Alright, time to hit the road and go to our very last (that we know of!) location… Houston!





Only a mere 15 hours from Denver! Practically next door!





: Hmm.


: This is what Houston is like…



Hey, check it out. This is the first time in awhile we've visited an American city that actually looks like… you know, a city, and not the Wild West.

Let’s see if there's someone around to Talk to.





: Is there something I can help you with?


: From the looks of it, he looks Japanese.


: It's great that Japanese people are rich.


: If you come to America, you have to gamble.



Geez. Does this guy ever shut up?


: Have you been to the casino yet?


: But Miami is also accessible from here. Las Vegas is also far away.



Wait… Miami?? There was no gambling in Miami. I think I'd remember that…


: What? You don't have one in Miami?


: That's it, just take a good look around. It's a members-only club, so they probably won't let you in.



Interesting. A secret gambling club in Miami? We’ll have to check that out.


: Is that me? My name is Macky.


: You haven't heard anything about that? I'm a member.


: I'm obsessed with gambling.


: My wife is amazed.



I'll bet she is. Cornerstone of good relationships is when one of the parties is obsessed with gambling.


: By the way, I'm newly married. Didn't you hear that?



No, I can't say we did, on account of us literally just meeting you.

...Soon to be divorced too, I bet.


: I'm having a baby soon.



Our commiserations. Are you taking bets on what the gender will be or something?


: Since you're newlyweds, it's obvious that you'll be the first one.



Oh, Hiro is not a newlywed, no… in fact, I don't think he's even sure if he's really in a relationship. I mean, after all, the last time he spoke to his girlfriend was when he left her brother alone in a foreign airport, several months ago.


: I was wondering what name to choose.



For the baby?

How about ‘Hiro’ - it's got a nice ring to it….


: What's my name? I told you before, it's Macky.



Uh… We didn’t ask, but thanks… Macky…


: Macky, make a note of it somewhere. Bye then.



: What on earth was that?



You're telling me Hiro. That was really odd. I suspect this guy is going to come back someday… maybe in Miami?


Anyway, let's see what Houston has to offer. Let's see if there's a Shop.





: Ah, a shop!


: I guess they even have it in places like this in America.



Wow, they even have shops in America. This country has everything!





Welcome.


Alright, it's another car store that's pumping out the rockabilly tunes. The shopkeeper here is definitely dual purposing as a mechanic. She's half out of her overalls and wielding a wrench.

Unfortunately looking through her available cars and parts, there's nothing new we haven't seen before.

No new cars or parts here in Houston it seems. Oh well. Maybe we can find a Part time Job.





: I hope I can find a part-time job somewhere, but more importantly, I'm hungry…


: Should I go to MC Donald over there?



Woah. This game has a McDonalds?








: Welcome



Hrm. More like a McDowells.


: Well, a hamburger and a coke.



No fries Hiro? They’re the best part!


: Yes, I understand.



: Don't they recommend potatoes in America?






Wait… is that…

…Charlie!?


: Hey! No one guessed it! What the heck!


: Surprised: Huh? Charlie?


: You're a young sushi chef!



Uh… well I don't think we are much in the way of a chef… All we did was watch you eat food and take your money.

How did he get from San Francisco to Houston so quickly?


: Why are you here?


: Of course I'm here to eat hamburgers. I'm the ultimate gourmet who travels around America eating


: (Maybe he just has a lot of free time)


: Hmm? Did you say something?


: No, nothing.



Now, now Hiro. This is almost what happened to you in the last games' alternate ending where you decided to give up being the Zero4 Champ and instead travel around Japan eating to become Food Champ.

By the looks of things, Charlie is well on his way to begin the US Food Champ.


: Hey, do you know that person?


: If so, I want you to do something about it.


: You're so annoying, you want me to guess what you ate.


: (Are they doing it again...? That's right! Here's one...)



It seems he's pulling the same schtick here where he's asking people to guess how much he eats?


: Actually, I chase away troublesome customers like him.


: He's working. His name is Charlie Kaneko.That being said, he's a special A-rank dangerous person.



Ooh, I see where this is going Hiro. Convince this burger flipper that he needs to pay for our excellent services to tame this dangerous beast. [


: He came to the store he had his eye on every day.


: He plans to continue going there until the store goes out of business.


: He's a scary guy.



I heard he went to a restaurant and ate everything in the restaurant and they had to close the restaurant.


: What's going on? That's troubling. Help me!


: That's fine, that's our business.


: However, the fees are a little higher.


: I'll pay you, so please.


: Okay, then $300 a day. I'll have a hamburger.


: Is that okay?


: Well then, please start ordering today.


: I got it


: Charlie, I'll take care of you.


: The usual rules are fine.


: Oh, okay, instead of breaking it up, I'll leave a straw.
If you get three green straws, you win.


: If you don't get it right within five tries,


: I'll buy you a meal. Nice one.


: Now, guess!






Huh, this look like the previous sushi minigame, but we’ve got more… American style cuisine.





Thanks to the help from Goons last time I think I get this now. These two green straws meant that we have at least two food items in the right position, and one food item is incorrect. There are no red straws, but if there were, it would mean there is a correct item in the wrong position.

I guessed he ate Burgers, then Fries, then finished it off with a coffee. Two of those were correct.

I then deduced that our dear Charlie probably would have the unhealthiest option, so I replaced the coffee with a thickshake, and drew three green straws.





: Yes, I won!


: I won twice, so it's a $3,000 tip. Take it.


: Thank you very much!



Although Charlie seems to annoy everyone around him, I very much like Charlie.

He thinks he’s winning by giving us all his money, which is a good trait to have in a friend.


: Look away a bit.


: Munch, munch, good, good.


: Let's try again.


: If you don't get it right within five tries,


: You'll have to buy me a meal. Go ahead and guess!






This next time around it took me a bit longer.





: Yes, I won! I won in four tries, so I got a $500 tip. Take it.



Well, not as much cash as getting it right on the first or second try, but it’s not bad.


: Thank you very much!


: Look away a bit.Munch munch, good, good.


: Let's do it again.



Okay. Once last time…


: If you don't get it right within five tries,


: I'll buy you a meal. Nice one.


: Go ahead and guess!



Interestingly Charlie's translation seems to alternate between us buying him a meal when he loses, and him buying us a meal when we win. But I think regardless, if we lose, his meal comes out of our wages.





: Haha I missed it. As promised, the portion I ate earlier… I'll treat you


: Damn, there's no other way!



There seems to be a limit to the time that Charlie can do it per day.


: I'm already full.


: I'll let you go home today.


: Hello everyone.



: Thank you, Hiro-chan.


: That's $270 from my part-time job.


: thank you



Regardless of what happens with Charlie, we still get a payment from the McDonald's manager, minus whatever he ate if we lost the bet.