Chapter Text
In the beginning the world was at peace.
With the birth of mankind, all of that ceased.
There once was balance between day and night,
Moon and sun, fire and ice, shadow and light.
Then nations divided, families were torn;
All hope was lost and harmony forlorn.
This remains until a thousand years’ time;
The stars cross paths then finally align.
After dawn the Sun shall peak and burn bright,
Then the Moon will rise, turning day to night.
Despite the darkness, there is still a chance;
This will all come along through circumstance.
After a moonlit skate and fiery dance,
When the Sun and Moon fall there’ll be balance.
Katsuki Yuuri is nine years old when he attends his first Solar Solstice Festival. There are bright lights strung around the town and colourful lanterns hung outside each building. The wafting aromas of street food filled the air and the warm smiles on everyone’s faces were unforgettable. However he’ll also never forget the look on his parent’s faces after he fails them and their kingdom.
Everyone is born with an affinity for either the Moon or the Sun. As young children, they present their affinities for the first time by developing the associated abilities. There are several branches of affinity; physical, temperamental, luminary, elemental, thermal, time, and spiritual affinity. As the Crown Prince and second-in-line for the throne of the Sun Kingdom, Yuuri is expected to have a strong solar affinity for most of those branches— and that’s why he is now being walked up, by his family’s trusted advisor Minako, to an elevated stage overlooking the whole festival.
Yuuri’s heart is pounding in his chest so he takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, then reviews what he will have to do. A few months ago, after he presented with solar abilities, Minako-sensei explained that because of his presentation, it’s customary for the royal children to publicly demonstrate their abilities to the kingdom at the following Solar Solstice.
“Minako-sensei! I can’t, not in front of everyone! I-I just got my abilities. I won’t be able to do it. Not now! I should—”
“Shhh…” Minako-sensei cuts him off. She kneels down and looks straight into his eyes. “You have nothing to worry about, you worked hard for this! You’re going to do great, Yuuri-kun. Your family and I believe in you. What’s important is that you do your best and share your abilities with everyone. Be the personification of our nation’s pride and potential! Give them something to be inspired by and to trust in.”
Those words of encouragement were doing little to quell the young prince’s anxiety. He nervously taps his foot on the stone floor and dares a peek at the crowd. As he looks up, he freezes at the sight of the overwhelming crowd and all the colour drains from his face. There are so many people! How is Yuuri supposed to perform in front of everyone? He is going to mess up!
Minako-sensei places a firm hand on his shoulder. “If not for us, do it for them,” she tells him as she gestures to the crowd. “They all look up to you. Give them a reason to. You are our nation’s future. God forbid anything should happen to your sister, you’ll be the next emperor.”
“But now is not the time to think about that. Today, all we ask of you is to show us your potential. You have a duty to your people.” Yuuri gives a noncommittal nod and takes a deep breath, then he slowly turns around to face his audience. Yuuri is overwhelmed by the vast number of people, all looking at him— waiting for him . He is about to hyperventilate when a glint of silver catches his eye.
There is a boy, maybe a few years older than him, hiding in the shadows at the edge of the crowd. The boy is looking around curiously while keeping his distance from the crowd. He is tall and shrouded in a brown cloak, and he would have seemed like any regular festival goer if not for his silver hair peeking out from under his hood, that glistens like moonlight under the Sun. Well, Yuuri guesses it is probably silver, or platinum? He has never seen the colour before, much less anyone’s hair be that shade!
As soon as the boy notices that Yuuri is staring, he looks directly at him— piercing Yuuri’s soul with those gorgeous blue eyes (Yuuri didn’t know eyes could be that colour either!) and smiles. Although there is a large distance between them, Yuuri feels a sudden connection, some indescribable feeling within him upon seeing the boy. Perhaps it is a supernatural force like fate, or maybe he is just naively starstruck. Although that boy is a complete stranger to him, Yuuri cannot help but feel only warmth and sincerity in his look. It is all the encouragement he needs.
Despite the support, that day was a disaster. Yuuri couldn’t conjure up the tiniest flame or bend the smallest ray of sunlight, much less manifest the spectacle of light he had been planning to do. His parents continued to encourage him after that incident— maybe even more than they had before— but he suspects they were just really skilled at hiding their disappointment. They must be used to doing that anyway after being in the public spotlight for so long and playing their roles as wise rulers.
