Games

To Kyle’s surprise, Brock begins.

"So, what’s been going on anyway? How’d you find me? I mean, what made’ja decide to come to all the way to Florida? "

"Some guys back home told me where you moved to. They couldn’t believe I didn’t know. Just thought I’d see what you were up to. It’s been awhile."

"Yeah. It has."

Back in Buffalo, at TJ Music Plus, the music store everyone came to when they wanted to play videogames, Kyle and Brock created their own world. TJ Music Plus had all the latest games. To the left of the entrance, six arcade games (the titles changing every month or so) lined the wall. To the right was where the music was. Too bad their cassettes were so expensive or TJ’s might have stayed in business. While it was open however, all the local kids spent their afternoons there, dropping quarters into the machines like madmen. Brock was one of the regulars, though he wasn’t too popular with the others. When Kyle moved into the neighborhood, he immediately checked out the action at TJ’s, and smiled when he thought about doing this everyday. His parents wouldn’t approve, but they couldn’t stop him either.

At the time, Double Dragon was hot at the arcades, and TJ’s was one of the first places around to get it. It was a game about Spike and Hammer. Two street punks, who happened to be twin brothers, whose girlfriend, Marion, was kidnapped by a gang of street punks. The object was to rescue Marion by fighting your way through the streets to confront the gang’s boss, who happened to be Spike and Hammer’s evil triplet. It was a one or two-player game. Players could play alone using either Spike or Hammer or they could team up with someone else using both the characters. Although the game had just arrived, Brock was already the best at it, and had saved Marion on the first day, to the delight of everyone watching. Only they didn’t stay content for very long, as everyone wanted to see what would happen when two players finished the game together. When Brock beat it by himself (using Spike), Marion came down from her tied up position on the wall and kissed her hero. Little hearts floated above them. The crowd around Brock was in awe.

"Look at that! She’s kissing me!" Brock shrieked.

"What? You mean she’s kissing Spike! Are you weird or something?"

"Quiet guys! I want to see this!"

"Awesome!"

But what if both Spike and Hammer saved Marion? Would she kiss them both? Surely Spike and Hammer wouldn’t share Marion. Everyone wanted to know, only no one else but Brock could beat it. And no one wanted to play with Brock because he would always dispose of the other player instead of teaming up to crush the gang who kidnapped Marion. Had Brock cooperated with another player instead of killing him every time, it would have been easy. It was almost as if Brock didn’t want to split the accomplishment with someone else. Either that or he didn’t like the idea of sharing Marion with someone else. Her kiss had an effect on him. So every time someone would try joining Brock in the quest to save Marion, Spike would quickly turn his wrath on his brother Hammer and beat him senseless until only Spike remained.

"This is really pissing me off man. Why won’t he let anyone come in on his game?"

"He’s just an asshole."

"Yeah, just let the prick keep beatin’ the game on his own. He’ll get bored with it sooner or later."

"I don’t think so man. I think he’s in love with Marion or something."

"Guys, we’ll just wait until he leaves and do it ourselves."

"Yeah, how many times have we tried that? No one’s good enough to beat it without Brock. But no one can play with him either. He keeps killin’ everyone!"

"Sooner or later we’ll beat it without him. Then we’ll see what he does."

Of course, all the other kids grew tired of wasting quarters. Since Brock occupied Double Dragon for most of the day after school, no one ever got a decent chance at beating it on two-player mode, simply because they had to be home for dinner. Either they ran out of time or they just weren’t good enough. Usually they just stuck to playing the other games. Rolling Thunder and Star Force were the other favorites at TJ’s. Once in a while someone would gather up enough courage to take on Brock again, but the results were always the same. All that changed when Kyle came to TJ’s one day after school.

Kyle was excited to see that TJ’s had Double Dragon. He had played it before, but only briefly because moving had taken up so much of his time. Kyle saw the empty space next to Brock at the Double Dragon cabinet and headed over there. The other kids were busy at the other games. Apparently Brock had just started because he was still on the first level. Kyle moved in, dropped a quarter into the slot, and hit the "player two" button without saying anything. This got the attention of the others, who abandoned the games they were playing and crowded around Double Dragon. Brock was annoyed. He let out a heavy breath as Hammer appeared on the screen ready to assist his brother Spike. As the others expected, Spike went right at Hammer, leveling him with a flurry of punches. The crowd around Brock and Kyle began mumbling. Kyle was surprised, unable to understand why Brock attacked him, but he remained silent. Kyle was new to this area. He didn’t want the locals to think he was easily agitated, though he was angry.

As Hammer got back on his feet, Brock quickly moved Spike over to him, and executed a knee smash/shoulder throw combo (a spectacular move where the victim was grabbed by the head and thrust into the attacker’s knee about five times, and then thrown across the screen). Kyle then understood what was happening, and wasn’t about to be shown up just because he was new. What happened next would become the subject of gossip among the neighborhood kids for the next several months. It also became the event by which Kyle and Brock became best friends. Kyle showed great control over Hammer as Spike (and Brock) were punished with the array of maritial arts techniques and brutal street fighting know-how featured in the game.

