Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

On November 25th, 2025, reality was torn open by invisible claws all across the world. Inter dimensional portals had been created, and from these portals came things not of our universe. Every universe has its monsters lurking in the dark, but what happens when monsters from other universes come hunting? At first, everything was quiet. The world held a collective breath, hoping nothing would come from these tears. However, that changed when the first monsters came through. Not only did the SCP Foundation have to deal with our very own anomalies, many of which could collapse this universe alone in a matter of seconds, but now it must secure and contain those of other universes as well. 

After the struggle of the first wave of anomalies, the portals were deemed "rifts". These rifts are now to be heavily guarded, and located as soon as possible. After a certain amount of time, a rift will disappear. New ones form at random. It is no longer safe to go outside, or inside. Homes gave no protection to the otherworldly creatures passing through. A rift could form anywhere. From what the Foundation could gather so far, is that these rifts would bring in alternate versions of people or creatures in their universe. Most noticeably, those who came to our universe were alternate versions of the people within 400 miles of whatever rift an anomaly appeared from. The site most known for its containment of these new SCPs is one of the oldest and most well funded SCP sites, Site-39.

Morin walked to her car, exhaling as she pushed her short brown hair out of her eyes. The faded purple dyed tips were probably due for a redye, but she couldn't be bothered with it at the moment. She opened the door to an old cherry colored Toyota truck and sat down in the beige drivers seat. She checked her phone. Nothing, again. Lily rarely responded to any of her calls or messages anymore. Morin hadn't seen her since she'd left for her new job, refusing to share what exactly this job entailed. She had said something about trying to find their younger sister Wendy? Morin didn't know how this new job was supposed to help them find her. It'd been two years since Wendy had gone missing and Lily had taken up her new job. Morin had never been as close with Wendy as Lily had, but there were most likely better ways to go about looking for her than whatever extreme Lily was probably going to. 

Morin sighed and started the car with the turn of a key. It rumbled to life after a moment of stuttering. She was about to begin pulling out when a deafening clap of thunder exploded above her. Morin practically jumped out of her seat. The weather had said nothing about storms today, and it'd been sunny skies all day. Morin leaned forward, pressing herself against the steering wheel in an attempt to get a glimpse of the sky. People littered the streets, they'd come out of their various shops and cars to see what the noise had been. They watched as a crack slid along the sky, slitting itself open more and more. The black hole stared at the ground below emptily. 

Those watching stared in horror as a creature emerged from the black void, massive in size, with a wingspan almost larger than a building. The odd tentacles it had on its mouth splayed open as an ear piercing screech filled the air, the creature twisting into a dive towards the ground. It crashed through a tall building, rubble showering over those unfortunate enough to be near. Its wings flapped, a gust of wind knocking over nearby innocents as it gained altitude, before beginning to circle the town. As people attempted to flee, it swooped down again, that hellish shriek reverberating off of every nearby surface. The strange tendrils on its face started grabbing anyone nearby, either placing them in its mouth, or whipping them into buildings. It crashed into another building, although it didn't go all the way through, remaining stuck half way in as it struggled to free itself. It shrieked endlessly, wings beating against the building, only causing more rubble to fall onto it, some of the stronger, sharper pieces stabbing into it. 

By now, those who weren't dead or dying had cleared into nearby buildings. Morin had no clue what to do. Should she stay in her car? Should she drive off? Dive for the nearest building? What the hell even was this thing? Morin picked an option and took it. She clambered over the console into the passenger seat, not wanting to risk going into the road where there was little to no cover. From there, she shoved the door open and tumbled out, abandoning her car. Despite being quite tall, 6'9 to be exact, she tried her best to stay low while making a speedy escape to the nearest building. Said building just happened to be the one she'd just come from prior to this mess, the convenient store she worked at. The door jingled as it opened, even that little sound made her heart drop. She worried the sound might attract the monster, but looking back, she could see it was still entangled in a building.

Once inside the store, Morin searched for a place to hide so she could decide on her next move. The shelves would make decent cover, but they could be toppled. She ran towards the counter at the back of the store and jumped over it. Landing with a crouch, she pushed herself back up against the inside counter wall. After catching her breath, she turned to realize two of her coworkers were here as well. They stared back at her, covering their ears when another screech cracked through the air. 

