Special Tea
Sitting around the table in the mess hall on a calm evening, Humility, Loti and Suyin each nursed a cup of tea. The mess was perhaps the most well stocked it had ever been in the entirety of their journey. They'd picked up supplies steadily as they'd been in London, and bit by bit, the Nautilus and its' kitchen, steadily filled up.
"It's disgusting," Humility grimaced, swallowing a small sip of the tea.
"It is. And it never becomes any easier to drink," she sighed.
"But it works," Loti shrugged and drained her own mug in one. "Why are you drinking it anyway? Got a man we don't know about, have you?" she asked Suyin, slyly.
"No. I drink it for reasons of solidarity," she shrugged.
"Well, a deal is a deal," Loti shrugged and reached into the jacket that she wore. She pulled out a small, black fabric bag and handed it to Suyin. "I'll keep you well stocked if you do the same for me," she said.
"A deal," Suyin nodded.
"What's that?" Humility asked, looking at the bottle.
"Hops. It is good for helping the plants to grow," Suyin told her.
"I stole it when we were in London," Loti explained.
"And in return you get…this," Humility stared down at the mug of disgusting tea. "Doesn't quite seem fair," she remarked.
"At first glance, no. But this is very special tea," Loti told her, grinning.
"Other than its vile taste, I don't see what's so special about it. And even 'special' isn't quite the right word to describe it."
"Perhaps not," she smiled.
"So…what's so special about the tea," Humility pressed and took another sip. "Urgh…vile. Utterly vile," she grimaced.
"It is useful for…backgammon," Loti said with a raised eyebrow.
"What?" Humility stared at her, confused.
"You heard me. Did your mother never mention this tea?"
"Why on earth would she mention…"
"It is used to prevent pregnancy," Suyin said, taking pity on her.
"What?!" Humility dropped the cup in shock which of course, made Loti cackle even more. She pushed the mug away and flared at Loti.
Amidst their laughter, Nemo strode confidently into the mess and helped himself to a few of the fine biscuits that they'd procured from London. They were much better than the hardtack, bug infected ones they'd eaten at the start of their journey.
After taking a bite, Nemo then picked up the mug that Humility had shoved to the middle of the table.
Then before they could protest he brought it to his lips and then, he stopped suddenly. After he'd smelt its' pungent fragrance, he set the cup back down onto the table.
"Is there a problem with that tea, Captain?" Loti asked slyly.
"Is there any other to drink?" Nemo asked, not at all affected by her question.
"Don't you like this one?" Loti asked, teasing again.
"I should say not," he replied.
"You didn't even drink it," Humility noted.
"I didn't have to. I could smell it. I know what it is, and I have no desire to drink it again," Nemo said, dryly.
"You know what…how do you…why?" Humility asked, stunned. "I didn't know! How do you know?!"
"And what do you mean 'again'?" Loti asked smirking.
"I drank it once, after a dare, many years ago.but such a foul smell is impossible to forget," he told her with a shudder.
"Oho!" Loti laughed.
"It was…unpleasant," he said.
"Understatement," Loti snorted.
"I think if I were forced to drink this every day, I would not care for the result, however pleasant. You are either a fool or braver than I," he remarked, staring at the tea with distaste.
"Hah!" Loti chortled, even Suyin couldn't hold back her laughter. Though she did try to hide her smile behind her cup.
Humility, meanwhile, stared at him in a confused mix of disbelief and bemusement.
"Fortunately, you do not have to drink it at all," Loti drawled.
"Neither do you…no one is making you play…backgammon…with Kai," Humility said to her, sheepishly.
"But he plays it so well," Loti retorted.
"Hmmm, no wonder you three are alone in here," Nemo raised an eyebrow at them.
"We already frightened off Boniface and Ranbir and of course, he dragged Turan with him," Loti said.
"I do not frighten so easily, but it is good to know when to choose one's battles," he said.
"Is this a battle?" Humility asked.
"Women are just as deadly as men. One underestimates them at one's peril. Particularly when you are in a group," Nemo said, gravely.
"Hah! I knew I liked you for a reason," Loti slapped him on the shoulder.
"I shall leave you to your tea," Nemo declared and stood.
"There is seaweed tea over there, if you prefer something more palatable," Suyin smiled at him.
"Thank you," he helped himself to a cup and walked back towards the door.
"He seems well trained," Loti said to Humility while Nemo was leaving.
"I shall pretended that I heard nothing," he remarked. "I am going fishing. I shall take one of the spear guns and Blaster shall accompany me. It will be be far safer for him out there than in here," he said.
"Oh! I don't suppose there are swordfish in these waters, are there?" Humility asked.
"Not likely. And you did hear me use the word 'safer', yes?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Ah…"
"And do you not recall how difficult it was to catch the cursed creature the last time?" he sighed at her disappointment.
"But it was delicious," Humility shrugged.
"And very nearly, deadly," he grimaced.
"Well…if you happen to see one…"
"Then I shall flee."
"Hmm," she frowned, mockingly.
"We shall have tuna and those…very brightly coloured ones that are very easy to catch and very delicious to eat. Just as good as swordfish," he waved a hand.
"But the swordfish fed all of us for at least half a week," Loti pointed out.
"And by then we had grown weary of it, which belittled the task of catching it," Nemo drawled.
"Good point," Suyin shrugged.
"So no swordfish?" Humility pouted childishly.
"No," he snapped in mockingly exaggerated annoyance and left, closing the door behind him.
"Another bag of your hobs says that he comes back with a swordfish," Loti said to Suyin.
"Only a fool would take that bet," she smiled warmly.
"Loti?" Humility said.
"Yes?"
"Shut up and drink your disgusting backgammon tea," she glared.