A/N: That's right everyone. I'm diving into the realm of Hyrule.
Cuz imma motha huggin Zelda freak.
Deal with it.
On note that actually relates to the plot—
Set after Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask.
Link sighed heavily. Just ahead was the edge of the Lost Woods.
Here was the final choice. Though he had already decided on his course of action, stepping foot outside of the forest where he had spent the last three years of his life was a daunting task; made all the more so by the fact that it meant he was truly and forever giving up his quest.
He had to accept the fact that Navi had abandoned him; he had a feeling that he knew why.
It was the same reason he was giving up the search for his lost friend.
Her.
Throughout his entire adventure through Termina, he had thought of her. At first, he couldn't figure out why. Link had often felt tears spring to his eyes when he played upon the Ocarina, and guilt had weighed heavily on his chest as the many women of Termina had audaciously flirted with him.
Then he had happened upon the Fierce Deity mask. When he had learned of its power, he had almost expected himself to fear it. Almost. But, in his heart, he knew that he would not.
During his time at Hyrule Castle, he had extensively researched the gift the Goddesses had bestowed upon him. The most direct results he discovered were in a book a few hundred years old, written by one of the many Zelda's found throughout Hyrule's history.
Within the text, which was an analysis of the nature of Hylians, a chapter upon courage was found. In it, the long-dead queen discussed the most simplistic understanding of courage—the ability to overcome fear. It was not, the queen assured, and absence of fear. No being of any race would desire that, for rational fear spawns wisdom, just as wisdom spawns rational fear. An absence of fear would likely result in foolhardiness or total recklessness, without any regard for life in any form, be it the being in question or any other living things in the knowledge of the being. This was most certainly not something that could be profitable.
Link resisted the urge to smile. It seemed that, once again, he was the exception to a rule.
Link had never in his life experienced fear. As always, the Goddesses seemed more intent on cursing than blessing, if the ancient queen's words had any truth.
Of course, fear was a natural emotion for a Hylian. A rather large natural emotion that simply didn't exist within the Hero of Time.
It was an essential part of being a living being. And yet, Link lacked it.
When Link had discovered this about himself, he had wondered if the Goddesses had taken a truly enormous capacity for emotion away from him.
It was a thought that nagged him, ate at his brain, constantly.
And then, as he held the Fierce Deity mask for the first time, he had realized what the Goddesses had done.
He supposed it was Farore's doing. When she had communicated with him, she had always seemed slightly mischevious, an honest reflection of his own personality.
It seemed to him as though the creators of Hyrule had simply taken all capacity within him that could have possibly been used for fear and transferred it into his capacity for the most powerful of human emotions—love.
And it also seemed as though most of that capacity for love was used on one particular princess.
With that thought, he shook himself, and took a step forward, pulling Epona with him as he left the Lost Woods, and Navi, behind.
A/N: Ok, so, I realize this wasn't really Link/Zelda centric, but realize that this is not a oneshot! It continues!
For those that have read some of my other stuff, I promise that I'll actually finish this one!
And for those of you who like my other stuff (particularly Yj), I promise I'm not done with that either. I'm just trying something new on for size. A writer has to expand his/her repertoire, after all.