"What's going on?" Asked the one furthest away from her, a small girl who barely counted as an adult. 

Morin searched for an answer, knowing she didn't have a good one. "I don't know," she responded, "this giant void opened up in the sky and that thing came out of it" She paused to cover her ears at the sound of another screech echoing throughout the area. "It was huge, with wings and these odd tentacle things around its face" 

Her two co workers looked between each other for a moment. If they had gone out to see it at any point, they hadn't stayed outside long. Morin glanced at the door leading to the back room. In there, there would be a door that led to the back alleyway. Leaving the store would be dangerous, but if they stayed here the monster might crash into their building next. The alleyway should give them enough cover, but she didn't know where they’d go from there. 

Morin exhaled, “We can't stay here.”

Chapter Text

Although the world had been thrown into chaos, thousands dying, not everything exiting those rifts was a monstrosity. Some creatures exit the rift harmlessly. Some appear, and start lashing out in fear, only to be horrified by what they'd done. This was the case for SCP 3996, "Bryseis," the SCP Dr. Reader was currently tasked with researching. 

SCP 3996 is a dark red humanoid, theorized to be a DND Tiefling after brief interviews. SCP 3996 had, like many others, fallen through the portal accidentally. Upon being trapped in our world, SCP 3996 had begun to lash out with strange magic, attacking bystanders in its panic. During its attack, the police were called, only furthering the fear SCP 3996 was experiencing. It was only after murdering 10 innocents, and 12 police officers, that it finally managed to calm itself. Until the foundation had arrived on the scene, SCP 3996 had remained stationary, simply sitting and staring in horror at what it had done. It offered no resistance when the foundation captured it, and remained in a state of shock until being brought to the facility. 

Once it finally started responding to its surroundings, it was highly aggressive, attacking any who entered its cell. It was only until the offer to return SCP 3996 to its universe if it behaved, that it started cooperating. Afterwards, information was able to be gathered about SCP 3996. It claimed to be called Bryseis, saying it was a Tiefling Sorcerer. When asked about any abilities, SCP 3996 appeared to think for a long moment, before shrugging, saying quote: "I don't remember anything other than Fireball at the moment, which is really the only thing you need to worry about." 

Dr. Reader approached the interview room, where SCP 3996 was currently. He nodded to the security guarding the room, scanning his access card, before pushing the door open. He locked eyes with SCP 3996, who was currently splayed over the chair it was cuffed to. 

Thick, bullet proof glass separated the SCP and researcher, as Dr. Reader sat down. He grabbed the clipboard placed on his side of the glass, before clearing his throat. "Hello, SCP 3996. My name is Dr. Reader, I will be interviewing you today." 

SCP 3996 frowned, before adjusting to be sitting up straight. "Do you have to call me that? It's...odd? Makes me ever so slightly uncomfortable. It's so...detached?" SCP 3996 complained, tail wrapped around its leg as its eyes shifted. He raised an eyebrow, before writing on his clipboard. "Subject’s tail appears to give away emotions. Subject claims to be uncomfortable with being called SCP 3996. Tail is wrapped around leg, perhaps as an attempt to comfort itself?"  

"Afraid so, SCP 3996. Please cooperate with the interview." SCP 3996 rolled its eyes, before gesturing for Dr. Reader to continue. "You mentioned a name in the last interview, I believe it was Ryoko? Did they come through the rift with you? And if so, are you aware of their location?" SCP 3996 narrowed its eyes, appearing to consider its words, before replying. "And why do you need to know? That's quite the personal question, and I'm afraid I'm quite unwilling to answer it." Dr. Reader tilted his head, studying the SCP. "It's a simple question, born from curiosity. You understand, yes?" SCP 3996's tail unwrapped from its leg, beginning to lash.

 "Disrespectfully, you can shove that curiosity up your ass." Dr. Reader paused, writing again. "Subject refuses to answer questions about an individual named Ryoko. Most likely will require further investigation." He sighed, glancing at his list of questions. "In that case, let us move on, shall we? In a previous interview, you were asked about any abilities you might possess. At the time, you claimed that you did not remember any other than one. Has this changed?" .

