He he, long chaptor eh. Thank you for commenting! Evil cliff hanger at end, I know evil.

Anime Wildfire here, today's the day I leave Chaosmaiden's house and head back home. So I'll be updating all my stories as soon as I get back (and as soon as I convince my dad to put my computer back together) Enjoy the chapter!

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Zelda and Ruto began to circle, the tips of their two swords touching.

With a shriek, Ruto lunged at Zelda, who grimaced under the onslaught, but gave ground, paring in a defensive manner. Ruto paused, just as Zelda brought her sword up and they clashed, their faces inches away from the other.

"You're doing well." Ruto acknowledged, "But you will not win with just defense. You will have to attack." Ruto nearly snarled the last sentence. Zelda shoved Ruto back a foot, and brought her sword into a defensive position. Ruto continued thrusting, with an occasional jab. Zelda kept her feet firmly planted to the ground as every time Ruto jabbed she shoved her back. Ruto, tired of getting pushed back, Waited then slowly circled Zelda, looking for an opening. Zelda was forced to move to keep her back from Ruto.

Link got bored watching the parries and defensive strikes and stared playing with his tunic, he would have to wash it today.

Zelda moved a tad to slow and Ruto jumped at her, Zelda barely managed to get her sword up. Ruto was still in the air then quickly landed, Zelda knew that she could not push Ruto back this time. Ruto had her blade locked. Zelda pushed Ruto then used the momentum to jump and flip back ward, her foot touched the wall. Then it clicked, every time she had pushed Ruto back she had to move forward, and that last flip she had done placed her right where she was, against a wall. Now she would have no choice but to attack, and hope she would last before Ruto finished her off. Ruto walked leisurely over to Zelda and sliced, Zelda's sword went flying. Zelda aimed a kick at Ruto, and then rolled to retrieve her blade, catlike, before she grabbed her sword mid leap, then landed neatly on her feet, jumping as Ruto swung at her venerable legs, almost ending the match. Ruto then did something alarming; she took a step back, then another, Zelda moved with her, parrying a blow as Ruto took another step back. Zelda was confused, Ruto never retreated, and that was Ruto's weakness, she always attacked. It clicked, Ruto had her back to a wall, Zelda would never be able to pull of another jumping attack before Ruto moved and her sword would be in the wall. With this realization, Zelda began attacking, intent on disarming Ruto. For Zelda to win the battle, Zelda would have to corner Ruto to keep her from be able to jump to retrieve her sword if she was disarmed.

Meanwhile, Link was watching the battle, his mind already jumping ahead on how he could distract Ruto long enough for Zelda to get an upper hand, he decided not to try and throw something, who knew what could happen if it bounced back?

"I guess I'll have to distract her vocally." He said. "HEY!! FISH GUARDIAN PERSON THINGY!!!" Both Zelda and Ruto stopped to stare at him.

"What did you just call me?" Ruto snapped. Zelda grinned, realizing what Link was doing.

She quickly disarmed Ruto, knocking Ruto's sword away and quickly pointing her sword at Ruto's throat, forcing her to take another step back.

Zelda smiled, "Any movement by a guardian's charge is permissible."

Ruto sighed then quoted, "A guardian's greatest weapon is their charge."

Zelda with drew her sword; Ruto walked over to pick up her sword and mumbled, "Should have brought my charges, better advantage…."

Zelda walked over to Link, "I think you have to go to the library now right?"

Link shook his head; "I don't think I'll be able to concentrate." He said before walking towards his apartment, forgetting about the force field and smacking right into it. Zelda grinned sheepishly, "Oops?"

Link shook his head while Zelda lifted the force field, the two returned to Link's dorm room. Their friendship and respect for each other higher than it had been when they left.

-0-

Ruto walked into the shadows, ignoring Link and Zelda as two headed back to Link's dorm. In the shadows, another woman was standing there, her red hair and deep eyes seeming to be glowing.

"Nabooru." Ruto greeted, sheathing her sword. "How did she do?"

Nabooru grinned slightly, "She passed. You on the other hand…"

Ruto sighed, "yeah, I know. But I didn't go easy on her. Zelda always was better than me."

"She actually practiced, unlike someone who continuously went to, and organized 'save the fish' meetings."

