Notes:

Here it is, a story I've been wanting to work on for years - Sun/Moon! Though I thought giving the title "The Sun and the Moon" would be a bit silly, so I opted for something a little dramatic. But still kinda silly.

The King and Queen are original characters. There will be one more OC, dear ol' Millicent, who you'll see later. Also, for a bit of fun, when I picture the Sun Kingdom, I hear the song Like An Eagle from the musical Bombay Dreams.

Big Thanks to:

Ames, who helped me create this world and its traditions.

Widdlez, who helped come up with outfit designs along with additional concepts.

Elera and Lies for their support and friendship.

Drucilla and BlueShifted for editing and teaching me new writing tips.

Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms – the Kingdom of the Sun, and the Kingdom of the Moon, each named for the celestial divinity they once worshiped. They lived side by side for many years, and during all that time they were at war. Some say it started because of the belief that the Sun or the Moon was better than the other. Others speculate each kingdom loathed to see anyone different exist. There must have been a reason for the war to begin, but as so much time passed, people forgot what it was. It came to be that the people of the Sun and the Moon hated each other simply because that was what you were supposed to do.

It is possible this war could have gone on until there were no people left. But on one particularly bloody day of battle, a great spirit rose above them. The people of the Sun thought it was their god, the Phoenix. The people of the Moon thought it was their god, the Rabbit. The all-mighty spirit spoke to everyone.

"I have grown sick of your war," it said. "You fight in my name, yet never have I asked you to lift your weapons. From this day forward, you will never fight each other again." it raised its arms, and summoned a gigantic forest, forcibly separating the two kingdoms. Then it waved to the kingdoms and bestowed a special gift to both. "And here I shall make you a promise. I will give you these talismans of ultimate power. Use them wisely to rule your lands. But should you ever use these talismans to cause harm to one another...I shall return, and all of those hearts filled with hate shall be destroyed."

With his promise echoing in their ears, the people watched the mighty spirit vanish. The kingdoms were in awe, yet also frightened of what they had witnessed. They retreated to their lands, and hastily decided they would do all in their power to prevent another war. So it was that each territory was declared forbidden to the other. Even today, one soul touching the land that does not belong to him could be the start of another battle...

"... of course, should such another battle happen, we would be well prepared." The young man thought this was obvious, but he was a teacher. It was his duty to explain absolutely everything. So he arched his back and picked up a worn down piece of chalk, talking as he began to draw on the large stone display. "As you know, those of the Sun Kingdom have a natural affinity with fire. With time, patience, and precision, we can control fire with our bodies. Those who have been taught and mastered the ways of fire are given this symbol." Here he paused, squinting at the design outlined in white, not entirely sure he'd gotten it down perfectly. "...Goofy, turn around and let me see your back."

"Huh?" The bodyguard was seated on the floor, spear propped up against a chair, and clearly hadn't paid attention to a thing the tutor said. Like most males of the Sun, his attire consisted of only his orange pants and loose sandals hanging off his big feet. As a result, it was easy to see the reason he'd been so distracted – several large fruits half-eaten in his hands, dripping their juices onto the floor. It took him a good, long moment to realize he'd been caught, and when it finally clicked, he sheepishly tried to hide the remains behind his back. "Uh... what can I do for ya, Horace?"

Horace Horsecollar let out a long, familiar groan. Normally he prided himself on his appearance, but for now he didn't care that white chalk dust had started to gather on his red robes – unlike Goofy, he had an official uniform, though 'uniform' was a stretch of the word. All tutors of Sun royalty wore rich red robes that looped over one shoulder, with loosely stitched images of scrolls and old fashioned letters. When Horace finished rubbing his face in agitation, he turned to the real culprit. "Your highness, how many times have I told you not to bring food to your lessons?"

