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[img]https://imgur.com/kzRPhBS.png[/img]

[color=1E90FF][b]Level :[/b][/color] 9/10
[color=1E90FF][b]EXP :[/b][/color] (+5 pts.)
[color=1E90FF][b]Location :[/b][/color] Esaka, the Tiered City
[color=1E90FF][b]Word Count :[/b][/color] 4,370

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It was a hot sunny day in the Tiered City of Esaka. The sun casted its scorching light, while our hero Terry worked in a construction site. There was a heavy bag of cement burdening his shoulder, as he carefully approached a corner of the barely built structure where the bags were meant to be stowed. His face and toned figure were covered in dust, and the tip of his cap was probably the only thing that prevented the fiery sunlight from touching his face. The extreme weather left him thirsting, yet thankfully, he was durable enough to endure the physically demanding task while trying not to roast himself alive. This was one of the odd jobs he’d been taking since his arrival to the World of Light, though he treated them more like side quests to keep the cash flowing. Fighting was what he did for the most part, and knowing the people of Esaka, he knew he’d never run out of competitions. It was almost like a dream city for a fighter as passionate as the storied Legendary Wolf himself. At least, for the most part, it was.

Just as the hat-wearing bruiser was about to drop the bag, suddenly, somebody shouted in his direction. “Hey, you!” He turned around, tracing the source of the voice. Eventually, his eyes laid upon a younger man with a look of awe and a distinctive outfit—a white sleeveless gi, red wristbands, black tights, and a black karate belt tied around the waist.

[color=1E90FF]“Who, me?”[/color] Terry asked with an oblivious look, pointing his finger at himself.

“A baseball cap and blonde ponytail… You must be the Legendary Wolf they were talking about, aren’t you?” the younger man asked.

Terry nodded, his gesture friendly. [color=1E90FF]“Yeah, that’s me! And you are, kid?”[/color]

The younger man slowly nodded. “So, it is true. [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/a752656e-3d53-4b09-a23c-9ebcf30aa6e3.jpg]Master Warren[/url] told me everything about you,” he answered, then added: “I’m [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/faaeb1bf-c82e-42cf-9745-82d04f348e53.jpg]Joe[/url] of the [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Athlete]Power Athlete[/url] dojo, and I’m here to confirm if the legend is true.”

Terry raised his eyebrows, sensing the slightest hint of familiarity. He smirked. [color=1E90FF]“Hah! I see… Thought you were just another [url=https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Shotoclone]Shotoclone[/url] goofing around,”[/color] he quipped. [color=1E90FF]“So, Power Athlete, huh? Isn’t it ‘Power Moves’? Or is it ‘Deadly Moves’?”[/color] Terry had heard about the Power Athlete dojo before. Run by the mysterious [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/136937a1-2211-42e0-870c-6555c6c870d2.jpg]‘Ranker,’[/url] Power Athlete was one of the struggling low-tier dojos situated in the rural, unregulated area of Esaka. Not much was known about the dojo other than its ever-changing name, as well as the fact that its members only knew two special moves and zero super moves. [color=1E90FF]“But either way,”[/color] Terry continued, [color=1E90FF]“I can see the power in your eyes, kid. Looks like you’ve been training for this moment, haven’t you?”[/color]

Joe nodded again, his spirit lighting up. “Indeed. I’ve been training vigorously since I was just a small boy living in a small American town,” he elaborated. “I’ve grown impatient to put my skills to a test ever since. Graduation is near, and it’s only a matter of time until I’m ready to become a true warrior. Until then, I’m still looking forward to gaining more experience from different masters of martial arts like you.” The karate practitioner bowed, then clenched his fists, taking his ready stance. “So, come, Terry Bogard!” he urged. “Fight me!”

Terry’s smirk spread even widely. He dropped the cement bag on his shoulder across the dusty soil, then tightened his gloves. [color=1E90FF]“Well, that’s the spirit! Let’s see how far your training has taken you. I’ll show you the ropes!”[/color] After he was done fixing his gloves, he whistled at Joe, then gestured at him with a waving hand. [color=1E90FF]“[b]Hey, c’mon, c’mon![/b]”[/color] he exclaimed.

As the fight was about to explode, the construction workers gathered around Terry and Joe, stopping in the middle of their work hour. Initially, the crowd’s reaction left Joe nervous. They seemed to be rallying behind Terry in unison. Hopefully, this would change once Joe managed to perform well.

