"Where are you two off to?" Ophelia asked as the clan of fairies saw the two boys off. Gon and Killua stood surrounded by the entire clan at the edge of the Garden. They had their packs back on and were dressed in their winter attire. Gon had a vibrant green coat lined with orange fox's fur, paired with a black pair of snow pants. His favorite green boots had been abandoned for a pair more suited for the snow, these boots were black just like the pants. Killua had a white coat that fell to his knees with no fur lining. He wore deep navy snow pants and a pair of black boots that matched Gon's (there was only one supplier of snow boots in the Hidden Oasis so they had ended up with the same pair).

"Yorknew City!" Gon exclaimed excitedly.

The fairies erupted in "oohs" and "ahhs," and a bittersweet silence extended between the travelers and their newly befriended clan. Goodbyes had already been exchanged, and now Gon and Killua just had to actually commit to leaving.

"Yorknew City? Have you heard the legends?" Zamir asked with a lopsided grin.

Killua smiled at his friend and responded: "Yeah, it has huge buildings made of glass and metal that scrape the sky."

Zamir shoved his hands into his pockets in his usual way, and clucked his tongue, "Lucky you guys. The closest we'll ever come to seeing anything that tall is this cliff."

"Speaking of the cliff, be careful on the way up, alright?" Azure said in their calming voice.

"Yes, and yell for help if you so need it," Aspen added.

"Thanks guys! We will!" Gon said with a winning smile. The horned boy turned to look at Killua, "You ready?"

"Yep!"

The two boys walked into the mist, waving all the way and calling out some last goodbyes. However, before they could disappear into the mist entirely, Ophelia called out to them one last time: "A word of warning: as you pass through the mountains, watch out for the creature that lurks there! It holds danger in its claws, and the icey paradox of its grip may just claim your lives! Do be careful, Gon and Killua!"

The two boys slowed to a halt at the ominous warning, but before they could ask of any further context, the fairies faded back into the mist, back down to their immaculate Garden wonderland.

"Creature?" Killua asked.

"Sounds exciting!"

The Valkyrie slapped Gon upside the head. "Stu~pid! Ophelia warned us about it for a reason! Don't get excited about something like that!"

He had that look in his eyes again. The one halfway between fear and excitement.

Killua's heart sped up.

"Yeah, but that just means that we'll have to go on your first adventure!"

A smile slipped onto Killua's features. "An adventure as in fighting a dangerous creature?"

"Yes! It'll be so fun! I'll show you the art of adventuring!" Gon exclaimed with a little hop of excitement.

Killua hid his eyes behind his hair and chuckled, he's so bright. "Alright, alright, let's go then!"

"Race you to the top!" was the only warning Killua got before Gon bunched his legs and sprung up and out of sight.

"Why you little, I'LL CATCH YOU, YOU NO GOOD CHEAT!" Killua yelled with a wicked grin, and then followed suit. Ophelia's warning had left an air of foreboding, however Killua shoved those feelings aside. What was an adventure without a little danger involved? He had to admit, he was in the same boat as Gon: hoping that they'd encounter the creature. After all of the wild tales of risk and excitement that Killua had heard from Gon, he was giddy with anticipation for what the mountains held in store for them.

Killua extended his claws, veins popping in his hands as the limbs hardened to a degree stronger than steel. He latched onto the cliff face, claws slipping into the rock like a hot knife through butter. Using his tail for balance, Killua scampered up the cliff face.

Up ahead of him, Gon was using his fishing rod to sling himself up at neck breaking speeds. Killua grinned, and picked up the pace. As the altitude increased, the air got colder, and the chilled breeze ruffled the Valkyrie's silver hair. He had forgotten how much he loved feeling the air against his tail, he had missed having it out so much. Having it wrapped around his waist had felt so confining, and now that it was free he felt like a missing puzzle piece had been snapped back into place.

He had Gon to thank for that.

The time spent with the fairies had been an experience of self growth. Killua had been overcome with such strong feelings of dread when they had appeared. He had been standing completely exposed, tattoos and tail bared for all to see. However, spending the past day and a half dressed in a revealing get up of woven leaves had done wonders for his confidence. The fairies had been so accepting, they hadn't questioned his blood once. Gaging their reactions to his appearance had helped take a chunk out of his shame over his species.

The fairies had treated him just the same as Gon did, and Killua was glad to admit that he was feeling much more confident and comfortable in his own skin.

He hadn't told them about his species, that was still a step he was unready to take.

But simply being able to exist as he was without hiding himself was such an incredible feeling.

Killua climbed up into the clouds, loving the misty feeling on his face as he raced through them. After a quick minute of cloud-climbing, Killua burst out over the tops of the pillowy white things, and climbed up and over with the sun at his back.

With a grin Killua slung himself up and over the top of the cliff.

Ever since I met Gon, I've smiled more than I have in my entire life.

The Valkyrie stuck the landing gracefully, feet sinking into a layer of white powder a foot deep. Gon had beaten him, but before he could go off into a rant riddled with bad sportsmanship, Killua's breath was taken away.

He joined Gon where he was standing and taking in the view in awe.

Wind jostled their hair, chilling and cold. An utterly majestic scene spread out before them. Hundreds of mountains jutted out and above the clouds, like hands extending up to the sky, reaching out to grasp anything their spindly fingers could touch. The mountains were formed from a dark gray rock, and the white snow sprinkled across them, making them look like marble. The mountain tops pierced up through the clouds, and Killua gazed up in amazement as he found a second cloud layer dedicated to the mountains themselves.

The travel through the mountains would be rough, but exciting all the same. Only the very tips of the mountain stuck out above the clouds, and below the sea of water vapor was rumored to lay a forest of jagged ice pikes. The mountain tops were within jumping distance, so the two of them would have to traverse the mountain range as if they were leaping tree to tree in a jungle. Obviously, it wouldn't be as simple as that because they were mountains, not trees; it would take about an hour to clear each mountain, rather than the split second it would take to clear a tree. The Valkyrie grinned. He had hated growing up on Kukuroo mountain, but he could not deny that mountains were his home. He hadn't realized how much he had missed the jagged tips and frigid air, the danger and the beauty that teetered on the edge of a blade.

Killua heard Gon scent the air, and he looked over at his best friend.

Mountain air looked good on Gon. For one who had spent his entire life in the cold mountain biome, seeing the spiky haired boy in this climate just felt right. It felt as if Killua had brought Gon onto the wavelength that his soul traversed, I hope he loves the mountains just as much as I do.

Gon inhaled deeply, drinking in the intoxicatingly clear scent of the mountainous atmosphere. The altitude was high, and the air was thinner, but the wind was denser than ever. Each blast of air felt stronger, more potent than it ever would at sea level. When the mountain wind dragged its fingers through your hair, it felt like the gods themselves were there, slipping their divine hands through the silky mass, scrapping their nails across your scalp.

Those ethereal fingers pawed with Gon's coarse hair, blowing it about and sending ripples through its black-green strands. His cheeks were flushed with the cold, and his eyes sparkled in the sunlight. He met Killua's gaze and grinned brighter than the sun itself.

Killua's heart beat a little faster - in a completely normal way, of course.

"The mountains are so beautiful, Killua! They remind me of you!"

Killua's cheeks turned red, "Idiot."

Gon snickered, then slung his arm around Killua's shoulder. "Are you ready for your first adventure?"

The Valkyrie smiled, eyes hidden behind his hair and wishing his face weren't so hot.

"I guess so." More than anything.