Hank And Lily

Lily looked over the board as well, her eyes scanning over the tasks. "Yeah, mostly the same old stuff. Nothing too exciting. Oh, wait."

She pointed to a job towards the bottom of the board. "What about this one? Dragon eggs and a high price. could be worth looking into."

Hank looked at the job Lily was pointing at. "Hmmm, dragon eggs, huh? That could pay well....but it also sounds dangerous. You sure you want to take that risk?"

Lily smirked, clearly ready for a challenge. "When have I ever not been up for a little danger?"

Hank chuckled, not surprised by her response. "Yeah, yeah, I should have known you'd say that. You're such a thrill-seeker."

The job was to collect eggs from a chicken dragon, which was odd to say the least. Odd cause this dragon had live young but laid eggs which can be used for tasty cakes and pies. The eggs never went bad so the dragon would have a huge amount. They didn't have to do any dragon slaying since it was easy to sneak in to collect the eggs since the chicken dragon stayed out all day far away from the den.

As they read over the job, Hank raised an eyebrow. "A chicken dragon? That's....unexpected."

"Yeah," Lily agreed, "I've never heard of a dragon that lays eggs and has live young. But if the pay is good, I don't care how weird it is."

"So, we just have to sneak in, grab some eggs and get out without getting caught? Sounds easy enough."

"Well, not easy," Lily corrected, "dragons are notoriously good at hiding their eggs and chicken dragons are particularly feisty. But if we're stealthy enough, we should be able to get in and out without getting singed. And let's not forget the high pay."

Hank nodded, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "Yeah, the pay does sound good and who doesn't love a good egg hunt?"

Lily smirked, seeing the hint of excitement in his eyes. "Oh, so now you're up for a little adventure, are you? I thought you were just going to grumble about the whole thing."

Hank grumbled, but didn't deny it. "Yeah, yeah, I admit it. I'm in. But let's not get cocky. We still have to be careful and not get our faces roasted off."

Lily laughed, amused by his reluctance yet excitement. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't get your face roasted. Besides, you'd look pretty goofy with burn marks all over your face."

Hank rolled his eyes, grumbling again. "Gee, thanks for that visual. Good to know you're always thinking about my best interests."

"Of course," Lily replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "What are friends for it not to have your best interests at heart? Now c'mon, let's grab some gear and head out. We've got some dragon eggs to find."

"Hold up, we can head out tomorrow morning, remember they're away from the den during the day until night fall." Hank said while opening a small box at the bottom of the board. He took out two papers for the egg collecting task and hands one to Lily who puts it in her pocket. She snorted and rolled her eyes. "Fine we'll head out tomorrow."

Hank smirked at her reaction, amused by her obvious impatience. "Don't look so thrilled , princess. We don't want to charge in unprepared and end up scrambled like the eggs we're hunting."

"I know, I know," Lily grumbled, reluctantly nodding in agreement. "But waiting till tomorrow is going to be torture. I hate being idle."

"I can tell," Hank said, chuckling at her restless demeanor. "You're practically bouncing off the walls. But trust me, it's better to wait until morning. More darkness to cover us and less chance of things going wrong."

"Darkness?" ask Lily, looking confused. "You know it's going to be light out, right?" Hank looking down at the task paper nodded. "I know but the den won't be. It's going to be dark in there which gives us cover. Remember chicken dragons can't see in the dark plus they can't smell very well at all. You have to be right under their nose just for them to notice you at all."

Lily's expression cleared up, understanding now. "Oh, I get it. So the egg-laying area is like a dark cave or something, right? That does make stealth a lot easier."

"Exactly," Hank nodded. "And the dragon's poor senses at night will give us the upper hand, as long as we're careful."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Lily said, a sly smile forming on her lips.

"Sneaking into a dragon's den in the den in the dead of night. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Uh, you mean in the day. Their gone from the den the whole time. I doubt we'll come across it since it doesn't take long to collect the eggs and head back to the village. In fact, the sun wouldn't even be setting since it takes only a until lunch time to get there, collect the eggs and head back. We'll have the rest of the day off." Hank said while putting the paper in his pocket and picking up his pack heading back to the inn. On the way they paid for the upkeep on their horses.

Lily chuckled, feeling a bit foolish for her previous assumption. "Right, my bad. In the day. I guess I just got a little carried away with the idea of a nighttime adventure."

Hank just rolled his eyes at her. "Typical, you always did like things a bit more dramatic than necessary."

"Hey, can you blame me?" Lily countered, a smirk on her face. "Sometimes a good adventure needs a little bit of drama. Keeps things interesting, don't you think?"

Hank rolled his eyes again, but couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"Yeah, yeah, you and your love for drama. But let's keep it down to a minimum on this mission. I'd like to come back with all my limbs still attached, thank you very much."

