Fatal Fury Fan Fiction ❯ Fatal Fury - The Vengeful Spirits ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 21 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

 

All characters are the property of SNK/Playmore. I don't own them, the video games or the anime.

As Mai continued to run her mouth, Mary leaned over and whispered into Terry's ear: “If I ever get to be like her, you have my permission to shoot me.”

Terry tried to hold back his laughter, and found that to be impossible. This is gonna be a long ride, he thought to himself.

Epilogue: One Year Later...

 

Mino, Japan – The Shiranui Dojo – August 1996

Mai Shiranui gave a sigh of contentment as she sat at the top of the long stone staircase outside the dojo, admiring the beautiful late summer morning. The flowers were in bloom, birds were singing, and incredibly the air was less humid today than it had been lately.

The auburn-haired ninja girl leaned back slightly and shut her eyes, reveling in the feel of the warm sun on her face, the soft breeze caressing her skin. All too easily, she found her thoughts drifting back over the past year.

The day she and Andy had returned to Japan, Andy had moved his things into Mai's room, and started sharing her bed at nights. Shortly after that, he had resumed his old schedule of spending three days a week at the Yamada dojo. When Andy wasn't over there, he and Mai would practice together, but when he was, Mai had been surprising him with homemade bento boxes more often than she used to. Sometimes she would spend the night there, and practice with Andy the next morning, though the two of them had agreed that they would abstain from sex whenever they were under Master Jubei's roof. They had a tendency to get loud, since Mai was a screamer, and neither one of them relished the idea of being the punch line in one of their judo master's sick jokes the morning after.

Mai's dojo was a different story, however. It hadn't taken her and Andy long to christen every room in it, as well as several places around the grounds, and a few of the more scenic spots in the woods behind the dojo. Well, almost every room, Mai thought. The Master Bedroom door had remained shut.

Life went on. They lived, they trained. When winter came, they kept each other warm at night. Mai continued to familiarize herself with the ins and outs of running the dojo. Andy somehow managed to balance his rigorous training schedule and spending time with Mai. Not to mention that he had also started doing odd jobs around Mino, despite the fact that the dojo was financially stable. He claimed it was because he wanted to pay his own way for certain things, but Mai suspected that the real reason was because she and Andy were no longer trying to hide the fact that they were dating from Mai's family, so Andy had wanted to dispel any accusations that he was only in love with Mai because she was Hanzo Shiranui's heiress.

Despite all the work Andy was doing, though, he still made time for Mai on a regular basis, so she had no complaints. Then, four and a half months ago, Andy had announced his desire to take a training journey.

In his defense, he had done a pretty good job buttering Mai up before he breached the subject. After they were done with their morning practice, he had let her drag him into Mino to go clothes shopping (his least favorite thing). That evening, he'd taken her to dinner at her favorite restaurant, and after they were back at the dojo, Mai had lain on the couch in the reading room while Andy massaged her feet (one of the things he had picked up on in the last year was that Mai had a weakness for foot massages), which had put her in the mood for other types of physical contact.

After they had finished making love, Andy had rationally explained that he felt he had reached an impasse in his training, and wanted to learn something new. He promised that even if he couldn't call, he would find some way to stay in touch. "I love you, Mai," he had told her. "So you know I'll be back." Mai, after mulling it over the next day, had said yes, but her only condition had been that Andy be back before September 1st, when the dojo would once again be opening its doors to students. She would need his help with the final preparations for that. So it was agreed.

After Andy had been gone for a month, Mai felt that it was finally time to move her things into the Master Bedroom. She had put Hanzo's futon in a storeroom in case it was ever needed as a guest bed, while the rest of his furniture was relocated to other rooms in the dojo. When Mai was moving his writing desk, she had found a sealed envelope in the desk's drawer, addressed to her, in Hanzo's handwriting. Inside the envelope was a diagram of the dojo's courtyard, along with a letter that was also in her grandfather's handwriting. The date on top indicated that he had written it about a month before he had passed. Mai had set the diagram aside, then sat down on her futon with the letter and started to read:

 

My dear granddaughter:

If you are reading this, it means you have assumed proper ownership of the dojo. I hope you did not wait too long. As I told you when you returned from America, I have lived my life. I hope you are living yours, and living it well. But now that you are truly this dojo's new master, it is time for you to finally receive my legacy.

