Knock knock.

The sound instantly woke Link up, though sleep hazed his mind. He sat up, his feathery hair sticking out in snarled curls. Through the crack in his curtains, he could see the moon faintly shining through. He rubbed his eyes, confused about why he was awake. Usually his father woke him up in the mornings. He was about to lay back down when he heard the sound again.

Knock knock.

It became clear to him that it was somebody knocking on the front door to the home, and rather loudly as he could hear it from his room. New sounds followed this, like wood faintly scraping on the floor and footsteps.

Now curious, Link slipped out from under his blanket and crept to the door of his room. Even at seven years old, he knew exactly what floorboards were creaky enough to avoid. He'd eavesdropped on his parents many times before, so doing something like this wasn't anything new for him. As quietly as he could, he opened his door and peered out.

From his room he could see almost directly into the kitchen, where he knew his parents had been talking before they put him to bed. They were still there, though Link's father was now answering the door while his mother watched suspiciously.

Around the imposing frame of his father, Link could see several people standing outside when he opened the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late at night, sir, but are you Hugh Renier?" one of the people, a man, asked in a tone Link had never heard before. It was stern yet smooth, slightly rolling the "r's" in the words he spoke.

"Yes I am," Link's father answered, "is there something I can help you with?"

It was then that Link's mother glanced back towards his room. Link quickly ducked inside, clamping his hands to his mouth as his heart briefly raced. When nothing came of this, he looked back out into the kitchen.

"... We serve in Hyrule's Royal Guard," the voice continued speaking. Link was mildly upset that he didn't hear the first part. "We're here to speak with you and your wife Millia Renier."

Hearing her name, Link's mother stood and made her way to the door. When she saw who was there, she physically took a step back. "What do you want?" she said coldly.

"M-Millia, we shouldn't address members of the guard in that way," Link's father said to her in a worried voice. "They work to keep us safe, they wouldn't dare hurt us."

A different voice spoke up, this one female. "We understand your concern, ma'am. But like your husband said, we won't hurt you, nor are we looking to. We would just like to speak with you two about a couple of things."

"Make it quick and get out of here. I don't want any desert scum anywhere near my house," Link's mother spat. Link's muscles went rigid as a shiver ran down his spine. He now knew who she was talking about.

According to his parents, those people were called the Gerudo, but his mother never referred to them in that way. They were either "desert scum" or "usurpers." Link had no idea what any of those words meant, but how his mother spoke them told him they were bad things. Apparently they stole from other people and hurt them for no reason. Link began to feel uncomfortable, so he decided to just go back to bed.

As he lay in bed, Link could vaguely hear the conversation between his parents and the Gerudo. But as time went on, it began to sound less like a conversation and more like an argument. Fear began to well up inside Link, and he buried his head under his pillow. He hated it when his parents fought, but combined with the powerful voices of the Gerudo, it was even more frightening.

Questions swarmed Link's mind as the adults' argument continued. What were they yelling about? Had his parents done something bad? Eventually Link was curled up in a ball under his blankets, tensed so hard his limbs ached, wanting desperately to ignore the shouts while grim curiosity still had a hold on him.

Then he heard the screams.

Fear struck Link fast and hard, and his nails dug deep into his palms. He could hardly feel the pain though. There had been several screams, though one stuck out to him the most. It belonged to his mother. Link forced himself out of bed, and on shaking legs, he crept to his door and peered out.

Link could now see the people in the doorway, a quartet of towering Gerudo. One of the Gerudo, a man, was supporting a female as she was moments from collapsing. "Rija!" he cried, clutching her. But what really had Link's attention was his mother. There she was, laying on the ground with his father holding her up. Even from where he was, Link could see the red spreading across the front of her dress.

In moments, Link's curiosity and fear were overtaken by sheer horror. He wasn't stupid, he knew what that was, he'd seen it dripping from the Pokémon his father and his friends brought back from hunting. But this time it wasn't coming from a Sawsbuck, it was his own mother's blood.

Link's stomach ached as something nasty and sour rose in his throat, and he clamped his hands over his mouth so it wouldn't come out. He couldn't stop watching. His mother wasn't moving, and his father was now crying. Link had never seen his father cry before.

"How could this happen?" his father exclaimed, his voice cracking pathetically. "Millia! Millia, please say something!"

The two Gerudo women standing behind the male shouldered their way past him and into the home, looming over Link's parents. "We'll handle this," one of them said.

Link was finally able to move again, and instead of running for his parents, he did the opposite. He retreated into his room, his hands still over his mouth as his eyes were filling with tears. His mother was surely dead, just like those hunted Pokémon. But the Gerudo terrified him more. He could hear his father's muffled voice, loud and panicked. They were going to kill them all, weren't they?

On unsteady legs, Link scrambled onto his bed and pushed open his window, climbing out as quickly as he could. Once on the grass, he ran into the forest behind his house. The foliage swallowed him instantly, but he wasn't about to stop running. He needed to get away from those horrible Gerudo, he didn't want to end up like those Pokémon, like his mother.