Lily laughed, clearly enjoying his snarky response. "Oh, don't be such a worrywart. I promise we'll come back in one piece. And hey, if we do make it out unharmed, I bet we'll have some great stories to tell. Think of the bragging rights!"

Hank snorted. "What bragging rights? It's literally collecting eggs from a chicken dragon's den who isn't even going to be there."

Lily rolled her eyes, clearly not bothered by his skeptical attitude. "Yeah I know it's not as exciting as fighting a dragon or something, but it's still a job done. And knowing us, we'll find a way to make it seem more dangerous than it actually is."

"Right, right," Hank agreed, rolling his eyes once more. "As if that's not what always happens. Somehow, you manage to make even the simplest of jobs seem like life and death situations."

Lily just grinned, amused by his irritation. "What can I say? I just have a talent for turning mundane things into adventures. You should be thankful, really. Your life would be terrible boring without me around."

"Oh, believe me, I'm well aware of how much 'fun' my life would be without you," Hank replied, though there was a hint of affection in his voice. "I just wish would would tone it down a bit every now and then. Not every job has to be life-threatening, you know."

"Where's the fun in that, though?" Lily asked, clearing enjoying his reactions. "Where's the thrill, the excitement? I live for the adventure Hank. And if that means making some things seem a bit more dangerous than they actually are, then so be it."

Hank sighed, realizing that arguing with her was pointless. "Fine, fine, you win. You always do. Just remember that the next time we're dodging dragon fire or running from a pack of goblins, it'll be your fault."

Lily just grinned, clearly unbothered by his warning. "Oh, don't worry, I'll take full blame. I'm the one who makes things exciting, right? But hey, who knows, maybe this egg hunt will turn out to be more interesting than we think. Stranger things have happened."

Hank rolled his eyes again, but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Of course you'd say that. You'd just love it if something went wrong, wouldn't you? Always craving adventure and excitement."

"Can you blame me?" Lily asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Adventure is what makes life worth living. Who wants to spend their days doing boring, routine tasks? We were made for excitement Hank and you know it."

"You'd have a point if your version of excitement didn't nearly get us killed so often," he said, half-laughing. "Sometimes, boring and routine can be nice, especially if it means we stay in one piece."

"Ah, you're just a stick in the mud," Lily joked, poking him in the side. "You worry too much. We're adventurers. We're supposed to live on the edge, take risks. Where's the fun if we never do anything dangerous?"

"I'm not saying never do anything dangerous," Hank replied, swatting her hand away. "I'm just saying not everything needs to be a near-death experience. Can't we just enjoy a simple job once in a while?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine we'll do it your way and totally be bored with the whole egg hunt."

"Hey, I thought you liked my 'boring' ways," Hank replied, feigning offense. "I thought you said I keep you grounded and prevent you from being too reckless."

"Yeah you do." Lily admitted, though she still had a hint of disappointment in her tone. "But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good adventure every now and then and let's be real, how exciting can collecting eggs be?"

"I mean, it's not going to be a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure," Hank agreed. "But it's a job that needs to be done and we're being paid well. Can't you just enjoy the simplicity of it?"

Lily sighed, clearly not thrilled but willing to compromise. "Fine, I'll try to enjoy the simplicity of it. But if I get bored out of my mind, I'm blaming you."

"Duly noted," Hank said with a smirk. "And if things do get even a little exciting, you owe me an apology."

"Deal," Lily agreed, holding out her hand for a shake. "But don't think you'll be getting an apology anytime soon. This whole egg hunt thing sounds like a snooze fest."

"Never know, something might happen to spice things up," Hank said with a shrug. "And if it does, I'll be sure to say 'I told you so.'"

The two adventurers spent the rest of the evening enjoying a hot, hearty meal and a few laughs before finally heading to bed for the good night's sleep. Lily, as usual, insisted that the quest would be a dud and that nothing would happen, while Hank remained stubbornly optimistic and reminded her to keep an open mind. As the sun set outside the inn, they each drifted off to sleep, Lily filled with dread and Hank with anticipation.

The sun was just coming up. Hank and Lily had been up an hour ago just having finished breakfast. They were getting ready to go on the dragon egg hunt.

Lily was dressed in her usual adventurer's attire. Black leggings, sturdy leather boots, a form-fitting shirt and a green vest, all designed for practicality and comfort. Her long red hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and her green eyes were full of anticipation and a touch of boredom. Hank was dressed similarly, his leather armor clean and well-maintained. His dark hair was cut close to his head and his dark eyes held a hint of excitement, though he was trying to play it cool.

"Last chance to back out," Hank teased, giving her a sly grin. "You sure you still want to go on this super exciting and dangerous egg hunt?"

Lily shot him a dirty look, her eyes narrowing. 'Oh, ha ha. Very funny. Like I'd pass up the opportunity to prove you wrong."

"Just making sure," he chuckled, his grin widening. "Didn't want you to chicken out at the last minute."

