Tonic Trouble!

It was a normal day like most normal days aboard the Calum Navis. Flint was developing film, Nigel was practicing his sword play, Dr.White experimenting with chemicals down below deck and Leo stood at the wheel of the ship, the wind blowing through his hair. And like any other normal day on the ship Leo got bored. He’d been standing at the helm of the ship for far too long and decided he needed a break. He flipped the mechanism by the wheel and set the ship on  auto-fly. He then walked down to Dr. White’s lab.

 

William White, also known as Dr. White, was in the process of binding unstable compounds. He had to carefully pour just a few drops in of one substance. He was very careful and precise, he knew an extra drop could cause a plague like gas that could eat right through human flesh! He lifted his hand ever so slightly, making a slight shake. He took a breath to steady himself and raised his hand a little higher and turned the test tube slightly, slowly pouring out the chemical.

 

“DR.WHITE!” Leo yelled as he burst through the door. William jumped in startlement letting go of the two test tubes in the process sending them flying through the air. William quickly dived for one of the tubes as it flew through the air by his head. Luckily he caught it before it smashed into the ground! That could of cause the ship to blow in pieces! But what of the other? The second tube? William cocked his head around to the other side, looking for it. To William’s surprise, and un-amusement, Leo had it in his hands holding it close to his nose and taking a deep whiff of the toxic chemicals.

 

“What in heaven’s name ARE YOU DOING?!” William shouted at Leo.

 

“I got bored.” Said Leo Bluntly. As he inhaled more of the chemical substance.

 

“Dear god man, are you smelling that? That is Ba-...”

 

“Barium Hydroxide yes I am aware.” Leo interrupted. Looking at the tube as if it were an old plaything from his childhood.

 

“Well, I am pleasantly surprised to find that even you know something of chemistry. At the same time you ought to know that Barium Hydroxide can create Barium monoxide if it mixes with the tissue of flesh. Like on the inside of your lungs for example.” William replied.

 

“Please.” Leo replied as he corked the tube and tossed it at Dr.White. “Barium Hydroxide needs to be converted to a gas to do that and we need a large amount of heat to do that.”

 

Leo had a smug look on his face. He was actually quite smart, he just did not like to act like it. Leo loved to act arrogant, a habit William found annoying. It did not rest well with William that Leo liked to portray himself as less intellectual than he actually was. William did have this conversation with Leo in the past. All William got for an answer was that Leo said he thought acting smart and logical was less fun than being daring and reckless. It made perfect sense to Leo.

 

“Well, I did not expect someone in your line of work to know anything at all of the sciences. Imagine all the bounties we could have captured if you put your brain to use!” William smugly remarked

 

“Imagine a Doctor with a PHD outsmarted by a simple mercenary.” Leo retorted, satisfied with his comeback as he walked for the door.

 

“Outsmarted!? I Never! At least I know my toxic gass’s from perfumes. And while I am at it I might mention that it does not matter how high you hold yourself you could never heal Influenzae, or Syphilis or even heal a simple Yeti injury.”

 

“That sounds like a challange doctor!” Leo said turning to William and striding up to him. “How about the one who creates the best healing tonic for a Yeti gets to lock the loser in the bounty cage for the rest of the trip to Gearford?”

 

“Sounds like a deal to me!” Said Dr.White. Leo extended his hand out for a handshake. As William shook Leo’s hand he saw Leo’s Maniacal grin. William hated that look. Luckily for him he knew that he could win this wager. Leo might be smart but he was nowhere near as smart as Dr.White.

 

Leo knew this was going to be good fun. Amusement was all it really was for him. Leo knew William was better at this then he was, but for the time being it would cure Leo of his boredom. Though on the other hand he did not want to spend the whole trip in the cage. Knowing he could not beat Dr.White fairly, Leo would just have to sabotage his tonic.

