"Now this one," Cadance said as she took out a reddish-orange colour keycard labeled, "Level 4", "is very interesting."
The door opened, revealing another door right in front of them. To the right was a second door. Cadance led them to the second door. She pressed the button and the door opened, revealing that two individuals-a male griffin dressed in researcher clothes, and a colt dressed in a janitors jumpsuit-were discussing something. The colt had a green coat and blue eyes. The griffin had brown eyes.
Beside them was an observation window. Inside was the exact same mask on the sign in front. It was held in a small glass case, where it was held upright.
"I just don't know why you need me before the test." the colt asked.
"Because, after every test, the containment chamber needs to be cleaned right away." the griffin explained.
"Why?"
"J-just wait and see, alright?" the griffin said with a sigh.
The janitor sat down on a chair with a huff, putting his mop to the side.
Cadance turned towards the group. "So, have you all noticed how the word 'Keter' has been showing up lately?"
A few of them nodded.
"Well, Keter means that the object is hostile, and can pose a threat to Equestria itself. It will only be less of a threat unless extensive containment procedures are followed, and should be monitored 24/7." Cadance said as if she were teaching a class.
"And there are other classes too. Euclid, which means that the object isn't completely understood. It is dangerous and passive at the same time. Most Euclid class objects require further testing." she continued.
"Now, the third class- is Safe. Safe class objects are almost completely understood, and pose a minimal threat. However, this does not mean that the object is safe. It means that we know how to contain it, and it will remain safe if all procedures are taken."
"Also," she said. "there are 3 other classes. Explained, Neutralized, and Thaumiel. Explained objects are completely understood by the laws of science."
" Neutralized objects are objects that have been terminated, or are no longer active. These are usually Keter objects that are neutralized."
"And Thaumiel....that is the class of the most classified SCP's. So classified, that not even I know of some of them."
Suddenly, the chamber door opened. In walked one of the crude looking individuals in the orange jumpsuits they saw earlier. It was a male griffin, and he had tattoos all on his arms.
"And that," said Cadance, pointing to the griffin. "is a Class-D personnel. He is a test subject."
"Why does he look so...rough?" Rarity asked.
"Because, the test subjects we use are prison inmates. Inmates usually on death row or serving very long sentences." Cadance said.
"We use death row inmates the most because if they die, it would help everyone. The inmate would be unofficially executed, and his term will have been served faster." Shining said.
"We don't tell them that, of course. We lie and tell them that if they 'aid' us in our research, they will be released at the month, and be pardoned from all of their offences."
"What do you do if they are alive at the end of the month?" Twilight asked. "Are they pardoned?"
"Nope." said Shining. "We terminate them all."
"What!?" Twilight exclaimed. "Th-that's so cruel! They're risking their lives to help you, and you kill them!?"
"Twilight...." Celestia started.
"How could you let him do this!?"
"Twilight! I didn't come up with the idea." Celestia said. "Your brother did."
Before Twilight could speak again, Shining spoke.
"These are colts and mares that have committed horrible crimes. Murder, rape, kidnapping, robbery. This is the only solution."
"But-"
"Uh, what do I do, doc?"
Everyone turned to inside the containment chamber. It was the D-Class who had talked.
"Oh, yes." said the griffin scientist, who, along with the janitor, had been watching in silence at the altercation. The griffin switched a lever, and the glass case that held the mask slowly went up.
"Now, D-6438, how do you feel?" the griffin researcher asked into the intercom.
D-6438 said nothing.
"D-6438?" the griffin asked.
D-6438 started walking towards the case slowly.
"Can you hear me?" the researcher asked again. "Is this thing on?" he checked to see if the intercom was unplugged.
When he looked back up, D-6438 was standing in front of SCP-035.
"Subject D-6438, please answer the question." the researcher asked. He got no response.
D-6438 picked up the mask. He looked at it front and back.
And then, he put it on.
For a few seconds, nobody said anything.
But then, Twilight grabbed the intercom and asked, "Do you feel anything?"
D-6438 opened his mouth to speak.
"I feel...." he started.
"You feel.....?" Twilight echoed.
"I....I feel....f-feel...." he stuttered.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Then, a sickening crunch was heard. D-6438 leaned back, and clenched his fingers as he made a pose as if he were frozen.
A strange substance started leaking out of the mask's mouth, nose, and eyes.
D-6438 fell backward, limp.
"Yeah, that's what I needed you for." the griffin researcher told the janitor, who's mouth, along with everyone else's, hung open in shock.
"Is...is he dead?" Rainbow Dash said.
"I...cannot comment." Shining said, with a look on his face similar to everyone's.
"What now?" Cadance asked her aunt, who was struggling to make a decision.
