Lixin snorted as he read the quest. He wasn't sure what to expect from his first mission, but this wasn't it. Nevertheless, after thinking it over for a few moments, it made sense to him. 

This game is based on a story system, which means that besides making sure the plot is engaging the characters should be relatable. So it only makes sense for his Persona to go and tell his guardian what happened. It's certainly something he'd do if he transformed into a Koi hybrid in real life. He would have freaked out and run to his mother.

Now if he was still with his father he would have hidden it as his life depended on it. And it probably would have. Knowing that man as he did he knew he would have been sold off to scientists faster than he could have blinked.

Shuddering at the thought, Lixin looked back at the quest and wondered how he should inform the NPC of his change. Zeyu once told him that players should embrace their persona while playing the game.

This didn't mean they needed to be professional actors, but they should be intuned with the emotion of the storyline. Given his past experiences where being able to act helped him survive the hellish experience he lived through, this wouldn't be too difficult.

Taking a deep breath and shutting his eyes, Lixin put himself in his Persona's shoes before reopening them. As he did so, his entire being changed.

The excitement that danced across his skin earlier disappeared completely, turning into fear and doubt. Once he felt he captured the feeling of the character he squared his shoulders and left to find Peter, feeling ready.

'Where is that man?' Lixin thought as he looked around the house. He struggled to stay in character, instead of running off to explore the house like he wanted to.

He had to keep reminding himself that this was virtual reality and not the real world. He feared this might become an issue later on when separating the real from fantasy grew harder due to how realistic it all appeared.

Pushing those thoughts away for now, he made his way to the kitchen and found Peter at the sink doing dishes. 'Time to give a performance worthy of an Oscar,' he thought.

As Lixin approached Peter, he felt a wave of nervousness wash over him but pushed it down. It was no time to get cold feet now. He had to stay in character, he reminded himself.

"Peter!" he cried, making sure fear leaked into his voice. 

Hearing the frightened call of his charge Peter dropped the dish he was holding and turned around, only to be frozen in place by the sight before him. "Fortuitous Fish, is that you?"

Lixin nodded in response, maintaining his scared appearance. Although he knew he said this word a lot it amazed him how realistic Peter's emotions were. It was as if he was a real person.

As the NPC only stared at him and didn't move, he replied, "Yes, it's me."

Slowly composing himself Peter asked: "What happened?" His voice held hints of shock and confusion yet conveyed a sense of understanding as if he already expected something to happen. 

"My father wrote in his letter that I had powers and that he had sealed them for my safety, but that if they remained sealed, I could die. To unlock them, I had to touch the gem he had left. When I did, I changed into this."

"I knew there was something different about him," Peter whispered but Lixin heard him loud and clear. "What else did he say in the letter?"

[Cora:] [Quest completed!] 

[Cora:]  [You have gained: 10 EXP]

[Cora:] [You have gained: 10 Bronze Coins]

[Cora:] [New Quest has been Created!]

Storyline Quest created: The Mystery of the Golden Scale: A Young Koi's Journey. 

The Adventure Begins Part 2

Peter had been anxious for a long while, uncertain if his friend was still alive. Hope deserted him and if it weren't for his charges' persistent dedication to finding their whereabouts, he would have assumed the worst. But now there is proof that his companion isn't lost forever.

Objective: Tell Peter about your findings

Reward: Receive knowledge of The book of Herba

Lixin stifled a gasp as the blue notification boxes appeared in front of him. They appeared so suddenly that he almost broke character. He was tempted to close them but didn't want to draw attention from the NPC. Fortunately, the boxes were semi-transparent and barely visible.

"Hey Peter, why don't we go into the living room and you can read it yourself?" he suggested, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. Peter agreed and started walking down the hallway, giving Lixin a chance to quickly dismiss the notifications without the NPC noticing.

They entered the living room where Peter took an armchair while Lixin picked up the small wooden chest off the floor before handing him a letter from his father. He watched intently as Peter scanned through each line written by his persona's father, noting subtle changes on the NPC's face as he read each word: confusion, sadness, anger, and finally hope.

“Is he still alive?” Peter asked cautiously.

Lixin's only response was to take out the gem from the chest and show it to Peter.

Once he saw that it was still green tears welled up in Peter's eyes. It was as if a weight suddenly lifted off his chest. But worry soon replaced any joy he felt, because the color meant his friend had been captured.

Lixin saw how anxious Peter was and tried to reassure him. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to rescue my father," he said, hoping this would comfort him but it only seemed to make the man more uneasy.

Noticing the look Lixin gave him, Peter hastened to say, "It's not like I'm doubting you, but if what your father wrote is true, you'll be up against a formidable enemy and I don't think you can win against them."

"Peter," Lixin replied soberly, "Even if I don't go after them, one day they'll come for me. And it's not like I can fight them as I am. I need to get stronger first."

Peter nodded slowly in understanding. "Did your father leave anything else behind that might help you?"

"The only other thing he left for me was this," Lixin said, taking out a silver hand chain from the chest.

At the sight of the item Peter's eyes widened with recognition and a small smile appeared on his face. "Your father knows me too well," he remarked softly.

"What do you mean?" asked Lixin wondering where this storyline was leading to.

However, Peter remained silent. He simply stood up and left the room. Lixin, unsure whether to stay or follow, chose to stay and wait. The man had only been gone for five minutes when he reappeared, holding a small brown tome.

"What's that?" Lixin asked curiously.

"It's a book of Herba," Peter replied, as he sat down. "It has been in my family for generations. It's a mythical tea art that only my family knows about. I told your father about it a long time ago but I didn't know he still remembered."

[Cora: [Quest Completed!]

~

Author Says:

Lixin: What tea do you have for me today?

MomoCatt: Matcha tea but it isn’t for you but for Peter. I feel bad for him, he seems overwhelmed. 

Lixin: You know he’s an NPC right?

MomoCatt: What can I say? The game is immersive.

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