"Me, chicken out?" Lily asked, scoffing. "You should know me better by now. I'm the bravest adventurer in these lands. I wouldn't back out of a job, even if it was a complete dud."

Hank laughed. He loved to ruffle her feathers sometimes. In an odd way it kept her grounded. Lily rolled her eyes at his laughter, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She secretly enjoyed his teasing, even if she would never admit it. "Yeah laugh it up. Just remember who's doing most of the heavy lifting on this quest."

"Hey now, don't underestimate my skills," he joked back, flexing his muscles jokingly. "I can hold my own in a fight, thank you very much."

Lily raised an eyebrow at his display. "Of course you can, big guy. But I'll be the one doing most of the work while you stand around looking pretty."

"Pretty? You think I'm pretty?" He asked in mock surprise, clearly enjoying the banter just as much as she was.

"Oh, don't get too flattered," Lily replied with a grin. "I meant like a pretty statue. You know, just standing around looking all brawny but not actually doing anything useful."

Hank smirked, he got up and slung his pack over his shoulder. "Ready to head out?"

Lily rolled her eyes again and grabbed her own pack. "Yeah I'm ready. Let's go get these eggs and make this job seem a lot more perilous than it actually is."

Together they headed out of the Inn and saddled their horses. Lily climbed on her pinto mare and Hank mounted his chestnut stallion. With a final pat to their horses' flanks, they were off.

They traveled through the countryside, Lily quietly mulling over ways to make this entire job more interesting. She didn't like admitting it, but Hank was right; sometimes it was nice to have a simple job. But she couldn't help but crave excitement, adrenaline. As they rode, she thought of ways to make the job memorable, even if just a little.

Meanwhile, Hank looked out at the rolling countryside, content with the silence between them. He occasionally looked over at Lily, noting her quiet demeanor. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head, knowing she was already planning some sort of scheme.

Suddenly, Lily perked up, a mischievous glint in her eye. She turned to Hank with a sly smile. "You know, I've been thinking...."

Uh oh, there it was. The look on her face that told Hank that something was about to happen. He swallowed a groan and instead feigned indifference. "Oh? And what's that?"

"Well, I was just thinking that this egg hunt might be a little too....ordinary," she said innocently, though there was mischief in her eyes. "We should do something to spice it up a bit."

Hank had expected this, but he still felt wary. "And by 'spice it up,' you mean....?"

"I mean, we should make things a little more challenging," she said, her smirk growing wider. "Make the eggs a bit harder to find, add a little danger to the mix. You know, just to keep things exciting."

Hank sighed. He knew what she was getting at. There was a chicken dragon that was hard to find, much harder to find then your run of the mill chicken dragons. But the priced paid for these eggs was well worth it, although it was a bit more dangerous in collecting them. Mostly because the den can be found underwater inside a cavern. This chicken dragon was a water one. It had blue and green feathers.

Despite his initial hesitation, Hank couldn't help but feel a pang of anticipation. Sure, hunting down eggs underwater in a dragon's den was more dangerous and difficult, but the extra pay was definitely tempting. He glanced over at Lily, seeing the same excited gleam in her eyes.

"You're not seriously suggesting we go after the water dragon eggs, are you?" He asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Why not?" Lily asked with faux innocence. "Wouldn't it be a lot more exciting than just collecting eggs from a landlocked den?"

"Exciting is one word for it," he muttered, but he couldn't deny the thrill that was starting to take hold in his gut. "Fine, I'll go along with it. But we're splitting the extra pay in half."

"Deal," Lily agreed, her grin widening. "I knew you'd come around eventually. You just can't resist my bad ideas."

"More like I can't resist your stubbornness," Hank replied with a chuckle. "Alright, it we're going to do this, we need to be careful. Water dragon eggs are a whole other ball game."

"Don't worry," Lily assured him with a wave of her hand. "I'll make sure we're fully prepared for this. We'll have the best gear, the best supplies and most importantly, the best plan."

"Don't forget the water breathing potions, we'll need several of them or it's game over." Hank said with a stern look on his face.

"Relax, I've got that covered," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, you know. We'll have enough potions to get us to the den and back, plus a few extra just in case. Don't worry, we'll be perfectly fine."

"Perfectly fine, huh?" Hank asked, a hint of doubt in his voice. "You know, you say that a lot and somehow we still nearly end up in life-threatening situations."

"Well duh, how else would you make things to be more exciting." Lily said with a wide grin on her face.

Hank just rolled his eyes at her response. "Yeah, yeah, excitement, adrenaline, danger. I know the drill. Sometimes a little boredom is nice, you know?"

"Oh, don't be such a wet blanket," Lily chided him with a smirk. "A little danger now and then keeps things interesting. And who knows? We might even have a good time."

Hank sighed. He didn't want to admit it, but he was excited about hunting the water dragon eggs instead of ground ones.

