Starring:
Summary:
Francis and the Demon Fox of Hokkaido meet, discuss manners, finances and reputations.
Date It Happened:
April 12 2002
Log Title
Mind your manners
[:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::[ Calvary Cemetery ]:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::]
Quiet, subdued, well-kept, Calvary Cemetery is watched over by angels, disciples, and other celestial figures — or so the heavily Roman Catholic masonry and theme would have one believe. This graveyard is home to many beautifully crafted stone figures who keep eternal watch over those interred here. Among the most famous dead here are Lionel and Ethel Barrymore, and Lou Costello of Abbott&Costello. Also within this cemetery is Calvary Mortuary, which serves Catholic cemeteries and families throughout the city. Additionally, there is a mausoleum with breathtaking stained glass windows of a religious flavor.
But no heavily religious motif can protect from what might be lurking amidst the tombstones when the sun goes down…
Frank…..not so good a Catholic. But he does wear a crucifix under his shirt, mostly for reasons of self-defense. At the moment, it's out, however - might be useful, since this is exactly the sort of night vampires favor. AT the moment, he's sitting patiently on a marble memorial bench, dressed in canvas jacket, jeans, and a t-shirt. Gun holstered under his shoulder - it won't do all that much good against the sort of enemies he expects to meet here. Not when he has his powers to depend on. He's smoking, some expensive cigarette, the flare and ebb of the ember alternately lighting and shadowing his face.
Now, you see this is totally the sort of night you find Ezekiel out and about. Why you ask, why would Ezekiel be running about instead of watching the tube and eating icecream? Well one Zeke doesnt have cable, and two there are vampires about he'd love to meet and most likely destroy in innovative ways. Tonight of course the cemetery is an excellent potential mark, and one where our masked fox finds a familar face. Frank. "Good evening."Comes what is hopefully familar voice. Perched casually atop a gravestone, dressed in as much kevlar and nylon as he is fur and ammunition.
Frank, happily, does not summarily inhale that cigarette. He turns around with remarkable aplomb, and arches a brow. "YOu're still out here superheroing," he says, in a voice that's not so much a question as it is an amused statement. He ashes off to one side, with a negligent flick of his fingers. "How's tricks?"
Our favorite fox, hops deftly from one to the other in a rather casual display of superhuman agility. "Oh most definitely. What else would you have me do, not too many baseball teams for foxes about you know? Well, and lets not forget how utterly awesome writing 'demon fox of hokkaido' is on a job application. The guys at McDonalds really love that one, let me tell you."and then, with one more leap he arrives on a chained post oh about six foot to one side of the bench. As silent as a falling leaf, Ezekiel is.
"How do you pay the rent? Or are you, like, the heir to some immense corporate fortune?" Frank wonders, turning to pull up his feet, sit crosslegged on the bench so he can get a slightly better view.
"well, the equipment is paid for from vampires. You know most dont do banks, so they tend to carry around alot of bucks. Thats how I got my rifle, and my sidearm and some of my bigger swords and stuff. The rest is either donated, because I am the sacred messenger of the Goddess Inari. Its good fortune, to supply me with the equipment needed to pursue my duties."He shrugs, well he didnt need to tell this guy he was a translator. The fox was allowed to have a few secrets. "I dont pay for much out of pocket."
"You live in her temple?" Because isn't there one in Chinatown, somewhere? Frank ponders that. "I mostly just light 'em up. Never bothered to loot him or hold 'em up before I did," he says, musingly. "So, people donate to fuel your fight against evil?"
Ezekiel shrugs "No, I dont live there. I have an apartment. Donate small things though, alot of small things. If they've done something to offend her, or maybe they just really need her aid."theres a waver of his outstretched hand. "It depends whats really going on, sometimes its just money but I'll be honest I dont think my mistress likes that. Paper money, and modern coinage is less immediately valuable than gold and silver. Food is always good too of course, but anyway its complicated. Whats new with you, zippo?"
"Fightin' the good fight. Slow night," Frank laments, propping his back up against a nearby mausoleum. It's a rather crowded section of the cemetery. He looks out over the ranked tombs. "Not much happenin'. Which I suppose is for the good. Makes me feel like I'm having some effect."
"You scare them, I know that. I hear them, talking about ashes."he lifts a gloved hand to pop the strap of his helmet, and lift his big ears to indicate. "I hear them very well, speaking of you. "
Francis slants a look at him, sidelong. "Ideally, if I'm doing my job right, they shouldn't speak of me at all," he says, a little grumpy. "Idea is, none of 'em survive to."
Ezekiel hehs "Worry not my friend, we have an overlapping field of fire. I listen, and then I see their foul forms into the next world."He quickly plops his helmet back down, and buckles back up. "Your not really stealth Frank, when your lighting them. They see things from a distance."
Francis concedes, "Well, you have a point," That puts him in a slightly better humor, apparently.
Ezekiel fwumps down, seating himself rather casually. Apparently quite comfortable with being so near to Frank, a rare bit of course. "Would you mind terribly if I took my mask off? I know my appearance tends to cause some discomfort, and I would rather not be so rude with a man I seem to be working with."
"Pup, I've been LAPD for more than ten years. I spent some of that working Vice. Seriously, you're not going to shock me, but it was polite of you to ask," Frank says, offering a pack of cigarettes. Just in case magical foxes smoke.
Ezekiel lifts his glove, and after a little fiddling off comes his little mask. Exposing a brilliant hue of orange and shadowy black below. "I am a representative of my Mistress Inari,she'd be very cross if I was rude to a man who did not deserve such things."Oddly enough, while his voice seems precisely the same his mouth doesnt move at all. Though you can probably sneak a peak at those dimly glowing peepers, if your curious. "and no thankyou, Frank. I do not smoke."
Francis looks openly at Ezekiel's face. There's interest there, but no particular shock. He tucks away the cigarette pack, and simply nods once, thoughtfully. "Places emphasis on manners, eh?"
"Certainly, she does not suffer the rude very well."Zeke glances over, those almost tangerine hued eyes set to a soft glow. "Wasnt your mother, concerned with manners?"
Francis arches a brow at that. "Yeah. My mother wasn't a goddess, though. No matter how inflated her self-opinion," he says, finally pinching out the stub of the cigarette, and stuffing the butt into an old mint tin. OCD about littering, perhaps. Or leaving traces here.
Ezekiel chuckles, smiling quite toothily. "She isnt my mother, she's my mistress but yes. You know the type then, very proper about such things. Especially with we Kitsune, because all Kitsune are messengers of Inari. I am already on very thin ice because of the deeds of my father."
"He jumped the fence and mated with a purebred he shouldn't have?" Frank suggests, patting himself down absentmindedly, as if he'd already forgotten what pocket he'd crammed those cigarettes into.
Thats sufficient to raise a foxy brow, goodness. "No. My bloodline is male, not female. He was overpowered by a haunted mask, and whilst under its influence killed a great number of men who were good and wholesome. He was a monster, who was devoid of any good. I am trying, to repair the damage my father did to our family legacy. Back home, in Hokkaido we were known as heroes. We were very comparable to Robin Hood, until my father."
"Whom did you rob?" Francis wonders, letting one foot dangle, rather childishly. "And if it wasn't your father's fault, wasn't he absolved?"
"He was freed, and taught me so I might make ammends. He doesnt wear ears anymore, just me now."Zeke rises slowly, deftly clipping his face mask back into place."We robbed evil men, and kept nothing for ourselves. Now, with that. I am afraid I must depart, but please feel free to come find me if you wish to share a drink or a meal."and like that, in a blink he's just not there. No flame, no smoke, no flip, no shadow trickery. Just poof…gone.
