Collision Course [+ Additional Levels]

Level Fourteen - Strange Feelings

QBert breathed in deeply as he looked around, walking in and waiting in line. He gazed at the various arcade machines, taking in their details. Each one had a picture of one or more of the characters included in its game. The illustrations, QBert found, usually didn't look anything like the characters on the screen. He remembered bringing this up to Jumpman before, and he had said that it was because the characters on the screen were made up of eight-bit pixels; he still thought that they looked too different though. He took in another deep breath, and focused on the pictures. After a couple seconds, the room darkened and blurred a little, and he could see what looked like tiny numbers that surrounded the machines in the room. Glowing white, they stood out like a sore thumb. He smiled as he watched them.

The Game Code.

The numbers that floated around the machines that weren't currently being played glowed and remained still, frozen in place. The digits that were around activated machines, however, moved, and sporadically. Depending on the game, they either vibrated, or flew around the machines. QBert knew that Jumpman was able to see the Game Code like he could―Pacman too―but to everybody else, it was different. The other people only saw the normal arcade machines, hearing the conversation in the air and clinks of coins. He, however, if he concentrated, could also hear the slight buzzing of the Game Code in the air.

"Hey, stop spacing out."

He jumped a little when Jumpman nudged him with his elbow. He instinctively turned to look at him; and then remembered a moment too late not to. When he looked at Jumpman, he was blinded by bright, cobalt blue light. He immediately grimaced and shielded his eyes. After a few seconds of trying to blink away the light that had burned into his retina, he chuckled, careful not to look at his friend. "You know that I'm not spacing out."

"Yeah, you are," Jumpman replied. "And I want you to stop and focus."

"Aw, come on. Everything here looks cooler this way!" QBert complained.

"No. At least try and act a little normal here."

QBert sighed, and after taking a last, wistful glance around the arcade, he rubbed his eyes. "Oh, fiiine," he said submissively.

"Good."

When QBert opened his eyes again and looked around himself, the arcade's lighting had returned to normal, everything had sharpened to its original focus, and the Game Code had disappeared once more. He looked at Jumpman, the light of his friend's code no longer blinding him. Jumpman's arms were folded across his chest, and one of his brows was lifted at QBert, to which, in response, he wiggled his own eyebrows back. "Is that better?"

"Yeah," Jumpman said. "So, now that you're back in the present, I just wanted to remind you of a couple things."

He rolled his eyes, looking away from him. "I know the drill." He paused, and then added for emphasis, "Jay."

QBert looked back at Jumpman and saw him nod. "Good. Just one other thing."

He arched an eyebrow at him questioningly.

Jumpman sighed and gave him a look. "No cursing."

"What? But I already know about that!" QBert replied, confused.

"Yeah, but you've been doing it more often," he told him, sticking his hands in his denim jacket's pockets.

"Dude, you need to chillax," QBert groaned. "How many times do I have to tell you that―"

"I'm talking about your QBertese swearing," Jumpman replied.

QBert stopped short, and stared at him with an eyebrow arched. "What did you just call it?" he asked, bewildered.