Ruto grimaced, she knew what that tone meant..

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3 months later…

Zelda sighed, Link had been in the bathroom for an hour. Taking a shower so he didn't have to take one in the morning before school. The door suddenly opened, and Link walked out, shirtless, Zelda blinked, an eyebrow raised.

"Were have you been hiding that?" Link blushed a little. The two had become good friends in the three weeks after Ruto's attack. Link had asked Zelda several times about the attack why she was here, but Zelda always answered the same way.

"Sorry Zel, ladies only." He said sarcastically, flexing his left arm muscle. Zelda rolled her eyes.

"Very funny Link. It's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend." Link grinned.

"Actually, I do. Well at least, that's what my fans think. I told them I was dating a girl to get them to leave me alone. It was Sheik's idea."

"I knew it, such brilliance could never have come from you." She said, Link made a face at her and pulled his tunic over his head, flexing his muscle one more time at Zelda, a teasing grin on his face.

Zelda rolled her eyes and plopped down on Link's bed, rolling over onto her stomach.

"Hey Link ya home-" Sheik suddenly walked into the room, stopping in the doorway.

"Dude, who's the girl?" he asked, Zelda's eyes widened in alarm and Link looked confused.

"You mean you can see her?" he said, Shiek nodded.

"Yeah… why? Am I not suppost to see her?" his eyes narrowed. "Well, somebody's been naughty." He said, with a grin.

"I must say Link, I never knew you had a girlfriend." Zelda's face turned beet red.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" she said, floating off the bed, Sheik's eyes widened.

"How did you-"

"Don't ask." Zelda said, her hands on her hips. "The point is, I'm not his girlfriend! I'm actually here to protect him." She said

Sheik snorted, "Oh, protecting him from his horrible fashion sense? Then what pray tell, were you doing on his bed?" Sheik asked pointedly.

Link glared at him, Sheik grinned at Zelda, "He picks out clashing colors." He held his head; "I have done my best, you should have seen his room when he was younger."

"Hey, what was wrong with green bed sheets and yellow and purple pillows? I thought the orange walls were pretty."

Sheik looked at Zelda, "See? I'm a guy and even I know not to over do it that that much!"

"He has a point you know." Zelda said to Link.

"Traitor." Link muttered, crossing his arms in a pouty manner.

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A man sat at a desk, several papers in front of him. A man clad in armor approached him, bowing low as he reached the desk.

"Milord." He said, the man at the desk looked at him.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Milord, still no sign of the boy." The man in armor said.

"Is this all you came to tell me?!" the man at the desk roared. The other man flinched.

"No milord, there is more." He said.

"What?" the other man demanded. The man with the armor grinned.

"Zelda has returned."

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Link shifted his backpack over his shoulder and glanced at Zelda, who was walking next to him on his way home from class.

"Zel?"

"Yeah?" Zelda replied.

"You're a guardian right?"

"Obviously yes."

"What charge did you have before me?" Link asked. Zelda stiffened, her eyes wide as memories flickered before here eyes.

Two bodies covered in blood.

A baby crying in a cradle.

The baby's wails as the ceiling collapsed on the two of them…

"Zelda?"

Zelda snapped out of her memories and turned to see Link looking at her, a concerned look on his face.

"You alright Zel? You had this distressed look on your face." Zelda shook her head.

"It's nothing Link, just memories from long ago." She said.

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A man stood pacing in a room, his read eyes flashing in anger.

"18 years… The boy has eluded us for 18 years…and now, Zelda has shown her face back in Hyrule again."

"Milord." A man said, entering the room. The bigger man stopped pacing and turned to face the man that had just entered.

"What?" he snapped.

M-milord, we have found Zelda, we think she is the boy's guardian."

"Impossible! They would have picked Nabooru for such an assignment. Still… if Zelda is the boy's guardian… it will make things much easier. Just like sitting ducks. Zelda does not have the power to protect him, just like his parents before him."

"Milord?" The man began to laugh.

"Find Zelda. She is the key to finding the boy. Find her and bring her to me."

"Yes Milord." The man hurried off to do his master's bidding.

"You can't hide them forever Nabooru."

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" You know Link, pacing is not going to make the mailman come any faster."

