Yello people! Sorry it took me so long, our computer mouse chose yesterday to run out of batteries. blah. And before you tell me off for being silly, I am well aware that in the Zelda-age they wouldn't have said 'can it', but I liked it so i left it :) Only a few more chapters to go, but who wants an epilogue? Or in aother words, an excuse to write another make-out session :P And as you can probably tell, I don't like Ruto... -shakes fist- Oh, and my sincere apologies for making this so ridiculously short, but I'll treat you to a double-update on Friday night :) yey!

Sorry for the typos, I'll try and keep an eye out for them, but I've reread this about 50 times so I do the whole speed-reading thing and overlook stuff. My bad.

Don't own Linkypoos or his evil side.

I'VE LOST MY TOUCH?

For the next month he kept seeing me around the ranch, making up some poor excuse as to why he was there each time. In the end he gave up and just said he wanted to help me out because he knew ranch work was hard, but he couldn't hide it from me. Finally, I asked him to stay later one night, but he said he couldn't. There was a feast at the castle and he had to attend. I pretended I had no idea about it and looked disappointed.

"But why don't I stay tomorrow night?"

There we are. I've got you now, kid.

I nodded, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

He grinned and turned away, walking through the gates and out of the ranch.

----------------------------------------------------

Did you miss me?

Ugh. Take a look.

I did as I was told and scanned his mind, although I really didn't have to. One whiff of that hatred crossed with nervousness and a little dash of relief (yes, ladies and gentlemen, our hero is actually a little relieved to hear my voice), and I could tell he hadn't missed me too much.

So, got yourself a date, have you?

Shut up.

Oh hoh ho! Link's embarrassed, is he?

I said shut up.

I poured some of myself out of his mind and became… hmm… what should I be this time? I cast around wildly for something, for once my imagination failing me, and became the first thing that popped into my mind.

"A puppy? Wow, you must've softened up considerably since you last spoke to me. You've lost your touch, demon"

I looked down at myself, stunned. Sure enough, there were my little puppy paws, and if I crossed my eyes I could see that tiny black dot of a nose. Damn it. I scrabbled for something to say, and made my puppy eyes enormous.

"Of course, no one can get mad at a puppy, no matter how shifty it is."

Link rolled his eyes and put his elbows on the stone windowsill, staring up at the moon.

"So, nervous, are we?"

Link was silent. He hadn't said much after the feast, actually. A quick check in his mind confirmed he was stressing over Ruto, who had spent the entire night glaring at him from the opposite end of the table, occasionally whispering dark things under her breath. I, with my superb demon hearing, had heard every single word of it, and it made my non-existent blood boil. So what if he doesn't love you, you fish-fiend! You're a selfish, scaly, superficial skank who shouldn't go throwing herself at humans. Although I know I'm not one to talk. Ah well. In the end I had gotten so sick of it that I detached myself a little from Link's mind, made myself invisible, and constricted her vocal cords. Sucker.

But it had still hurt Link, all those things she was muttering, and I tried to comfort him with my puppy eyes.

"Look, it's not so bad."

He hmphed and blinked slowly at the enormous moon.

"Oh come on, stop being a sook. You're no stranger to people whispering about you, I've seen your memories."

He glared at me, but stayed silent. Man, this boy was so hard to deal with! I padded up to him slowly, careful not to lose my footing and plummet to the courtyard below. I may be a demon, but that didn't mean there wasn't something unnerving about heights.

"Oi," I said forcefully, stabbing him in the elbow with a sharp claw. He winced and turned his eyes down to meet mine. I gave up on the puppy look, and became a bird perched onto his shoulder.

"You have issues, kid," I chirped in his ear. "Real issues. Just ignore what people say, let it wash over you. You should be worrying about your date tomorrow night instead of that stupid, scaly, fish... thing."

"It's not a date," he grumbled.

Aha! He speaks!

Oh, can it, would you?

"Bah, no way. Hang on a second, is that… is that offhand insult laced with a little affection for your resident demon?"

Link hmphed again and I let it slide, changing to a cat and giving him a wide, creepy grin. I slinked down to sit in front of him and nudged his arm with my head. He began stroking my back absently while he thought, and I smiled.

Poor kid, he was so oblivious to anything not related to destroying evil kings.