Now that he is older, that first solstice isn’t as embarrassing as it once was for a younger Yuuri. At the next solstice he did himself justice and successfully performed his routine, albeit with a few tweaks to simplify it because he still wasn’t as proficient with his abilities as he should have been. Although he has long moved past that incident, that isn’t to say it hasn’t had a lasting effect on him. That was the defining moment in Yuuri’s life when he knew for sure that he didn’t have what it took to be the next ruler of the Sun Kingdom. But not for a lack of trying— everyday since his presentation he had practiced for his moment of triumph which ended up being an anticlimactic, embarrassing let-down.
From then on Yuuri is content with just standing in the shadows while his sister bathed in the attention and spotlight of their subjects. Mari is in the limelight where she belongs. She would be a fit empress someday. Yuuri smiles fondly as he thinks about his sister. She is articulate and strong, inspiring so much hope and promising a great future for their kingdom. She worked so hard to prepare for her role. He believes she definitely deserves the position more than he does.
Fourteen year old, sleepy and irritated Yuuri is being dragged to Okukawa Minako’s training/dance studio. His teacher looks at him with a contemplative frown.
“Yuuri-ōji, what’s with that attitude? Lighten up! A young man like you should be peppy and bright this early in the morning. You’re the only one of my students that has a problem getting up at this time,” Minako-sensei admonishes.
“Sensei,” the teen whines. “You know how I am every morning— and you still insist on this time for practice.”
“And you know very well why I do. It’s part of your training. As the future ruler of our kingdom, it is your duty to have a mastery of most, if not all, the branches of affinity. Getting up early strengthens your time affinity; your connection with the dawn, day and warm seasons. To demonstrate—”
Yuuri starts tuning his teacher out. He has already heard about all his duties and expectations as the “future ruler” thousands of times at this point. And he knows no matter what he does, his efforts would all be in vain. He couldn’t be the leader his people need. Not only is he weak with most of his solar affinities, he isn’t even spiritually connected to the Sun. That’s right, Katsuki Yuuri, heir to the throne of the Sun Kingdom, is bonded to the Moon.
When he was born, his parents had a lot of hope in him because of his supposed potential. The first signs were his physical affinity; he had brilliant warm, golden eyes, a round face, bright smile, and looked the part of Sun Kingdom royalty. His hair might have been darker and cooler-toned than expected, but maybe that was just a fluke. At least that’s what Yuuri’s family hoped it was, until two years after his presentation.
Yuuri and his sister Mari were training with Minako-sensei and this particular lesson was about luminary affinity and learning to bend sunlight. Mari was older than him and was a child prodigy, so she already learned that skill at a younger age. On the other hand, Yuuri was learning to do it for the first time. He assumed the correct stance and form, then waved his hand in an action that looked like he was pulling the air. He was trying to bend a beam of light, but he was having difficulty grasping it. Yuuri’s hand started to shake from the strain— he was pulling something, but it wasn’t the light.
After a not-so-graceful tug, the motion of his hand brought with it a blanket of shadow pulled from the shade of a nearby tree. The prince fell on the ground from the force, and looked up only to see that he was surrounded by darkness despite it being broad daylight in the palace gardens. Yuuri turned around and saw his sister slowly backing away in horror while Minako-sensei pulled a large ray of light to conceal the shadow he created. The lesson was over for the day.
Later that afternoon there was a long conference between his teacher and parents to discuss the current circumstances. Yuuri nervously twiddled his fingers the entire time as his teacher informed his parents of his newfound abilities. Sun Empress Hiroko was less than pleased to find out her son was gifted with shadow bending of all abilities! Yuuri simply sat in shame.
After several tests (at his parents’ insistence) assessing his temperamental, elemental, and thermal affinity, they concluded Yuuri was strongly connected to the Moon. He had both solar and lunar abilities, which was unheard of, but the Moon ended up being the dominant of the two affinities.
The most important test would be to find out his spiritual affinity with either the Moon or Sun itself. He is going to be doing it for the first time a few years after he presented shadow abilities to get more accurate results after he had time to develop his branches of affinity.
Yuuri didn’t have high hopes. He is conducting this test with Minako-sensei because after finding out about his high lunar affinity, his parents decided to keep it a secret and that woman is the only person they trusted with the information and job of training their son.
