Twilight had permission to run her own tests. She was even allowed to go into the Heavy Containment Zone. Her brother let her in, so she could see which test she wanted and whether he could approve of it.
Kind of like a foal in a candy store.
Twilight eventually found one. The sign was this:
SCP-049
Object Class: Euclid
Sentient and Violent
Beside this info was a picture of a pony, but dressed in what Twilight recognized as the outfit from 15-16th century Griffin Kingdoms. It wore the traditional bird mask as well. You could see eyes out of the only holes in his mask.
Surprisingly, her clearance was high enough to get in.
Two guards stood at the ends of the room like statues. One of them looked at her.
"Oh, hey Twi!" the guard said. That was Rainbow Dash's voice.
"Hey Dash. You've been busy."
"Yep. It was boring at first, but now it's pretty cool! I see all types of guys: science dudes, prison guys, guard guys..." she went on.
"It's interesting for me too. I'm about to conduct a test if you'd like to watch."
"Sure."
Before going any further, Twilight looked for the file on SCP-049. She found it on a desk not too long after she started looking.
Item #: SCP-049
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-049 is to be contained in a secure holding cell in Research Sector-██. SCP-049 is not to be removed from its cell unless approved by a Level Two or higher personnel, before which SCP-049 must be heavily sedated. Even so, at such times SCP-049 is to be accompanied by two (2) armed guards and guided by an iron collar, secured to two (2) iron poles 2 m in length, and held firmly by two (2) Level One or higher personnel while in transit. Any experiments performed on SCP-049 are to be conducted inside of specifically prepared rooms (see document 042-D-3-18).
SCP-049’s cell should be monitored at all times via a security camera. Should any abnormal behavior occur, Doctor ████ is to be alerted at once.
Description: SCP-049 is ponynoid in appearance, standing at 1.9 m tall and weighing 95.3 kg; however, the Foundation is currently incapable of studying its face and body more fully, as it is covered in what appears to be the garb of the traditional “Plague Doctor” from 15-16th century Europe. This material is actually a part of SCP-049’s body, as microscopic and genetic testing show it to be similar in structure to muscle, although it feels much like rough leather, and the mask much like ceramic. It was originally discovered in ██████, England, by local police. Mobile task force [REDACTED] responded to a suspected outbreak of [DATA EXPUNGED]. All civilians within a .5km radius were given Class A amnesiacs as part of the initial containment procedure.
SCP-049 does not speak (See addendum A-1), although it seems to understand English perfectly well, and is completely docile until it tries to perform surgery. SCP-049’s touch is invariably lethal to all species. After contact with SCP-049’s hand(s), the victim (hereafter referred to as SCP-049-2) suffers [DATA EXPUNGED] and dies within moments. SCP-049 will then attempt to kill all individuals it can see in a similar manner, supposedly to avoid interruption, before returning to SCP-049-2. It produces a bag made of [DATA EXPUNGED] containing scalpels, needle, thread, and several vials of an as-yet-unidentified substance, from somewhere within its body (research has been unable to locate these tools when inside of SCP-049 through X-ray and similar techniques) and begins dissecting SCP-049-2, as well as inserting various chemicals into the body. After approximately 20 minutes, SCP-049 will sew SCP-049-2 back up and become docile once more.
After a period of a few minutes, SCP-049-2 will resume vital signs and appears to reanimate. However, SCP-049-2 seems completely without higher brain functions, and will wander aimlessly until it encounters another living species. At that point, SCP-049-2's adrenaline and endorphin levels increase to approximately three-hundred (300) percent as it attempts to kill and ██████ any beings it can find, before returning to its mindless state and wandering until it comes across more individuals. At this stage, termination with extreme prejudice is allowed. Failure to enforce this protocol outside of testing scenarios (see addendum T-049-12) is punishable by termination.
Detailed autopsies of SCP-049-2 have found several unusual substances (along with usual substances in large amounts) within the bodies, including [DATA EXPUNGED]. However, several have yet to be identified (researchers with level 3 or higher authorization, refer to Addendum C-1).
Addendum A-1: SCP-049 spoke for the first time today, 12-6-20██, addressing Dr. ████. A full account of the conversation is attached.
