Dusk woke up in the treehouse alone, again. This was starting to become a little annoying. Sure he had to recover but he felt a lot better already. His wing felt a lot better and he didn't have any pain in his broken leg or what was a broken leg. He had a slight pain in his ribs but it was tolerable. He was sure that he could fly without any problem now but he wasn't going to jump out from the treehouse and take that chance. There was fruit left for him and a note beside it. it read.
'I got Glory to leave some fruits for you in case you still couldn't fly that well yet and we let you rest like yesterday. I know you would rather come with us and plan the attack in more detail but we had to start early and we fear that you aren't gonna be fully healed by the time we are going to attack. Which is tomorrow evening. I am not going to be part of the attack either so i can at least keep you in company then. Do whatever you like just don't leave the Rainforest as we talked about. I know that you just rolled your eyes. I know you that well. Your good friend Sunny.'
''Wow, She wrote a letter or small scroll to let me know what was going on. unusual.'' Said Dusk to himself. He took a look at the fruit Glory had brought. He knew some of the fruit in there like apples, bananas, oranges, and pineapple. But there was fruit he had never seen before. Dusk had always liked the food he had eaten before way more than trying something new. He wasn't really a fan of that. Well, he was diagnosed with autism as a human. That was the sole reason he had almost no friends. And he had almost no choice when it came to Sunny when he thinks about it. He was placed in the same cage as her and she would have made a friend out of him either way. The reason? Well, she is Sunny. Everyone likes Sunny.
Dusk had to admit that he had feelings for her now. He had started to see that maybe Sunny cared about him more than a friend. And he was starting to feel the same way. He took a banana and walked to what he thought was a balcony at least. He looked up at the blue sky. He wanted to try flying again. He had been flying yesterday as well but he had to work hard to even keep himself in the air. But today, he was feeling ready today. He jumped into the air and tried to fly. He had an easier time keeping himself in the air but his wing wasn't fully healed and he felt that. It felt like small stings all over his wing. He ignored the pain and landed down on the balcony again. He could fly at least. Sort of. It was better than nothing.
Maybe he should fly down to the others, yeah he liked that plan. And that was exactly what he did. He knew where everyone was too. They were at the royal pavilion. He knew that since that was the place they were planning the attack. He landed right in front of the door. He walked in and saw his friends all focused on the map and battle plans. No one noticed that he had walked in.
He yawned. ''Good morning guys.'' Said Dusk.
Everyone looked at him.
''Ah, good morning Dusk.'' Said Glory.
''Yeah good morning Dusk.'' Said Sunny as well.
Everyone else greeted him as well just before going back to the map again. It was a map of the Nightwing island. They were discussing all the guard locations and the caves where the Rainwings was being held captive. And at last where Queen Battlewinner's hidden room was. Dusk was never good at planning and absolutely not good at battle planning. He would rather know what he had to do and do just that. He hated the feeling of not knowing what to do. He got the same feeling when he wasn't allowed to help too. The rescue mission was one such scenario. He was not allowed to help because he had to recover. At least Sunny would be with him. She was not allowed to go either. Dusk felt extremely lucky to have her in his life.
He was now a few hundred meters away from the Rainwing village. He flew up to the top of the highest tree he could find. He sat on a branch and just relaxed. It was a big branch. Big enough to sleep on. He looked at the horizon. He smiled softly at the beautiful sight. He could see the entire Claws of the clouds mountains and, it reminded him of Earth. The country he had grown up in had such mountains. He now remembered all the good memories he had. The time he spent with his friends on Earth. He missed them. His two brothers, his friends, his family, and it turned out that they weren't his family at all. His family was dead. His mother and father had died two thousand years ago. He didn't want to think about that now.
'Think positive Dusk.' Thought Dusk.
He was going to see his mother again. She promised him that. And maybe he could meet his father then too. He hoped for that.
It was a beautiful day. And Dusk did the only thing he could think of. He jumped from the tree and began flying. He flapped his wings hard and he flew all the way up over the clouds. He let himself just glide when he got over the clouds. This, this is what freedom feels like. Cold wind against his black scales and the butterflies in his stomach when he dived and gained a lot of speed. He did a few loops and such too, and he had not had this much fun in a good while. Well actually never. He had never had this much fun. He could do this for days. Dusk flew under the clouds again. Three moons he was very high up. He decided to fly back up again and just let himself fall down. It was a lot of fun to be in freefall, and when he was starting to get close to the ground he spread his wings. He let himself glide again. He spotted a tree to land in.
He landed on the top of a tree and just started to laugh. He was laughing like a little kid. He had a big smile on his face too. Dusk had never had this much fun. It felt wonderful to be in the air like that. It felt wonderful to be free. He felt the stings return to his wing but he ignored it. It was worth it. It felt like he had just been flying for a few minutes when in reality he had been flying for nearly two hours. He was just laying on top of a tree branch with a big smile on his face.
Sunny had left the royal pavilion shortly after Dusk had. She wanted to make sure he didn't get himself hurt. Three moons where could Dusk have gone. She looked up in the trees. She spotted a black figure in one of the treetops. It was Dusk, He was just lying there looking at the mountains. The reason she knew that was because he had mentioned to her that he loved mountains. And she could see which direction he was looking towards. He was looking in the direction of the Claws of the clouds mountains. He looked so peaceful. Sunny decided to just fly up to him.