I have attached instructions to this letter on where to find something I have kept hidden for you in the dojo's courtyard. If you pry up the stone I have indicated in the diagram, you will find a collection of scrolls. After the spirits of your parents and grandmother were called home, these scrolls became the second most precious treasure in my life.

Their writings contain both a history of the Shiranui clan, as well as training guides for our clan's most advanced Ninjitsu and Koppou-Ken techniques, many of which can never be shared with outsiders. They were written almost four centuries ago by your ancestors, and have been handed down through the years to each new master by the old. It is my great honor to now entrust them to you, master of the Shiranui dojo. The teachings contained in those scrolls are your birthright, Mai-chan. Keep them safe, as someday you will have a duty to pass them down to your children, and they to their children.

Enclosed with the scrolls, you will find a detailed list. This list will tell you which techniques may be taught to students, and which ones must stay strictly within the clan. And also with my deshi, of course. Time and again he has proven himself a worthy warrior, who exceeded my expectations with his devotion to the arts. He has also become like a son to me, and he has captured your heart. None of these feats were easy, especially for an American. He has certainly earned the right to study our clan's most guarded secrets along with you.

I regret that I was not well enough physically in my few remaining years to give you at least some preparation for what you will learn from these writings, but I am confident that if you and Andy work together, you will master the techniques in time. The two of you were always a formidable team, in more ways than one.

Mai-chan, I know how deeply you love him. And I have known for some time now that you desire to marry him. When he finally figures out what I suspect is in his heart, the two of you have my permission to marry, and my blessing. He is strong, devoted, caring, and though it may not be easy to get into his heart, I sense that when he does let you in, there is nothing he won't do for you. He is worthy of your hand, and I know he will make you a good husband, despite his own doubts on the matter.

It is the responsibility of elders to teach the young. This I have done to the best of my ability, but I have found that there are many things the young can teach their elders. Mai-chan, I have trained you since before you could lift a fan, I have watched your progress through the years, but there is one skill you taught yourself: how to listen to and follow your heart. Time and again I have seen it lead you to where you were meant to be.

You have grown into a fine ninja, and a clever, strong-willed, beautiful young woman. You made me proud every day, dear one. I know you will continue to do so, as long as you keep following your heart.

 

Love,

Your Ojisama

 

By the time Mai had gotten to the end of the letter, tears of both sorrow and joy had begun to drop from her eyes onto the paper. She set the letter over on her nightstand so as not to ruin it, then spent several minutes on the futon, crying with her head in her hands. After she had composed herself, she'd folded the letter very carefully, then placed it in front of a picture of her grandfather which sat on top of her dresser.

"Domo Arigato, Ojisama," she whispered to the picture as she bowed her head respectfully. "Daisuki da yo."

With Andy still away, Mai had enlisted the aid of both Jubei Yamada and Joe Higashi, by promising to cook them dinner after the task was done. It took all three of them working with prybars Mai had found in the dojo's toolshed to move the stone that Hanzo had indicated. After lifting the stone and digging up a small layer of dirt, Mai had found two watertight canisters containing the scrolls.

Reading them had been another activity that occupied Mai's time as she waited for Andy to return. Her grandfather had enclosed another list with the scrolls outlining a recommended order of study for their contents. So far, all Mai had done was read. Perhaps when Andy got back and had done some reading himself, the two of them could practice together out in the woods, where there would be less likelihood of someone seeing them, since most of the techniques on the list were clan secrets.

Now, sitting on the steps, Mai pulled out a postcard from the seat pocket of her denim short shorts, unfolded it, and read over it again. Andy hadn't had access to phones, so postcards had been his preferred method of communicating. Not that that mattered to Mai. All that mattered to her was that Andy had actually kept in touch, as he said he would.

The card that Mai held now had come in the mail last week, and Andy had written that he would be coming home today. But it did not say what time. So Mai had gotten up before sunrise to get both her chores and her morning exercises out of the way. Since she had finished breakfast, she had been sitting out on the dojo steps, waiting for her beloved.

As she sat, she found her thoughts shifting from the past year towards the future, as she had been doing a lot since discovering her grandfather's letter. In particular, she recalled how Hanzo had written of Mai's responsibility to someday pass the secrets of the Shiranui clan on to her children and grandchildren.

