singillatim | the frost, it looks like dust, settled on the world

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the frost, it looks like dust, settled on the world —

Who: Miss Huang + YOU!
What: general arrival catchall / event-related threads to be added in later.
When: December - January.
Where: Milton for now, may add more later.
Content Warnings: None explicitly, but themes of her canon content warnings may make an appearance in my introspection for her.

Note: I did have Miss Huang on a previous TDM; however, I've apped her in now from a later canonpoint. For that reason, I'll be clean-slating that TDM arrival and bringing her in fresh for new interactions!

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[ A seminar?

Not only is she a child, but she's a child bureaucrat. God. That's horrible. Somebody please introduce this child to underage drinking before she ends up living a terrible life as a middle manager.

(The little voice of decadence in Dorian's mind points out that he does have cocaine on hand. The voice of reason points out that it would be a waste of good cocaine to give it to a ten year old. Start her on the lighter drugs, first). ]

Mmm, I already know I'd be a rubbish teacher. They some are born to teach and that's certainly not me. I like being the center of attention, I don't like it when I'm the center of attention and people are relying on me.

[ She would love nothing more than to work as a middle manager!! It's not too dissimilar to her role at Lumon, actually. ...Of course, it could be stressful at times, but employment is a treasure. (Someone please un-brainwash her...)

The man's candid words do take her off-guard — the outright admittance to liking being the center of attention. It's... very different from the ideals that she's familiar with, which are to blend in, to be part of one whole. No one is special. Except for Kier, of course. ]

But if you can share your knowledge with others and help them grow in turn... isn't that a gift? It helps display the traits of benevolence and humility. Kier would want that.

[ Dorian is about to confuse the poor child as, with no hesitation and with no filter, he asks, ]

Who the fuck is Kier?

[ Because she’s said that name like Dorian should know who it is, when he very emphatically doesn’t. ]

[ The man's language in use alongside Kier is more offensive, in the moment, than the fact he claims not to know who Kier is at all. There's a sudden flush to the girl's cheek that has nothing to do with the warmth coming from the fireplace — a reserved sort of anger, but her eyes harden into something stern nonetheless. ]

You shouldn't speak that way about Kier, [ she admonishes, voice still polite but clearly unhappy. And then she adds, quickly— ]

Of course you know who he is. Everyone does.

Except I don't?

[ Dorian's not bothering to hide the confusion in his voice. It's writ large on his face as he furrows his brow, frowning a little as he looks at Miss Huang. He wants to poke and prod and learn more about whatever Kier is, simply because he's nosy. What sort of person would everyone know? A politician? But even then, Dorian can't name half of the world's prime ministers. ]

Is this an American thing? I'm British, you know, I can't keep up with all your celebrities.

[ There's a dose of visible surprise in the girl's face at Dorian's reply, and for a long moment she just stares, that uncertainty trickling in again. That... doesn't make sense. Even British people know about Kier. There are Lumon branches internationally.

Maybe... this is part of her training? A test, of sorts? To prove her loyalty, or to show how much knowledge she has? Miss Huang pauses again, before finally speaking up. ]

Kier is our founder, our leader, our most important model of excellence. [ Yeah she's definitely in a cult. ] He's responsible for... for everything, and we all strive to follow in his footsteps, so that we can tame the four tempers and exemplify the nine core principles.

[ Cult as fuck. ]

[ Cool, so this is a cult! He’s chatting to a tiny little ten year old Jonestown resident. Dorian knows full well that he’s not going to be the one to do any cult deprogramming. One, that is far outside of his paygrade. Two, that is far too much effort. And three, it involves talking about feelings and reason and things like that with a literal child and ew? Gross?

He will, however, continue to poke holes into Miss Huang’s cult doctrine as much as humanly possible. Why not! He’s bored and it’s fun! ]

I suspect your Kier and I have vastly different ideas on what nine core principles we should inhabit are. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

[ Fuck, one of Kier’s principles is ‘temperance,’ isn’t it? This seems like the sort of cult that’s weird about sex. ]

[ She is all too happy to recite the principles for you, sir! In fact, this seems to cheer the girl up even more, and she stands up as straight as possible, folding her hands politely in front of her middle as though she's been preparing for this all of her life. ]

The Core Principles, in order, are: vision, verve, wit, cheer, humility, benevolence, nimbleness, probity, and wiles.

