8-Bit Gamers (Transcript)

This is the 11th episode of Video Squadron: Gamerman.

Ash was playing an old video game at the arcade one day. It was one of those 8-bits games from the 80's.

Ash: Oh darn it. Died again. I'll have to start again (Puts a quarter into the machine and starts again).

Felicia: Uh, Ash, how many times have you died while playing this game?

Ash: Fifteen already. And I haven't even gotten the first level finished. I keep dying. All because it takes just one hit and I'm dead.

Kasumi: That's how the older video games were. A single hit and you're dead.

William: Not like modern video games where you have plenty of hit points.

Randy: Did you try collecting extra lives, Ash?

Ash: I've tried that, but every time I'm about to get one, I get hit and die.

Randy: Have you ever played this game before, Ash?

Ash: Well, no. I just saw it today and it looked cool. And it does look cool when playing it. No, I just died again. Ugh.... I guess I should take a break from this. I'm starting to run low on quarters.

William: At a boy, Ash. You shouldn't spend your quarters all on one game, especially if you keep losing at it.

Ash: I guess I'm not used to 80's arcade games. I'm more of a 90's and 2000's guy.

Randy: Same here.

They went into the house portion where Vix, Jack, and Headbot were working on something.

Kasumi: What do you have right there?

Jack: It's a new weapon that can be used to blast monsters with.

Vix: Considering how much stronger the last couple of monsters had been getting, we figured it was time to make a new weapon.

Felicia: How does it work?

Jack: Well, it requires all of you to put one of these crystals inside (shows a crystal). These crystals will help to power the machine.

Vix: You should all remember to grab one before you go out into the battle field. And remember to only use this when then monster is near defeat. It's better to wear the monster down first so it'll be easier to beat it.

Jack: It's not quite finished yet, though, but by the next monster attack, it should be.

Randy: Having a new weapon will really help.

Vix: There will also be a combination available that let's you also use your blasters in combination with it, but that will come along much later.

William: Sounds like a much more powerful way to beat a monster.

Ash: Yeah.

Up in the villain's ship, Dr. Squeak had just finished creating his latest monster.

Dr. Squeak: Alright. Time to show the master what this creature can do (Pushes the button to create the monster).

The monster was a kangaroo-like monster that wore a doctor's coat. And he also carried a green shot bottle.

Mad Doctor Roo: Anyone need a check-up?

Dr. Squeak: Master, please come here to see what monster I've created just now.

Gigalord: What is it?

Dr. Squeak: I call him Mad Doctor Roo.

Gigalord: A mad doctor, eh? And what can he do?

Dr. Squeak: Mad Doc, show him.

Mad Doctor Roo: Yes, sir. First I will need a patient. (Sees a purple polygore) Ah, he will do. (Injects the polygore with the serum, causing it to turn 8-bit).

Polygore:

Mad Doctor Roo: Ahaha.

Gigalord: That polygore turned to 8-bit. Reminds me of how Cyberspace used to look in the early days.

Dr. Squeak: Mad Doctor Roo can do this to just about anyone and anything.

Gigalord: In that case, go down to the surface and inject that serum into as many citizens as you can.

Mad Doctor Roo: Very well.

Out in the city, Jake and Justin were hanging around. Discussing ideas on how to find out who the Gamermen were.

Jake: We could perhaps figure out what their weaknesses were.

Justin: Weaknesses? Like what?

Jake: Like, figuring out what kind of foods they like.

Justin: But Jake, the Gamermen can't eat if they have their helmets on. Oh, I see. They'd have to take them off, wouldn't they?

Jake: Exactly.

Hidden in the bushes close by, Mad Doctor Roo had his serum bottom ready.

Mad Doctor Roo: Time to try out this serum on that dog fellow right there. Hahahaha (Injects the serum into Jake).

Jake: Huh? (Notices his body changing) Hey, what's happening?

Justin: Jake, you've turned 8-bit.

Jake: What? 8-bit? How can that be?

Justin: I don't know. (Gets injected as well) Oh no. Now I'm turning 8-bit, too.

Jake: What's going on? How can this be happening? It's like we're turning into a video game or something.

Mad Doctor Roo went off before they could see him. Over at the base, Vix sensed trouble in the city.