"Hey, what’s the big idea anyway?" Brock yelled.

"What? I was only defending myself. You attacked me first." Kyle replied.

"Yeah, well, you messed up my game. I was playin’ by myself. You screwed it all up."

"Hey, it wouldn’t a happened if you played fair instead of attackin’ me."

"I was tryin’ to beat the game and you came in an’ ruined it."

"So put another quarter in and we’ll beat it together. It’s more fun that way anyway. See if you’re any good."

The kids surrounding Brock and Kyle mumbled to themselves. They were happy somebody finally came in and beat Brock, but now they were going to get to see the game beaten by two players, something they had resigned to never seeing in their young lives. They stood quietly as Brock and Kyle tore through the game’s seven levels, and cheered loudly when Marion’s kidnapper was defeated. They all watched intensely as they waited to see what happened next. The guy who ran TJ’s came out from behind the counter to witness the event. When they saw Hammer and Spike face off against each other for the possession of Marion, the crowd of kids began buzzing. When it was all over, Brock had his revenge on the new kid. A big smile ran across his face as Marion once again jumped down to plant a big kiss on him, or rather, Spike. The crowd dispersed, still buzzing. Kyle stood by, happy to have played a part in a legendary local event.

"Good game. That was fun huh?"

"Yeah, that was cool. What’s yer name anyway?"

"Kyle. I just moved in on Downing."

"Oh yeah? I live two blocks away, on Cantwell."

And so their friendship started.

They were both in junior high when they met that day in TJ’s. After Brock had beat Kyle and won the game, they both walked over to Brock’s house and talked about videogames for the entire night.

Kyle: I think Double Dragon is easily the best game of its kind. Vigilante and Renegade are okay, but they don’t have the depth of Double Dragon. Plus the graphics are better.

Brock: Yeah, Renegade is cool, but Vigilante is too much like Kung Fu Fighter or something. The gameplay’s outdated.

Kyle: And the girl you have to save in Vigilante is ugly. She looks like a clown. Or a goddam rag doll or something.

Brock: Yeah, and her name’s Madonna! I’d rather save Marion any day. Madonna! She’s ugly.

From then on, everyday, they ate lunch together at school, walked home together, and went to TJ’s together among many other things. After TJ’s closed down and nothing moved in to take its place, they played hockey in the streets with the rest of the kids who used to hang out at TJ’s.

They did everything together, and when they were together, they shut out everyone else. They did this by making fun of everybody that wasn’t them. Something happened as they did this. They created a voice to use when mocking all the morons they came across, which was basically everybody. It started as simply imitating the way others spoke or acted. From there it grew. They started doing it when they played hockey.

"Hey Kyle! Look at those cheap goalie pads Scotty’s usin’! They look like giant sponges or something."

"Hey Mr. Stupid Sponge Goalie!"

"What’s with you two? You always sounds like morons when you talk like that."

"Shut up stupid!" Brock yelled in his playful voice.

"You sound like morons when you talk like that," Kyle imitated in his goofy voice. "That’s why you look like a goddam queer when you take a slap-shot!"

"You guys all play like you’ve been smoking pot!" Brock quickly chimed in.

"And when you go to bed your mom has to roll out the cot!" Kyle continued.

"And she goes to the doctor to get treatment for her crotch rot!"

Of course Kyle and Brock were soon no longer wanted when the time came to play hockey. This only encouraged them to do it more, and to more people. Their targets began to include teachers, and even their own parents, who mostly ignored the two (imbeciles, as Kyle’s dad called them).

They spent all of junior high doing this, mocking everybody and laughing the whole time. Since they could no longer play hockey with the rest of the guys, and since TJ’s was gone, they each bought videogame systems for their homes, and would spend entire weekends playing. Sometimes they would mock the characters in the games, each trying to make their insults rhyme, and they would laugh. They became so immersed in their friendship and so isolated from the outside world that they began talking to each other in the mocking voice. It grew into a way of communicating, weaving itself into the fabric of Kyle's and Brock's personalities. They had created their own language that no one else understood, and it became the only way by which they could interact with each other. Others were insulted or threatened when confronted with it. When Brock and Kyle spoke in this annoying, high-pitched voice, people looked at them and either laughed or walked away. They would mock each other and laugh. When Brock would come over to Kyle’s, Brock would say "Hey stupid! What’s up?" in their vernacular, and Kyle would reply, "Not much stupid! Come on in!" in the same ridiculous tone. And their little world grew and grew.

Kyle couldn't understand why Brock began hanging out with others. Brock couldn't speak to anyone else in the voice, so why would he even think about making new friends. For whatever reason, Brock was changing. Maybe it was high school. High school was so much bigger than junior high. But nothing could answer Kyle's questions. Why would Brock not want to hang out all the time and mock everyone, play videogames, and just enjoy their private realm? They would still greet each other in their made up language, but then Brock would continue on past Kyle with some other guys Kyle had never seen before. These guys were once people who were mocked viciously by Kyle and Brock. They were the outsiders. They dressed funny. They acted stupid. Kyle found himself replaced by these people. He was now on the outside. Brock was destroying the world they had created. He was destroying the world in which Kyle lived.

