Deframing Slander

The totally-not-suspicious guy coughs up partial answers to Groose and we see things are about to get more deadly than ever.

Groose wanted details from Ravio about why he was so nervous about knowing the legendary hero person. "Wait, so you are saying that guy's name isn't really Link? Wonder why he changed it? Actually, why are you so nervous? Did you do something to make him mad at you?"

"There is no way in heck that Kishgal would be Link, believe me. That was a fake Master Sword. He is a total fraud and we have to move it!"

Aryll started throwing the saddlebags back on the horse. "Why would he rescue us and why wouldn't the sword move?"

"He used Magnesis. He's definitely up to something; Kishgal is one of the worst Yiga you will ever meet and... You know what? We are wasting time. Let's go!"

"Soooooooo" Groose said to Ravio. "You said your cousin is a Yiga soldier?"

"Yeah, look, I'm not working for the Yiga Clan!"

"Yeah, how do we know that?" Groose asked while trying to loom and be menacing. Aryll was much less suspicious of the convenient revelations and had gone back to Linkle for her preferred name. "Seriously, we only have your word that you are not leading us into a trap and the sword is fake. We couldn't lift it!"

Ravio snapped back, "It's Magnesis." His horse was saddled and ready to go and he looked about ready to leave without his traveling companions.

Linkle frowned at Ravio when he said Magnesis again and realized there was a problem with Ravio's line of reasoning. She replied, "How'd he use Magnesis? That stuff is restricted tech. I didn't see a slate with him. There's only, what, five Magnesis-using slates if you include the Hero's Sheikah Slate? There's no Gossip Stone broadcast about any slate theft..."

The Hateno and Akkala tech labs kept a very tight rein on who was allowed access to Sheikah Slates. There was only one original slate, the Hero's Slate, which was in possession of King Gustaf. It and Purah's slate were the only ones with full rune access. Others were given one or two runes and tracked meticulously. People in general were wary of potentially getting lasered by guardian tech even now. The allure of such power would overcome laserphobia in many thieves. Guardians were operational in places. The threat of Malice corruption and lack of repairmen for Guardians meant the tech wasn't as widespread as it could have been. Some odd bits of tech were wholeheartedly welcomed like lightning rods, hearing aids, and the sewage processing systems. (Dear goddesses no one wanted to think about what would happen if the Calamity corrupted the toilets or hearing aids.)

"There's the Magnesis Bracers. They're emblems of the Yiga Clan leadership. He could probably wear them underneath those gauntlets he had. He could also have had another guy hiding off somewhere and helping him." Ravio said. "It didn't feel like the Sword of Evil's Bane. That's got a magic aura the size of Death Mountain."

"How would you know about that aura? You expect me to believe that too?"

"I've seen the Master Sword in person before! I told you I've been in the forest, I know my way to the Great Deku Tree."

Linkle interrupted. "Um, he was friends with that Korok."

"Which I couldn't see." Groose pointed out. "I don't have much reason to trust you aren't lying to me either. You could have used some magic trickery or something to make that thing float." The guard glared at both travelers. "If you're going to backstab me, might as well do it now."

"Why you-you can't possibly think I would be working for the Yiga!" Linkle said indignantly. Ravio seemed at a loss for what to do to make Groose believe him and was sweating profusely.

Ravio came to a decision and dismounted his horse. "Ah, Groose, back when you survived that ambush you were wearing a green shirt right?" Ravio said anxiously. This guy was not making any sense now and Groose did not see where this was going. Linkle had no clue what Ravio was talking about.

"You...huh? How did you know that?"

"I told you 'Pleasepleaseplease hold still until the raid captain leaves or we're both dead.'" Ravio said while cringing. This revelation was met with stunned silence as the implication behind these words did not penetrate Groose's brain right away. When the realization came, it broke through like a Sand Seal into a hydromelon rind. Suddenly and messily. Next thing Ravio knew, he was being shaken back and forth by his shoulders and being asked a lot of questions which were running into each other. Linkle somehow managed to calm Groose down. Sort of.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!" Groose yelled.

"I'm pretty sure half of Hyrule heard you just now!" Linkle hissed back. Something seemed to have broken in Ravio and words spilled forth.

"I'm sorry! What would I say?... Oh yeah... I'm that guy from the Yiga clan you met in the middle of the night years ago and I ran away to live in the Lost Woods because I don't want to kill people and my genetic family is utterly terrifying and I just happened to be there at the market when you needed me? We need to move it, Kishgal is almost as sadistic as Veran and she's, like, Ganon level evil! If he remembers me, he'll think of something really, really bad to do to make me suffer. He'll probably do stuff to you too." Groose and Linkle decided to believe Ravio. The mortal terror in his dark green eyes was not faked. It seemed the best option they had to prove this Hero was an impostor was to get the real Master Sword. There was no evidence to show to the authorities otherwise. They went North as quickly as they could.

The Woodlands guard station was a welcoming place for anyone who wanted to report a crime. The guard on duty handed a cup of water to the handsome young man who'd stumbled in a minute ago. Now this particular guard was also a member of the Sidon Fan Club. She felt emulating that confident, beaming smile was very important. "So, Mister, um, I forgot to ask your name." The young man panted and gasped with his hands on his knees.

"My name's Link! I don't have much time, there's some people who are in danger and I came here as quickly as I could."

"What is it?"

"There's at least one Yiga spy. I'm not sure about the two other people, they're probably going to get killed!" His breathing was less heavy now as he gulped oxygen.

"What?!"

"Yeah, I didn't recognize the guy at first but I'm pretty sure he's one that attacked me five days ago. He's going by the name of Cawlin and he had a purple hooded tunic. The other guy wearing a guard uniform called him Cawlin but that's probably not his name. Groose seemed pretty okay actually-" The guard dashed off notes as the false Link described Groose, Linkle, and Ravio. The guard flashed a reassuring smile at the Hero of Hyrule while he finished the descriptions. "... The Gerudo had these dark green eyes. Who's Prince Sidon by the way?" The guard speaking to Link tried to restrain her glee at being asked this question. After all, people were in danger so she would have to keep it short.

"He's the Prince of the Zora! He's a wonderful person, champion of Hyrule, has the most amazing smile, battle prowess, and is the nicest person you can imagine."

"Oh really? Weird. That redhead guy-Oh I shouldn't repeat it. Never mind. It's upsetting."

"Repeat what?"

"Oh he said Sidon's smile was stupid. They all were saying awful stuff about him. Sorry."