π°ππΒ πΎππ,Β πππππΒ πΎππ:Β βππππ'πΒ ππΒ πΒ ππππ?Β
tw: Parental Death Mentioned.
TimingΒ wasΒ pivotalΒ whenΒ makingΒ aΒ firstΒ impression.Β BeingΒ firstΒ soΒ speakΒ showedΒ confidenceΒ withΒ leadershipΒ capabilities-Β toΒ beΒ theΒ firstΒ oneΒ toΒ breakΒ theΒ silenceΒ whilstΒ settingΒ toneΒ andΒ expectationΒ forΒ theΒ others.Β However,Β theΒ drawbacksΒ wereΒ detrimentalΒ asΒ theyΒ areΒ theΒ oneΒ whoΒ mayΒ haveΒ inspiredΒ otherΒ speeches,Β otherΒ speechesΒ thatΒ couldΒ easilyΒ outshineΒ theirsΒ andΒ beΒ nothingΒ likeΒ aΒ forgottenΒ memory.Β ManyΒ foolsΒ sawΒ suchΒ gloryΒ inΒ beingΒ first,Β itΒ wasΒ theΒ wiseΒ ones,Β suchΒ asΒ herself,Β knewΒ thatΒ gloryΒ cameΒ inΒ otherΒ ways.Β
Β ThoseΒ whoΒ followedΒ onΒ fromΒ theΒ firstΒ speakerΒ fallΒ intoΒ twoΒ categories:Β thoseΒ whoΒ wereΒ inspiredΒ byΒ theΒ firstΒ speechΒ andΒ thoseΒ whoΒ simplyΒ wantedΒ itΒ over.Β ThoseΒ talksΒ wereΒ onesΒ thatΒ becameΒ mummersΒ asΒ othersΒ wereΒ tooΒ preoccupiedΒ withΒ theirΒ ownΒ performances.Β AndΒ beingΒ someoneΒ whoΒ aimedΒ toΒ beΒ aΒ finalΒ speakerΒ wasΒ aΒ spotΒ reservedΒ forΒ theΒ shyΒ orΒ timeΒ wasters.Β Everyone'sΒ attentionΒ spansΒ waveringΒ inΒ theΒ delightΒ thatΒ theΒ showcaseΒ wasΒ drawnΒ toΒ anΒ end.Β
Β ForΒ Danica,Β noneΒ ofΒ thisΒ wouldΒ suffice!Β IfΒ sheΒ wasΒ toΒ deliverΒ aΒ delectableΒ speech,Β sheΒ wouldΒ needΒ toΒ beΒ inΒ herΒ sweetΒ spot.Β UponΒ herΒ calculation,Β afterΒ twoΒ moreΒ introductionsΒ itΒ wouldΒ beΒ herΒ timeΒ toΒ shine.Β HerΒ grandΒ momentΒ toΒ paintΒ theΒ greatestΒ speechesΒ amongΒ herΒ co-workers.Β NotΒ likeΒ someΒ ofΒ themΒ wouldΒ beΒ thatΒ difficultΒ toΒ outshine.Β
Β WithΒ herΒ goldenΒ momentΒ creepingΒ in,Β sheΒ barelyΒ allowedΒ theΒ otherΒ personΒ toΒ finishΒ theirΒ speech,Β DanicaΒ wasΒ alreadyΒ onΒ herΒ feet.Β SnappingΒ herΒ notebookΒ shutΒ withΒ aΒ loudΒ thud,Β loudly,Β toΒ haveΒ everyone'sΒ undividedΒ attention.Β WithΒ allΒ eyesΒ wereΒ onΒ her,Β sheΒ stoodΒ tall,Β shouldersΒ backΒ whilstΒ smoothingΒ outΒ herΒ blackΒ pencilΒ skirtΒ andΒ tuckingΒ herΒ hairΒ behindΒ herΒ ears.Β OhΒ howΒ sheΒ feltΒ undressedΒ forΒ thisΒ occasion.Β IfΒ theyΒ hadΒ onlyΒ allowedΒ herΒ toΒ bringΒ herΒ seventeenΒ casesΒ sheΒ hadΒ meticulouslyΒ packedΒ thenΒ sheΒ wouldΒ trulyΒ beΒ dressedΒ forΒ success.Β Instead,Β aΒ simpleΒ capsuleΒ wardrobeΒ wouldΒ haveΒ toΒ suffice.Β StillΒ DanicaΒ RasquinhaΒ wouldΒ makeΒ doΒ withΒ poiseΒ andΒ grace.Β
