Family Traits - Part 3

[redroger11]

Part 1 Part 2

Family Traits ~ 03
by dymondbolt

Jimbo felt like he was trussed up like a pig. Mimi had been so helpful finding a suit that would fit him throughout the whole evening. But then she buttoned him up so tight he thought he was going to pop.

Gleph smiled at his discomfort but didn't say a thing. Gleph's suit made him look handsome and Jimbo had to admit that his own showed off his growing assets. But if he grew any faster, than he was going to be naked by the time the dinner was over.

The Masterpiece Feast for Prite was being held at Glesh's residence. The homes were tastefully placed in a forest where the natural clearings became the site for the houses and the trails became the roads and walkways.

Glesh was the one at the door, greeting Prite's guests while Prite finished in the kitchen. Glesh was wearing a chef's hat with a gold braid that trimmed the bottom edge of the hat. He smiled as he pulled each guest into an embrace before allowing them in. "Brother! I bet you wondered when this day would ever come."

Gleph leaned back in the hug. "Well, he and Griph are still in the house, but if what I hear is true, that will soon change."

Mimi poked at Glesh for her hug. "Knowing my Prite, he'll probably want a wedding within two months time. I just hope he finds the right place to be a Master Baker or Journeyman Chef. You do so much business to the restaurants in the area, he's going to have to look to another town if he wants to stick to Baking."

Glesh swept her into am enveloping hug. "Aw. No tears tonight, OK. He's a big boy now, but he'll keep in touch no matter where he has to go."

"I know. But he's ...."

Gleph and Glesh joined in with "My Baby!"

Prite suddenly came to the door wearing a chef's hat with a red and white silk braid on the bottom edge.
"Are you guys picking on my Mother?" Hugging his mother stopped his father and uncle from continuing.

Prite let her go and saw Jimbo. "Welcome." Just as he started to hug Jimbo he realized just who he was. As they separated his frown turned into a question. Prite was looking straight into Jimbo's eyes, as his hand came up to the middle of his chest. "Weren't you...?"

Jimbo tried to slowly inhale without popping buttons. "Yeah that was about the right height I was, the last time you saw me."

"The first time I saw you, too." Prite noticed that Jimbo looked like he was being squeezed by a snake. "Oh no. Did Mother strap you into that suit?" He looked at his mother with a frown. "Mother!" his tone carried the scorn he held for her wanting her males to look good at the expense of comfort.

"Here let me help you with those. Mother would always button us up too tight when we went to special dinners. We had to wait for the host to see us in the strangle mode before we were allowed to loosen them up a little."

Jimbo let out a contented moan. "Ohhh. Thank you. I can breath better."

"I bet now you don't feel like you're going to pop buttons off in every direction."

"That was the feeling exactly."

Mmi giggled as she went inside. "Males. Something's always ready to pop on you."

Gleph muttered "And mostly a females fault, as I recall." A muffled "Umph" from Gleph proved the point, as Mimi pinched her husbands butt.

Prite and Jimbo chuckled as they followed their elders onto Glesh's home.

"Glesh, where's Trina? Not stuck at the Hospital again?"

Glesh grimaced. "A Donor organ became available for a very ill young mother in need of a transplant. Another one of those mixed emotion events for my darling wife. Overjoyed a donor becomes available, daunted by the hours needed to perform the operation, and frustrated by the timing these things always seem to have. She has missed so many family events due to her desperately ill patient's need for her surgical skills."

Mimi softly reminded Glesh "And you're still as proud of her as the day she saved that little Marsep boy's life."

Glesh murmured "True" loud enough for Jimbo to hear

Prite looked a bit pensive as he closed the door. "Well that's everyone except the Maresh family."

Jimbo turned to Gleph and whispered "Why the worried look on Prite?"

"The Traditions have the parents of the Invited meeting with the the parents of the Inviter the night before the Fountain Festival. Sort of like a peace offering between the parents. If one family doesn't show up it's bad luck for the wedding. I already talked to Jaren Maresh the other day and he just wants to make Prite sweat a little."

"Oh, so you people do sweat. I wondered with all that fur."

"Yeah we do. Don't let Prite know what's going on. It shouldn't be too much longer."

Just as he finished speaking a three toned bell rang. Glesh appeared at the door with Prite at his back. As the door opened you could see a large sized Neshan male with a small sized Neshan female at his elbow. They were smiling as they were embraced by Glesh. Prite was in shock. Jaren Maresh had medium length hair on his head. Jimbo recalled meeting Sarabell at Glesh's bakery and she smiled his way, though it ended with a little frown.