"You can act indifferent all you want, but I know you're looking forward to it," Lily said with a knowing look, noticing his subtle excitement. "Admit it, the thrill of the hunt is already getting to you, isn't it?"

Hank snorted. He wasn't going to let her have the satisfaction in admitting she was right to a point.

Lily chuckled, clearly enjoying getting under Hank's skin. "Oh come on, you don't have to admit it out loud. But I can see it in your eyes. The thrill of hunting down those water eggs is getting to you, I can tell."

"Fine, yes, I'm a little excited," Hank admitted grudgingly. "But it's just the adrenaline talking. I don't actually enjoy putting myself in mortal danger on a regular basis, you know."

Lily smiled and shook her head. She knew Hank very well. They stopped by a village and brought the needed supplies for the trip. Hank made sure they had plenty of water breathing potions on hand, plus some healing potions. Knowing how Lily was they would need them.

Lily rolled her eyes good naturedly at Hank's over-preparedness, but deep down, she appreciated his thoroughness. He was always concerned about her well-being, even when he pretended to bed annoyed by her recklessness. "You always know how to prepare, don't you, big guy?"

"Someone has to," He replied with a shrug. "You're always too impulsive, charging into danger without thinking things through. If I don't make sure we have everything we need, we'd be dead ten times over."

"Oh, come on, I'm not that bad," Lily shot back, though she knew he had a point. "And besides, my impulsiveness is what makes me such a great adventurer. I'm not afraid to take risks, unlike you, mister 'planning before anything else.'"

"Yeah, well, that impulsiveness is going to get us killed someday," Hank retorted, though there weas no real heat in his words. "And I prefer the term 'thoroughly prepared' to 'overly cautious.' My planning has saved our butts on more than one occasion."

"I suppose you have a point there," Lily conceded, though it was clear she still preferred her own approach. "But you can't deny my impulsiveness has gotten us out of more than a few sticky situations as well."

"Yeah, yeah, your impulsiveness has its moments," Hank admitted with a grudging nod. "But sometimes I think you'd rush into a dragon's den unarmed just for the thrill of it."

Lily smirked. "Speaking of which." Hank looked up. "What do you mean speaking of which? When did you run into a dragon's den unarmed?"

Lily chuckled at his question. "Oh, you know me too well," she said with a wink. "There have been a few times when I've had to improvise a weapon on the fly. But hey, necessity is the mother of invention, right?"

Hank scratched his chin. "I don't remember you doing any of that." Lily shrugged. "It was before I met you."

Hank raised an eyebrow. "Before you met me? So...what, you where even more reckless before we started adventuring together?"

"Oh, much more," Lily affirmed with a nod. "Back then I was a hotheaded young adrenaline junkie who thought I was invincible. I would take on any challenge, no matter how dangerous or stupid."

"And let me guess," Hank interjected with a chuckle. "You learned the hard way that you were not, in fact, invincible."

"To say the least," Lily said, wincing at the memory. "I've had my fair share of close calls, broken bones and near-death experiences. That's why I have these scars, you know." She gestured to the scars on her arms and cheek, each one a testament to a past mistake or reckless action.

"You still have a hard time holding back sometimes," Hank said wryly, reaching out to touch one of the scars on her arm gently. "It's almost like you're still that hotheaded kid at heart."

Lily shrugged, a sheepish smile on her face. "What can I say? I like to live life on the edge. It's what keeps things interesting, right?"

"Only to a point Lily. Sometimes it's nice just enjoying begin peaceful."

Lily's smile faded somewhat at his words. She knew he had a point, but she also knew that she thrived on adventure and excitement. "Yeah, I know. But being peaceful can get boring after a while, you know? I need something to keep my adrenaline up."

Hank chuckled a bit. He knew that Lily had changed a lot since first meeting her. She had toned it down a bit. She used to hate collecting herbs for potions. She would rather buy them and be off on a wild adventure. But now she took the time in learning how to make potions, even though it was only a fire healing potion. But it was still a start. She was showing more signs in wanting to learn more about potions making. Which would be good for the both of them, since potions can get pricey after a while.

"You're laughing at me, aren't you?" Lily said, shooting him a knowing look. "I can tell when you're secretly laughing at me, you know. So just admit it."

Hank gave a snarky grin. Lily couldn't hold her annoyance for long, breaking into laughter as she punched Hank's arm. "You're so annoying, you know that?" She said through tears of laughter.

"I know, I know," he said, rubbing his arm where she had punched him. "But you love me anyway, don't deny it."

"Oh, shut up," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. "I tolerate you, that's all." Hank just smirked, clearly enjoying the banter between them.

While they were bantering back and forth, they finally came to the cavern that would take them to the den that held the water chicken dragon's eggs.

As they stood at the entrance to the cavern, the realization of what they were about to undertake finally dawned of them. Lily stared at the dark, damp opening with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "So, this is it then. No turning back now."