Β "My,Β oh,Β my,Β whatΒ aΒ charmingΒ teamΒ IΒ thinkΒ weΒ areΒ allΒ goingΒ toΒ makeΒ forΒ theΒ unforeseeableΒ future.Β HowΒ heartwarmingΒ itΒ isΒ toΒ seeΒ soΒ manyΒ lovelyΒ newΒ facesΒ andΒ charmedΒ toΒ beΒ acquaintedΒ withΒ aΒ fewΒ ofΒ youΒ onceΒ more,"Β DanicaΒ slowlyΒ beginsΒ herΒ speechΒ makingΒ eyeΒ contactΒ withΒ eachΒ memberΒ toΒ enhanceΒ theΒ naturalΒ connectionΒ withΒ themΒ thatΒ willΒ blossomΒ beautifullyΒ overtime.Β "Originally,Β IΒ hadΒ aΒ PowerPointΒ PresentationΒ readyΒ forΒ aΒ momentΒ likeΒ thisΒ butΒ alas,Β afterΒ notΒ beingΒ briefedΒ onΒ theΒ noΒ techΒ access,Β IΒ doΒ humblyΒ apologiesΒ forΒ myΒ lackΒ ofΒ preparationΒ andΒ howΒ unpolishedΒ myΒ introductionΒ is."Β Β
Β OnΒ thatΒ note,Β sheΒ carefullyΒ slidesΒ outΒ personalizedΒ indexΒ cardsΒ fromΒ herΒ journal.Β TheΒ goldenΒ gildedΒ cursiveΒ embossingΒ shoneΒ slightlyΒ inΒ theΒ florescentΒ lightly.Β Neatly,Β DanicaΒ tiredΒ theΒ stackΒ ofΒ cardsΒ inΒ herΒ hands,Β perfectlyΒ preparedΒ forΒ herΒ unpreparedΒ speech.Β NoΒ needΒ forΒ herΒ toΒ beΒ nervous,Β sheΒ totallyΒ hadΒ thisΒ inΒ theΒ bag.Β EverybodyΒ adoredΒ her.Β WhoΒ couldn'tΒ adoreΒ her?Β SheΒ isΒ theΒ epidemyΒ ofΒ excellence.Β
Β Β TakingΒ aΒ deepΒ breath,Β sheΒ continuesΒ on,"NowΒ IΒ fearΒ thatΒ IΒ needΒ noΒ introductionsΒ toΒ whoΒ IΒ am.Β Most,Β ifΒ notΒ allΒ wouldΒ beΒ familiarΒ withΒ myΒ PapaΒ andΒ MamaΒ theΒ lateΒ parentsΒ DrΒ andΒ DrΒ Rasquinha,Β both,Β highΒ regarded,Β esteemed,Β academicallyΒ brilliantΒ researchersΒ forΒ DepartmentΒ ofΒ MythologyΒ andΒ Folkloristics.Β NowΒ IΒ amΒ notΒ allowedΒ toΒ evenΒ talkΒ someΒ ofΒ theirΒ spellbindingΒ findings,"Β sheΒ pausesΒ laughingΒ atΒ herΒ ownΒ joke.Β OfΒ courseΒ itΒ wasΒ funny!Β OneΒ shouldΒ neverΒ discloseΒ anyΒ personalΒ informationΒ withΒ theΒ faeΒ afterΒ all!"JustΒ aΒ littleΒ FaeΒ humorΒ forΒ you.Β IfΒ youΒ know,Β youΒ knowΒ butΒ shouldΒ certainlyΒ notΒ beΒ disclosingΒ aboutΒ it."Β
Β [GiveΒ aΒ playfulΒ littleΒ winkΒ toΒ someoneΒ inΒ theΒ room.]Β Β Β
"GoodnessΒ lookΒ atΒ meΒ prattlingΒ on,Β doΒ PardonΒ me!Β IΒ justΒ neverΒ wasteΒ aΒ momentΒ toΒ talkΒ aboutΒ PapaΒ andΒ Mama'sΒ greatestΒ achievements,"Β sheΒ placesΒ oneΒ handΒ onΒ herΒ heart,Β aΒ wayΒ toΒ projectΒ sincerity,Β "SpeakingΒ of...let'sΒ getΒ backΒ toΒ meΒ then,Β shallΒ we?"Β