Vix: Gamermen, another monster is out attacking. (Projects the screen of Mad Doctor Roo) This is Mad Doctor Roo, he is able to inject his serum into anyone, turning them 8-bit. This was how the people of Cyberspace used to look before we got more 3-dimensional.

Randy: What is bad about being turned 8-bit?

Vix: I don't know, but I suspect that this cannot be good. You must be careful not to allow this monster to inject you, too. I suspect that if you get injected with his serum, you may not be able to transform into Gamermen.

Randy: Then we'll show up in the field morphed. As always.

Vix: Even if you are morphed, getting injected could result in you demorphing, as your 8-bit bodies won't be able to handle the suits.

Kasumi: Good word to note.

William: We will be careful, Vix.

Randy: Let's go, guys.

They morphed, they headed to the scene where Mad Doctor Roo was continuing to inject victims with his serum, turning them into 8-bit figures.

Mad Doctor Roo: Ah. Just who I wanted to see.

Randy: You won't be injecting that serum into any of us.

Mad Doctor Roo: Oh yes I will. I planned to do so as soon as you showed up (Gets the serum bottle ready).

Randy: Not going to happen. Blasters, guys.

They got out their blasters and blasted at Mad Doctor Roo.

Mad Doctor Roo: AAAAH! (Falls down to the ground) I'll show you (Gets up and tries again).

Randy: Careful, guys. Don't let this needle hit you.

Felicia: You kidding? I know how it feels. I've had to get a shot when I was a kid and it hurt. Never want to do that again.

Mad Doctor Roo: Oh, so Gamer Yellow doesn't like shots then, eh? Well, how about I shoot you first (Attempts to get Felicia).

Felicia: No! Get that thing away from me (Hits the serum bottle, causing it to fall and hit the ground, breaking).

Mad Doctor Roo: No. My serum bottle. I'll be back (Disappears)!

Randy: Way to go, Felicia.

William: But he got away.

Ash: And he might come back.

Felicia: Well, it he does come back, I'll just break the serum bottle again.

Kasumi: But the victims he's hit are still 8-bit. I think in order to change them back, we really have to defeat him. Breaking the bottle isn't enough.

Back at the arcade, the Gamermen explained about the battle that happened.

Felicia: Breaking the bottle just had him retreat, but it didn't undo the effects of the citizens.

Headbot: If breaking the serum bottle didn't work? What will then?

Ash: We suspected that destroying the monster would be the best call to do. Mr. Lupeson, are you any closer to finishing the new blaster?

Jack: We've worked on it a little bit more since you left, but it's not entirely ready.

Kasumi: I suspect that Mad Doctor Roo has retreated and will come back with a stronger bottle. One that cannot be broken.

Felicia: But how can a bottle not break? Bottles are made of glass, and glass breaks.

Ash: Glass bottles, yes. Plastic bottles, no.

Felicia: Plastic bottles? I didn't know bottles could be made of plastic. My farm always sold our milk with glass bottles. My dad told my brother and I to always be careful whenever we take bottles to the market.

Ash: Well, we do also have plastic bottles as well. I'll show you. (Walks off to a vending machine in the arcade, puts a dollar in, and gets out a plastic soda bottle) See this? This is a soda bottle. This soda bottle is made of plastic. It's a bit softer that glass. (Squeezes the bottle a little bit to show them) If this was glass, it wouldn't be so easy. Now watch this (Drops the bottle, but the cap comes off).

Jack: Hey! Ash! You made a mess on my floor!

Ash: Oops. That wasn't suppose to happen. But look, the bottle didn't break, it might have had the cap come off, but it didn't break. I'm real sorry about the mess, Mr. Lupeson. I'll be sure to clean it up (Gets a mop).

Jack: That you, Ash.

William: So this could mean that Mad Doctor Roo could get a plastic bottle to put his serum in, then it wouldn't break as easily.

Randy: But the cap could pop off.

Ash: The cap popping off was just bad luck, Randy. It usually doesn't happen, and I wasn't expecting it to this time (Continues mopping).

Vix: Mad Doctor Roo could use something stronger than glass or plastic to contain his serum in. Remember, as long as you don't get injected by the serum, you should be alright.

Felicia: But what will happen if we get injected with the serum?

Vix: Well, you'll turn 8-bit. Just like the citizens.

Felicia: And what do we do then?

Vix: What you need to do then, is find a way to defeat the monster.

