Change is sweet in everything.

- Euripedes


Noon.

The Kokiri searched for Luna but no one found her, and few dared venture into the Lost Woods. Only a dozen Kokiri armed with slingshots and little swords scurried through the Lost Woods. They sat down to catch their breaths while their fairies hovered on lookout.

"Looks like Luna ran away for good this time."

"I can't believe she did, after all that work we put into the festival for her!"

"Me to. It was one of the best we had and she didn't even appreciate it," one of the girl twins said. She was a blue-eyed blondie with shiny shoulder-length hair, wearing a green headband, sleeveless shirt, a short skirt, leather belt, and knee-length leather boots. Her fairy could change color like most of the older Kokiri's.

"Luna did put Axel's costume back in his closet. I heard she painted her mask to be smiling, I think she did appreciate what we did. Guess she just didn't feel comfortable, I suppose," another girl remarked, the other twin, both sisters identical and wearing the exact same attire.

"Luna reminds me of Link. He also ran away long ago, maybe Saria went with him afterwards?" one of the twins asked. Her sister looked at her nostalgically.

"Don't lose hope yet! Maybe we'll see them again! Luna always returns sooner or later anyways!" a boy stated.

They all had a feeling that would not be the case.

"Hey! Skull Kids, you know the Lost Woods, why don't you go on and search for her?" a boy called.

The Skull Kids looked back at them and shrugged

"Uh, what?" Gödel asked.

"Oh, we can't really do that. The forest is so vast it's impossible to actually find someone, especially considering that no one saw where Luna went," one of the yellow-dressed Skull Kids replied.

"It's really, really too dangerous for us. There are mean grownups out there—robbers and poachers—and you can't trust them!"

A yellow-dressed Skull Kid snorted. "They even sometimes dress like Kokiri to trick you so you gotta shoot darts at them!"

The blonde Skull Kid girl shook her head at them. "We will keep an eye out for her! We'll try to find her, if we can..."

"Oh, come on Blondie, don't bother lying to them, we'll never find that ghostly girl. The forest is too big. You can walk in any direction in a straight line and you'll get lost in a day!" the other Skull Kid girl remarked.

"Oh, Tara, you're just like those bees!" the blonde Skull Kid girl rebuked with some heat (referring to their yellow garb).

"But it's true, and we have to accept that fact!" Tara said.

"It doesn't mean we should just give up, we have to at least keep an eye out for her."

"We can do that. As long as she stays in the forest, we're bound to meet her someday, maybe we'll find her when we're playing somewhere," one of the Skull Kid boys wearing a beak said.

"Sam is right. The forest is big but it's not endless. We will eventually stumble upon her," Gödel remarked.

The Kokiri got up and were ready to continue their search. A few practiced some sword swings on the grass.

"Alright, we'll go this way, you go that way!" Blondie said and the two groups parted ways.


The search for Luna continued well into the sunset and ended with failure. The Kokiri eventually regrouped at the remains of the bonfire and discussed their adventures, many worried about Luna.

Mido sat cross-legged on the ground, upset and guilty, and his fairy could not comfort him. Mido stood up once Vera appeared, escorted by a few other Picti Kokiri. The other Picti, two boys and two girls, nodded at each other then walked off.

Vera's fairy, Nina, flew closer to her than usual. Although rather hotheaded, Vera was uneasy. She knew that Luna's abrupt disappearance would be used against her.

"Vera, what did you do?" Mido asked as he got up.

"Nothing."

"Oh, don't play stupid Vera! Luna is missing, and everyone knows what's been going on between you and her. What did you do to Luna?" Mido placed his hands on his sides and beat his foot against the ground.

"Ever since you got us to put the baby owls back, I've never even met her. I don't know what she's been up to. Why are you surprised that she disappeared?"

"No! I'm not surprised she disappeared!" Mido shouted, briefly lifting his arms in a fit of anger, a few nearby Kokiri wincing.

"Well, go talk to Kibou, he'll tell you where she is. He's always with her, obviously."

"I've never seen Kibou all day!" Nina squeaked.

"He's probably out looking for her, I had nothing to do with Luna's disappearance. If I did, Kibou would be here to tell you about it," Vera said.

Elmo walked by, head down. He wanted to say something, to do something. All he had to do was say he met Luna and watched her go away...but he also feared Luna's threat. What if she found out he told the Kokiri what happened and she never came back?

Vera glared at Elmo, having a hunch he knew something.

Mido grew impatient. "Pfft, obviously Kibou is out looking for her and can't find her! You'd do anything to just fill-up that arrogant ego of yours! Absolutely anything!"

"Are you saying that I killed her!?" Vera snapped. She crossed her arms, staring at Mido as if he were an idiot. Mido clenched his thin hands and furrowed his eyebrows, glaring back but with shiny eyes. Vera almost chuckled.