Β [PaceΒ aroundΒ theΒ spaceΒ withΒ permitted.]Β Β Β Β
Β DanicaΒ eyesΒ theΒ spaceΒ inΒ theΒ room,Β makingΒ theΒ judgementΒ callΒ toΒ paceΒ aroundΒ aΒ little.Β KeepΒ herΒ audienceΒ engaged,Β alwaysΒ onΒ theirΒ toes.Β HerΒ eyesΒ scanΒ asΒ sheΒ mapsΒ theΒ routineΒ asΒ sheΒ startsΒ toΒ paceΒ theΒ room.Β "ForΒ theΒ sakeΒ ofΒ protocols,Β pleaseΒ referΒ toΒ myselfΒ asΒ Flimflam.Β RatherΒ aΒ bewitchingΒ codeΒ name,Β wouldn'tΒ youΒ say?"Β DanicaΒ complimentsΒ herΒ ownΒ nickname.Β NowΒ althoughΒ itΒ isΒ notΒ theΒ mostΒ attractiveΒ codeΒ nameΒ sheΒ hasΒ received,Β sheΒ knewΒ sheΒ couldΒ makeΒ anythingΒ lookΒ goodΒ onΒ herΒ ifΒ sheΒ triedΒ hardΒ enoughΒ too.Β "EvidentlyΒ uponΒ speculationsΒ andΒ allΒ theΒ fewΒ wonderousΒ speechesΒ soΒ farΒ IΒ canΒ deduceΒ theseΒ areΒ randomlyΒ assignedΒ withΒ noΒ correlationΒ whatsoeverΒ toΒ whoΒ theyΒ areΒ attachedΒ too,"Β sheΒ sharedΒ herΒ astuteΒ observationΒ whichΒ surlyΒ shouldΒ getΒ aΒ fewΒ headsΒ nodding.Β "SoΒ ifΒ youΒ wouldΒ pleaseΒ callΒ meΒ FlimflamΒ evenΒ justΒ FlimΒ orΒ FlamΒ orΒ Flimmy-Β nowΒ thatΒ isΒ aΒ cuteΒ nicknameΒ wouldn'tΒ mindΒ thatΒ oneΒ singleΒ bit.Β NotΒ Flammy-Β somethingΒ aboutΒ thatΒ isΒ ratherΒ repugnant."Β
Β SheΒ positionsΒ herselfΒ atΒ herΒ firstΒ spotΒ inΒ theΒ room,Β haltingΒ toΒ getΒ evenΒ moreΒ personalΒ withΒ herΒ teamΒ members.Β DanicaΒ leansΒ aΒ littleΒ forward,Β almostΒ asΒ ifΒ sheΒ isΒ welcomingΒ themΒ inΒ onΒ aΒ littleΒ secret,Β "Surly,Β youΒ haveΒ guessedΒ byΒ now,Β thatΒ IΒ followedΒ inΒ myΒ parentsΒ greatnessΒ continuingΒ onΒ theirΒ legacyΒ asΒ aΒ brighter,Β bolderΒ flame.Β I,Β myselfΒ amΒ aΒ StaffΒ ResearcherΒ forΒ Site-12Β inΒ theΒ DepartmentΒ ofΒ MythologyΒ andΒ Folkloristic.Β PartingΒ withΒ myΒ previousΒ teamΒ wasΒ suchΒ sweetΒ sorrow,Β aΒ placeΒ whereΒ myΒ presenceΒ willΒ trulyΒ beΒ missed."Β sheΒ pullsΒ awayΒ dramaticallyΒ swingingΒ herΒ armΒ toΒ coverΒ herΒ face,Β atΒ howΒ dishearteningΒ herΒ departureΒ was,Β howΒ herΒ utterΒ brillianceΒ wouldΒ beΒ missed.Β Β "Alas,"Β DanicaΒ sighsΒ heavily,Β "IΒ amΒ nowΒ hereΒ readyΒ toΒ shareΒ myΒ brillianceΒ withΒ youΒ all!Β Oh,Β IΒ mayΒ addΒ thatΒ IΒ haveΒ casuallyΒ dabbledΒ asΒ aΒ contributorΒ toΒ Observer:Β AnΒ SCPΒ FoundationΒ Journal.