Prince Michael Mouse was sitting on the rickety wooden chair that was far taller than he was, cheerfully chowing down on a ripe melon, his orange fur getting sticky. Unlike Goofy, he took no shame in his actions, loudly licking his lips. "I dunno," he finally replied, rubbing his wet mouth on the sleeve of his open citrus tunic. As a royal, Michael had the choice of wearing whatever he pleased. Often that matched with what the commoners wore, the same baggy pants and sandals as Goofy. His only stretch of creativity was a tunic that he had long since grown out of, showing off his fit chest and his small belly. "A million? A billion?" The prince paused, then turned to his canine companion. "Say, which is bigger? A million or a billion?"

Goofy gave this some genuine thought, but shrugged his shoulders soon after. "Gee, I dunno either, Mickey. Horace, which is bigger?"

Horace irritability snatched the melon from Mickey's fingers. "And I've told you not to call him that! What is the point of talking to either of you when you don't listen!"

Personally, Mickey preferred the nickname. With an mischievous grin, he held up his hand. "Does that mean you won't gimmie any more lessons?"

Horace dropped the melon onto the floor, and then wiped what little mess he had made on his attire. "What kind of ruler do you expect to be if you don't learn your history? It is my job to turn you into a man as great as King Solaris, and I will make that happen, no matter how many miracles I need. And today, you will not be running away!" With a triumphant expression, he pointed towards the once open windows on the opposite end of the room.

The Sun kingdom's buildings were made of clay and other materials of the land, giving them a dry brown color. Glass was seen as a wasteful object and so the windows of the buildings were merely large open holes in the walls. The room Horace used for teaching had two such windows, but today they had been blocked by several planks of wood that had been sealed into the walls. Mickey could not even count how many planks had been used, as they lapped over one another. It explained why the once source of light in the room was a vibrant torch stuck in two corners of the room.

"I had help from the army." Horace smugly explained, crossing his arms as he recounted his brilliance. "They spent all night working on the windows to make them tight and secure. Not even Goofy can break them!"

Mickey whistled, rather impressed. "It sure does look pretty sturdy." Yet he did not sound disappointed. "You must've spent a lot of time tryin' to think of ways to stop me from runnin' out." When Horace's back was turned, he lightly tapped Goofy's shoulder, whispering a quick order under his long flappy ears.

"I spent a whole week on this idea." Horace replied, now taking his time to literally draw out his thinking process. "It's well of you to notice, your highness. You see, first I thought of plugging something into the windows, but then I wondered if it could just be pulled out. Then I had to factor the sturdiness of the walls, the material it was made with, the time it needed, Goofy's weight and muscle mass..."

"Bet you never took in the entrance."

Horace blinked, startled by the interruption. "The entrance? Of course, I can't block the entrance, how else would we enter and leave – DON'T YOU DARE!"

It was too late. Mickey and Goofy had already ran for the open entrance – like glass, doors were seen as a waste of time, so only long thin curtains hung from open sections of the walls. Horace attempted to give chase, but tripped over the fruit Goofy had quietly tossed in front of his feet. By the time the tutor got up and squeezed the juice out of his robes, the duo was long gone.

Within minutes, the prince and his bodyguard were outside the palace and into the heart of the Sun Kingdom. Though Mickey was laughing uproariously, none of the villagers paid this noise any mind. The merchants selling their wares and the children playing in the streets had become accustomed to Mickey's escapes. Most merely gave him a passing wave or a respectful nod of the head before returning to their ordinary lives.

"I can't believe Horace thought he could pull one over on me!" Mickey hooted, strolling down a dusty pathway. "He should be the one takin' lessons! And lesson number one is that you can't cage me!"

"That was real clever of you, Mickey." Goofy walked by Mickey's side, the spear now gently held in his stained fingers. "But...I thought you brought the food 'cause we were gunna stay in for the lessons t'day."

