This is quite an interesting story. I wanted to read the sequel, but since you suggested to read this one first, I've been taking some time to check it out. You have an interesting take on characters like Billy. I think Kai is a bit over the top though. I really like how you've developed Billy as a character, a quasi-good guy. Plus the whole band thing is pretty cool as well. I'll be finishing this up soon and heading over to the sequel soon.

*Blinks* Wow. Glad to be so much help for you!

As for Oswald and Shen, they should stay where they are. Oswald has more connections with gangs and organized crime, which makes sense he'd be with Alba since Alba himself has connections.

I could see Shen fighting with Benimaru and Seth, just because he likes fighting strong opponants, and Beni is probably famous for being in every single KoF and being on the winning team the most often. ('94-'99)

Can't wait to see what you do with the Boss Team!

Oh crap! You should have a "Boss Team" or something in KoFXII like Kain, Grant, and Jivartami (sp?) like there was a boss team in KoF '96!

Damn you Duke... toying around with our bad-boy protagonist!

Just checking... the three crime bosses in question would be Duke, Kain R. Heinlein, and Jivartama (sp?), correct?

*pokes Lien's charred body*

Well... I must say that Kai is certainly brutal...

But thanks for taking up those sugguestions!

Yeah, tournament teams are tough...

1. Ash team: keep Ash and Elizabeth, Another Day gave me the same idea too. I think Shen, however, is done with Ash, since it's practically flat-out stated at the end of XI and Shen and Oswald KNOW that Ash was playing them. I'd almost say Ron(Long) would team up, just because he could take notes from Ash on stealing powers.

2. HMK team: looks good

3. Kyo team: I'm at a cross-roads. Part of me tells me that it should be Kyo/Shingo/Iori. But another part is telling me it would be cool to have Chizuru fight again, just without her mirror powers. You decide. And maybe Iori could even take notes from Shingo on how to fight without flames(laughs).

4. K' team: looks good

5. Fatal Fury team: the three stooges have returned! Oh happy day!

6. Korea team: again, the three stooges. Looks good.

7. Alba team: Alba looks good, but I'd say that he'd most likely team up with Chae Lim and possibly Luise Meyrink.

8. Kyokugenryu: looks good

8. ADDES: Looks good too.

9. Neo Psycho Soldiers: I say drop Momoko and throw in Duo Lon. Duo probably knows what Ron is after and would join up with Sie and Athena to keep them safe.

10. Ikari: Looks good, just be sure to have Leona actually there since Heidern is MIA at the moment, unlike another KoF game that will go nameless. *cough* XI! *uncough*

11. Girlfriend team (come on, that's what is is): Looks good... despite the fact I hate Mai.

12. Anti-Kyokugen: Looks good too.

13. Outlaw team: We need psychos on this team. End of story. Freeman, Ryuji, and maybe Evil Lin or somebody else that rips people to shreds.

13. Benimaru: Oh... this is a tricky one. Seth stays, just by virtue of the fact he's Anti-Addis. But I personally think Goro has needed to retire for quite some time. I'd almost say Lien should join, just because she could tell Seth what's going on as an inside woman.

14. Garou team: I'd say drop Gato with Kevin Rian if you're going to have Freeman, but if not, this team looks good.

The picture was an EXCELLENT plot device. Your story is rolling along very nicely. As for the teams, i nominate Outlaw team or Garou team because i don't see much of them being explored elsewhere.

Hey man. Solid chapter. Iori was slightly off, but good to see anyway. I'm stoked to hear more about his Metal band when you bring it up again. I can totally see him playing the heaviest music possible and going apestuff onstage. I REALLY like the idea of your character's Chaosfire. I'm glad you'll be delving into it. I'll see you next chapter!

This is King of Fighters we're talking about. The whole goddamn "Nippon Icchi" alone makes EVERY game M-rated.

As for Iori, I didn't see anything too problamatic. Then again, he wasn't around for too long (same for King), so you didn't really have the opportunity to get in depth with them. Not like that's a problem.

The Billy/Rock thing was pretty good... reminded me of something I did myself once on Gamefaqs.

Billy again seems pretty natural. I mean, he absolutely doesn't HATE Terry (Terry did everything he could to SAVE Geese at the end of Real Bout, after all), and Mary and Billy get along pretty well anyways.

Glad to see you updated so soon! I'm still digging your stuff.
Any chance of Iori's metal band showing up anywhere in the storyline?

I like this story already for 2 reasons

1.I love the title, because i love metal.
2.I dislike smoking.

Other than that, good character interaction, and i'll be watching to see where you go next.

1. Making certain assumptions and changes, including age: Perfectly reasonable. That's what a fanfic is all about. Besides, the KoF universe is convoluted as it is, you just have to work with something that works.

2. Geese Howard being dead: Makes sense... that what every game recently has been saying except for KoF '03.

3. Billy seems pretty in-character... hating smoking, easily **, disliking Joe, trying to make a buck... don't see any OOCness yet.

Keep it up! Working on "A Single Decision" really helped me gain respect for a number of the Fatal Fury characters... well, except for Terry, Andy, and Mai... but I really do like Billy just because out of every single character SNK ever created for the KoF universe, Billy is the most realistic.