Tanaki Private Dojo – 4:45 AM
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> Cicadas hum outside as the sliding door opens.
Inside, the floor is spotless.
A rack of swords lines the back wall, each one wrapped in cloth.
> The head of the Tanaki family enters alone.
His face is calm, but his eyes hold fire.
> He kneels at the center of the dojo.
---
🎴 The Ritual Begins
> He bows deeply once.
Then again.
And again.
Five full bows — slow, deliberate, forehead to the floor — as if honoring five generations before him.
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> He rises slowly. Walks to the rack.
Selects a blade — not the newest, not the sharpest…
But the one with history in its hilt.
> He unsheathes it.
Draws a slow breath.
And begins a kata (sword form) — sharp, clean, controlled.
> The room echoes with nothing but the whisper of steel cutting air.
---
> Then, he stops. Kneels once more.
This time, not to honor the past—
But to signal the present.
> Eyes closed. Back straight.
Tanaki (soft, in Japanese):
Hajimeyou.
(Let's begin.)
---
> The camera slowly pans out from above as he remains motionless —
calm as still water…
until it's time to kill.
🎬 SCENE: "Etiquette of Blood"
Cassano & Sebastian HQs – Morning after the dojo ritual
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> The screen fades from the Tanaki's solemn kata…
...to gray daylight. Rain trickles down steel gates.
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📦 Sebastian HQ – Front Gate
> Security opens the package casually…
Then staggers back, horrified.
> Inside: the severed head of one of their men.
His mouth is sewn shut. Neck cleanly sliced — surgical precision.
No blood splatter. Just… silence.
> And beside the head…
> 🗡️ A small dagger.
Ancient-style. Black handle.
The Tanaki crest etched faintly on the blade's hilt — a crescent fang.
> Underneath it: a folded paper slip, written in calm ink:
> "This is not vengeance.
This is etiquette."
— Tanaki Clan
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📦 Cassano HQ – Underground Garage
> Same style box. Same red ribbon.
Inside: the head of a Cassano enforcer.
> Next to it? Not a note.
Just the small dagger stabbed upright into the bottom of the box.
> Pierced through a white card with one word:
🎬 SCENE: "The Dagger on Our Turf"
Sebastian Family Turf – Private War Room
🕰️ 7:48 AM
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> Rain taps the glass windows. The lights are dim.
A mahogany table sits in the middle of the room, with only two people inside.
> Greg Sebastian—one of the sons—slams his hand on the table.
His voice is shaken, laced with fury and fear.
---
Greg (in French):
> "Papa…!"
"Was this the work of the Takani family?!"
> He tosses the box across the table.
The lid falls off. The dagger clinks against the wood.
Greg (urgent):
> "What does this mean? Why a head?! Why a dagger?!"
---
> Alexander Sebastian—head of the family—doesn't even flinch.
He lights a cigarette. Inhales once. Exhales slowly.
Alexander (English, but with French coolness):
> "That dagger... means they're coming."
"They don't send words, they send warnings."
"And when the Takani send both a blade and a head..."
> He pauses. Looks Greg dead in the eyes.
Alexander:
> "It means we are already in danger."
> He flicks the ashes into the box.
Alexander:
> "That's two families against us now.
Cassano… and Takani."
> "Prepare for blood."
"And tell your brothers: no more mistakes. One wrong move and we'll all be carved up like pigs."
CUT TO: Sebastian Family Bar – 8:21 AM
(Same day)
> Tension brews among the lower members.
Some drink. Some argue. Some blame each other.
---
Member 1 (frustrated):
> "We didn't even kill the Takani girl! Why the hell are we part of this?!"
Member 2 (defensive):
> "Because we fired in public, dumbass! Crossfire is still blood!"
Member 3 (paranoid):
> "Cassano lit the fuse. We're just caught in the fallout—"
Member 4 (furious):
> "Then why aren't we blowing them both up right now?! Let's make a move!"
Bartender (muttering):
> "A move gets you a dagger in the throat."
> Everyone goes quiet.
> The TV at the bar shows news footage of a second box found near a Cassano building…
...another head.
Cassano Estate – Private War Lounge
🕰️ 7:58 AM
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> The room is dim, only the sunlight piercing through Venetian blinds.
A dagger pierces through the bottom of the box.
A severed head inside.
> Vincent Cassano stands in front of the table, back turned for a moment, pouring himself a glass of brandy.
Behind him, five men wait in silence. No one dares speak.
> He finally sits. Lights a cigar.
Takes one long drag… then a sip of the brandy.
---
Vincent (low voice, calm):
> "You ever notice how the quiet ones don't shout?"
"They send boxes."
> He gestures toward the head with his cigar.
"This is discipline. Not noise."
Underboss:
> "You want us to respond?"
> Vincent leans forward. Smoke trails from the cigar like venom.
Vincent (cold smirk):
> "Respond? No."
> He taps ash into the glass tray.
Vincent:
> "We remember.
We observe.
And when the time is right…"
> He raises the glass in a toast toward the box.
Vincent:
> "We drink…
And bury everything after."
> Clink.
Hotel Library – Kyoto Hills, 11:36 AM
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> Soft rain taps against glass. Inside the elegant hotel library, Ejami Nakamura stands still, fingers brushing over war history books.
> Behind her, a man sits in the reading corner, partially obscured by a book. It's Tanaki.
---
Tanaki (calmly, in Japanese):
> "Hisashiburi da na...
My condolences for Natsuki."
> Ejami doesn't turn around immediately. Her jaw clenches.
After a beat, she speaks — cold, controlled:
Ejami:
> "You have no right to say his name."
> She turns, eyes sharp with quiet fire.
Ejami:
> "You left him, Tanaki.
On the battlefield.
In the middle of hell."
> Silence stretches. Tanaki closes the book.
---
Tanaki (quiet but firm):
> "He ordered me to.
He gave his life so the mission would succeed.
If I stayed, we would've both died…
...and nothing would have changed."
---
> Ejami sits across from him, hands folded — trembling slightly.
Ejami:
> "Everything changed.
I buried a man whose name was shamed…
…and now you want me to listen?"
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Tanaki (placing a folder on the table):
> "Not to me.
To this."
> She opens the folder.
Inside: surveillance photos, secret intel, and a death certificate — her younger brother's.
---
Tanaki:
> "The Sebastian family blamed your clan for Cassano's former boss's murder…
And fed that lie to the others.
That led to your brother's death."
---
Ejami (breath catches):
> "They claimed it was retaliation…"
Tanaki:
> "But it was manipulation.
They used your silence as permission."
> He pauses. Then locks eyes with her.
Tanaki (calm, low):
> "You lost your husband to duty.
You lost your brother to dishonor.
What will you lose next — to silence?"
---
> Ejami slowly places the folder down.
Ejami (quietly):
> "You came here for revenge."
Tanaki:
> "I came here for correction."
---
> He slides a second folder across the table — an alliance proposal.
Tanaki:
> "Join me.
One strike from both of us.
They won't see it coming."
---
> Ejami doesn't answer right away. She stares at the folder.
Then out the window.
Ejami (after a long pause):
> "I'll think about it."
> Tanaki stands.
Tanaki:
> "Don't take too long.
The next funeral might be yours."
> He bows and walks away.
Ejami opens the second folder, sees the map… and starts to smile — bitter, but ready.
To be continued..