"I'm not... But I am asking you what did you do?"

"Maybe the exact same thing I should do to you." The vein in Vera's temple bulged.

Mido balled his fists and scowled. "She left us because of you! Because of you! How could you do such a thing, Vera!? This is all your fault! I, as the Great Mido, reject you as one of us! You will never be one of us! And I'll make sure everyone thinks exactly the same!" Mido walked off grumbling to himself. Nearby Kokiri stepped back and gave him space.

Nearby Kokiri stared at Vera suspiciously, whispering about her. Few by few, they seemed to hate Vera, and left.

Vera huffed. "I never needed any of you, and it's not like any of you are better than me in fighting. Oh, and I don't need any of you, either." She flicked her hair.

Rather than stand there until left alone, Vera made her way to her home as though she accomplished something. Nina stayed with her but kept quiet. The other Kokiri ignored Vera and she did likewise.

Vera's home was nearby, beside the bridge that led to the higher section of the village, atop the plateau.

"Vera... did you do something?" Nina squeaked.

"No, but I have an idea."

Vera's home had a ladder that led up to a platform, which led to a giant stump carved hollow which had many branches arching in all directions. She reached the ladder and paused. She stared down to the left, at that old, odd carving in the bark. The carving depicted a boy with a sword and shield beside a rearing, huge, dinosaur-like monster who roared three balls of flame.

"I always wondered who carved that..." Vera climbed the ladder.


That night, Elmo wanted to find Luna. He searched all night and ended up amidst bushes, all alone, and wept.

"I'm so sorry Luna...I'm so sorry..." He wiped his eyes with his palms and sniffled. "I should have done something, not let you go..."

A jingling vibrato noise echoed.

"Hi Elmo! I'm back!" a translucent fairy announced-he was quite the winged bubble to behold.

"B-B-Bubbles? Oh! Hello, h-hello, w-w-wel-welcome home. I d-d-didn't expect to m-m-muh-meet anyone out here."

"Me to! It's so cool to meet you! Hey, are you crying?" Bubbles hovered a little closer.

"No! Just a little cold!" Elmo rubbed his eyes.

"Well, sitting all the way out here will get you a cold! Anyways, I had a great time visiting my family. I went to every Great Fairy Fountain to find them! Thank you so much, Elmo, for letting me go see my family!" Elmo nodded. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Elmo shook his head.

"I think something's wrong, Elmo. Maybe we should talk about it at home? I hope nothing bad happened while I was gone."

Elmo shook his head again. "I just need some sleep. I've been out wandering around for so long."

"OK, then! Let's get some sleep, then. I'm also pretty tired, too, been flying long distances all over Hyrule."

Elmo got up and headed home. Amidst sniffles, he rubbed his eyes.

"Why were you wandering about, anyways?"

"I went for a walk."

"This late? And this far out?"

"Yeah..."

"Elmo, something's wrong. You gotta tell me."

"Nothing's wrong, I'm OK."

"No, you're not OK. Tell me what happened."

"Nothing!" Elmo's pace hastened.

Bubbles whizzed in front of him and he stopped. The fairy slowly leaned in. "Let me guess...you asked a girl out and she said no?"

Elmo chuckled uncomfortably and wiped his eyes. "Not really..."

"Then what happened?"

Elmo cried a little. "Luna...she's gone."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"She's just gone."

"But I saw her this morning. Want me to show you where I last saw her?"

Elmo shook his head.


The next day came and went for the Kokiri, all of whom did not speak as much as they normally would, nor were they as active as usual. For some reason, many of them felt Luna was gone for good this time. Some felt guilty, others did not, and some continued their search through the Lost Woods just for her sake.

A Kokiri boy looked into a hollow log, to see if Luna was inside—nope. A girl checked behind a large oak tree but only found a hedgehog crawling around with apples stuck on her back. The girl watched the hedgehog crawl away, perhaps going home to feed her babies apples. The group of Kokiri decided to go home, too. The Lost Woods was a scary place, especially when they overheard howling wolves.

"Uh oh, time to scram," a girl said.

"I wish we did something sooner," one of the boys remarked.

"Yeah, me to. Now we'll never see Luna again," the previous girl commented—her fairy flew close to her cheek to comfort her.

"Well, she has to come back someday! Maybe in a long time, but she'll be back," another boy said, but... They just had a feeling they'd never see Luna again.

One of the girls stepped to a Gossip Stone and noticed a carving on it. It depicted some sort of cross-legged goat-demon, arms bent at the elbows, one hand pointing up and the other down. "Found another one, guys!"

The Kokiri scurried to the Gossip Stone and examined the carving.

"Second one like that. What does it mean?" They shrugged.

The Kokiri gasped as more howling echoed.

"Luna! If you're out there, be careful!" a boy cautioned. He and his friends ran homeward...