some things you must recall from previous chapters.

* Chiz wrote a 'contract' with Mary that says "me and my ppl won't touch ur ppl"

* Mary wrote a 'contract' with Chiz saying "I won't tell anyone"

* Chiz made Mary drip a good amount of blood onto the mirror, then stowed the blood into a vial and put it away.

* Chiz was in full control of Mary's psyche during the contract 'testing'

* For chiz, Energy manipulation is canon. Mind control and possesion is canon. Sealing powers away and sealing Orochi (into another dimension) is canon.

*Nano has gone full Chiz-style evil and needs you to comment and suscribe.

It was getting late.

The sunset was disappearing and the SouthTown's streetlamps were flickering on. Mary was sitting in her patrol car, chewing gum and watching the crowd. She was in a seedier part of her jurisdiction. The place was bursting with bars and merry drunks who staggered around on the streets and sang badly. Anton, her beloved bloodhound, sat in the passenger's seat with his head stuck out the window.

Usually Mary didn't bring him to work, but ever since she came back from Iceland she felt safer with him. After all, she couldn't bring Terry everywhere. He had a life of his own and Mary didn't want to be clingy.

It had been two weeks since she came back from Iceland. She had every intention to escape from the hospital, but Heidern stopped her downstairs and subjected her to questioning. She was forced to smile and lie through her teeth. If she didn't - if she revealed Chizuru's ghastly secret - then her life was forfeit.

At least… she can't hurt me. She wrote a contract on herself too! Her head will explode if she sends anyone after me… She'll never do it. You're safe Mary… just relax.

Well. That's what Mary told herself. She had recited it over and over again, but the fear remained stubbornly lodged in her brain. Every time she saw a flash of red, she was overcome with terror. She had caused a scene a couple of days ago when she nearly shot somebody waving a red handkerchief in the subway station.

Yagami… Chizuru's sword. What rotten luck. Why does he need to live in my city! Damn, why is the district transfer taking so long!

She was behaving differently. It was obvious to those around her. Terry had known something was wrong the moment she came back. She immediately begged him to move to another city with her, but he insisted she was acting strangely. He had pestered her, saying "Mary, tell me what's wrong! You can trust me. I'll never hurt you."

Of course Terry wouldn't hurt her. He was good and kind and gentle, but the memory of Chizuru's vein bursting was stuck in her mind on replay. That was how the 'contract' worked. The moment the intention materialized in her mind, the seal broke and the energy was released. That was how Chizuru bound people. That was the mirror's terrifying power. If she told Terry about the strange happenings in Iceland, she'd die of a brain hemorrhage two thousand miles away from her murderer.

The condition… remember it…

The contract was a curse unto her. It caused her to rein in her thoughts and her speech. What a chore it was! If somebody demanded "Don't think about this." How could one possibly adhere? The condition: "Have no intention to reveal anything about Chizuru Kagura" spun constantly in her brain. There were times where she was sure she had triggered it. She had rushed herself to the hospital three times this week. The emergency room staff thought she was crazy.

Maybe I am going crazy...

Previously, she was always upbeat and talkative. But through fear she became terse. She spoke less, she socialized less. She rarely held long conversations with anybody for fear her mind would wander and she'd trigger the bomb in her head. Terry wanted to know why, but she couldn't tell him. She knew it hurt him, but how could she explain! What could she do! Agh…

The only solace she dared take was Chizuru was bound under similar contract. She had promised that "Chizuru Kagura and all affiliates therof will make no attempt to harm: Mary Ryan, Terry Bogard, Rock Howard, Anton, Mai Shiranui, Cecile Levasseur etc..."

Mary sighed and watched a fat, red-faced man stumble over the curb in front of her car. Anton barked at him. When the drunkard scrambled to his feet and scurried away, the dog turned to her and panted, as if seeking approval for a job well done. Mary smiled tiredly and scratched the dog behind the ears.

She can't hurt you… she can't hurt you… ugh.

"Anton, you'll protect me, Right?"

Anton howled and nudged his nose against Mary's hand. She ruffled his ears and crooned at him. Ah, what a chore… but the contract protected her. If Chizuru had no way to guarantee Mary would keep her terrible secret, she would've sent Iori after her with kill orders.

It's been two weeks already. She's not going to kill you. She can't, don't be scared… why would she wait two weeks? There's no reason.

The headlights of a car illuminated the rear view mirror. Mary instinctively turned to check who dared park behind a police car - it was a couple. A man and a woman. Innocent enough. Nice Mustang though.

She recognized something about the woman's shadow, but ignored it. She had been on constant high alert all day, and really needed to rest her nerves. She scratched Anton's head and grinned at him.

"That's her."

The red-haired man shifted the car into park with a clack. He stared forward listlessly. A cigarette hung from between his lips. He'd been like this ever since Madame Kagura told him to dispose of the imposter. Mary initially feared he'd refuse outright, but he succumbed after a bit of coaxing.

Well, Mary appreciated the silence. She needed as much time as possible to review her memories and make them her own again. The amnesia had hit her hard. Getting attacked by a shapeshifting NESTS experiment was no joke. It has copied her cell-for-cell, neuron-for-neuron. It stole all her memories, and she woke up on a medical exam table with no recollection of anything.

If Chizuru hadn't found and helped her, where would she be now? She'd probably wander the frosty plains of Iceland like a child. She had spent an entire week reading her own life experiences on her Benefactor's mirror. Somehow Chizuru seemed to know all about the inner workings of her mind. Well, it did feel a little invasive, but Mary was in no position to complain. She owed the businesswoman her life.

A miracle woman...

What a strange set of circumstances that led to this! Who would believe she'd been cloned and replaced! Nobody would. It was an unbelievable, bizzare premise. If she ever wanted to live normally, this operation had to be done undercover. Even though she was the real one, Mary was at a disadvantage. The copy had already perfectly assimilated her memories. She hadn't. For all intents and purposes, she was pretending to be herself. She was playing a role. Putting on an act. An that act had already started with the man who sat beside her.

"Alright. I'll take it out. Stay in the car. Don't want it to turn into Godzilla or some shit... If it does, call the fire department and get the hell out."

Iori Yagami motioned to the keys in the ignition, then with a huff opened the door and stepped out onto the street. Mary crawled over the central console to sit in the driver's position.

She watched as he approached the patrol car. How incredibly lucky. Chizuru Kagura just happened to be friends with an incredible assassin. He could kill with a line of sight - and all that was left was the smell of smoke and white ash. It was terrifying. Hard to believe he was just a man.

More like a monster... hah. I'm glad he's on my side... no, I'm glad Chizuru's on my side.

Mary shut here eyes and released a long breath. Soon she'd be back to her old life. Her old friends. Her old dog. She wanted to see...

Hm. What was his name again?

Ah, yes.

Terry Bogard.

Hahaha. whoops. When you act weird for two weeks straight in front of your family and friends, whilst refusing to give them an explanation.

You get fired and replaced.

fired

*EX Blue Mary exists lol,(see wiki. im srs. canon yeet.) but I took some liberty and made her similar to the original instead of a nasty sadist.