Mai had started using birth control long before she and Andy had consummated their relationship, since she had wanted to be prepared for when they did become active, and also because there were other perks to taking it (if you were a ninja, it definitely helped to have fewer periods a year). She still wanted to start a family someday, but at the moment, she knew that it wasn't a possibility, since her and Andy's lives were too busy. But perhaps in five years or so, when they got a bit more settled, more comfortable in their new roles as teachers, maybe then she could talk to Andy about when she might be able to stop taking her pill. Of course, she still didn't know Andy's thoughts on children. She used to tease him about having kids when they had first begun dating. She hadn't brought it up since things had gotten more serious between them, but then again, she also didn't know Andy's thoughts on marriage either...

Her musings were interrupted by the sight of a familiar blond martial artist making his way up the long steps with a duffel strapped across his shoulder. Mai stood and waved eagerly to him. "Andy!" She shouted.

Andy looked up and smiled when he saw Mai. He stopped his ascent up the steps, and braced himself as five feet, four inches of voluptuous, red-haired kunoichi did a forward flip through the air in his direction. Andy held his arms out and a few moments later, Mai landed gracefully in them.

Mai threw her arms around Andy and kissed him hungrily. Andy returned the kiss, and for a while, their tongues were too preoccupied for them to say anything. Then finally they came up for air.

"I missed you so much!" Mai said to him.

"I missed you too, Mai," he replied. "Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

"You have no idea," said Mai. "I have so much to tell you, but first let's get inside."

Andy needed a shower after his trek, so he and Mai took one together in the bathroom adjoining the Master Bedroom. Afterwards, they spent a few hours in bed "catching up," both in the physical sense and also with bringing one another up to speed. Eventually, it was late afternoon, and the two of them were walking hand in hand on one of the forest trails behind the dojo. Mai was wearing a sky blue sundress that managed to both cling to the curves of her body and hang loose at the same time. Andy tried to watch the trail ahead, but found it hard not to gaze down at her. After his time away, she was definitely a sight for sore eyes.

"I guess it's true what they say about absence," Mai said with a sly grin on her face. "I don't think I'll be able to walk right for the rest of the day."

"I... I didn't hurt you, did I?" She heard Andy ask. She turned to look at him and saw real worry on his face.

She giggled at him. "Andy, have I mentioned how adorable you are? Whenever I say something like that, you should always take it as a compliment. Okay?"

After a moment, he laughed along with her. "Okay, Mai, I'll try to remember that."

She leaned in close as they walked, rested her head against his arm. "Besides, I thought it was kind of hot. You were like an animal. I think maybe I should let you go on training journeys more often."

They walked in silence for a time. Mai glanced up at Andy, saw her boyfriend wearing an oddly contemplative look. "What'cha thinkin' about, Andy?" She asked him.

"A lot of things," he replied. "For one, that letter from your grandfather that you told me about. I can't believe he considers me worthy to learn clan secrets. Wherever his spirit is now, I hope I don't let him down."

Mai gave a warm smile, patted him on the arm. "You could never do that, Andy. The year you were gone, every time your name came up in conversation, grandfather always said you were his most dedicated student. More dedicated than any student he had who was actually native to Japan. If anyone is worthy of learning our clan's secret techniques, it's you."

Andy gave a funny little grin, then. "You know, it never sat right with me, Terry learning the Sempu Ken instead of me. But soon I'll know a bunch of new techniques he can never know. So I feel like we're even now."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Boys and their toys..." she muttered. "Oh, by the way, speaking of which, Terry called a few weeks ago. He had some interesting news."

"Oh?"

"Yup. South Town's new mayor wants to continue the old mayor's plan to control unlawful street fighting. But he also claims to have a better understanding of its cultural importance to the city. So he recently broke ground on what he hopes will be the first of several new 'fighting gyms,' which will be designed to withstand damage from chi-based abilities, providing fighters with a place they can gather and practice on each other without breaking the law. Also, at the ground-breaking ceremony, the mayor announced that South Town will begin hosting the King of Fighters tournament as an annual event."

Andy nodded. “I heard that they might be doing that. Apparently, he seems to think that the danger is worth the extra revenue it brings to the city. Are you going to register when you get your invitation?”

Mai smirked at him. “What do you think? I'm not letting you have all the fun.”

“I knew you would say that,” said Andy. “Though I do wonder how much luck the mayor will have finding legitimate sponsors. I have a feeling that no matter how hard he tries, there will always be someone with ulterior motives driving the tournament.”