Β PerhapsΒ someΒ ofΒ youΒ mayΒ beΒ familiarΒ withΒ myΒ workΒ onΒ SCP-5525?Β OfΒ courseΒ someΒ ofΒ youΒ have,"Β DanicaΒ gesturesΒ towardsΒ herΒ fellowΒ researchers-Β maybeΒ somewhereΒ thereΒ wouldΒ beΒ oneΒ ofΒ herΒ biggestΒ readersΒ ,"Β IΒ haveΒ toΒ sayΒ I'mΒ ratherΒ proudΒ ofΒ theΒ title:Β SCP-6505Β Man'sΒ BestΒ FriendΒ HelpingΒ DuringΒ RuffΒ Times.Β HonestlyΒ giveΒ itΒ aΒ read,Β it'llΒ leaveΒ youΒ allΒ warmΒ andΒ fluffy.Β That'sΒ onlyΒ oneΒ amongΒ allΒ myΒ submittedΒ works.Β NowΒ youΒ mustΒ beΒ thinking,Β howΒ doesΒ sheΒ findΒ theΒ time?"Β
Β [PauseΒ toΒ allowΒ themΒ toΒ contemplateΒ yourΒ workΒ ethicΒ .]Β Β Β
Β "SpeakingΒ ofΒ myΒ timeΒ here,Β IΒ doΒ intendΒ toΒ followΒ thisΒ literalΒ mantra,Β aΒ poeticΒ prosΒ ofΒ excellenceΒ ifΒ youΒ will,"Β DanicaΒ clearedΒ herΒ throats,"Β ToΒ beΒ theΒ veryΒ best,Β likeΒ noΒ oneΒ everΒ was.Β Β ItΒ carriesΒ aΒ ratherΒ excellentΒ useΒ ofΒ iambicΒ pentameter,Β whichΒ makesΒ itΒ ratherΒ memorable.Β ToΒ me,Β itΒ isΒ ratherΒ profound,Β wouldn'tΒ youΒ allΒ consider?"Β sheΒ speaksΒ toΒ allΒ ofΒ them,"AΒ meansΒ thatΒ weΒ shouldΒ allΒ highlyΒ aspireΒ toΒ be.Β ForΒ ifΒ itΒ isΒ notΒ greatnessΒ thatΒ weΒ areΒ strivingΒ forΒ inΒ whatΒ weΒ do,Β whatΒ exactlyΒ isΒ oneΒ doingΒ here?"Β
Β [Β MakeΒ aΒ thoughΒ provokingΒ andΒ inspirationalΒ insightΒ thatΒ theyΒ willΒ thinkΒ aboutΒ forΒ aΒ lifetime.Β SayΒ itΒ proudly.]Β
Β "AndΒ withΒ thatΒ veryΒ thoughtΒ IΒ willΒ leaveΒ youΒ all,"Β DanicaΒ slightlyΒ bowsΒ toΒ allΒ ofΒ themΒ whilstΒ strategicallyΒ makingΒ herΒ wayΒ backΒ toΒ herΒ seat.Β "ForΒ anyΒ furtherΒ curiosities,Β complimentsΒ orΒ conversations,Β pleaseΒ doΒ notΒ hesitateΒ toΒ comeΒ andΒ findΒ me,Β I,Β Flimflam,Β wouldΒ beΒ moreΒ thanΒ happyΒ toΒ oblige.Β HoweverΒ pleaseΒ reframeΒ fromΒ chitchatΒ withΒ meΒ beforeΒ myΒ morningΒ cuppaΒ andΒ myΒ eveningΒ tea-Β bothΒ importantΒ dailyΒ ritualsΒ whereΒ IΒ requireΒ myΒ personalΒ time.Β ThankΒ yourΒ forΒ obligingΒ andΒ listening.Β IΒ lookΒ forwardΒ toΒ workingΒ harmoniouslyΒ withΒ youΒ all.Β MyΒ lovelyΒ team."Β
FlimflamΒ tucksΒ herselfΒ backΒ intoΒ herΒ sheetΒ asΒ sheΒ looksΒ downΒ atΒ herΒ finalΒ card,Β hopingΒ herΒ manifestationΒ wouldΒ comeΒ toΒ fruition.
Β [Hold for applause and/or standing ovation.]
