Druid in the Marvel Universe Chapter 8: The Real Daredevil

Alvin knew Matt, the dude everyone calls Daredevil from Marvel. Every night, he’d throw on that red and black suit and hit the streets of Hell's Kitchen, busting heads and saving folks.

In the comics, he's this badass, super-smart, almost invincible hero. But Alvin knew the real deal—Matt was just a beat-up, stubborn guy.

Being a Hell's Kitchen native, Matt was dead set on changing things. He thought all the gangs and crime had turned the place into a hellhole.

He wanted to clean up Hell's Kitchen by taking down the bad guys, but he didn’t get that it was a losing battle. Gangs and crime? They ain't going nowhere.

To Alvin, Matt was just a regular dude with some mad skills and maybe super hearing. But when he went up against those desperate gangsters, he often got his ass handed to him.

Still, Alvin respected Matt’s guts and spirit. A guy who only cared about others’ safety? That’s someone you gotta respect!

Feeling kinda bad, Alvin said, "Sorry, Matt. You know I cut a deal with Kingpin, so I can't mess with other neighborhoods."

Matt listened, gave a helpless smile, and said, "Alvin, we both want Hell's Kitchen to get better. You've changed three neighborhoods, but I haven't done squat. People are still getting robbed and killed.

And I feel useless. Sometimes I hate my powers 'cause they make me hear people crying for help every night. I try, but I can't save everyone. I’m lost, man."

Alvin poured him another beer, added two shots of whiskey, and slid it over. He tapped the glass, telling him to drink up.

Alvin went on, "Matt, changing a place ain't a one-man job. You know why I asked S.H.I.E.L.D. to upgrade the cops' gear first thing?"

Without waiting for Matt to answer, Alvin continued, "So guys like Michael and Scott would feel safe patrolling at night. Not all crooks are crazy enough to mess with the cops. As long as there are cops on the streets, Hell's Kitchen will get safer."

Matt silently raised his glass, took a big swig, and said, "But people are still getting hurt, and I can't do anything." He took off his sunglasses, showing his gray, almost pupil-less eyes, and rubbed his face, looking totally beat.

Alvin, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness, said, "You're not God. Even God can't save everyone. Matt, you gotta chill out.

We all want this place to get better, and we need to team up. Instead of playing vigilante every day, why not help the real cops get back on their feet?

I'll talk to Kingpin and get him to keep his guys from messing with regular folks. You should stop going after him; it’s just gonna get you hurt.

And having someone who can control the gangs is way better than a chaotic Hell's Kitchen."

Matt downed the rest of his beer in one go and said angrily, "So we just let Kingpin walk?"

Alvin explained, "Kingpin ain't the real problem. Hell's Kitchen didn't get this way because of him.

Taking him down is easy, but then what? Hundreds of gangs will go nuts. What happens to Hell's Kitchen then?

As long as Kingpin's around, there's some order, even if it's shady."

Matt slumped over the bar, looking like he was about to break. He said softly, "Alvin, I don't know if you're right, but at least what you're doing works better than what I'm doing. But that doesn't mean I'll quit. I'll keep going until I can't anymore."

Alvin knew when Matt said "powerless," he meant until he was dead. Alvin respected the guy, so he wasn't gonna stop him from chasing his dream of making the neighborhood better.

Alvin gave him a pat on the shoulder and said, "I got your back, but at least take a break sometimes." Then he signaled Matt to switch to whiskey.

Before long, Matt was totally hammered. While Foggy was chatting with someone, a thin red vine snuck into Matt's calf, pumping red energy into him. It was the Corpse Vine's power, turning dead stuff into life force.

Alvin kept an eye on the time, and when the energy was enough to heal Matt up, he pulled the vine back.

Pouring himself a drink, he knocked it back in one go. Looking at the now rosy-cheeked, sleeping Matt, Alvin murmured, "To noble character! To never giving up! Cheers!"

The good vibes lasted till midnight, wrapping up with the restaurant closing. After getting JJ to take Matt and Foggy home, Alvin headed to his bedroom upstairs. He checked on little Nick, who was already out cold. Smiling, Alvin tucked him in, turned off the light, and stepped out.

Turning around, he saw Jessica leaning against the hallway wall, staring at him. Alvin touched his cheek and asked, "What's up? Do I got something on my face?"

Jessica's shy and admiring look made Alvin a bit uneasy. In his past life, he was a 35-year-old dude, and now a 19-year-old girl was giving him the eyes, making him feel kinda weird. So he joked, "Jessie, did you leave something here?"

Jessica shook her head, looking confused.

Alvin pretended to be bummed and sighed, "Oh, I thought our Jessie left her heart here and was waiting to get it back."

Jessica's face turned red so fast, Alvin worried she might catch fire.

In her embarrassment and anger, Jessica stomped her foot hard, and with a "crack," the wooden floor of the hallway broke, trapping her whole right leg in the hole. She lost her balance, and her upper body leaned back, making her already not-so-prominent chest look even smaller.

Both of them were stunned. Alvin swore he was just shocked by how flimsy his house was and had no intention of mocking Jessica's mishap.

Jessica's face went from red to white, the blood draining almost instantly. Realizing her current state, with one leg stuck in the floor and the other on top, she could imagine how ridiculous she looked. Not daring to look at Alvin's face, she pushed herself up with her hands and yanked her leg out of the floor. In her rush, she tore her pant leg completely, showing off her white thigh and sending a piece of the floor flying.

Jessica covered her face and let out a low, desperate scream before bolting into her room and slamming the door. The force was so strong that the entire door, along with the frame, flew out and hit the opposite wall.

Looking at the house that now needed major repairs, Alvin silently cursed himself for his loose tongue. Why did he have to tease Jessica, especially when she was strong and easily embarrassed? Now, tomorrow was gonna be another busy day.

Alvin walked to the door, peeked inside, and saw Jessica lying on the bed, her head buried under a pillow, letting out frustrated screams. Not bothering a woman at this moment was a lesson from a married man's experience.

He propped the door back up, fixed the frame, and sent Nick, who had woken up to eavesdrop, back to bed. Then he returned to his room, ready to get a good night's sleep and end this crazy day.