Thread by @dramata1

The King of Fighters series is an old favorite of mine. I'm terrible at fighting games, though. What's the solution? Why, a King of Fighters visual novel, of course! Buckle up, team—This is going to be a pseudo-Let's Play for a hidden gem called the King of Fighters Kyo, for PS1.

Let's get into some background first. This game was one of several PS1 titles developed by Yumekobo as SNK spinoff games. Their other notable PS1 title was Athena: Awakening from the Ordinary Life, a 3D game with prerendered BGs, survival horror mechanics, & psychic powers.

I could do a whole other thread on this game, which I've played extensively, but that's a thread for another day. In any case, Yumekobo was part of SNK and got dissolved when SNK went bankrupt around 2000-ish.

The King of Fighters Kyo itself has artwork done by Masato Natsumoto, a professional mangaka with works under his belt like Lodoss Chronicles of the Heroic Knight and Gundam 0083 Rebellion (the one with Gato in a hawaiian shirt). He wrote 3 KOF Kyo manga covering KOF 96 events.

Those manga were released in 1995-1996. The PS1 game came out in 1998, plus a re-release on PSP in 2007 that I had no idea about until I looked it up just now. The PS1 game loosely covers the events of KOF '97. It has its own internal continuity and OCs which we'll be seeing.

When you start the game, an unskippable opening plays. Iori's venting his issues on Kyo as usual while Kyo tries vainly to reason with him. Three new faces watch with popcorn, and another lady watches the new faces in the mirror.

Then Kyo wakes up. He was dozing on the rooftop of his high school, where he spends all of his school hours. We're treated to a lovely pan shot as Kyo and his girlfriend Yuki reminisce about what a trainwreck KOF '96 was, then some weirdo shows up to challenge Kyo to a fight.

Combat's quirky. It's not real-time. You've got all the graphical assets of KOF '97, with a turn-based rock-paper-scissors system that involves speed, range, and meter management. All special moves use meter. SDMs (supers) are all animated, which is neat.

It would be really great in a modern PC or console game, but on the PS1, there's a lot of waiting around for moves to execute. It goes select -> fade out -> move executes -> fade out again, even if it's something as simple as a single punch. It's slightly clunky as a result.

I win the fight, but here's the thing. I don't have to! This game is very much a fail-forward kind of game where you continue on with the story after losing. That said, there's never a good reason to lose. You miss out on XP (there's a leveling system) and sometimes recruitables.

Shingo admits after the fight that he wants to train under Kyo. He begs Kyo to take him in as a pupil. Kyo's response options:

>You're a weirdo
>Buzz off!
>Zzz

None of these deter Shingo in the slightest and he goes PRETTY PLEASE? I relent and say yes, though I don't have to.

Well, school's out. Time to hit the road and... oh hello can I help you guys?

Meet the Sendos: Kyoji (blue hair), Junko (bandaged chest), and Shota (soul patch). They're a bosozoku gang, and they're also siblings. They make a minor cameo in a KOF 2002 UM background.

They come up and demand that Kyo hand over his invitation. "Sorry, I don't party with bosozoku." "Don't play dumb with us. You know what invitation we mean!"

I beat Kyoji. "You weren't playing dumb? We must've jumped the gun." They were apparently gunning for Kyo's KOF invite.

After that event, we get access to the world map. See that clock in the upper right? That tracks our time, and every location we visit increments it by 30 minutes. It goes up 1 full hour if we encounter any named character for any reason, even if they just tell us to scram.

The big issue with the timed free roam system is that they don't tell you anything. Unless somebody goes out of their way to spell it out to you, you have no indication of who will be where. It's comparable to Sakura Wars, except free roam lasts all day instead of 1 hour/chapter.

I got a guidebook and it turns out some encounters and events are probability-based, meaning I can't easily predict what to do, and there's no quick-save and quick-load button.

At 4 PM, there's an event at the arcade.

Shingo: Mr. Kusanagi, check it out!
Kyo: ...Yagami? The hell's he doing here?

Iori: You guys are free to do what you want. But if you stand in my way, you'll be two broken bodies for me to walk over.

Yamazaki: Why the hell are we goin' to all this trouble playin' nice when we could just beat the answer we want outta this guy?
Iori: Fool. If anyone here's going to cough up anything, blood or otherwise, it'll be you.

Iori's stopped short by a case of bloody vision and loud groaning.

Yashiro: I didn't need this today.
Yamazaki: Haw, are you kidding? This is just what I want. Where's the fun otherwise?
Kyo: Hey. If you pick a fight with this guy while he's berserk, you've got a death wish.

Yashiro grudgingly admits he doesn't want to cause a scene. Yamazaki snarls that Yashiro ain't the boss of him. Yashiro's response: "I'm not here to tie you down. You do what you want... If you want to keep disgracing yourself like him, that is." Yamazaki storms off, pissed.

Kyo asks Iori who those guys were. "Hell if I know." Shingo frets and asks if Iori's okay. Iori just looks flatly at Kyo, and Shingo introduces himself as Kyo's student, causing Kyo to walk out in embarrassment. End scene, time to go home.

Back at the Kusanagi household, Kyo's mother Shizu is there to inform him that his father is waiting for him in the dojo.

Kyo fills Saishu in on his encounter.

Saishu: Hmm... That's a thing, all right.
Kyo: Don't play dumb with me. You were waiting around for me because you had some idea what was going on, didn't you, Father Dearest?
Saishu: I think you'll find your answer in this envelope.

Kyo has a cordial invitation to KOF with an overview plus an interesting addendum: "In addition, this invitation confers the right to join the tournament to anyone who possesses it, not just the intended recipient."

Saishu thinks Kyo's been slacking off lately and demands a fight to prove that Kyo is in tournament shape. I oblige him. Afterward, he gives me his blessings: "Go on, now. Seek out worthy comrades to form the best team you can."

This brings us to teambuilding! Eventually, we're going to need a team to take part in KOF. If I want someone on my team, I have to meet a few requisites that vary by character. Some people have none and are freebies, like the Japan Team. Ol' Yamazaki here would be a tall order.

At the park, some nice boy wishes us luck in KOF.

Shingo: That was a nice show of support.
Kyo: How'd he even know I was gonna be in it?
Shingo: Maybe he just assumed you would be, since you were last year's champion?
Kyo: Nah, I doubt it. He had this look in his eye...

Back at home, Saishu has a favor to ask. He wants me to deliver something to Soji in Tokyo, which causes Kyo to do an immediate double-take. It's an envelope. Kyo takes umbrage at being a glorified courier, but Saishu assures him it's sensitive and needs to be hand-delivered.

The way the travel system in this game works, it takes 2.5 hours to get from any one map to any other map. It's 8 PM when this event wraps up, and Kyo goes to bed at 10 PM or later. I could go to Tokyo now, or I could squeeze in another quick event so I leave closer to 10.

Time to hit up Nampa Street, the place to be for guys looking to hit on chicks.

Shingo: You're not hitting on chicks when you've got Yuki, right?
Kyo: Swing and a miss. I'm not here for chicks.
Shingo: For dudes, then?!
Kyo: One dude in particular, really.

Benimaru: Hey, baby! I've got an extra ticket to this concert coming up. How'd you like to go?
Kyo: Hey, Benimaru. Been a while.
Benimaru: (ignoring me) Sorry if I came out of nowhere there. I was so absorbed by your shimmering eyes, I just spoke without thinking.
Kyo: Benimaru!

Benimaru: Dammit, Kyo! What do you want? I don't see you for a year, and then you barge in while I'm clearly busy?

>Since when have you been a scalper?
>Scouting models out here?
>Practicing a new technique?

Benimaru: Can't you tell when someone's hitting on a lady?

Kyo: I got a KOF invite.
Benimaru: ...!!
Kyo: I saw how you perked up. Even if you spend all your time hitting on chicks, you're still a fighter at heart.
Benimaru: Ooh, I think that lady's totally my type! Hey, girl!
Shingo: Maybe we should try again later...
Kyo: Good plan.

Shingo is curious who Soji is. Kyo explains it: Soji is his cousin and dojo senior, who used to train hard under Saishu until he just left the dojo one day with for no given reason. Now he's a regular employee and married man who lives in a house with his wife, kid, and sister.

At the station, they wonder what Saishu would want with him. Kyo makes a snide remark about how Saishu doesn't even seal the damn envelope and anyone could peek inside. We get the option of taking a peek or not, and of course I say yes. What could it hurt?

Oh.

Now that we're in Tokyo, I'll take a few quick detours, starting with the Shiranui manor.

Mai: Why hello there, Kyo! It's been a while. I'm impressed you knew where I lived.
Kyo: Talk about a fancy place. You've even got a traditional Japanese-style garden here.

Kyo asks if Mai got a KOF invite.

Mai: Maybe I did. If only I remembered where I put it... I'm pretty sure I didn't toss it in the trash...

Kyo questions if she even wants to go, and she admits she's not terribly up for it with Andy off visiting Terry in the US.

Kyo offers to let her on his team, and Mai replies that she's not feeling it right now, but feel free to drop by later since she could always change her mind.

Sure, fair enough. Now to visit the shrine and pay some respects.

Kyoji's not happy to see Kyo at the shrine. Kyo makes a quip about Kyoji praying to beat him, but Kyoji refuses to rise to his taunts. He says his prayers are nothing so trivial, he's not in the mood for a fight, and this is sacred ground.

Kyo: Never took you for a believer.

Now to deliver this weird picture.

Soji: Nice to see you, Kyo. Uncle Saishu called ahead and told me to expect you.
Kyo: He did?
Soji: I hear you've been slacking off nonstop lately.

Soji suggests a spar to knock Kyo out of the doldrums of complacency. I oblige him.

I level up in this fight!

There's a leveling system that only applies to Kyo. The more fights you win, the more those bars go up, but I have no idea what difference the levels actually make, since my Orochi Nagi does the same damage at all levels.

Kyo: If this was all about beating me back into shape, I guess we won't be needing this envelope anymore?
Soji: No, that's something very important to me. Sorry for the trouble.

On that note, we leave.

Kyo: Hey, Soji?
Soji: Yeah?
Kyo: Uh... On second thought, never mind.

Kyo figures asking Saishu might be a little more discreet. Who knew Kyo had an ounce of tact in his body? We decide to hit up the Shiranui manor one more time on the way out of town. Maybe Mai's changed her mind in the past 60 minutes, you never know.

Mai: I dug up the invitation! Am I good or what?
Kyo: Good job finding something you shouldn't have lost to start with. So, do you feel like going?
Mai: I'm too distracted to think about it right now. I've got a tea ceremony coming up.
Kyo: Talk about first-world problems.

Mai: I know! How'd you like to come? You could bring Yuki!
Kyo: Sure, I'm down. I could go for a full Japanese-style date with Yuki for a change.
Mai: By all means! I've got a celebrity guest coming, so I'll be wearing the Shiranui family treasure.

Now we've got a date lined up.

Here's our current roster standings. Mai is decidedly 😐.

I head back to Tokyo and visit Daimon at the college where he teaches judo.

>Long time no see
>You look bored
>Got a girlfriend yet?

Each remark gets a slightly different silent grimace.

Daimon appreciates the sentiment of the KOF invite, but he's no longer a wandering judoka. He's got an important job, guiding talented youth so that they can restore Japanese judo to its former glory. Kyo takes it in stride, and Daimon invites him to visit anytime.

So why'd Soji quit? "Because he got married and had a family. He chose to get a full-time job to secure a steady lifestyle for them." "Yeah, sure, now tell me the real reason."

Kyo thinks Saishu looks suspiciously pale. "Don't ask me, ask Soji." "Fine then, I will."

As an aside, some of you have brought to my attention that this game has a Spanish language patch. I took a look at the RHDN page for it, and the screenshots look gorgeous! I'd play it in a heartbeat if I could read Spanish.