[i]I can do this,[/i] Joe assured himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. [i]I’m going to win this. For the dojo, for the old man, for everyone…[/i]

And so, as he opened his eyes, Joe swung his knuckles, aiming to attack Terry with a jab while he was still within his reach. The move was easily avoided. [color=1E90FF]“Close!”[/color] Terry shouted, the moment he dodged the jab with a sidestep. The crowd roared in exhilaration, even louder now that a number of approaching pedestrians joined them. [color=1E90FF]“Not so shabby, kid. Don’t give up!”[/color]

Joe was uplifted. Hearing the encouragement from Terry reminded him of Warren and the other masters back at the Power Athlete dojo, as they were always appreciative and encouraging to their students. Feeling more assured, the karate practitioner threw even more flails, utilizing both fists alternately. Though the Legendary Wolf still managed to evade each and every one of them, he was getting closer and closer to knocking the more seasoned opponent.

[color=1E90FF]“Yeah, keep it up! That’s how you do it!”[/color] Terry motivated, doing a bit of footwork as he maintained the distance between himself and his opponent.

Joe only smirked. He felt a sense of challenge. After his flails failed to fruit anything, he tried a different approach. He spun and slammed his leg forth, aiming to attack the three-time KOF champion with a devastating roundhouse kick. Much to the crowd’s anticipation, Terry quickly leapt past Joe, his limbs spreading. Just like that, he dodged his opponent again, now remaining behind him. With a finger, he patted his opponent’s shoulder.

[color=1E90FF]“Over here...”[/color] the hat-wearing bruiser quipped, his voice quiet and playful.

Despite the deafening crowd, Joe still managed to pick up what Terry was saying, albeit vaguely. He turned around, and much to his surprise...

[b]THWACK![/b]

...Terry greeted him with a spinning back kick, instantly knocking him towards a nearby brick wall. His back hit its solid surface, but barely caused a noticeable crack. By the time he tried to pick himself up, Terry had just flailed the ground, sending a [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/41fea5ca-3f46-409b-b986-11d9f765312d.jpg]shockwave[/url] in Joe’s direction.

[color=1E90FF][b]“POWER WAVE!!”[/b][/color]

The shockwave crawled closer and closer across the ground. Much to his surprise, just inches before it could connect, Joe had countered it with a [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/95eabae3-ba21-4c69-80c3-d5aa3ff3aee7.jpg]fireball[/url] that flew out of his palms.

[b]“KIKOU KEN!!”[/b]

The two projectiles collided, but neither one overcame the other. They dissipated, decreasing into burning particles moments before petering out.

[color=1E90FF][i]That move… I think I’ve seen that before,[/i][/color] Terry said to himself, his eyes widening in awe. [color=1E90FF][i]He can’t be the [url=https://streetfighter.fandom.com/wiki/Ryu][u]katera[/u] guy’s[/url] student, can he?[/i][/color]

Unfortunately, his awe would soon become a distraction. Once he looked overhead, his opponent had greeted him with a leaping kick, his barefoot grazing against his face. [color=1E90FF]“[b]Gwahhh–!!![/b]”[/color] The kick managed to leave a bruise across his nose. Terry toppled immediately, but it wasn’t long until he stood back up. By the time Joe’s feet touched the ground, Terry ambushed him with barrages of hook punches, utilizing both fists alternately. Much to his surprise, however, the rookie managed to dodge each of them quite well.

[color=1E90FF][i]Jesus… He keeps on stepping out of the way![/i][/color] Terry muttered to himself. [color=1E90FF][i]Looks like he knows there’s more than one line around here. This kid is awesome![/i][/color]

When the flails barely connected, Terry ended the sequence with an uppercut, aiming to graze Joe’s mandible with his knuckles. Unfortunately, before the knuckles could connect, Joe leaned himself back, narrowedly evading the uppercut. The crowd reacted in surprise, their noises a mixture of awe and disbelief. More surprisingly, though, Joe managed to capture Terry by the wrist. He pulled the more seasoned opponent closer, barely lifted his heavier figure over his shoulder, and then...

[b]THUD![/b]

...he slammed his opponent against a dump truck. Terry rolled down, his cap flying out of his golden head. The former KOF champion grabbed his own forehead, dazed and unsteady as he weakly kneeled up. The hip toss made quite a powerful impact on him, managing to stun him on the spot.

