(no subject)

[undyingcrow]

[A message appears on the network one morning, not long after a certain Ren appears.

Not long after it goes up, some parts are edited out.]

Attention, "Crow" and "Joker."

With the arrival of my Ren, we formally challenge you over your precious codenames. Let us prove to you that we are the ones worthy of the titles, while you are mere variations from a simpler, happier world. despite the power you wield.

You may have seniority within this space, but we were forged in the fires of our hardships and have emerged on the other side of Maruki's reality.

You two have likely grown soft from your domesticity. Perhaps you'll find us worthy opponents after all this stagnation. They say the spirit of competition can bring out one's best and their worst.

[Is it bold to proclaim the challenge over the network? Yes. But he'd have it no other way, really. Everyone deserves to know how serious they are.]

As for the rest of you, I'd like to start a little bonding exercise.

Tell me something about yourself, and I'll tell you something about me in turn. Won't that be fun?

[It should be a simple way to start and prove that he's just as capable of "bonding" as Ren is.]

[ooc: Original parts of the message in strikethrough, with the edits after, if you want your character to have seen the original version.]

Comments

[pheasantboy]

Why wouldn't it be? There's no escaping the dark ways of birds, you know.

[On the whole, he decides not to mention the contrast between them and people back home. Too complicated.]

[paysforall]

Because you're usually a ray of sunlight, enlightened as a Buddha and free of such dark and vicious concerns as plague the rest of our name. ╮(︶▽︶)╭

But no, it isn't that. Though I have been known to get perhaps a bit too aggressive with my chopsticks at times... Hm.

[pheasantboy]

You see, that's why I value your friendship so much. You say the nicest things to me. That and the bird facts.

[And the time he almost singlehandedly put Ren back together.]

There are worse things in life than bad table manners.

[paysforall]

Who else would appreciate the fact that flamingos are extremophiles with me?

True, though I don't know how much Sae-san would appreciate it if I impaled something off her plate.

[pheasantboy]

Or that fulmars have weaponised projectile vomit with such panache?

Though perhaps this isn't the best example, if we're to talk about our pleasant dinners with Sae-san.

[paysforall]

Or that the red color of a bearded vulture isn't natural, but because they roll around in red dirt as a cosmetic?

True. I'm not sure that even she could be magnanimous enough to forgive me if I were to bring up owl pellets or the like while she was eating.

[pheasantboy]

It will be good to see her again, when I return.

I didn't know that, about the vultures. Do they really?

[paysforall]

They do! You can occasionally find images of their real feather colors from animals kept by zoos online - they're naturally an off-white.

[For some reason, Shrike just has this picture on his phone to post along with it.]

According to what I've read, it isn't even simply that they take dirt baths the way many species do; they specifically seek out the red coloring they're known for, hence why scientists have concluded that it's done for cosmetic reasons.

[pheasantboy]

Wonderful. Wonderful! I never grow tired of the beauties of nature.

[Like hanging dead prey on thorns. Things like that.]

Even a vulture can seek to adorn itself. You'll know about the intricate building of bowerbirds, of course, but do you know that they'll actually make paint to decorate their nests with?