“I've only fought in one of them so far,” said Mai. “But my experience there makes me inclined to agree with you.” She shrugged. “Well, if there is some sinister force behind these new tournaments, you and I will face it together...”

“...As a team,” Andy finished for her.

"You know, Andy,” said Mai. “I was thinking of wearing a new outfit to the tournament next year.”

“Really?” said Andy, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. He had always thought Mai looked sexy in her fighting outfit, even if it had taken him a while to realize he thought that.

“Well, I'm definitely changing my footwear,” she went on. “The boots and shin guards offer protection, but they make my legs feel too heavy. I want to switch to something simple, probably just a pair of tabi. But I also wanted to alter my gi. Not too much, since it is a traditional Shiranui uniform, but maybe a few small changes here and there, both with the colors and the overall shape of it. If you're interested, I can show you some of the designs I came up with while you were gone."

"I may be the wrong man for that, Mai," said Andy. "You know I have no fashion sense."

Mai giggled. "Well, look at it this way, Andy. I know how much you like my old outfit, so I want to make sure the new one is just as pleasing to your eye. Which is why I'd appreciate your input. And I can model a few of my ideas for you, if you want. To make it more fun."

Andy laughed. "Well, when you put it that way, how can I say no?" They walked in silence for a while, just enjoying the presence of one another. Then Andy asked: “Did Terry have any other news?”

Mai shook her head. “He couldn't really stay on the line for much longer. Said he and Mary were getting together at a pool hall. You know, Andy, I'm so happy they found each other. Mary was hard to like, at first. She seems so cold, always trying to control her emotions. But once you crack that exterior, and get to know the real Mary, inside she's a very warm, caring person who'd do anything for the people she loves.” Mai slipped her arm around Andy's waist, rested her head on his shoulder. “She sounds a lot like someone else I know.”

As usual, Andy was either oblivious to what his girlfriend was hinting at, or he just chose to ignore it. After a few moments of silence, he said: “Well, as long as she makes my brother happy, that's all that matters to me. He deserves to be happy, after everything he's lost.”

Mai studied his face for a long moment, then. “Andy... could it be that you're finally getting over this whole rivalry with him?”

“I don't know if I'll ever go that far,” said Andy. “Beating him will always be one of my goals. I'll probably never stop training for that. But when I was away, I had a lot of time to think. Your grandfather once told me that not all battles are won with our fists.”

Mai smirked at him. “I remember he used to say that. It's good advice, Andy.”

Andy stopped walking, then, placed his hands on Mai's shoulders, and gently turned her to face him. “I always wondered what he meant, and I think I may have figured that out. Mary is nice, Mai, but... she isn't you. You really are one of a kind. I think a small part of me has known that ever since Master Hanzo first introduced me to you all those years ago. I could live to be a hundred, and never come close to finding another girl quite like you.”

Mai's brow crinkled. “What are you getting at, Andy?”

"Mai, do you remember what I said to you on that flight back to Japan after that ordeal with the Armor of Mars?"

She nodded, her deep brown eyes shining. "I'll never forget it, Andy. You said that I was the most special person in your life, and you were sorry that you hadn't been showing it in all the time we had been dating. You said that after what happened in the Dead Sea, you didn't want to take me for granted anymore, and you promised to try and treat me the way I deserved to be treated, like I was your girlfriend. Until that night on the patio, when you told me you loved me, that was the sweetest thing you had ever said to me."

“You've become even more special since then,” said Andy. “Special enough that I don't ever want to let you slip away. I think that being away from you for a few months helped me to realize that. So I want us to always be a team, in every sense of the word.” Andy took a small felt-covered box from his pocket, and clicked open the lid. Mai Shiranui saw the small glint inside the box, felt her legs going weak, felt her heart skipping a beat, felt like all the sounds of summer in the forest around them had suddenly faded away to nothing, leaving only her and Andy.

Andy wrapped his other hand gently around the fingers of Mai's right hand, and gazed down into her luminous brown eyes. “What I'm trying to say, Mai, is... I want to... want to know if you'll...”

“Yes!” Mai blurted out, tears of joy already brimming in her eyes.

Andy seemed taken aback by this. “Mai, I didn't even finish asking,” he said. “I want to know if you'll m...”