SCP 3996 paused, staring at him, before speaking. "Honestly? I have a bunch, but most of it is generally magic. so. uhhhh...if you want some specific ones, I can cast Lightning bolt, Melf's Minute Meteors, Fireball which is my personal favorite, and uh. Charm person? I have too many spells, it's hard to remember." 

Writing this down, Dr. Reader nodded. "Thank you for your cooperation. Moving on, Can you explain how you ended up coming through the rift?" He questioned, watching it carefully. SCP 3996 tilted its head, most likely recalling the experience. "I was just going through my day to day life, not paying attention to where I was going, when the rift opened up in front of me. I didn't even mean to go through, it was a total accident." 

Dr. Reader hummed, writing down the information, before SCP 3996 started speaking again. "Hey, speaking of my world, when am I getting sent back? You said I would if I cooperated, and I am very obviously still here. You weren't lying, were you?" Dr. Reader blinked, before responding smoothly. 

"No, we were not lying. It is simply taking much research to find the original universes these rifts opened in. I assure you, you will be returned to your universe the moment we locate it." This, of course, was a lie. it would be far too dangerous to return an SCP to its universe, and would risk it returning without their knowledge. 

SCP 3996 visibly relaxed, nodding. "Okay, good. I need to get back to my universe. I've got loved ones, you know?" Dr. Reader forced fake sympathy to show on his face in response, before clearing his throat. "Alright, I believe that should be all of my questions. Please do not resist as you are brought back to your cell." 

SCP 3996's face scrunched up, before sighing, tail beginning to lash once more. "Alright, fine. I'll cooperate. But only because you guys are taking me home." Dr. Reader stood up, turning to leave the interview room. "Damn, I hate to see you stay, but I love to watch you leave." He very firmly ignored the whistle from behind him, opening the door and quickly closing it behind him. rolling his eyes, he turned to the security guards. 

"You can return the subject to its cell, now." They nodded, opening the door and stepping inside as Dr. Reader walked back to his research station, intending to go over what he had found. God, he needs coffee.

Chapter Text

Lily yawned as she approached the metal door to her quarters. It slid open easily at the press of a button, closing behind her. Sleep was a rare thing for her. She walked with her lab coat draped over one arm. Making her way through this maze of a facility, she pulled her snow white hair up into a tight ponytail. Eventually, she reached a room with a long sign above the entrance reading; "CAFETERIA" in big letters. The inside of the cafeteria had cold gray walls, and a floor that was two steps lower in the center. Octagonal tables with sad round stools attached littered the room. On the far left of the cafeteria, was where they served food to Foundation personnel. The food wasn't terrible, slightly better than prison food, she thought. The quality of the food itself meant little to her. On the right side of the room, there were a few varying vending machines and a coffee maker. The coffee maker was a staff favorite, and surprisingly, there wasn't anyone in line for it today. 

She checked her watch, a small gold trinket that contrasted her deathly pale skin. It was about nine twenty in the evening. Lily Sighed, knowing that at this rate she may as well just go back to sleep and reset her schedule, almost no one would be awake much longer. Once she reached the coffee maker, she slipped on her lab coat and began to make something with a surprisingly low amount of caffeine. Leaving the living sector, she made her way to the main research room via the twisting hallways and several key card activated doors. Today, she would take the long route that cut through one of the containment sectors. The containment sector she was in was the one where the Foundation majority kept safe class SCPs. Here, bare metal walls meet equally metal ceilings and floors. These halls were better lit than the ones in the other two containment sectors, but the shadows still seemed a little too deep. 

As she walked, she passed door after door. She had no interest in any of them today, nor the SCPs contained behind them. Lily had decided she’d use this time to think over the anomalous cells she'd been studying long into the night before. It was only after being lost in thought when Lily was abruptly shoved out of them by an unusually large group of heavily geared MTFs. She stopped where she stood, thinking that perhaps there had been a breach. Although, It would have to be the breach of a rather large or dangerous SCP for that many MTF to be required. 