Current agenda: Go back to Tokyo and visit Soji again. But once again let's save the 2.5 hour train ride for as late as possible. I hit up the club, where I find a new band who's apparently halfway decent, according to Shingo.

I visit Benimaru on Nampa Street a third time.

Kyo: (interrupting yet again) Hey, sorry about interrupting you before.
Benimaru: Well, sorry isn't good enough! I'm not letting you off today!

He wants a fight? Sure! I beat him up in two rounds.

"Good job, Kyo. Not sure if you can take HIM on, though."
"Him who?"
"Word has it all the local gangs and delinquents have been getting pounded into the dirt by one guy, someone named Yamazaki."
Benimaru thinks it has something to do with KOF coming up, and warns me to watch out.

Let's visit him again!

Kyo: Huh, thought you'd be hitting on more chicks.
Shingo: Um, is he okay?
Benimaru: Hitting on chicks? That's for babies. Real men love solitude.
Shingo: Do you think this sudden change means he's in love?
Kyo: He's never NOT in love.

We finally head to the station at 10 PM and run into Yuki and an old competitor.

Athena: Where are you going, Kyo?
Kyo: None of your business—
Shingo: Tokyo, to visit his cousin!
Kyo: Keep your mouth shut, Shingo!

Athena suggests a group trip, and I choose to take her up on it.

Athena and Yuki chat about how strong Kyo's cousin is supposed to be. Kyo asserts that he doesn't respect Soji because he's strong, but because he's a good man and respectable human being (at least moreso than Dad).

His dad used to give him a hard time for being a delinquent and getting in fights, but Soji was different. He would ask: "Does your fist hurt?" Because pain isn't reserved for the one getting beaten up. "When you feel that pain, that's when you'll be a real martial artist."

I visit Mai's place in Tokyo and get my first random Iori encounter. These happen from time to time.

Iori's trespassing and refuses to leave when asked. Mai asks if I can do something about this guy.

Long story short, I do something about it and win some points with Mai.

Soji takes the unannounced group visit in good humor. Athena remarks on how nice he is, unlike some people.

>You're like your master
>You're like Kensou
>Aww, shucks

Option 2 response: "There are some lines you just don't cross, okay?"

According to Soji, the Kusanagi bloodline's powers can give its bearers a twisted mentality over time.

Yuki: That sounds like the Orochi bloodline.
Kyo: Our bloodline isn't evil.
Soji: The times dictate what's good and what's evil.

Saishu overcame the same problem in his youth by retreating to the mountains and spending years with no human contact while training, but Soji was married, so he saw quitting as his only way out. He couldn't say if the same would happen to Kyo, though.

Let me talk about the randomness of events in this game. Only key events are predetermined. For other encounters with characters, there's a certain % chance of meeting then in a given area during a given timeframe. That Mai/Iori encounter had a low rate.

For non-main events, there's a chance after you visit an area that Iori will just pop up somewhere else and rough up somebody on your roster, causing you to lose points with that person. If you act fast/are in the same area, you can get there and fight Iori to get points again.

Acting fast isn't always an option, though—Good luck with that if Benimaru gets attacked in Osaka while you're off in Tokyo. It gets even sillier when you factor in Southtown, California, Mexico, Korea, and China. So Iori can tank your rating with anyone, anytime, at random.

When we visit Daimon again, he's rather upset. Turns out his class got attacked while he was at a meeting. "According to the testimony of the lesser injured ones, it was two men and one woman."

Kyo finds out they did it all to lure him out. Daimon, as you might imagine, is a grappler with devastating ~80% damage SDMs.

Kyo: Give it up. With moves like those, you guys wouldn't last 10 seconds in KOF.

The Sendos beg to differ and assure Kyo that they'll be back.

At Nampa St., we find what's driving Benimaru crazy. Shingo thinks she's gorgeous in a way that Yuki and Athena aren't, and Kyo concedes she's got a decent rack. Benimaru yells at both of us to lay off her.

She spots us and comes over. "Hey, handsome! You there in the school jacket, would you like to join me for some karaoke?" "I'd love to!" After seeing how pissed off Benimaru gets, Kyo thinks better of it and decides he should get while the getting's good.

But I go immediately back to finish the event anyway. The girl's into strong guys, and she really wants to see Benimaru and Kyo duke it out.

Kyo ignores the girl and helps Benimaru up. She gets mad, and he flatly shuts her down: "Benimaru's put his life on the line fighting with me before. No offense, but he matters way more to me than you."

Benimaru is contrite and offers to team up.

"Let me think about it."

I'm not entirely clear on how team selection works (I've never made it up to the tournament part of the game) so I chose the neutral response. Either way, I finished up Benimaru's event chain, and he's now unlocked as a recruitable.

Back home, Saishu asks Kyo if he'd quit martial arts or retreat to the mountains if he became an "oni". Kyo says hell no, he's in the prime of his youth and he's not gonna let anyone call him a wuss. Saishu tells him nobody chooses to be an oni, and to keep up his training.

I can't get any Athena encounters to proc, but I finally encounter Kensou. He somehow got it in his head that Athena's going to KOF with me. (spoilers I'm gonna try)

Athena—
>Depends on you
>Forgot about you
>Can't stand you

BTW option 1 immediately takes Kensou out of the teammate running. "Don't patronize me! I don't want your pity!"

2) Kensou: I could see it. Sometimes she forgets her own name.
Kyo: The Psycho Soldier Team's messed up.

3) "Athena and I are tight! You wouldn't understand! HAH."

Event 2: We find Benimaru giving Kensou some expert romantic advice at the park. He buys Kensou some meatbuns, but Kyo walks up and snatches them for himself. What a protagonist we have.

Event 3: Athena tries to clear it up, but Kensou isn't having it and demands a fight to avenge the loss of his meatbuns. I oblige him, and afterward he sees the error of his ways and offers to join up for KOF.

I hit up the park again and meet Athena. She takes issue with the implication that she's supposed to always be with Kensou, and when Kensou shows up to gripe about me chatting with her behind his back, she points out she is not his girlfriend. "Aww, no need to be shy about it!"

"Actually, Kyo's more my time than you."

>No surprise there
>Flattery will get you nowhere
>I don't appreciate being compared to Kensou

No response from any of these options, though.

Long story short, Athena proposes a date. If I choose "Date Athena" then Yuki shows up and Kyo quickly covers by saying he was gonna make it a double date. If I choose "Date Yuki" then Yuki shows up and they go on a date alone together.

Another visit to the park, and Athena proposes we throw together a band for a club performance.

Athena: But could we leave Kensou out of it? He can get so annoying.
Kensou: What's that?! A gig?! Hell yeah I'm in!

We head to the club to set up, but someone starts playing first. Oh... It's you.

Athena steps in before things get violent and proposes a battle of the bands to settle this dispute.

They literally play bite-sized versions of two image songs.

It's all very unskippable.

With that weird ending to the Athena event chain, now it's time to wrap up the Kensou event chain. Kensou proposes the four of us all go hang out at a pool together. It ends up with Kyo and Kensou arguing over who's cuter—Kyo insists it's Athena, and Kensou insists it's Yuki.

Meanwhile at home, Soji calls to ask if Kyo's seen Soji's sister Aoi anywhere. She hasn't come home. Aoi thinks Kyo's the reason that Soji quit martial arts, and Soji doesn't want Aoi finding out about her brother being an "oni".

Somehow this lead to a chase scene in the mountains. Aoi keeps up with Kyo's fancy motorcycle maneuvers and demands a fight. She's been learning some techniques she shouldn't be. Kyo says that'll destroy her, but she insists her trainer assured her she could master it.

The Sendos interrupt this intense family talk to demand a fight. It ends about as expected. "Sorry about that, Aoi. Now let's get you back to your brother... Oh, she ditched."

Yuki, Athena, and Soji find Kyo, and he fills Soji in on Aoi learning Orochi arts. Soji isn't as familiar with Osaka as Kyo, so the search falls to him. "Do you have any leads?" "Well, I know one guy I could ask about Orochi techniques."

After a bit of wandering, Kyo finds Iori in the middle of beating some random guy up.

"Calm down, I've just got some questions!"
"I want to hear something from you, too... Your dying breath!"

First, Iori's never heard of Aoi. Second, his arts are not something taught. Third, non-Orochi bloodline people using those arts gets them killed. "Yeah, and what do you care if someone dies, right?"

Iori: Hmph. I'm not so low that I'd take a young girl's life.
Kyo: Wow, you're a regular feminist.
Iori: Shut up! One more smart remark and I'll kill you.
Kyo: You were gonna kill me anyway, dude.

I head back home, only to find Yashiro and Yamazaki busting in uninvited. Kyo confronts them, and Yashiro realizes that our family really doesn't know whatever they're trying to find out. "Not another friggin' tactical retreat!" Saishu stops Kyo from giving chase when they leave.

What were they looking for, Saishu? "Something about 'ken' or 'jingi', I don't know." "Sounds like an old Yakuza movie to me." The word "Jingi" can be read as 仁義 (honor and humanity, ie, Battles without Honor and Humanity) or 神器 (sacred treasure).

After 4 mandatory hours of wandering, I find the Sendos in the hospital while looking for Aoi. They pick a fight, I beat them up, and on the way out, Kyo gets this strange feeling like he's being watched... "Nobody's here, Mr. Kusanagi." "Yeah, guess not. Let's go, Shingo."

At the shrine in Tokyo, something feels off. Oh, it's them.

Chizuru: I have nothing to discuss with you. Please leave.
Yashiro: I know it's here. Bring it out!

It goes without saying that we have to show them the door the hard way.

"There are ways to do this without the mirror. Retreat!"

They're looking for the Mirror of Yata. This is Kyo's first confirmation those two have Orochi blood. Kyo says it might be a good idea to team up, and Chizuru agrees. She also asks me to tell Iori to visit her.

Kyo goes home and grouses about how now he can't find Aoi OR Iori. Saiashu remarks on how the Kusanagi and Yagami families have been mortal enemies since a "blood pact" that happened 660 years ago. "To the Kusanagis, the Yagamis are anathema. Even moreso than Orochi."

When we find Iori and tell him to visit Kagura, the result is unsurprising: "You don't order me around!" Two Orochi Nagis later, Iori's slightly more ready to listen to reason, at least when Kyo brings up that it has to do with his Orochi blood.

Chizuru starts to talk about the past, and Iori starts to have an episode. Chizuru talks through it to try and bring him back to reality. Iori fights his way out of the episode and passes out hard. Kyo is bewildered that Iori's hatred is an ancestral grudge. "No, a blood grudge."

We check in with Mai. She didn't turn up any leads on Aoi, but she found some stuff about Kyo's ancestors while organizing the study. She thinks it's neat that Kyo's ancestors exterminated Yamata no Orochi. Kyo corrects her: It was the Orochi Hakkeshu they sealed.

One family later broke the seal, the Yasakani. There were three families involved: Kusanagi, Yasakani, and Yata. Well, if Yasakani became Yagami, then who's Yata? Mai can't believe we don't know the answer to that. It's Chizuru, of course.

Chizuru shows Kyo the Mirror of Yata, which gives him a vision of the spirits of his and others' ancestors. It's a lot of words and you guys have wikis to read up on backstory.

We've solved the mystery of why some Kusanagis become "oni"—Because the Kusanagi fist is there to seal Orochi, and those who forget that and pursue power alone leave themselves vulnerable to possession by Orochi. As long as you don't fall into that trap, you should be fine.

The game makes us spend a whole day looking vainly for Aoi before we get a Yuki event, taking her to a big fashion show.

"I'm impressed you got tickets." "Funny, that. I just found them left in my mailbox."

Shingo can't wait to go together!

"I only have 2 tickets." "Aww, man!"

"Pay attention, Kyo! It's the finale! Look, it's Shermie. She worked on the outfits for this show... Hey, is that her assistant in the wings? She looks so young."

Kyo realizes the Sendos have been sheltering Aoi. No wonder they've been giving him such a hard time finding her.

