~ France ~
The dock watch looks up at the harbor light as it extinguishes. Holding his lantern high to peer through its light into the mist, he hears the creaking wood, a wave splashes.
From the mire the massive cargo ship crashes through the dock works, splintering all in it's path, knocking through and aside the docked.
Fore keel strikes shore, a wave at it's back sending the aft around as the ship splashes sideways over, crushing the last of the dock and beaching the wreck.
Alarm bells clang with the approach of the guards, the watchman approaches the silent deck. Looking through a crack in the floor, he sees the many eyes staring back.
...
Chiyome - "Is this France ?"
Watchman - Peering to understand and picking out words, "Oui ..."
('200 Balloons' by Prince)
The decks explode as they pour through, second wave leaping over the
first to kick the splintering wood, pinning the guards as they sweep
over them, leaving them naked.
A wave of black, the few wearing random guard uniform pieces swarm the city, the streets and over the buildings, leaving the shocked and naked behind, while the black wave turns slowly to color in the rising sun.
________
The Xinhua priestess waits, sea anchored in storm. Her teas sloshes in a wave.
...
She's annoyed.
____
Shumi and the stranger sit aboard at the table, waiting ... the crew plays at cards and darts ...
Stranger - "How long ?"
Shumi - "They're pretty efficient." She slides the bottle.
____
The ninjas fill the street outside the delicacy shop, renaissance coats and corsets pulled over their gear and masks. They stare at the closed door.
Staring. Waiting.
____
The stranger looks at her and slides the bottle back.
____
The dervishes outside climb the stairs to the door and bang against it loudly, shaking the palace.
____
The magistrate looks at the grinning dervish.
Magistrate - In tone with the banging, "Waiting waiting waiting ..."
The dervish pulls against the chair, cracking it across the wood without break. The door cracks against the banging as all begin roaring to the sky.
The chair repairs in vine as the woman upstairs walks down. The walls around grow and spread across with growth in her path and wake.
She smiles back at the magistrate's gaze, walking to the front door. Exiting, she closes the door to silence.
Magistrate - Still watching her trail as the life continues to bloom, "You see ?"
The dervish watches him open the book again with near curiosity, the color fading from the chair, wood ageing and cracking around.
Magistrate - Staring into the dervish's eyes, vines growing into the woodwork behind, roses bloom. "Almost home."
____
The Xinhua priestess waits annoyed. Hit by splash over mid-sip.
____
Shumi and the stranger are bored ...
Shumi - "Wanna fuck ?"
Stranger - Looks up a moment, "Okay."
____
The shop opens before the ninjas' wide eyes with a glow against their faces ...