Story of GumBoy

Want to really know everything about GumBoy? Look no further! Here’s what we’ve been able to figure out…

Introduction

100,000 light years away on his home planet, the alien we know as GumBoy was renowned as one of the most intelligent members of his species. His race are an advanced people of explorers, who seek to venture into and learn about strange new worlds.

Using what they discover to enlighten his planet, they are driven by their desire to ever improve their culture, lives and the environmental health of their planet.

It is a great prestige to be chosen to be one of the brave scientists to journey to a newly discovered planet and become the ambassador to its people, and Earth was assigned to the one we know as GumBoy.

Placed under stasis for the normally arduous journey from his planet to Earth, GumBoy was awoken some time later by the onboard AI that he was within proximity of the great blue planet.

Groggy and drunk from stasis sleep, GumBoy tried to call upon his training and deal with the imperative task of landing safely. Each blaring alarm was like a needle in his mind, screaming for attention. Clumsily yet with a precision that was achieved only through years of training and muscle memory, he was able to reduce the cacophony of sounds to a solitary beeping.

The voice of the ship’s computer faded in and out of earshot through the ringing in his ears. “… rning … compa … NA loca … ed …. ert … iple sourc … ction requir … … rning … compa … NA loca … ed ….”

“Compatible DNA located…” he blinked and shook his head, trying to focus. Bleary eyed, GumBoy flipped the cover protecting the DNA Conversion button and flopped into the conversion chamber.

“… arning … compati … DNA loca … ed …. lert … tiple sourc … speci … ction required …”

There was a hiss of white mist as the chamber decompressed. He slammed the internal lock sequence button just as he heard the AI say again:

“… warning … compatible DNA located …. alert multiple sources ident … specification … selection required …”

His eyes shot open. “What?!”

The AI spoke calmly: “Conversion sequence activated. DNA selection confirmed on 90% or higher success rate. Conversion calculations completed.”

“No, wait!” GumBoy watched in horror as the doors shut and through the mist he caught a glimpse of the virtual console rendering a pink image of the conversion results.

* * *

What Do We Know About GumBoy?

His Mission

GumBoy is an explorer and has been sent on a one-way trip to Earth to learn as much about the planet, its inhabitants and history, and send this information back to his home planet.

Current Status

Actively researching. GumBoy has settled in a human home (ours) and currently conducts his expiriments in the basement, while learning about human culture and interacting with humans through our Twitch channel: PixelGum TV.

What Does GumBoy Really Look Like?

Nobody on Earth knows GumBoy’s true name, or his true appearance prior to the permanent DNA conversion. We simply know him as the morphing living piece of chewing gum that is GumBoy. In fact, we’re not really sure if he’s a boy or a girl, and he often likes to take on androgynous forms. He chose the name GumBoy after he saw Aidan playing on a GameBoy and asked what it was.

Technology

What technology he was able to salvage included a few vital items needed for him to continue his work on Earth, but perhaps most importantly this includes the power flowers which are used to fuel his technology. He was able to salvage a single seed, and from it has been carefully cultivating new flowers to slowly regrow the population. You’ll have seen his power flowers on our stream after our highlights, and also next to the names of our subscribers as the power flowers, which take 2 years to fully mature to their most powerful state.

His computer’s AI is still intact but unable to communicate with him, and he still has a functioning array of tools that he keeps locked away from any human misuse.

Physiology

GumBoy is of alien origin, and while the DNA conversion made it possible for him to live on Earth, it hasn’t changed the fact there is a lot about him that isn’t human. For one thing, while he apparently doesn’t have any discernible organs, he is still very much a biological entity, with awareness, cognitive functions and all human senses such as sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.

We’ve have long suspected that his species may not have been a corporeal race, meaning they likely exist on a different dimensional plan, but that they convert themselves into carbon-based entities to interact with us and learn about our world. This would explain GumBoy’s ability to appear physical but lack many physical attributes (such as a digestive system). Another thing we’ve considered is that GumBoy is also a shape-shifter, and it’s true that we’ve seen him change appearance for the sake of it. We think this is a residual effect of his DNA conversion, which has incorporated some of his pre-existing abilities and made a ‘physical’ version of it.

Interests and Hobbies

GumBoy came to experience everything that Earth has to offer, and that means culture as well as its geography. A keen multi-disciplined scientist at heart, GumBoy has been fascinated by everything humans have created. From languages and philosophies, to his personal favourites: food and entertainment.

Over the course of time, and using his technology being in disarray as an on-going excuse, GumBoy has been experimenting by experiencing various kinds of fun activities, and has discovered he very much loves Earl Grey tea, KitKats and playing copious amounts of video games. In fact, while we were discussing changing careers to become video game broadcasters, GumBoy was the one who seemed to push us to do it, and we decided we’d use him as our mascot.

He is fascinated in how humans apply their imaginations and live vicariously through games, while also creating wonderful friendships and relationships through the communities that grow around them. This is one reason why GumBoy features on PixelGum TV – he’s taking part in the fun and games, but also learning everything there is to know about humans in the process.

Where Is He Now?

When we found GumBoy, he was in his most vulnerable state. No stranger to sci-fi or fantasy stories, we knew immediately we had to help the guy. We took him into our home and in return for giving him safety and warmth, GumBoy recruited us to become his assistants in his mission. He now resides permanently in our basement, with what remains of his damaged space ship hidden in an undisclosed location – even we don’t know where it is.