Jaren broke the tableau. "What's the matter Prite? My hair too long?" His chuckle was muffled by Prite, as he hugged his soon to be Son-in-law.

Gleph explained. "Prite hasn't seen Jaren for a couple of weeks now. He needed a haircut back then and even mentioned it, but put it off because my brother told him that he was going to make Prite a Master Baker, Journeyman Chef, in a few weeks. They set it up so Prite couldn't see Jaren all this time. He really did like Prite after all and was just playing with him."

Prite finally let him go. "Thank you Father."

Jaren smiled up at his new son. "Welcome Son."

Mimi and Sarabell were already hugging each other and Gleph walked over for his hug with Jaren and the others. Prite pulled Jimbo over and made introductions. Jimbo was suddenly cousins to a lot more people.

Jaren chuckled. "Gleph I have to say that your family only attracts the most handsome giants." Jimbo blushed.

Sarabell giggled. "And he blushes just like the Marsep do."

Jaren smiled up at Jimbo. "Are you here for the Fountain Festival?"

Jimbo nodded real fast. "Yes. I didn't know about the Traditions, but it seems my partner learned of them the night before our Shore Leave. So when I discovered he'd changed his Shore Leave to an hour before the Fountain Festival, I was confused. I didn't have a clue why he wasn't talking to me. Or even why he wouldn't see me, before I left on Shore Leave. Glesh told me the Fountain Festival Traditions, which helped explain Dan's behavior."

Sarabell got serious. "I bet you miss him terribly."

Jimbo tried not to get sad over it and Prite helped with "No sadness tonight." He one arm hugged Jimbo. "You will soon be reunited with your love the same time I am with mine. Just a short twenty hours away. And now for me to feed my family."

Prite headed to the Kitchen as Glesh escorted the guests to the dinning room table. Glesh helped seat each guest at their proper place, before taking his seat at the head of the table, opposite his brother Gleph at the other end.

Sarabell was sat next to Jimbo. "I don't recall you being this tall yesterday. And Glesh neglected to mention that you were family."

"I didn't know it myself at the time we met. Glesh suggested I get a present for my partner for the Fountain Festival and sent me over to Gleph. Once I arrived at Gleph's shop, a sensing device of his indicated that I am three fourths human and one fourth Vox. He then informed me that I was part of his family through the Vox race and I gladly accepted such a wonderful addition to my family. He then noticed an attraction I have with big well built males and offered me a Vox Herbal Catalyst to make me larger."

Jaren burped out a laugh. "Are you on it right now?"

Gleph cut in. "He started it this morning and has already gone through the first energy drink. He has to drink the other one in about half an hour."

Jaren chuckled. "That should make things a bit lively."

Glesh warned them. "Wrestling is only allowed outside, in the backyard and not in the house. And I mean it Gleph."

Gleph faked a frown. "Yes Sir."

Glesh let a little smile get through. "You can use the new mat I bought for you and your son."

Gleph started to get up. "What?"

Mimi restrained him. "You can show our new cousin the whole thing later."

Gleph sat back down. "Yes dear."

Sarabell smiled brightly. "I am so glad we are family now. You have to tell me how you keep your large males in line. Mine seem to get away with anything by just smiling at me."

Mimi leaned closer and whispered "It's through the stomach. I let Gleph cook a few meals when they wouldn't listen to me and they soon toed the line."

Jaren groaned "Oh No! Why do you think I'm a Carpenter?"

Glesh chuckled. "As I recall Gleph had his daughter Gigi angry at him over burnt toast and fire alarms going off, when Mimi had to take care of her sick Mother."

Mimi smiled. "At least I got a new toaster out of the whole thing."

Gleph reminded her "And re-surfaced Kitchen cabinets."

"The Smoke smell and smoke stain would not come out with cleaning."

"And Three new coats of paint on the kitchen walls."

"Well they were just like the cabinet doors and drawer fronts. But you did not need to buy me a new Refrigerator or Dishwasher. You were just being sweet."

"OK. Well you have me there. And anywhere else you want me."

They stopped talking for a moment as they got lost in each other's eyes.

Prite started to serve with the help of his younger brother, Griph. "Are Mom and Dad acting like teenagers again?"

Sarabell smelled the soup and sighed. "Now don't start picking on your elders, just because they still have passion for each other. It's inspirational when a love can last that long and still be as intense."

Jaren looked down at the soup but was thinking something else. He chuckled and looked up at Sarabell.

She frowned for a second then smiled. "You're thinking of the time my father caught us, aren't you?"

Jaren just chuckled again and nodded. Gleph snorted a laugh. "Your Mother-in-Law still won't let him live that down. The idea of walking in on his own daughter, without knocking on the door first."