''So, looking at the mountains now are we?'' Asked Sunny with a smile.
Dusk smiled back. ''Yeah, i have been flying like a maniac for two hours now. It's the most fun i have ever had. I have never felt so.''
''Free?'' Asked Sunny.
''Yeah. It just feels great to be up there. I mean i kinda have been feeling that whenever we have been flying but not to the same extend as now. It is just amazing.'' Said Dusk looking up at the blue sky with a bright smile on his face.
''I am done with the battle planning now. I am not going to be a part of the attack anyways. So i told the others that i wanted to do something else. They told me to watch you and make sure you didn't hurt yourself. Not that i am complaining.'' Said Sunny as she nuzzled Dusk.
Dusk started to blush. Which earned him a giggle from Sunny.
''So what now?'' Asked Dusk sounding a bit more serious.
''Well, the attack isn't before tomorrow and you aren't required to do anything as far as i know. It's up to you.'' Said Sunny with a small smile.
''Hmm.''
''Dusk?'' Asked Sunny.
''Hmm?'' Answered Dusk.
''Is something wrong? You seem troubled.'' Said Sunny concerned.
''No, it's nothing.'' Said Dusk.
''Dusk, i can read you like a scroll. What's on your mind?'' Asked Sunny.
''The Claws of the clouds mountains reminds me of the place i grew up on Earth. And i miss the friends and family i have there. That's all.'' Said Dusk. He wasn't shedding any tears or showing any sadness.
Sunny nuzzled him. ''It's only natural to miss the ones you care about. There is nothing wrong in that.''
Dusk nodded.
Sunny gave him a hug. Dusk rested his head on her shoulder as he let a single tear run down his cheek.
''Dusk, look at me. It's going to be okay. Yeah perhaps you are stuck on pyrrhia but it's not so bad. You have us, you have me. And everything will be better after we have stopped this war. Glory told us about an idea she has been thinking about. She has been thinking about starting a school in Jade mountain. Jade mountain academy. She asked us if we wanted to be teachers after the war.'' Said Sunny excited.
Dusk nodded. ''Maybe. I am not good at teaching. I would probably only be in the way.''
Sunny's heart sunk. 'Dusk really don't believe in himself? What happened with him on Earth that made him think so little of himself?' She thought. She had seen it on him. He didn't think much of himself at all. Didn't he have any self-confidence? She had seen it on him for so long. She saw it in his eyes at the sky palace. She had never asked about it because she knew that he probably didn't want to talk about it. She felt like she had to ask him now.
''Dusk i have to ask you something important.'' said Sunny.
''Hmm?'' Asked Dusk.
''Why do you think so little of yourself? What happened on Earth for you to have so little self-confidence?'' Asked Sunny. Did she sound worried?
Dusk looked away. ''Dusk look at me.'' Said Sunny. ''What happened?''
''I don't want to talk about it.'' Said Dusk as he looked away again.
''Too bad. You are going to have to talk about it.'' Said Sunny.
''Fine.'' Said Dusk not wanting her to pressure him any more than necessary.
''Well?''
''I don't think highly of myself and i think you noticed that. I was constantly bullied and picked on in school and i had no friends at all for a very very long time. I was different. I always think of myself as bad at almost everything. I am always negative. And i like to be alone. I had my whole childhood ruined by bullies and people who don't have anything good in their lives, so they feel like they should ruin everything for everyone else. That's why i have no self-confidence. I don't like to talk about this for good reasons.'' Said Dusk.
He had no sad expression on his face. There was no smile either. There was nothing. He didn't show any emotion.
Sunny pulled him into a tight hug. ''Well, i am here for you and i will always be here for you. You know that right?''
Dusk nodded. ''Yeah i know Sunny. I know.''
''Good.'' Said Sunny with a smile.
They were just relaxing in the tree together for a few hours after that. Just talking and having a good time. Day turning to Night.
They had not even realized that they had been in the tree for so long before Dusk pointed out that the sun was going down. They had moved down from the tree and was now on the ground watching the sunset together. Neither of them said anything. They were both just enjoying the moment before they were going to return to the treehouse to sleep.
So here is the next chapter. So the next one is the last chapter for the dark secret part. I can't wait to write that one too. So Dusk has almost fully healed and he actually fully admits to himself that he has a crush on Sunny. Like i have said before i wanted to write a character who was different than others. In that, i don't mean different as a character but different as in personality. Dusk is kind of a reflection of my own personality. And the part where he talked about his self confidence, that's actually true. I personally was bullied a lot and had almost no friends at all IRL. I still actually don't think much of myself.
Now i got another comment from MYTHICBOY. to anwser that.
I have actually given a little hint on who Dusk is going to meet on that island. I don't remember if it was two or three chapters ago. And your other question if i will have a romantic flying scene like in HTTYD. Well, i am not going to say anything. You will have to wait and watch.
Anyways see you all in the next one. Bye bye.