"...well. we were," Mickey drew in a quick breath through his nostrils, picking up the pace as they turned a corner. Though anyways most people didn't pay attention, today he was making special effort to become unnoticed. He lowered his voice, didn't meet anyone's eyes, and guided his feet so he never had to walk around or in front of his people. "...but last night, before I went to bed, I looked out over the kingdom. And I saw a big wagon headin' towards the scroll shop. I think my special package might be there today." Then, unable to help himself, he added, "But I kept the food so we could still pull one on Horace."

Goofy scratched the top of his head, momentarily confused as to why this would be so important. It wasn't until his eyes met the sky that the answer became obvious. "Oooh! Ya mean those super special paintings you ordered from-"

"SHUSHSHUSHSHUSH!" The prince whipped around, hopping up so he could yank down on his bodyguard's ears, bringing him down to eye level. "It's a secret, do you remember that too?"

"Whoops! Sorry."

Mickey rolled his eyes and released his hold on Goofy. He decided for the sake of secrets staying secrets that another word would not be passed between them until they arrived at their destination. The scroll shop had seen better days, but in this modern world, many were no longer interested in reading. Better stories could be told from mouths and movements. The once grand building was now lopsided in age, and only one man could be spotted inside. He was old, with a curve to his spine and his beard as crinkly as the scrolls he no longer sold. He didn't look surprised to see these particular customers entering his shop. The only ones who ever came to him anymore were the prince and his guard.

The shopkeeper lowered his head in respect. "May the Phoenix bless you always, your Highness. Seeing you both keeps me young."

Mickey checked and double-checked that no one had followed him here. Once he was assured they were all alone, he stuck a hand into his tunic and pulled out a cloth satchel that jingled with coins. "I, uh, don't suppose I'm too early?" His once proud voice was now a tight-held plea, hoping beyond hope that he had been right.

The old man chuckled softly, turning towards the back stairs. "Perhaps you have the gift of foresight, good prince. Yes, your... unusual request is here. They're all downstairs-"

He wasn't given an opportunity to finish, before Mickey thrust the satchel into the old man's hand and began to race down the stairs. Goofy blinked twice before slowly following along, clicking his tongue to his teeth. The shopkeeper came as well, dragging his cane along every step. "You have known him since his birth, Goofy. Do you understand this obsession he has?"

"Can't say I do." Goofy replied simply with a shrug of one shoulder. "He's been like this long as I've known him. Most nights he stays up late starin' at the moon. Doesn't make a peep neither."

Down below, three long, wrapped up scrolls waited on a bare table. The only light in the barren room was a single dying torch held fast to the wall. Mickey slowed as he approached the table, and as he came to the first scroll, his touch became meticulous and gentle, as if the paper would turn to dust should he make the wrong move. He took his time to unwrap the scroll, and he spread it across the table.

"I remember when he first came to me with this order." The old man said, needing Goofy's assistance to get down the last two steps. "Yes, two years ago, I believe it was. He wanted to know what the Princess of the Moon looked like." He glanced at Goofy, wondering if he understood any of it at all. "I do get the occasional request like this...curious youngsters who don't know any better, and want to learn about the Moon Kingdom...and it is true, that the last we knew of the Moons, they did have a princess."

Goofy merely nodded along, unsure of what to add. Mickey had not made a sound, save for his hand delicately trailing along the paper's design. It was true that the last contact anyone had with the Moon Kingdom was during the final battle of the Great War, which was eighteen years ago. It had been noted that the Queen of the Moon was there, her belly full with child. Her husband has been slain in battle, so she was there in his place. Those who had been on the battlefield said she resembled the moon, and no doubt her future child would as well.

Thus what Mickey had before him were the interpretations of what such a young girl would look like. Several secret artists had been paid to give their ideas of what a woman who resembled the moon would look like. One such sketch took her as a crater of the moon, with dark skin and wide features, able to swallow you whole with one look. Another played with the waning and waxing of the moon, suggesting she could be either thin or whole depending on what angle you looked at. She could be tall, she could be short, she could have muscles or be dainty as the wind, she could hide behind mountains of hair or have a face that stuck out like a sore thumb. No one was quite sure. But then, no one cared like Mickey did.

