GAME CHARACTERS? US?!
They had entered the hall. There had been lots of people like them. It felt like they're in a place where they should belong.
Or was it?
Phantom, Luminous and Checky tried to walk through the crowd, deciding to look around. Around them were many warriors, assassins, royalties and especially battlefield idols alike. They had different kinds of looks and wielded all kinds of weapons, many of them unfamiliar to the Maple World. Besides that, there were lots more who were dressed in other kinds of costumes such as school uniforms, singers, actors and many, many more.
"I get it," said Checky, out of the blue. "Look there!" He pointed towards the large banner which stood amongst the crowd. On it were colourful patterns and especially significant words "AFA'13".
"What is it?" asked Phantom.
"It's the Anime Festival of Asia," said Checky.
"Mmhm, so what?"
"No wonder everyone's dressed like this here. We should fit in."
"But isn't this…" Luminous tried to ask, but Checky interrupted.
"Nope, it's not considered normal in this world. I know it is in our world, but it shouldn't be in here. The only place where outfits like those are normal is in a place like this. Not to mention…" he pointed towards his bear-head. Phantom and Luminous nodded in agreement. They had woken up in an alleyway and - after vain attempts of conjuring spells - had noticed that things are somewhat different in this world they are in when they were out on the streets.
Checky looked around, hesitated, and finally said, "Okay, I know where we should be in our clothes. Follow me."
They crossed through the crowd, who were just minding their own business and taking photos. Soon, they reached a place where people seemed to be more familiar to them. Words of "MapleStory" caught their attention.
"Mercedes?" asked Phantom, as he turned to see a girl dressed in the elven queen outfit and wielding dual bowguns. He tried to approach her.
"Hush," said Checky, pulling Phantom back. "She is not Mercedes. Just look around you."
Phantom turned around. Surprisingly, there were many who were dressed in the similar elven queen outfit. Besides that, there were also a lot of Cygnuses, Lady-Syls, Claudines, Athena-Pierces, Arans, Evans, Rhinnes, Alices, Xenons, and a lot more - heck, even mascots of monsters they have been hunting in the past were there too. Even Phantoms and Luminouses were there as well. Knowing all of them fairly well, Phantom and Luminous realised none of them were the real ones.
"Hey, it's a Checky here!" an Evan called out. Instantly, people started to crowd around them. "He brought along a Phantom and a Luminous too!" a Xenon cried out. Now that Phantom and Luminous remembered, there seemed to be no Checkys in that area. But that was not the issue now. Sparks flashed as numerous people took pictures of them.
"Whoa! These few are experts!"
"Hey Checky, is it really hot under that bear-head?"
"Hey Checky, mind if we see how you look like in person?"
"Hey Phantom, I bet you are pro in card tricks just like the real one!"
"Hey guys, mind if you guys pose for my picture?"
On and on people pestered them. They were starting to become impatient. Phantom was about to yell them off when suddenly a girl stood out.
"Hey, that's it, knock it off guys!" she said. "Stop troubling them, will you?" The crowd subsided as quick as it formed, some apologising to her.
"I'm sorry, mister, but there are always people like them annoying people around. Well, hope you enjoy your stay here." The girl prepared to leave but Checky stopped her.
"Nami? Is that you?" he asked.
"Wait, this sound…Checky?" replied the girl.
"Holy crab, Nami, how are you my friend?" Checky and Nami proceeded with a friend hug. Phantom and Luminous admired Nami for a while. She was dressed in a character that few in the Maple World knew, but they knew that this character was one of the first explorers of the world - the first archer besides Athena Pierce, in fact - and she seemed like the only character here. There were none other who was dressed like her. Her short twintail, blue mushroom hairpin, simple archer outfit, sneakers and simple bow and arrow, are the symbols of the beginning of a new age in the Maple World after the Black Mage was sealed, alongside the first warrior, rogue and magician, as well as the beginner.
Mostly still, Phantom and Luminous were confused as to why Checky had a friend in this world.
"Checky, I missed you so much, what brings you here?" said Nami after breaking the hug.
"Long story, Nami. Never intended to step in to this world again after going back. I'll tell you later, but not now. By the way, I've brought along a few friends so you think you can somehow accommodate us for the while?"
"Sure. I've been feeling alone very frequently," said Nami. As she turned her head, she saw Phantom and Luminous and gasped, "Oh my god, are they…"
"Yea yea please now could you get us somewhere else? I'm starting to feel uneasy here."
"Alright then, I don't feel like staying here anyways. Follow me."
They followed Nami out of the hall and to a parking lot. A few minutes later they were sitting comfortably in Nami's car enjoying themselves with the air-conditioner. The car barely moved as they were stuck in a congestion, not unusual at this hour according to Nami.
"Is it still that hot in here?" said Checky as he - finally - removed his bear-head. Phantom and Luminous marvelled at how handsome Checky actually is, and wondered why Checky kept the mascot suit on all the time even if he was on his mech fighting monsters.
"Temperature hardly changes here, I thought you knew, Checky," said Nami, "and how did you guys end up here? I mean, if Phantom and Luminous are real, that is."
Checky, who was seated at the front seat, turned back towards Phantom and Luminous and said, "You tell him, Luminous. Just to prove your identity."
"Okay," Luminous took a deep breath, and proceeded, "Well, we finally decided that we would take down the Black Mage once and for all, so the lot of us, and by that I mean literally everyone, stormed the Time Temple to fight him. We cleared his minions quite easily."