"No turning back now," Hank agreed, his expression serious. "We're really doing this. Just remember, stick together and stay sharp. If things get hairy, we got out of there, no heroics, got it?"

"Got it." Lily nodded in agreement, her adrenaline starting to kick in. She was nervous, but the excitement of the adventure was also taking over. "Lead the way, big guy. I'm right behind you."

Hank nodded and took the lead, heading into the dark, damp cavern. The air was cool and damp and the only light came from the occasional glowing crystal embedded in the walls. As they ventured deeper into the caves, they could hear the faint sound of dripping water echoing through the tunnels.

"So, this water dragon's den better have some good eggs," Lily whispered to Hank, keeping her voice low so as not to alert any lurking dragon. "I'm not risking my life for subpar dragon eggs."

Hank just rolled his eyes. "Let's worry about actually finding the eggs first, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, spoilsport." Lily mumbled, but she knew he was right. They continued on through the dark tunnels, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Every now and then, they would hear a faint splashing sound, hinting at the presence of water nearby.

The cavern opened up to a large room with a pool of water in the center of it. They knew the den was just under the water. They knew for the most part they were safe since the chicken dragon was gone. Won't be back for hours. Hank put his pack down and withdrew two bottles of water breathing. He gave one to Lily who drank it while he drank the other one. With their nerves on edge, they both looked at each other. Nodding they jumped into the underground pool and made their way to the den to collect the eggs.

Lily felt a familiar rush of adrenaline filling her veins. She loved the feeling of excitement and risk that came with their adventures and this one was no different. The underwater den was dark, the only light coming from the odd glow of underwater sea life or a stray beam of light from above.

Hank looked at her, making sure she was doing alright. But Lily gave him a thumbs up, signaling that she was fine. They continued on, swimming deeper towards the den.

As they approached the den, they could see the eggs scattered about. They were a vibrant blue-green color, like the skin of the water dragon. Lily couldn't help but gasp at the sight of them, they were breathtaking. Hank however, was more focused on the task at hand. "Alright, don't get too distracted by the eggs," he said, his voice muffled by the water. "We need to be careful and quick. We don't want to run into the dragon coming back early."

"Right, right, got it," Lily said, trying to keep her excitement in check. "Let's just get these eggs and get out of here. But just look at how beautiful they are!"

Hank had to agree that the eggs were quite lovely, but he knew better than to let it distract them. "They're beautiful, yes. But they're not worth our lives, remember that."

With that, they went to work. They carefully picked up the eggs, counting as they went. They had counted 13 when they heard a low growl coming from the entrance of the den.

Hank and Lily exchanged a panicked look. "Oh, crap," Lily muttered. "I think we were off on our calculations about the dragon's return time."

Hank couldn't believe the dragon had returned. They usually stayed out all day. So, something must have happened to cause the dragon to return this early. While the dragon was gliding into the den Hank and Lily hid amongst the massive number of eggs.

The dragon swirled around the eggs, coming closer to where Hank and Lily were hiding. Hank held his breath hoping the dragon wouldn't come any closer to them, which thankfully it didn't.

You think these types of dragons wouldn't care at all for the eggs they laid since they had live young. In fact, the eggs were completely useless to them and yet they protected them like they were actually going to hatch. It was believed that at one point their eggs did hatch but somewhere along the way they ended up birthing live young but still laid eggs.

As the dragon continued to swirl around the eggs, Hank and Lily remained completely still, holding their breaths. They silently prayed that the dragon wouldn't notice their presence amidst the vast array of eggs. Every second felt like an eternity, their hearts pounding in their chests. Hank noticed a small opening in the egg pile that would allow them to escape once the dragon's back was turned. But they had to time it perfectly.

Lily noticed the opening too, but she also noticed the dragon slowly approaching them, its gaze fixed on the eggs. She could see its reptilian eyes darting around, looking for any sign of disturbance. One wrong move and they were screwed.

Hank knew they needed a diversion. He slowly reached into his pack and carefully pulled out a small stone. He showed it to Lily, signaling his plan. Lily nodded, understanding what he was about to do. He was going to throw the stone at the far end of the den, causing a disturbance to distract the dragon.

With a swift and precise motion, Hank hurled the stone across the den, it flew through the water and clattered against the stone wall. The noise was enough to catch the dragon's attention, it quickly turning its head towards the source of the disturbance.

As the dragon turned its back to them, Hank and Lily saw their chance. Without wasting a second, they quickly and silently slipped out of the egg pile and swam towards the opening they had spotted earlier.

While the dragon was busy looking for the sound it had heard, Hank and Lily made their way through the exit and headed back to the surface of the pool.

As they broke through the water's surface, they both took a moment to catch their breaths. The adrenaline rush from the close call with the dragon still pumping through their veins. Lily clutched the bag of eggs in one hand, panting heavily.

Hank, who looked just as winded, turned to her. "That was way too close."

