Tournament of Kikai 2 Side Story

by Tinyhammer

FOR THOSE WHO LIKE READING THE MEGAMIX TOURNAMENT, BATTLE OF THE LUMINARIES, OKRON TOURNAMENT AND ESPECIALLY THE TOURNAMENT OF KIKAI, PLEASE READ THIS! It is a recap show where my characters host and introduce the fighters shown in the second Tournament of Kikai in an attempt to gain more voters for that fic. And just like the first recap show, this one will be full of personality!

3. Section One Part Two

LINK TO SECTION BELOW

We now return to Drake and Ashley.

"Anddddd we are back!" Drake grinned.

"And return to continue the second third of this section."

ED

NODE: STREET FIGHTER

Ashley blinked twice. "...Huh."

"Yeah, it is kinda weird for us not to cover a traditional fighting game node right at the start." Drake admitted before shrugging. "Then again, this tournament IS focused on more cartoons, even more than the last tournament sooo…"

"Huh? Um, yes, that too." Ashley said. "I was referring to Ed having an alternate costume instead of his original one. Sure, his original one was… Weird but still."

"Actually, that one is from 6." Drake explained.

Ashley jumped. "As in Street Fighter 6!? This is the first time I heard of this!"

"That is because he was released for DLC. Along with Akuma, Rashid and the new character, A.K.I." Drake elaborated.

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "I WAS wondering about that last part in the main roster. Kinda premature of Xero having her in the cast if she is not even out yet."

"To be fair, the same could be said for Isla when she was the first to show up in the second section and for King of Fighters standards, she did pretty well for herself." Drake shrugged. "But yeah, if I was Xero, I would rig her draw to be mid at the earlier just to be on the safe side."

"Well, at least Ed is out of that ridiculous main outfit." Ashley said, sighing in relief. "Not only was it tacky but it also clashed with what his goal is."

"Yeah, why have a team based on being AGAINST Shadaloo when your outfit is similar to them?" Drake agreed. "But as much as it is fun to talk about 6, we cannot forget that we are the only hosts here. Barry, Rinky, sorry for the wait!"

The camera then turned to a nodding Rinky. "It's cool. It only makes sense that someone like Ed would warrant… A lengthy reaction."

Barry rolled his eyes. "Anyway, Street Fighter is a node that needs no introduction. It is arguably the face of fighting games AND the face of Capcom."

"It is not arguable when the latter kept making more games instead of other fighting games." Rinky muttered before sighing. "But yeah, it is quite a big franchise, spawning six games, a spinoff trilogy and an EX spinoff created by Arika."

"And unlike other UVR tournaments where the hosts focus on one big node or in the case of Drake, having a set number of characters from each era, this is arguably the most… Generalised Street Fighter we had in a while." Barry pointed out.

"He isn't exaggerating. The only 'theme' in the roster is that all of the characters that are appearing in 6 are here. And the rest of the eight are dependent on Xero!" Rinky grinned. "We of course have the second Megamix Tournament champion, Sakura, UVR veteran, Bison… And F.A.N.G., I guess, fan-favourites, R. Mika, Makoto and C. Viper. We even have Yun and Yang."

"I could see the rest, even F.A.N.G. for better or for worse, but Yun and Yang are the biggest surprises for me." Barry admitted. "Not that they don't have their fans or relevance. Hell, Yun even showed up in Capcom VS SNK 2. Still, not what I would have picked."

"Me neither." Rinky said before shrugging. "But eh. There isn't anything wrong with those picks. Hell, it is a solid line-up even if we lost characters like Sagat and Dan."

"And the characters got their biggest glo-ups yet." Barry nodded before frowning. "Except for one certain person. But we will talk about him. Later. For now, let's go back to Drake and Ashley."

We now return to a frowning Ashley. "Indeed… It is possible to talk about 6's changes in appearances before talking about… HIM."

Drake let out a deep sigh. "...Let's cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, let's focus on Ed's fighting style. While he is not out yet, he will to resort on doing his moveset from his debut game instead."

"Ooh, ooh, can I go solo on this?" Ashley asked. "I want to try something."

Drake blinked twice. "Um, alright."

Ashley stifles a cough before looking at the camera. "Now Ed is a boxer. However, he is not a traditional boxer as 1) he mixes the fighting style with Psycho Power aka the same one Bison uses and 2) he is trained by Balrog aka the king of dirty boxing so he will use some… Untraditional boxing skills."

"And that is the nice way of putting it." Drake chuckled.

"Regardless, despite having Psycho Power, he is still a close-range fighter like a boxer, using it to enhance his punches for power with the Psycho Knuckle or speed with the Psycho Flicker." Ashley added. "Though don't think that he is at an advantage at range because he could use his Psycho Power for a Scorpion Spear to bring opponents to him or bring himself to the opponent for a free combo. However, this could be said for… Every fighter in the roster, managing his spacing and maximising his damage could make or break Ed."

Drake blinked twice, looking in awe. "That's… That's brilliant. It is as if you actually played as him."

"No, I didn't." Ashley answered before smirking. "But I did watch That Blasted Salami's character overviews of Street Fighter V."

"Oh yeah. I heard of it. Kinda weird that he is doing it now when Street Fighter 6 is now out." Drake noted.