“Andy, you don't need to ask,” she said with a laugh. “You've always known the answer! Of course I'll marry you! You're the only man I've ever wanted to marry!”

Andy smiled and inwardly rolled his eyes. The proposal hadn't gone exactly the way he planned it, but it seemed fitting. His entire courtship with Mai had been unorthodox, and Andy wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It was unique, like her. Without another word, he took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger.

Mai raised her right hand, took a moment to admire it. The band was gold, and the stone was a small white diamond set into a pink cherry blossom. All of Mai's favorite colors. Suddenly, Andy's real reason for doing all those odd jobs around Mino became clear to her. “Oh, Andy,” she whispered. “It's beautiful. Now give your fiancee a kiss!”

“With pleasure.” Andy slipped both arms around Mai's waist, pulled her close, and pressed his lips firmly against hers. It was a while before the two came up for air, and then they simply spent several minutes gazing into each others' eyes. Finally, Andy said: “All we need to do now is arrange a time and place to tell your family. That should be an even bigger adventure than fighting Geese Howard was.”

Mai laughed. “The way I see it, they have two choices. They can learn to live with it, or they can disown me. Either way, I'm not letting them take the dojo. If they want to challenge us for it, they're welcome to try.”

“Hey, if we have to fight an honor duel to keep the dojo,” said Andy. “I'm sure you or I will be more than a match for whoever their champion is.”

Mai nodded. “Agreed. And look at this way: if they do disown me, it will just mean less mouths to feed at the wedding reception.”

Andy laughed, and gently brushed his fingertips against Mai's soft cheek. “Ai shiteru, Mai Shiranui,” he said.

“Ai shiteru, Andy Bogard,” Mai whispered back, then stood up on her toes and locked lips with her fiance once more, kissing him passionately. Andy kissed her back with all the love he felt for her. Tomorrow would bring a new set of challenges, since he had a feeling that Mai's family would not be happy about this engagement. But at this moment, with the woman he loved in his arms, everything was right with the world.

South Town – Terry Bogard's apartment

The kitchen was barely large enough for one person to move around comfortably. So naturally, it was a little tight with two people. Mary Ryan was standing in the doorway by the phone that hung on the wall, holding the receiver, while Terry was busy getting two bottles of beer out of his fridge.

“That's great, Mai,” Mary said into the mouthpiece of the phone, managing to drum up some enthusiasm in her voice. “I'm happy for you... No, I really am... It doesn't matter what I think about romance, I know what it means to you, and I know how much you wanted this. So I really am happy for you.”

Mai said something then which Terry could not hear, but by the expression on Mary's face, he could imagine what the kunoichi might be talking about. “Uh huh,” Mary said. “Uh huh.” After a moment, Mary rolled her eyes, then placed her hand over the mouthpiece and whispered to Terry: “She's describing the ring.”

Terry smirked at her and gave an exaggerated shrug. Mary scowled at him as if to say thanks for the sympathy, then took her hand away from the phone. “Well, that sounds really great, Mai. He did a good job with it.” Terry covered his mouth, managed to hold back his laughter, and then busied himself looking for the bottle opener.

There was another pause. And then Mary asked: “Okay, what do you need?” Her green eyes opened wide in surprise. “Mai, are you sure? I don't think I'm qualified. I've never been to a wedding in my life. I wouldn't even know where to start with... what? Okay... okay... Well, are you sure you still trust me? Then... all right, I'll do it. No, it's my pleasure. Just send me details. Yeah, okay... He's right here. Sure. And congratulations to you both. Okay, take care!”

Terry looked up from what he was doing, saw Mary holding out the receiver to him. “They want to talk to you again.”

Terry nodded, put the bottles of beer down on the kitchen counter, and then he and Mary managed to switch places. Terry took the receiver and spoke into it: “Hello, Mai? Oh, sorry... Andy. Yeah... okay... No, I won't be offended if you ask Joe... Yes, really. Andy, I'll do whatever you need me to do. I'm just happy you finally figured out what was right in front of you, and anything I can do to help is my pleasure. I know you two will have a great life.” As Terry spoke, his other hand went to the drawer down by his side. He slid it open, and after rummaging through it, located the bottle opener. He fished it out and passed it over to Mary.

