AN: …Here's another chapter. I tried to make this one as…descriptive as possible. I hate writing the temple scenes. I really do. I need a few suggestions for the next one. See end author's note for that, please.

Warning: A little bit more swearing than usual. Not much though.

I'll see you guys at the bottom! .

Chapter 11

Climbing Death Mountain

I slowly opened my tired eyes. I quietly turned over on my bed so I was not facing the wall anymore.

I smiled tiredly when I saw Link sleeping soundlessly on the wooden floor. His chest was rising and falling with each breath. His limbs were sprawled all over the floor, and he looked like he had a rough night.

I chuckled to myself when I remembered the night before. Link had fought with me for at least half an hour…he insisted on getting the floor. I knew he was going to be sore today, but knowing him…he wouldn't admit it.

I got up as quietly as possible from the bed. I cringed slightly when I heard it creak in protest. I glanced at Link when he groaned from the sudden noise.

He just rolled over to one side, facing the other way. I sighed in relief.

I was about to start walking again, when I heard a muffled groan coming from Link. Hah. I was right, he was sore.

Thinking he was just groaning and moaning in his sleep, I continued my trek to get outside of the room. I wanted some time alone to think.

I could hear the soft thuds of my feet against the cold floor, and I went along as silently and as slowly as possible. I reached Link, he was a good 3 meters away from my bed, I lifted one leg up and slowly brought it down on the other side of him. I did the same with my other foot. Just when my other foot was about to clear him, I felt a hand roughly grab it. I yelped slightly as I felt someone pull me downwards.

Oof! I hit the floor with a small thump. Luckily, I put my hands out to avoid hurting my face against the wood.

I turned my head to see who had my foot. It was, of course, Link. He was smirking and he whispered, "What are you doing up this early?"

I glared at him and responded just as quietly, "I wanted some time alone for awhile. I need to…think"

Link nodded his head softly in understanding, "I see. Sorry for startling you, but I couldn't resist!"

I rolled my eyes and started to pick myself off of the floor. My hands were still burning slightly from the impact, but I didn't say anything.

I felt a strong hand push me back down towards the floor. It was Link's.

"Link, what are you doing? Let me leave." I glared at the green-clad boy. He smiled sweetly, to which I blushed at, and let me go. I left the room in a huff, and I could faintly hear him chuckle when I stormed out of the room.

When I opened the door to the outside, a blast of cold air hit my face. I shivered from the sudden cold. I could see the sky light up on the horizon a little bit and grinned. I could finally be able to see the sunrise properly! I could never do that back home…

I sat down on the wooden platform that was there, and I watched the sunrise. I thought about a lot of things. Home was one of them. I missed my family and my friends. I wondered if life was still going on back on Earth. I shook my head, of course it was. I was just missing.

Or was I? Maybe I have a clone on Earth that is doing everything for me. Right now, it would be getting up for school. I hoped I didn't have a clone though. It would not be fun.

I didn't know how long I was there, but when I heard the door open behind me…I jumped.

Link chuckled, "Sorry. I just wanted to check on you. The village is still dangerous, you know"

I replied, "Yeah, I know."

"What are you thinking about?"

I hesitated, not really sure if I should tell him about my home on Earth. I decided not too. It would only make things more…awkward then it already was.

"Oh, just…stuff. I'm watching the sunrise too" I responded.

I heard Link shuffle from behind me and I watched in mild annoyance that he sat down beside me.

"Beautiful, isn't it? I used watch the sunset and sunrise all the time back in Ordon"

"Yeah" I muttered.

I looked back up at the sunrise. I gasped at all of the colours reflecting off of the fluffy clouds. The sky itself was a stunning collaboration of different hues and shades of red, purple, orange and yellow. It was breathtaking.

Link chuckled from beside me, "I told you it was pretty" I heard him mutter quietly so I wouldn't hear, "Not as pretty as you though…" I blushed and turned away…not wanting him to realize that I just heard what he said.

My gaze went back up to the sky. It was…. just plain awesome. The sun was barely suspended in the sky when Link quietly and nervously said, "Um…Terra. I have something I want to say"

I turned to look at him. He was blushing! How cute!

I grinned and waited for him to continue. I had a feeling where this was going.

"Um…I…. err…. just wanted to tell you…. that I…I…." he sighed, "Never mind…"

I raised an eyebrow. Link didn't seem like the kind of guy that would chicken out.

I shrugged off any following thoughts to avoid me blushing, and concentrated on the sky.