"Possibly they wanted to get it out before focusing on the character overviews for 6." Ashley shrugged. "Anyway, I don't know how Ed will do, but I think he is a solid start. Especially with him going to reappear in 6 with a more appealing and fitting outfit."

CRUSH

NODE: SPYRO THE DRAGON

Drake and Ashley's eyes bugged out for various reasons.

"EEEEEEEEEEE!"

Drake winced before holding his ears in pain as Ashley started to squeal.

"Ugh, this must be what YOU felt like when I shout out the louder catchphrases." Drake muttered.

"Sorry, I can't help it! If what Xero is instituting is true, then we should have Spyro boss arenas for most if not all of the section!" Ashley beamed.

Drake chuckled. "Yeah, after seeing all of the arena changes in the third Battle of the Luminaries, I guess that I have been spoiled by rarely seeing normal arenas."

Ashley's smile vanished as he looked exasperated. "Normal? Literally the only thing normal about the arena is the appearance of the ring. And you know that."

"Yeah, but still." Drake shrugged.

"You are lucky that I am too excited to talk about Crush's stage to complain!" Ashley scolded before brightening up. "Barry, Rinky, I don't want you to rush it but I do want to do the fighting ability analysis as soon as possible."

The camera then went to a nodding Barry. "Alrighty then. Spyro is a mascot platformer series, starring the titular purple quadruped dragon. It was started in 1998 when Universal Interactive Studios commissioned Insomniac Games to make a child-oriented game on the original PlayStation."

"They decided that the main character would be a dragon because…" Rinky said before grinning. "Dragons are cool!"

"Indeed, they are. However, dragons are also TOO cool. And if a dragon could fly everywhere, it would be broken." Barry said. "So they made the dragon a teenager who couldn't fly but also glide."

"Not like that would stop him because he could still breath fire and have a head harder than the main characters from Bonk's Adventure." Rinky smirked. "Now Spyro isn't a standard platformer like Mario or even his buddy, Crash Bandicoot but somewhat of like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64. You go around various fantasy-themed worlds while collecting gems and whatever the main collectibles in the games are. While doing various tasks for NPCs and the occasional boss fight."

"The same was a success, spawning a good number of games. Some that expanded on the formula, some that… Differs in more ways than one." Barry frowned. "It even had a spinoff based off the Lord of the Rings called the Legend of Spyro and even appeared in Skylanders."

"...Don't get me wrong, I think Skylanders is underrated. But whose bright idea was to turn Spyro's design into… That?" Rinky asked, sticking out his tongue in disgust.

"It IS rather jarring." Barry frowned. He then brightened up. "But hey, at least the original trilogy has gotten a remaster and even appeared in Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled with its own Grand Prix."

"I do hope that the rumours of a fourth Spyro the Dragon isn't just that: rumours." Rinky said. "Spyro can't keep cameoing in Crash's games forever."

"Also true. But yeah, Spyro has definitely gained his spot in the Tournament of Kikai AND having his node expanded." Barry grinned.

"I guess…" Rinky frowned.

"Hm? What do you mean, Rinky?" Barry asked.

"Look, I love Spyro the Dragon as much as the next guy, but let's face it. The bosses have always been the weakest part of the games." The yellow spirit reminded.

Barry frowned. "Also true… In fact, Gnasty Gnorc was actually one of the most disappointing final bosses in video game history."

"Like I get it, Spyro needs more love so it makes sense to add more characters." Rinky admitted. "But I genuinely think adding the Elder Dragons from the first game in the Reginited Trilogy would get more voters!"

"...You're… Not exaggerating." Barry said, wincing at the… Fanart said dragons got. "Regardless, at the very least, most of them should add some more spice to an already chaotic tournament."

"Also true." Rinky shrugged with a sigh. "Well, I still stand what I said about the Elder Dragons, but at least we see more interesting battles."

The camera then returned to Drake scratching the back of his head. "Now that I think about it. The Reginited versions of the Elder Dragons actually got just as much fanart as the main cast themselves."

"Don't…" Ashley muttered before sighing. "Now, with Crush, by himself, what you see is what you get. A big old brute with an equally-big club. But the new magic is in the boss arena."

"Now with Crush, the arena will have blue and red circles on the game. If a fighter steps on them, they would be protected by a force field, regardless of the colour." Ashley explained. "However, if the fighter jumps up and down while inside of the circle, they would send out a projectile. With blue, they would send out a blue electric wave and red, two or three fireballs."

"Huh. That is pretty neat. First section and already we have a 'theme'." Drake smirked.

"Indeed. While Crush may not be anyone's favourite, I would be hard-pressed to say that he isn't the best Spyro fighter to be the first one." Ashley nodded.

DEAN

NODE: FINAL FIGHT

Ashley blinked twice. "Isn't that just Final Fight 1 Cody with spiky hair?"

"Oi…" Drake scolded.

"Sorry… The Final Fight trilogy never really bothered giving us information about their characters outside of a reason for them to be doing what they are doing." Ashley admitted.

"Also true. You would think that we will know more about Dean because he has the most reason to fight in Final Fight 3." Drake noted.

"H-Huh? Did a loved one get kidnapped?" Ashley asked.

"No, killed." Drake said, solemnly.

"O-Oh, now I feel bad for not remembering him." Ashley frowned.

"To be fair, like I said, Capcom never did anything with him. Even in his debut game, after he avenges his family, he just… Ups and leaves." Drake shrugged. "Even Carlos showed up in Street Fighter 6, albeit as a sidequest, but still!"

