Disclaimer: Must...not...repeat...

Note: In case you actually read the Super Bust-a-Move instruction manual, the identity of the purple Fungiloid's basically spoiled for you. However, in this fanfiction, she's actually female. The other characters may think she's male because of her attitude. (There's also the fact that she can't speak English or Kazean, and, as such, can't tell the other characters she's female.)

Chapter 4: The Watchdog

The purple Fungiloid paused for a bit, her eyes unmoving as she took one final glance at the two robots. Then she sternly asked, "Horo rawra?"

"Despite my experiences with Fungiloids, I still don't understand the question," Blackup responded.

"I'd say the same thing as you," Mr. At replied.

Not getting a positive response, the Fungiloid growled and said, "Hruhru raw oroha ruhr rara rahr rohuhro rawra. Rawra ror ruhur rara ar rawhor."

"This isn't a very good tone of voice," Mr. At remarked.

"Or positive body language," Blackup commented sourly.

Still not getting much of a response, the Fungiloid bit Blackup's head and dragged him towards a strange machine.

"Aagh! Hey! I refuse to leave!" Blackup shouted in protest as he was dragged away.

"Not you!" Mr. At screamed when he saw Blackup disappear from the scene. "I'm coming to rescue you!"

The Fungiloid was running as fast as she could, but even that was slow enough that Mr. At could run instead of being forced to turn into a rocket. After the trio ran for quite a while, they arrived at the other side of the silver tower.

On that side, there was your typical Bust-a-Move machine. Even though it was probably there for at least a thousand years (or its equivalent in quaids), it still looked as bright as new. It also came with bubbles and a small bubble-producing machine.

"Hey, this looks familiar," Mr. At remarked as he looked at it.

"What am I supposed to do?" Blackup asked as the Fungiloid let go.

"I'm pretty sure I know, so I'll go first," Mr. At responded.

The purple Fungiloid took her position in the Player 1 spot. Mr. At then ran into the Player 2 spot. The Fungiloid growled what sounded like "Ruuuu…" in reply, but did not yank the white robot out.

The Fungiloid soon shot her first bubble at the board. Mr. At quickly shot one towards his in reply, and the match was on.

As the two were embroiled in a mess of bubbles, Mr. At soon saw some strange black bubbles float towards his board.

"Hey, I haven't seen this colour before," he remarked. "How am I supposed to get rid of them?"

The Fungiloid stopped barking, as if she heard what Mr. At said.

When a black bubble came out of the machine, Mr. At knew he had found the answer to his question. He quickly shot it at the other black bubbles, thus causing some bubbles to fall off his board and fly towards the other player's.

With that, the Fungiloid found herself in a mass of bubbles. Mr. At was soon flying circles around his opponent. After he won two games in a row, he was allowed to step off his platform.

"Rawra rayr," the Fungiloid barked in submission. "Rawra horayro. Rayray roru ru rawhor." She pointed her head towards Blackup with her last comment.

"Oh, great," Blackup muttered when he heard it. "I think I learned nothing from your demo, Mr. At. How do I play this game?"

"Okay, five-yaquaid lesson here," Mr. At responded. "You see this pointer? It guides the bubble you are currently shooting, which is here, towards its spot on this board. You aim the pointer with this winch. Clockwise is right, and anticlockwise is left. You are supposed to…"

Exactly five yaquaids later, Blackup was beckoned towards the board by the purple Fungiloid.

"Thanks for teaching me that quick!" Blackup exclaimed as he ran towards the Player 2 spot.

"It's nothing compared to what we have to do," Mr. At replied.

Blackup hesitated for a split second as he took his position on the platform, and then shot his first bubble.

Unfortunately, that first game did not bode so well with Blackup. He kept on getting black bubbles, and his attempts to demolish them were all in vain. He was so upset, his screen nearly fumed.

"I know you feel bad that you lost," Mr. At consoled. "However, I think I have a few tips for you."

"I hope they're good," Blackup remarked more optimistically.

"I think you have to shoot faster, for one. From what I could see, that opponent was shooting faster than you. For two, you'll have to be more offensive. Instead of merely destroying bubbles, shoot them so that you make some fall off. Those structures tend to crumble if you destroy all the bubbles above them."

"I'll make sure to follow them," Blackup replied.

The next game, Blackup performed markedly better. Instead of being crushed by bubbles, he was crushing his opponent with bubbles. He ended up winning that one.

As Blackup started to leave, the Fungiloid held him back with a growl of "Ruuuu…"

"What, am I not supposed to?" Blackup cried before he retreated back for another game.

One victorious game for Blackup later, the purple Fungiloid growled, "Rawra rayr. Rawra horayro, rayray rawra ru harahu."

"At least that's done and over with," Blackup commented in relief.

"Yes, but we haven't reached our final goal," Mr. At replied. "All that just to find directions…"

They walked back to the other side of the tower as the purple Fungiloid resumed her post.

"I hope we'll find our creator soon," Mr. At said wistfully.

"I sure hope, too," Blackup commented, only part-sarcastically.

Your Vocabulary and Translation Guides

Kazean:

Quaid - The Kazean equivalent of a year

Yaquaid - The Kazean equivalent of a minute

Fungiloid:

Horo rawra? - "Who are you?"

Hruhru raw oroha ruhr rara rahr rohuhro rawra - "Mate and master told me to watch you"

Rawra horayro - "You may proceed"

Rawra rayr - "You win"

Rawra ror ruhur rara ar rawhor - "You must confront me to proceed"

Rayray rawra ru harahu - "But you won't like it"

Rayray roru ru rawhor - "But he can't"