Hello there.
I hope you enjoy this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Maplestory
While I wondered at my new predicament, I came across a house modeled after some sort of orange mushroom. Standing behind a rope fence, atop a story-high cliff was a young teenage girl with long brown hair, tied into twin ponytails. She was looking up towards the clear blue skies content, a long wooden stick in her right hand. I tried waving for her attention, but I was ignored. As such, I resorted to vocal means.
"Hey!" I called out, gaining her attention. Immediately, she gained a gleeful expression and began waving cheerfully with her left hand.
"Welcome to Maple Island, my new best friend!" She called back, still cheerful. I noticed she was surrounded with a yellow outline.
"Wha-" I tried to say, only to be interrupted as the girl suddenly had this shocked expression.
"W-wait?! Someone's talking to me?! This is the best day ever!" She yelled out in glee, pumping her left arm. I could only glance at her as though I was staring at a weirdo.
"Um-" I tried once more.
"Did you know?" Eh? "The two of us talking is actually a quest, and completing quests is the key to becoming a great hero! I learned about this in Hero school!" What? Quests? What in the world is she talking about?
"By talking to people with the lightbulb icon on their heads', you can begin quests! Oh my god, you must be a genius to master that immediately. It took me two whole semesters to master it." She said, nodding her head proudly. Lightbulb? What lightbulb? Are you talking about that yellow glow?
"Remember to click on the closed book icon to finish quests. I learned that through the textbooks, though I think that's a bit too advanced for me." She said, shaking her head at whatever she was remembering. Again, what are you talking about? I don't know about a closed book, but I do see you covered in a pinkish outline, is that what you meant?
"Later, when you reach higher levels, you'll begin seeing a lightbulb to the left of your vision. You can use that to pick new quests as well. Just give me a few more years, and even I will be able to do that!" She said, stroking her chin, eyes closed as she nodded happily... What kind of school teaches this stuff? Was I in some kind of RPG or something? Did I suddenly get plopped into a world where it runs on game mechanics?
I blinked when she pointed at me with this weird grin.
"Since you were been so nice to me by letting me speak for five whole minutes without running away, I want to give you a present!" She yelled, giving me this weird wink, with a stuck out tongue, along with a thumb up.
"...Um, okay I guess?" I said, eye twitching. I watched as the outline surrounding her turned brown.
"Alright, the next part is really, really tough. You have to click OK." Click OK? Doesn't saying it also count? "And then you have to click the closed book icon over my head. Don't worry if you don't get it on your-" She stilled as the outline blinked before disappearing.
"Holy Ribbon Pigs!" She cried suddenly, making me jump in place, startled. "With talent like that, you owe it to the world to complete Lots of quests. Just click the hotkey, Q to see what quests are available." She instructed as she gave me another thumb up. I blinked, before looking down in thought... Clicking Q? What?
"So...You want me to click, Q-Oh my god!" I cried startled as a box appeared, words filtering through. I quickly said Q once more, causing the box to disappear.
"Some will be a cinch, others, not so much, but they will be appropriate for your level. You just have to click the lightbulb icon when you're in the mood to do quests." She continued on, possibly ignorant of my surprise. She then turned around and pulled out a collapsible chair made of wood and green/blue striped cloth.
"Now here's the gift I promised. I hope it doesn't collapse like the last few times." She muttered something at the end, but I was far down, thus unable to hear it. She tossed the chair down, and into my hands. I'm surprised I caught it to be honest. As I examined the chair, I felt a sensation course through my body as a literal burst of golden aura blasted outwards, in the shape of a pillar and a maple leaf.
This sensation just confirmed my theory that I was in another world. Otherwise...actually, I didn't really have anything else as proof, except that one tree I saw back at the giant maple tree. I then realized I was ignoring the girl who proclaimed myself her best friend and shook away my thoughts. When I looked up at her, I then realized, she had also pretty much ignored me, seeing as she was beginning to monologue to herself.
"When you sit in chairs, you'll recover health more quickly. It took me half a year to master this technique. It's all in the wrist." She said, with a proud nod, as she pumped a hand, gripping her wrist. She then released her hand.
"Now I want to tell you all about hunting. It's pretty frightening, to be honest, but most quests do require it. I'll meet you where the monsters are." She said, before literally vaulting over the rope fence. I watched as she easily landed on her feet, no discomfort visible as she dashed past the house and down a somewhat worn path of grass. Blinking, I spoke aloud.
"Recover health? Hunting? Monsters?"
Done.
Beginner quest, Starting and Completing Quests: Completed.
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{Name} Octeius
{Sex} Male
{Class} Explorer-Beginner
{Guild} N/A
{Fame} 0
{Stats}
[HP] 82/82
[MP] 29/29
{Description}
A young teenaged boy who was transported to the Maple World. He is currently weirded out by the fact he was transported to a new world, and that he came to that conclusion by a weird girl who proclaims him her new best friend, whose name he still doesn't know.
()()()
Octeius doesn't know Mai's name, and he isn't used to the logic of this world, which is why he thinks Mai is weird.
Since I wasn't sure how to integrate the quest, in-progress, and complete icons into the story without Octeius seemingly knowledgeable, despite not being supposed to, I've converted them into outlines;
[Yellow] Available Quest.
[Pink] In-Progress Quest.
[Brown] Completed Quest.
More colors may be added, for the Low-level quests, locked quests, etc.