"Too close is an understatement," Lily said, her voice shaky. "I thought we were goners for sure and all for these eggs." She looked down at the eggs in the bag. "They'd better be worth it, or I'm going to be seriously pissed."

"You know they will be, since they bring a higher price at the market due to the fact they're really hard to get. Which is understandable for being under water." Hank said while getting out of the water. Turning around he helped Lily out.

Lily groaned as she emerged from the water, still feeling the adrenaline fading a bit. "I know, I know. They're worth the risk, blah blah blah. Still, I could do with a little less excitement next time."

Hank just laughed. "You say that, but you'll still be the first one to suggest a going after another dangerous creature later, I bet."

Lily feigned offense at his comment. "Hey, I'm not reckless, I'm adventurous. There's a difference, you know."

Hank rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Tell that to yourself the next time you drag us into another sketchy situation."

Lily couldn't help but laugh at his snarky response. "Hey, if it wasn't for my 'sketchy situations' we'd be quiet boring. Admit it, you'd be bored out of your mind without me."

Hank begrudgingly had to agree. "Yeah, I suppose that's true. But I could do without the near-death experiences, for the record."

"Where's the fun in that?" Lily said with a wink, her adventurous spirit shining through once again. "You know you love the thrill of it all Hank. That's why you keep tagging along with me."

"Yeah, yeah," Hank said with a mock-exasperated sigh. "I'm a just a glutton for adventure, I guess. But hey, someone's gotta keep you in check, right?"

"I suppose so," Lily said, her grin widening. "But be honest, you enjoy the thrill just as much as I do. Maybe you just hide it better."

It was Hank's turn to feign offense. "Me? Enjoying dangerous, life-threatening escapades? Perish the thought." But even as he said it, there was a twinkle in his eye that betrayed his true feelings. He did enjoy the excitement, perhaps even more than he let on.

Lily just laughed, knowing she had him figured out. "Yeah, yeah. You're just as much of a thrill-seeker as I am, no matter how much you deny it."

Hank chuckled, unable to keep up the facade any longer. "Alright, alright, you got me there. But I do try to rein it in a bit, unlike you."

"Hey, I have self-control," Lily protested, though the twinkle in her eye betrayed her words. "I just choose to ignore it sometimes. Life's too short for caution and common sense, you know."

"Oh, I'm well aware," Hank said, rolling his eyes once again. "You've proven that time and time again. Just try not to get us killed in the process, ok?"

"No promises," Lily replied with a mischievous grin. "But where's the fun without a little danger? Besides, if things go south, I know you'll bail me out."

Hank just shook his head, resigning himself to the fact that she was always going to be the more reckless one. But he wouldn't have it any other way.

After loading their horses, Hank made one more check on the eggs and mounted his horse. "So how much will these eggs bring at the market compared to the non-water ones?" Lily asked. So, Hank told her. Lily couldn't believe it. Her eyes were nearly popping out of her head with the news of the value of the water eggs.

"I knew they were worth more, but that much? That's insane!" she exclaimed, her excitement growing with each passing moment. Hank, who was accustomed to this reaction from her, just chuckled. "I told you they were worth it."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Let's get back as soon as possible." Hank heartly agreed to that.

Hank and Lily urged their horses into a fast gallop. As they galloped along the familiar path, Lily's thoughts were swirling with visions of the money they would earn from the water eggs. But there was also another thought in the back of her mind.

Hank noticed her thoughtful expression and in quired, "You look deep in thought. What's on your mind?"

Lily snapped out of her musings and gave Hank a small smile. "Oh, it's nothing," she replied casually.

But Hank knew better. "Come on, spill it. I can tell there's something on you mind. You get that faraway look in your eyes when you're thinking hard about something."

Lily knew there was no point in trying to hide anything from Hank. He could always read her like a book. With a resigned sigh, she admitted. "I was just thinking about what we're going to spend the money on. We've got a good amount saved up, but having this windfall could open up some interesting possibilities."

"Ah, I see," Hank nodded, understanding her thoughts. "So you've already started thinking about how to spend the profits, huh? Typical Lily."

Lily chuckled. "Can you blame me? There's so much we can do with all that extra gold. Maybe we could upgrade our gear, or even expand our operations. The possibilities are endless."

"Or you might just want to go shopping again," Hank teased, a wry smile on his face.

"Hey, I don't shop that much!" Lily protested, but there was a guilty look in her eyes that made it clear she was lying.

"Sure you don't," Hank said in a humorous tone. "And I'm sure those new outfits in your pack were just magically manifested and the accessories you're wearing are definitely all practical, right?"

Lily pouted, she had been caught. "Okay, okay, I might have spent a bit here and there. But it's not like you're innocent either. I've seen you eyeing that new sword in the market."

Hank chuckled, embarrassed that she had noticed his secret desire for the new sword. "Yeah, well, I guess we both have our weaknesses. But as long as we stay profitable and keep our equipment in good shape, I suppose a little bit of indulgence here and there doesn't hurt."