Jaren was still chuckling over it. "She heard him yelling and stepped in for a second, grabbed his ear and pulled him out of Sarabell's room; all the while telling him how rude he had been walking in without knocking. She completely ignored the fact that Sarabell and I were half undressed and in bed."

Sarabell giggled. "Then it took me half an hour, after I locked my door, to get Jaren to believe that we could finish what we started. I was finally able to convince Jaren when he heard Mom and Dad making some noises of their own."

Jaren shook his head while a silly grin spread across his face. "I finally realized that if Sarabell's mother thought I was good enough for the family, I had better prove to Sarabell that I was good enough."

Sarabell winked at Jaren. "Married all these years, darling, and "good enough" still doesn't even begin to describe what you do to me..."

Prite looked like a deer caught in the head lights and paused in back of Jimbo. Sarabell glanced over her shoulder and saw the look on his face. "Too much information, dear?"

All Prite could do was smile and shake his head no. Griph, placed an enormous bowl in front of Jimbo. Prite proceeded to fill it up. Griph lingered to whisper "We know what you're going through. So don't worry, we'll keep your plate filled."

Jimbo turned his head and smiled. "Thank you."

Sarabell looked at the larger than average bowl and Jimbo, before she said anything. "Prite, not to embarrass the newest member of the family, but I recall the affects that the Catalyst had on you and your brothers. Shouldn't you have a..."

At that moment Prite walked out of the kitchen with a very large bib one might see at a lobster house to keep the diners from splattering the food onto their clothes. "I know what you are talking about Mother Maresh. And this should solve the main problem," Jimbo let him tie it around his neck and just smiled. Prite put a hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes the hunger takes your brain right out of the equation. So don't feel bad if you start shoveling the food down your throat and can't stop yourself. You're family now, so we'll be laughing with you."

Mimi giggled. "Particularly us women. I had to learn to push the food near them and not let an appendage get too near, for fear they would think it part of the meal." The groaning from the males in the room only seemed to get Mimi and Sarabell laughing harder.

The whole table started to eat their soup except for Jimbo. When Mimi and Jaren finally lifted up their bowls to their lips, Jimbo let out a sigh. "Thank goodness. I was hoping that was the proper way to eat the soup." He then used his spoon to get the bigger bits of chicken and potato out of the soup, but when his hunger told him he was eating too slowly, he lifted the bowl up and drank half of it down in one gulp. He put the bowl down and wiped his face with his napkin. Then let out a huge belch.

Prite saved him with a muted "Thank you." from the kitchen. Others at the table joined Jimbo in his appreciation of the meal with equally loud belches and the feast became a very joyous one. Three more courses were served with Jimbo getting second or third portions of each. Gleph and Glesh received seconds when they finished the course in the same amount of time as Jimbo. Luckily he never lost control due to hunger, though the bib really did come in handy.

Gleph handed Jimbo the second energy drink bottle, just after Prite served the Desert and poured the Coffee.
Glesh knew how Jimbo was going to react to that little energy drink, so he stood up to give judgement on Prite's Masterpiece Feast. All conversation stopped and the helpers in the kitchen came into the dinning room and gathered behind Prite.
Glesh displayed no emotion as he started to speak. "Apprentice Prite Tarn, You have presented my guests and I with your best example of your culinary craft. You have filled our bellies and filled our hearts with one of the finest meals I have had the pleasure to partake of." Smiles erupted on all the faces in the room. "And I proclaim you a Master Baker and a Journeyman Chef."

Prite's helpers removed his Apprentice chef hat. Glesh pulled a chef hat with a gold and red braid on it, from an inner pocket of his dinner jacket. Glesh smiled up at his nephew, as he placed the hat on his head, and told him "Congratulations, Brother." Masters of the same Profession considered each other Brothers of the Craft.

Prite enveloped his uncle in an embrace that lasted a few moments. As Prite released his Uncle the rest of the guests grasped both of their elbows and bowed to Prite as they all said "Master Baker Prite Tarn"

They formed a line to each give Prite a hug and when Jaren stood before Prite he held up his hand to make an announcement. "Time and again I heard you tell my wife, my sons, my lovely daughter and myself; that Trudy's sweet smile and being part of our family, was all the dowery you wanted. Many a time as she grew up, I calculated the cost of that smile, and what it took to keep it on her face. Her brothers learned the cost of losing it and then getting it back. But once you gave her your heart.. well it was the easiest thing in the world to get. As for the second part, well it came with the first."