Quickening her pace, she followed the direction the MTF had gone off in, hoping that if there was a breach she was not heading towards it. However, this was the only way to the research sector, unless she wanted to turn back. Lily decided that was not an option on the table as of currently. She wasn't far from the research sector door when she heard the steps of another group of MTFs, this time, she had the notice to move out of their way. Stepping to the side, she watched as they passed. The one in the lead scanned a key card on the terminal. This terminal would only allow the thick metal doors to open if a key card of high enough access was applied. After the beep of the key card being accepted, the doors slid open. The group of MTF rushed through into a smaller room with a similar set of large doors on the opposite wall. she assumed this was where the previous team had gone. These were the doors that lead to the research sector and from there the other normal sectors. It would not be pleasant if an SCP breached into the regular sectors.

 Lily slipped in behind the entering MTF team. It was a tight squeeze with so many people in there, but the group didn't seem to pay much attention to her, which she was fine with. After a moment, the leader opened the second door with a quick beep from the scanner. The second set of doors opened as the other closed. The fluorescent lights of the research sector clashed with the dimmed lights of the small room. MTFs flooded out and into the research sector the first chance they got. Lily was forced out with them as they made their rapid exit. Once she had finally cleared the door, she moved to stand against the dull beige wall of the hallway so she could be less in the MTFs way. As she waited for them to clear out, she glanced down at her untouched coffee to see if any had been spilt. Luckily, none had. When the MTFs were finally out of sight, Lily continued her walk to the research sector. There didn't seem to be any MTFs this way, and she figured they most likely went down the opposite hallway, towards the administrative rooms. 

Around the corner was a long row of glass walls spaced evenly by a sliver of normal wall. This allowed people on the outside to see the inside of the research rooms. There were multiple regular sized doors, one for each glass wall. On the other side of the glass, the rooms were majorly white, each fitted with cabinets, counters, chairs, and anything a researcher could need. Research equipment littered here and there, with much of it remaining tucked away in the cabinets. In each room, there were also a few TVs, where the Foundation could broadcast video footage, however they were rarely ever needed. Today was apparently not one of those days. Lily approached the third door along the hallway and scanned her keycard. There was a beep and the door unlocked, she pushed the door open and walked in shortly after. 

Normally, someone of her age would typically work in one of the rooms further down the hall which were intended for lower level and younger researchers. Lily was the exception, having excelled despite her age and only having been with the Foundation for two years. It was safe to say many of her fellow researchers did not like her. 

In the room, researchers looked up at one of the wall TVs. It was broadcasting what looked like some kind of field mission. Those were almost never broadcasted, why was this one so important? Lily approached the group of researchers lingering below the TV. She starred up with them. 

The TV displayed several MTFs in a forest running towards some kind of eye-shaped black mass. A human hand the size of her torso reached through the void, revealing the rest of its less than human arm as it reached for the ground. Then another hand came out, and another. A sickly inhuman face peered out at them, then the black mass, which could only be explained as some kind of portal, began to expand as the creature pulled itself through. Eight long and spindly legs with matching human hands on each touched the ground. All attached to the body of a spider. However, instead of its face containing eight eyes, it had the face of a human. Blank black eyes reflected their fear, for the eyes watched the MTFs unblinkingly. The MTFs readied themselves, but they were no match for the spider. With one hand, it launched several MTFs away. The rest began to fire and yell, but they were soon deafened by the sound of the spider's god awful screeches. 

Then the screen switched, showing a differently shaped portal in a new place. This one was just barely visible below the surface of the water. Boats blocked most of the view. The water surged for a moment, pushing the boats back a little. A light flickered on from below the water, the water surged again. The source of the light rose out of the water first, it was bright in the settling dusk. It looked like the bulb of an anglerfish, though it was so many times larger. An equally large fin then arose from the water, whatever it was, it sped towards one of the boats at an alarming rate. The water surged again as the creature lept out of the water, revealing itself to be what looked like a massive quadrupedal shark. Half of its head glowed in the fading light, due to that part of its head being made of metal. It clung to the deck of the ship with massive claws. As it pulled itself up onto the ship, the ship began to tilt. It leaned more and more until it couldn't take it anymore. The ship capsized, the shark climbing on top of it with the curved movements of a reptile. 

The screen switched again, but this time Lily turned away. In one corner of the room, a man stood listening to a voice over his walkie talkie. Lily didn't have her’s on her, so instead she approached him.