Kyo: If you don't step aside, you'll regret it later.
Kyoji: Why wait for later? Try making me regret it now!

Shingo shows up to the rescue and gets smacked down immediately. Fight time!

I get a new move, we'll see how that works out for us later.

Junko: Hey, Shermie! Nice show!
Shermie: Good job yourself, you helped my job go smoothly. You can get lost now.
Shota: Hey, how can you take that tone after all we've done?
Kyoji: Don't, Sho. She's an Orochi—
Shermie: Get. Lost.
Kyoji: S-Sorry, ma'am!

Kyo starts to confront Shermie about teaching Aoi, but Shermie brushes him off and asks to shake Yuki's hand. "It's definitely you..." Kyo interrupts to demand Aoi back, but Shermie leaves, and before Kyo can give chase, Yuki says we should get Shingo to the hospital quick.

I try to object and chase Shermie anyway, but Yuki says if we just leave him here he could die!

Shingo: Mr. Kusanagi... I was so happy to be your pupil... Good... bye...

Okay okay fine we'll take him to the hospital.

Kyo yells at Shingo for making a mountain out of a molehill, then they get interrupted when a boy in a wheelchair asks if he's Kyo Kusanagi, KOF champion. Kid's been hospitalized for 2 years and nothing energizes him more than seeing Kyo on TV. Kyo agrees to visit him again soon.

Visiting Keisuke:

"Brother Kyoji! Sister Junko! Look, it's the real Kyo Kusanagi!"
"Well, isn't that something?"
"There's someone I've definitely never seen before!"
"Yup, uh, what an honor this is!"

The Sendos tell him if he goes to rest they'll ask Kyo to keep visiting. "OK!"

The Sendos explain to Kyo that Keisuke used to be miserable and withdrawn in the hospital until he saw KOF on TV. Now they're trying to enter the tournament themselves to cheer him up. Their only lead on Shermie's whereabouts is that sometimes they go out motorcycling.

They tell Kyo to win KOF. "What, have you guys given up on it already? I think you winning would cheer your brother up the most." They're touched, then he adds, "Then again, I'd never give my invite to third-rate losers like you guys." That lights a fire in them again.

We go motorcycling and find Aoi in the mountains. Aoi's ready to confront Kyo, but Kyo explains that Soji no longer has a reason to quit, and that he might be back at the dojo already. An anticlimactic final confrontation, but we've mended our family bridges.

Soji isn't ready to go back immediately. This all happened because he hid the truth from Aoi, and he has some mental fortitude to build if he wants to be ready again. Aoi's oddly okay with this. "I've found someone I respect as much as Soji." "Is it Shermie?" "You're dense, Kyo."

We wrap the Japan arc up with an uneventful afternoon date with Yuki. Shingo mentions I got a message from Terry at some point. He wants to see me in person. What about? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I missed a few events and still have a tea ceremony date, but my next destination is America.

This is going to waste a whole day when I have nothing else to do in the area and three whole other arcs to play, but let's do the tea ceremony date. Yuki's never been to one before, but she brushed up the night before, so she can hold her own conversing with Mai.

Yuki compliments Mai on her beautiful hairpin. It's a Shiranui family heirloom and a memento of Mai's beloved mother. Oh, there's her celebrity guest now, there to study kimonos. "I know! You should stay the night! We've got hidden attics, secret rooms, and an empty dungeon."

Late that night, Chris picks out the hairpin. Shermie's skeptical that it's an Orochi seal. Chris says it can't hurt to try, given the Shiranui family's long history and Mai's own repeat appearances at KOF. Lucky for us, Kyo couldn't sleep in the dungeon. Busted!

Mai is insulted that they thought she wouldn't notice them eyeballing her hair ornament all day. Anyway, it's a fight. I'm pretty sure Mai's (non close-up) SDM animations are straight up reused footage from the Masami Obari Fatal Fury anime.

Kyo asks Mai about it afterward. Mai affirms that the Shiranui line of kunoichi have nothing to do with Orochi as far as she's aware. Kyo figures they must be in a real hurry if they're grasping at straws like this. At least after that lost day, Mai's ready to join our team.

Terry's message said he'd be in California, so off we go. Where in CA? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Look it's somewhere in CA. I'm sure I'll find him. After an 8:30 AM departure, we arrive at 10:30 AM. ALL transit times are 2 hours—Osaka and California are equidistant from Tokyo, apparently.

"Who's the guy with you? Your brother?" "Are you nuts?! If this guy was my brother, the Kusanagi Dojo would be finished!"

Shingo introduces himself. "Yeah, nice to meet you too, Yabuka." "...It's Yabuki, sir."

Terry and Kyo have a spar for the hell of it.

Terry's on his way to Southtown and offers to let Kyo tag along... after one quick stop on the way into town. Kyo offers to light an incense stick, but Terry says he won't find any around here, and to settle for leaving flowers. Someone's in front of the grave already.

Andy wants to show Terry the fruits of his training, but Kyo tells them both to lay off before they wake Buddha. Fine, he can show off at KOF instead.

They're going to Southtown to avenge their father. Shingo suggests dinner. "I'm down for that, Yabusame." "It's Yabuki, sir."

What do we go out for? Terry votes burgers at a diner. Andy wants natto spaghetti at an Italian place.

Kyo: Dude, this ain't Japan. Spaghetti I could buy, but there's no natto around here.
Andy: I was prepared for that. I brought freeze-dried natto with me from Japan.

Weirdo.

Natto spaghetti sounds grotesquely fascinating, so I side with Andy on this one. We head to a diner, but Terry ditches and Andy bemoans how childish his brother is. Fine, we'll go look for him. Check out this accurate representation of an American diner and its "nana chopee".

My Japanese-American friend tells me that natto spaghetti is actually quite good. I don't believe him.🤔

Anyway I have to wander Southtown and visit 5 locations to trigger the next event, so that's what I do.

I come across Hopper while wandering. He's got nothing to discuss and asks me politely to leave.

Yashiro, on the other hand, is in the middle of fighting Terry when we arrive, and he likes his chances against all of us.

The Masami Obari OVA animation art's really blatant here.

Andy tells Yashiro never to call us pests again. "Fine, I'll upgrade you to vermin in my book. You still need exterminating either way."

Yashiro apparently jumped Terry while he was eating. All they know for sure is that somebody doesn't like the boys being back in town.

Probably gonna resume this thread next week after clearing a few other obligations off my table. It's been a minute and I miss this game. There's going to be a key player choice very soon and I might leave that one up to a poll to decide.

We head downtown to find a room for the night. The area looks oddly deserted, but we run into Blue Mary there.
Terry: Are you snooping around again?
Mary: It's called an investigation! I wouldn't be in this rathole if I wasn't on the clock.

Kyo's dialogue options:
1) Sounds rough
2) At least you got work
3) What a hardworking old lady

Mary's response to 3: "Say that again, I dare you. You won't leave this city alive."

According to Mary, downtown Southtown is in the midst of a buyout bonanza. Somebody's buying out everything in sight, local renters be damned. Who? A pharmaceutical company that wants to set up shop with high-rises and research facilities.

What's worse, some local goons are coming around every day to make life hell for the locals, to motivate them to pack up and move out. So is Mary investigating some shady real estate deals? Not quite, but she says it's not entirely unrelated.

Naturally, Terry and Andy are ready to put a stop to this.

Mary: You're gonna be bodyguards? You're a regular sap.
Terry: Something wrong with that?
Mary: Not at all. If anything, it's very you.

"You can tell the locals they can rest easy now, Kabuki."

"...It's Yabuki, sir."

Terry and Andy know Kyo's traveling to round up a team for KOF, so they're not going to drag him into this. I tag along anyway because why not?

Shingo: It's them!
Terry: Good work, uh... Haguki.
Shingo: YABUKI!

Turns out the local goon is someone we know, though.

Andy immediately connects the dots. If Billy Kane's involved, Geese can't be far behind him.

Terry: Hah, since when has Geese been a real estate errand boy?
Billy: You shut your mouth! This is Geese's perfectly noble business endeavor!

Billy: Get outta here. You're just sons of that loser Jeff Bogard.
Terry: Andy, did he just bring Dad into this?
Andy: He sure did. I'm not gonna let that slide.

This brings us to a choice that affects our roster.

A: Side with the Bogards
B: Side with Billy
C: Side with neither

Whose good side do we want to get on for KOF? Terry and Andy, Billy and Geese, or option C, the mystery box?

I'll check in on this poll and play some more tomorrow!

Man. I was not expecting a tie! Fine, I'll just run all three outcomes and then pick one.

PATH 1: "Terry! Andy! I got this!"

Kyo "graciously" spares Billy's life. "After all, I wouldn't wanna be a 'loser' like you."

Mary demands to know where Geese is. She's got a federal warrant for his arrest, and for Billy too if he covers him. Billy says she's welcome to try.

I get a choice and pick the option to help Mary arrest Billy, but before we can, Ripper and Hopper show up to cover Billy's escape.

Kyo wants to know who wants Geese arrested. Mary says there's a client involved, but they're only a go-between, and someone big's pushing for this.

Mary's got a tip for us as a token of her gratitude. She says she's gotten word that Geese has joined forces with Orochi. First a pharmaceutical company, now this? What the hell is he up to?

That's path 1 done.

PATH 2:

Kyo: Well, two on one ain't exactly fair. I'm with you, Billy.
Billy: Dang, what's gotten into you?
Terry: What the hell, dude?!
Andy: Are you turning on us?
Kyo: Nothing personal. I'm interested in Geese's influence.

Billy "graciously" spares Terry and Andy's life, because Geese is such a gentleman. They'd better be grateful. Kyo asks Billy to take him to visit Geese. Then Mary shows up like before, except this time since I'm on Billy's side, it's a fight.

I try losing on purpose to see what happens.

Billy: Where are you taking me?
Mary: A nice place with air conditioning and three meals a day, if you don't mind the iron bars.

Ripper and Hopper show up again, and Billy bails out, ditching Kyo with the conversation shown below.

If I win:

Kyo: Sorry, I stop violence where I see it. That's what martial artists do.
Billy: Nice work there. Later!
Kyo: Hey, I thought we were a team?
Billy: You can drop the bad acting now. You're not gonna sweet-talk me into leading you to Geese.
Kyo: Tch, he's onto me.

PATH 3:

Kyo: This is between you guys. I'm staying out of this.
Terry: Yeah, this one's ours.
Andy: We'll send him a message, loud and clear.

Suddenly, the music changes. Oh hello there.

Mr. Big wants to talk. He tells me to come to a warehouse on the outskirts of town. Sure??

Mr. Big wants Kyo to help him bring Geese down. He doesn't like Geese doing business land deals around here when he knows damn well that Mr. Big runs this town.

If I say no:

Billy shows up, demanding to know what Mr. Big is doing in a warehouse owned by Geese. "Waiting for you, of course. Tell Geese to get out of town, or I will crush him."

Mr. Big: You don't get free rein. Here in Southtown, I'm the law!
Billy: If you're that obsessed with a dump like this, sounds to me like you're pretty small time.

Mr. Big tells Kyo to locate Geese, and gives him the tip about Geese being in league with Orochi.

If I say yes:

Kyo: Fine, but I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for all the locals he's running out of town.
Mr. Big: Sure, whatever helps you sleep better at night.

The scene with Billy plays out the same, with the same fight.

Mr. Big is sure that Geese is lurking somewhere in Southtown, but not even his informant network can turn up any leads.

Kyo says he'll check in with the Bogards. He thinks that if Billy's in town, a showdown can't possibly be that far off.

Mr. Big: By the way, Kyo Kusanagi. I hear you're putting together a KOF team. I'll be there of course, but if you need a teammate, I'd be willing to consider it.

Kyo: Hmph. Is this your idea of sweetening the deal if I let you use me?

Mr. Big: You catch on quick.