"When are we…leaving?" I asked Link quietly.

No answer.

I looked over at Link again to find him staring at his feet. I sighed.

"Link…" I poked his leg. He still didn't do anything.

I tried again. Nothing.

I went up close to his face and roughly poked him on the forehead. He blinked rapidly and blushed deeply when he realized how close I was to his face. I blushed slightly too.

I repeated my question and he replied, "Sometime today…"

I rolled my eyes at his reply. Way to be vague…

"Yeah, Link" I started sarcastically, "When today?"

He smirked and looked at me, "Sometime soon"

"Define 'soon'"

"In a few hours"

"Oh"

That shut me up. I scowled playfully. He won that one…

I got up slowly and grimaced when I felt my bones pop and crack from being in the same position for too long.

I started making my way towards the inn when Link's voice stopped me, "Wait"

I stopped mid-step and looked back at him. He was getting up. I rolled my eyes. Slowpoke.

When he was at a reasonable distance, I continued.

He rushed ahead of me and opened the door and gestured for me to go first. I stopped and backed up a few steps. Link raised an eyebrow and I chuckled.

I didn't want to go first. That was what he wanted me to do. Why? I had no clue.

He scowled jokingly and went inside first. I rolled my eyes and followed.

---

Luda, Renado's daughter, cooked us up a nice breakfast. I was a bit reluctant to try cucco eggs, but I was surprised that they tasted exactly like chicken eggs back on earth. I guess it would make sense though. Cucoos did look exactly like chickens.

She also served us a kind of flatbread that looked like pancakes. I smiled. I love pancakes.

When I shoved the first forkful into my mouth…it tasted like anything but pancakes. Link must have noticed the disgusted look on my face, because he smirked.

I managed to shove down the rest of my food and muttered a 'thanks' to Luda. She smiled and started to clean the dishes.

---

Link sighed as he forked over 200 rupees for the Hylian Shield. I watched the transaction with amused eyes. For the past half hour, Link has been trying to haggle the price down to 150 rupees…but to no avail.

Link gave Malo his Ordon Shield and asked how much he would buy it for.

Malo took one look at the shield and said in his puny voice, "Hmph. That one would be 40 rupees"

Link grinned when he received 40 rupees for his old shield and I just rolled my eyes.

When we exited Malo 'Mart', as he dubbed it, Link put his new shield on his back. It was shiny and reflecting the sunlight back into my eyes. I grunted and looked away from the blinding shield and Link just grinned.

"I think it's about time we head on over to help out the Gorons, eh Terra?"

"…Yeah"

We made our way towards the mountain path. When we arrived, Link stopped and said, "Terra…you might want to stay away. I am going to hurl that Goron over the cliff"

I snorted in disbelief, but then remembered that he had the Iron Boots. Not even a Goron would be able to move him now…

---

I withdrew my bow and aimed at the Goron that was currently trying to pound poor Link into the ground. I let go of the string and watched in smug satisfaction as the arrow hit against the Goron's forehead. I knew that wouldn't kill it.

To Link's surprise, and mine it curled up into a ball. Link gasped and pulled me onto the Goron, and wrapped an arm around my waist. Was I blushing? Yep.

The Goron started shaking and launched us up towards the ledge. I landed on my feet with a loud thump, and so did Link. But he bent his knees in more than usual. I saw his leg muscles flex, and shake under the sudden impact. He glanced at me and grinned.

I rolled my eyes as we continued forwards. Show off.

We 'beat' a few more Gorons, and Link tossed a few more over a cliff in the past hour we were here. I was sweating. It was boiling here! What is this? A volcano?

I voiced my complaints to Link and he just smirked, tapped my shoulder two times with a finger, and pointed up towards the top of the mountain. It was a volcano.

I groaned. Ugh.

We were nearly at the top, only two more Gorons to go…

I nocked an arrow and prepared to fire at the Goron's forehead (like I have been doing for the past hour) when something hit me from behind.

I gasped out in sudden pain as a nearby Goron knocked the bow out of my hands, making the bow fall all the way to the foot of the mountain, and scraping my hands in the process. I winced at the pain. The same Goron , I assumed, put a hand over my mouth.

My first reaction was to scream the sound was muffled-a lot- by the Goron's hand so Link didn't hear me.

