Barks and Bytes - A Sonic Boom Story

Chapter 6 - When All is Lost

After hours of practice, I came back home to revisit my development crew on my computer, though they didn't look very happy, at all. In fact, they looked kind of shocked.

"So, where were you when we needed you, Tails!?" asked Tim angrily.

"Don't you know that he's got a life?" argued Tom. "Go easy on him!"

"What happened?" I asked calmly.

Willabelle answered, "You know how before then, Blades of the Rebellion was free of bugs and glitches? Apparently, it's the opposite now. During our break, each of us decided to play the game, and when we did so, there were glaring glitches. In my game time as Bonnie Bones, in the middle of the seventh level in World 6, it started with frame rate stutters on the boat racing segment, and later came color distortion and misbehaving controls during the mid-boss battle with that 'sharktopus' robot. It only got worse since then. We didn't know how this happened, but we know that this is bad. Like, really bad."

"Have you checked the coding?" I asked.

"I'm doing it right now, though I notice that there are some unusual symbols here and there. So far, there might be an easy fix, but I'm worried that it'd only be short-term. Anyway, we'll have to put the DLC aside now, I'm afraid."

"Rats, I was looking forward to expanding our game."

"Same here..."

After a couple of days of assistance, when I came to the Unnamed Village (Yes, that is the official name), there showed up lots of angry fans bringing me numerous complaints, as they must have suffered the problems my crew had for unknown reasons.

"TAILS!!" yelled one rude fan. "How could you!? Your game is now suffering from bugs and glitches! Fix them, or ELSE!"

"A while ago," added Foreman Fred, a.k.a. Earl, "I thought Blades of the Rebellion was healthy as a horse. (He facepalms) Boy, was I wrong."

Perci the Bandicoot added further, "Have you actually tested the game? Because I think it's not a very good strategy to release it just because it seems alright at first."

I instantly announced without ease, "I swear, my crew and I tested our game for weeks. There couldn't have been a way for Blades to be ill. But as of now, we're currently looking for a way to swat those bugs, and hopefully, we'll be done as soon as possible. We sincerely apologize for this strange incident!"

"And I thought my children enjoyed your video game," responded Lady Walrus, pointing at me, "I swear on my mother's grave, if they have to put up with those glitches for another week, I will be getting a refund from you, or maybe even worse! Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

After hearing more complaints, I quickly went back home and resumed helping my crew checking for the bugs, for as long as...several hours, and then a couple of DAYS more.

But one day, much to my distress, I encountered Terra again on Talk-a-Lot, where using a new account, she called me names and such:

"Oh, no, have all of your fans hating on you, now that your game is broken, Fox Boy?"

I typed, "Why don't you just bug off and and leave me alone, you bully? Otherwise, explain what you've done to my game, now!"

"You freakish brat, I have done nothing to Blades of the Dipwads, not directly. But I'm here because I want to let you know that I'll be seeing your girlfriend, IN PERSON."

"I swear, if you lay one finger to Zooey, I'll have annoying scumbags like you reported for picking on me and her!"

"HEY! JERK OFF, YOU FURBALL!! Mess with a troublemaker, and you're DEAD!!" And after recklessly spamming an explicit and extended version of that comment on my profit like...TWENTY TIMES, without any censorship, like...