put on earlier. "How can I help you this evening?"
"Not a problem at all, sir," the moon said, doing their best to sound polite and pleasant. "I was wondering, you see, how one might go about obtaining some of your wares when one has no currency with which to pay."
His smile faltered a bit for a moment. "I'm sorry, I think I may have missed some of that. Would you mind-"
"Yes, yes, of course! You see, we - My roommate and I, that is - we have no money. We were hoping to obtain some of your goods, however... Well, you can see where the difficulty lies. We can't simply take something off the shelves and bring it up here with a few coins and bills, you see. So we were wondering if we might be able to work out some alternate payment!"
The man kept smiling, though his eyes gave his true feelings away (and at this point it was really more of a grimace than a proper smile). "Um... I'm not sure we'd be able to... Ah... Let me just grab my manager, okay?"
"Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you!" the moon said, watching as he stepped out from behind the counter and headed towards the back of the store, rubbing his temple and mumbling something about how much he hated working retail under his breath.
"...You know that when his manager hears about this we're going to be kicked out of the store, correct?" the sun commented, leaning up against the counter.
"I mean, I'd like to try and look on the bright side. Something that I would hope you know well, being the sun and all."
"The whole sun is bright, Luna," they said. "I'm just being realistic."
"And I'm being optimistic!"
The sun sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be winning this battle until the manager themselves came out to see them.
"-could be stealing something right now, why would you leave them alone when they blatantly said they wanted our stuff but had no money? And there's two of them, too! They could easily just grab what they wanted while you ran out back to get me, are you serious? You should have at least brought them with you..." the manager's voice mumbled, ranting and raving under her breath, only stopping when she turned a corner and was trotting down the aisle towards the front of the store. "Yes, yes, hello, I'm here, how may I assist you?"
"Up here!" called the moon, waving a paw and leaning over towards the aisle to get a better look at this manager. It was... another Kalon? Her fur was a light sky blue, decorated with darker blue and purple diamonds and a golden hollow diamond-shaped shine on her tail. Her eyes were mismatched, one blue and one purple, while the fur on her head was blue with purple tips slicked upwards and back, and it led down to a purple mane running down her back towards her hindquarters. Though her fur was short and it gave her a slimmed down appearance, she was still a bit bigger than they were. "Thank you for coming out to see us- Er, me!"
"Yes, yes, not a problem at all- Oh!" Her ears perked up as she turned the corner and got a better look at them. "Oh, Jason hadn't mentioned that you were another Kalon! I was expecting a human." She flicked her tail and sat down. "I have to say, I love your tail! Is that made of mist? I can't say I've ever met a Kalon with a tail like that. It's quite pretty."
"Why, thank you!" said the moon. "Your coat is quite pleasing as well - It takes a lot of work to pull off that sort of asymmetry, I'm sure."
"Oh, it's nothing, really, I simply woke up like this. Combed my hair, of course, but the rest is all natural, really," she assured. Then her demeanor changed; still pleasant, but more serious. "Oh, but of course, we should be discussing business. You had a question for me?"
"Ah, yes. You see, a cookware set you have displayed a few aisles down caught my eye, and I was hoping to obtain one of my own... But you see, I have no money. I was wondering if there might be some sort of arrangement we could set up so that I might be able to get one?"
"Ah, right. Hm." She scrunched up her lips. "Well... Hm. That would be the tramotina set you were looking at, yes? Fairly inexpensive?"
"Yes, that sounds right... That's the dark grey one, right? I could walk you down to it-"
"Oh, no need, no need! I know exactly which one you're talking about." She paused for a moment, as if in thought, then nodded. "Let me guess; You're just out of high school, starting college away from home in a few weeks, and you and your roommate need a set of cookware so you can eat something other than dry cereal and cup ramen for every meal, but you haven't been able to find work, right?" Before they could respond, she continued. "No need to say anything, we've all been there before. Well, all of us who've gone to college, anyway. I'll tell you what." She turned and yelled down the aisle. "Jason! You're getting off early tonight, clock out and go home!"
"Thank god," the man called back in response from where he was arranging a shelf in the back of the store.
"Oh, yes, it's so awful having to work for a living, you poor baby." She rolled her eyes.
"It is when you have to work two jobs," he replied, pulling a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket and setting it on one of the shelves he'd been working on, where he quickly scribbled something on it.
"Maybe if you actually worked harder you'd get a raise!"
"With what money? We barely sell enough to keep the store open, it's a miracle I'm still getting paid for my work here," he half-joked, stuffing his timesheet back into the pocket he pulled it out of and heading up front by the door. "See you tomorrow. Don't go giving my job away, yeah?"
"No promises," the Kalon said as he headed out the door. She snickered as it closed behind him. "Anyway, there we go!" she smiled. "For tonight, I'll be your boss. You can call me Fay. I'll have you do some stocking and cleaning tonight, and your payment will be that cookware set. How does that sound?"
"Sounds wonderful!"
"Great! I'll take a bit to show you the ropes and let you get started, then."
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"I don't know how mortals manage to spend their lives like this," the sun complained as they carried the set of cookware down the quiet early morning street, heading back towards the hillside cave they'd come to know as home for the time being. "Always working, slaving away at such menial tasks, and for what? A bit of pocket change? A handful of coins for time in their lives they'll never get back, usually doing something either difficult or demeaning? Even this is little more than a pittance."
"Mmm, it's not the most glamorous life, is it?" the moon agreed. "It's unfortunate both society and nature expect so much from mortals while offering so little in return. One would think the value life is worth something, no matter what one does with it." They paused. "...Well, so long as they are not harming others."