As Mary opened their beers, Terry continued to talk into the receiver. “Yeah, okay... well, again, just keep me posted... What? Oh, Mai says that the two of you need to get back to celebrating. Okay, I won't keep you from that. Congratulations, you two. Have fun!” He hung up the phone and accepted the beer that Mary offered him.

“I always knew this day was coming,” said Terry. “Andy wasn't there when I first met Mai, so the first time I actually saw them together was when I came back from Germany after fighting Krauser. They met me at the airport, and I noticed how Mai kept looking at him, and how he kept stealing glances at her when she was looking at something else. Ever since then, I knew that someday I'd get this call.” He left out that he was surprised it had happened so soon. Maybe in a different timeline, it might have taken Andy longer to figure out that he and Mai were soul mates. But after everything they had been through... well, no matter. Terry was happy for them regardless.

“Just don't get any ideas,” Mary told him, bringing him out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?” Terry asked her.

“I've seen this before,” said Mary. “Somebody knows someone who's getting married, or knows someone who knows someone, and it gives them ideas. So please don't show up at my door with a ring. I like what we have right now.”

Terry laughed. “Don't worry. I like what we have, too.”

The two of them finally made their way out of the cramped kitchen and into Terry's living room. He had actually managed to clean it up somewhat for their date night. Mary didn't see any of his old clothes laying around, and the air actually smelled fresh. He had also put some candles out on his coffee table, which provided most of the light in the room.

“I'm sorry I didn't have a plan for dinner,” said Terry as they sat down on the couch.

“It's okay,” Mary said with a smirk. She knew that Terry's cooking skills were even worse than his brother's, but it was still endearing. “I know you have one of the most extensive libraries of take-out menus in South Town. We'll find something.”

Terry laughed and held his beer out to Mary. “To my brother and his bride-to-be,” he said.

“Hear, hear,” said Mary, and clinked her bottle against his.

After they had each taken a sip, Terry asked her: “So, what did Mai ask you?”

Mary's expression grew stern. “Promise me you won't laugh.”

“I promise,” Terry said innocently.

“Okay,” said Mary. “She... asked me to be her maid of honor.”

Terry tried to hold back his laughter, but one small chortle still found its way out. Mary punched him on the arm. “You promised!” She told him.

“Sorry,” said Terry, and took another sip of beer. “It's just that I was thinking back to what you said to her. It's not something you really need to be qualified for. All you have to do is plan a bachelorette party, hold her bouquet during the ceremony when she needs you to, say some nice things about her and Andy at the reception, suffer through a dance with the best man. Um, you can say nice things, right?”

“Well, wait a minute,” Mary argued. “We still don't know what type of ceremony it will be. You're describing western ceremonies. We don't know if they'll have that, or a Japanese one. Or if the wedding will be over there, or over here.”

Terry shrugged. “So, think of it as an assignment. And then do your research. You like that sort of thing.”

Mary gave a resigned laugh. “I love and hate that you know me so well. But you know... the real reason you're okay with this is because you have another excuse to see me in a dress.”

Terry looked her over before answering. Mary was wearing a sapphire blue dress with a V-shaped neckline, the skirt riding up just past her knees when she was in a sitting position. “You wear them well, you know,” he said to her.

“I like to wear jeans,” Mary said. The only reason she was even wearing a dress right now was because she had made a bet with Terry before their last sparring match. Obviously, she had lost. “Next time I make a bet with you, I won't lose. Then maybe I'll have you put on a dress.”

“Hey, I was just curious,” Terry said. “In all the time we've been dating, I've never seen you wear one.”

“Well, now you have,” said Mary. “So, can I take it off?”

“Already?” Terry asked her. “We haven't even ordered dinner.”

Mary put her beer down on the table, leaned in close to Terry. “Come on,” she whispered. “I'll take it off slowly, while you watch.” Her hand slowly began to creep up his thigh. “Oh, did I mention I'm not wearing panties?”

Terry gave a small shudder of pleasure. “Tempting, but... just five more minutes?”

Mary sighed. “Very well.” She picked up her beer and took another sip. Then, she reached over to a small cardboard box on the coffee table, and picked it up.

“Oh, these came in the mail the other day,” she said as she opened the box. “Finally.” She pulled one of the business cards out of the box and handed it to Terry.

Terry took the card and looked at the writing embossed on it in deep blue letters: BLUE MARY INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES. Underneath that, in smaller letters, was embossed: Detective Mary Ryan, Private Investigator, along with her address and phone number.