Ashley merely sighed. "Let's just go over Final Fight for now. Barry, Rinky."

The camera then went to a grinning Rinky. "Okey-doke! Final Fight is not only a beat-em-up game created by Capcom, but arguably the most iconic of all time."

"The plots are very basic. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the mayor's daughter/Genryusai head and his daughter/the city from a gang?" Barry smirked.

Rinky blinked twice. "...Wait, I didn't know that Zeku got kidnapped?"

Barry's smirk vanished. "Um, no, you see in Final Fight 2… Um, never mind. I don't think that Capcom even remembered he existed, anyway?"

Rinky paused. "Um, okay? But yeah, the gameplay is just as simple. You play as three or four characters and go around the streets beating up thugs and collecting weapons and food from containers. Rinse and repeat while beating down the end-of-level boss."

"Despite its simplicity, like we mentioned, it spawned a trilogy with a couple of remakes for the first game, its own fighting game and even a dark and edgy spin-off called Streetwise." Barry explained.

Barry then paused before looking at Rinky. The latter noticed Barry and looked confused. Suddenly, his eyes widened in realisation.

"O-Oh, that's right!" Rinky gasped. "Um, we don't talk about Streetwise?"

Barry blinked twice. "I'm… Pleasantly surprised. I expected you to pull a Wally."

"Eh?" Rinky shrugged. "I don't WANT to talk about Streetwise, but considering that the main character of that game is in the tournament of all characters."

"Also true." Barry sighed. "Well, it saves us from a headache."

"But yeah, it IS kinda weird that Final Fight is getting its own node when nowadays, I see them more as Street Fighters if that makes sense." Rinky shrugged.

"True. At this point, the only difference to those two games is the genre." Barry nodded. "But at the same time, it is only fair to give Guy his own node."

"But Haohmaru and Geese DIDN'T have their own nodes!" Rinky reminded. "Sure, Geese is arguably a mainstay in KoF nowadays but who knows if this will be Haohmaru's only appearance in said game."

"To be fair, Nakoruru HAVE been in XIV as well as XV. And the ending to the Samurai Shodown team DID show that they chose to stay, taking MIZUKI, of all people with them." Barry reminded. "There is a chance they will be a mainstay just like Psycho Soldier and Ikari Warrior."

"I guess…" Rinky said, scratching the back of his head.

"Also, with Final Fight getting their own node, it makes it easier for Xero to narrow down the remaining roster for Street Fighter." Barry said. "I mean let's face it. Other than Guy, there is no way Xero would leave out the likes of Cody and Poison."

"Also true." Rinky said before shrugging. "Alright, I am convinced. Back to you guys."

The camera then went to a nodding Drake. "I agree. The cuts that Xero made were already harsh enough."

"Now, let me guess, due to being similar to Cody, Dean is the all-rounder of Final Final 3?" Ashley asked.

"Pretty much. Though due to the game having four characters, his strength is a little higher to make him stand out." Drake said. "He also has electromancy?"

"Electromancy?" Ashley asked, blinking twice. "Correct me if I am wrong but isn't Final Fight more… Normal?"

"If by normal, you mean they don't throw out fireballs willy-nilly. Then, yeah, it is 'normal'." Drake muttered. "Yeah, it is never explained how Dean could use his electromancy. Again, all that is known is why he is in the game to begin with."

"...S-So what do you think about him being the first Final Fight representative?" Ashley asked.

"...I mean, it depends if people liked playing Final Fight 3. Other than Lucia showing up in V out of all places, I don't think people talk about it… At all." Drake frowned.

"Well, I wish him the best, regardless." Ashley shrugged.

FRED FREDBURGER

NODE: THE GRIM ADVENTURES OF BILLY AND MANDY

Drake and Ashley merely had blank looks on their faces.

"...On the flip side, he is the perfect person to start off the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy." Drake said before chuckling nervously.

Ashley just groaned before slumping in his chair. "Not wrong… Barry, Rinky, do you mind?"

The camera then went to Barry, chuckling nervously. "It's alright. The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy is a cartoon about the Grim Reaper who loses a bet and is forced into being 'friends' to a… Ditzy boy named Billy and a sociopathic girl named Mandy."

"He isn't exaggerating." Rinky frowned. "I will take on 100 Berthas before I go against one Mandy."

"The show is an odd mixture of Slice-of-Life with supernatural elements with other the trio dealing with mundane things or going on extreme adventures for one reason or another." Barry mused. "And in another scenario, they came across characters that are just as quirky as them."

"The show is known for its dark comedy, slapstick, and eldritch horror themes found in H. P. Lovecraft's novels." Rinky explained. "It was even written by former Cow & Chicken writer, Maxwell Atoms."

"It used to run side-by-side with another cartoon called Evil Con Carne that used to be called Grim & Evil." Barry said. "It also had two Made For TV Movies, a crossover with the Kids Next Door of all cartoons, a spinoff attempt called Underfist and of course, a few games, both Flash and console with a Power Stone-styled fighter which the roster for his tournament is based on."

"...I still can't believe that Orange-Ratchet invited THIS node of all things." Rinky noted. "Sure, it's… Not a bad choice, but I felt like they were better choices."

"Kinda?" Barry shrugged. "But then again, not many Cartoon Network shows have their own fighting games."