Yuuri is brought back from his reverie by his teacher’s voice. “You weren’t listening, were you?”
He looks down guiltily. He couldn’t meet her eyes. Not because of his blatant imprudence, but because he knows what is going to happen in fifteen minutes. Minako-sensei would find out that he has a spiritual affinity for the Moon, then he’ll be publically labeled a traitor, bring dishonor to his family, and possibly even be imprisoned for the rest of his life!
“Minako-sensei, I was just thinking, what would happen to me if I was spiritually linked with the Moon. At this point it’s a very likely possibility,” Yuuri says with a resigned tone. In response, the woman just stays silent and busies herself at the back of the room. Yuuri’s words cling to the air until she finishes clearing the counter at the back and breaks the heavy silence.
“Today we will be conducting your final two tests. This morning I will assess your solar affinity and later tonight your lunar affinity. I will be observing the spiritual bond they each have with your soul, the strength of those bonds, and how well you can draw their energy to fuel your own abilities. I will give you ten minutes to warm up before we commence the first trial.”
The first trial was for Yuuri to draw from the Sun’s energy to keep himself warm and dry whilst standing outside in the rain, but it just ended up with him being completely soaked. The next test is less physically demanding for him. After the rain clears up, Yuuri returns outside again but this time is bathed in the warm sunlight. He is made to meditate while his teacher examines his bond and soul. Minako-sensei is the kingdom’s highest ranking enchantress, a grand master in her craft, and she has the ability to read people’s souls like an open book.
She reaches out her hand to grasp Yuuri’s shoulder and shuts her eyes. Yuuri focuses on his breathing and looks within himself for any connection he has with the Sun. Nothing. He instead tries to concentrate on the feeling of the Sun’s strong rays warming his skin, how the cool breeze blows his hair in different directions, the crackling sound of the lit torches nearby, or how the sky above is a deep azure that reminded him of that silver-haired boy’s eyes, all those years ago— “Yuuri!”
Yuuri turns to see Minako-sensei stumbling back with eyes the size of saucers. “Pardon me, your highness,” she says and then pauses to take a breath to regain her composure. She continues, “I have never seen a bond like yours. Even in our history there was nothing ever documented about someone having as deep a bond with the Sun as you do.”
“What do you mean, Sensei? Am I really bonded with the Sun?” Yuuri tries not to get his hopes up. It only ever leads to disappointment. But if this is his chance for redemption...
“Not quite.” Of course he isn't. He mentally curses himself for ever thinking he could be normal after all. “How do I explain this? To make this clear, you have little affinity for the Sun. But , you do have a deep bond that reaches all the way into your core, Yuuri. It’s unlike anything I have ever seen. It’s like half your soul belongs to the Sun!”
“Sorry, I don’t think I quite understand.” What did she just say? How does he apparently have a “deep bond” with the Sun but not a spiritual affinity with it? It’s crazy: Yuuri is practically failing his elemental manipulation classes but it turns out half his soul belonged to the Sun the whole time? How is that possible and what does that even mean? Didn’t that contradict itself? Yuuri is confused to say the least.
“If I apparently have such a deep bond with the Sun, then how do I have a stronger affinity for the Moon?”
Minako-sensei ponders for a moment before answering. “Hmm, this is what I think is going on. Ever since you were born, I could tell that, within you, you held great power. It radiated out like an aura. When you first presented with solar abilities, we were all so excited. It was our mistake to assume that it meant you had an affinity for the Sun. To be fair, you might be the first person to ever have abilities for both affinities.”
Yuuri lets that sink in. Maybe he is too hard on himself. These abilities make him one of a kind and it’s impressive to have both solar and lunar abilities— he’s decent with both too— but when you’re the Sun Prince and only being judged on your solar abilities to which you are painfully lacklustre compared to your peers, there’s no surprise that in this moment Yuuri would give anything to just have a regular solar affinity, something everyone in his kingdom takes for granted.
“When I examined you, I found that your soul is completely pure, derived from The Luminaries. Some other people only have hints of their essence, but most of the time none at all. Instead, their souls feel tainted and, how should I put this, mortal? Even the rest of the royal family. Their lineage gives them a stronger bond, but your soul is incomparable to theirs. It’s essentially made up from the essences of the Sun and Moon’s themselves!”