Luminous hesitated before continuing, "Well, we got before the Black Mage. We tried to attack, but nothing penetrated his barrier. I'm still kinda surprised why he talked only to Demon all the time. Anyway, a few moments later we were all chained to the ground, and the next thing I know, I ended up here with Checky and Phantom."
Nami tried to imagine the scenario despite being simply put. "Wow, that must have been one hell of a fight, eh?"
"Actually, it was over well sooner than I thought," said Phantom. "Where are we, anyways?"
"We are no longer in the Maple World, that is for sure. Welcome to Singapore, fellas," said Checky.
"Singapore?" asked Luminous, surprised, "Then we are still back in the Maple World! I mean, this is Central Way, right? I know it's used to be called CBD."
Nami giggled a little, then said, "Nope, we are not in the Singapore full of disgusting black gooey mobs carrying stop signs, speed-limit signs, fire extinguishers or driving mini-trucks. Just in case you noticed these things don't exist here. If you still don't believe me, I can take you to Boat Quay and you can try finding some ways that can take you to KL, Malaysia in less than 10 seconds."
"Nah, save your trouble, I believe in you now."
"So how's it going since I left, Nami?" asked Checky.
"Just so-so. A few days after you've returned they finally released Mechanic in the game, as you said you would train a few more mechanics for the Resistance. That was a few years ago, though. They hardly appear now."
"I reckoned you'd say that. Hardly anyone wants to become a mechanic. Heck, I thought mechs and bots are supposed to be more interesting than blade, arrows or magic! Guess I'm wrong. Part of it's due to all the mechs being unable to function properly and show its full potential."
Nami gave a slight chuckle, "No wonder I see Mechanics being nerfed so badly only after a few months."
"So you still playing this game?"
"Yea, I made a few more characters. I'm now training a Luminous."
"Well, you still showed up in AFA, and dressed as an archer too."
"Oh come on, I never intended to go in the first place. My friends dragged me there and insisted I cosplay this character! Man I would have cosplayed a female Luminous instead if I wanna go. I would still be back at that stupid place if you guys weren't there to bail me out." Nami and Checky laughed to that.
Phantom and Luminous listened in awe. They hardly knew what those two were talking about, yet something told them that some big secret was being hidden from them - and everyone else. Phantom decided to seek clarification.
"Hey Checky, what are you guys talking about?"
Feeling a bit nervous, Checky decided not to hide anymore nevertheless, "You guys never knew? You, me, Luminous, the whole Maple World, we are all part of a game! An online multiplayer game, that is."
Phantom and Luminous were shocked. All the while fighting with the Black Mage twice, hunting monsters, staging a comeback, they were all just part of a game?
"But, it can't be! I mean, everything in our world, I swear it is real！"
"Well, you're gonna accept this truth, guys. It is quite a popular game too," said Nami. Phantom and Luminous finally knew why there were so many characters back at the hall.
The car eventually stopped as it parked in a parking lot. Around them were many blocks of buildings. They followed Nami into one of the blocks and up the lift. Soon, they came to one of the households where Nami unlocked the door.
"Well guys, welcome to my apartment," said Nami as she led them round the rooms. It was quite small and simple, fit for one person to live.
"…and there is your room. You guys might have to squeeze a little," said Nami, showing them the largest bedroom of the household.
Phantom, Checky and Luminous looked at the room. It had only one single bed and the floor can barely fit two people. There was a wardrobe in that room that took almost one quarter of the bedroom's space.
"Well Nami, I guess we can live," said Checky.
Phantom, Luminous and Checky took turns taking baths. When they opened the wardrobe with hopes to find some clothes, they only found clothes fit for women. Hence, they went back to wearing their own clothes.
As they went out of the room, they found Nami sitting in front of the computer. She turned around as she heard them coming over.
"So, this your character?" asked Checky as he pulled a chair and sat beside her.
"Yeah…but it's not the Luminous I talked about. I can't find her in my list of characters, in fact. This is my other Dual Blade character which I haven't played since my Luminous," said Nami, "by the way, something strange is happening."
"What is it?"
"At first I thought my account was hacked and my Luminous's deleted. But it seems like the game is losing some things. I couldn't see any of the characters that are usually seen around. Phantom, Luminous, Aran, Mercedes, none of them. They usually are here all the time."
"What is this game called?" asked Phantom, trying to study the game.
"MapleStory," Nami answered. "Argh damm'it, doesn't seem like there's people who wanna PQ...oh, there's one inviting me."
"Interesting, everything seemed the same to what we see and do every day in our world."
Luminous heard of the chronicles of the MapleStory before. It retells the stories that occurred in the Maple World. It told of the five legends' backgrounds, how the first battle with the Black Mage went, how the Explorers, the Knights of Cygnus, the Resistances came into being, the Big Bang, the comeback of Empress Cygnus, and everything significant.
"Hmm, some of the NPCs are missing too!" said Nami. "My buddies said that they can't find Cygnus, Neinheart, Claudine, Kyrin, Athena Pierce at their usual spots either. You're in the list too, Checky."
Nami quitted the game and surfed the game's forums. She wanted to make sure if other players were experiencing this problem too. As she opened the General Discussion section, she found that threads complaining of the loss of these characters were flooding the first page. "Strange, it is not only me facing this problem."
Checky thought for a moment. "Hmm, I think these characters are gone from the game because…"
"We are here in this world!" Phantom interrupted.
"That's it! Nami, could you do me a favour?" asked Checky again.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Could you list all of the character classes and NPCs that are gone from the game? If you could, perhaps we can know who are the ones teleported to this world along with us!"
Nami hesitated for a moment, then said, "It may be a lot of trouble, but I will do it."