“Looks good,” Terry said as he handed the card back to her. “I'm glad you're going forward with this.”

Mary shook her head. “Keep it. Give it to a friend.”

Terry laughed and slipped the card into his pocket. “Already, you've got the self-promotion thing down.”

Mary laughed, as well. Then after a moment, her expression became more serious. She sipped her drink and said: “Even though I found my work with the police less satisfying since we defeated Geese Howard, I still wasn't sure I was doing the right thing. I'm glad I took that trip to clear my head.”

Terry nodded. About six months ago, after Mary had tendered her resignation with the South Town PD, she had taken a trip up north, both to visit her grandfather's dojo and finally return the stolen writings to him, and also to see some old friends in the DC Metro area. On her way back, she had stopped in Arlington National Cemetery to pay her respects to her father, and to Butch.

“I had a long chat with their graves,” Mary said to him. “I don't know if Dad could hear me, wherever he is now, but I think he would understand. I'm not forgetting what he and my grandfather taught me. I'm still using my abilities to help others, just doing it on my terms. My experiences with you and your friends have taught me that sometimes, you need more than the police.”

Terry shrugged, sipped his beer. “You told me what your grandfather said at the end of your visit. And I agree with him.”

For a moment, Mary recalled standing with her grandfather at the top of his dojo steps, as she was getting ready to leave. He had smiled down at her and said: Your father would be proud of you, Chiisa Kin'iro no Kami, no matter what path you choose, because I am so proud of you.

“I don't know if I told you this,” Mary said to Terry. “But the new commissioner practically begged me not to go. Tried bribing me with a bigger office, a raise, longer vacations.”

“I believe it. You were one of the best cops there,” Terry said with a shrug. “I can understand why they would want to keep you.”

“Honestly, I thought it was a little pathetic,” Mary said with a scowl. “I hate people who kiss ass. But it's good to know that as I'm waiting for word of mouth to get around about my new agency, I'm sure I can get plenty of work helping out the South Town PD as a consultant on their cases.”

“So you'll be busy while I'm away,” Terry told her. “I'm glad. I'm sure this new business venture is gonna pay off big for you.”

The smile faded from Mary's face momentarily. “So you're going ahead with your training journey?”

“Yeah,” said Terry. “Gotta learn some new moves before the tournament starts next year. But don't worry, I'll be back before Thanksgiving. And I'll definitely find a way to stay in touch. Even if the only thing I can find are carrier pigeons.”

“Well, before you go,” said Mary. “Can you come with me down to the shelter? I want you to at least meet my new baby boy. After all, you two are gonna have to get along.”

“You're going ahead with it, then?” Terry knew that Mary had been talking about adopting a dog for a while, and for the past week, there was one puppy in particular at a nearby shelter who had caught her eye, and her heart. She had been down there to see him almost every day.

“Well, yeah,” said Mary. “I'm gonna need someone to keep me company when you go off on training journeys. I've already paid the adoption fee and taken care of the paperwork. They're just holding him for me until I can pick up a few more things for my apartment.”

“Okay,” said Terry. “We can go see him tomorrow.”

“Relax, Terry,” Mary said with a sly smile as she moved in closer to him. “I'm sure he'll never be as cuddly as you. At least, I don't think he will.”

Terry laughed, and put his arm around Mary. “So, what do you feel like for dinner?” He asked her.

Mary's green eyes started to gleam mischievously as she set her beer down on the table, then took Terry's beer and set it alongside hers. “I think I'd rather order in before we order out,” she said as she pressed her body close to his. “It's been five minutes.”

Terry shook his head and smiled at her. “You are one in a million, Mary,” he said to her.

Mary smiled back at him. “You're one in a billion.” She then slipped her tongue into Terry's mouth, kissed him deeply.

Terry accepted her tongue and eagerly offered her his own. As they kissed on his couch, Terry felt that for the first time since Jeff Bogard's murder, everything was finally right with the world. He had no doubts that tomorrow would bring new enemies, new challenges. Like Andy, he believed that there would probably be some sinister force behind these new King of Fighters tournaments, despite the mayor's promise to make sure that they were legitimately sponsored. But whatever the future brought, Terry Bogard would face it with his friends, his family....

...And with the woman he loved by his side.

 

THE END