maskormenace

[The man that appears on the screen is rather scrawny looking, thin, with a large beakish nose and squinting eyes. He's dressed in an impeccable suit that he straightens a moment before his free hand goes to his hair and he starts fixing the very purposeful styling that had gone oh-so-slightly awry upon porting in. The spiked points along his forehead where carefully pinched back into place as he used the video function as a sort of mirror while he began addressing those watching.]

Well. This is a fine affair I've seemed to find myself in. I was rather hoping it was one big joke. A poor joke, but a joke all the same.

[A pause as he shuts his mouth and moves the camera so he can see the back and sides of his head to ensure they were properly spiked upward and forward the way he preferred.]

But having found myself wandering the cities referred to as 'porter cities', I've been forced to acknowledge that it isn't.

[He sighs and pulls the camera away to better take in himself and the room he was standing in. A bedroom of an assigned house. The sort most would be familiar with.]

Which unfortunately means I've been told I'm expected to live in this... squalor... until I'm able to afford a better place on my own.

[Being one of the commonly assigned homes in the suburbs, it was far from what most would consider 'squalor'. Even Oswald didn't actually consider it that, just that it wasn't where he wanted to be nor did it fit what he felt he deserved to live in after all he'd been through.]

That will take a little time. Even for me. Until then, I'm entertaining offers of more suitable homes that I can take residence in.

[A bright smile. As if his presence in a home would be a high honor.]

Oh, yes. How rude of me. Introductions. My name is Oswald Cobblepot, Mayor of Gotham.

[[[ooc: One of Oswald's powers is that he just sort of mildly reminds people of a bird. Should his face be covered, there's more that goes on, but in his current state, he just kind of gives off a vague impression of a bird. If you'd like to opt out of this power and the rest of what it does, you can do so here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I am hardly a politician. I was elected mayor because the other candidate was corrupt and all previous mayors had been as well. The people wanted someone they could trust. I lead them in driving some terrible monsters from the city and they practically insisted I run when one of our previous mayors attempted to retake the position without an election.

[He shrugged.]

I'm not really a good cook, but I'm an excellent dresser. And I'm loyal to my friends. I keep any promises I make and I'm very trustworthy, I assure you.

Are you sure you're not a politician? That's some pretty politician-esque speech.

It's the truth. Gotham has had it's police and mayor and other higher government officials controlled under the table by the mafia for as long as most can remember. Murder and robbery are a daily concern of most citizens and they grew used to the apathy from the GCPD. But when literal monsters, genetically engineered in the basement of Arkham Asylum, were released upon them, they had enough. We said 'no more!' and rallied against them.

[He let out a little laugh.]

It was all quite exciting!

[Behind him, through the window, several birds of different species all started to chatter and hoot as if excited as well. This caused him to cringe with annoyance as he turned to glance at them, hissing out:]

Will you stop that? I'm trying to speak to my new friend here!

[The birds immediately went quiet.]

So sorry about that. They've been at it all day.

[Ugh, this guy is kind of adorable. Slimy, for sure, but adorable. Especially because he appears to be some sort of avian beacon.]

I see you've gathered a lot of fans here already.

[He's very slippery, that's certain.

He laughs it off, waving his hand as if dismissing the idea of it. But he's well practiced in telling when a subject seems to pull someone's interest. Whether it was the birds themselves or the amusement of seeing them bother him, he didn't yet know.]

So it would seem. I'm rather unused to such attentions. But everywhere I've gone so far, more than a few have flocked around and started to natter on about this or that.

So birds don't normally find you so attractive? A gift from Lachesis, I guess.

[Most people don't find him attractive, no matter how much his mother insisted he was 'handsome'.]

Well, they aren't going on about my looks, I can assure you. It's more about... nesting and social calls and a few were yelling at me to poison their bodies with bread when I had a sandwich. It's like alcohol to them. Terrible, but they love it.

Relatable as fuck. Are you guessing, or do you speak bird?

[The question caught him just slightly off guard. Enough that it took a moment where he was blinking and it was clear a sudden realization had hit him. Then he tipped his head and gave a 'you caught me' shrug.]

I do indeed.

[With all the other weirdness, he'd been assuming everyone understood the birds in this world. It was just background noise. But... if they didn't. Well, that whole 'he's like a bird' power he'd apparently been given was far more useful than he'd first thought.]

Such fairytale bullshit, isn't it?

[The tone of Ronan's voice implies he's actually very fond of that fairytale bullshit.]

[So, he'd hit a 'sweet spot' so to speak. Good to know. Not that he had any actual feelings towards birds other than mild annoyance at best, but he was great at playing a part. And there was no reason not to play this one.]

It really is. Talking to birds, umbrellas supposedly doing tricks. It's all a bit new and... well, I hesitate to say 'magical' but I have little other context to provide a better word.

Umbrellas doing tricks? That's a cute one. Definitely magical.

Well, I haven't seen any myself, but that's what I've been told. You know, they seem to like you. The birds, I mean. Or at least, they respond well to you.

Unlike some I've spoken with so far.

That doesn't surprise me.

[No, he won't be offering an explanation for that.]

Considering how much you seem to like them back, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised either.

[He gives a small, affable laugh.]

Have you been here long?

[Helpfully:]

A while now, I guess.

[Yes. So helpful.]

Well, it's been pleasant speaking with you, Mr...?

Lynch. Or Ronan, if you prefer.

[There are, after all, several Lynches.]

Mr. Lynch. Perhaps we can speak again sometime. About birds or magic or... Something else. Unless you have anything further you'd like to speak on now, of course.

Perhaps sometime.

[The wryness in his tone suggests that isn't very likely.]

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