"He did try to explain it to me, once." Goofy offered, taking a seat on the last step. "He said the moon was real beautiful. That since you could see it even when the sun was out, it was like you were never alone." He shrugged again.

The elder clicked his tongue. "He should be mindful of who he says that to. Many would see it as sacrilege."

Mickey wasn't listening to their conversation, yet he wished he could explain it himself. He did not have the words to express his feelings. The Sun Kingdom was full of hot colors, always alive and always noisy and always on edge. But the moon was quiet and peaceful. The soft gray always put him at ease. One could not look at the Sun without damaging their eyes, but you were always welcome to gaze upon the Moon. It was a welcome jewel in the sky.

Was the Moon Princess the same way? Was she someone you could relax with, a precious bauble that welcomed you with open arms? He longed to know. He didn't know why others did not share this same passion. So Mickey was content to stay, memorizing the girl who was so far away. Perhaps he could have been lost there for hours.

"YOUR HIGHNESS, WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, I WILL DANCE IN YOUR ASHES!"

"Aw, nuts," Mickey huffed, recognizing Horace's threatening scream. "That guy's gettin' wise to me." He quickly rolled up the first scroll and then grabbed all three. "C'mon, Goofy, maybe we can make it to Panchito's bar."

Goofy stood to attention and the old man simply stepped aside to let Mickey jog past. "I'll see you again in two weeks time, no doubt." He chuckled, more than used to these antics. Goofy nodded politely once before joining his superior.

They made it back to the streets, where Horace was yelling similarly murderous intentions into every building, in case Mickey and Goofy were hiding there. The villagers waved him on and even the napping babes were no longer distressed by these interruptions. As far as all were concerned, this was a normal day. Horace spotted the two escapees out of the corner of his eye, and the chase began anew. "Get back here this instant! I will not have the next ruler of the kingdom be a simpleton!"

"Don't you worry about that!" Mickey quipped, ducking and weaving around stalls and farm animals. "When I become king, there'll be no more lessons, which means no more tutors, which means no more you! No one sayin' 'do this'!"

"Now when I said that-"

"No one sayin' 'be there'!"

"What I meant was-"

"No one sayin' 'stop that!'"

"What you don't realize-"

"No one sayin' 'see here'!"

"NOW SEE HERE!"

Around and around the trio went, blazing past the very bar Mickey had wanted to visit, where an amused rooster strummed his guitar – circling the impressively large statue that depicted Mickey's long-passed mother in her glorious days – but it was when they tried to grab a gyro on the go that the marathon would end for the day. In his haste to snag a free bite to eat, Mickey's arms slipped and he dropped one of his precious artistic scrolls. He tripped over it, and Goofy tripped over him, making a small pile-up in the dirty road. When the duo sat up and recovered their wits, they looked up to see Horace glaring at them, sweat pouring down his face.

"You..." He growled, crossing his arms. "...will have to answer to your father."

Princess Minerva of the Moon Kingdom had never passed out before. So she could not be sure if she was going to today, since she did'nt know the symptoms or warning signs. Yet she was fairly sure it must be something similar to what her body was going through right now. Her chest was tight, her throat was constricted, and her head felt dizzy. There were only so many things you could blame on a strict corset.

"Minerva, you will look at me when I am speaking to you."

As always, Minerva obeyed her mother, though today it pained her to do so. Her neck ached as she tilted her chin up, looking upon her angry mother on the royal throne. Queen Lune was already an imposing figure, her body as thin as a stick but rigid as ice. The cowl of her dark blue dress spiked up around her neck, making her piercing gaze all the more painful. Her skin was stretched thin due to old age, showing where her blue veins twitched in fury. Not a single white hair was out of place in its meticulous bun standing on the back of her head. Even her voice was as frigid as subzero temperatures. "I cannot believe one of my own flesh and blood could do something so...utterly irresponsible. Do you have any idea what could have happened today?"