[color=1E90FF]“Dammit...”[/color] he muttered. [color=1E90FF]“You got me.”[/color]

Seeing the bout working in his favor, Joe put on a confident smile. It seemed that he might just be close to winning against the Legendary Wolf, which would allow him to boost his abilities and reputation after the bout. With a small fraction of the crowd now rallying behind him, the Power Athlete rookie took a charging stance, letting the energy within gathered around him. A bright aura shrouded him, then shortly, he hovered forward, his hands thrusting in Terry’s direction. A [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/7e226668-0a10-407d-95cb-76b2802671c9.jpg]Super Nova[/url] was executed.

Unfortunately, just as the Super Nova launched Joe closer, Terry had finally regained consciousness. He shook his head, then rubbed his eyes, gasping when he learned of just how close his opponent was from him. Instantaneously, Terry struck a brief charging pose, which in turn, triggered a flashing energy to surround him. [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Advance_Mode]Advance Mode[/url] was activated! With it, the three-time KOF champion rammed forth with a [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/58933df3-6eb4-42a8-a931-4f0379b19913.jpg]shoulder tackle,[/url] clashing against the much greener opponent.

[color=1E90FF]“[b]POWER CHARGE!![/b]”[/color] he shouted. The two grazed against each other for a moment before Joe was, unfortunately, overcome. The shoulder tackle instantly sent the rookie crashing against the scaffoldings.

[b]THUD![/b]

He fell headfirst to the soil, his face kissing dust. Joe crawled and crawled, closing in on Terry while attempting to stand back up. The roar of the crowd was only a concoction of rambling noises to his ears. The only voice he could hear was the uplifting offer from the more seasoned opponent, as his hand reached out to help him stand.

[color=1E90FF]“Don’t give up!”[/color] he told the Power Athlete rookie. [color=1E90FF]“Down for one more?”[/color]

Joe weakly nodded, stuttering. “Yes… yes… I can’t… give up… just yet…” Part of the crowd was rooting for him to continue, yet he failed to catch anything that they were saying. The stinging pain across his ribs was too great for him to be able to mind his surroundings. He continued to push through the pain, trying to ignore the impact of the shoulder tackle. Carefully, he attempted to lift himself off the ground, slowly extending his hand to reach Terry’s. Unfortunately, just when Joe was close to grabbing his hand…

[b]THUMP![/b]

…he collapsed. The pain had overcome his will. Thankfully, nothing too major happened, as he continued to lay still on his stomach, a low groaning noise making its way out of his lips. Terry checked on his opponent, yet despite his effort, Joe had already become too weak to move a muscle. He was simply knocked out. Once again, the Legendary Wolf prevailed, and the crowd rejoiced!

[color=1E90FF]“Phew…”[/color]

As he sighed, Terry snatched the cap falling out of his head, using it to wipe the dust covering his jeans. He then tossed the cap in a celebratory fashion, letting it fall across Joe’s back.

[color=1E90FF][b]“Okay–!!”[/b][/color] he exclaimed, firing up the excitement of the crowd further. He turned to face his prone opponent, a hint of empathy across his face. [color=1E90FF]“You did well, kid! Next time, maybe vary your moveset a lil’ bit.”[/color]

After giving Joe a piece of advice, Terry placed his gaze back to the celebrating crowd, their noises a music to his ears. His eyes moved from one person to another, taking notice of their bright facial expressions. Yet, despite the thrill of the bout and the crowd that almost certainly rallied behind him, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. His smile began to falter, the overbearing sense of longing seeping through. 

[color=1E90FF][i]Gosh… I never thought I’d be so bored by this endless wave of fights,[/i][/color] Terry told himself. [color=1E90FF][i]What’s wrong with me?[/i][/color]

It was true that, for weeks, Terry hadn’t been feeling like himself, like something was missing from him. The promise of endless fights that the city offered did excite him at first, but as time went by, he began to lose his enthusiasm, holding himself back most of the matches. Sure, he did receive new competitions every day, but without the presence of his loved ones, every fight had become dull and empty. There was nobody to accompany him down the road, nobody to congratulate him personally, and most importantly, nobody to count on through thick and thin. While he was, indeed, a core part of the highly prestigious KOF dojo, he often found it unusually hard to connect with anybody in the roster, as a lot of its members either belittled him or barely reciprocated his kind intention. Even within the city of his kind, Terry felt alone and alienated. Not even his admirers could help him shake away the feeling—he never even knew them to begin with.

