Their arrival back in Hyrule was accompanied by the scents of the desert sands stirring briefly.
As the shadows formed his friends around him, Knuckles first appeared as the wolf he'd become, then with one last burst of twilight he was restored to his usual self with a sigh.
"It was interesting," he answered their curious glances, "But it's nice to be back to normal again. Useful though," he added as an afterthought.
"Where to next, Tails?" Sonic asked.
"Hyrule Castle Town," he answered. "The barrier over the Castle is Ganondorf's doing. We'll just have to find a way to break through."
"Now I've got the Fused Shadow back, I can do that," Midna supplied. "We just have to go to the barrier and leave the rest to me."
"Not entirely," he disagreed. "There's one other thing I have to do along the way, and I think we'll benefit from taking the detour. To the Castle Town please, Midna."
Above the town a storm was clearly starting to brew above, the dark clouds gathering to darken the little light that filtered through them.
Tails led them through the town, not heading north to the castle but south, past Telma's bar where he gestured for her cat to join them to the end of a near alley.
"I know I can't understand you without becoming a wolf again," he said to Louise. "But I need to find a certain house. When I had to get into the Castle before, you showed me a way in above the bar that led me to a house. That's the house I need to find. Can you lead us there?"
Louise somehow managed to look thoughtfully at him for a time, then at each of his friends. Finally she turned with her tail swishing, brushing past them to the entrance of the alley where she paused to look back at them as if wondering why they weren't following.
She led them through several back streets to a house that was in disrepair, the stones around not showing the same worn surfaces that the rest of town had.
"Do we have time for this Tails?" Midna asked plaintively.
"It's only a minor detour. Is this the place?" he asked Louise, who nodded and wandered off again. "Midna, do you remember much about the time just after Zant got to us in Lanayru's cavern?"
"I wasn't in any condition to notice much, wolf boy," she replied. "I vaguely remember you taking me through the town, but that's about all until the Castle itself. Why do you ask?"
"Last time I was in this house I met someone who looked identical to me. He said he was the opposite of every previous Hero – every one who wore the same Hero's green I wear. He knew I'd come this way again to get into the Castle, to challenge him like this rather than as a wolf. I want you all to stay out of this. Even you, Midna."
"But, Tails-" she protested, but he shook his head.
"Trust me. He may look like me, but he isn't me."
"Is it just me, or does he seem more confident than I remember him being?" Knuckles remarked quietly to Sonic.
"It's the Hero thing," he replied as Tails set himself and opened the door.
The room inside looked perfectly normal at first, a solidly constructed wooden room with a tall backed chair on one side and the familiar chest in the far corner. Slouching on the chair was the false Tails, still wearing the darkened Hero's clothes.
As the dark Tails opened his eyes the door closed and the room shifted to become the empty realm of sand he'd first encountered. He looked Tails over, then Sonic, Jet, Knuckles and finally a long look at Midna before his gaze finally came to rest back on Tails.
"So you returned," he murmured.
"Just as you said I would," Tails nodded.
"You could have chosen not to. The barrier can be reached from outside without having to go through the old passage again."
"I know. But you wanted to fight me, and not as a wolf. What reason would I have to deny you that?"
"How remarkable," the darkened Tails remarked with a faint smile. "He said something similar, you know – the Hero of Time. We had an interesting conversation about you, did you know that?"
"Link? But he only knew me after he'd gone to the Temple of Time."
"Did you really think that was the only time he needed the Temple of Time?" he laughed. "He used it many times. The time you and the green hawk saw him was long before his final battle."
"What did he say about me?"
"Oh, I imagine you'll find out soon enough. Link... if that's what you want to call him, said he'd tell you in his own time. Maybe you'll even find out what his real name is. Now, enough talk – lets see if you really have what it takes to be the Hero of Hyrule, Tails."
"Stay out of this," Tails warned his friends again, drawing his sword. The dark Tails drew an identical sword, both of them the Master Sword, both held in a firm, confident grasp that was mirrored in each other.
