It was a peaceful afternoon in Glendale, California. Although... peace was not present everywhere in Glendale. In the Game Grumps Studio, Arin and Dan were once again recording a gameplay of one of the newest releases of the Sonic franchise; Sonic Forces. To say that the tension in the air was heated would be an understatement.
"Dan, why do we put ourselves through this torture again?! I'm giving it my all trying to complete this hellhole of a level, but the controls are just assetry!" Arin screamed in a fit of rage as he was sweating profusely from pure frustration.
"Because we love Sonic unconditionally, Arin", Dan replied in a calm manner while holding back his urge to burst out laughing. "So what if the games are absolute trash? As long as we get to go on this adventure with Sonic and friends, and it makes the lovelies happy, no amount of glitches or errors can stop our love for him!" Dan preached pseudo-sarcastically, attempting to brighten his best friend.
"Ugh, but how can people watch this though? It's always the same, with the game not working, me freaking out. And although yes, it's funny for a while, but in the end I feel my life-force being sucked out of me with each minute I play these games."
Arin was in the final battle with the big boss Infinite, who was constantly boasting about his "infinite power", and he was making decent progress with reducing the edge-lord's health bar to zero.
Dan cheered and exclaimed: "Yeeess Arin! You're doing so fucking well kicking his ass though. Can't you admit that you're at least having fun beating this game?"
Arin sighed. "The thing is Dan, you're right. I am having fun like 60 percent of the time. But why does it have to go hand-in-hand with so much agony? It's ridiculous! From Big and Froggy's fishing game to the unavoidable chin-move, there is just so much wrong with these games that makes them unplayable. But we keep coming back because I am infatuated with these characters. I mean just look at Sonic… he's so freaking cool with his attitude, saving the world from Eggman with his colorful friends!"
"Oh I totally get it dude. Everyone in that universe is just adorable. Too bad the game-designers don't put in the one-hundo percent," Danny shrugged with slight disappointment in his voice.
"Sometimes Dan, I just wish we could go into the Sonic world without having to put up with the horrible game glitches and stuff, you know? Just like you said, going on a butt-sniffing adventure with my best friend Sonic. Together with you! My friend Dan!" Arin said with a smile on his face.
"Aww that sounds lovely man. And until technology has come so far that we can literally get sucked into the videogame world, we'll just have to do with shitty controls and Infinite's hilarious one-liners."
Just as both Dan and Arin were laughing about the villain's antics, the tv-screen froze. This was followed by a few glitches, and ended with a dark screen.
"Uhm, what just happened?" Dan looked at his comedy partner. "Did the game just… glitch out on us?"
Arin still held the controller in his hand, with a look of utter disbelief at what just occurred. "Ughhh, we just lost all that progress, Dan! Please just please, tell me that the recording at least survived?"
He stood up and walked over to the computer which was attached to the blacked-out tv-screen. He then let out a defeated groan as he dropped on his knees. The recording was unfortunately lost as well.
"Like self-fulfilling prophecy, Sonic games just ruin my life!" Arin screamed in rage as he hung his head.
Dan put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Big Cat. If it bothers you this much, I don't mind playing another dating simulator game or something. Your mental health is much too important to be put down by this."
Just then the tv-screen lit up again, when suddenly a loud crackle and explosion occurred, and an azure vortex swirled out of the screen and into the gaming booth steadily increasing in size.
Dan sprung up from the couch and startled from the chaotic energy enveloping the room. "Oh my god! Arin what the hell is happening?!"
"I have no fucking idea!"
Arin looked to his curly-haired friend with desperation in his eyes. "But if this is the end, I want you to know that you're my best friend in the world Dan, and these years of playing games with you were the best of my life!"
As the force of the vortex grew stronger, the two men felt a gravitational force pulling them into whatever was at the other end of this storm. They held onto the couch for their dear lives, as their grip slowly but surely loosened. Danny looked at his friend one last time, with tears welling up in his eyes. "I feel the exact same way, Arin! We're going to get through this!"
Finally the force was too strong for either to hold on. Dan and Arin were sucked into the vortex screaming their lungs out, as they fell through the spiralling waves into nothingness.