[color=1E90FF][i]Andy, [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Joe_Higashi]Joe[/url], Rock, Mary, [url=https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Mai_Shiranui]Mai[/url], I wonder where you guys are right now. It just doesn’t hit the same without you guys,[/i][/color] he added, then sighed. [color=1E90FF][i]I can’t do this any longer. I can’t pretend like I’m having the time of my life in front of these peeps while I’m not. I need something to clear my mind.[/i][/color]

As he grabbed his duffel bag and cap, Terry left, his swift steps moving through the sea of roaring crowd. Along the way, he’d accidentally bump shoulders with some of the attendants he happened to cross by. It wasn’t a harsh bump, sure, but was enough to raise some eyebrows.

“Is Terry okay?” an admirer asked.

“I don’t think so. He looks pissed,” the other admirer answered.

“I don’t think he even cares about you guys,” a different person told the two, visibly exasperated that Joe lost.

Terry continued to draw his strides farther and farther from the construction site, trying not to mind his surroundings. He wore his cap back across his golden head, his gloved hand holding onto the straps of the duffle bag burdening his shoulder. The thoughts of his loved ones and the many memories he made with them in the KOF tournaments still clouded his mind, as he aimlessly walked down the sidewalk at rapid pace. His face was devoid of expression, his sharp, blue eyes staring ahead. He’d often hear other passing pedestrians talk about a new big tournament possibly being held in Esaka. While it sparked the slightest bit of interest in him, he shrugged it off, eventually.

[color=1E90FF][i]A big tournament? Heh. A big tournament, my ass,[/i][/color] he mumbled to himself. [color=1E90FF][i]Probably just some underground competition like the ones I’ve already been to.[/i][/color]

As his strides reached the farther north of Esaka, something caught his attention. His steps halted. Terry turned to his right, noticing a familiar sight standing proudly in front of him. It was a small café by the bustling corner of the city, decked with a colorful neon sign. With narrowed eyes, he made sure that he read the sign right because it said…

[color=1E90FF]“Pao Pao Café 7?”[/color] he asked, then widened his eyes. He was in disbelief. Pao Pao Café—at least, the original one from South Town—used to be the hangout spot that Terry and his loved ones used to visit after every KOF tournament. [color=1E90FF][i]No way… I’ve been traveling this place for so long, yet why did I only get to find a Pao Pao Café just now?[/i][/color] he asked himself. [color=1E90FF][i]This has to be their newest outlet. Maybe if I pay it a visit, I’ll find somebody I know.[/i][/color]

He could only wish at the moment. After moments of hesitation, Terry pushed the front door open, his free hand holding its handle. As he stepped inside, he’d be welcomed by familiar scents of alcoholic beverages and club sandwiches he tended to order every time he visited the original. Similar to the Pao Pao Café he used to know, the interior was decked with a mixture of East Asian and South American decorations. There was even [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/6a48ae78-dae7-4614-a8a9-1936a1209edf.png]an enormous dragon statue[/url] perching by the heart of the café, close to the stage where a Capoeira performance was hosted. It might not be as crowded nor spacious, but it had the same cozy vibe as the original.

[color=1E90FF][i]Man, this feels right,[/i][/color] he mumbled to himself, eyes scanning the mostly bronze-colored interior. [color=1E90FF][i]This feels like home…[/i][/color]

It wasn’t long until a familiar voice called his name. “Hey, Terry! Over here!” Despite the melodious drumming noises playing in the background, Terry could catch the voice rather easily. He turned to face the source, only to be surprised by a face he hadn’t met in a long while. 

[color=1E90FF]“Richard?”[/color] he asked, eyes widening and eyebrows raising. A smile spread widely below his bruised nose. [color=1E90FF]“No way… Richard! You son of an ice cream maker…”[/color]

The familiar face laughed at the corny nickname, giving him a big wave. Richard was one of Terry’s close acquaintances, as well as the owner of the original Pao Pao Café. As Terry approached his counter, he dropped his duffle bag across the floor, then greeted his old friend back with a firm handshake that turned into some kind of an arm-wrestling contest.

[color=1E90FF]“What’s the matter, Richie? The customers got you pushing too many wine bottles?”[/color] he quipped with a confident smirk.

“Make it easy on yourself, boy,” Richard reciprocated, snickering. 

Their hands continued to wrestle, trying to overcome one another. Richard’s movement was gradual and composed, as he started to outwrestle Terry in this arm-wrestling contest. However, before he was close to winning, Terry retaliated with a huge comeback, as he surprised Richard by lifting his hand and pinning the latter’s across the counter.

