Linktober 2023

Day 22, NPC

Zelda could make friends with anyone, Link thought. Even Flowerblight Ganon.

Tags: Gen, Humor, Link & NPCs, pre-totk

Link and Zelda sat at the edge of Hylia river behind Riverside stable, talking about the local stable goers and the plants that tend to thrive better near the water.

"I met someone on the sandbar not a ways down the river," Link mentioned, pointing down the river, towards Horwell bridge.

Zelda looked up. "You know a lot of people. Tell me about them."

Link rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, her names Magda, but I always called her flowerblight."

Zelda choked a laugh. " Flowerblight? " Link nodded gravely.

"She had this maze of flowers all around an old Shiekah shrine. I accidentally stepped on some of the flowers and she fought me, " he said, as if the very idea was preposterous.

"Who in their right mind would try to fight you? "

Link shrugged, nearly at a loss for words. "I eventually got to the shrine by climbing in a tree and flying over. But damn, she was scary."

Zelda turns away, glaring down the river as if she could see the sandbar in question. Finally, she said, "I want to meet her."

Link looked at her, aghast. "You want to what? "

"I want to meet her. She might not be that bad."

Link still looked skeptical. Zelda chuckled.

"I can make it down to the sandbar myself, if you're truly that afraid."

At that, Link started. "I have to go with you! What if she attacks you, too!"

"You wouldn't fight her because you're too much of a gentleman to hit a girl."

Link deflated a bit. "True, but I can stop her without hitting her."

Zelda looked at him, a mix between a bemused smile and puppy-dog eyes on her face. Link pursed his lips, and, after a moment, relented.

"Fine! I'll take you to the sandbar tomorrow." Zelda pumped her fist in victory. Link smiled at her, then added, "But don't say I didn't warn you."

They went to the Floret Sandbar the next day on a raft Link rented from the stable hand. Link was rather apprehensive about the entire thing, but Zelda was excited to meet someone else. She was always eager to talk to all of her people – crazy as some might be.

There used to be a Shrine on the sandbar, but a Sheikah came through and disassembled it, leaving the place empty and boring. Zelda had never been there herself, but Link knew all too well of the infamous woman that dwelled there.

When they landed, the first thing Link noticed was a simple dock built there. "That's new," he told Zelda. Zelda smiled.

"I love that people are building things like this."

"Visitors!" a voice called from somewhere around the sandbar.

Link and Zelda hopped off their little boat, looking around for the source of the voice. The sandbar was still covered in flowers of all types, and the place where the Shrine once stood was covered with what appeared to be seedlings. The voice, it appeared, came from a young woman that was crouched in front of a patch of flowers, but now she stood to greet the two. Her dress was splattered with mud, and it was caked at her knees.

"Hello!" Zelda said, waving. She walked up to meet the woman halfway, Link on her heels.

"Oh-" the woman said, noticing Link for the first time. "Hello, sir," she said tightly. "Here to disturb my flowers again?"

Link put his hands up in surrender. "Just tagging along. Your plants are safe."

Zelda looked between them, grinning. When she turned to the woman again, her smile was kind. "He means no harm, truly. But he told me about you, so I wanted to come meet you for myself."

"And who might you be, to have this mangy boy as a companion?"

Zelda curtsied. "I am Princess Zelda. And this is Link. He's been showing me around the Kingdom, since it's changed to much."

The woman all but dropped to the ground when Zelda announced her title. "Oh, Your Highness! My name is Magda, at your service. I've heard rumors of your travels, but for you to come here of all places... and to have this boy as a tour guide. Surely you couldn't find yourself better company?"

Zelda chuckled a little and Link suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "He's not all that bad. He told me your flowers were beautiful. I've always had an eye for botany. It fascinates me."

Magda rose from her bow and smiled. "Of course. I work very hard on my craft here."

"Care to show me around?" Zelda asks.

Magda smiled brightly at that, and the expression was surprisingly pretty, to Link at least, who had only ever seen her scowl.

They wandered around the sandbar, Zelda and Magda talking about anything and everything considering plants; their medicinal values, the best conditions for growth, a lot of things Link didn't entirely understand. He was too stunned by this hidden personality Magda had to actually listen to anything being said.

Of course, there were a fair number of sidelong glances and jabs at his decorum from the woman, but he ignored them as best he could. Zelda either laughed or defended him, and then he had a reaction. But, Link supposed, he deserved some of the accusations thrown at him. But then again, he had to get to that Shrine at the time.

By the time they were leaving, Zelda agreed to return with some farm tools for Magda to start a flower sanctuary.

"If you don't mind me asking, Princess, what is your favorite flower?" Magda asked softly.

Zelda smiled. "Silent princesses, I believe."

Magda nodded. "Yes, they are lovely. Have come back from the brink of extinction, or so I heard."

"They did indeed." Zelda shuffled through her messenger bag she kept on her, and handed Magda a small pack of what appeared to be seeds. "Silent princess seeds. I extracted them myself."

Magda looked wide-eyed at the bag, then at Zelda. "I can't possibly take these-"

"I insist," Zelda said, smiling. "I could think of no better use for them. And I know you will take care of them."

Magda smiled, taking the bag. "Thank you, Your Highness. I will take care of them, so long as no crazy teenage boys run through and stomp them," she said, with a pointed glance at Link.

"I said I was sorry!" Link exclaimed.

Zelda laughed, and both parties stopped. After a moment, Zelda and Link were back on their little boat, heading back for the stable for the night. Link, driving the boat, sighed.

"You can make friends with anyone."

Zelda smiled. "She's not all that bad. You just pissed her off."

Link sighed, but he supposed she was right.

Flowerblight Ganon, it appeared, had finally been bested.  

I did the totk Magda quest and it struck some inspiration. This was going to be a regular one-shot but when the prompts came out this one worked so perfectly I had to wait.