“What's going on?” She asked, her tone perhaps coming off a bit too stern. 

The man, who was significantly older than her, looked up. He seemed confused with her question, but eventually replied, “Were you not here when they issued the announcement? There are ‘portals’ opening up everywhere, the MTFs can barely keep up. Almost every one of them is out on the field. We’re not allowed to run any experiments with the SCPs today because of it. We’re not allowed in the containment sectors either.”
Lily considered his words, turning back to the TV. It seemed to switch faster and faster each time, showing portal after portal. It’s going to be a long day. 

Chapter Text

Now, Yara wasn't stupid. New SCPs appear a lot, hell, that's the entire reason the SCP Foundation exists. However, whatever the fuck this was? This wasn't normal. She's been an MTF for over 25 years, and something like this has never happened. She's been so stretched thin, constantly being sent out on missions to contain SCPs, that she thinks she might go insane. These rifts were going to be the end of her. She had just returned from a mission, and was hoping to get a single second to herself, just so she could rest, when her radio went off.

"Unit Four, another rift has opened. Your unit is being deployed to take care of it. Sending location now." She grit her teeth, before inhaling. She turned to the rest of her unit, who also looked dead on their feet. There were a few tired sighs, as they all grabbed their weapons and prepared to head out. After a few minutes, her unit was ready, and she clicked her radio as they made their way towards the transport. 

"Unit four here, update on the situation?" It took a minute to get a response, however, she really would've preferred any other answer. 

"An SCP has exited the rift. Appears to be 20ft tall, draconic in appearance. Prepare accordingly." Fuck. Well, there went her plans to stay unroasted for one goddamn month. Her unit climbed into transport, the helicopter jerking as it took off towards the reported sighting. She glanced at her unit of ten people, before clicking her radio again. 

"Unit 4 here again, is there any chance my team and I can get a brief moment of respite after this mission? We're all currently dead on our feet, and it may fuck up our performance." Her unit all looked over at her, holding their breath. You knew it was bad, when just the possibility of a break puts hope in the eyes of MTF. She patiently waited for a response, and was beginning to expect none at all, when she heard her radio. "Commander Yara, you and your Unit are free to rest for the next 2 missions."

Music to her ears, truly. her unit all breathed a sigh of relief, a few cheering. She cleared her throat, causing the helicopter to fall into silence. "Alright, unit. We're being given a rare break after this, so lets fuck up this SCP and get our asses a rest, yeah? If ANY of you start underperforming, I'll send you on the next goddamn mission without a rest, you hear me?" there was a chorus of affirmatives, to which she responded with a solid nod. She cracked her knuckles, taking a deep breath. This was...probably not going to be fun. 

+

Darkness’Reader liked to think himself smart. A genius, even. He's helped make multiple scientific breakthroughs, helped develop cures to multiple diseases. However, he thinks he's made a mistake. He saw some weird portal looking thing, and in a moment of stupidity, decided to enter it. Now, he was currently in an unfamiliar forest. A small forest, as well, seeing as he was the size of some of the trees. Now, he could go back through, because it was still open behind him, but he's intrigued. There was nothing currently attacking him, so he wasn't too worried. He sat down, tail wrapping around his paws, as he studied his surroundings. Did the portal take him to another world, perhaps? He hasn't seen any other dragons, which is...concerning, to say the least. 

After watching for around ten minutes, observing the small animals, all the different changes, he noticed something flying in his direction. He squinted, trying to figure out what he was looking at, when it landed nearby. After it did, around ten humans walked out of it, which was quite interesting. Perhaps this was a world where instead of dragons ruling the land, it was humans? Interesting indeed... He tilted his head, watching as they spoke to one another. "And you are?"

 The humans paused for the briefest of seconds, before speaking. "We are with the SCP Foundation. Come peacefully, or we'll have to use force." he studied the humans, debating on what to say. See, he was rather hungry... and they were bothering him.... "Oh? Quite interesting sounding. And where do you intend to take me? I am simply observing, unless that is a crime." The one up front, what he could only assume was the leader, glanced to the side briefly, before looking back at him. It was only then that he noticed a large, containment unit. Surely they did not intend to place him in that? He would barely fit!

