Let's just hope it doesn't taste like licorice

We stopped in front of the strange potion store. Inside, through the rather primitive looking glass, I could see several bottles on wooden racks. Each glowed brightly from within the glass bottles. As if each and every one stored it's own little star within the soda looking glass bottles. "What is this place, exactly?" I asked Yura as we stopped outside the shop.

"An apothecary. Our very own local alchemist. We're fortunate that she stayed with us." Pushing the door open myself this time I hold it for Yura to enter first. "Most villages don't have anyone nearly as skilled or respectable. At best they're lucky to have an herbalist willing to work for pay. Thankfully, Miss..." Before Yura had a chance to explain further an older sounding voice cut through our conversation.

"Miss Shari." To the left, nearly in the middle of the room, stood an older woman. Nearly in her sixties by my guess. A long tight braid of silver hair hung down her back. She had a sharp facial structure with shallow wrinkles that adorned her face. Crows feet on either side of her eyes, wrinkles at the edges of her lips gave away long years of smiling and joy. "My name, young one, is Miss Shari. I'm afraid we haven't had the pleasure? Are you new to the village perhaps?"

I was a little shocked by her warm demeanor. Though I hadn't had anyone be explicitly rude, her calm and bright mood was a rather welcome thing. "I... yes, Ma'am. My name is Leo. Yura here is helping me with my first job with the guild. Though, I'm not quite sure why we're here. I'm familiar with what an apothecary is, what and alchemist is, but that doesn't answer exactly why we're here."

Yura replied as quick as lightening. "Cause you might have strength, but without skill you're gonna get hurt left and right." She raised her hand and gestured to the shop now all around us. The walls filled with shelves of bottles, small vials, and even large gallon sized jugs. Each of them giving off their own light behind the strange liquids within. "Miss Shari is an accomplished apothecary, as such she's the village go to for any kind of elixir need. The adventurers use her for healing remedies, stamina boosts, or even more magical needs."

'Ah,' I thought to myself, 'so exactly like a video game. Surprise... surprise.'

"Alright, so how much is a health potion going to run me? I only have thirty gold, after all." I didn't know how much it would cost, in games it would only be a few gold, but in the real world? Real world, huh. In this world they would have to be much more.

"Thirty would get you a decent multi-use bottle." It must have been the look on my face since she quickly elaborated. "Multi-use means that a single bottle will allow you to drink several times. Where say a single use will only be good enough for a single healing session, a mutli-use can be drank from four or five times. Really it depends on how much you drink in one go, a swig is good enough for most wounds. A gulp for more grievous injuries. Finally if you're in a truly **** situation, you can take the entire bottle in one go. It'll hurt more than anything, but it'll go as far as healing destroyed organs. The only downside is that you'll likely be far too hurt to do it yourself."

Yura continued the train of thought. "Mult-use are the most expensive elixir in the profession. They come in nearly all types, from what I understand. It mostly depends on what kind you're buying. Healing is one of the most expensive. Is that right, Miss Shari?" She said turning her attention to the older woman once more."

"I couldn't have said it better myself. One clarification however. You, young man, don't have nearly enough for a multi-use healing tonic. For you, it's only going to be 30. Largely in part, thanks to Yura. Several rather generous discounts. Three, in fact. For being a first time customer, for being a new adventurer, and finally for being a referral. Normally it be seventy-five gold. It's rather lucky that you're getting so many discounts, even more so that I'm willing to let you use them all." Her smile didn't fade in the slightest as she explained how fortunate I was.

"I... thank you, Miss Shari. I guess I'm luckier than I thought." Her smile seemed to grow a little wider as I tried to convey my appreciation. Without another word she turned away and walked through the curtain behind her. She only left for a few moments before she returned with a light blue bottle. Roughly the size of a large soda bottle. Nearly eighteen ounces, surely. She sat the bottle down against he counter and pulled out scanning stone. I gave her my hand and she scanned it with that same smile. To my surprise however, something other than a fat zero. "Miss Shari? What's going on?"

"Consider it a gift. One more discount for the polite young man. A welcome to our village. I only charged you twenty gold, instead of the full thirty. As you can see, that leaves... thirteen gold. It won't buy a suit of armor, but every little bit counts." I wanted to kiss the old woman. Instead of such an unsightly thing though I laughed and thanked once again. It seemed as if what Yura had told me was an understatement.

With my purchase complete Yura and I made our way back out to the market. After thanking Miss Shari to an almost embarrassing degree. We walked for the rest of the morning. Something she said that would be important to get used to. Carrying both of my weapons and the bottle in my hand. It became quickly apparent that something I hadn't put to thought was an issue. I didn't have an inventory...

"You're starting to see it now, aren't you?" She said in a teasing tone. "Sometimes it's a hard lesson. I just wanted you to do so before it became a deadly mistake." She took the lead once more as we walked. This time with more spring in her step. "One more stop. This time it won't be a store. I'll be nice."