// Quests

Hoy there, young friend! My, my, what a beautiful world you live in! Who am I? Why, I am O-Pongo! Nice to meet you!\r\n\r\n#L0#Nice to meet you too, er, O-Pongo. So what are you doing here in NLC?#l

I'm here because it's that time of year! It's Versalmas time again! I'm the Versalmas Mouse so I'm here to spread Versalmas cheer!\r\n\r\n#L0#Versalmas? What's that?#l

Why, Versalmas is the most wonderful holiday in all of Versal! How wonderful? Why, so wonderful that everyone loves Versalmas! Versalmas is even better than birthdays! Why, just imagine the best birthday you've ever had... and Versalmas is a hundred times better than that! It's the most celebrated holiday in Versal! Well... it's actually the only holiday celebrated in Versal. But it's still wonderful, nonetheless!\r\n\r\n#L0#Um, so why are you here? Shouldn't you be in Versal for that?#l

As for why I'm here, it's a strange story. As the Versalmas Mouse, I'm bound by Versalmas law to deliver a present to every Versalian, no matter how far and wide they are located in Versal. Whew, it's no easy task I tell you! I had crossed off everyone on my list except for one last name -- Elpam Gorlab!\r\nI had Elpam's gift all ready to go, but I couldn't find him anywhere! So, I asked my trusty steed, Pwnzer, to "sniff" out where he was, and take me to him, crackity-splat!\r\n\r\n#L0#Er, I'm guessing Pwnzer is a reindeer?#l

Reindeer? What's that? No, Pwnzer is an ostrich, of course! He would be offended if you thought of him as anything but! Anyway, I yelled "To Elpam Gorlab, Pwnzer, and away!" and lo and behold --POOF!-- I arrived beside Elpam, here by this strange tower, in a completely different world!\r\nIn my shock at arriving here -- and to see one our most esteemed Versalians here in a strange new world on Versalmas! -- I almost forgot to give him his present! Hoy, that would have been a first -- an undelivered gift! Elpam was just as surprised to see me here -- why, he almost fell down from his perch on that metal tower! It was a pleasant surprise though, I assume!\r\n\r\n#L0#I'm sure...#l

After giving Elpam his gift, which he was happy to receive, I asked him for more information about where "here" was. He told me that this place is called the "Maple World," a place I had only heard about in Versalian legend! In these tales, it's said that the sun shines in this world everyday! When Elpam told me that this was actually true, I almost fell over! And you can imagine how hard that would be to do given my size! I never thought the legends to be true!\r\nEven now, I can hardly believe it! The welcome sight of an eternal sun swells my chest with happiness! At first, I was at a lost to be in a different world, but I've realized that this also makes the Maple World a perfect place for Versalmas!\r\n\r\n#L0#A perfect place for Versalmas? Um... why is that?#l

Because Versalmas is a celebration of the Sun! You see, in Versal, it is perpetually dark... I believe that you have "night" here as well. Well, it is night all the time in Versal. But once a year, our sun comes back... for 30 glorious days straight, which we call the "30 Days of Delight"! Versalmas Day is the first of these days, and each day after, while the sun shines, we celebrate Versalmas. Each day of Versalmas, everyone, not just the young, receive gifts from their loved ones. So you see, because the sun shines here in the Maple World every day, why then... it's Versalmas here every day! Hooray!\r\n\r\n#L0#Well the gift-giving part sounds a bit like our Maplemas. Er, have you heard about Maplemas?#l

That is what everyone I've met has been telling me! It does seem that your Maplemas is very similar to our Versalmas. This is quite exciting to me! Perhaps we can exchange customs and gifts!\r\n\r\n#L0#What are the differences? Do you have different foods and traditions for Versalmas?#l\r\n#L1#That seems to be the problem. Do you remember a girl named Suzy? She asked me to speak with you.#l

Ah, I remember speaking with that lovely little child earlier in my walk through this wonderful city--just after I delivered Elpam's gift. She told me about how she loved candy canes, and I told her in turn about our Sugar-coated Olives, which are simply delicious! She seemed very excited about new types of presents and told me all about her Wishlist. My, my, that girl certainly wants quite a few specific things!\r\nSo you say that she needs help to determine whether she should celebrate Versalmas this year? Hoy, then... would you be kind enough to convey a message to her from me?

Thank you. I understand that she - and you, for that matter - may be used to your own traditions for the holidays. But I think there's a place for Versalmas here in the Maple World as well. Please, come back in a little bit and let me think of something appropriately eloquent to say to her.

I understand that you may think our customs to be strange at first. But I hope that in time, you will reconsider, and give new customs a chance. Happy Versalmas!

Here is my message for the little one called Suzy.\r\nPlease tell her this: As great as Caramel Onions and Sugar-coated Olives may be -- and certainly are! -- Versalmas is about celebrating and sharing the things that we have, and not wanting more than we need. If Maplemas is like Versalmas, then we both believe in the gift of sharing. I do believe that even in your world, used to the traditions of Maplemas, there is room for Versalmas as well.\r\nThank you for giving her my message. I certainly hope Suzy -- and you! -- choose to celebrate Versalmas with me this year! Happy Versalmas to you, and may your days be bright!