[b]KNOCK![/b]

“Alright, alright! You win, Terry,” Richard stopped with a grin, patting Terry’s shoulder with a free hand. He loosened his grip on the bruiser’s gloved hand. 

[color=1E90FF]“I see, you’re getting stronger than ever, huh?”[/color] Terry quipped, then released his grip around Richard’s hand, only to give him a friendly hug. [color=1E90FF]“Man… It’s so damn good to see you again, Richard.”[/color]

“Been a long while, sure,” Richard answered, slightly taken aback by the sudden friendly gesture. He patted Terry’s back like he was his son before pulling away. “What’s with the bear nose?” he quipped, pointing at his bruised nose.

[color=1E90FF]“Aww, c’mon! Forget about my nose, man. Y’know the deal,”[/color] Terry quipped back, then laughed aloud, instinctively covering his nose with both hands. [color=1E90FF]“And you, too, what’s with the gray beard, though? You gettin’ old, [i]grandpa[/i]?”[/color]

Richard only snickered and shook his head, subconsciously caressing his thick goatee. He’d been looking older since the last time he met Terry, both his hair and beard starting to gray. “Old habits die hard,” he muttered, a smile spreading across his wrinkled face.

Terry chuckled, then took a seat right across the counter, taking his cap off. [color=1E90FF]“So, how’s the new outlet, Richard?”[/color]

“Business is doing well,” Richard answered, wiping the glass he’d cleaned earlier with a towel. “Just opened Pao Pao 7 this week. Not as crowded as it used to be back in South Town, but still, we’re making profits.” He turned around for a bit, then placed the glass back into the cabinet behind. “You’re still fighting, aren’t you, Terry?”

[color=1E90FF]“Oh, you guessed it,”[/color] Terry answered, playing with the fabric of his cap.

“You win all the time, don’t you?” Richard asked, then turned back to face Terry, tucking the used towel under the counter.

[color=1E90FF]“Yeah…”[/color] Terry nodded, smiling slightly. [color=1E90FF]“Of course, I do! I won a lot, actually.”[/color]

“I knew you would,” Richard answered with a smirk. Eventually, he couldn’t help but feel that something was off with the way Terry spoke about his fights. Usually, he’d overshare them. “What’s the matter, son? Just lost a match?”

Then, Terry stopped his fingers from pinching the back of his cap, sighing. [color=1E90FF]“No, actually. It’s just that…”[/color] he halted mid-sentence, lowering his head. [color=1E90FF]“It hasn't hit the same since we got separated. Without you and our buddies? I dunno… It’s barely as exciting. Feels like I’m getting lost in the woods or something.”[/color]

Richard’s face softened. He felt the same sentiment, losing contact with Bob and the other South Towners since the city got wiped out of the map. “I feel you,” he reciprocated. “I was in Mafia Town before I came here. I thought by opening a new outlet here in Esaka that I would’ve been able to reunite us all. Turns out, I’ve yet to meet any of my regular customers.” He grabbed a large glass and a bottle of beer, pouring the alcoholic beverage into the glass. “Maybe a glass of beer and a club sandwich would do?” he asked, then slid the glass close to Terry.

[color=1E90FF]“I guess…”[/color] Terry weakly responded, then grabbed the glass, chugging the beer vigorously. A sigh left his mouth, and he settled the glass down, leaving it half empty. [color=1E90FF]“You sure you’ve never seen any of our buddies?”[/color]

“No luck yet,” Richard answered, while preparing all the ingredients needed to make a club sandwich. “I heard Mai’s part of the KOF dojo, but I’ve never seen her around here. Is that true?”

Terry nodded. [color=1E90FF]“Yeah, true. Mai’s been leaving Esaka for a whole month now,”[/color] he elaborated, chugging the beer again. [color=1E90FF]“Told us she’s gonna search for Andy. I just hope they’re gonna be okay…”[/color]

“Yeah, hopefully,” Richard responded, “but I do believe we’ll figure out something anytime soon. Well, maybe sooner. You’ve heard the rumors?”

Terry’s eyes lit up, a sense of hope exuded. He shook his head. [color=1E90FF]“Nah… I don’t think I have. What about them?”[/color]

“It’s about a new KOF tournament,” Richard answered, stacking the breads, bacon, cheese, and fresh vegetables in the right order. “The rumors had it that KOF XVI might be held in Esaka. I thought you might’ve known it already.”

