THE MOMENT
"...not your 'best' potion, your strongest potion!" Bartleby nudged the heavy bag of coins closer to the potion maker to show how serious he was.
"Happily," Wendel, the alchemist nodded and pulled the bag fully to his side of the counter. "And what are you hoping to accomplish with this strong potion?"
"I don't want a 'STRONG' potion! I want your STRONGEST!"
"Heh, I understand, it was just a turn of phrase," Wendel continued to smile. "What effects are you hoping to see?"
"I'm kind of in a hurry!" Bartleby whined as he glanced out the front window of the shop as if watching for something or someone. "Just give me the strongest one you have!"
"I don't know if you know this.., but 'strongest' is kind of subjective. It really depends what you're trying to do. I'll be glad to give my strongest, but, for what?"
"The less you know the better," Bartleby replied with a stern tone, and he gestured down at the hilt of his sword. "Let's just say I'm about to exert a lot of energy, huh?" he answered.
"Ah, of course, I'll be right back," Wendel nodded and retreated through a beaded curtain. He returned within seconds with a beautiful bottle full of clear liquid. "My strongest potion to assist your exertion," he grinned as he offered it across the counter. Bartleby didn't hesitate to snatch the bottle and dash out the door. Then, Valerie, a regular customer slid into the shop before the door closed.
"He was in a hurry," she giggled and gestured back with her thumb as she commented to Wendel. "What'd he buy?" she asked.
"My strongest potion," Wendel grinned.
"For what?" she asked.
"No idea," Wendel shrugged. "He only told me he was going to expend a lot of energy," he lifted the sack of coins and hefted it with a chuckle. "The strongest cure I know for that is simply proper hydration, with some added electrolytes."
"Did you sell him tap water?" Valerie giggled. Except, her question was accompanied by screams from the street outside. Citizens were running by at full speed, all of them in one direction away from the center of town.
"I sold him my strongest tap water with a dash of table salt," Wendel nodded. "Although, now I wish he'd been more direct. Ah well," he sighed. More villagers were running past, and this time the two inside the shop caught a glimpse of a giant ghostly wolf trotting by chasing the crowd. "After that sale, it was probably time to move to a new location anyway."