(A/N: Here I go, on a bit of a roll, here.)

The next day, the entire crew was in a panic. No one had set foot in the game area, and a subtle panic set in. Everyone was irritable due to anxiety. A scare like this was nothing to laugh at.

The know-it-all brothers had been holed up in the surveillance room since the incident, scanning the outside, examining the game's current state, and researching recent events.

"Player A didn't look very happy about this... if it's stumping the outside, this could be very bad." One brother noted.

"The programming is stable, but I can't say for how long." another added.

"Records show that there was Gameshark data involved... oh... crap." The third faltered.

The others turned sharply.

"What?" they asked in dreading unison.

The third brother scanned his findings again in the hopes he was wrong.

"Players are strongly advised against saving Gameshark data to the game. We're about to find out why." He said shakily.

All the brothers stared at each other in dread, the color fading from their faces.

Zelda and Impa, among others, were in a lounge talking quietly about recent events when the Brothers came on loudspeaker.

ATTENTION, GAME STAFF. WE HAVE CONFIRMED A GRADE THREE DATA CORRUPTION.

Gasps were audible from everyone nearby.

PLEASE REMAIN ON ALERT. WE ARE INVESTIGATING REMIDIAL MEASURES, BUT CANNOT PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF THE CORRUPTION UNTIL IT COMES UNDER CONTROL. THE GAME AREA IS STILL OFF-LIMITS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTERS PLEASE REMAIN ON CALL.

Zelda and Impa exchanged grave looks. 'Essential characters' were basically those of special significance. Mainly the sages and file Links.

"You check with the heroes, I'll talk to the sages." Impa suggested. Zelda nodded, and they went their separate ways, leaving a room full of anxious babbling.

Link was easy enough to find. He was in that break room, as always, and had heard the notice like everyone else. Doc was on his way to get details from the Brothers. That left...

"Okareena!" she called, banging on his door. "How can you sleep through a time like this? Get up, we have to talk! Okareena!"

Attention. System powered on.

Zelda looked up in shock. She wouldn't let it deter her. She opened Okareena's unlocked door. Upon entering, it took a little time for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. When they did, she gasped.

The Brothers stared with bated breath at the screen. Their worst fear was about to be delayed or expedited.

"Opening sequence, normal..."

"Title, normal..."

"Next, the selection screen..."

Time slowed in the observation room, as it did all over the cartridge, as everyone awaited the outcome.

The brothers' jaws were the first to dangle weakly.

Okareena was unconscious, slumped uncomfortably against a table leg. Zelda rushed to his side and checked to make sure he was alright. Aside from being completely unresponsive, he seemed okay. She dragged him across the carpet so he lay flat, then darted to his phone and connected to the observation room.

The Brothers stared. File three was wiped completely clean, as if nothing had ever been there. They collectively jumped when they heard a loud ringing. As the Player turned off the system, the middle brother answered the phone. Zelda's anxious voice sounded through a small speaker.

Okareena is unconscious. I can't get a response.

"Zelda, his file is completely gone."

What?! Was it deleted?

"There's been no player activity since the first sign of data corruption. There was no opportunity. It just disappeared."

Disa... There was a restricted moan from Zelda, then a calming sigh. Send somebody over to help.

"Of course. They'll be right there."

Thanks. And she disconnected.

Zelda looked up as Link and Doc burst in, staring in dumbfounded shock at their identical comrade. In stunned silence, they lifted him up and carried him out.

The procession was strange as they moved to the infirmary. Everyone they passed stared quietly, fearing the worst for Okareena, and even themselves. Could this malfunction... kill?