"Also true. That is probably why Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl and Shrek Super Slam are in the third Battle of the Luminaires." Rinky admitted. "Back to you guys."

We now return to a nodding Ashley. "Thanks, guys.

"Now we already covered him in the first Tournament of Kikai, but here is a refresher." Drake said. "Fred is a Stone Wall, being able to tank attacks, albeit at the cost of hitting back."

"Yeah, that sounds like him." Ashley said, rolling his eyes.

"He fights like his trunk, belly and a frying pan." Drake said before chuckling nervously. "But knowing him, he would rather have fun than fight."

"And thus some." Ashley muttered.

Then, an alarm went off. Drake and Ashley's eyes lit up at this.

"Woah-oh! You know what time it is!" Drake grinned.

"It is the Mystery Fighter alarm!" Ashley agreed.

"Mystery Fighters are fighters that don't have a spot in the main roster but are still invited to represent their node." Drake explained.

"A Mystery Fighter could be anyone. From Spiderman to Jon Talbain to Aero the Acrobat." Ashley smiled.

"And of course, we cannot forget that people like Bugs, Luna and Penny were Mystery Fighters." Drake grinned. "Don't underestimate them!"

"Indeed. They even inspired Tinyhammer for some of HIS Mystery Fighters choices. So let's see who we have this time around!" Ashley nodded.

BOYD

NODE: THE RUMBLE FISH

Drake and Ashley's smiles vanish before blinking twice and looking at each other.

"BOYD?" Drake and Ashley asked in disbelief.

"Didn't he not only get the bottom slot in the last Tournament of Kikai, but also did so without getting a SINGLE Live Vote?" Ashley asked. "When at that time, he had more than enough votes and then some?"

"Yeah, like, I am not upset or anything but shouldn't he be permabanned based on his poor standing?" Drake added.

Suddenly, Drake's phone started to go off. Raising an eyebrow, he put it to his ear and answered it.

"Hello, Xero?"

"Yes, yes, I know that Boyd arguably did the worst out of all of the Mystery Fighters we invited to the first Tournament of Kikai." Xero admitted. "However, I had to choose an oddball from MY six."

Drake blinked twice. "Your… Six?"

"Yeah, Maurice and I decided on a system where we will choose six Mystery Fighters that already weren't invited to the second tournament." Xero explained.

"That's… Actually a cool system." Drake said in awe. "Especially since you have TONS of Mystery Fighters to choose from, including the Reserve ones."

"Exactly! While some Mystery Fighters turned out better than others, I do not regret inviting a single one of them and felt that they are what made the Tournament of Kikai what it is." Xero offered.

"Um, okay, that is actually great and all, but what does it have to do with Boyd?" Ashley asked.

"Again, I had to choose an oddball and even though he will just be fodder just like in the first tournament, I still think he is underrated." Xero admitted. "Besides, didn't YOU feel the same way about Wade Hixton?"

"Also true." Drake sighed. He then brightened up. "Hey, maybe WE should do the same for the fourth Battle of the Luminaries!"

"I don't see why not?" Xero asked. "You weren't kidding when you said that you would take me off-guard with some of your Mystery Fighter picks. I think the lot you have chosen deserves more than just a few cameos."

Drake paused before smiling. "Yeah, that sounds like fun."

"Also, I think you should give Ashley a lot more leeway in the votes. Maurice gets to have a say, after all." Xero pointed out.

Ashley looked stunned at this. "Um, thanks, Xero."

"Hey, even though you are playing second fiddle to Drake at these things, you are still an important part of the staff." Xero offered. "Besides, considering your intense love for magic, I have no doubt that you will pick some good ones."

Ashley smiled with a blush. "Yeah, thanks…"

"But yeah, that is for the future. I am just going to leave you to focus on the present." Xero said.

"Aight, leave it to us!" Drake grinned before hanging up. "You heard the bunny, boys!"

The camera then went to a grinning Barry. "And focus on the present we shall! The Rumble Fish is a 2D fighting game developed by Dimps and published by Sega Sammy Holdings."

"Not to be confused with Rumble Fish (without a the), the S.E.. Hinton novel or the film directed by Francis Ford Coppola based on it." Rinky said before shrugging. "Like I know there are a lot of name overlaps but RUMBLE FISH? Shouldn't that be an one and only title?"

"In the 21st century, a large natural disaster tore through the Eastern side of an unverified country, destroying its economical and political operations and taking 158,000 lives" Barry explained. "A corporation called PROBE-NEXUS moved its base of operation to the ruined east side and began rebuilding the area."

"On one hand, they did what they said they were going to do. Rebuild the area and turn it into a wealthy and busy city called Zone Prime." Rinky said before frowning. "However, they DID hold an underground tournament called the F.F.S. which means Fight For Survival. Not helping it could also mean For…"

Barry purposefully interrupted Rinky. "As for gameplay, it is your standard 2D fighter except there are TWO metres. An offensive metre and a defensive metre."

"The offensive meter plays out like your standard meter that fills up whenever you attack an opponent, regardless if they are blocking or not. You could use 1-bar supers, an attack that causes a definite knockdown and an unblockable attack that is perfect combos." Rinky explained. "While the defensive is of course, the complete opposite as it fills up by BLOCKING enemy's attacks. With it, you could recover from attacks better, do a parry-like move and of course, do a defensive SUPER that is a great "get-off-me" tool." Catherine added.