"Last chance. Come with us willingly, or we'll have to use force." His eyes narrowed, tail flicking in irritation. How rude. Wasn't this kidnapping, technically? "And you intend for me to go with you in...that? I am afraid I'll have to pass, as it looks incredibly uncomfortable. I would rather just stay here, if it's all the same to you." He reasoned, finding this whole situation quite ridiculous. He was just sitting here, no need for all of this drama. The humans started placing darts in something vaguely similar to the dart guns he had used in the past, which was incredibly excessive. He scrunched his nose in offense, before scoffing. "Please, if I was going to attack you, I would have done so far sooner. That is frankly unnecessary." The leader human looked furious for a brief moment, before they managed to control themself. Personally, he thinks they need to calm down. 

"I'm afraid it is. A dragon being in some random place in the woods would be quite distressing to the public. So, again, come with us, or we'll knock you the fuck out and take you with us anyways." A growl rumbled in his throat as he raised to his full height, glaring at the pathetic creatures in front of him. "Are you threatening me?" he hissed, tail thrashing irritably behind him. "Damn straight we are. Now are you going to cooperate, or is this going to get messy?" 

He inhaled slowly, his chest warming as fire built in his throat. "FIRE!" Well, that was ironic. Fire blasted out of his maw, searing a path of destruction through the forest. 2 humans were too slow to dodge, getting caught in the radius. He felt multiple pricks on his scales as the darts hit him, which he ignored. It was humans, they were so primitive in his world, they were most likely the same here. claws unsheathing, he was about to start ripping them to shreds, when searing pain shot through one of his back legs. He roared, the sound reverberating as his head whipped towards the source.

The odd flying object had a large machine, which was firing...something? at him? he didn't know what it was, but it hurt like hell. He snarled, tail slamming into a nearby tree, which cracked and fell over as he charged towards the flying thing. He stumbled, which caused him to pause for a brief second. Were the darts actually working??? Did the humans in his world have these things too?? He shook his head, ignoring the dizziness building, as he continued towards the machine. He could deal with the humans, but whatever the fuck this thing was? It was an issue. more pricks hit him as fire built in his throat again, about to blast out of his throat, before he crashed to the ground. smoke rose from his nostrils as he hissed, trying to struggle to his feet. His anger was quickly replaced with slight concern, as humans started approaching. 

His vision blurred, as he fought unconsciousness. This was so incredibly humiliating. Him, Dr. Darkness'Reader, with a kill count so large he frankly couldn't remember, taken down by some pathetic humans with tranq darts. The last thing he registered before he finally gave in to unconsciousness, was being lifted off of the ground.

+

The SCP crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, thick black smoke rising out of its nostrils as it tried to struggle back to its feet. She fired a few more tranquilizers to make sure it stayed down, before turning to look for the two MTF that got hit. She knew the transport unit would take care of getting the SCP into the temporary containment. she clicked her unit radio, speaking into it. "Anyone have eyes on who got hit?" there was no response. She made her way towards the blast zone, eyes searching for the missing MTF, before she heard coughing. She finally spotted them, radioing it into her unit. she walked over to the one who most likely got hit directly, checking for a pulse. 

"Can I get some people over here to help me get them to transport?" she ordered into her radio, as she moved to the next. The first was alive, just heavily burned, so she had hope for the second. "Fucking...ow...getting roasted wasn't on my bucket list.." she raised her eyebrows at the fact that they were even conscious, before helping them up. "I don't think that's on anyone's bucket list. How bad is it?" some of their gear was burnt to a crisp, so she was worried. "Eh, I think-" cough. "I think the equipment blocked most of it, some of it reached my skin though. Hurts like a bitch." She nodded, slinging their arm over her shoulder, helping them to transport. Two other MTF rushed over to grab the unconscious soldier. 

"This is why we don't jinx this shit."

Chapter Text

Cole sat quietly as the rickety van rattled back and forth at a steady pace. He should be tired, but late nights and the uneasy schedule that came with working for the Foundation had made him more nocturnal than not. Street lights rushed by in flashes through the front windows, there were no windows in the back, so he focused on the floor. His comrades muttered in hushed whispers amongst themselves. It was maybe around midnight. He shifted in his gear, which was hidden under his clothes. He was glad that he and his team didn't have to wear the heavier gear that others had to wear on all missions.

