"I know that's what you were asking but my point was that it doesn't matter when it comes to getting those other vigilantes on the streets. It wasn't someone who can climb walls that made them think that they could put on a ski-mask and fight crime," Matt answers with a shrug. "I'm less concerned about the people with abilities than I am with the ones who just think they do because they did a little martial arts training as a kid." Those are the ones that keep him up at night. People like Luke Cage? He can take care of himself. Not so much a dumbass kid who thinks he can stop muggings because it looks cool on Youtube. "I work pretty hard to keep my name from being tied to it, outside of the clients that I represent. I couldn't keep doing this if I was exposed." There would be too much risk there at all levels.
"I'll probably just stick with the flashlight," he answers. This is all supposed to be somewhat hypothetical to the idea that he would be in this scenario. He's certainly not outright looking for it. "I just need to be able to keep myself and other people alive. I don't think I'll be joining any vampire hunter…whatever, clubs? Any time soon. I just like to know the possibility of the threats I might face when I'm out on patrol. I definitely prefer mobsters and ninjas."
"I see." Truly, Matt was opening his eyes to it. He had lumped all the heroes into one pile in his time in New York. He had not considered that those without power could inspire more without power. Frank Castle alone was a force of nature; one may not even consider his lack of superhuman ability with just, well, everything about Frank. "That would put them in danger due to ego. I myself have no training at all; I was never in a fight in my life before I became this creature that I am. I know I could do much damage to most of those newer ones." The claws alone. Yes, he fights now and can often hold his own against Spider-Man, but that still wasn't training; it was raw vampiric strength and dumb luck. "Yes, and that could be awful if others knew."
"I thought as much, and if nothing else, it will hurt a human's eyes as well. So it may still be useful even if you never run into a vampire. Well, a real one." A small chuckle escaped the Grecian. "I would hope not, though I will have to ask Blade if they go by packs or clubs." He did love to annoy the hunter. "It is amusing to think I am more comfortable with the idea of monsters than mobsters and ninjas. Those feel more like fiction to me these days."
It has become a concern for Matt over the years as more and more talk about vigilantes has spread over New York in the wake of people like him. Whatever might be said about Frank Castle, he had a code and training that Matt didn't have to worry about him in the same way he might some teenager with hockey pads and a Halloween mask. "Ego is probably a big factor. I've likened it to a social contagion. People like me and Frank were at the beginning of it, just regular people on the surface with no apparent powers, and then it starts to spread beyond what either of us ever would have wanted." It's unfortunate but he doesn't know what to do about it. "I started training when I was a kid. Never stopped. I'm told I'm a naturally gifted fighter so what is that and what is my abilities, I'm not sure. But I've lost--badly. So it does worry me." Maybe that's just his concern for people manifesting in a different way. Who's to say.
"A blind man shining a light in someone's eyes has a little bit of impish amusement to it for me," he says with a laugh. "And vampires are still like fiction to me. Mobsters are more common than ninjas. A lot of street crime is lather-rinse-repeat. Drugs, trafficking, robberies, muggings, assaults, so on. It's not that I get bored doing what I do, but there's rhythm to it. A rhyme and reason. There's an ebb and flow to crime, too, as men try to seize power for themselves and lose or gain it."
Codes made all the difference. Morbius had not had one until he pissed off the wrong vengeful spirit, but now he can sleep without hearing screams. For the most part, his dreams were still not the best, but he no longer spilled innocent blood. "I would say it is a bigger factor than some may think, more so with the internet, as you mentioned. They want the views more than to actually help." A noise of agreement filled the air. Yes, social contagion would be a good way to say it. "Did the training start before or after the loss of your vision? Though with the perspective you have shared, I can certainly see why you would be worried. Sadly, I do not think there is much to be done about it."
"I had not considered it, but it does seem like something you could have fun with." He chuckled at that, managing a smile when the other laughed. "Normal street crime I am used to; those criminals are generally those who I end up feeding upon. But mobsters and the like, I don't believe I have crossed paths with any. If I have, I had no idea."
"That's my concern. That it's more about coming up with a cool name and getting clicks than about safety and helping people," he replies. He knows that he probably sounds like the old man bitching about the next generation coming up but it's hard not to be concerned with some of the things that he's witnessed along the way. It's a dangerous life and it's difficult not to carry guilt, especially if something goes wrong for one of the people he 'inspired.' "My dad was a boxer so I watched all of his fights and his training until I lost my vision. After that someone trained me. Someone with similar gifts to my own."
They come from very different worlds, and that's apparent. "A lot of money is dirty so maybe you have, maybe you haven't. Some try to keep hidden from public view and some embrace the idea that they can be feared and respected. It's not always the same for everyone. I've had more occasion to cross paths with them, since I tend to ruin their plans."
"It does seem that way. Again, what is the frog guy going to do? He is a liability. If I did not think it would bring trouble down to our doorstep, I would ask the citizens of the Monster Metropolis to come up and help me scare them out of it." He wouldn't risk those who put their faith in him to keep them safe. "A boxer? That must have been incredible. I have only seen it in movies, I confess. Yes, you had mentioned someone had to train you; I suppose something like fate must have led him to find you."
Or something else, but he would rather not dig too deep.