Minerva was unsure if the question was rhetorical or not, and so looked around the massive throne room for any assistance. It wasn't going to come from Queen Lune's royal adviser, Scrooge McDuck, who stood to the right of the throne, wearing a similar expression of anger and disappointment. It probably wasn't going to come from his nephew Donald Duck either, who was by his uncle's side. He looked less angry and more exhausted, as if this whole experience was taking ten years off of his life. Being Minnie's tutor and future adviser tended to make him feel this way. It certainly wasn't going to come from Pete Black, who was near the curtains and sweating profusely in terror. Since he was a castle guard, his lecture was most likely going to come next.

That left Daisy Canard, Minerva's lady-in-waiting, best friend, and at times, fellow troublemaker. She stood next to Minerva, and when she caught her friend's nervous look, she made a quick, airy gesture with an open palm – it wasn't as if the princess could get into more trouble, right?

"I...underestimated... the consequences of my actions." the princess said slowly, articulating each word, trying to copy her mother's sophisticated speech. "But...what's done is done, and cannot be undone. And I promise that this will never happen again."

"As of now your promises are worth less than mud." Everyone visibly winced at the Queen's reply, with Minerva herself looking as though she'd been stabbed. "If there is any saving grace to be found, it is that you revealed the utter incompetence of our staff."

Donald gulped audibly, Daisy huffed with a loud snort, but it was Pete who stormed forward to be seen. "Now hold on just a minute there, yer royal highness!" His body clanged and clamored, as he was dressed in thick navy armor from the neck down. "We all gotta obey you and the lady's orders, ain't that right? If you tell us to jump, we jump! So when the princess says she has to leave the castle for an emergency, I can't up and stop her! I was just doin' my job, and I think I did a pretty fine good one."

Queen Lune narrowed her eyes, but it was Scrooge who asked the obvious. "And did you bother to ask what this 'emergency' of hers was?"

Pete needed a minute for what he thought was a good rebuttal. "I don't get paid to ask questions."

"At this rate, you'll be lucky to be paid at all anymore," Donald muttered under his breath. Daisy snickered, and Minerva's lips shook in an effort not to do the same.

The Queen rubbed her temples with one hand, wishing she could use both. But her right hand was forever and always attached to her staff that was as tall as she was. At the top of the staff sat the legendary Moon Talisman, decorated in mosaic tiles to resemble a peaceful rabbit. "Minerva. You are to stay in your room until after your birthday. You may only leave to attend your ballet lessons." She waved her hand. "You are dismissed."

Minerva curtsied, bowing her head. "Yes, mother." A few loose strands of hair fell over her eyes, and she would not brush them away until she left the room with Daisy. Like all royal blood members of the Moon Kingdom, her hair was dazzling in both its sheer white color and its length needing to be wrapped up in dozens of hair pieces to not drag on the floor behind her. Long hair was seen as prime trait of beauty for the Moon, no matter how tricky and difficult it was to maintain for the woman growing it.

When the two girls were gone, Queen Lune visibly slid down her throne by an inch or two, feeling as if every bone in her body was aching. "Where did I go wrong?"

"Ah, it is no fault of yours, my lady." Scrooge moved to close all the curtains. "She is at that age where she has to rebel at least once...though why she chose this idea, I'll never know."

Pete stood absolutely still, not knowing if he was allowed to leave or not. Donald decided to use this opportunity to butter up his superiors. "Maybe it was my fault. We have just reached the history of the Great War, and perhaps I went into too much detail about the Sun Kingdom."

Scrooge snorted. "Don't be foolish, nephew! She should be warned about those hot-headed harlots! You just wait, one of these days they'll lose their patience and come after us! Those barbarians don't understand the meaning of peace. Back in my day - "

"Enough." The Queen groaned, trying to lift herself off of her throne. "This isn't about the Sun people, this is about Minerva."