"Agreed. It's almost tragic, in a way. Thank the gods we aren't in their positions for anything more than little luxuries like these, eh?"
"Indeed. I know I wouldn't want to spend hours of my life each day slaving away at tasks like those just to get by. Thank you for agreeing to this, by the way. I'm sorry it had to be in the evening. I would have done it myself-"
"Don't worry about it," said the sun. "Just try to repay me when you have the chance. Perhaps with a good meal cooked in one of these." He wiggled the box around for emphasis.
"Yes, of course," the moon assured. "I... don't suppose you know how to start a fire so we can actually cook, do you? I'd do it myself, but I've always been more of a cool, watery sort, what with my influence over the tides and whatnot. But you... Well, fire is sort of your element and all, yes?"
The sun rolled their eyes. "You could just say you don't know how to start a fire, you know."
"...It seemed like a simple sort of skill. I feel somewhat foolish admitting I don't know something that most intelligent creatures have been capable of since ancient times."
"It's fine. Everyone starts somewhere, yes? I'll teach you when we arrive." Then the sun began to slow a bit, and they closed their eyes and twitched their ears. Down a nearby alleyway, they heard a strumming music beginning to rise over the quiet dawn - A peddler playing their guitar on the streets of the little town, likely seeking out a bit of change with which to buy breakfast. "Mmm. Not an easy life, but perhaps more glamorous and fun than the job we worked tonight," they mused. "Shame we don't have any money to offer them. They play well."
"Ah, right. The Greeks and Romans associated you with both the sun and song, didn't they?" asked the moon. "I suppose it makes sense that you would appreciate even a simple tune like that."
The sun shrugged and chuckled a bit. "Apollo was an accurate representation of me in that sense, I'll admit. Never learned to play anything myself, being just a floating, burning orb in the sky and whatnot, but perhaps someday."
"Perhaps," the moon mused. "I could cook and you could play while we wait for our food to be done. It seems like a nice way of passing the time, I think."
"If we're to be stuck in this form together, I think I'd at least be satisfied with that." They stretched a bit and returned to their faster pace. "Well, let's be off. This fire won't start itself, and I'm quite interested in seeing what you manage to whip up."
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"You... You really purchased a guitar for me?" asked the sun. It was evening, just as they were beginning to take control for the night, when the moon had pulled it from the depths of their cave. "How did you get the money to do this? And without me noticing, no less?"
"I spent a few weeks working part-time at one of the stores in town, around noon when you aren't here enough to even speak. You agreed to work that night for the cooking set I was looking at; I figured I ought to do something like that for you, too," the moon answered. "I thought it would make for a nice surprise. We're even now."
It took a moment for the sun to reply. "...Thank you," they managed at last. "But... You do know I don't even know how to play, right? Not to sound ungrateful-"
"I thought of that as well. And so I signed us up for lessons. There's a man in town who teaches music theory and how to play various instruments as a side job. And he does it in the evenings, so it'll be all you! Well, all you in control. I'll just be listening in. Not a bad setup, eh?"
The sun chuckled. "I didn't exactly get you cooking lessons, though. So I guess now I owe you this time, right?"
The moon waved it off. "Don't worry about it. We're in this together, right? Consider it my way of saying 'truce.'"
The sun didn't know what to say at that - They'd spent so long at odds with each other, it was hard to imagine them getting along at all, let alone being pleasant to one another. But... "Truce, then. When we get back to our true forms, I'll let you be. And I'm sorry about the past."
"Hah, no worries, it happens. But thank you. I'll try not to give you so much crap from then on, too."
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It was many months, perhaps even years, later when the sun and moon once more rose in the sky together. The mortals had been saying for some time now that there would be another eclipse. When the morning came, Dara came forth from their cave wielding a guitar in one paw and a hot iron pan cooking fish in their other one. They sat on the hill above their cave, playing their music and munching on their food, waiting for the eclipse.
The new moon began to cover the sun, slowly, and Dara said their goodbyes. They'd come together after an eclipse, and so it only made sense that they would part during one as well.
"It's been... It's odd saying this, but it's been nice spending this time with you. It was weird at first, and I'll be honest, I absolutely hated you when we first came together like this, but I'm glad we did."
"Agreed. It was nice getting to know you properly. It'll be almost weird going back to the way we were before," they laughed. "I'm going to miss playing music and eating your food. You were a natural chef, really."
"And you were the most skilled musician I've met in our short time here. I hope when we next cross paths in the sky, we'll do it as friends."
"We will. I'm sure of it."
Dara nodded and closed their eyes, looking to the sky and feeling the breeze in their fur. And then they laid down in the grass next to their guitar and their pan and slept as the moon covered the sun.
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The evening rain was gentle on their fur. They stretched and yawned, enjoying the feeling of grass on one size and mist on-
Wait. We've done this before, haven't we?
Dara rose and looked down upon themselves, and let out a soft, "Huh." They looked about. On one side sat their guitar - On the other sat their pan. "Seems... The eclipse did nothing. We're still stuck like this."
"...Huh. Well, isn't that something?" their other half commented. They paused. Then, after a few minutes of silence, gazing around at the sky and the horizon and the earth, they said, "You know, I don't think I mind a while longer here with you."
"There is a lot to this world that we haven't experienced," they admitted. Then they smiled. "I suppose, if we're here, with all this time to see this world, there's nobody I would rather do it with."
"I couldn't agree more." And they gathered up their things and flew down to their cave to prepare. There was still a lot to see and do on Earth, the world that they had guided through the sky all day and night for so many years. Might as well take the opportunity to experience it all.
Perhaps this life the ancient gods had given them wasn't a curse after all.