A blind vigilante lawyer and a morally gray scientist turned pseudo-vampire. Very different worlds indeed. Perhaps even before Michael's experiment. "That I could believe; if it was easily seen, too many would find it glamorous and wish to be part of it. It is good you are there to stop their plans." His phone buzzed again as he looked down at it. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." He muttered as he swiped a response carefully. "I will sadly have to take my leave soon."
"The frog guy is an idiot, full stop." Matt doesn't even rank him, if he's being honest. "I don't want to invite more trouble to it. I know that eventually some kind of natural selection will occur, and my hope is only that it doesn't involve them dying for it to happen." Injuries or fear might be enough to take them out of it and Matt hopes that it's without a truly great cost. "He lost a lot more than he won, but I learned a lot from him. It influences how I fight today." He doesn't think he can call Stick fortuitous. Something brought him to Matt and he'll never be able to know exactly what it was.
"I stop what I can. I'm not always successful." The vibration of the phone and the note that he has to depart earns a small nod from Matt. "Of course. I'll walk you out." Even if his foot is wounded, he still wants to be a good host. He pulls himself to his feet to lead the way to the door. "Thank you for the conversation. It's been enlightening. I'm not sure I love knowing just what else goes bump in the night, but I'm glad I do."
"Hopefully not, but only time will tell." He agreed, standing as he listened to Matt. "It sounds like he had a lot of spirit to keep going if his losses outnumbered the wins." It was something almost admirable.
"Thank you, but please be sure to rest that foot afterwards." He chastised, knowing if he were in Matt's place, he would walk someone to the door with a broken foot too. "This was nice; I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime. So long as it does not cut into your hero time." There goes that buzzing again. "Do take care, Mr. Murdock."
He does wince a bit when he gets up and he knows that he really should be off of his foot. Still, a need for politeness prevails and he just smiles when he's chastised for it. He expects it from a doctor. "I will. I'll go back to putting it up and try to stay off of it." For how long, he's not entirely sure. As long as he can tolerate being stationary, he supposes. That doesn't really fill him with a lot of optimism. "It was nice. Any time our schedules align," he agrees. That's the hard part. Matt burns that proverbial candle at both ends and most of his nights, barring those injuries, are spent on the streets. "I will. You too."
After Michael leaves, Matt closes the door and returns to putting his foot up. Doctor's orders.
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"I'll probably just stick with the flashlight," he answers. This is all supposed to be somewhat hypothetical to the idea that he would be in this scenario. He's certainly not outright looking for it. "I just need to be able to keep myself and other people alive. I don't think I'll be joining any vampire hunter…whatever, clubs? Any time soon. I just like to know the possibility of the threats I might face when I'm out on patrol. I definitely prefer mobsters and ninjas."
no subject
"I thought as much, and if nothing else, it will hurt a human's eyes as well. So it may still be useful even if you never run into a vampire. Well, a real one." A small chuckle escaped the Grecian. "I would hope not, though I will have to ask Blade if they go by packs or clubs." He did love to annoy the hunter. "It is amusing to think I am more comfortable with the idea of monsters than mobsters and ninjas. Those feel more like fiction to me these days."
no subject
"A blind man shining a light in someone's eyes has a little bit of impish amusement to it for me," he says with a laugh. "And vampires are still like fiction to me. Mobsters are more common than ninjas. A lot of street crime is lather-rinse-repeat. Drugs, trafficking, robberies, muggings, assaults, so on. It's not that I get bored doing what I do, but there's rhythm to it. A rhyme and reason. There's an ebb and flow to crime, too, as men try to seize power for themselves and lose or gain it."
no subject
"I had not considered it, but it does seem like something you could have fun with." He chuckled at that, managing a smile when the other laughed. "Normal street crime I am used to; those criminals are generally those who I end up feeding upon. But mobsters and the like, I don't believe I have crossed paths with any. If I have, I had no idea."
no subject
They come from very different worlds, and that's apparent. "A lot of money is dirty so maybe you have, maybe you haven't. Some try to keep hidden from public view and some embrace the idea that they can be feared and respected. It's not always the same for everyone. I've had more occasion to cross paths with them, since I tend to ruin their plans."
no subject
Or something else, but he would rather not dig too deep.
A blind vigilante lawyer and a morally gray scientist turned pseudo-vampire. Very different worlds indeed. Perhaps even before Michael's experiment. "That I could believe; if it was easily seen, too many would find it glamorous and wish to be part of it. It is good you are there to stop their plans." His phone buzzed again as he looked down at it. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." He muttered as he swiped a response carefully. "I will sadly have to take my leave soon."
no subject
"I stop what I can. I'm not always successful." The vibration of the phone and the note that he has to depart earns a small nod from Matt. "Of course. I'll walk you out." Even if his foot is wounded, he still wants to be a good host. He pulls himself to his feet to lead the way to the door. "Thank you for the conversation. It's been enlightening. I'm not sure I love knowing just what else goes bump in the night, but I'm glad I do."
no subject
"Thank you, but please be sure to rest that foot afterwards." He chastised, knowing if he were in Matt's place, he would walk someone to the door with a broken foot too. "This was nice; I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime. So long as it does not cut into your hero time." There goes that buzzing again. "Do take care, Mr. Murdock."
no subject
After Michael leaves, Matt closes the door and returns to putting his foot up. Doctor's orders.