"You could also use BOTH to use a Boost Art to put the fight on a red, dynamic screen and give the character a trait that is unique to THEM." Barry explained Also, there are Critical Arts that are basically the Limit Break or in Super Smash Bros terms, a Final Smash."

"It got a second game in the arcades and when the game was ported to consoles, two characters from the second game appeared in the first game as a promotion for the eventual console port of the second game." Rinky said before smirking. "Plus, it has gotten a Retrospective from Thorgi's Arcade so it HAS to be good! Back to you guys!"

The camera then went to a nodding Drake. "Thanks, guys."

"Now we actually did Boyd before so this should be easy." Ashley offered. "Boyd may seem like a kindly old man but he is actually a stone-cold assassin."

"Yeah, he also has a technique where he does a finger gun and if it connects, it automatically stocks up one and keeps stocking up." Drake said. "And if he uses his offensive super, it will be stronger depending on how many finger guns attacks he stocked."

"Plus, his Boost Art has him firing three finger shots instead of just one." Ashley nodded. "He may have his chance lost in the first tournament but maybe this could be his chance for redemption seeing that more people should know him."

KUKRI

NODE: KING OF FIGHTERS XV

Ashley shuddered. "Oh great… All of this and we have to deal with the Final Boss of SNK Heroines. Still can't believe it is canon."

Drake paused. "...Is SNK Heroines canon?"

"Huh?" Ashley asked.

"Aw, come on. Other than Kukri's mannerisms being more… Eccentric, don't you think that SOMEONE would make a reference to it if it was canon." Drake frowned.

"But if that is the case, why did SNK THEMSELVES confirm that it was canon?" Ashley asked.

"If it wasn't that a lot of women AND Terry would be more vocal about it." Drake reminded.

Ashley paused. "...Also true. Then, what in heaven and hell is going on?"

"...Maybe they didn't want Kukri's behaviour bleeding out in the more serious story." Drake suggested.

"Then, they shouldn't have made SNK Heroines canon!" Ashley roared. "Seriously, I do not trust that guy. And considering that he is most likely a fan of Demitri's Midnight Bliss neither should YOU!"

Drake winced. "...Okay, fair point. To you guys."

The camera then went to a blinking Rinky. "...I wonder how I will turn out if I got kidnapped by SNK Heroines Kukri."

"DON'T!" Barry shouted before calming down. "Just don't…"

"Um, alright." Rinky said before reading his tablet. "Just like Street Fighter, King of Fighters is a franchise that needs no explanation if you read UVR tournaments. It is a fighting game that is a celebration of SNK games, which not only include characters from other fighting games, but also shooters and side-scrollers."

"It is a team fighter where you pick three characters. Or four during the NESTS saga and fight each other." Barry added. "And if you beat a fighter, they could get some extra health and another super bar. Simple. But you have to not only think of what character to pick but which POSITION."

"The game has spawned FIFTEEN mainline titles, several spin-offs like dream matches, various non-fighting games like dating sims and mobile RPGs and the Maximum Impact series." Rinky explained.

"Now because XV has not only been out for a while but also spawned so many DLC characters, I think it is safe to say that Xero didn't need to generalise the node." Barry said.

"And why did he need to? The roster is perfect!" Rinky grinned. "Sure, we are missing people like Chang, Duck King and technically Kasumi if it wasn't for one part we will get into later, but what we got is more than enough. The Orochi Team? Chizuru? Shingo? Team Samurai Shodown? The only downside is that we KNOW that we will be missing out on two fighters."

"And I am sure that Xero will kick himself for it. But it can't be helped." Barry shrugged. "Regardless, I think what we got is more than enough. Back to you guys."

The camera then went to a nodding Ashley. "Thank you, guys."

"Now Kukri is a geomancer, through his affinity with earth comes through sand." Drake explained.

"It is a pity that Darth Vader isn't here, Kukri would have shown that he is a huge threat by frustrating him." Ashley said with a smirk.

"Ooh, nice reference!" Drake smirked. "But yeah, he is an aggressive fighter, enhancing his attacks with sand, a mid-range ground wave, teleportation, he could even do his own version of the hurricane kick by doing a handstand on a tiny vortex of sand."

"Oof, if he didn't sound dangerous before." Ashley winced.

"Be glad that he isn't Demitri could Midnight Bliss whoever he wants." Drake warned, solemnly.

NUMBUH ONE

NODE: CARTOON NETWORK: PUNCH-TIME EXPLOSION/CODENAME: KIDS NEXT DOOR

Drake and Ashley once again found themselves blinking twice. This time, for different reasons.

"Um, I don't want to be with Fred Fredburger for that long either, but I don't think I would be running in fear from him." Ashley admitted.

"To be fair, you would be scared of him too if your mental torturer was in the same area as you."

Drake and Ashley's eyes widened before looking off-screen. The camera then went to Barry and Rinky with frowns on their faces.

"Um, what?" Drake asked.

"Remember that Billy & Mandy and Kids Next Door crossover we talked about?" Rinky asked. "Long story short, Mandy captured Numbuh One and interrogated him. …With Fred Fredburger."

"Yeah, that seems about right." Ashley muttered from off-screen.