Since it was a toss-up between the Bogards and Mr. Big, I'm making the executive decision to stay with option 3 because Mr. Big doesn't eat natto spaghetti. Moving on shortly.

Time for a planning meeting. We want to locate Geese.

Kyo: ...
Terry: ...
Andy: ...
Shingo: Why'd you all go quiet?
Mary: Because they're not used to using their noggins.
Terry: Well, excuse me!
Kyo: Mary's got a point. We're more doers than thinkers.

We agree to split up and search Southtown the old-fashioned way, but before we do, Mary stops Kyo to ask him to fly to California. She wants us to visit King's bar, where her partner is doing some legwork. "I thought you worked alone?" "I'm making a special exception."

I drop by King's bar, but...

"Strange, I don't remember the town being so polluted. Wait a minute... Is that blood? It's all over the place. What's going on?"

Kyo remarks on how empty the bar is, then tells King he's just here looking for whoever Mary's shady partner is. "Her partner's been waiting for days, actually."

1) Are they invisible?
2) Oh, they're in the bathroom
3) Come on out and stop hiding

King's responses:

1) The only thing invisible around here is your brain cells.
2) You're welcome to go look. And preferably just stay in there.
3) Who are you expecting to come out? Because no one will.

Turns out King is the shady partner in question. Kyo's surprised at how much King's mellowed out. "I'm making a special exception." The reason? Because this is a serious problem that concerns her, her customers, and most importantly of all, her kid brother Jean.

Kyo: Is the bar underwater on its debts? You could just take on a second job and—
King: No, you moron!

The problem is a strange disease that's been going around the area lately.

Kyo: Can't you just let the doctors handle this?
King: The doctors are the problem.

A local state hospital is working with a pharmaceutical company to research this rare disease. The one setting up shop in Southtown.

Kyo's catching on. If Geese is involved, something is afoot.

We head back to Southtown to nab Geese, but it's a big place, so time for a mandatory search of every spot. We run into Ripper and Hopper, but before we get into a fight, Terry says we wouldn't want to make too much of a scene, saving the game from having to give R&H sprites.

Oddly enough, we keep running into R&H in multiple spots. And they're not exactly stopping us on our search, either. Kinda weird, if you think about it. But we come up dry in Southtown and decide to seek out Blue Mary for some intel. That's an entire day gone.

We head back to California, where I hit up the hospital and find Clark there on security duty. He doesn't have time for a chat and asks us to leave.

Mary doesn't have any new leads, either. Kyo suggests we call off the manhunt and lie low and see what Geese does, but Terry and Andy are in sunk cost fallacy mode—If they stop now, all their hard work would be wasted. So they split off.

Kyo: "Fine, whatever. Later, boneheads."

At the airport, Shingo remarks Geese might not even be in America at all.

Kyo: Wait a minute... I haven't been to Mexico yet.
Shingo: Do you really think he'd be in Mexico?
Kyo: I dunno, you got any better ideas?

On that... logic, we head off to some city in Mexico. There are four locations here: The airport, a cafe, the Sakazaki Dojo, and a branch dojo.

I hit up the Sakazaki Dojo, where Takuma would love to catch up, but he's a little preoccupied. Some students have come down with a strange disease. No physical symptoms, just sudden outbursts where the patients are overcome with an urge to destroy all humans.

Sounds to Kyo like an Orochi riot. They've got their hands full keeping their students restrained. They ask Kyo if he knows a good hospital that can treat this, and he says yes, but—and before he can finish the sentence, Ryo and Takuma are gearing up to move the students.

There's also an optional event before this at the branch dojo where you can run into Yuri. She wants input on what to wear for paying King a visit in Cali. She's teaming up with King for KOF this year because she's sick of her brother and dad giving her a hard time.

Enough tiptoeing around, it's time to visit that shady hospital. Ralf stops me and says it's off-limits, then he and Clark recognize me. Kyo's surprised Ralf and Clark even go to hospitals, but they say it's not them here for treatment.

Clark warns Ralf that's internally classified info, but Ralf figures Kyo would be a safer bet to talk to than the doctors. Clark says he'll discuss it with their instructor. Heidern's here? Geez, it must be bad. (You can run into him on the beach earlier, I just didn't.)

Leona's been hospitalized, as it turns out.

Kyo: Why? Did she get injured on the field?
Ralf: No, she went berserk.

For some reason that ends the conversation and puts me back on the map.

I head back to the hospital and find King and Mary there this time.

1) Did you come down with something?
2) Did you eat too much?
3) Got some menopause problems?

1) M: Nice try, but I'm not that weak. K: Working women are tough.
2) M: Maybe a little. How'd you know? K: We're not here for stomach medicine.
3) M: I will bust your ass to the station so fast— K: Save it for after the tournament. I want to kick his ass in it first.

Mary was hoping to turn up more leads from the Orochi end by tailing Yashiro and Yamazaki, and she hit paydirt. They've been secretly visiting this very hospital. But if we want to confirm the Orochi-Geese connection, we'll have to sneak into this hospital. Kyo agrees to help.

Now I'm stuck wandering until 10 PM. I can't leave town, and I can't trip any character-centric event chains while this chapter is still ongoing. At least I got to meet Heidern. I also manage to intercept a random Iori attack on Ralf while I'm wandering.

King thinks hospitals are kinda spooky at night.

Kyo: Surprised to hear that from you, King.
King: Why's that?

1) Thought you were fearless.
2) Didn't know you had a cute side.
3) I'm kinda spooked, myself.

1) K: Yeah, when it comes to things you can beat and they go down.
2) K: Knock it off with the wisecracks. I'm too old for this shit.
3) K: And you call yourself a man? Pathetic. At least you're honest, I guess.

We run into the Sendos. Kyo accuses them of hounding him, but Junko says they're working part-time security. Either way, fight time. King are you okay...?

Shota's worried they're gonna get fired if the boss finds out they lost. They decide to ditch. We make it into the data room and check the patients' clinical records. Mary thinks the password is one of six options and asks Kyo to pick one. Infosec at its finest!

Each wrong choice adds 15 minutes to the timer, which my husband says is proof that Mary is a hunt-and-pecker. I can't argue with the evidence. Sadly, none of the options has a funny response.

Orochi gets us in. I'll pretend Mary did the hacker voice.

King: Hey, you were useful for once.
Kyo: Is that a compliment or an insult?

Mary uncovers something shocking—All of the patients have been given experimental drugs from that one pharmaceutical company.

More to the point, the ONLY people showing symptoms are the ones who have had the treatment. They'll have to get the truth directly from the pharmaceutical company now. Kyo thinks they might find Geese there. We get the option of tipping off Terry and Andy. Of course I say yes.

Terry and Andy show up and apologize for badmouthing me before. They're thankful and ready to team up again and storm the building together.

1) Cut it out, you're weirding me out.
2) Don't bother thanking me.
3) You can call me master from now on.

1) T: Feels weird for me too, honestly. A: Yeah, he doesn't thank people that much.
2) T: Okay, then I won't. A: Uh, brother, that's when you're supposed to double down on thanking them.
3) Terry: Don't push your luck. We don't respect you THAT much— A: It was a joke, brother.

It's oddly quiet inside.

Andy: There's no sign of any people around.
Kyo: There's signs of monsters, though.
Yamazaki: Who're you callin' a monster? Might as well call me a goddamn devil!

They say Geese is the one plotting. They're just here to capitalize by spreading that drug to the public.

Yam: If everybody gets that disease, it'll be heaven on earth for us!
Kyo: The hell does that mean?
Yas: You'll find out eventually...
Yam: If you make it past us alive!

Yashiro's Jet Counter has really annoying range and attack priority. Terry's supers, on the other hand, are great for spacing and keeping Yamazaki out of range.

Andy: That's what you get for standing in the way of our anger. NOBODY stops us from this!
Terry: Where's Geese? There's nothing in it for you to cover for that guy!
Yashiro: Yeah, no shit. He's on the penthouse floor VIP room. Go get him.

Yamazaki: We've done what we set out to do, anyway. He's served his purpose.
Kyo: Wait, what does that mean?!
Terry: Stop dragging your feet, Kyo!
Andy: We need to hurry!
Kyo: Tch, those brothers need to learn some damn patience.

Geese: Heh. I've been waiting for you, Kyo Kusanagi. And for the sons of the late Jeff Bogard.

A&T take umbrage with him saying that name. Kyo points out Geese is cornered on the ropes by guys out for vengeance.

Geese remarks on how he has no idea what Yashiro and Yamazaki are up to, and how they were useless even as guard dogs.

Geese: You may have had your vengeance against me as I was before, but what about now? Consider what would happen if you encountered Orochi's power.

Kyo calls him out.

K: You should know damn well what happens to non-Orochi bloodline people who use Orochi's power. Do you want to end up like Rugal?

G: Easy there. I never said I claimed Orochi's power. I've claimed a power equal to—no, greater than Orochi's!

Geese was intrigued by the incredible might of the Orochi blood riot in the last KOF, so he bought up a pharmaceutical company and studied those of Orochi blood from a medical standpoint.

K: You mean the people getting injected were just part of some experiment?!
Geese: Heh. They should consider themselves lucky to have played a part in giving me power to rival that of Orochi.
K: That's sick.
T: It's inexcusable.
Andy: You call yourself human?!
Geese: No, not now.

I can't get Geese or Billy to do their supers. Otherwise it plays out pretty normally.

Geese: Stop! Don't look down at me like I'm some kind of loser!
Terry: Tch, that's it? So much for all your drugs.
Geese: That was just feeling you out. Always save the ace up your sleeve for last.

They make me do the same fight again. ???

Kyo: There's a big historic difference between some random drug and the Kusanagi style.

Geese: No, this is impossible! My drug was... wait... YOU?!

(flash to white)

Geese: AAAGH!

Geese: Hmph. A mere body double thinks he can take my place? Not to mention relying on Orochi's power and drugs... What an embarrassment.

Billy: I've been waiting for you, Mr. Geese!

Geese: Good work keeping an eye on the double. Looks like he never caught on.

Billy: Or the agent that you hired. Bloody 'ell.

Turns out the client that hired Mary was Geese himself.

G: That sorry double died without ever knowing he was dancing on my strings all along.

K: Well, I can count three people here NOT dancing on your strings.

Terry: Hey, Andy! He came out to see us!
Andy: Yeah. It would only be polite to kick his ass.
Geese: Posture all you like. I have better things to do than fight a battle I know I'd win.
Terry: You're not getting away!

*GLASSES SHATTERING NOISE*
Screen goes black.

Terry: That's crazy!
Andy: This is the top floor!

Geese: Hahaha! Keep dancing! After all, I never get tired of your goofy dance routine! HAAHAHAHA!

Terry: GEEESE!!

Well, that case is closed. Now that the pharmaceutical company's scheme has gone up in smoke, the buyout spree in Southtown is sure to follow. It burns missing out on beating Geese after coming so close, but they're ready to refocus on helping others instead of vengeance.

Kyo and Shingo take their leave. See you at the tournament, guys.

Shingo: Take care of yourselves, guys!
Terry: You too, Yabusoba!
Shingo: YABUKI!

So ends the America arc. This is as far as I've ever gotten in the game, so the rest will be new to me. I'll probably do some character events next time since we're between arcs at a good stopping point. See you guys whenever I get back to this again!

It's been almost 5 months, and I've wrapped up some projects, so it's time to dust off the strategy guide that's been sitting on my desk and get back to it.

POST-AMERICA ARC WRAPUP:

Here's my current standings. I think the 😄 faces are people who are willing to team up with me as it stands. The 😡 people, not so much. I'm not sure why Athena's 😐 with me, since I did her whole event chain in Osaka... Oh well, time for some visits.

It's 10 AM and I'm currently in Southtown after wrapping up plot business. There's a Billy sub-event here, but only if I sided with him earlier. But I do randomly stumble across Iori and Billy, who ditches me to fight Iori alone. Billy points up!