“But?” There is always a drawback.
Minako-sensei sighs. “But it seems like the part of your soul made up of the Sun is gone. Completely missing. And with it, half your soul is too.”
Yuuri thinks that over. Most of his life now made sense retrospectively. It’s actually eye-opening to him! It always felt like a piece of him was missing; when trying to draw out his power, he was always trying to reach for a solar affinity he was supposed to have but wasn’t there. An empty void in his soul. He was meant for greatness and could’ve been one of the strongest Suncasters in the world! But something went wrong and he was missing that part of him.
“Then where would the other half of my soul be?” Yuuri questions, a little frantically.
“That, I don’t know. I also fail to understand why you were born with a soul made up of the celestial objects themselves in the first place. A lot of people don’t even have a bond with either the Moon or Sun. Affinities, yes, but no spiritual connection. And you, Yuuri-ōji, were born with a deep bond and pure soul. As if your very existence was the result of the Moon and Sun.”
Later that night they will conduct the same tests but with the Moon instead. After dinner Yuuri returns to Minako’s private gardens still wearing his fancy robes, and sits in the same spot on the ground as earlier. He starts his first task. Instead of using the Sun’s heat to keep himself dry from the rain, he will have to use the Moon’s energy to create rain to put out the torches Minako-sensei set up.
He could easily complete the task in normal circumstances, but to truly test his bond he needs to remain seated so his body won’t be used as a vessel for the energy. Instead he will have to create the rain through his lunar affinity alone. It would seem like a near impossible task, but Yuuri has never been the type to stray from a challenge.
Summoning the Moon’s power almost felt as natural as breathing to him. At his will, he felt the Moon’s energy course through his body and his heart pounded with exhilaration. He even swears he saw the Moon dim slightly! Yuuri closes his eyes in concentration and directs that energy out, expelling into the air surrounding him. Beads of water formed and combined into larger masses. Yuuri guides them towards the torches and releases the energy.
After hearing the sound of water splashing the ground, he reopens his eyes to see his teacher thoroughly drenched, but dawning a reverential look on her face. Yuuri can’t help but feel amused by her expression— it isn’t something he saw often. He notes the darkness of the gardens; he did it! All the torches were snuffed out all without him lifting a finger.
It surprises him how effortless it was to do, like this came naturally to him. He remembers how hard he has to work in class to manipulate fire, and it isn’t even at a level he considers proficient. When Yuuri was in tune with the Moon, he felt so powerful— unstoppable. As if he was the greatest Mooncaster in the world! The gardens surrounding him immediately light up to match his level of pride and enthusiasm. The sudden brightness disorients him and after blinking several times, he realizes it was his own doing— he is bending moonlight…
Moonlight is an elusive force that no caster has ever been able to manipulate. It is too weak and cold for regular Suncasters to control, and requires an affinity for the Moon which contradicts the abilities of solar luminary affinity. Mooncasters lack the ability to bend light at all. Yuuri, as both a Suncaster and Mooncaster— someone with abilities derived from both luminaries— and a living miracle, did the impossible.
Yuuri turns to gage Minako-sensei’s reaction, and is startled to see his teacher gracefully descend to the floor in a kneeling position, hands flat on the ground, and bending forward into a saikeirei bow, known for its formality and deep display of respect. He is only a prince— not even the apparent heir— and Minako-sensei is his elder and a highly regarded enchantress, so to receive her reverence is unbelievable, and it somehow felt wrong. He didn’t think he deserved it. Not when he is technically a traitor to his people, a failure of a student, and a weak leader.
Minako-sensei gets up with all the poise of a trained dancer and smiles at Yuuri with soft eyes. “Yuuri-ōjisama. You have become a greater caster than I would have ever imagined. At only fourteen, you have demonstrated an innate bond with the Moon that master Mooncasters could only dream of, and such precision and nuance with your solar abilities to control moonlight itself.”
If his teacher didn’t say that aloud to him, he would have never believed those words for himself. Minako-sensei is wise and can always see the things within Yuuri that he himself is to blind with self-doubt and anxiety to notice. It seems right now she made another realization about him because her eyes widen in understanding and hope; her expression makes it seem like she found the solution to a universal problem or something else to that scale. Wait— did she really?
“Ōjisama, I have devised a plan that might restore balance to the world.”