"But yeah, it is more or less segways into Numbuh One's node, but first things first." Rinky started. "Cartoon Network: Punch-Time Explosion is ANOTHER platform fighter. This time, obviously with Cartoon Network characters."

"While it doesn't actually have much to stand out on its own, it DOES have a lot of fan-service in not only the characters, but also the assists and stages." Barry pointed out. "It even has its own Subspace Emissary! Basically, the narrator's remote has gone evil and merged the Cartoon Network worlds together. …Yeah, you can't make this one up."

"...I admit that we can't really say much because we already talked about other platform fighters thus far." Rinky frowned. "Super Smash Brothers, Multiversus, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Maybe it is because Tinyhammer actually has more experience than Cartoon Network: Punch-Time Explosion despite the latter showing up before Multiversus and Nickelodeon All-Star."

"It IS still the first cartoon crossover platform fighter, something that Nickelodeon and Warner Brothers didn't try a long time ago." Barry mused.

"Do you think they will make a Disney platform fighter?" Rinky asked.

"I don't see why not. Remember, after Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 came out, Disney Speedstorm was announced a while later." Barry noted. "And with Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl AND a potential sequel leaked."

"True… In hindsight, I don't see why Disney didn't throw THEIR hat into the ring either." Rinky agreed. "But yeah, onto Cartoon Network: Punch-Time Explosion, they actually lost the Tournament of Kikai veterans with the Powerpuff Girls and Billy & Mandy getting their own node."

"And on the flipside, they gained five NEW fighters from the updated XL game." Barry pointed out.

"Still, in case you forget, Bubbles literally carried her node." Rinky reminded.

"On the other hand, now that there is more emphasis on cartoons, maybe CARTOON Network will do a little better." Barry offered. He then smirked. "But until then, don't you have an air guitar solo and song to do?"

Rinky returned the smirk.

"Five… Four… Three… Two… One!" Rinky countered. "Kids Next Door! Kids Next Door!"

Rinky shouted before doing an air guitar.

"Codename: Kids Next Door is about an organisation of kids that protects other kids from the tyranny of teenagers and adults." Barry explained.

"It is based on actually a MILLION kids, but the ones we are focusing on is Sector V." Rinky said. "Numbuh One, Nigel Uno, the paranoid, no-nonsense leader, Numbuh Two, Hogan Gilligan, the pun-loving, inventor genius, Numbuh Three, Kuki Sanban, the sunny and energetic heart, Numbuh Four, Wally Beatles, the Book Dumb and boisterous fighter and Numbuh Five, Abby Lincoln, the cool, sweet-loving Sane Girl."

"Basically, every fear that a child has is giving human form. Bossy CEOs, crazy old ladies who force-feed people disgusting food and a vampire that spank kids when they are bad."

"...What fear does the Toiletnator represent?" Rinky asked.

"I don't know… Bathroom duty?" Barry shrugged. "Despite the comical set-up, things definitely get heavy later on. And not just by the villains but the kids's inner turmoil."

"Remember when their very first episode was about entering the pool during adult time?" Rinky asked. "Compare that to the Grand Finale."

"Indeed, they had quite mature stories for a show about kids hating adults with comical weapons." Barry agreed. "But yeah, the show had its own movie as well as two licensed games, Operation V.I.D.E.O.G.A.M.E. for consoles and Operation S.O.D.A. for the Game Boy Advance."

"It even got a sequel called Galactic: Kids Next Door. But it never saw the light of name." Rinky frowned. He then brightened up. "At least it will still live on in our hearts!"

The camera then went to a nodding Drake. "Indeed, it will."

"Now Numbuh One uses various 2x4 technology." Ashley explained. "Such examples are the G.U.M.B.O.O.K.A., a standard KND gun, the S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R., a standard KND CLOSE-RANGE weapon. The J.E.T.A.B.O.O.T.S., jet-powered boots and the S.P.I.C.E.R., another KND gun, but leaves a real burning effect."

"...I kinda feel bad for Nigel. When he finally thinks 'Hmm… Maybe I SHOULDN'T go after every adult and teenager I see', he runs into Fred Fredburger." Drake winced.

"You don't think that this will affect his chances, do you?" Ashley frowned.

"I hope not. While Kids Next Door may be polarising, it is still a cult classic." Drake said. "Plus, it is not fair that Disney and Nickelodeon get to have all of the love. Granted, Xero spread the net wide for them by having the Powerpuff Girls and Billy & Mandy as separate nodes but still."

BERRY SHIRAYUKI

NODE: TOKYO MEW MEW

Drake raised an eyebrow. "Bold choice making BERRY the first Tokyo Mew Mew rep for this tournament."

"To be fair, she actually got a large number of votes in her last tournament." Ashley piped up, scratching the side of his head. "At least in comparison to the Saint Blue Crusaders."

"True… I definitely remember that the only ones that didn't get an elimination are her, Masaya, the aforementioned Saint Blue Crusaders and Pai." Drake admitted. "And that's only because Pai has the poor luck of having an early draw!"

"Well, we'll see where it takes the Mew Mews this time around." Ashley said. "Barry, Rinky, your turn."

The camera then went to a nodding Rinky. "Aight. Tokyo Mew Mew is a manga turned anime based on the Magical Girl genre like Sailor Moon and Precure."

"Just like most magical girl shows, it features young girl dressing in cutesy outfits while fighting villains and balancing their everyday life." Barry said. "What makes Tokyo Mew Mew have its own identity is that the heroes AND villains are named after food."

