14342/I Liked The Red And Blue Costume

I Liked The Red And Blue Costume
Date of Scene:	07 March 2023
Location:	Hell's Kitchen
Synopsis:	Kaine is swinging through Hell's Kitchen and encounters Daredevil watching out over the area. Kaine's troubled thoughts about use of violence against bad guys leads to a conversation.
Cast of Characters:	Matthew Murdock, Kaine Parker

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Matthew Murdock has posed:
Winter is giving way finally, if reluctantly. There was fresh snowfall during the day which makes the footing a little more precarious when one is running across a rooftop, jumping across alleys and flipping over various obstructions.

It also is just plain cold. For not the first time, Matt wishes he'd gotten Melvin to put some heaters into his Daredevil costume. A couple of hand warmers stuck in pockets is the best he has, plus exerting himself as he tries to stay warm.

Daredevil stops on a rooftop corner though. His head tilts slightly as he begins listening for sounds of trouble in Hell's Kitchen. It's been a little while since the last arson attack, but as far as Daredevil knows, the man is still at large.

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine has recently been really skirting the line between vigilante and criminal by occupying the darker side of the gray area. It's a mood with seems to match the 'aggressive' tone set by the black and red costume. However, leave to Mary Jane Watson to plant an existential crisis, especially into a clone of Peter Parker.

Looking down, he rubs the spider symbol on his chest with his thumb. Peripheral movement catches his attention from his perch. He sees a figure positioned on a rooftop corner.

A thwip and swing, he starts to close the distance and then recognizes the infamous devil of Hell's kitchen, not by familiarity, but by reputation. With a final tug, he sends himself in a projectile arc, moonsaulting before he lands nearby in a crouch.

He's quiet as he considers his words then finally speaks, "Mind if I ask you a question?"

Matthew Murdock has posed:
The sound of the web line hitting the building and then the whistle of the body swinging through the air are noticeable enough to Daredevil even if is radar sense hadn't picked up the swinging man's approach.

"Spider-Man," Daredevil replies with a nod of his head. He takes another moment, listening to some engine sounds, but after a moment he can tell they are kids playing with an RV care on the street, and not a drone that might be getting used by Burning Tiger to plant more incendiary bombs.

The Devil of Hell's Kitchen turns from where he probably seemed to be looking out over the city, and walks a few steps over towards where Kaine Parker landed. "Go for it, Spider-Man," Daredevil tells him.

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine tightens a little bit as he misidentified. Its salt in a wound and reinforcement that MJ is probably right. Anything he does will ultimately reflect on his progenitor. Someone that most beyond a few extreme media outlets proclaim to be a 'Great Guy'.

Kaine was skeptical, but he was beginning to come around to the idea.

"I'm... not that spider-man. Different suit, different man." Kaine admits as he stands. "And I'm not really sure what to call myself."

"Long story, but if you saw me in action, you wouldn't make that mistake... which is why I'm interested in talking to you." His fist tightens.

"You are not exactly known for your 'light-touch'. Anyone ever criticize you for that? Tell you to do better? I've got someone telling me I should hold myself to a higher standard, but... I feel some people really deserve a punch to the face." He opens his palm and gestures toward the Devil.

"Are people just that naive?"

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Matt Murdock doesn't really know Spider-Man very well at all, enough to have anything to go on like scent, that would have made him realize it was someone else. His head tilts to the side a little bit as he appears to look at Kaine. "Ah, so that explains it," he says, giving Kaine reason to think Daredevil had noticed the different costume.

Daredevil's body language suggests a moment of thought. "There have been times I've gone too far. Let my anger at those hurting others get the better of me," Daredevil replies. Though his head tilts to the side as if in more thought. "Though I suppose I seem to be more on the end of telling others than that," he adds. "Frank Castle," he says to further explain what he means there. "He's been through here a few times. And he has a pretty final way of dealing problems, if you're familiar with him."

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine nods and confirms, "I am."

There's another moment of silence as Kaine compares himself to the infamous Punisher. "He's a little more on the berserk side of the spectrum. I don't go out of my way to kill, but I don't really believe in pulling punches."

"And I hit really hard." Kaine clinches his gloved hand again. "What's too far? Should I really care if I snap the neck of someone who's taken their own share of lives?"