"I don't know." Celestia admitted. "We should-" Celestia gasped before she could finish her sentence.
Everyone looked at the chamber.
D-6438 had sat up.
The mask, which was still leaking the substance, was still on his face. He looked around.
He then got himself to his feet and brushed himself off.
He looked down at his claws and rolled his wrists. Then rolled his ankles. Then rolled his neck.
He walked towards the observation glass, and tapped it.
"Is the test over? Man, that gave me quite a scare! Don't know how you did that doc, but that was pretty cool!" the griffin said.
"Um... how are you feeling, D-6438?" the researcher asked nervously.
"Pretty good. Better, now that I think about it."
"Better? How?" the researcher asked.
"Well, I had a bad knee, right? My left one."
"Yes, we know. What about it?"
"Well, now it's my good knee."
"Hmm...."
"Can I go know, doc?"
"Pardon?"
"Can I leave now? Isn't the test over?"
"Well...."
"What?"
"Can you get the mask off?"
"No. I don't think that I want to take it off."
"Why not?"
"'Cause, it's makin' me feel really good."
"Well, this is a problem."
"How?"
"The mask your wearing, we need it for testing."
"Ah."
"Yeah. I think we might need you."
"Can't you just-"
"I apologize, D-6438."
After a long silence, with notes being taken, D-6438 spoke again.
"You know doc, I'm starting to lose my patience here." D-6438 said with a sigh.
"Well, I don't understand what you want me to do here." the researcher said.
"Me neither." D-6438 said. But something was strange...His voice sounded.....
Demonic.
"C-can you repeat that, D-6438?" Cadance said, taking over of the intercom.
"What?" he asked.
"S-say...demonic." Cadance stuttered.
"....Demo-*cough cough* ugh, d-demonic. Now what?"
Everyone stared at him. Then at Cadance.
She walked over to the researcher and whispered something in his ear.
He took back the intercom and spoke: "D-6438, we have one last test."
"You know what, fine. Go ahead."
He and Cadance looked at each other and nodded.
The researcher flipped a switch labeled "Decontamination Gas".
Black gas came out from the pipes in the ceiling, causing D-6438 to cough violently.
"Ah! *cough cough* Wh-*cough* are you doing!? N-no! *cough cough cough* I can't breathe! Please, no! *cough*." D-6438 screamed and squirmed.
The researcher flipped back the lever.
"Ah, *cough cough* oh thank god! *pant* just-just don't do that again."
Then Shining flipped it back on. Everyone gasped.
"NOOO!!! PL-*cough cough*PLEASE! I CAN'T BREATHE! *cough* Ahhhhhh......."
D-6438's body lied limp on the floor.
"That was.....brutal." Rainbow Dash said.
"Poor griffin." Rarity said.
"Is-is h-he ali-alive?" Fluttershy said, close to tears.
"I don't think so. If he was, he'd probably get up in a few seconds." Twilight said.
"Look!" the janitor exclaimed.
Everyone gasped.
D-6438 had sat up.
Again.
He slowly got to his feet, walked to the glass, looked Shining right in the eye, and said, in his demonic voice.
"I'll give you one more chance." he told the captain.
"We may have......gotten off on the wrong foot. But, I will look past it if you open that door."
Nobody spoke.
"Well? I'm waiting."
"....Let him out." Celestia told them.
"What!?" Cadance exclaimed. "Th-that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"
Celestia whispered to everyone, "Let's just see what he'll do. Alright?"
Celestia pulled the door lever. The door opened.
"But you forgot one thing." Luna said.
D-6438 turned around.
"And what's that?"
"A keycard."
......
"You son of a- that's it. Now, I'm coming over there!"
The door closed, and footsteps could be heard getting louder.
"Get back!" Shining shouted. Everyone moved to the back quickly.
Shining whipped out his pistol.
D-6438 opened the door.
"Stop right there!" yelled Shining, aiming the gun at him.
D-6438 didn't stop.
"You, stop!" Shining yelled louder this time.
He kept coming.
"Hey, hey, halt!" he yelled once more.
He was relativity close now, and nobody knew what Shining Armor would do.
But then-
BANG! POW! BLAM!
Blood splattered the walls. Twilight's ears were ringing.
D-6438 staggered. He clutched his stomach.
He stretched. He actually stretched.
"This is useless. Just let me leave. It's inevitable." D-6438 said.
Twilight waited for the worst.
"Goodb-" D-6438 started.
He choked. Then gagged. Then fell to his knees. He clutched his throat.
Then went limp.
Blood poured from the holes in his mask.
Cadance carefully nudged the mask off of D-6438's face. She gagged at his "new" face. It was horribly disfigured. Practically melted.
She looked towards the fear-stricken janitor.
"Clean this up."