"Also, the girls have the 'Little Bit Beastly' trope with a DNA of an endangered animal." Rinky said before pausing. "Except for Zakuro who is merged with the Grey Wolf who is basically the Sailor Pluto of the Mew Mews."

Barry chuckled nervously. "Like every anime, it started as a manga. And it spawned a sequel manga called Koi A La Mode. Not to be confused with the ending song."

"And BOY, did they drop the ball on it!" Rinky said, rolling his eyes. "I still can't get over how this one new girl became the leader, the strongest of the Mew Mews AND having TWO animals merged with her?"

Barry chuckled nervously. "At least they learned their lesson and gave the main character back to Ichigo in Re-Turn. It also has a Playstation RPG game with social link elements. It also brought in a new Mew Mew, fortunately that isn't as… Overpowering."

"And we can't forget that it got a reboot called Tokyo Mew Mew New!" Rinky grinned. "Yeah, with said reboot, I think it will be easy for the node to do well this time. Even though they already did pretty well."

"I know right?" Barry asked. "It seems we underestimated how popular Tokyo Mew Mew was. Then again, most of the voters were probably friends of Orange-Ratchet who learned the same interests as him. Back to you guys!"

The camera then went to a nodding Drake. "Thanks, guys!"

"Well, we better read out what the animals that the Mew Mews are merged with one time before Catherine spam us with angry calls." Ashley muttered before returning his tablet. "As Rinky said, Berry has the DNA of the Andes Mountain Cat and the Amami Black Rabbit."

"...Again, is it really necessary to give her the DNA of TWO animals?" Drake asked. "Just the Rabbit is enough!"

"Also true but considering that the animals are endangered, that means one less animal to worry about." Ashley frowned.

"I guess…" Drake muttered.

"Also, Berry's weapon is the Loveberry Rod and she fights with light magic." Ashley explained.

"I have to ask. Is it a holy light or not?" Drake asked.

"Umm… Does Fairy-type light count as holy?" Ashley answered.

Drake rolled his eyes. "Sure, why not?"

"Semi-spoilers, but I actually noticed that a few people are actually voting for her." Ashley noted.

"Ah, well, even though I don't know if she will get an elimination or not, at least she could have solace that she isn't completely hated as she fears." Drake smiled.

SULLEY

NODE: KINGDOM HEARTS/MONSTERS INC.

"After seeing Mike and Sulley enter the arena, it is a shame that they aren't in the same section just like last time." Drake frowned.

"It can't be helped. Orange-Ratchet said to himself that it was dumb luck that they were in the same section." Ashley shrugged. "I guess it can't run forever."

"Also true." Drake sighed. "Yo, Barry, Rinky, your turn!"

The camera then went to a nodding Barry. "Kingdom Hearts is a series of Action JRPGs, crossovering Square-Enix AND Disney and created by Tetsuya Nomura."

"He's the belt and zipper guy, by the way." Rinky piped up. "If you know, you know. But yeah, Square and Disney, that sounds like a fever dream! Well, considering how many games it spawned since then, it is more than just a fever dream."

"The story starts simple enough. Sora and his best friends, Riku and Kairi, were about to depart on a raft to see different worlds." Barry paused. "...They really tried to run away from home."

"Then again, they DO get their own island that they could ride to on their own." Rinky shrugged. "However, their world has been taken by a bunch of heartless monsters called… The Heartless."

"On the flip side, King Mickey… Yes, THAT Mickey Mouse has gone missing and left behind a letter asking court mage, Donald Duck and captain of the royal guard, Goofy, to go find the key." Rinky said before pausing. "Okay, Mickey as a powerful warrior king and Goofy fighting like Captain America, I could get. But Donald as a MAGE?"

"To be fair, Donald was supposed to be the PROTAGONIST." Barry reminded.

Rinky jumped. "No lie?"

"No lie. Donald being the mage is probably an afterthought." Barry shrugged.

Rinky paused. "...Is it wrong that I would want that instead of Sora?"

"Probably not. But eh." Barry shrugged. "Speaking of Sora, HE'S the one who has the key. The Keyblade actually. Despite being a key-shaped blade, it is actually not a blade but a blunt weapon that pierces through Heartless."

"And Nobodies and the Unversed and whatever monsters they will throw at Sora in 4." Rinky muttered, counting his eyes.

"Teaming up with Donald and Goofy, they will go from Disney world to Disney world to find their respective friends and save the Disney and Square multiverse!" Barry grinned.

"Until it just became the Kingdom Hearts multiverse. Seriously, the Square and Disney stuff take a backseat to every game!" Rinky groaned. "I've seen more original characters be prominent than Final Fantasy characters in a single game."

Barry frowned. "Also true. The series has spawned so many games, along with a lot of spin-offs. That all manages to be canon."

"Including the rhythm game." Rinky piped up. "Yeah, you heard right…"

"Kingdom Hearts also holds the status for having its protagonist, Sora, appearing in Super Smash Bros Ultimate, as the final fighter." Barry said. "Being the ultimate end."

"Yeah, that is pretty cool." Rinky nodded.

"Now onto Monsters Inc." Barry offered.

"I wouldn't have nothin if I didn't have you!" Rinky sang.