I finally trigger the Mr. Big sub-event at the warehouse. He's going on patrol and offers to let me tag along. He wants me to see what goes on in the seedy underbelly of the city if I'm teaming up with him.

Visiting the graveyard:
Mr. Big: This is where traitors go. If you wanna hide leaves, put 'em in a forest. If you wanna hide bodies, put 'em in a graveyard. Take care you don't get buried here, too.
Kyo: ...Knock it off.

Visiting the slums:
Mr. Big: Watch out for pickpockets, purse-snatchers, and muggers.
Shingo: It's dangerous here, huh?
Mr. Big: It's not so bad. You can find stolen goods at the black market on Sundays.
Kyo: Yeah, and you'd have to pay to get 'em back.

Visiting the commercial district:
Mr. Big: This is the busiest part of town, especially for businesses. The bank over there helps me with money-laundering.

Visiting the park:
Mr. Big: It looks peaceful enough, but there's some real dangerous stuff that goes down here. Stuff even I shouldn't talk about.
Shingo: I wonder what that's about.
Kyo: Can't even imagine.

Visiting downtown:
Mr. Big: Lots of locals doing work here. Counterfeiting, passport forgery, bootleg merch, fake IDs, you name it. They do good work with quick turnaround time. Say the word if you need anything.

Visiting the airport:
Mr. Big: A lot of smuggling goes on here.
Shingo: And only a little ever gets caught, huh.
Mr. Big: Sometimes Customs guys stick goods in tourists' luggage and then shake them down for bribes. Watch out for that.
Kyo: Thanks for the tip.

Visiting the warehouse:
Mr. Big: This used to be Geese's, but now it's mine.
Shingo: There's a lot of stuff in here.
Mr. Big: People leave goods here and pay storage fees for it. You don't wanna know what's in most of these boxes.
Kyo: We'd better not stick around long, then.

The Mr. Big event wraps up abruptly with a two-line exchange.

Mr. Big: So, what do you think now?
Kyo: I think that put a sour taste in my mouth.

The Mr. Big patrol took up most of the day, so I decide to kill more time in Southtown. I luck out and hit a scene in the park where Terry's playing B-ball with some local boys. Kyo yells at him not to play so hard against kids.

Shingo thinks we should visit Yuki back home, but I've got more people to visit stateside first. I fly over to California and visit the now certified Orochi-free* hospital where Leona's staying.

*for the next 3 minutes

Heidern is welcoming of the visit. Kyo apologizes for not bringing any gifts.

Shingo: What can we bring you? Flowers? Fruit? Cake?
Leona: ...
Heidern: She can't hear you. She's basically catatonic.

According to Heidern, it happened when Leona was out with Ralf and Clark on an anti-guerrilla sweep operation. She split off at one point and something happened while she was working alone.

By the time Ralf and Clark found her again, she was going berserk. They couldn't do anything to stop it, and when it finally abated, her mind was closed off completely.

Now she's hospitalized for observation for lack of any clear medical diagnosis or solutions.

Heidern: One thing, though. I don't know if it's related, but she seems to be absolutely terror-stricken by children, specifically a young boy here.
Kyo: ...A young boy?

Chris: Come, awaken.
Leona: ...
Chris: Remember the urges you felt before. The anger, the hatred, the sorrow.
Leona: Papa... Mama...
Chris: That's it. Remember who killed your mama and papa.
Leona: Ah... AAAHHH!

Kyo: Hey! Leona! What's wrong?!
Chris: Heh, there it is.
Kyo: Did you do that to her?!
Leona: ...e... nemy...
Chris: That's right. You have to destroy enemies, like you did back then.
Kyo: Stop, Leona! I'm not here to fight you!
Leona: Kill... enemy.
Kyo: LEONA!

Losing this fight gives me a more interesting outcome than winning it does, so Kyo jobs out.

Leona: Why... am I... Papa... Mama... Goenitz... Enemy... defeat... kill.
Kyo: Snap out of it, Leona!
Chris: Hey, Leona? Let's make that guy disappear.
Leona: E... nemy... ki... ll...
Kyo: Leona!
*door click*
Chizuru: That will be quite enough of that.

Leona passes out.
Chizuru: Her mind can't take any more punishment. You people wouldn't want anything happening to her, right?
Chris: There's no stopping it now, you know. You can stop the body from rioting, but you'll never stop the Orochi Blood Riot.

Chris races out, leaving a very confused Shingo in the hall.

Shingo: Mr. Kusanagi? Why did a boy just run out of the room at like 60 kilometers an hour?
Kyo: Tch. Little punk knows how to run.

Figuring Kyo could use a drink after that, I stop by King's bar.

King: Huh, if it isn't Kyo.

1) Nice place you got here
2) Did your bar in England go under?
3) You're gonna encourage barfights, aren't you?

1) King: Thanks, but flattery doesn't lower your tab.
Kyo: Tch, worth a shot.

2) King: It's thriving, if you must know. But it's getting renovated. It gets damaged by rowdy patrons.
Kyo: This, from Queen Rowdy herself.

3) King: I'd be happy to, when you're here.
Kyo: I'll pass.

King's California bar is a branch bar. She says she's here to help train the management. Her kid brother Jean disagrees and reminds her that she's supposed to be here on vacation.

Kyo: Taking a sibling vacation, huh?
Jean: Heheh, bet you're jealous!

King got her KOF invite, but this year Jean's recovered from his injuries.

Kyo: It was rough having him hospitalized during last year's tournament, huh.
King: I'd like to at least spend this vacation with him.
Kyo: Okay, sorry to bother you. Hit me up if you change your mind.

Kyo checks his watch. Well, it's been 5 minutes. Let's go back to the bar and see if King's changed her mind.

She's got more pressing concerns, though. She got a call that Jean injured a tourist boy and went missing. She was about to go looking for him. We'll help.

We find Jean hiding out at the local arcade. Turns out he was intervening to stop a group of tourists from harassing a hotel bellhop. He's not sure that what he did was right.

1) Scold him
2) Encourage him
3) Console him

1) Kyo: You think that makes it okay to hurt people? It's not.
Jean: Don't you and my sis beat people up in the tournament? Is my sister bad?
Kyo: You've got a point, but—hey, wait!

3) Kyo: Easy there. King's worried about you. Let's go back.
Jean: She is not! She cares more about the tournament than me.
Kyo: That's not true. King cares a lot about you—
Jean: You're lying! You came to invite her to your team! I wish you'd never shown up!
Kyo: Well—Hey, wait!

3) Kyo: You're a good boy! You did that right thing. Go back and be proud of it!
Jean: But he got injured. I've been hospitalized before, I know what that's like. I... I injured someone. No one knows how I feel!
Kyo: He was a punk picking on soft targets. He deserved to get hurt.

Jean: Is it okay to beat someone up if they're bad? I've seen you and my sister fighting. I've grown up knowing that might makes right, but... but... If that's the right thing to do, then I don't WANNA be right!
Kyo: Well, I mean... Hey! Wait!

Undeterred, we go back and find him again. He digs in his heels, and Kyo is about to give up and walk off.

Jean: ...Wait. Is he hurt bad?
Kyo: Nah, it's just a scratch.
Jean: That's... That's good.

Kyo gives Jean a speech like the one Soji gave him—When you throw a punch, your fist hurts too, and you shouldn't fight unless you're ready to deal with pain. King deals with that every time she fights, and she definitely doesn't believe might makes right. Jean goes home.

Next time we visit King, she's closed the bar and she's cooking Jean his favorite meal, oxtail stew. Kyo notices 3 empty red wine bottles and figures the meat must taste great.
Jean: Actually, she drank all of those.
King: JEAN.
Shingo: Mr. Kusanagi...
Kyo: Yeah. I heard nothing.

That event chain filled time nicely. Now I can visit Leona again in the hospital.

Heidern: I heard things got ugly in here. Thanks for protecting Leona.
Shingo: Oh, I'm sure anyone would've done the same, sir.
Kyo: You didn't do anything!

Heidern: Actually, I have a favor to ask.
Kyo: Whoa, easy there, let's not go crazy. You never ask favors. Just make it an order.
Heidern: I'd rather not, but if you insist.
Kyo: Lay it on me.

Heidern wants me to look after Leona for him. He can't stay around forever, and even if he could, it's not a problem a soldier can solve.

Kyo: You're her guardian. It's gonna be lonely without her, huh?
Heidern: Soldiers have no such emotion.

Heidern says he'll send Ralf and Clark along later. He adds that he's been ready for this turn of events ever since the day that Goenitz released Leona's Orochi blood when she was a child.

The scene shifts to the beach, where Leona seems lucid enough. She thanks Kyo for bringing her out. He's glad she got well enough to get permission. The beach is soothing to Leona—Heidern used to take her to beaches on shore leave when she was a child.

Back at King's bar, she's got a new set of customers celebrating Leona's recovery and discharge from the hospital. Leona's still giving curt, one-word responses to everything Kyo or her teammates say, but that's normal for her. The Ikari Team is assigned to KOF duty again.

I go back to King's bar for the fifth time today.

Kyo: Why's the manager sitting at the bar counter?
King: Excuse me for having a quiet bar.

(I love typing out the banter options for King. The banter options for Leona all just get met with "...")

1) Kyo: Is the seat next to you taken?
King: See for yourself. Have a seat.

2) Kyo: Bar seats are more expensive, you know.
King: This isn't a sushi bar, silly.

3) Kyo: If you're not in the mood, I can leave.
King: Oh, just grab a seat next to me already.

King heard Jean was convinced that might makes right, and she blames herself for setting a bad example by fighting in KOF. She's not going to back out, though. She thinks Jean's come to understand what she does better, thanks in no small part to Kyo.

King: Thanks, Kyo.
Kyo: Don't strain yourself thanking me.
King: Fine, talk is cheap. I can thank you with my body.
Kyo: WHOA. Geez, King!
King: Hey, don't get the wrong idea, idiot! I'm offering to team up with you for KOF!

1) Kyo: Now I'm disappointed.
King: Ugh. Men.

2) Kyo: That's just what I wanted to hear.
King: Well, you heard it.

3) Kyo: You scared me there.
King: What's that supposed to mean?!

As Kyo and King reminisce about sibling bonds, an unexpected guest walks in and interrupts them. Kyo asks what a shrine maiden's doing in a bar, predicting earthquakes? Chizuru asks King for a shaken cocktail with gin, rum, and vodka... An Earthquake.

It's now 8 PM, which means the day will roll over if I fly out, so...
What's shaking in King's bar for my sixth visit of the day?

Iori: I knew I'd find you here, Chizuru Kagura.
Chizuru: A visit from you is a rare grace indeed, Yagami.
Kyo: The hell do you want, Yagami?

King: Boy, I get Chizuru, Kyo, AND Iori, and all without a lucky cat statue.
Iori: Kyo, you won't stand in my way this time. Stay down for a while!
Kyo: How about you stay down forever?!
King: Ugh, bar fights everywhere I go.

Winning or losing doesn't change the outcome.

Chizuru: You wanted to find me for something, yes?
Iori: Yeah. Got a question for you.
Chizuru: I'll answer if I can do so definitively.
Iori: What the hell is the Orochi Blood Riot?
Chizuru: If I knew the answer to that, things would be much easier for both of us, I imagine.

Iori: Getting ultimate power and losing yourself. A physiological response I can only call useless. All that, and it's practically forcing a berserk state where you have to fight...
Chizuru: I'm sure it's not easy. You have my sympathies.

Iori: I knew it. There's a way to control the Blood Riot, isn't there?
King: Wait, what?
Kyo: Is there, Kagura?!
Chizuru: ...
Iori: I'm not hearing a denial. Now I know! Hmhmhm... Hahaha... HAAAHAHAHAHA!!

The day's over, so it's time to fly home to the main plot.

After one day in Southtown following Mr. Big around and one day in California dealing with King's entire subplot and most of Leona's subplot, this is how my standings are looking.

