Chapter Nine:

Bath Time

That brush.

Sonic hated and loved that stupid in all its semi soft and bristly inglory. It smoothing out his quills better than his fingers could, and cleaned them beside. Getting dust dirt and whatever other tiny things that got caught up in the clumps on his head and back. That brush even felt good in his fur, getting tiny but annoying itches from healing that normally Sonic forced himself to ignore.

It was a wonderful, useful and awesome brush.

Jessy used it only at bath time.

It was an evil brush.

Sonic sighed in a mix of the simple pleasure of having his quills cleaned, but also in misery. He was taking a bath. With water. Evil, evil pooling water from the show ahead, slowly rising but not that fast. It was the only way a bath was made tolerable for him right now.

"For Chaos sake Sonic, it's not that bad." Jessy snorted, rolling her eyes at the dramatics. Wet or just unclean hedgehog ended up having a not so nice smell, so she ordered Sonic to the bathtub every four days.

"Yes it is!" Sonic protested, and then reflexively held his breath and Jessy poored water over his head to rinse quills and fur of the soap. He tilted his head forward, the skin relaxed so the mechanic could push the quills to one side and make sure everything was rinsed. Sonic learned his lesson after the first bath when he was trying to reach the hard spots on his own, soap residue itched like ants in the fur (and he had that once, horrible).

Jessy rolled her eyes as she finished with Sonic's back, only really ever staying just to help him with his head and back before sitting back. She offered the long brush- not ever wanting to admit it was a pony-brush that worked the best to clean blue quills and help not tare up her hands. She had scars on her palm now from The Night of Running Over.

"Here you big baby, clean up, and I'll go pull out the meat rolls out of the over." The woman smirked, but then put her poker face on (it always worked on Sonic) as the hedgehog pricked his ears up, one curving around to aim at the open bathroom door. Sonic was sniffing as Jessy made sure there was six towels on the sink, because that was a lot of fur and the anthro got twitchy if he didn't dry himself off as thoroughly as possible.

The woman chuckled after the door closed and the distinctive sound of water going down the bathtub drain sounded, the anthro switching to a full on shower. She walked the grand few steps over to the kitchen and to the oven.

Personally, Jessy liked her meat rolls baked then fried, though the second way was nice in the family gatherings. She used a knife to poke an orange roll, then a yellow-ish one. Deeming them about done- and that was the plan. The type of food was fairly common in the Nomadic Nations, with variations between the clans in flavors. These types were her own clan's, Jessy liking the tangy one, Sonic just devoured the spicy orange rolls with his now apparent adoration to spicy-hot stuff.

Jessy was so going to get a pepper for him next grocery run.

And get her camera ready.

"You're so evil woman," Jessy muttered under her breath, nabbing one of the few done rolls and biting into it, the sweet-tangy meat and veggie filling wasn't as piping hot as she liked, but it was still good. She got the next batch set up, trusting Sonic to clean up after himself now too. So when he came out with and armload of towles to go to the laundry bin, Jessy put the next batch in to cook while she was taking her shower.

"Hmm, food…" Sonic gave himself one last shake- on the other side of the room- before coming over to grab a plat, piling it as high as he dared before retreating to the couch and his blanket there, eyeing the clouds outside. "What is with this place and rain?"

"Welcome to the north west winters fuzzy." Jessy smirked, "Better then snow here, but we get that later after new year's on average." She ducked into her room to get her own towel, "It'll let up after this thunderstorm, might be cloudy but it shouldn't rain for a while."

"How do you know?" Sonic demanded, turning on the tv for the first time that day, he and Jessy had been just talking, or singing to pass the time as the woman worked down stairs. Sonic had proven to have a very good voice for singing, and his big runner lungs helping to no end as he watched and helped the mechanic.

On the drawback, Sonic now had a sea-shanty stuck in his head. As well as the Lama Song.

"I'm a Storm Runner," Jessy winked as she closed the bathroom door behind her, her voice muffled behind the door, "Check the oven in fifteen!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sonic shook his head, then his shoulders slumped. He got up and darted over, quietly to the kitchen to get a glass a milk, more meat rolls, and a bunch of the zone-fruit that he loved.

Settled down, the hedgehog anthro relaxed in his warm and dry blankets that were used for the pull out couch-bed when not being nested in. Green eyes focused on the tv as Sonic came across a new channel. His favorite adventuring-heroes turtle show wasn't on, not even reruns. So he defaulted on learning, or relearning about the Old World, the notebook for him to write down memory fragments was within arm's reach with a ped.

