Starring:
Summary: Matt finally gives Ezekiel that call…
Date It Happened: February 4, 2002
1-800-WEREFOX
Los Feliz
He'd actually be surprised at the call, but hey'd been a a pleasant surprise! This unexpected meeting caught our favorite foxy unexpectedly, big surprise! Still he wasnt about to say no to the kid after he'd offered, so here he was. Wearing the same outfit from before, including that silenced G36C and the CZ on his hip. He had a decent excuse this time at least, he wanted to be easily recognizable. So he waited, perched with dangling footsies on the roof of the same building as he'd first spied Matthew from to begin with.
Matt isn't exactly relaxed as he walks down the street. And he isn't exactly walking down the street, either. He's limping down the street, to be more accurate. Its a small limp, to be honest, but easily visible. While the quality of his clothing hadn't changed an inch (if the weathered state its in even allows it to technically still be called clothing), the rest of him has been cleaned up considerably, and he smells quite a bit better as a result, with the exception, of course, of the blood. It still wafts faintly off of him. When he turns into the ally, his every sense is alert and jump, the hairs on his neck completely on end. Goosebumps slathered across his skin, and his heart is racing 90 miles a minute. Instinctively, his hand reaches up behind his back to make sure his 'friend' is within reach, but he doesn't pull it out.
He'd wait for Matt to get into the Alley proper of course, Ezekiel that is. "You need to relax ma brother, I'm a fox. Whens the last time you heard a story about a were-fox biting somone eh? We're mellow, aint no reason to get all wound up. Sides, just you and me here this time." THe voice comes from behind of course, because frankly thats what ninjas do. They flip out and show up behind you, crazy isnt it?
Of course the suggestion to relax isn't exactly received well. Not received well in the sense that Matt nearly jumps out of his skin and stumbles backwards as he quickly turns around. Something that doesn't exactly sit well with his ankle, and he cringes as he regrets the move. "Shi-" Matthew almost exclaims, but cuts himself off. "Be honest?" he stutters out as he tries to regain his breath. "Never heard of a were-fox at all before."
Ezekiel Laughs, in sort've a strange burbling cackle. Its a little unusual perhaps but granted, afterwards it does seem to fit the man. "Thats because we're mellow, and dont go crazy bitey with folks. Well actually I'm not actually a Fox, I'm a Kitsune so its a blood line issue rather than a transitionary curse like werewolves or what not. "he waves a gloved hand dismissively. "Goodness listen to me, I'm apt to just prattling all night. So what is it you needed Matthew, I'm always happy to help a puppy when I can."
Matt notes the wording Ezekiel uses, his head nodding as he makes sure to remember them. "You said before you had some answers?" is the only question he manages to ask for now, as he works his way over to a familiar corner and settles himself down. Though as before, Matt's eyes keeps glancing at Zeke's hardware uncomfortably. "I aint managed to get many of those."
"Well, what do you want to know Matt? That werewolves, vampires, demons, angels, ancient gods and mythical creatures were almost all real at one point or another? Theres an awful lot of territory to cover my dear lad, you'd be better served if you narrowed your criteria somewhat dont you think?" he glanced over his shoulder for a moment. "Why dont we continue this on the roof, just to avoid any third parties from making things unpleasant?"
"I'm starting to regret not payin' more attention to my fairy tales when I was little." Matthew answers, and begins to push himself back onto his feet. When he puts weight back onto his right foot, though, he cringes hard again, and spits out a silent curse. "Alright, but might take me a minute to get up there." he answers as he nods down to the injury. "Sorry if this sounds selfish, but only part I'm really interested in is wolf bit."
"Its sort've like a bullet dude, it doesnt matter if your interested in getting shot or not. It happens or not, and in this case it definitely happened."He steps behind you, then suddenly he's not. "So dont get too wound up, just roll with the punches. So ok, wolves."He peers over the roof's edge before the voice trails away. "Well, you got a few types of wolf. Its not that rare of an affliction, you got your standard dudes and duettes who got ker-bited and boom they're wolves. The rest are turned into wolves by blood lines, magical fairy rings or any number of curses. Like mine, I wasnt bit. I didnt get to chose what I am you know? I was born with the soul of a Kitsune, and so I'm a Kitsune."
Matt is not a ninja. Matt doesn't even have two good legs at the moment. Looking up, he gives Ezekiel a small disdainful glare as he heads to the fire escape, has to jump three times (extremely painful times) to pull the ladder down, and makes the rather excruciating climb upwards. He's had better days… but honestly? Not since he's arrived in L.A. "But some people do choose it? Some people do this to themselves on purpose?" Matt doesn't sound like this is an option he likes very much.
Ezekiel is waiting uptop when you arrive. Sitting cross legged with his armor stripped partially off. "Get your shoe off, let me have a look at your injury."Theres a little medical kit he's got out, filled with mysterious wooden tubes of things marked in kanji script. "Some people do, some people dont. Choice doesnt matter for you Matt, because you never had any to be robbed of. From day one, you were never Matt the human child. You were always a wolf, and thats what you'll die as."