He paused for a moment to glance at the other guests. "So I thought that more was needed to honor the love between you two. And it fell into my lap when Master Chef Mackeen Pent wanted new furniture for his Cabin by Lake Pavels. It seems that he wanted to start spending more time away from his restaurant, The Fat Otter, and let his Journeyman Chef Dean Siles bear the burden of being the Master Chef. Of course that led to Master Chef Dean Siles coming into the shop and ordering a desk to replace the one Mackeen was taking up to the Cabin. And as these changes in one of the finest restaurants around, only started five days ago; I was able to be the first to suggest someone for Dean's replacement. For I had it on good authority that a certain Apprentice Baker would soon join the ranks of Master Baker and Journeyman Chef. Luckily for me and my idea of a dowery, both Masters had tasted the wares of the Nesha in question and were most pleased. So much so that they both signed a Letter of Intent to hire a Master Baker, Journeyman Chef Prite Tarn, upon his attaining those titles of excellence. Witnessed two days ago by myself and my lovely wife." Prite's eye could not get larger as Jaren pulled a parchment with a ribbon on it from his jacket pocket and handed it to the young Master Baker. Prite's hands were steady as he took the Letter of Intent from Jaren and read all the names on it. Every worry he had about providing for the love of his life faded away. But still there were tears in his eyes. So much joy has to get out somehow. Prite grabbed Jaren as he called out "Father!" His free hand found the long locks of Jaren's hair and pulled on them gently.

Mimi sensing all this pent up energy needing an outlet, (as well as noticing that Jimbo's body was vibrating a little from the energy drink) decided to help out as best she could. She gently took the letter and hat from her son, for safekeeping. Then a nod to her daughter, Gigi, and Sarabell, got the Females to step back out of harms way before she reminded the Male guests "There is a brand new Wrestling mat in Glesh's backyard. I can't think of a better place to channel all this energy and emotion." The stampede almost started when Mimi's voice doubled in volume. "Leave the good jackets and vests inside, or I can't be held responsible for my reactions."

So much power in such a compact space. And so beautiful, too. So of course the jackets, vests and footware besides, ended up on or by, the long leather couch, moments before the supposed adult males quickly filed out to test the new arena for wrestling prowess. Glesh challenged his brother first as it was his mat. And while Gleph had height and a bit of weight over his older brother; Glesh still was a bit stronger and a touch faster. They ended up calling it a draw after fifteen minutes, just to let the others have a chance on the new leather mat. Jimbo was shocked to be called out by Prite. His wrestling days were back in college, but his size was new and his will was eager for a test. Prite won but just barely. Jaren and Gliph had a quick bout as Jaren was stronger and sneakier than he looked. After the third reversal and almost pin, Gliph recalled the size of Jaren's sons and decided to let the third pin go all the way. It seemed that Jaren had a way of finding all the holds that hurt an opponent the most without causing real damage. Gliph plotted a rematch in a years time after he had more time wrestling Jaren's sons.

After all the roughhousing, Jimbo wondered how they were going to rejoin the ladies without stinking up the house. Glesh had the latest in group shower technology. As this wasn't intended to be erotic in any fashion, the system worked fast.

Each male shucked off his under garments and placed them in a cleaning bin just before walking into the Shower. There were evenly spaced bars from floor to ceiling with hand holds at three different heights. The bars were close enough for a person of any height to be able to hold themselves up during the "Shower" and the "Drying". The floor has a rubber coated metal mesh that was similar to the metal mesh of the ceiling. They spaced themselves evenly away from each other and the bar that Glesh stood next to had a special lever built into it. Glesh warned the newbie "Jimbo. Take a few breaths and when I count to three, close your eyes, hold your breath, hold on to the bars and don't let go. It will only last ten seconds. Then you'll hear a bell. That's when you can breath again. But keep your eyes closed till you hear three bell tones. That's when it's over. Ready?"

Jimbo looked so puzzled as he said "Huh?'

Prite leaned towards him. "Don't worry. Just take in some breaths and hold it on three."

Jimbo took a breath before he agreed with "OK. I trust my family."

That got some smiles just before Glesh judged that they had enough air in their lungs. "OK. Ready? On three. One. Two." Pant , pant, pant. "Three!"

Some called the Shower system that Glesh was using a "Sentient Hurricane". Others preferred "A water comb on steroids". It involved focused jets of water raking over your body from top to bottom, and 360 degrees around it. Somehow the force became gentle when it washed over a male's genitals. But it ramped back up once it was passed them.