Sonic was set for the night.

Ring!

Sonic lifted his head out of his food at the sound, looking around. It had been just long enough for him to get involved with TV and dinner, and for Jessy to be stubborn and not come out. Blue, if still damp ears twitched and one tipped to the side.

Ring!

He looked over at the cordless phone on the kitchen counter, locating it more by sound.

Ring!

Sonic glanced over at the bathroom door where Jessy was still taking a shower. Could she hear it…? Well yes she could, he always could (but then he had better earing), so she was just ignoring the world outside of the bathroom.

Ring!

Shrugging, and swallowing that last bit of his spicy goodness, the hedgehog got up and picked the phone up, "Hello?"

"Hello, is Jessica there?" Came a woman's light voice over the phone.

Sonic eyes took a deeper shade of green as he grinned, "Jessy said her mom lives in Ferndale, sorry." He had been wanted to say that, use

"What? I know that, I'm her aunt! Who's this? And where's Jessica?"

Oops.

"Hang on." Putting the phone down on the counter Sonic turned to the bathroom. Half way there he stopped and glanced back in near awe, he could hear that woman on the phone all the way over here! She must have a good set of lungs.

Somewhat feeling sorry for his hostess Sonic opened the bathroom door and walked in, "Hey Jessy!"

"GAH!" the mechanic yelped as she jumped and nearly fell. If she hadn't been using up all the hot water that was left she would have turned red. Taking a deep breath Jessy firmly reminded herself that Sonic wasn't use to the whole 'private shower' concept, at least on in the first stage. He needed help with his back and quills, so Sonic had thought it nice to return the favor.

Several times… if he hadn't been honestly innocent about wanting to help Jessy she would have through his favorite brush at him.

However, seeing Sonic as a blue poof-ball of frizzy fur after his last shake a bit ago (mostly) made up for his current 'helping out' phase. At least he didn't make a move to push the curtain aside and order the woman to turn so he could scrub her back.

"What?" Jessy asked peeking around said curtain, keeping a very firm grip on it. The camouflage of work day grim was go at last.

"There's someone on the phone for you." Sonic said jerking a thumb over his shoulder at the open bathroom door.

"Oy! Cold air!"

"Er, sorry."

"Who is it?"

"I don't know." He shrugged again, "Said she was your aunt and called you Jessica." Sonic tipped his ears forward as Jessy pulled back out of sight and groaned at that, he could make out her outline behind the curtain so he saw the woman's shoulders slump before thumping her head against the wall.

"Aunt Mini." Jessy made a face at the white plastic, "I bet you my next paycheck she's calling about the family dinner at Grand Papa's." She wanted nothing more then to duck back into the hot waters forever just then, but only did it to get rid of what shampoo was left in her hair before using a foot to shut off the flow. "I'm coming out. Don't talk to her again if you don't want to tell your life history."

"It wouldn't be very long" Sonic chucked and waited, arms crossing. Jessy peered back out after a minute. They looked at one another.

"Turn around you pervert! Or hand me that towel." The towel was tossed at her head before Sonic scampered out right away with the Awesome-Evil brush being tossed back at his retreating frame.

From his nest of blankets on the couch, Sonic watched in festination not the new- the tv turned down really, as Jessy came out in her possessively protected extra, extra large towel. Then the next few minutes alone proved to be highly entertaining for him as he listened to one side of the conversation.

Or was it an interrogation?

"…Yes Aunty, I'm going to the dinner, I wouldn't miss it…. No, I don't know where Jake or Sam are. I haven't talked to my older brothers for a few months. No, I'm not worried. They know about the dinner, I mean, everyone in our family knows about it. Yes, Dad's side of the family. Yes, I know we move a lot. No, I'm not staying in Seattle Aunty. It's almost my wander year that's why. I'm just saving money for it right now."

Jessy rolled her eyes and let out a silent sigh of long suffering. Not bothering to point out that she had moved out of Seattle proper three years ago.

"No I'm not going to reconsider! It's tradition! I know it's from Dad's side, hell almost all the fun stuff is. No, I'm not saying Mom's side isn't good, I'm just saying there's not as many -What? Oh HELL NO! There is NO way you're going to set me up on a date! I don't care if it's been six months since I last went on one. What? Who will think what? …Who's 'they?' Where'd you hear THAT?! No, I'm not lesbian! I'm just not dating anyone and I don't WANT to. Simple, if I get involved with anyone it'll be harder to leave when I –oh crap I shouldn't have said that."