"I take it you aren't from around here, huh?" Matthew asks lamely as he nods towards the tubes, but it isn't really a question, more of a statement. He does as he's told, and after two layers of duct tape are unwound from the leather, the two halves that make up his shoe are removed. Then he begins to remove the socks one layer at a time, all three of them with various degrees of holes. It's the ankle, the injury is fresh, but its only a twist. Though very recent abuse to it has caused it to begin to swell up considerably. "I was human." Matt disagrees, a sort of personal defense there, not willing to give that part of him up, but his tone turns sober quickly as he adds: "But you're sure right about that last part." It doesn't come out grave, or depressed, but knowing. Something more to that point that he isn't saying.
Of course you never see it, but you can feel it. Its a slap, and a rough one but hardly one to leave any lasting marks. "Stupid hurts, be stupid less often. You were born to this."He returns, as he picks through the little assembled tubes before selecting one in particular. He pauses there, plucking off his gloves to reveal delicate hands tipped with sharp little claws. "Now this is gonna look really scary, which is because this is ninja medicine and we dont want our enemies knowing what it is. So prepare for a visual illusion, that has nothing to do with whats actually going on. You ready?"
The pain from the slap comes quick, and the reaction equally so. Matt takes a deep breath, harsh, the hair on the back of his neck stands straight up on its end. A small rumble forms in the heart of his chest, to boot. But all that is pressed back down with a couple deep breaths. "I'll just… look the other way." And indeed he does, tilting his head to look at the skyline instead of whatever Zeke is doing. "Sorry if I kinda wanna hang on to the part of me that isn't a monster, the part before that thing decided to make me the kibble to his bits." he answers back a bit spiteful when his thoughts head back to the slap. "You say that you foxes don't go around biting people, but this wolf sure as hell does. I don't want to own that."
"Men, have killed more than wolves."he corrects as he pours the powder onto the affected ankle, producing a rather neat visual trick of a thousand tiny spiders. It passes however, and a few seconds later the ankle begins to loosen up and quickly the pain starts to numb. "Anyway, being a wolf doesnt mean you loose self control, that you cant still pick what kind of wolf your going to be. THeres a whole science there, a friend of mine can help you with that to be honest. I've never had much experience with it. Until somewhat recently, my involvement with wolves has been from a distance."
"I killed a whole lot less people before I was a wolf." Matt admits, to counter Ezekiel's point. While there was a bit of emotion in the delivery, saying it out loud manages to land like a solid rock on his chest, and he's silent for several moments. Of course the sensation rolling over his foot, and then the lack of pain there draws his attention down to his toes, and thats what he stares at blankly. "What kind of wolf? What kinds are there?"
"Two kinds in the end. Those that run from the wolf, and become consumed by it. Like whats happening to you, trying to outrun something on four paws. "he gives the tube to you, before rolling up his little kit. "Then you have others, who tame themselves and the darkness inside of them. I wont discuss her name, names are powerful things."he leans back finally "She has full control over what she is, and thats the product of willpower. Not magic, she wanted it and she took time to confront it. Your going to meet her."
"Is that what you had to do? Do foxes learn to control it?" Matthew asks, looking Ezekiel eye to eye. He rolls the newly acquired tube in his hand slowly, something to keep those hands busy.
"No, mine was a gift from the goddess Inari. My ancestor, was a ninja. He was a thief and a bandit, who sought absolution in the goddess. He wore a fox mask, because her messengers were foxes, and donated his loot to her shrines. He followed her wishes, became a business man. He got word, a fox had been captured so on the eve of his child's birth he went and rescued the messenger form an evil man. He got the fox away, but was captured and tortured to death. Ever since then, we've been born with the soul of a fox. So I was always a fox, two hundred years ago I was always going to be a fox."
As Matthew listens to the story, something odd happens, and he shakes head. He… chuckles. Not dismissively, not mockingly, but… internally. A sort of self destructive humor. "You and me? We couldn't be more different."
"I dont know, I could be a chick?"He smiles inside that mask, you can almost feel it right?" Trust those, who are most different from yourself to speak the truth to you Matthew. I can see the forest from where I stand, and soon you'll see my forest. In the mean time. Were going to introduce you to my friend."
"Not tonight." Matthew answers as he begins to put his socks and shoe halves back on. The tape doesn't quite stick the same way, though, the the whole assembly is rather of center, so to speak. "Don't really trust myself to be around another one like me right now. Got a place to stay, and… I don't know. I'm not really interested in living up to my inner mongrel. I'm looking more into how to get rid of it." He stands up, his eyes perking up when he isn't instantly set on by a wave of pain.
"so because you fucked the wrong chick, you wanna nip off your nuts? Just to make sure I have the logic right?"He slips his chestplate back on and cynches it down, before he casually rises as well. Taking his rifle back up with him as he goes. "Dont be a stranger pup, and dont make decisions out of ignorance. Ignorance has gotten you into your current predicament and if you arent careful it will only get worse."