Terry’s eyes lit up even more, his curiosity peaked. Then, he was reminded of all the talks he managed to eavesdrop along his path to Pao Pao Café 7. [color=1E90FF]“So, it is true…”[/color] he muttered quietly, then raised his voice. [color=1E90FF]“I had no idea, honestly. Not like I’ve been invited, yet. Tell me more about it.”[/color]

“Exactly,” Richard said. “The thing is, nobody would be receiving invitation letters from what my new customers told me. Anybody from any dojo is welcomed to join—even those from outside of Esaka.” He shrugged, then delicately chopped the sandwich into quarters.

[color=1E90FF]“Ah…”[/color] Raising his eyebrows, Terry pulled his head back. [color=1E90FF]“No wonder. Do I still need to form my own team to join? And who’s the sponsor, anyway?”[/color]

“Heard you don’t have to. It’s going back to one-on-one,” Richard said, adding a cocktail stick to each of the chopped sandwich quarters. He then handed the plate to Terry. “As for the sponsor? No clue, just yet. All I kept hearing was that it could be one of the Four Kings.”

[color=1E90FF]“Four Kings?”[/color] Terry asked, then took the plate of the club sandwich Richard was handing him. He gave one of the quarters a taste, gripping the cocktail stick as he bit the delicacy. [color=1E90FF]“Which one of them?”[/color] he asked, his voice muffled by the delicacy under his mouth.

“Heard it could be Rugal,” Richard answered, cleaning his hands with a new towel. “Who else do you think it could be? It’s probably Rugal or—at the very least—Geese.”

Terry widened his eyes, chewing another quarter of his sandwich slowly upon hearing what Richard was telling him. Just hearing those familiar names being rumored to sponsor this ‘new KOF tournament’ was already worrying. Rugal would just turn the finalist into a statue if they lost, while Geese? Geese would still be Geese—the power-hungry megalomaniac who desired to bend the World of Light to his will.

[color=1E90FF]“You serious?”[/color] Terry asked, only narrowing his eyes slightly. [color=1E90FF]“That doesn’t sound so good. I mean, we’re talking about two insane maniacs who wanna play God.”[/color]

“Indeed,” Richard said with a nod, “but on the bright side, who knows if you’d get to find somebody you might know? The guys who used to be my regular customers…” He mused at the notion, tilting his head up.

[color=1E90FF]“Right, who knows?”[/color] Terry agreed, quickly finishing the last couple of sandwich quarters. [color=1E90FF]“Y’know, Richard, I guess I need to keep going.”[/color] He finished his beverage, put on his cap, then carried his duffle bag over his shoulder.

Richard was taken aback. “Leaving so soon?” he asked, to which Terry answered with a nod. He stood up. [color=1E90FF]“Yeah, I need to find out more about this KOF XVI tournament you’ve been telling me. Maybe the guys back at the KOF dojo could tell me more about it.”[/color]

“Ah, I see…” Richard answered, pulling his head back. “Before you leave, Terry, I just want to let you know that if you need anything, I’m right here to help.” He then gave Terry a pat to the shoulder. “If you need a job, y’know you can always work in my place as a bouncer. I know life’s never been easy on you since your old man left you, so you don’t have to pay the bill for today.”

Terry raised his eyebrows, taken aback. Usually, Richard would mind it if he left without paying. [color=1E90FF]“You… sure about that?”[/color] he asked, then rubbed the back of his head. [color=1E90FF]“Erm… I mean—”[/color]

Richard quickly shushed, cutting Terry’s words. “And I mean it. Just like Bob, you’re almost like a son to me too, y’know that, Terry,” he reassured, then joked: “But remember, it’s only for today. If I catch you leaving without paying the next time you come here…” He raised his fist. “...you’re a dead meat!”

Terry chuckled, finding amusement in Richard’s playful caution. He slightly turned, readjusting the duffle bag atop his shoulder. [color=1E90FF]“I’ll keep that in mind,”[/color] he answered, giving Richard a two-finger salute. [color=1E90FF]“Thanks a lot, Richard! Take care!”[/color]

Richard responded with a raised hand. “You, too. Take care!” He watched, as Terry left the counter, his toned figure becoming more and more distant as he approached the front door. He pushed the panel outward, finally stepping out of one of the few places in Esaka he could consider his home. As Terry left, Richard shook his head. [i]Ah, that kid…[/i] he mused, drawing a smirk. [i]He’s never changed.[/i]

And so, for now on, Terry had to begin his investigation, hoping that the rumored tournament was true, and that it could reignite his dying fighting spirit.

[b]FIN.[/b]