Chapter 9: Trail We Blaze

Link and Midna finally set off! There's plenty waiting out there for them, especially a towering mountain.

"It's so hot up here... oooh... I'm dying..." Link groaned as he seemingly 'struggled' to keep a grip on the mountain they were climbing. Midna sighed and rolled her eyes.

But she couldn't deny it to herself that she'd missed this. And Link was being especially amusing. (Because though she'd never admitted it, she couldn't help feeling she had taken him for granted. She wondered if he felt the same.)  They were climbing up the mountain in northern Hyrule, that held the Zora village.

It did not annoy her as much as it once did- in fact, it was a different kind of annoyance.

For some reason, Link was complaining that it was hot, when it was nice up, with a bit of a chilly breeze, especially in northern Hyrule. If anything, he was lucky, he had more coverage them her. But, maybe that's why he was hot? But what about last spring and summer? She shrugged. 

Well, she actually needed to make a fall/winter outfit soon. And Midna couldn't help but be so excited. Their last adventure had taken place mid of March, to late July. Now it was early September. She'd never been to Hyrule around the cold holiday times. 

And who knows how long this adventure could last? But, that was also worrying, because what if it was so short? What if Link was hurt? But she still couldn't help being excited. She couldn't help it, and she knew Link couldn't either.

"Soooo... warm." Link said, then slammed his face into the crag, and Midna cringed. That had to have hurt. She sighed, waiting for his little overreaction joke to end. Maybe he was throwing a little baby fit because he wanted her in his shadow, but she had disagreed. She hadn't said this out loud but in this adventure, she needed to do more, instead of hiding in his shadow and acting like royalty. Of course, she was royalty, and it wasn't because she was jealous of any praise the salvager had gotten, for she thought he deserved it all, even if she would never admit it, but she wanted to be more of help this time. And she would be.

"Link?" She said slightly worried now, poking him. "Please get up now. "Can't. Dead."

The Twilit stifled a cuss word and bit her lip.

Midna was still watching Link's face plant, and her pink lips began to smirk. She slowly and carefully lifted her arm up, the cloth over it moving in the wind. She gently pinched Link's green stitched hat and grinned. She knew how much he HATED having his hat off, and mostly taken off, by someone or something.

She slowly shrugged it off, biting her lower lip to keep her laughter hidden. As she pulled off the snugly fit cap, she snorted, and obviously Link heard.

"MIDNA." He began to speak. "GIVE ME MY HAT BACK. UH-PUH-LEASE."

Midna shook her head, even if she knew Link couldn't see. "Ah ah. Not until you stop pretending you're dead, or you fainted or whatever. So then we can start this."

She saw his chest rise and fall. "Fine," he sighed, sitting up. And he went to snatch it back, but she threw it at his face instead. She smirked, but slowly, their attention was taken away from each other, as Midna climbed up the rest of the way and saw the view.

"Link... what's that?"

"Woah," Link breathed.

"It's up there, isn't it? It has to be!"

Link climbed up along with her and had to catch his breath. Ahead, was many, many different types of lands. Forests, fields, mountains. It was pretty high up above here, and looking down to the right, Link could see into Zora's domain. and they'd have to go around, through a small wild and interlaced forest. Crazier then Ordon, that's for sure, but he had to admit, no less beautiful. The sun was shining through the clouds up this new land, exciting him beyond belief.

Now, this was somewhere new, somewhere they'd never gone. Beyond Twilight Beyond Hyrule.

That's when Link wondered- How much more did The Twilight Realm hold? He made a mental note to ask Midna.

But, it wasn't just the view he had to strain his eyes to see, because it went on forever. No, it was the extraordinarily humongous, tall powerful mountain reaching to the skies. Zelda wasn't kidding. It could hold the entirety of Hyrule on it and more. 

"Oh my God..." Link said, staring at the mountain, and he squinted. Were those entire forests on it? 

"Well..." Midna began, almost choking on her own amazement. "I guess we'll have to go through that forest," she said, trying to tear her gaze away from the view, and to the green forest, where she had seen fairies zipping around happily in there.

Link found his own mouth slightly open and had to shut it, and suddenly realized how ecstatic he was. He began to turn away, but his blue gaze immediately turned back to it. He glanced at Midna, who was walking towards the forest, but every now and then turning her head to the breath-taking view.

"Midna, are you seeing this?"

"I honestly can't see anything else, Link."

At those words, now they both stared. Link didn't think he'd seen anything more bewitching. Except for-

"Link, we might wanna get going." 