The word 'anger' triggers some degree of defensiveness. "Isn't anger often justified? I feel like the world is full of idiots pretending to be saints."

It's an awkward emotional dump, but Kaine doesn't exactly have many outlets.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
The small nods that Daredevil gives suggest he seems to understand some of what is behind Kaine's comments. "Anger is often justified, sure," he agrees. "Maybe the better question is whether anger is justification for whatever makes us feel better. I suppose I'm asking, is there a difference between Justice and Revenge? And which one should we be seeking? The angry man is going to think about revenge. If we only would choose that option because of the anger, but not when we're able to think things through, then would you say it's the right course of action?" Daredevil asks.

He lets out a sigh. "It would be easy to end people who hurt others. I don't know, are any of us meant to be that kind of judge of others. I tend to believe there are higher powers at work out there, that life is a sacred thing. That I'm not meant to take intentionally. And should try to avoid unintentionally. That doesn't mean I won't send a hard message though."

Kaine Parker has posed:
Sincere in his questions, Kaine carefully absorbs the answers. He considers carefully and responds, "I'm not sure justice or revenge matter. Survival, that matters. Survival of myself. Survival of actual good people."

He latches onto the word 'easy', "Easy... or practical? I can't say I believe in a higher power, and if I did, if I believed they were actually 'good'."

"But I do see people who make me question myself. People who seem to have something I don't. Actually, there's a lot I don't have." He shrugs.

"Hard message is a good deterrent, right? Break a gunman's hand, he can't pull the trigger at least for awhile? Pain... is a good teacher. Some people need an education, right?" He considers, "And if they can't seem to learn... Well, why should we suffer for it?"

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Daredevil crosses his arms, looking like he's giving what Kaine said thought. "Survival often doesn't require killing," Daredevil says slowly. "What is an appropriate level of violence? I don't know. An aggrieved father is going to give a different answer than a calm person."

Arms unfolding, the Hell's Kitchen vigilante takes a few steps over to the roof's edge, putting a foot up on the raised border. "I can't tell you the justice system is infallible or even the best. If I thought that I wouldn't be out here. But it's better than a lot of the alternatives. And if there are times that a message needs to be sent? It's easy to grow too comfortable with doing that. Just like them, you can end up devaluing human life, I think, once you start justifying such things in your head."

Kaine Parker has posed:
"Devaluing human life..." Kaine considers the term of phrase very carefully. "I think... That's where I am. If you behave a certain way... If you cross a certain line... I don't value you anymore."

The part he leaves off is 'If you start acting like me'. It's an uncomfortable reflection. Kaine offers a bitter laugh, "I didn't know devils were so philosophical. I think I was expecting more of a Castle opinion... Kill them all. Let god sort them out."

He turns and steps to the edge of the roof top. "Well, I was hoping for a simple answer, but I guess there is one."

Looking over his shoulder, he asks the top most invasive question any vigilante can be asked, "Why do you do this? What drives your anger?"

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"I think probably the same as it sounds like drives you. Seeing good people hurt. Knowing the police that try to help aren't enough. And knowing there are those who do their best to corrupt the police. To where the system needs a bit of a hand," Daredevil says, the words spoken in a soft, gravelly voice. Each clipped short, yet there's a sense of thought having gone into them. Thoughts that have delved into this before, on his own.

"Yeah, nothing's ever really simple, is it. And trying to make it so makes it easier to do what might not be the best thing in the long run." He tilts his head as he looks over to Kaine. "If you're still asking questions though, I think that's probably a good sign. It's when you stop asking yourself that, that you worry the most."

Kaine Parker has posed:
Kaine nods again, "Unlike some, I think I'm just starting to ask myself questions."

Another bitter laugh, "And maybe that means I can only go up. Maybe what is others descent in bitter madness is my ascent for some kind of redemption."

"Great. I think I preferred my simpler outlook." Kaine reaches out and fires off a line of web from his wrists. For most, it'll seem just like how Spider-man goes about it, but for Matt, maybe its just a little different. A smell? A sound? Kaine's web is natural, produced from his body through a pair of mutated organs. Peter's is artificial. A little more proof that the two are truly different.

"Thanks for speaking to a stranger. Good luck on your hunt... if.. ugh.. run into someone in your neck of the woods that deserves it. I'll make sure to gift wrap them for you." With a tug, Kaine lifts himself into the air and begins to web swing away.