石 Tales ~ I part one

('Ishi', means stone ~ immediately follows 柿 Tales)

In the darkness a blurred flame dances, splitting to birds in flight.

 

 

~ 石 Tales ~

('Peeps' (live) by Public Enemy)

 

A mechanical rooster crows at the peak of a gear-work structure, hissing pipes intertwined in the roots of a high tree over.

The rooster dances, spins and pirouettes leaping between a barrage of bullets, elegantly dodged before the steam beneath sends it into the air.

~ Nocturne stares at the hotel ceiling, slowly turning view of a crappy round glass light covering, a crack across the ceiling from it's improvised mounting.

The mechanical structure begins to unfold, opening like a massive doll-house, reshaping into an outdoor forge with a deep cave in the center.

A heavy construction vehicle drives out into the field of waking soldiers, stretching and yawning. Sleeping mechanical workers bounce in the back over the bump.

~ Nocturne pours powdered milk over a bowl of sugar cereal, sugar with the other hand.

Students walk to class along the busy streets, regular cars mixed with heavy carriers made for comfort or duty, relaxed passengers inside.

A student passes a lot where an old lady hobbles from a heavy car.

~ She holds the bowl under the faucet until cereal falls out.

The truck stands up with a simple function and walks into the lot where the other alike are mulling about and chatting in groups near the regular cars.

~ Cereal eating ...

The construction truck drives around the base of the tree, between the roots and toward the city on the other side.  The massive islands created in the storm still held high overhead, roots grown beneath and worn to walkways with rails along, people traveling to and fro.

~ she puts on her gear and goggles, walks down the hotel stairs and outside as the construction truck passes her with a puddle's splash.

The truck continues down the road managing traffic, the workers in back bouncing asleep. One wakes a bit, looks at the one next to him and punches him. A blind and sleepy arm smacks him back and he returns to sleep.

~ Game-Brick at her side with a wire to her goggles and rifle on her back, she walks into the crowd where she's not so unique.

The truck rolls over the hill with the beach ahead in the distance, the city thinning to a dock marketplace.

~ She walks by the old lady exiting the grocer with her bags, now seen with the gun-blade reverse slung at her side.

The truck rolls ...

~ Nocturne walks with the old lady carrying one of the bags, seemingly annoying the lady with her babble as the turn the corner to the lot.

~ A junker looking model flips off the rest of the standing cars, the old lady's picks up a regular car and smacks him with it.

~ Nocturne's eyes go wide while old lady shakes and lowers her head.

The construction truck rolls toward the beach, passed by sirens, one of the workers dancing in the middle as they wake, swinging his arms ~ '! Whoo Whoo !' as they pass.

Knocked over by a flying wrench.

~ Cars sulk back to rolling form amid the siren lights.  The old lady pays an unhappy fine, lot crowded with explaining humans.  Nocturne holds all the groceries ginning too wide at a cop, the cop looking suspiciously back ... the sounds of Mario hopping ...

The truck rolls through the central road, shoppers and tourists parting way in a hurry. Watchers watching, rooftops flood over with a wave of ninja toward the city, broomsticks fly over the same direction, more circling the tree ahead.

~ The police tow the junker while Nocturne taps her empty pockets and looks at the lady pleadingly. The lady smiles back indulgently, levels the gun-blade in it's holster and flips a switch.

The truck rolls to the beach where the wrecked airships are crashed in a pile. Wrecks of twisted steel.

~ A tracker hits the junker. The lady passes the remote to Nocturne, Nocturne passes her a Game-Brick game, the lady looks surprised.

The truck stops before the wrecks and stands stretching, dumping the groggy workers in a pile.

~ The lady pulls a Game-Brick from her purse and tries the game.  Playing happy as she walks by her apologetic standing car, she smacks him in the leg with her purse.

The workers start to unpack tools from Lazarus' (the truck) leg panels, along with molds from the other side while he tries an arm torch before walking to the wrecks. The workers trail behind pulling parts from his panes, others building a basic field smelter.

~ Nocturne runs down the street as the brooms streak over, a wave of ninja leaps parallel over an alley as they make their way for the tree.

A school bell.
______________

She wakes in her motel with a start staring at the paper bag on the table across from her next to the TV, turned on. Walking to, she finds lighter fluid, a flint pack and a pack of cigarettes, fast food and coffee.

She sits on the edge of the bed and removes the cellophane from the cigarettes, seeing a note stuck inside the pack.

Nocturne - "Cheap."

She opens the scrap, the name 'Apollo'. It burns away as magician's paper.

She lights a Zippo, to black and white view. She's wearing an investigator hat and sunglasses (looking stupid), still sitting on the bed, older motel, a different place, Mariko and Akari watching behind her.

Nocturne - "Graeco - Roman, eh ... ?" She lights a cigarette. "We'll see about that." Slaps the light shut to the room lit by the TV, looking normal, alone. She eats a breakfast sandwich and stares ...

Nocturne - Voiced over, mouth full, "Always remember to do your research."
______

In the gun shop ~

Venus - (Arrow with her name scrawled briefly over her head) "Apollo. You do know he's a personal friend."

Nocturne - Holding her Bullfinch Mythology in disbelief, "It does not say that here."
__

In the assassin's classroom, the teacher slams bamboo on her desk ~

Teacher - "Do ! Your ! ! Research !"
__

In the bullet shop ~

Virginia - "I'm sorry ... but I just got married ..."

Nocturne - "Damn it !"

~ How to Build the Better Blades ~

 (Teacher Voice - "Yes ...")