He swallowed and turned away to walk over to his best friend, but the mountain still seemed to want him to look at him. It was actually really freaking scary, but something about it gave him so many good vibes.

"Remember, you're wanted now?" Midna joked, and he felt warmth flood his chest, and he confidently and happily strutted over to her. It was a bit funny, actually. If anyone ever heard they were wanted by GODS, they'd probably drop dead out of fear. But Midna's was with him, so it was genuinely exciting.

He unsheathed his sword and pointed towards the tangled up trees. He sliced them to a free forest. "That trail we blaze!" he exclaimed, but then looked up. A huge boulder blocked their way.

Link and Midna frowned, and Link pointed to a different side of the forest. "THAT trail we blaze," he declared rightly, and he and Midna trudged in

Link ran through the forest happily as a wolf, racing Midna, as the mountain began to turn even steeper. "Link!" Midna yelled angrily. Wolf Link's tongue hung out as his heart pounded in fear of the angry Midna, but panted in joy. This was everything he'd missed. He thought he heard her catching up, and as he turned his head back but kept running, he realized he was right. 

Imp Midna was growling, looking ready to chomp down on his tail, and kept running, looking where he was going now, but abruptly skidded to her halt, as he nearly fell into a river. Midna flew over his head, unable to stop, and fell in the lake. 

Link stared down into the water, inwardly nervous, but realized he shouldn't have been as Midna's head immediately popped out. She was growling, and the wolf knew he was in trouble he flipped backward (somehow) as Midna snapped her teeth at him, nearly latching onto his nose. He audibly whined and backed away, but ultimately jumped her, playful fear filling his heart, and he let his long tongue hanging out as he ran away from the yelling Midna.

----

Link's boot stepped into the damp grass, but his focus was all on the fluttering fairy that landed on his ungloved fingertip, tickling it, and he almost accidentally shook it off. Snickering, he turned his head to Midna, who was twirling around to look at the round, glowing fairies in wonderment.

Whether she admitted it or not, Link thought, he had a sneaking suspicion she had missed Hyrule more then she'd ever say. Her red eye darted around, and he smirked at her. "Missed being an imp, huh, Midna?" he dared.

She turned to him, and in a few seconds, her eye filled with rage, and she was immediately a Twilit. Midna scoffed. "No, of course not. I was just used to it, and turned to an imp by accident is all," she pouted, and she went ahead of Link, who, for some reason, found he couldn't stop smiling at her, even when she was mad at him, not seriously mad of course.

---

Link's boot was stuck in some sort of reprehensible MUD. He grunted, repeatedly trying to tug it out. Midna walked up from behind him. "What're you doing?" The princess asked. "My-boot's-STUCK!" He grunted. Midna smiled and placed her hands behind her back. "Really?" She basically purred. "Ye-e-e-es," he babbled, tugging harder and harder until Midna went to face him. "I'll help you," she smirked, and pushed her hands forth and he fell back, her push strong enough to pull his foot from the mud- and himself right into the water.

"Midna!" He yelled as she giggled and ran off. He waved his arms around. "NOT FAIR!" 

"Hey, you did it to me!" She called back, grinning, but the grin quickly fell, when she saw he was a wolf now, paws pounding on the floor, and throwing up gusts of dirt, and she tried to run even faster

----

Link looked over, into the view, not that there was much to see yet. There was plenty of forest blocking his view, not to mention the fog. He glanced at Midna, who was staring at the view with wonder in her eyes, and he walked ahead, into the thicker forest, blinking in the mist.

He heard Midna following him behind, footsteps pressing in the moist grass that at collected dewdrops at the tips, and were sliding down the green strands. Link blinked several times again.

The Hylian attempted to get the fog out of his eyes but knew it was hopeless and quit blinking so rapidly, but couldn't help squinting. He glanced at Midna, smiling at her, but was unsure if she saw, be cause her ruby red eyes were squinting also.

Link suddenly knocked his swinging arm into something, and he looked up. A tall cave, that opened immediately on the other side, and he rushed over to the open side, and he smiled. The view... it was so beautiful, and yet the Mountain of Storms made it that much more intimidating.

Some pink butterflies flew out of the mouth of the opening, and he grinned. He was ready for this adventure, and ready for more, as long as- and only if- Midna was by his side.

Suddenly, he felt a body bump into him, and he and what he recognized as Midna fell and rolled down the grassy green hill, and for a moment it felt like it went on forever, but he couldn't help but laugh.

Author's Note

This was very much a montage of a chapter and I remember it being odd to write! Also... someone HAD to catch that reference, right? PLEASE. SOMEONE HAD TO. All rights go to Nintendo besides my own characters!