The Tallest Tower!

Chapter 3: Madame Blanche

A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who have left reviews and comments so far. You've all been very encouraging! Also, I have forgotten to mention that Arnold and Gerald are not nine-year-olds. They are about 16. Anyway, I hope this will be another interesting chapter for you all! It features Madame Blanche from the series. I kind of took advantage of the fact that we know so little about her in the series, so she may be a little OOC, but for good reason. Enjoy reading this chapter and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! They are always greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!

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Grandpa wrapped his cloak tightly around himself as he braced his body against the cold, winter wind. His feet crunched the snow beneath him. It was the second week of the new year. Grandpa hadn't gone a day without thinking about Arnold and what had happened to him. Sure, he thought, we had gone camping a few times, but never during the winter season. A warm tear rolled down his cheek before coming upon Madame Blanche's Apothecary Shoppe. He opened the door and let the warmth from the hearth inside seep into his skin before removing his hood.

Madame Blanche was not at her counter, but he heard voices near the back of her Shoppe. Grandpa didn't like to eavesdrop, but after hearing a loud, booming thud with a deep, angry voice, he tiptoed closer to the back of her Shoppe to investigate. There was a curtain blocking his view of Madame Blanche, but a broad, dark figure could be seen. He had a green cloak with a hood that was blocking his face.

"I keep reminding you that patience is a virtue," he heard Madame Blanche say blankly. "You must wait until the end of March."

"You keep deceiving me!" the broad figure boomed.

"I have never deceived you. You only listen to what you want to hear. Your pride has made you impatient."

The figure growled at Madame Blanche.

"Wait until the end of March. That is when change will come. Now, be off with you. I have another customer."

The broad figure seemed to jerk in surprise. Grandpa backed away from the curtains as the large man began making his exit, nearly ripping off the curtains as he did so. He gave a hard look at Grandpa, his broad eyebrow furrowed. His sneer was an angry one. He then took his wide arm and pushed Grandpa to the side with force before using the door and slamming it shut. Grandpa could hear the bottles behind the counter tremble at the impact.

"Ah, Phil, how pleasant it is to see you again!" Madame Blanche's voice gained a chirpy disposition as she made her way to the hearth and began poking at the fire. "You'll have to excuse my first customer. Quite a high-strung fellow, he is."

"Yes," Grandpa said suspiciously. "He seems to be quite the brute, more like."

"How is Gertie doing, Phil?" Madame Blanche swiftly changed the subject.

Grandpa sighed, "Not good, I'm afraid."

Madame Blanche moved behind her counter and began looking through her vials and bottles.

"Ever since Arnold left, she's been getting worse. Especially so since the new year has begun."

"Mhmm," Madame Blanche took a few vials from the shelf. "Go on."

"It appears that she has made up some sort of imaginary friend."

"Imaginary friend? You don't say."

"She's named her Eleanor."

Madame Blanche turned to Grandpa and smiled before handing him the vials. "I'd say she's doing just fine. Now remember, Phil, she only needs one drop from each of these per day."

Grandpa looked at the small vials in his hand before turning to Madame Blanche questioningly.

"Do these medicines really work?"

A small chuckle escaped her lips before she retorted, "How has she been getting along with her daily chores around the Sunset Arms Inn?"

Grandpa was taken aback by the question. Now that he thought about it, she was executing her chores with ease and barely stopped in confusion anymore.

"Let her have 'Eleanor' for a while longer. Arnold has not been gone for too long. She just needs time to adjust."

"I guess I'm just having a difficult time with this whole situation," he said before hanging his head. "I never knew Gertie would turn out like this. I don't know how to handle it, I suppose."

Madame Blanche smiled warmly at Grandpa before lifting his chin gently so he could look at her.

"The best thing you can do is listen to your wife. She is telling you things that you may not understand right now, but that doesn't mean you won't understand them forever. Things will make sense to you in due time."

Grandpa smiled before bringing out a pouch. It jingled as he set it on the counter.

"Here you go. Ten pieces, like usual."

Madame Blanche looked at the pouch for a second before turning back to Grandpa. She visually hesitated to take the pouch.

"That won't be necessary this time."

"What? But I need to pay you for these medicines!"

Madame Blanche chuckled again before pushing the pouch towards Grandpa.

"Phil, a lot will happen this year. These next few months will be the hardest for you. After all the things you've been through and after all the things you will go through, consider this a gift to put your mind at ease for now."

Grandpa scratched his head in confusion before picking up his pouch and tying it to his tunic belt beneath his cloak.

"Have a safe trip home, Phil."

"Thank you, Madame Blanche. For everything."

Madame Blanche smiled as she watched Grandpa leave her Shoppe. She sighed once the door was closed. Great family, she thought. She stood behind her counter for a while before making her way to the back of her Shoppe.

"March couldn't come soon enough," She said to herself before picking out a mortar and pestle from one of the shelves. She placed it on a table and grabbed some bottles from the shelf that were full of dried up flowers and herbs.

She began grinding a few leaves and petals in her mortar, only stopping once the ingredients had turned into a fine powder. Madame Blanche then grabbed a small bowl and poured the powder into it. She found a few vials from the shelves. She was careful with each drop of liquid poured into the small bowl, stirring slowly with a long, thin stirring rod from the shelf.

"And now," she said, "the main ingredient."

Madame Blanche pulled on a cord around her neck, lifting a tiny vial from the bosom of her corset. She pulled out the tiny cork from the mouth of the vial and tilted it ever so slightly. Madame Blanche chanted quickly and quietly before any changes could be made to her potion.

She let a drop fall into the bowl. There was a spark and a cloud of pink emerged, then dissipated. The mixture in the bowl was bubbling. Madame Blanche tied her tiny vial around her neck and hid it in her corset before turning to her shelf to find an empty vial. She poured the concoction into the vial and sealed it neatly with a cork. The liquid was a thick and deep pink inside the vial, the bubbles still forming.

"That ought to do it," she said. She took a stool from the corner of the room and stood on it, reaching for the highest shelf and grabbed a little wooden box. She hid the vial carefully in the box before replacing it on the shelf.

She cleaned up her area with ease. When she was done, she stopped for a moment and nodded to herself. She made her way to the counter at the front of her Shoppe and looked at the door expectantly. Finally, it opened.

"Good afternoon!" she said in a cheerful manner. "Welcome to Madame Blanche's Apothecary Shoppe!"

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Oh my! What is going to happen now? I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! I love getting receiving feedback, so tell me your thoughts and more in a REVIEW and stay tuned for the next chapter!