 

Dr.White cleared a table in the ships small laboratory/ infirmary. It was originally a small bedroom but it had no use for the time being. He spread a white sheet over their working area and placed an assortment of chemicals, beakers and medical supplies. As Leo was being entertained by the assortment of surgical tubing, Dr.white walked over to his books and took out the one of the Yeti adomy. He walked over by his station and set the book down.

 

“Now all we need is an injured Yeti.” Dr.White told Leo. Leo pondered this for a moment. Then his grin appeared and he took out his whistle and blew a tune. Moments later Nigel burst through the doors of the laboratory.

 

“Yes Captain!” Nigel yelled obediently.

 

“Nigel, you can call me Leo.” Leo reiterated to Nigel.

 

“Alright Captain Leo!”

 

“Close enough. Nigel, Dr.White and I require a Yeti.” Leo announced to Nigel. There was a pause of awkwardness. Nigel still at attention looking intensely at Leo for his orders. “I need you to go get us one.” Leo stated more clearly. “ There should be a pack of them somewhere on the merchant trails below the ship.”

 

“Ah! Yes Captain Leo. I will get suited up to repel down immediately!” And with that Nigel marched off to his task. It was not but 10 minutes later when he had arrived with a large male Yeti. One that must have been in his prime. He had dark blond hair, and was at least 7 and a half feet tall! A giant of a being. How Nigel got him up here Dr.white and Leo did not know. But Leo learned a while ago to never underestimate Nigel’s ability to figure shit out.

 

“There is only one problem.” Leo said. “We needed a injured Yeti, this one looks fine.”

With that Nigel swiftly twisted the Yeti’s arm back and snapped the bone it half! Severely breaking its arm. Then Nigel delivered  a quick uppercut to its face knocking it flat out cold. The Yeti lay on the ground in a passed out and severely injured state.

 

“Ah, good job Nigel! Excellent work!” And with that Nigel saluted Leo and White and left the room. Pleased that he could help. “Look at this filthy furball.” Leo said to Dr.White.

 

“Your racist.” Said Dr.White. “We might as well go and help this poor thing now, shall we?”

 

Dr.White and Leo quickly began mixing chemicals, crushing up herbs and testing different mixtures using their own skin. Leo glanced over at Dr.White, he was calm and collected as always but he could see a glimpse of extreme determination in his eyes. Leo was just hoping for the right moment to be able to meddle with his tonic...

 

Dr.White was acting fast, he knew exactly what to do, he knew which herbs to use for the broken bones and what kind of chemicals would help with the intense headache me must have from that blow to the head. He was mixing test tubes and crushing herbs quickly.

 

Leo mixed a few herbs and chemicals together. The result would be a slow pain killer like medicine. Leo was going to lose and he knew it. Glancing over at Dr.White he saw him looking back from his tonic’s to his book of Yeti atomy. Dr.White could be completely reliant on that book for the exact measurements... and that means he would not miss a single step from it! Leo had to make his opportunity.

 

Leo “dropped” a vial of water on Dr.Whites table. Apologising Leo swept at the water, attempting to cause breezes to flip the pages in the book. In Leo’s favor it worked fabulously. The book flipped about 20 pages, causing Dr.White to lose track of his place. Cursing, Dr.White began flipping through the pages looking for his place he had lost.

 

While Dr.White was distracted Leo tossed random chemicals and substances in White’s tonic. one of the many random compounds had to mess up his tonic, he told himself. Leo felt as though he tossed something dreadfully wrong in it at one point. The tonic Glew a bright red color for a moment, then back to normal.

 

Dr.White regain his place and went back to his mixtures, completely oblivious to the fact that Leo just tampered with his tonic. This went on for about 2 more minutes until Dr.White called time. Both Leo and Dr.White grabbed there tonic’s and walked over to the passed out Yeti. Dr.White glanced at Leo and waved for him to go first. Leo did so and poured the liquid down the Yeti’s mouth. Leo and Dr.White stood there for a moment. Dr.White then examined the Yeti’s arm and head making careful observations.