I'll never get over Ralf's picture.

Bump for the not-up-at-3-AM crew. I'm done with side events for now, so I'll hit the ground running on the main story sometime soon. Probably.

I fly back to Japan. For some reason I can only fly to Tokyo, not Osaka. I drop by the shrine, where Chizuru is busy helping with a wedding ceremony.

1) Kyo: Sounds rough. Hang in there.
Chizuru: You have it rough enough assembling your team.

2) Kyo: You're rockin' that shrine maiden getup.
Chizuru: I should hope so. This is my day job.

3) Kyo: But I came to see you.
Chizuru: Next time, check a calendar first. I'm free on Butsumetsu days.

(See here for Butsumetsu info en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_…)

Shingo begs Kyo to give him some training, so Kyo tells him to try an Oniyaki.

"Huh, that's funny, no fire. I know I emulated the form perfectly. Don't worry, I'll get it next time!"

Kyo's hungry, so his new training: "Get me yakisoba bread and milk. You've got 3 minutes."

Yuki drops by and starts to ask Kyo if he wants to go out somewhere, but Shingo interrupts.
Shingo: *huff huff* I made it! 3 minutes flat!
Yuki: What?! The nearest seller is 10 minutes from here!

Takehito Koyasu's voice acting really steals the show in this whole voiced segment.

Yuki gave up on asking Kyo out while he was training Shingo, but when we find her at the park, she's ready to give it another shot.

1) Kyo: How about a horror movie?
Yuki: I'd really rather see an action movie...

2) Kyo: Wanna hit up a hot spring?
Yuki: ...Are you turning old?

Yuki's fine with whatever Kyo wants to do, though.

Kyo: So, meet up at the usual park?
Yuki: Sure! I'll be waiting for you, okay, Kyo?

Yuki casually drops a quote from the KOF 97 main ending. That's probably not foreshadowing or anything.

Kyo oversleeps for the date. When the Sendos show up to pick a fight, it ruins any chance Kyo has of rushing and making it to the park on time. He shows up 30 minutes late, and Yuki's not there.

Kyo: Strange. I've shown up like an hour late before. Yuki usually just says "You're late, Kyo," I say sorry, and we call it good.

Shingo is aghast at Kyo's complete lack of respect for his girlfriend.

At school:
Athena: Late again, Kyo?
Kensou: At least he's showing up at all.

1) Kyo: Mind your own business!
Athena: If I did that, you'd never come to school.
Kensou: Yeah, I'm with her on that one.

2) Kyo: Lookin' good as usual, Athena.
Athena: Flattery won't get you a tardy slip, mister.
Kensou: 'Sides, it's not flattery if it's true.

3) Kyo: I see you two are as friendly as ever.
Athena: ...
Kensou: Why'd you go quiet?

Athena's worried about Yuki. She didn't show up at school today. She thinks I owe Yuki an apology for flaking out on the date and hurting her feelings.

1) Kyo: You're so nice, Athena.
Athena: I'm just one girl looking out for another.

2) Kyo: You kinda have a point...
Athena: Wow, Kyo admitting when he's wrong? What's next?

3) Kyo: You're way too invested in this.
Athena: No, it's you who's not invested enough!

At the Kusanagi dojo, Kyo's mom Shizu got a call from Yuki's family. She hasn't been home. Kyo assumes she's staying with a friend or taking a trip or something. He finally grudgingly agrees to go looking for her after Saishu gets on his case.

I head to the Shiranui manor, where I find Mai doing some cleaning.
Mai: Oh, hi there, Kyo. What brings you here?

1) Kyo: I came to see you.
Mai: That would be very flattering... if it were true.

2) Kyo: I was just in the neighborhood.
Mai: In Tokyo? When you live in Osaka?

3) Kyo: I'm sorry, who are you?
Mai: Oh, come on. Do you need me to refresh your memory the hard way?

When Kyo admits he's there looking for Yuki, Mai's sad because it reminds her of the way Andy ditched her to travel abroad. At least Andy's not missing, last Kyo checked.

When we go to the shrine, Chizuru already knows what's up. How? She's got her sources.

1) Kyo: You're good, Kagura.
Chizuru: You hardly have time for flattery.

2) Kyo: Chitchat can wait.
Chizuru: Agreed. Time is precious right now.

3) Kyo: That's creepy.
Chizuru: I wish I had enough info to justify that complaint.

Chizuru suggests that if we've looked this hard and haven't found her, Yuki might not be in the country at this point.

Back at the Shiranui manor:
Mai: I heard from Chizuru that Yuki's missing. Why didn't you tell me before?
Kyo: I did.
Mai: You did? Well, anyway, Andy just came to Japan to visit me!

Mai goes into another long-winded spiel about Andy, who apparently spotted Yuki. At the airport.

At the airport, Saishu shows up to inform Kyo that he put in a call to the Sakazaki dojo in Mexico. Kyo's more concerned about finding Andy first, though.

At the California airport, Andy confirms he saw Yuki when leaving Japan.

1) Kyo: Good enough for me, thanks.
Andy: You look stumped to me. I suppose you would be, with your powers of observation.

2) Kyo: You must've noticed something about it.
Andy: Good guess. There's more.

3) Kyo: Tch, is that all you've got?!
Andy: I wasn't done. Let me finish.

Turns out she was with someone of unspecified gender, and she looked like she was being taken along. In hindsight, it might have been an abduction.

Kyo was pretty sure this was because of him, but now he's desperate to find out who would've done this to her. On the way out to Mexico, Andy suggests we visit Mary in California. Well, that can wait since I'm already boarding the plane.

At the Sakazaki dojo, Yuri gets onto Kyo for not treating Yuki right.

Kyo: Say! How's Robert doing?
Yuri: Hah, you're changing the subject! I'm totally right!

1) Kyo: Keep your nose outta this.
Yuri: Okay, how about I break yours?
Ryo: At least it's not the neck.

2) Kyo: You're a good girl, so pipe down.
Yuri: Aww, a compliment!
Ryo: Not really, no...

3) Kyo: You're two peas in a dumb pod.
Yuri: I am NOT dumb! Don't suggest I'm like my brother!
Ryo: Yeah, what Yuri said! ...Wait, what?

Takuma says Robert's actually in China, where the Garcia Company is expanding its business. Robert's been voluntold to take charge of it. We might visit there later, but first, back to California.

After a fruitless day spent wandering in California, we finally find Mary at night. She's on assignment and tailing somebody we know. Someone else familiar shows up to stop us, so I offer to hold him off so Mary doesn't lose track of Yamazaki.

Kyo: No offense, but I've got better things to deal with right now than you.
Yashiro: Heh. Are you that worried about the girl's well-being?
Kyo: Wait... Was it your group?!
Yashiro: Wouldn't you like to know. Good luck with your search.
Kyo: Get back here, dammit!

Mary comes back and warns Kyo not to go off alone. She lost Yamazaki.

1) Kyo: Was it me?
Mary: Not at all. Don't worry about it.

2) Kyo: It's not MY fault.
Mary: Yeah, no crap.

3) Kyo: What kind of agent are you?
Mary: You've got a real mouth on you. I can't argue, though.

Since Mary's already tailing Yamazaki, Kyo asks if she could look into whether or not they're involved with Yuki's disappearance. Mary agrees, as long as Kyo passes along any info about Yamazaki that comes his way.

I finally manage to proc the last Leona sub-event.

Iori: Oh, great. You again.
Kyo: Right back at you. It's dangerous to do anything that might agitate Leona in her condition.
Iori: Yeah, I'm not stupid. I just came to check up on her.

Kyo: It's you yourself that's the problem. You get that, right? I'm not gonna let you near her.
Iori: What if I insist?

Leona: You?
Kyo: Get back!
Leona: It's okay.
Iori: Hmph. I heard you went berserk. How was it afterwards?
Leona: ...I'm fine.
Kyo: She's recovered enough to get permission to leave, but seeing your face probably made her worse again. Get lost already.

Iori: You... recovered? You mean you conquered the Riot and managed to control your blood?!
Leona: Conquer? Control?
Kyo: But that's crazy. You can't...
Iori: No... I suppose you can't. If you had, you wouldn't be staying in a place like this...

With my time only halfway gone and with me about to enter the last pre-endgame plot arc, this is probably the best time for more side events. The guide isn't clear about how to start the Blue Mary sub-event chain, so I'm going to Mexico to visit the Sakazakis.

At the Sakazaki dojo, Takuma offers us soba, and Shingo is eager to have some, but Kyo politely declines and pulls Shingo aside.

Kyo: Oh, don't give me that sad puppy dog look. You don't want this guy's soba, trust me.

Takuma says not to bother trying to recruit Ryo or Yuri; The Kyokugen KOF team is going to be Ryo/Robert/Yuri. They were just about to visit the branch dojo to tell Yuri.

1) Kyo: I wasn't gonna ask anyway.
Ryo: You have no appreciation for Kyokugen at all, do you? The ignorance!

2) Kyo: Oh, too bad.
Ryo: You're giving up on getting Kyokugen Karate on your team just like that? That's a shame.

3) Kyo: I'm not giving up on it.
Ryo: You shouldn't! There's no better ally than a Kyokugen practitioner!

Visiting the branch dojo, Yuri's not on board with this team idea. She's teaming up with King.
Yuri: This was Dad's idea anyway, wasn't it?
Ryo: You know there's no talking him out of these things.
Yuri: Unlike you, I can make decisions for myself!

Ryo asks Kyo to say something.

1) Kyo: Something.
Ryo: Come on, I need backup here!

2) Kyo: Leave me outta this.
Ryo: What an irresponsible attitude. Would it kill you to give a damn?

3) Kyo: You've got it rough too, huh.
Ryo: Stop pitying me and talk some sense into Yuri!

Kyo wants no part of another family's internal squabbling. Yuri says she's going to fly off to Cali to join King, and Ryo decides desperate times call for desperate measures. It's time to call on some help.

We find Yuri at the airport. Why hasn't she flown off yet? She can't get a ticket, and she's waiting for any cancellations. Robert shows up and informs her there won't be any—He bought up all the seats himself.

Yuri: You are unbelievable! Not even rich guys can just throw that kind of money around at the drop of a hat!
Robert: To team up with you, I'd empty the Garcia Concern's reserves.

Robert says it's safer for her this way. Yuri says she's not the same girl that baldy kidnapped.

Yuri challenges Ryo to a match. If he wins, she'll go back to the dojo. If she wins, he lets her join King's team. Ryo's hesitant. Kyokugen Karate is a very unforgiving style, one he wouldn't dare to use on his own sister. So he asks Kyo to fight in his place.

My options are:
1) Take Ryo up on it
2) Side with Yuri
3) I want no part of this

Option 1 gets me all 3 Kyokugens as recruitables. Option 3 just ends the event. Option 2 leads to more things in California, so that's the one I'm going with.

Kyo: Yuri's not a child. Let her do what she wants.
Robert: The hell I will! You think I'll let King steal Yuri from me?!
Yuri: Kyo's right! Now it's two versus two. Will you fight me, or are you chicken?
Ryo: Fine, if you insist. Just remember, you asked for it!

Yuri's happy with this outcome and offers to team up with Kyo. Robert says that if she's teaming up with him, so is he. (I unlock both of them as team options) Ryo's also happy with Yuri being able to stand on her own. He tells Yuri to decide this for herself.

You know what place I'm starting to miss after my last six visits? King's bar. I pay another visit and find Chizuru and Yuri there. There's a bit of a problem with Yuri's team-up offer: Chizuru just filled the last slot on King's team.

Yuri: If that's how it's gonna be, I'll use my last resort.
Kyo: Are you gonna fight her here?!
Shingo: I know you're upset, but please calm down!
Chizuru: I have no objections...
Yuri: WAAH! I'm gonna tell my brother on youu!!
Kyo: THAT'S your last resort?