"Heeeeyyyy Stupid! Kyle began one day at school.

"I’m not Stupid, you’re Stupid, stupid," Brock replied.

"How ‘bout you come over later and play?"

"Sorry, Stupid, I can’t do that today!"

And Brock walked away to class. Kyle felt as if Brock was only continuing to use the voice for Kyle’s sake. That wasn't how it worked. If Brock wasn’t going to take part in their playful, innocent place, why should he continue speaking the language? Kyle saw that Brock acted normal with the other guys. The mannerisms they had formed wasn't something to be taken lightly, ot thrown away. Kyle thought he might have to begin work on his own tiny world.

Brock still played videogames, but he mostly played them with his new friends, who weren’t very knowledgeable on the subject Kyle thought. They cared nothing for the imagination and hard work that went into making a quality game. They couldn’t tell what made a bad game and what made a good game. For them, videogames were a way of passing time, not something to analyze, obsess over, or mock. Kyle played them on his own from then on. Since he had no one to discuss games with, Kyle began writing about them, and would post the essays up on the walls in his room. One was called "Why Thunderforce III is Such an Intense Experience." Another was titled "The Reasons for Comparing Jackal to Contra." Kyle wrote many such essays.

Sometimes Kyle had a not-so-good friend come over. He would attempt to use the voice that he and Brock created and would be repaid with looks of bewilderment. Mocking other people was out of the question as well. If Kyle saw someone who looked awkward, he would make a comment and mock the person, only to be told of how cruel and mean he was. No one else understood. He saw himself completely alone by Brock’s defection. Kyle couldn’t understand why or how the world he and Brock created disappeared. He wanted to know why Brock left the place where they were so comfortable. Before Kyle could learn anything, Brock moved away to Florida without a word.

"Hey have you guys seen Brock around?"

"What do ya mean? He and his family moved to Florida a couple a weeks ago."

"Yeah, didn’t he tell you?"

"No."

Now here they are in downtown Orlando, again standing before Double Dragon, only now, the game isn’t so new anymore. Seeing Brock again all these years later almost makes Kyle shake. After Brock deserted him, Kyle sometimes dreamt of encountering him again, only they still had their rapport intact. It was just the two of them, laughing and mimicking the outsiders around them. He would laugh after waking up from these dreams. He knew the day would come when they would meet again.

"So ya came all the way here just to see me?"

"No. I’m here with my girlfriend. I thought maybe while I was here I’d see what you were up to."

They put their quarters in the machine. The image of Marion being taken by the gang popped up on the screen.

"One of the classic scenes in all of videogames is when that guy punches her in the stomach and carries her off," Kyle says.

The garage door opens and Spike and Hammer emerge. Immediately Brock and Kyle get to work on the bad guys. They’re both playing in top form, mashing buttons with the quick precision of great piano players. Kyle looks over at Brock, who almost looks bored with the action on the screen. Kyle makes his move.

"Hey what the hell’re you doin’ anyway?" Brock yells. "Knock it off ya bastard. Yer killin’ me! Yer supposed to be killin’ the bad guys. What the hell?"

Kyle doesn’t say anything. He only continues to make Hammer beat the life out of his twin brother Spike, without a care in the world for Marion. Brock has no chance. He tries everything, but Kyle overpowers him easily.

"Are ya stupid or what? I thought we were gonna beat the game together. I ain’t puttin’ another quarter in. Ya blew it."

Kyle replies with a smile and a familiar voice.

"Did’ja see how funny Spike looked when I bashed in his stupid head with Hammer’s knee? He couldn’t even do anything to defend himself! Didn't you see?You shoulda seen yourself tryin’ to win! You were bitin’ yer tongue like some kinda moron! You played so bad, worse than a sin! You should see how stupid you look when you’re mad. I ain’t puttin’ in another quarter! Stupid! The way you played, it was sad."

Kyle continues, but Brock doesn’t stick around to hear it. He leaves without any words or funny movements. Kyle stops talking and watches Brock exit the arcade. The game isn’t over yet. Marion needs to be saved. This time, she will kiss Hammer. Kyle thinks of this as he continues playing, and becomes more and more excited. He laughs to himself. I’m here with my girlfriend. "I don't have a friend of any kind," Kyle says. For now though, Marion is all that matters. Brock only used up one of his lives before walking away, so Kyle keeps beating up on the defenseless Spike. After Kyle wipes out all of Spike's, Brock's, remaining lives, he continues the quest to save Marion. Kyle starts talking to himself again.

"What was the name of the gang's boss again? Who's Marion's kidnapper? The Shadow Boss, that's it. He's got her, that Shadow Boss. I'm gonna get her back."

And then he says, "In Double Dragon 2: The Revenge, they shoot Marion with a machine gun. Was it the same gang? I remember hearing that she comes back from the dead when the game was finished, but I could never beat that game. That game, that damn game. It just isn't the same, playing the game. Now's it lame, it's different, except for the name. What a shame."

Kyle's getting into Double Dragon big time now, laughing out loud in the arcade, enclosed in his own little world.