[ This really must be part of her training here, right? A test of her loyalty and knowledge! Miss Huang smiles at him expectantly, almost as though waiting to be praised. Maybe he's a supervisor, working incognito. ]

[ Oh no….those values suck. ]

I can think of far better principles to live one’s life by. Humility? Urgh. If you have extraordinary gifts or talents, there’s no need to try and downplay them. Why hide what makes you great?

Because our gifts and talents are meant to be utilised to support others and become good workers. We're great when we're together, not when we stand alone, [ she pipes up.

.....And then she keeps going, because if you thought she would shut up about this any time soon, oh buddy. ]

As we say in the anthem, "I was in vain till you gave me Humility". It's all right if you're struggling with being vain. A lot of people do. [ The child patiently explains this. ] That means you have something to work on, and that means you have a goal.

I don’t struggle with being vain, [ Dorian points out. There’s a wry little smile on his face as he continues, ] I enjoy it. Like you said, our gifts and talents are meant to be utilised to support others. I’ve been granted the gift of beauty. I have recognized my gift and recognized my talent. Why not use that gift to it’s fullest extent?

[ He gives Miss Huang a cavalier little shrug before asking, ] How do you think Kier could make use of the young and the beautiful?

If you enjoy being vain, then that's a fault in your character that needs to be fixed, [ she counters, expression calm but stern. Openly admitting one's faults is strange. People aren't meant to do that. ]

Kier has no use for vanity. We must be humble in our appearances, and sensible. Not standing out in any strange way, so that we don't interrupt the flow of the workforce environment.

....The young are meant to work, of course, [ the literal child laborer adds. ] They're strong and have minds made for learning. Not for... beauty.

[ Dorian still has a light cheerfulness in his tone. Miss Huang might be unsure about him and his everything, but Dorian is absolutely certain that he’s right. ]

Some of the young are meant to work. Others are meant to be looked at. Like a piece of music or an artwork, some people in life have no use other than to radiate beauty. And even then, you can have a mind for work and a body for sin. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.

[ He gives Miss Huang a once-over, obviously criticizing her and sizing her up before musing, ] You’re a cute kid. It’s a damn shame there aren’t more your age here. You could easily snag a boyfriend or two.

[ Miss Huang listens to everything the man says attentively, as always — but with a little scrunch of her nose at his words. ]

Radiating beauty isn't productive for the workplace environment, [ she insists. ] And artwork isn't supposed to be beautiful. It's supposed to teach lessons, and remind us of the history of Kier.

[ Take a shot any time this kid mentions 'workplace' or 'Kier'. ]

I likely won't be selected for marriage, [ she adds, in regards to the 'boyfriend' part. ] There's little use for such a thing, since I won't be producing children later on. I'm going to keep working in corporate, like my predecessors.

I mean, you can still fuck without having kids, [ Dorian says, like it's the most obvious thing in the universe. ] What was one of those values, wit? Wiles? I think birth control would fit both of those.

[ At least the girl isn't offended by the idea of what he says, so much as the offensive term he uses. So it isn't embarrassment or fluster that causes her to give the man Another Look, but rather something stern, displeased. Admittedly she's ruffled, but she's also not going to back down so easily! ]

That's a crude thing to say. [ Don't be crude, sir! This is a professional environment! (Girl, it's not) ] What if a supervisor heard you speaking like that? They might be listening, you know.

[ They might be listening. Dorian lets out a loud, shameless laugh before, ]

Who cares? If they’re listening, then they know I’m right. What, do you think your supervisors don’t know about the joys of casual sex?

[ What the HECK! ]

I'm sure they have much more important things to think about.

[ ...Wait for it. ]

Like making sure their employees meet their quarterly quotas.

[ You know, the really important stuff. ]

There are very few things more important than sex.

[ And quarterly quotas certainly aren’t one of them! ]

[ Miss Huang keeps pursing her mouth at him like a stern, displeased librarian. ]

Is that what you spend most of your time doing here, then? Having intimate relations?

[ When he should be working! ]

I wish I was spending most of my time doing that, [ Dorian points out, with a dramatic sigh. ]

It's a good thing you aren't, [ she nods confidently, lifting her chin up. ] There are consequences for sinful behaviour. As Kier has taught us.

[ Again with Kier... ]

I'm sure the people here know that, and if they don't, then it's even worse. You shouldn't try to influence them.

There's only consequences if you get caught. And frankly? Nobody here seems to be stopping any attempt at depravity.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

the frost, it looks like dust, settled on the world —

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cw: Severance spoilers kind of sort of

sorry Miss Huang........

between this and the cocaine... "Dorian Gray Worst Influence On Children" award.....

he's just so bad at it........

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