Yuri takes her leave.

There's a sub-event I'm missing to start Mary's event chain, and the guide offers no hints on how to trigger it, or if it's random. So now it's back to the story for real. Where can I find Robert? Let's try the tallest skyscraper on the map.

Robert: I've had it up to here with yer crap! Keep pushin' me and I'm gonna push back!
Kyo: ...Hello to you, too.
Robert: Oh, Kyo? Sorry, thought you were the info broker.

The Garcia Company's starting a resource mining op in China that Robert's been put in charge of.

Robert hired an info broker to find him good mining spots in the area, but all their tips so far have been duds.

Robert's not happy being stuck in a drab office, swamped in paperwork, surrounded by a bunch of yes-men who are all talk and no action.

1) Kyo: Sounds like a good fit for you.
Robert: That ain't exactly helpful.

2) Kyo: My sympathies.
Robert: You can shove your sympathies! You've got no idea how bad it is!

3) Kyo: So quit.
Robert: Y'know, maybe you're onto something. A broken clock is right twice a day.

Kyo turns the subject to what he came for. Robert got the call from Takuma and already put the info broker on the job. According to the broker, a girl matching Yuki's description was seen being taken through town by someone.

To advance the story I have to visit the Garcia Company building three more times. On my second visit, Robert says a tip's come in. The broker says that if I follow this map, I'll find who I'm looking for. We don't have any other leads, so sure, why not. But on our way out...

Yamazaki: You bunch of chumps are such soft targets, it's almost funny!
Kyo: You!
Robert: What kind of coward jumps someone from the shadows?!
Yamazaki: Coward? Ooh, go on. That's the nicest compliment anyone can say to me!

Yamazaki snatches the map and leaves. We follow him.

I don't want to have two concurrent game summary threads going, so I'm gonna try to finish up KOF Kyo this year if I don't get swamped with work again.

After picking 3 random spots on the China map I catch up to Yamazaki. Yamazaki will give the map back if we kick his ass first.

Kyo: Mess with me again and you might not come back alive.
Yamazaki: Ooh, I'm shaking. So this is what a cornered rat fights like. Are you that worried about the girl?
Kyo: What the hell do you know about Yuki?!

Kyo tries to question him the hard way, but he easily ditches them.

Before we can get back to business, Shingo reminds me that I told Mary I'd pass her any tips I got about Yamazaki. This probably counts as a big one, so time to make a quick detour back to the US.

We fill Mary in, and her report corroborates what we suspected, that Yuki's trail went cold in China. Her investigation is strictly in the US, so she's staying here. But at the airport we run into Ryo and Yuri, who somehow got the idea that we're looking for buried treasure.

The group decides the map's too old to make sense of, so time to find someone old enough to make sense of it. We head to Chin's cabin, where we meet his granddaughter Lei Len. She says Chin was taken to a local rich villain's place and hasn't been back since.

The boys and Lei Len storm the Jin residence (the guy's name is Jinmanjia, and the kanji name is like calling someone Mr. Moneybags), and Jin begs them to take Chin back. He was trying to learn ascetic training to rise above capitalistic greed, but Chin got extra drunk and rowdy.

According to Chin (once he sobers up), their map leads to a spot related to the legend of the Multiheaded Dragon. Yuri saw a kaiju movie like that as a kid and didn't like it one bit. The map supposedly points to the location of those who work to resurrect it.

We venture into the mountains and find company.

Yashiro: Ugh, not these pains in the asses.
Yamazaki: Why not? What better place to bury a body than the mountains?
Robert: How about you just admit you're scared of us?
Kyo: You want a burial? I'll dig a hole and throw you in.

Kyo: I WARNED you...
Chizuru: Kusanagi, stop! That technique is—
Kyo: ...That if you messed with me again, you wouldn't come back alive! GIVE YUKI BACK!

Robert: What was that, Kyo?!
Kyo: That's what I wanna know. I just kinda... let my anger and anxiety take the wheel.
Chin: Still packs quite a punch.
Shingo: PLEASE, you gotta teach me that later!

Chizuru congratulates Kyo. That was Mushiki, the ultimate Kusanagi technique.

Kyo says to hell with the Mushiki. He's pissed that he got Yuki wrapped up in his violent battle, and none of it means anything if something happens to her. Then Yuki shows up, moved to tears by his words. "You're late, Kyo." "...Yeah, sorry."

Turns out the whole thing was a setup by Chizuru to help Kyo grow stronger by learning what it means to fight to protect someone. That's the power source that the Mushiki draws from. The Orochi guys being there was purely by accident, and they had nothing to do with it.

Yuki apologizes. She doesn't want Kyo risking serious harm in KOF, but she figured that if he was going to take part anyway, he might as well get stronger and take less risks by going. Kyo tells her to relax, he's not even mad now.

Robert sees Kyo off at the airport with one lingering concern: How did the Orochi guys know what was going on with Yuki if they weren't behind her disappearance? Were they tracking her, too? Nah, Kyo figures they were just talking out of their asses the whole time.

Back at the Kusanagi dojo, Saishu officially recognizes Kyo as the successor of the Kusanagi style. The Mushiki is derived from the will to protect the one you love, and Saishu admits he never mastered it himself.

Shizu: Wouldn't that mean you never loved me or tried to protect me?
Saishu: N-No, that's not... Say, what's for dinner tonight? Anything I can help with?
It turns into a bad joke with Saishu looking for the steam cooker (mushiki).

That wraps up the Asia arc. A bit underwhelming, all things considered. All that's left now are sub-events and the tournament endgame.

Sub-event characters left:
Blue Mary
Team Kim
Joe Higashi
Chin Gentsai

I don't plan on taking any of them to endgame, so I might skip them.

While back in Osaka, I finally manage to proc the last Chizuru sub-event, where I run into her while in the mountains. Kyo's impressed, she knows how to rock a biker outfit. She's just here to cut loose a little, so they agree to go biking together for a while. End of event.

In Tokyo, we find Andy visiting Mai. Mai's nonplussed that Andy's first idea upon coming over was to clean house.

I try to trip the "Iori looking for Geese" event that unlocks the Mary event chain, but even though I manage to proc an encounter with Iori at the pharmaceutical company building, it's nothing doing. At least I get to try out my new super, the Mushiki.

Next, time to visit Korea.

My first stop in Korea is the riverbank, where Joe Higashi is camped out. I changed my mind about skipping Joe for two reasons:

1) His ridiculous outfit
2) KOF Kyo has Joe's FF2 theme, which is now also added to Smash! Here's my favorite arrange of it.

We find Joe dressed normally for camping by a river.

Joe: Huh, Kyo? Aren't you gonna be in KOF? What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be scouting a team?
Kyo: Right back at you. The heck are YOU doing out here?
Joe: Isn't it obvious?
Kyo: No it isn't, or I wouldn't be asking!

He's here for... crocodiles? (I looked it up, South Korea doesn't have those???)

1) Kyo: You've got nothing better to do?
Joe: I'll have you know there's a lot to do to trap a crocodile!

2) Kyo: You have bizarre tastes.
Joe: Nothing more tacky than a guy who knocks food before he tries it.

3) Kyo: Now I wanna eat some.
Joe: 'Atta boy! Help me trap one and I'll split the meat with you.

On my second visit:
Kyo: Uh, Joe? What's up with the rope?
Joe: Perfect timing, Kyo! I fished me up a crocodile!
Kyo: You went FISHING for one? What are you, a caveman?! Don't people use guns or traps for this normally?
Joe: Quit yapping and help me pull this rope!

I help him pull it out, and we're eating fried crocodile a few seconds later.
Kyo: Damn, this is WAY better than Japanese chicken karaage!
Joe: See? Nothing beats fried crocodile!

(鰐 can be used for croc or alligator, but Joe mentioned alligator as a thing he'd eaten before.)

On my third visit to the riverbank to help Joe polish off the last of that fried croc, the Sendos come up to us. They were also apparently in the market for the local crocodile, but finders keepers.

Turns out the crocodile was worth a lot of money. It had escaped from the national zoo. The Sendos are aghast that we ate it.

Joe: Eh, animals are better off living in the wild than in cages anyway.
Kyoji: YOU ATE IT.

How are we gonna pay the zoo for eating their animal? Joe says don't worry, he's a muay thai fighter, he's got this. One screen wipe later, Joe and I are facing off in an underground fighting ring. Whoever wins, we can pay the zoo... but Kyo suddenly feels like keeping the money.

When I win the fight, I get the option of either keeping the money or using it to pay off the zoo. I pick the latter, much to Joe's relief. He offers to team up with me afterward.

Next up, the Kim dojo.

Choi: No fair! You can't pick me up, that's cheating!
Yamazaki: Are you seriously gonna talk about fairness when you're slashing around with those damn claws, shrimp? Want me to take those claws and gouge out yer eyes with 'em?!
Choi: Anything but that!

We walk in on a fight between Choi and Yamazaki, who's now doubling as a dojo destroyer. Kim chides Choi and tells him to stick the fight out. Meanwhile, Chang's getting a kick out of Yamazaki swinging Choi around in the air.

I get the choice to step in or not. If I choose not to, then we walk away and the event ends there. I choose to step in.
Yamazaki: Oh, perfect. I was gettin' bored of the shrimp anyway. Hahaha, gimme a decent fight, would ya?!

If I lose:
Yamazaki: Damn, ain't nobody around here that can fight worth a damn! I'm never comin' back to this shithole again!
Choi: Please don't, thanks!

If I win:
Kyo: Satisfied now?
Yamazaki: ...A little. I'll remember yer face.
Kyo: Only lame-asses bully the weak.
Choi: Oh, now I'm weak, huh?
Kyo: That ain't what I meant, but...

I proc another Joe event and run into him in the commercial district. He asks if I'm here to eat more crocodile. "No thanks, I don't wanna even look at crocodiles for a long time."
Joe invites us back to the ring if we're starting to get hard up for travel money. Sure, why not?

When we go in, something isn't right. The place looks like a mess. ...Oh, it's him.
Kyo: What the hell are you doing here, Yagami?!
Iori: What does it look like? Earning cash.
Joe: Since when have you been a mugger?
Iori: Don't insult me. I earned this fair and square.

Kyo: Why do you keep following me?
Iori: I should ask you the same thing. Then again, maybe we're just going to the same places.

The event actually ends there without a fight.

On my last visit to the riverbank, I find Joe in a panic. He was washing his headband when it got washed downstream. That headband was a memento from Granny! Joe dives in after it before Kyo can stop him. That river's crawling with crocodiles.

Kyo: He dove in? He's nuts!
Shingo: What kind of granny wears a headband like that?
Kyo: Hey, Joe. Some crocs are starting to circle you.
Joe: Hey, you can't eat me! I'm supposed to eat you!
Kyo: Circle of life, man.
Shingo: It's a jungle out there...

Apparently that encounter at the Kim dojo was one of two possible Yamazaki events. Let's see if I can start the proper Team Kim event chain.

Choi: It's so nice getting to see people from the outside sometimes.

Kim says the boys are eager to show the fruits of their training at KOF. Choi adds in a whisper that if they don't act eager, they just get trained harder. Kim wants to go 2v2 against them with Kyo. I say sure, then throw the match. They deserve a pity win.

Chang: What's wrong? Are you feeling sick, Kim?
Kim: Well done! I know you'll be reformed soon if you've honed yourselves that much. I'll give you a reward. Name it.
Chang: How about a day off? I want jingisukan!
Choi: And I want crab!
Kim: All right, karaoke it is!

In town, Kim's been going at karaoke for 3 hours without handing the mic over once. Chang and Choi confer and decide this is the perfect time to escape, when Kim won't notice for at least another 2 hours.

At the dojo, Kim laments that they've run away from home.
Kyo: (You mean escaped.)
Kim: Today I realized for the first time... that they don't like me!
Kyo: (Seriously?)
Kim: I thought they stayed out of respect for me!
Kyo: (You threatened them.)