Jessy hung her head as her Aunt launched into another attempt to get her niece to 'see' some nice young boys she knew that were Jessy's age.

From across the room, sitting up on the couch now with ears riveted on the scene before him to strain and catch a few words over the phone, Sonic hid his own snicker now as he watched Jessy. The 'talk' with her aunt had been like this for nearly a half an hour already.

It didn't help Jessy's over all growing mood of annoyance with Aunt Mini, that she was stuck with only a towel, her aunt hadn't stopped talking long enough for her to excuse herself to get anything on. Luckily, Sonic wasn't in the least bit interested in human females like men where. But really, when was the aunt's nest breathing break?

The woman looked up from the counter top and glared at the blue hedgehog when she heard him make an odd sound before suddenly turning all of her attention to the phone.

"No Aunt Mini! I'm NOT going to be over to your house any time soon. I got work that's why. I have four details, a costume paint job and a tone of tune ups and such appointments to get done by the end of the week. Between that and helping my friend I'm just going to be able to go to Grand Papa's for that weekend. Yes, I'm still into motorcycles. No, I'm not going to give it up. Why? Because it's my livelihood Aunt Mini. Yes, I am aware it can be dangerous riding one. Of course I use a helmet. Huh? Say what? You're taking who to the dinner?"

The dead silence from Jessy made Sonic sit up. Who was she talking about? The hedgehog watched the human's eyes grow wide then narrowed as she glared at a point on the counter top.

"WHAT?!"

Sonic winced, ears flattening back at the yell. He found himself subtly shifting lower behind the blankets, trying to sink into the couch in a reaction of any male that fears the female wrath.

"There's no way in the hells and raw Chaos that I'm going to do anything for that… that… cheating…!" Jessy waved her free arm for emphasis even though her Aunt couldn't see her building wrath. The woman had to grab franticly at her towel after that rather quickly, turning her back to Sonic who was now standing up in reaction to her emiostions like at the Barn Market.

"Yes that means we haven't made up! Why would I make up with that lying, cheating, racist, vandalizing kiebar idiot like that?! Yes! That's a nomadic insult to James! If I see him anywhere near the diner, anywhere near my baby brothers and cousins, I will castrate him before drop kicking him to Olympia.

"Besides I was going to take a friend over so there wouldn't be any room on the bike." Jessy attempted to calm down, "Yes my friend is a boy –what? He's staying at my place, why? What? No. We're friends Aunty, it's not like that. Huh? What does condoms have to do with anything?"

The mechanic felt a deep blush take root, "Aunt Mini! No! I wouldn't…! EW! No way! That's just…EW! I'm hanging up now. This conversation has just hit a rating I'm not even going to touch with a stick! Good. Bye. Aunty Mini." With that Jessy quickly hanging up, her aunt's faint voice heard till the phone clicked into its charger.

Jessy turned around and yelped when she became face-to-face with frowning Sonic.

"What was that about?" the blue and brown hedgehog asked, quirking an eye ridge.

"That was my Aunt when she's not as noisy as she normally is." The woman said, clinging to her towel and edging back. She was still blushing, though Sonic couldn't figure out why she would be. Hadn't she been hell-furry made a few seconds ago?

"No, I mean the thing about the condoms." Sonic frowned again.

"I… Errr… That's, umm…" Jessy shivered, and then pounced on that as an excuse. "I'll let you figure that one out. I got to go or I'll freeze to death! Cheerio!"

With that she fled to the room, leaving a very confused hedgehog Anthro standing in the kitchen. It wasn't until much later that he understood the reference. Sonic chocked on his water, nearly doing a spit-take on the low coffee table in front of him.

"Sonic!" Jessy got up from where she was sitting on the floor on the other side of the coffee table, eating her own tangy meat roll dinner. She didn't have a 'real' dining table so it was the counter, the couch or the coffee table, "Are you alright?" The woman leaned over to give the hedgehog a careful slap on the back.

"Y…yeah, I'm," Sonic gasped as he cleared his air way, "I'm good."

"You know, you're supposed to drink the water not breath it fuzzy man. That's what the air is for."

"Oh, hah-hah...Very funny Jessy.