Jimbo heard the bell and started breathing again. He could have sworn it had been longer than just ten seconds, but he wasn't going to ask for a replay right away to test that idea. After only a breath and a half, the other part of the weather system started up. The wind was just as fast and at a dryness that caused the skin and fur to be free of excess water but not too dry. The three tones let Jimbo see an interesting sight, that he was not fully part of. The Dryer caused furred people to be a little fluffier than they were normally. While Jimbo's head was just like theirs, his lack of body fur had him fluff free.

A tinny ding announced the cleaning bin was finished with their undergarments. At that point Jimbo had a problem the other Vox Catalyst males had already gone through. The cleaning bin had not shrunk his clothes. He had grown out of them. And while he was glad his height had remained the same,(six foot eleven inches), his shoulders had widened by nearly a foot during the wrestling match. He was able to get his jock strap back on, though the pouch was now two sizes too small. But his under pants would not stretch enough to allow his quads and glutes to fit inside them. Jimbo was shaking his head, with the under pants at his knees and no way to force them any higher, when Gleph returned from Glesh's bedroom with a new pair of under pants.

Jimbo smiled and pulled the old pair off his legs. The new under pants fit fine, with even a little play to them. Then Gleph held out a new pair of pants that matched the new vest. They looked like work style clothes, but Jimbo didn't care as long as they fit. Jimbo hugged Gleph the moment his new clothes were on. "Something tells me you've been here before."

Gleph and Glesh chuckled "Oh yeah. Gleph here more than me. I didn't take to the Catalyst as well as my other brothers did, but I still went through growth events where I thought 'These clothes fit me an hour ago!' If the stuff didn't give ya so much energy, you could stay home naked till it was over with."

Gleph looked into Jimbo's eyes with a concerned look then went right back to smiling. "Like trying to hold a puppy still for more than twenty seconds. Not going to happen."

Glesh turned to Gleph and softly said "I have the first tea steeping and the second one ready to go. Looks like I should go get the first one."

Jimbo wondered what was going on between the two brothers, when PING!

Jimbo was suddenly the mental age of an eight year old. A hyper, A.D.D. prone, six foot eleven inch, eight year old, weighing in at four hundred and thirty pounds. Luckily this condition was very brief, after drinking the proper tea. Glesh left and returned with the tea before Jimbo's eight year old imagination could get him started. "OK Jimbo. Be a good cub and drink this tea, please. Then we can figure out what games we wanna play."

"OK! Ummm. This tastes good." Once it was all gone, he remembered the deal. "Um. I like Baseball. I'm good at it. You guys ever play baseball. Or maybe basketball, but my brothers always make me feel like I'm too small to play. Dad still shows me all the neat moves and he says I'm not too small to play... to.. " Jimbo started to blink and then he rubbed his eyes. He took a deep breath and then focused in on Gleph and Glesh.

"What was I talking about?" Jimbo got up and started pacing. "That was the weirdest feeling."

Gleph started pacing along with Jimbo and smiling while answering his questions. "You were at the mental level of an eight year old. Doesn't last long but you get this uncontrollable need to move and exercise. Good time to pack on some muscle. If that's what you want."

The idea slowed Jimbo to a halt. "Yeah that sounds like a good use of this energy."

Glesh led them over to room in the same small building that housed the shower. It had benches and seats and squat racks with strange barbells. Each end of the barbell had an opaque ball. Only one ball of the pair had a key pad to tell the units what they should weigh. You could program a constant weight, have it slowly increase or decrease. That took up Jimbo's hour and a half of Demanding Exercise. Then Glesh brought in the second cup of tea. And right on time, too.

Jimbo's entire body slowly tried to cramp up. Glesh held the cup as Jimbo quickly swallowed the tea in one gulp. "Oh god, what would happen if you lost the tea for this part?" His body shivered and then calmed and then shivered and then calmed and then relaxed and stayed that way.

Glesh shrugged. "I think after the first minute and a half the pain just knocks them out. That's why it's best to go through this with helpers."

Jimbo put his hand on Glesh and Gleph's shoulder. "Or Family."

Glesh nodded. "Or Family. But for the next tea, you need to be ready to go to bed. Prite and Griph cleaned up and visited with Sarabell and Jaren before they all had to leave."

Jimbo was so wrapped up in this transformation he didn't get to say good-bye to part of his new family. Gleph saw the look on his face. "Hey! Jimbo. They understand what's happening. And they will see you tomorrow at the Fountain. So lets get you home and ready for bed. OK."

Jimbo stood up and smiled. "OK, cousin. And Glesh. Thank you so much for heading me over to your brother. I would have never known how much family I had, without your help."

Glesh hugged the massive Vox/Human. "Your welcome, Cousin. See you at the Fountain."

That farewell was passed back and forth as they left. "See you at the Fountain."

To Be Continued