"Exactly!" Lily agreed, perking up at the notion of spending. "We deserve a reward after how hard we've been working, don't you think? And if that reward involves a little bit of shopping, I'm not going to complin."

Hank smiled at that. "Or, we could buy a house instead." He had a smirk on his face has he said it.

Lily's eyes grew large. "Don't you dare say that! You know when adventures buy a house it means they're retiring from the business and we are so not retiring. There's so much to explore....and....and." Lily was getting overly excited.

Hank laughed aloud at Lily's panicked reaction to the idea of buying a house. "Relax, relax," he said, trying to calm her down. "I was just joking. But it's funny to see how flustered you get at the mere mention of settling down."

Lily shot Hank a mock glare but couldn't help but laugh as well. "You know me too well," she replied, still slightly flustered. "You know I'd go stir-crazy if I had to stay in one place for too long."

"Yes, I'm well aware of your restlessness," Hank said with a smile. "You're like a bird, always wanting to spread your wings and fly. I don't think you could stay still if you tried."

Lily chuckled, knowing it was true. "Hey, it's not my fault I got the travel bug. There's just so much out there to explore. I can't imagine being tied down to one place, same four walls and same neighbors. Bleh. Boring."

"Well, some people find contentment in stability," Hank said, more for the sake of arguing than anything else. He knew Lily's opinion on the matter. "It's comfortable, you know. Knowing you have a home base to return to, somewhere to put down roots."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Comfortable is a nice word for boring. There's nothing exciting about being tied to one place and one place only."

Hank shook his head while smiling. Dear sweet Lily, she will forever be a hand full and yet he wouldn't have it any other way.

As they continued to ride, Hank stole a few glances at Lily. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, her mind clearly racing with thoughts of what they could do with their new find. But there was also a hint of melancholy in her expression.

Hank couldn't help but ask, "You're already planning on how we should spend that money, aren't you?"

Lily's eyes flicked over to him, a small grin forming on her face. "Of course I am," she admitted. "But it's not about just the money, it's about the possibilities. We've got a lot of options now."

"I know," Hank agreed. "But just make sure you don't get too carried away, alright? We still need to invest in our gear and stock up on supplies."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, I know. You're the practical one and I'm the reckless one. You don't have to remind me every time."

Hank shook his head again. Up ahead they could see the village coming into view. They both wanted to spur their horses in a fast gallup but they knew better on the account of the eggs. Well mostly Hank. Lily was having a hard time keeping her cool. But she managed to. They finally made it and after dropping off their horses at the stables they dropped off the eggs.

Once they transaction was complete and they had secured their gold, Lily's eyes darted all around the market, taking in the various wares for sale. She had that hungry look in her eyes, the same one she always got when there was a chance to shop.

Hank chuckled. "I can practically see the shopping list forming in your head."

Lily grinned unabashedly. "What can I say? Shopping is the best reward after a good adventure."

Hank chuckled. Just ahead of them was the sword shop. In the window was the sword that Hank wanted for the longest time. He stopped briefly to look at it. Hoping that Lily wouldn't noticed.

Lily, ever observant, picked up on Hank's subtle glance towards the sword. She smirked, teasingly saying, "I saw that. You're drooling over that sword again, aren't you?"

Hank tried to play it cool. "What? I-I wasn't drooling...."

"Oh, please," Lily said with a smirk. "You've been eyeing that sword for months. I can practically see the heart eyes you make every time we come near this shop."

Hank shrugged, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, I admit I've had my eye on it for a while. But it's a really nice sword."

Lily chuckled. "I'm not denying that, but it's also really expensive. Are you really willing to spend all of your share of the profit on a single sword?"

Just then the shop owner opened the curtain that was behind the sword. He picked up a board that was leaning against the sword with the price on it and put a new one in its place. Hank's eyes widen. The sword was on sale.

Hank's heart leapt. The discount had suddenly become a game-changer. he turned to Lily, still trying to remain nonchalant. "Hey, look, the sword's on sale. I could get a pretty good deal on it."

Lily though surprised, looked at him skeptically. "You're not seriously considering buying it, are you? You know we have other things we should spend our gold on. Like our gear, supplies and all that responsible stuff we're supposed to be buying."

"I know, I know," Hank said, waving his hand. "But look how much it's discounted. This is a really good deal. Maybe we could splurge a bit?"

Lily looked at him dubiously. "And there's that magic phrase again: 'splurge' - which usually involves both of us suffering the consequences later when we run low on gold."

Hank was taken aback. Usually, Lily was the one who wanted to spend on everything in sight. "I'm surprised." He said. "Surprised by what?" She said giving him a look. "Surprised that you're thinking of important stuff."