Scrooge paused, and then approached the Queen with articulate steps. "...Perhaps it is time she found a good man, your highness. She will be eighteen on her birthday, a proper time for marriage. The right man could put a stop to this foolishness."

Queen Lune tapped her staff in contemplation. ".You may be right. Still...eighteen..." She released a long, wistful sigh. "I feel as if it was only yesterday she was a child in her first ballet shoes. Time truly passes all too quickly." She looked down at her weathered hands, remembering how smooth they once had been when she cradled her newborn babe in her arms. "All too quickly, all too quickly..." She said to herself, before shaking her head and resuming the role of leadership over motherhood. "Come, we will start looking into eligible nobles. We must make sure she marries into pure blood." She walked into another hallway, the ducks loyally two steps behind her.

Pete still wasn't sure if he was allowed to move.

Off near the princess' bedroom, Minerva felt as if she was at last given permission to breathe normally. "Grounded...I can't believe that's all I got. I may be using up all the luck I have for life." Her purple dress seemed to exhale with her, loosening though still covering all her fur and skin where it could. A proper lady did not let anyone see her body until marriage.

"I can't believe you did it in the first place!" Daisy squealed, clapping her hands enthusiastically. She tended to dress more scandalously, exposing hints of shoulders, or ankles, or wrists, depending on how she felt that day. "My little Minnie, running away from the castle! Sneaking through the kingdom! And even traveling all the way through the Forbidden Forest! If someone else had told me you'd done it, I'd have laughed in their faces!"

The princess rather adored Daisy's affectionate nickname for her, and often preferred it over her real name. It was one of the few choices she did have in life. "I wish you could have come with me, but it was already so risky, I didn't want to get you in trouble too." She held her hands together in front of her dress, still practicing etiquette even when they were alone.

"So, what was it like?" Daisy edged in closer, wiggling her eyebrows. "The Sun Kingdom...did you see it?"

"Only a glimpse." Minnie admitted, but she said this with a smile. "There was this...large stone arch, and it was painted in red symbols... That's when I dropped the letter and ran back. I wish I could have stayed longer. I wanted to get back before sunrise and everyone was awake." She then gave a small shrug. "Though I don't think it would have mattered all that much... none of them would have noticed a plain little girl like me."

Daisy gave her best friend's shoulders a hard shove. "Hey, I told you to stop talking like that! Why can't you put that bravery in your confidence? You are a beautiful, wonderful woman!"

"Oh, you're only saying that because I'm your princess."

"You wouldn't have hired me if you thought that was true!"

Minnie chuckled, but Daisy's words rang true. "When I was sent out into the kingdom to find a proper lady-in-waiting, you were the only one who treated me like...like a normal person."

"To be fair, I thought you were one." Daisy grinned, nudging her friend. "I mean, no one outside the castle ever sees you, they probably have no idea what you look like. That's why I thought you were just another girl of the kingdom when you came to visit my family... but a very pretty, very kind one."

"You're exaggerating." They came to Minnie's lavishly decorated bedroom, and when she sat on the fluffy bed, Daisy took off her slippers one by one. "Do you think he'll come?"

Only this made Daisy hesitate. Usually when asked her opinion of things, Daisy was loud and proud, making up for Minne's shyness. This made her unattractive in the eyes of many, but she didn't care. She had two purposes in life – her own happiness, and the happiness of her princess. She raised her eyes carefully. "... I can't say for sure. No one really knows what the Prince of the Sun is like. If I may ask... why did you do this?"

"I...I guess..." Minnie cast her eyes away, afraid to be judged. "...if I'm to be Queen...I must be ready in case there's another war between our lands. So, I thought this might be a way to see if they're truly as bloodthirsty and dangerous as history says."

"What a diplomatically boring answer." Daisy quipped, taking off Minnie's long stockings.

"Royalty is supposed to be diplomatically boring." Minnie was not often confident in her jokes, but when she was, they usually caused Daisy to shriek with laughter, as the duck did now.