Hardly anything was recognizable to Link as he ran through the forest. Everything was washed out with dark blues and drenched in shadow where the moon couldn't leak through. Did the Gerudo have any Pokémon that could track him? The mere thought terrified him all the more and spurred him forwards.

The sound of trickling water filled the air, reaching Link's ears moments before he emerged from the trees onto the bank of a stream. He knew this was the boundary he and his friends weren't allowed to pass when playing in the woods, but for the first time, Link ignored it. The water was cold on his feet, the pebbles lining the bottom of the stream unstable and slippery. He almost fell but caught himself, and then he was past the stream, heading into the unknown forest.

Further and further Link went. He soon had to stop running but kept walking, going deeper into the increasing brush. No matter what, those Gerudo couldn't find him. Eventually he emerged into a small clearing. He whirled around, staring at where he'd come from, chest heaving as he trembled. The brief moment of stillness was enough for Link's legs to give out, and he collapsed.

Link sat there, his mind raced dizzyingly. His throat and chest burned, and he still felt sick. That didn't compare to the thoughts filling his head. His mother was dead, gone, he'd never see her again. And his father... Was he dead now as well? Link had heard that the Gerudo hurt people a lot, that they were always mean and horrible. So that meant that his father had ended up like his mother, hadn't he?

It was like all of Link's air had been stolen then, leaving him lightheaded and gasping. They were gone. "M-Mama, Papa..." He let out a choked sob. His parents were dead, and he'd just run away. His breath hitched, shuddering. He'd left them. More sobs forced themselves from him, and he fell forwards, cowering on the grass as he wailed.

He couldn't believe he'd run. His father always told him that a true man always stood his ground, no matter what adversity he was facing. "Only cowards run," he had told Link. Link knew that cowards were people who were always scared of things. Link couldn't even think about going back home, he was so terrified. So was that what Link was? A coward? He had to be, and it just made him cry even harder.

Rustling in the bushes startled Link. He jerked up, looking around. He could hardly see; his vision was blurred by tears. Then came loud screeching from far-off, followed by a hooting somewhere else. Link whimpered, scooting backwards until his back came into contact with a tree trunk where he hunkered into a ball.

It's so dark, why's everything so dark? Link wondered fearfully. The forest was so much scarier than when his father was with him. The blackness between the trees was deep and looming, shadows stretching across the trees and twisting into goulish shapes. He couldn't see anything, but he was sure something was watching him. Perhaps he should just try to go home, even though the thought was unbearable for him. But when he looked around, a new fear began to well up in him.

He couldn't remember where he'd come from.

Link broke down again, fresh tears pouring down his cheeks. He was lost, stuck in the dark with whatever was watching him. He leaned against the tree trunk, squeezing his eyes shut and continuing to sob. This had to be some bad dream, he'd have to wake up soon. But the longer he cried, the more he became convinced that it wasn't. This was really happening, and it twisted his heart painfully. He wished it was a nightmare.

—~*~—

Sweet birdsong roused Link from sleep, and confusion parted the fog of tiredness. Had his mother left his window open? He slowly opened his eyes, growing more confused when he saw the greenery of forest foliage around him. He bolted upright, looking around. More plants. Why was he in the forest?

Then the memories from last night hit him all at once. It really hadn't been a bad dream.

Instantly tears sprung to Link's eyes. But this time, it wasn't just from sadness and fear. He was in pain too. His legs and chest hurt, his bare feet had been jabbed and cut from running across sticks and stones. To top it all off, he was also thirsty and hungry.

Link tried to dry his eyes, though more tears welled up seconds later. He wanted to try and find something he could eat or drink, but he was afraid to leave the clearing. Doing so might get him even more lost, and what if he ran into a wild Pokémon? He didn't have any way to defend himself.

Mama, Papa, what do I do? he questioned with a quiet hiccup. Even worse, he swore that something was still watching him. Thoughts of a vicious wild Pokémon stalking him flooded his mind. Cowards didn't run, but Link couldn't help but do so, and he left the clearing.

For what seemed like hours Link blindly wandered through the forest. He didn't recognize anything. It actually seemed like the trees were getting denser. Link had heard stories about the deep woods, that they eventually connected to Faron if one wandered far enough. Was that where Link was heading? He had no clue.

Link swallowed hard; his throat felt dry as paper. He'd crossed another stream earlier, but the water he'd drank from it had only quenched his thirst for so long. Unlike the stream, he didn't dare touch any of the berries he saw hanging in the bushes. His parents always told him to never eat any wild berries, and he still listened to them. But now he was regretting it just because of how hungry he was.

It didn't take much longer for Link to give up walking. He sank to the ground, utterly exhausted. He might as well have been going in circles, and he had for all he knew. At the very least, whatever had been watching him was seemingly gone.