When that didn't work, I tried to elbow the Goron…, which only succeeded in scraping up my elbow. I winced at the pain. I struggled for a few more seconds until going still. I was too tired to fight…

I saw another Goron from the corner of my eye move towards Link- quietly…for a Goron. Link heard it though, and whipped around. When he saw me being held captive, he growled and slashed at the Goron approaching him from behind and ran up to me. He was just about to cut my captor into shreds when a booming voice yelled, "STOP!"

"Are these humans so threatening that you need to gain up on them? I think not, brothers." I looked up and saw a small but powerful Goron, who was obviously was chieftain, yell from on top of the ledge where our goal was.

The Gorons were momentarily distracted. I growled and stomped my foot down on my captor's foot. Hard. It yelped in pain, but still kept it's hand over my mouth.

I growled again but stopped when another one twisted my arm behind my back. The chieftain glared, "Stop that. You're going to kill her. She isn't as strong as the male humans"

I fumed. Sexist asshole.

Link's sword was up against another Goron's neck, and he held it there. He glanced towards me and demanded, "If you let her go…I won't slit his neck"

The chieftain sighed from above, "Let. Her. Go"

The Gorons reluctantly compiled and I glared at them. I looked down towards the ground and, to my dismay; the bow that had been knocked out of my hands broke in two pieces when it smashed up against the jagged rocks below.

Link practically ran towards me and I instinctively cowered closer to him. My body was practically pressing up against his. Did I care? No. I wanted protection; I didn't even have a weapon now.

The chieftain stated, "We will not be enemies of yours…if you can prove yourself in strength. In a sumo wrestling match"

Link huffed and gripped his sword tightly in one hand…and his new Hylian shield in the other, "Fine. We need help up though"

The chieftain motioned for the nearby Goron to curl up into a ball. Link still didn't leave my side, "No. A different way. I don't trust you guys"

And damn straight he shouldn't! That stupid Goron could have killed me!

The Goron Chieftain sighed, "We won't hurt you. Just obey. The woman has to stay outside though. Inside is too…harsh for her"

I huffed. Ass.

Link growled, "No. She is coming."

The chieftain sighed and glanced at me, "Fine. It's her funeral. Come"

When we were blasted off towards the final (Thank God!) platform, I landed unsteadily and had to resort to all fours. I groaned. I felt dizzy...

Link looked at me worriedly before pulling me up by my upper arm and steadying me. I thanked him with a slight blush creeping on my cheeks. He noticed and smiled a little.

I hate hormones…

I followed Link in as best I could, limping slightly. I at least learned one thing today: Never stomp on a Goron's foot. They are made of rocks. Probably literally too.

Link put on his Iron Boots when the Chieftain wasn't looking. I snickered. This was going to be fun to watch.

The sum match started. I leaned up against a nearby wall, not really interested. I was in too much pain. I think I broke my foot, because it hurt to touch it against…anything. I happened to notice that Link was clothed all the way for this. I couldn't help a small sigh escape my lips. Well, damn it. I was hoping that I would be able to see his chest at least one more time. Apparently not though.

When the match was over, the Chieftain apologized to him and said he was allowed into the Mines. I apparently didn't exist though, because he didn't even mention me.

Link gestured towards me, "What about her?"

The Goron leader looked at me and scowled, "She's just a woman. I can't believe you actually let her fight…" I could feel my fists curl into fists. I hated sexist comments with a passion. Who didn't?

The Gorons must have noticed my anger though, because they all burst out laughing.

"Ha! Look at her! She's mad! I think she wants to punch one of us!" One laughed.

"That's funny. She would probably break that hand, and then cry her eyes out about breaking a nail in the process" another one snickered.

Gr…

Link walked towards me and clearly had a look on his face that said, 'Ignore them. Let's go'

I nodded to his silent order and followed him in, very aware that I had no weapon. This would be interesting indeed.

AN: Oh, man. I have an awesome idea how this dungeon is going to play out next chapter! .

But…I still need help. I've been wondering for sometime now. You know in the part of the dungeons where you need the iron boots to go on ceilings and such? Yeah. There is only one pair of iron boots. That presents a problem. How is Terra going to go along with Link through the dungeon if she doesn't have a pair? Even if she did though, I doubt she would have the leg muscles in order to lift it.

Another problem. You know when you're upside down on the magnetic roof in one room (it's like a maze…) I think I am going to skip that part and just put in some sort of…elevator leading up to the platform. Why? Because if you were upside down…blood would rush to your head, thus making you go unconscious and probably killing you. I figured it was magic the first time I played through that part but now…I think of it as stupid. I need help guys…or this story won't be able to continue! This is urgent here. Thanks.

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