Chapter 17: Jet and Shade

"Come on," he told his sons. They followed their father as he went into town. Shadow didn't think Tails had moved anywhere in the last five years. Once they got there, the three hedgehogs knocked on the door. Tails opened it.

"Shadow," he said. "It's been a while. What do you want?"

"I need your help."

Tails smiled and noticed the other hedgehogs. "Of course," he said. "These are your sons, I assume?" Shadow nodded. "What do you need help with?"

"We need a place to stay, and I need help finding the person I'm supposed to fall in love with."

"Of course. You can stay here."

Shadow sighed and walked inside, introducing his two sons. "This is Jet, and this is Shade." Shadow motioned to them as he said their name. "This is Tails," he told his sons.

"Hi," Shade said, shaking Tails' hand. Jet did also.

"Aren't they supposed to be birds?" Tails asked Shadow.

"Mephiles came by again. He transformed the three of us into hedgehogs. I think it's permanent."

Tails sighed. "What does he want now?"

"He came to remind me that I had to find someone to love and make them immortal if I ever wanted to see Sonic again." Shadow looked at the floor as he remembered what Mephiles had said.

Tails' eyes widened. "I see...I'll help you, Shadow. Anything for a friend."

Shadow nodded and gave Tails a smile. "Thanks, Tails. I appreciate it."

The fox nodded and showed them their rooms. "What do you want to do?" He asked.

"I'm going to find myself a job later," Shadow said.

"You already have a job as a waiter, though."

"I haven't been there in five years."

Tails nodded and thought about it. "You could always work at GUN," he said. "They have openings for jobs."

Shadow smiled; that would be a good place to work. "Do you know if it's hard to get a job there?" Tails shrugged. He wasn't sure. "All right. Do you know where I should go, at least?"

"The building is in the center of the city."

Shadow nodded. "Thanks. I'll go try it out later."

Tails nodded. "So...is there anything you want to do now?"

"Get Jet and Shade settled in."

The fox nodded and watched Shadow walk upstairs to his room with his sons. They each went into their rooms and looked around before going to Shadow's.

"Could you show us around town so we don't get lost?" Jet asked.

Shadow smiled and nodded. "Sure," he said.

As they left the house, Shadow let Tails know where they were going. Looking at his sons, he hoped the town hadn't changed much over the last five years. They walked around, looking at the sights. Station Square hadn't changed one bit. Every time he stopped to explain something to Jet and Shade, the two paid close attention to what he said. After a while, they finally returned to Tails' house.

"Had a good walk?" Tails asked.

"Yeah. Station Square hasn't changed at all," Shadow said.

"Not much has changed. A person called Doctor Eggman has been trying to take over the city, though."

Shadow nodded; maybe he could help. "Maybe I can try and help stop him." Shadow looked back outside.

"We need all the help we can get. "

"So, what's he been doing? Just attacking the city?"

Tails nodded. "He's been capturing people and turning them into robots as well."

Shadow blinked a few times when he heard that. "Turning people into robots? How is he doing that?" Tails shrugged. "Does that mean there are people who need saved as well?"

"I suppose. "

"Just let me know what I can do to help."

Tails smiled and told him. "You can help fight him and his robots when they attack the city. You still have those chaos abilities, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. So do my kids."

"Then that's how you can help. I don't know when he's going to be back."

Shadow nodded. Tails gave Shadow a smile. The hedgehog sighed and looked at his kids. They were only five years old. When Eggman came again, he'd do his best to protect them.

"Can you look after them while I'm away?" he asked Tails.

"Sure," Tails said.

"Thanks again for all of this." Shadow gave his sons a smile. "We should probably get something to eat."

They nodded.

"What's for dinner, Dad?" Shade asked.

"I don't know." Shadow looked at Tails. "What should we have? They can't eat normal bird food anymore."

Tails chuckled at that. "I made an invention that can turn them into birds."

Shadow thought about it and nodded. "That would be helpful..." Shadow looked at his sons. "But they're my children. Should I really do that?"

Jet looked at his father. "I like being a hedgehog but don't feel right in this body. what about you, Shade?"

Shade shook his head. "I don't think I like it much. It's too different."

Shadow hesitated and then nodded. "All right." He looked at Tails. "Will they be normal birds or anthros?"

"Normal, I think." Tails laughed a little. "There wouldn't be much of a point if they didn't become normal birds."

"Will iit be permanent?"

Tails thought about it. "I think so...I've never really tried it out before."

He nodded and they went into the lab. Shade and Jet got into machine and Tails started it.

"Tails...are you sure that will work? Mephiles made these forms permanent."

"Everyone's forms are supposed to be permanent, aren't they?" Tails gave him a smile. "Don't worry. Even if it doesn't, I'm sure they're going to be all right."

Shadow nodded and watched. A few minutes passed before Jet and Shade flew out as birds. They came to land on their father. Shadow looked down at them and back to Tails. "I miss being a bird myself. Mind if I go in?"

"Are you sure? We don't even know whether you'd be stuck like that or not."

Shsdow thought about it. Suddenly Jet and Shade turned back into their hedgehog forms.

Shadow's eyes widened as he felt the sudden weight in his arms. Looking down at his sons, he sighed. "So, Mephiles' magic does prevent us from keeping another form."

They shook their heads and became birds again at will. A smile broke onto Shadow's face at the sight. Tails had the same reaction. "Well then, get in Shadow." Shadow nodded and did so. When he came out he was a dove again. "How often are you going to become a dove?" Tails asked.

The bird chirped and turned back into Shadow. "I'll stay in that form for a long time."

Tails nodded. "Let me know when you need to a place to stay."

Shadow turned back into a bird as did his sons and they flew off into the forest.