Lily chuckled at his comment. "Hey, I'm trying to be more disciplined, alright." She said jokingly. "I know we need to spend our money wisely and I also know you've been eyeing that sword for forever, so...." She shrugged her shoulders, a hint of a smile on her face.

Hank's face lit up, understanding her gesture. "Are you giving me the go ahead to but it?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, you big dummy. You're lucky I know you've been wanting that sword for a while. But just promise me you won't forget that we need to restock on supplies and upgrade some of our gear. Alright?"

"I promise," Hank said, already mentally planning his sword swing moves. "I'll remember all the responsible stuff we need to buy. But first," he pointed at the window, where the sword still hung, "That bad boy is mine."

With a burst of excitement, Hank hurried into the shop and came out a few minutes later, new sword in tow. He beamed at Lily, admiring the sword's gleaming blade. "Isn't it a beauty? Feels perfect in my grip."

Lily chuckled at his obvious glee. "I'm glad you're happy. Just make sure you don't start spending the rest of our gold on shiny new toys, okay?"

"Mmm, shiny new toys. If I remember correctly a certain someone was eyeing a new potion making kit just across from the sword shop." Hank said looking at Lily.

"Hey, that's different," Lily retorted, her face reddening with embarrassment. "Potions are a useful part of our adventures and besides, they could come in handy, you never know."

Hank gave her a smirk. "Right, I'm sure all those new vials and ingredients are totally necessary and not at all just for your own enjoyment."

"Hey, I need them for, um, science," Lily said weakly, still trying to defend her case. "Besides, they're useful. I can make us new healing potions, buff potions, all sorts of stuff."

"So, you know how to make other potions now then? How about the fire healing potion?" Hank asked her. Lily had a sheepish look on her face. "Well, not yet, I'm still getting the hand of a minor healing potion. I've almost got it, but I keep mixing up two of the ingredients and end up making liquid sugar instead."

Hank chuckled, finding it all quite amusing. "Right, liquid sugar. You know, the most dangerous of all potions."

Lily shot him a mock glare. "Hey, it's just a minor mix-up! The potion I'm trying to create is very complicated! You try making a minor healing potion and see if you don't mess it up a few times."

"Alright, alright," Hank held his hands up in surrender. "I believe you. I could never mess with potions anyway, so I'll take you at your word. Just promise me you won't accidentally poison us next time you're experimenting."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm not that bad. Besides, I've been studying really hard. I've got the theory down pat. It's just the practice that needs to bit of work."

Hank chuckled. "As long as that 'bit of work' doesn't result in us growing extra limbs or begin turned into frogs, I trust your abilities."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lily huffed, a smile on her face. "I promise I won't accidentally turn us into frogs. And I'm definitely not planning to create a potion that would give us extra limbs. Sounds like a nightmare to figure out how to use them all. Or where we'd keep them, come to think of it."

They both chuckled, imagining the hilarity of having extra limbs. "Just....be careful, alright?" Hank said, his tone turning a bit more serious. "I trust your potion-making skills, but just remember safety should always come first."

"I know, I know," Lily assured him, her expression sobering slightly. "I always take safety seriously. Potions are powerful stuff, after all. I just....I really want to get this potion right, you know? It could be a game-changer on our adventures and I'm so close to cracking it."

"Don't worry about it, you'll get the hang of making the minor healing potion soon enough. Speaking of which, how in the world did you learn fire healing one first since the fire one is more for the intermediate ones."

"Well, my uncle taught me how to make it, so for me it's easy since I learned it as a child."

Hank's eyebrows rose slightly. "Your uncle? Was he an alchemist or a potion maker or something?"

Lily nodded, a nostalgic look in her eyes. "Yeah, he is very knowledgeable about potions. He taught me everything I know about them. It's thanks to him that I have any idea about potion-making at all."

Hank chuckled lightly. "No wonder you're so determined to master the minor healing potion then. You've got some pretty good genes for this stuff."

"I guess you could say I'm cursed with a love for all things potion-related," Lily joked. "And the fact that my uncle taught me everything I know about them definitely helps. He's kind of a legend in the alchemy world, in fact."

"A legend, huh?" Hank smiled. "No wonder you've got an affinity for creating potions. It's in your blood. And with you being so determined, I have no doubt you'll master that minor healing potion soon enough and who knows, maybe you'll even go on to create your own legendary potions someday."

"Only if my uncle hadn't invented all of them already. He's discovered all sorts of potions that are helpful in all different types of situations. Which is why he's legendary in the potion making world."

"Wow," Hank said, genuinely impressed. "Your uncle sounds like a genius. He must have years and years of experience, huh?"

Lily chuckled. "You have no idea. He's been in the potion-making business since before I was born and he's always been innovating and discovering new things. He's like a living legend among alchemists and potion-makers."

"So, what potion made your uncle a legend?" Hank asked her as the made their way across the street to the potion shop.

"I'll tell you during dinner." She said while picking out a potion making kit. After buying it they made their way back to the inn.