 

“Well my good man it appears you have not done much.” Dr.White told Leo happily. Then proceeded to pour his mixture down the Yeti’s mouth.

 

Leo felt a knot in his stomach, a sense of guilt flowed through him. He looked carefully at the Yeti for any signs out of the ordinary. Leo did not have to look carefully at all. The Yeti lashed around violently. His eyes opened up! They were bloodshot with a red glow to them, and the most ungodly noises came out of its mouth that was now foaming! Dr.White jumped back, his eyes wide as if there were going to pop right out of his skull. Dr.White was mortified that his medicine was doing this! He felt like he executed the tonic with perfection!

 

Suddenly the Yeti leaned up and stretched his massive arms out in pain. From what Leo and White could tell it was because of the two new growths on both sides of the Yeti’s chest below the armpit. They grew bigger by the seconds until they burst! Out popped two extra arms just as massive as his original set! The Yeti Rose one set of arms and brought them down to where Dr.White was standing, still baffled by the chaotic result. Leo’s instincts took over diving into the air, pushing Dr.White out of the way. As they both hit the ground Leo took out his handgun and fired some shots into the Yeti’s arm. The Yeti shouted in slight pain and stormed out of the room and onto the deck of the ship.

 

Leo and Dr.White ran out to the deck to find Nigel and Flint confronting the beast. Nigel had his sword out and was doing his best at keeping the monster at bay, while Flint was preparing his camera for a shot. Leo looked at his surroundings and and saw a rope with a hook hanging from the balloon above.

 

“NIGEL!” Leo yelled from across the ship! Nigel looked over to where leo was pointing and go the message. Nigel smacked the rope, it flew across the ship right over to where Leo was. He hopped aboard the rope and swung over to where the Yeti stood fighting Nigel. Leo picked up speed, he extended his foot out and smack the Yeti right in the face, causing him to fall overboard and plummet out of the sky to the earth, still foaming and lashing out with his arms.

 

Everyone caught their breath. There was only silence up until Dr.White finally put the pieces together.

 

“How did my tonic change that Yeti that drastically? LEO?” All eyes went to Leo. He tried to come up with an excuse or a lie; he couldn't. Leo knew he was the Captain of the ship and he had to be honest with his crew, and more importantly his friends.

 

    “I added a few mixtures to your tonic when you were not looking.” Leo coffeced. Dr.White Glared at Leo for a moment. Then something odd happened, William chuckled. As much as he should be frustrated with Leo he knew that this is exactly why he was on the ship. William was here for the adventure, the chaos. Back home everything was perfect, much like his tonic was going to be, and William knew what the result would've been, he would know 100 times over and over and it would've been the same day over and over. The same day planned out like a recipe in a book. The day William mett Leo was like their tonic contest just now. Due to Leo putting a bunch of random ingredients in his tonic, Leo shook up Williams life, added adventure and an unknown result everyday. This life was not planned out like William had always dreaded his life would be in Whitehaven, it was a new life every day, who knows what was going to happen.

 

William clasped Leo on the back and laughed some more, Leo even joined in. As they giggled like brothel girls Nigal and Flint exchanged confused looks, not understanding what was going on. When William and Leo were finished they smiled at each other. The apology and the laugh they shared was like their friendship being cleaned.

 

Flint’s camera at that moment popped out its photo of Leo kicking the mutated yeti in the face. The crew took part in one more Laugh before Leo snatched the photo and quickly light it on fire all while still laughing. A panicked Flint jumped in shock “Why did you do that!” he exclaimed!

“Alright crew,” Leo started, calming back down from his laugh. “We can’t let anyone know what we did here today! Got that? People are not going to like it if they hear we kidnapped a Yeti, clobbered him then mutated his being, and tossed him off a airship.” It did not need a repeating, everyone understood and agreed that this was the best method of action to take. Like it had never happened. One lie never hurt anyone after all. Well yes, besides the Yeti that fell 3 miles to the ground with a sudden impact.