When Daisy calmed down, she crawled onto the bed and began to undo all the complicated pins and other jewels that kept Minnie's hair in place. "Well, whatever your reasons, this is going to be a birthday that's for the history books. Maybe this time I can get Donald to dance with me!"

"That would also go into the history books." Minnie smiled, and in retaliation Daisy threw a downy pillow at her head.

King Solaris lay in his bed, taking breaths in slow, hard turns. In his age, he no longer longed for exciting fashions, and often wrapped himself in old brown robes that covered his war scars and gray hairs. His wrinkled fingers crossed on his chest, rising and falling. Like all Sun bedrooms, his bed was built into the wall, out of stone. "My son...my dutiful child...my time is nigh."

"A-huh." Mickey had been stripped of his scrolls, but along the way to his father's chambers, he found a paddle-ball toy that had been tossed aside the day before.

"Before I pass this world..." The King heaved. "...I wish to see this kingdom ruled by a wise man..."

"Sure." The prince was going for a new record. His last one was fifty-seven in a row.

"Can you give this dying man his due... and become a man I would be proud of...?"

"Okey-dokey." Fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six...

"MY TIME IS NIGH, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" King Solaris abruptly sat up in bed, clutching his scratchy weathered sheets. "Is that how you treat your dying father?!" For a dying man he showed impressive strength in grabbing his son by the shoulders and shaking him in the air. "Why aren't you grieving?!"

"Maybe 'cause your time has been nigh for the past ten years, Pa." Mickey resumed playing with his toy, making the red ball bounce against his father's forehead. "You're gunna outlive us all."

Even Horace seemed to be worn out by this display, clearing his throat. "Sire, if you could not be 'dying' for a few moments...not only has your son skipped out on his lessons, again, but I caught him with this disgusting contraband!" He unfurled one of Mickey's secret scrolls, showing off a moon princess that was the color of ashen water.

"That's mine!" Mickey barked, his playtime immediately over. He dropped his toy, jumped out of his father's grasp, and made an attempt to seize back the portraits. "I paid good money for 'em! Give it back!" Yet leap as he might, Horace was much taller than him, and was able to dangle the scrolls out of Mickey's reach.

King Solaris squinted to see the pictures and then laid back in his bed. "You finally start showing interest in women, and it's a Moon? I'm never going to have grandchildren at this rate... Horace, Goofy, I command you both to start making babies at once. Someone has to give me grandchildren!"

Goofy tilted his head, stuck in a corner and already lost by the conversation. Though Horace had begun to blush, he pretended to ignore what had been implied. "Imagine if the people found out about this insult. We cannot let this pass! The Moons are our enemies!"

"The Moons ain't my enemies!" Mickey still kept jumping, despite how useless it was. "The Great War's got nothin' to do with me!"

"The Moons are born enemies of the Sun." King Solaris grunted, failing to notice someone had opened the door. "Those snotty sycophants...they think they're so much better than us! All that water goes to their head, and drowns out their brains."

Horace rolled up the scroll. "I couldn't agree with you more. I hear they have a horrible smell, since they let their clothes soak in water all day." He also failed to notice someone had begun walking into the room.

"I hear you can't tell the men and women apart, since they all hide themselves in their stiff clothes!" King Solaris barked, and only then did he notice the extra party in the room. "Launchpad, you know that the Moons are a selfish and greedy lot, don't you?"

Launchpad McQuack was a member of the army, though with the war ended so long ago, mostly he kept tabs on the villagers to break up any fights. He was a tall, muscular bird despite not having fought in ages. He gulped at being so addressed. "Well, uh, yes sir, but, uh, I hate to interrupt a good old fashioned Moon bashing, but we, ah... got a bit of a...I dunno if it's an emergency, but it sure is odd." He held up a light blue envelope in his hands that had an airy smell of the sea.

All the men in the room stared, unable to tell at first what this mystery object was. Mickey went first. "Well, what is it?"