Felicia: Hold on, I think I've got an idea.

Up in the villain's ship, Mad Doctor Roo came up to Gigalord.

Mad Doctor Roo: Master, Gamer Yellow broke my serum bottle. I was trying to inject her with it, but she knocked it off. I need to have another serum bottle, one that doesn't break.

Gigalord: Dr. Squeak, are you working on that?

Dr. Squeak: Way ahead of you, Boss.

Dr. Squeak made another bottle of serum appear from the computer.

Dr. Squeak: This bottle is made of metal. It won't break when it is dropped. It was lucky that the serum didn't get on you, Mad Doc. If it had, you'd turn 8-bit and the Gamermen would be able to defeat you easily.

Mad Doctor Roo: Good note. I'll be sure not to allow that to happen.

Mad Doctor Roo went out again again continued to inject the citizens with his serum. Then, Felicia appeared.

Felicia: Hello, Doctor. I'm here for an appointment.

Mad Doctor Roo: Ah, Gamer Yellow. Just the ranger I wanted to see. Now I can inject you with my serum. This time you won't be breaking it so easily (Charges for Felicia).

Felicia: Not so fast (As the serum bottle is about to touch her, she flipped it around and rams it into Mad Doctor Roo).

Mad Doctor Roo: NOOOOO! (Turns 8-bit) Look what you've done to me!

The other Gamermen then showed up.

Randy: Way to go, Felicia. He should be easily beaten this time.

Mad Doctor Roo: No. This was what my creator warned me about.

Darktail then showed up.

Darktail: No worries, Mad Doctor. I'll just enlarge you. (Tries to, but nothing happens) Huh? (Tries again) What? Why isn't this working?

Mad Doctor Roo: My 8-bit body can't absorb your lightning.

Randy: Then absorb this, then.

They got out their blasters and aimed it at Mad Doctor Roo, causing him to then burst into tiny 8-bit graphics.

Darktail: Darn it (Disappears).

With Mad Doctor Roo gone, everyone who was injected with the serum turned back to normal.

Jake: Hey, Justin. We're back to normal.

Justin: It's a miracle. Then again, it was a mystery as to why we turned 8-bit to begin with.

Up in the villain's shop, Gigalord was angry with Dr. Squeak.

Gigalord: You should have made him be growable even if he was hit at 8-bit, Squeak!

Dr. Squeak: It isn't that easy. At 8-bit, he's just a bunch of floating codes that can't be made giant. Darktail should have made him grow giant sooner.

Darktail: Me? How was I suppose to know that getting struck by the serum would make him ungrowable?

Gigalord: Enough, both of you. You both are failures in your own right. We're not getting any closer to getting Vira back in active status nor are anywhere near defeating the Gamerman. ERRGH.

Darktail: Such a bad temper he's got.

Dr. Squeak: Tell me about it.

Back at the arcade, Jack was still working on the new weapon and he listened as the Gamermen told how they defeated Mad Doctor Roo.

Felicia: And then Darktail showed up. She tried to make the monster bigger, but since he was 8-bit, she couldn't do it.

Randy: Then we finished her off with our blasters.

Jack: That was a clever idea you had, Felicia.

Felicia: Thanks, Mr. Lupeson.

Ash: By the way, how's that new weapon coming along?

Jack: Needs a bit more work.

Randy: That's alright, Uncle Jack. We can wait patiently.

Jack: That's a good boy, Randy.

The next day at school, they met up with Jake and Justin.

Justin: Oh. It's you guys. You would not believe what happened to us yesterday.

Jake: We for some reason got turned into 8-bit beings.

Justin: And we don't even know how that happened.

Felicia: You don't?

Jake & Justin: (Shake their heads).

Felicia: Did you by chance feel a string anywhere?

Jake: I didn't.

Justin: Neither did I.

Felicia: Oh.

Jake: Why are you asking if we did?

Felicia: No reason.

Justin: Thinking a bumble bee stung us and turned us that way?

Felicia: No. That was not what I was implying.

Randy: So how's that Gamerman hunt going?

Justin: Still trying to figure it out.

Jake: Yeah. And when we do, we'll see who's most popular in school.

And they walked off.

Kasumi: Do you think they'll ever find out?

William: It is doubtful. As long as we keep it a secret.

Ash: And surely we can.

To be continued next chapter.