Back in town, Chang and Choi are having their fill of delicious mutton and crab.
Chang: But what if Kim finds us?
Choi: It's okay, training's all he knows. He couldn't find someone if he tried.
Kim: Very perceptive.
...
Chang: Well, back to the dojo.
Choi: Yup, training time.

I wanted to do the Blue Mary event but still can't trigger it, so I'm going to leave a backup save in case I figure out how later. In the meantime, here's our standings going into the KOF tournament proper.

While trying to proc the other Yamazaki event, I accidentally ran into Iori and finally got him to use a super for once. I got my ass kicked then promptly loaded state. It's like Majima Everywhere, but with no rewards or incentive to play.

After spending 3 in-game days spamming the hospital to waste time, I finally luck out and proc the event.

Shingo: Mr. Kusanagi, Leona's in trouble!
Kyo: She doesn't look like she's in trouble to me.

Yamazaki: I don't like those eyes one bit, lady.
Leona: I have 20/20 vision in both eyes.
Yamazaki: I wasn't asking for yer damn eyesight! I was talkin' about your attitude!
Leona holds up a hand to him.
Yamazaki: No, I ain't gonna shut my eyes!

Yamazaki: Would it kill you to maybe act a little threatened or pissed or somethin'?!
Leona: ...Uh?
Kyo: Let it go.
Yamazaki: You think you can tell ME what to do? Say yer prayers, 'cuz yer dead meat!
Kyo: You'd better be ready to get burned yourself!

Yamazaki: Whew... Feels way better gettin' lashed out at by someone with some friggin' emotions.
Kyo: *exhausted huff* It should be fine now.
Leona: ...Okay.
Kyo: Man, I bailed you out and that's all I get?

(end event)

Heeyy I finally procced the other event!

Mary: Good timing. Your buddy over here keeps pressing me with demands.

Kyo tells Mary to never refer to Iori as his "buddy" again.

Iori wants Mary to spill everything she's got on Geese, and he's not taking "No, that's confidential" for an answer.

Kyo: What's your game?
Iori: If you want me to tell you, you'll have to make me.

Mary offers to share what limited info she can without breaching confidentiality, but Iori takes umbrage at the idea of striking a deal with them. He'll dig up info his own way, thanks.

Visiting her again, Iori hasn't been back since.

1) Kyo: That's good.
Mary: Oh, is it? Are you sure you weren't hoping for another throwdown?

2) Kyo: How's life as an errand girl? (Iori called her that)
Mary: I'm a free agent, dammit. Are you sure you don't take after him?

3) Kyo: Learn anything new about Geese?
Mary: Oh, now you're asking the same question he was? Are you sure you two aren't secretly in cahoots?

Kyo's response to all three of these is the same: "That ain't funny even as a joke."

Mary says she'd like to thank us for helping her out earlier. She offers to take us out for a fancy French dinner, her treat. Sorry, Shingo, it's just the two of them.

Kyo: I never knew you even wore dresses.
Mary: Only when I have to. This place takes its dress code seriously.

1) Kyo: Looks good on you.
Mary: Thanks, but I'm not used to wearing it. My shoulders are killing me.

2) Kyo: Is that a loaner?
Mary: H-How'd you know?

3) Kyo: You clean up well.
Mary: Heh, I usually only dress up for friends' weddings and funerals. More funerals than weddings for me, really... Anyway, you could've stood to put on a suit and tie yourself. I'll have to tip generously to keep you from getting kicked out.

Kyo: You don't look like you're enjoying yourself. Why do you have that ugly look in your eye when we're havin' a meal here?
Mary: Shh. Quiet. That group in the back, that's the bank gang. The lady by the window is a marriage scammer.

Rumor has it this restaurant runs a lucrative side business providing escape routes to criminals—Which means when criminals show up here, five'll get you ten they're planning something big that'll go down soon. That intel fetches a hefty premium for Mary.

Kyo: So when you invited me to dinner, you were working anyway?
Mary: Look, I draw less attention when I've got a companion. Sorry, though. I'll pay the full check to make up for having you help me out with work.
Kyo: ...Leave the work out of it next time, would you?

I spend the next several days faffing about before finally flying home to Japan. Yuki greets me at the airport, where she offers to go on a pre-tournament date with me. I accept. "I'll be waiting for you, okay, Kyo?"

At the park the next day, Kyo's late again. He learned nothing from the Asia arc but a new technique, apparently. Yuki finds a boy looking unwell and offers to walk him home.
Boy: Aren't you waiting for someone?
Yuki: After all he makes me wait, he can wait for once.
Boy: Thanks.

Kyo: I'm late and it's all your fault, Shingo!
Shingo: Don't blame me for this! It was your idea to drop by the arcade!

Yuki's gone when they get there, and Kyo finds something suspicious. The necklace that one kid was wearing.

Kyo's pretty sure Yuki got kidnapped by the Orochi gang for real this time. Saishu says to focus on the tournament, because if it was the Orochi group, then all would become clear at the tournament soon enough.

On the morning of the tournament, Shingo tells Kyo to cheer up, he's not the only one worried, and he's not the only one showing up ready to fight anyway.

At the tournament grounds:

Kyo: Hey. You forgot something.
Chris: Hehe, thanks for dropping it off.
Shermie: Just for that, we'll share some good news.
Yashiro: The woman's fine. We're taking good care of her... for now.
Kyo: Good, 'cuz you know what'll happen to you otherwise.

Shermie: Someone's rude. Would it hurt to say thank you?
Chris: Are you planning on getting her back?
Yashiro: You'll have to beat us and win the tournament to do that.
Kyo: That's the plan. You guys are in for it big time.

Afterward, some friends show up to provide backup. Everybody who I've made eligible over the course of the game is here and available to choose. I guess I should've said I'd team up with Benimaru, because I kept putting him off and he's not on the list.

At my husband's suggestion, I settle on a team of Kyo, Yuri, and Mr. Big.

Shingo and my cousins Soji and Aoi show up to provide some moral support, then it's time for my first battle.

After winning the round of 16, Chizuru approaches us. Kyo doesn't get what the Orochi gang's endgame is. Why are they looking for the Sacred Treasures and abducting Yuki?

Anothing thing Kyo doesn't get: If Chizuru's family possesses the Mirror of Yata, why is there no word of sacred treasures in the Kusanagi or Yagami families?

Chizuru: You just can't see it yet. You will eventually.

Chizuru adds that when she and Mai were investigating before KOF, they found that there's a set of Ten Treasures that support the Three Sacred Treasures. Chizuru doesn't know where they are, or if they really exist.

Chizuru: Your second fight is starting soon. You're not used to thinking this hard, so don't burn yourself out before the fight.
Kyo: Cute, real cute.

We beat the Girls Team, getting us out of the quarterfinals. But before we can advance to the semifinals, someone has a little problem with us.

Chizuru: As I feared, it's started!
Iori: KYOOOOO!!

Blood Riot Iori hits like a truck. Too bad he goes down the same way everybody else in the game does, to two well-placed Orochinagis.

Afterward, Chizuru explains that those with Orochi's blood can be driven berserk by extreme anger, fear, and tension. Kyo suspects Iori may have triggered it on purpose. Chizuru says there's apparently a way to make the riot's power your own. To overcome the riot.

This is why the Orochi people are making contact and fighting each other. Particularly in Iori's case, since he was a strong opponent.

As Chizuru once used the tournament to seal Orochi, they now use it to overcome the riot. But that can't be all there is to it.

Yuki: Kyo!
Kyo: Yuki!
Yashiro: How're you feeling? Frustrated? Pissed? Or scared?
Kyo: Why are you doing this to her?!
Shermie: Maybe she'd make a good sacrifice.
Kyo: Cut the crap!
Chris: She's not lying. We need her to resurrect the soul of the head of Orochi.

They're out to release the power of Orochi that the Hakkeshu sought long ago. Orochi is itself discarnate, so it requires a vessel to resurrect. As it happens, Yuki's a perfect fit since she's a reincarnation of the Kushinada. Shermie's sure of it after her research.

The tournament has filled the whole venue with fighting spirit and bloodlust—perfect conditions for a resurrection.
Kyo: I'm not so sure that's gonna work out for you. Orochi was sealed by the Three Treasures, right?
Chris: There ARE no Three Treasures, and there never have been.

Turns out, the Orochi clan's been so obsessed with finding the seals, they never actually attempted a resurrection rite before.

Yashiro: Not in 1,800 years! Talk about missing the point!

But enough talk, it's time to start the rite of resurrection. Yuki says the same thing, but mentally this time.

Yuki: (I'll be waiting for you, okay, Kyo?)

Minor mistake, this is the finals, not the semis. I missed Iori having a spot on the bracket. That fight was the legit semifinals apparently. Anyway, here's the "Yashiro Nanakase Team".

I tried to get them all to do supers, but I could only get one for Chris. Two Orochinagis, rinse and repeat.

Yuki's safe and sound after we win the fight. While Yashiro and Shermie are in stunned disbelief, Chris goes unusually quiet.
Shermie: ...Chris?
Yashiro: No... That's not Chris!
Orochi: Offer your power... unto me... so I may return.

The Head of Orochi returned using Chris's body as a vessel.
Orochi: Conflict... calls me. And now... I call more conflict.
Kyo: What do you want?
Orochi: War. Slaughter. Destruction. To unleash the power of the Orochi scions.

Kyo asks if destroying the world is really necessary. Orochi counters, can you say it isn't?
Kyo: I couldn't say. All I know for sure is that we're not the ones going down here. YOU are.

Orochi: Foolishness. Orochi exists in all people. The combat instincts that drive people the world over to fight... THAT is Orochi.
Kyo: Was that supposed to be a spell? 'Cuz it ain't workin on me.
Orochi: You have nothing to fear. Destruction begets rebirth.

Orochi would probably be more annoying without savestates, but he goes down to two supers like everybody else in the game.

Kyo: Listen up, Orochi! Maybe there's some of you in all of us, but we also all have someone to protect. That's the part you missed.
Yashiro and Shermie can't believe what they're seeing. Chris's body must've been too weak for a perfect resurrection.

Chizuru: Quickly! Seal the soul of the Head of Orochi before it leaves Chris's body!
Iori: What are you talking about?!
Kyo: I thought they didn't exist.
Chizuru: No, they do. You, Yagami, and I. WE are the Three Treasures! Join our power as Kusanagi, Yasakani, and Yata once did!

Iori: I can't.
Kyo: Do you hate working with us that much?! You can kill me after the seal if that's what it takes!
Iori: Don't get me wrong. I want to destroy the Head of Orochi personally to prove I'm its better. I don't WANT it sealed.
Kyo: This is no time for semantics!

(flash and noise)
Chizuru: It's too late now. The Head of Orochi's soul has left Chris's body.
Kyo: ...Hold it, Yagami.
Iori: You have something to say?
Kyo: You know what.
Iori: Is this about me not helping?
Kyo: You had one job, and you screwed it up. Why live on now?

Yuki: Stop it, Kyo! What's gotten into you?! It's not like you to not let things go!
Chizuru: He doesn't mean a word of that. He just wants a reason to fight Yagami.
Yuki: Why do they hate each other so much?!
Chizuru: They don't. Do you see hatred in Kusanagi's eyes?

Yuki: ...Sadness?
Chizuru: Kusanagi plans to free him from Orochi's blood by defeating him, and deep down, that's what Yagami wants. Their fight is one we must not interfere with. A fight that's lasted for 1,800 years...

Kyo: Let's rock, Yagami.
Iori: You're on, Kyo. Anytime, anywhere.
Kyo: YAAAAGH!
Iori: RAAAAGH!!

And that's the Normal Ending. There are other endings, but I don't know the exact conditions to get them. Anyway, that's it for The King of Fighters Kyo unless I learn more ending or event conditions. Thanks for sticking it out through this 15 month Twitter thread!