Interviewed: SCP-049
Interviewer: Doctor ███████ ████
Foreword: SCP-049 randomly began speaking with no obvious provocation en route to a testing facility. Doctor ████ was recording notes at the time on a handheld microphone. Irrelevant data has been omitted.
SCP-049: “What is this place?”
Dr. ████: “What? It’s a labo…” [There is a loud crash here, from Doctor ████ dropping the recording device in shock.]
SCP-049: “A laboratory? It is quite marvelous. I now find it no wonder I’ve seen so few victims of the disease in here.”
Dr. ████: “Y…eah. You see, I'd thought you incapable of speech. I’m somewhat startled you, um, can.”
SCP-049: “Oh, my, yes, good sir. I simply prefer not to. Most victims of the disease are quite melancholy and do not react at all well to conversation. I have seen you several times now, and have not detected the disease in you, therefore I assume you are also a doctor?”
Dr. ████: “Yes, actually. Call me [REDACTED]… but, what ‘disease’ are you talking about?”
SCP-049: “Why, good doctor, the Great Pestilence. What else?”
Dr. ████: “Great pesti… Oh, the Plague. Should have seen that coming. But, no one here is infected, I can assure you.”
SCP-049: “Oh, good doctor, I can assure you, the Pestilence is here, and I can sense it. It is my duty in life to rid the world of it. My cure is most effective.”
Dr. ████: “Your cure? Your cure has cost us hundreds of lives! Your cure is faulty!"
SCP-049: “Good doctor, my cure is most effective.”
[SCP-049 lapsed once again into silence, and no further attempts to make it speak were effective.]
Closing Statement: “We managed to get our tests done for that day, trying to figure out what causes it to perform surgery, or, more accurately, what it detects as the 'Pestilence’. So far, research has shown us no correlation between any of the D-class personnel it has performed surgery on. We’re still working on it."
Dr. ████
Addendum C-1: Level 3 authorization required: On 4-26-20██ SCP-049 managed to break containment. During the roughly 5 minute period in which it was unsupervised, it came into contact with SCP-███. Upon being detained, SCP-049 was very calm and amiable. Since this time, however, SCP-049 has been shown to be much more talkative leading up to and performing surgery.
I don't know what oh-four-nine and that damned mask talked about, but he seems much happier overall. He no longer seems to simply sit and mope around in his cell, and several staff have claimed to hear him humming old church hymns. In addition, in the moments leading up to performing surgery, he has started talking, apparently trying to… comfort his victim. Claiming that he is the 'cure', among other things. The focus of our research has been shifted towards finding out what the hell he and [REDACTED] talked about during their little chat. -Dr. ████
Huh. So that's what it was.
Twilight had already requested 3 Class-D personnel. They came in just a couple minutes later. Two female griffins, and a male changeling.
"Line up at the door." Rainbow told the three. They complied.
She could see inside through the cameras. There was the pony/griffin/changeling/zebra. It was sitting at the end of a long hallway. The room was pretty much empty, except for a chair in the corner and a desk. Or was it a table?
The door opened. SCP-049 looked up at the camera. The three D-Class went in and stared at the end of the hall.
"Please approach SCP-049 for testing."
They looked at each other. One of the female griffins(labeled as D-193), approached 049.
049 looked up at D-193. She flinched, but quickly resumed an alert state.
"Hello." 049 said in a whispery voice.
"Uh....hi there." D-193 said hesitantly.
.....
"Oh my," 049 said, standing up. "Yet another victim of the disease."
D-193 took a few steps back.
"Do not be afraid." he said, walking towards D-193.
"I am the cure."
049 reached out to touch D-193.
"Oh sh-" D-193 turned around to run. 049 did not run. Instead, he walked at a faster than normal speed.
D-193 tripped. The changeling(D-102) and the other griffin(D-966) repeatedly banged on the door to get out. D-102 shouted "Wait! Get her quickly!" D-102 went and carried D-193 in his arms. All three were screaming to open the door.
Twilight felt a wave of remorse hit her. She saw something.
Tears.
Tears were streaming down D-193's face. She was almost begging to be let out.
Twilight slammed her hoof on the button.