Launchpad took a deep breath, so he could say the entire story in one go. "Well ah, you see, I was doin' my usual patrol around the kingdom's borders, that's when I saw this thing on the grass, right between our arch entrance and the Forbidden Forest. It's a letter, that's how Moons write letters, y'know. They don't use scrolls. And, uh, well...it's addressed to our young prince here."

"What!" The King snatched the letter out Launchpad's hands. "Are you serious! This must be a declaration of war!"

"It's addressed to me!" Mickey objected, trying to grab the envelope, but Horace already taken it.

"I can't believe they would be so crass!" Horace flipped the letter to a torch light, trying to read the contents without actually opening it. "Who do they think they are?"

"Gimmie my letter! Give it!"

Alas, this time it was yanked by Goofy, who gave it a curious sniff. "Huh... smells kinda funny. Whaddya think that is?"

Thankfully, Goofy had bent forward for his whiff, allowing Mickey to finally take what he believed was rightfully his. "It's MY letter, so I'M gunna read it!" With a huff and a puff, he tore open the top of the envelope, and pulled out a thin piece of paper with twisting cursive lettering. As he read, all the taller males loomed over his shoulders to read as well.

Dear Prince Michael,

I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you from the Moon Kingdom, in the hopes of both of our futures. In two days time, I will be celebrating my eighteenth birthday. The official party will take place at noon, inside the castle. It would be my honor and pleasure to have you attend. I hope you accept my invitation with all of my genuine intentions.

Sincerely,

Princess Minerva.

Another stretch of silence followed, broken by Goofy who as usual said the obvious. "It's a birthday invitation."

"It's a trap!" The King slapped his knees. "They must really take us for fools! This is an insult on every level! If I wasn't dying, I'd go over there and show them a thing or two!"

Horace cupped his chin. "Should we take this as an attack on our kingdom?"

Mickey still remained quiet, tapping the letter to his nose. He 'hmmm'ed out loud, and seeing his rare serious expression was enough to catch everyone's attention. Launchpad bent down to look at him better. "Whatcha thinkin' there, your Highness?"

"What I'm gunna wear," Mickey replied without looking at Launchpad, musing to himself. "Are the fabric stores closed yet?"

"Are you mad!" Horace turned Mickey around, spinning him a few times for good measure. "You can't possibly be thinking of going! That's a suicide mission!"

"Absolutely!" The King pointed at his son, shaking with rage. "I forbid you to attend!"

Mickey's temper was bubbling, but he knew the usual argument would do no good here. For all his spoiled behavior and disrespectful attitude, there was a clever brain behind the orange fur. He sucked on his lip, and then leaned his head back, catching Goofy's face. Goofy merely shrugged. Mickey chewed on the envelope's corner. "Y'know...if I didn't go...the Moons might see it as me bein' a coward."

King Solaris' eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Cow... coward?!"

Horace felt he was going to be ill. "We can't let them think that! Maybe that's what they were planning all along!"

Launchpad nodded slowly. "That's awful smart of them Moons."

The King whipped off his bed sheets, ready to get out and get moving. "I forbid you from not attending! We'll show those Moons what it means to be a man of the Sun!"

Pleased, Mickey casually strolled out of the room while King Solaris, Horace, and Launchpad ranted and raved about the Moons. As always, Goofy followed his prince. "Gee, Mickey, I ain't ever been to the Moon Kingdom before. And I bet a whole ton of them ain't ever seen one of us before either."

"You're right." Mickey agreed, tilting his head in thought. "Why, I'll be the real representative of the Sun Kingdom! I gotta make a first impression that knocks their socks off! C'mon, Goofy, we got a lot to plan!"

Goofy didn't understand what Mickey was thinking – he was pondering if the Moon people wore socks – but since he didn't understand most things he happily went along with his prince. His best friend usually didn't have the best ideas, but he always had the most fun ones.

Two days seemed like a long time to plan on both sides, and for a moment, they all felt they knew exactly what was to come.

They were both extremely wrong.