Link ignored Zelda and continued pacing. Zelda blinked and rolled her eyes.

"What could be so important that you have wear a hole in the floor?" Zelda asked.

"I have not worn-" Thump!

"Told you." Zelda said. Link climbed out of the hole.

"For your FYI, I'm waiting for a letter from my cousin, Malon. She's a junior in high school."

"Your cousin huh?"

"Hey, I'm the only family she's got, so of course I'm worried about her!"

"If she has no other family, then who's she living with?"

"Her friend Saria."

"Hey look, it's the mailman!"

"What?! Where?!"

"Got ya!"

"… That wasn't funny."

Zelda laughs, "Your right, it was hilarious!"

"Ha ha, very funny. Hey! The mail man is actually coming!"

Zelda sighed, sitting back on top of the mailboxes. "Finally!"

The mailman handed Link his mail, Link quickly shuffled through it, stopping at a letter addressed to Zelda.

"Hey Zel, there's a letter here for you." He said, Zelda looked surprised.

"Let met see." She said, taking the letter from him and ripping it open. It had only one sentence.

You can't hide forever. Zelda's eyes widened. That's Nabooru's handwriting, what does she mean I can't hide forever?

"Zelda? What's the matter, you're face's as white as ghost." Zelda handed Link the letter, he read it, a confused look on his face.

"Who're you hiding from?" he asked. Alarm suddenly rose through him. "You have a criminal record or something?"

Despite Link's inaccuracy, Zelda couldn't help but snort in laugher.

"No Link, I don't have a criminal record." She said between laughs. Link rolled his eyes and glanced closer at the bottom of the letter.

"Hey Zel, the letter looks ripped at the bottom." He said, Zelda's eyes widened.

"What?!" she said, she snatched the letter from him and studied the bottom.

"I see, Link, you don't by any chance have a pencil do you?" Link looked confused.

"Sure." He said, he handed Zelda a pencil. Zelda flipped the paper over and began to write.

I know I can't hide forever, but I can't just leave him. He needs me. You remember what happened the last time I let my guard down.

Zelda, you can't dwell on the past forever. That wasn't your fault, if you hadn't been protecting you-know-who, he wouldn't here now. You know that, you know you can't dwell on the past while the present is progressing.

Nabooru… what do I do? I don't have the power to protect him, and Ganondorf knows it. That's why he's after us, he thinks I know where the hero is, and he's after me to tell him where he is.

Not true, he's after you lure me out. I retired right after It happed. But Ganondorf doesn't know that, so he thinks I am the one guarding the hero. That is why we assigned you to the task.

Nabooru… I think it's time we tell Link. He needs to know. We can't tell him everything, but we should at least tell him about his parents and how they died.

You are allowed to tell him the circumstances of his parents deaths, but do not tell him why they died.

Goodbye Nabooru, I will protect Link.

Goodbye Zelda, be safe. And remember, we might meet sooner than you think.

Zelda stopped writing, looking up at Link.

"Link. I have something important to tell you." She said, she took his hand and led him to the couch, her heart pounding. Link looked confused.

"Zelda… what's the matter, what's going on? Does it have anything to do with that letter?"

"Yes Link, it was a letter from Nabooru, the best guardian there ever was." Zelda said.

"What was it about?" Link asked. Zelda sighed.

"Link, I have a story to tell you." She said, she paused. "Several years ago, a guardian was assigned to protect a man and a woman, as well as their young son."

"What were their names?" Link asked slowly, he had a feeling he already knew.

"Selena and Derian." Zelda said. Link inhaled sharply.

"My mother and father?" he said slowly. Zelda nodded.

"A guardian was assigned to protect you and your parents. But on day, while the guardian was upstairs watching you, your parents were attacked."

"I don't understand, I was told my parents died in an accident." Link said, Zelda shook her head.

"No Link, they didn't die in an accident. They were murdered."

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Ah, I love cliff hangers. Especially when I'm the one writing them and know what's going to happen next! Review! Anime Wildfire

Ooooooooo, the plot thickens. A dash of danger, a dollop of anventure, and the whole bag of suspense, a cliffhanger! Want the next part? Reviews next part of story...

Chaosmadien