Though he was not a wolf, the typical wolven instinct to circle around his prey came to him unbidden, his eyes never leaving his opponent, each waiting to see what the other would do, ready to respond to the first move.
Tails struck first, not out of any intentions to harm but to test his opposites defence. He responded easily, their swords ringing out loudly as they both started to strike at each other, neither of their swords meeting anything else at first.
His opposite shifted his shield into his other hand to take a more defensive pose, starting to block more with it than his sword. Tails reacted not by bringing out his shield but by taking his sword in both hands instead, trying to get a strike in around the shield.
"Is that all you've got?" his opposite demanded. "I overestimated you."
"Overestimate this," Tails grunted, fending off a return attack then leaping up to deliver the Helm Splitter. His opposite reeled back from the blow as Tails landed behind him, turning quickly to strike out while his back was still turned then quickly shaking his own shield down into his free hand, using his sword to deflect the hasty strike made for him then stunning his opposite with the shield straight in his face.
Knuckles winced at the blow, apparently imagining what it must be like. Sonic however looked on with faint disapproval, the Ordon sword held ready. Midna was talking quickly to him to try and persuade him not to get involved. It was hard to say what Jet thought, but occasionally he seemed to subconsciously mimic one of their attacks.
Tails took full advantage of the stunning blow he'd delivered, then as his opposite started to recover he moved on to the next of the skills Link had taught him, getting around behind and striking upward to send him flying.
"So he taught you that?" he remarked. "I should have known. They're the same tricks he used against me. Well they won't beat me a second time!"
"Want a bet?" Tails grinned, "I don't have to rely on them to beat you."
The opposite looked puzzled, but remained ready to defend himself. Tails instead sheathed his sword, took out the Spinner and kept his distance, circling him as he waited for the right moment, keeping watch. When it looked like he'd figured out Tails' idea, he turned sharply, aiming himself for the opposite who threw himself quickly out of the path.
Tails got off the Spinner before he got close though, then performed the Mortal Draw perfectly, once again sending his opponent tumbling back, following up with the Ending Blow right away.
He remained wary though this may have finished this dark copy of him, rightfully so when he got back to his feet again with a faint groan.
"Still want more?" Tails asked casually. "I can do this as long as you can."
"What is it about you Heros?" he demanded in response. "You're all so stubborn, so unyielding."
"You used the wrong words. The right ones are 'determined' and 'implacable'. We're chosen because the Goddesses for whatever reason believe we're the right one to face whatever crisis Hyrule faces. We have to uphold the legend of all the Heros that came before us and still bring peace back to the land. If any of us give up even once, if we let Ganondorf or whoever else it may be have even the slightest edge, we dishonour the name of the Hero. So we fight, and we never give up even once. That's what it is about us."
The dark Tails regarded him thoughtfully, then put away his weapons with a satisfied nod. "He said that too, you know. I've no reason to stand in your path any long. Go on – just as you told him. Go and face your big evil dude, Tails, and may the Goddesses strengthen your arm."
As he turned away, Tails called him back, "Wait – whoever you are... you know who Link really is... can't you..."
His dark opposite half turned to face him with a faint smile. "I guess it can't hurt to satisfy your curiosity. This is the true face of Link, Hero of Time."
The clothes remained the same darkened version of his Hero's clothes, but the figure that wore them was no longer him. It wasn't human or even Hylian.
"Him?" Tails breathed, seeing who it was. "But that means..."
"Ask him when you get back," the reply ghosted back to him as the room faded back to normal, the Hero's opposite gone.
"Did you... did you all see that too?" he asked the others.
"We just saw you," Sonic replied. "He didn't look any different to us. Who did you see?"
"Another of your friends from your world?" Midna suggested. "You saw someone you recognised, at least."
"We all know him. At least, I think we do. I'm not sure if Jet ever met him."
"Met who?" Jet asked curiously. Tails told him. "No. I heard of him, but never met him."
"Maybe when we get back I'll introduce you. Now, why don't we go on to the castle?"
A/N: Yes, I know I left it deliberately unclear who 'Link' really is, beside the Hero of Time. All will become clear in the last chapter.