By now, the bits of sky he could see through the treetops was growing orange, and that meant Link would be in the dark again soon enough. That sent a fresh wave of terror over him, and tears began trickling down his cheeks before he could stop them. He couldn't remember the last time he'd cried so much, and it began to frustrate him. It wasn't his fault that he was crying so much, or that he was out here in the first place. It was... the fault of those Gerudo.

When that thought came to mind, it began to make more sense to Link. If the Gerudo hadn't shown up, then he'd be at home. His parents would still be alive. His mother had been right, the Gerudo were awful. They didn't have to kill his parents, but they had, and they had ruined everything.

A new emotion began rising in Link, one he wasn't too familiar with that felt like it was burning him from the inside. Anger. Link was out here thanks to those Gerudo, and it would be their fault if he never found his way back. Would they care if they didn't? Would anyone? Link hated them, hated them with all his heart.

The silence of the forest was abruptly shattered when the bushes began to rustle, this time almost next to Link. He threw himself away from the thick shrubs, scrambling until his back hit an overgrown stump. The anger was snuffed out in favor of fear that coursed through him, making his heart race. He didn't know why, but he was feeling dizzy now. Whatever had been watching him before was back.

After another moment of rustling, the noise stopped. From the leaves before him emerged a small blue and black Pokémon that walked on two legs. Her small ears twitched as she gazed at Link with curious red eyes. Link vaguely remembered seeing something like her in the forest before, though he didn't remember the species' name. He tensed, waiting for her to attack him or something.

"Lu?" she yipped, raising a paw, as if in greeting.

Link blinked, confused.

"Lu?" she repeated in the same tone.

Link didn't say anything, just inched away as the Pokémon took a tentative step towards him. Was she trying to trick him?

"Ri..." Her paw fell back to her side as she frowned, looking upset. Link was trying to figure out why she wasn't attacking when his stomach protested its emptiness with an angry growl. The pair of black ear-like attachments on the Pokémon's head lifted as her eyes widened in surprise, and she then turned and ran off into the trees.

Where's she going? Link wondered. He wanted to run, but the tiredness and pain in his feet kept him where he was.

A bit of time passed, and the Pokémon returned, this time with her arms full of something red that glistened in the waning sunlight. "Lu!" she barked cheerfully, dropping whatever she held in front of Link. It was then that Link saw that the Pokémon had brought back several apples, each ripe and rich in color.

"D-did... did ya get these for me?" Link asked cautiously, his voice scratchy and wavering. The Pokémon nodded.

"Lu," she yipped, picking up an apple and taking a bite out of it. She smiled as she chewed the fruit before taking another bite, glancing at Link. It was like she was trying to show him that the fruit was safe.

Hesitant yet hungry, Link picked up one of the apples and took a small bite. He never knew an apple could taste so good. That one bite was all he needed, and he began devouring the rest. His taste buds writhed in delight as the crisp taste filled his mouth, and he quickly finished off the first and started on a second. For a moment, Link was able to forget about his situation in favor of savoring the first meal he had since last evening.

Eventually the apples were gone, and Link felt a little sad about that. He was somewhat full, but he definitely wanted more. The Pokémon picked up on that and went to go get more apples, where they continued indulging themselves.

"Oh, I'm Link," he introduced himself as they ate. "Do you have a name? I don't think ya do since you live out here in the forest."

The Pokémon shrugged. "Lu," she barked.

"Can I call ya Luce?" Link asked. The Pokémon seemed to mull the name over for a moment before nodding, smiling. "Okay, you're Luce then. W-were you the one following me before?" Luce nodded again, and Link felt a tad relieved. It wasn't some Pokémon that would try to eat him, just little Luce.

Once the second batch of apples was gone, Link was satisfied enough. If he'd known this forest had wild apples, he might have chanced climbing a tree to get his own. But he'd been too preoccupied with staying on the move.

"Thanks for the food. I-I was kinda scared to go look for some myself," Link said, wiping his sticky fingers off on the grass. Luce smiled sadly, and Link's heart sank seeing that look. The fullness in his stomach started to feel uncomfortable. "Really, th-thanks," he repeated.

Luce moved closer to Link, sitting almost next to him. She looked up at him with a sympathetic gaze, and Link stared back. He'd never seen a Pokémon make an expression like that before. It both made him feel comforted yet sorrowful, and tears pricked his eyes for the umpteemth time that day. It was then that a sudden idea came to Link.

"C-can ya stay with me for a little while, Luce? I don't wanna go home, a-and I don't wanna be alone..." The idea sounded crazy, but Link had said it before he could really think it through. This was a wild Pokémon. It seemed like she understood him, but he didn't know if she really understood what he meant by that.

But to Link's surprise, Luce nodded. She glanced at Link's hand before lightly placing her paw on it. And that response was enough to raise Link's spirits, bringing some warmth back to him, if just a little.