"Monsters, Inc. is the fourth animated film made by Pixar! It is about a city full of 'monsters that lived under your bed' called Monstropolis!" Barry explained. "While most of the monsters are friendly, they literally have to survive by using the screams of children to power up their city."

"That's… Still kinda morbid when you think about it." Rinky frowned. "But to be fair, the monsters are actually just as afraid of humans as they are of them. You see, they think that humans are poisonous."

"The main character Sulley, and his partner, Mike Wazowzki, are the top scarer team at the Scare Factory. A factory that produces scares." Barry explained. "The duo was about to break the record for the top scarer. But then Boo came into the human world and turned their whole world upside-down."

"The movie was praised for its lovable characters, wicked designs and heartwarming moments." Rinky added. "It also had a prequel movie, a sequel comic and a sequel cartoon, along with showing up in Kingdom Hearts III despite being a Pixar film!"

"Between Kingdom Hearts and Disney Animation Television All-Stars, I think they are going to dominate the tournament." Barry mused.

"Um, duh. They have been carrying a lot of the Kingdom Hearts cast!" Rinky pointed. "Now with Penny bringing HER side of Disney into the mix, question is, who will come out on top? The movies or the cartoons?"

"Good question. We will just have to see and find out." Barry said. "Back to you guys."

The camera then went back to a nodding Ashley. "Thanks, guys."

"What you see from Sulley is what you get. Sharp claws, brute strength, a mighty roar." Drake pointed out. "Oh, and he has dodgeballs for zoning."

"...I am still in awe that there is a Monsters Inc. DODGEBALL game." Ashley muttered.

"Eh, I saw weirder things." Drake shrugged. "What IS weird though having a Pixar character be the first one of a DISNEY game."

"To be fair, Patti already more or less has Disney covered." Ashley offered. He then put a hand on his chin. "I think…"

"Still you can't go wrong with Big Blue With Purple Spots." Drake smirked.

JACK TURNER

NODE: ART OF FIGHTING

Ashley blinked twice. "...So SNK had a Birdie long before Birdie became Birdie?"

"Oi, at least Jack doesn't think about food all of the time." Drake scolded. He then paused. "He just prefers smacking gum."

"Oh, sure, THAT won't get you killed." Ashley muttered, rolling his eyes.

Drake blinked twice. "...Out of all things to come out of this conversation, a Chicago reference is not one of them. Anyway, last one before the second break, guys!"

The camera then went to a grinning Rinky. "Great! Art of Fighting is another one of SNK's fighting games, also known as Ryuko no Ken in Japanese which means "Fist of the Dragon and the Tiger Fist" due to the protagonists, Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia being based on the respective animals."

"The story is like this. Yuri, Ryo's sister and Robert's girlfriend, have been kidnapped by a crime lord named Mr. Big and they have to go get it back by beating down anyone who has information." Barry explained. "Anddddd that's it."

"Some may call it 'Diet Street Fighter' or even 'Diet Fatal Fury' and while that is not inaccurate, there are somethings that they did that other games haven't." Rinky said. "Like a gauge where special moves get weaker, the more that they are used. Or taunting!"

"The game also spawned a trilogy, an anime and inadvertently created Dan Hibiki!" Barry smiled. "That was nice of them."

"Yeah, AFTER SNK copied Ken Masters!" Rinky frowned. "Seriously, a blond shotoclone in a reddish karate gi? Sure, you can only do so much with a karate gi, but still."

Barry's smile vanished. "...And you know what the worst part is?"

"No, what?" Rinky asked.

"Considering that a running gag of the Art of Fighting team is that they are down on their luck with money, the comparisons between Ryo and Ken are even more prominent than ever." Barry frowned.

Rinky winced. "Ohhhh…"

"But yeah, even though the only reason Xero invited Art of Fighting is because of Kasumi, I don't think it is fair that Fatal Fury gets to have all of the fun." Barry noted. "After all, there are only eight characters in the KoF mainline games."

Rinky raised a non-existent eyebrow. "That doesn't seem to be bad."

"...Compared to Fatal Fury's EIGHTEEN?" Barry shot back, narrowing his eyes.

Rinky again winced. "I-It can't be helped though right. There are more Fatal Fury characters than Art of Fighting ones. Even though it is alright to prefer Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting doesn't deserve to be pushed to the wayside."

The camera then went to a nodding Drake. "Well said, Barry."

"I don't know…" Ashley frowned. "Even though Art of Fighting deserves love, I don't think the stereotypical biker thug is going to be the one to gain it."

"Yeah, Jack is definitely lacking in finesse." Drake admitted. "But what he lacks, he makes up for brute strength. He once subdued a rampaging circus bear when he was THIRTEEN!"

Ashley jumped. "Wait… What!?"

"Yeah, he was also the one who strong-armed King into joining Mr. Big." Drake reminded.

"Wait, as in the kickboxer, King?" Ashley asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, sure, he is not the most memorable person of Art of Fighting, but sometimes you don't need finesse." Drake offered. "Just one hell of a dropkick. No, really, do you see that thing in the games? You might as well kiss your health bar goodbye!"

"Um, okay, I will keep an eye on him." Ashley said. "For now, I think we should take our second break."

"Yes, let's." Drake said before looking to the side. "But don't worry, we will be back with the final ten fighters so don't go away!"

LINK TO SECTION: archiveofourown / works / 47547247 / chapters / 119833402