They looked up towards their driver as the van came to a stop. Their leader, Hoffman, began to speak. "Okay boys, I know you've all been briefed on this prior to reaching our destination, but we're going over it one last time to make sure everyone understands the task at hand. We've been sent to identify and/or locate any anomalous activity, objects, or entities inside house 138. We've received reports from intel that the house itself has changed its features many times in shape and appearance in short amounts of time in ways that cannot be normally explained. There have also been loud noises coming from inside the house. Unknown entities have been spotted through the windows of the house, and on occasion, outside the house. The house is known to be vacant, although surrounding houses are not. By now you should all know standard procedures. We are not to do anything that could cause surrounding residents to be privy of our presence. If that does occur, it is to be radioed in immediately, however most residents should be asleep by now. If you are spotted, the amnestics team will deal with it as needed. Any questions?"

Cole shared glances with some of the others, no one uttered a word. The silence spoke for them. Hoffman turned towards their driver and gave him a nod, getting one in return. "Let's go," Hoffman commanded, beginning to stand up. 

Cole and the man sitting across from him stood up quicker. They were closest to the doors. They pushed them open and the group of six filed out, eventually melting into formation. The van was white, plenty of the paint having been chipped off by now. It had been parked in between two street lights, it would be less obvious that way. The neighborhood itself looked nice enough from what he could see in the dark of what was probably midnight. 

Perhaps if he had not chosen to work for the Foundation, he would've liked to live in a place like this. Although, it was too late for that now, he'd practically sold his soul to the devil himself when he signed that contract. Everything had gone to hell when the rifts began appearing three years ago. Not only has the Foundation become a little less forgiving, it also has most MTFs doing twice as much work to contain anything and everything that comes out of those rifts. He hoped whatever plagued this mission wasn't from a rift.

The team crept quickly across towards the house with light footsteps. The lawn was surprisingly well kept despite its supposed lack of residents. The house itself was a relatively small two story building, made of faded red brick with a dark gray roof. Instead of going straight to the front door, they approached the fencing to the side of the house. One of his comrades, Uccello, crouched down next to the fence, interlacing his fingers together to form a step for the others. 

Hoffman, who was in the lead, clicked on his radio. “This is Epsilon 6-1, we are moving in for entry. Over.” There was no response.

 Hoffman went first, placing a foot in Uccello’s hands. He reached up towards the top of the fence to hold onto. Once he’d gotten a firm grip, Uccello pushed him upwards and Hoffman pulled himself up and over the fence. This happened again and again until Cole and Uccello were the last two left. Cole stepped towards Uccello and put his foot in his hands as the others had done before. As he pulled himself over the fence, he could see the others in formation waiting for him and Uccello. Cole clambered over the fence and placed his feet on the lateral board on the inside of the fence. He leaned over the top of the fence, reaching down to grab Uccello's hand. Ucello jumped and used his other hand to grab the top of the fence. He then placed one foot on the fence and proceeded to half climb up and half be dragged up by Cole. Once hoisted onto the top of the fence, Uccello jumped down into the back yard and joined the others. Cole followed suit. 

Hoffman approached the back door, delicately twisting the knob. Cole had a hand readied to grab his gun if needed from where it was buried beneath his shirt. The others did the same. The door opened without struggle. Hoffman looked back at them for a moment, they glanced between each other. Hoffman walked in and signaled for the others to follow, as he did he unclipped his helmet from where it had been hooked to his waist via carabiner. He fastened it to his head and flipped on his NODS. Cole and the others did the same as they filed into the house. Uccello, who had been in the back behind him, gently closed the door behind them.
Hoffman reached towards his shoulder, pressing a button and tilting his head to speak. “Epsilon 6-1, we have entered the building. Over.”
By now, they had all pulled their guns out. Each of them carried some kind of handgun. It wasn't often they carried larger guns, these hand guns were easier hidden, but could still do the job. The interior of the house looked bigger than it was on the outside, too much bigger. They were next to a set of stairs, in front of them they could see the living room, then to their right the dining room. In front of the dining room there was the kitchen, which had a wall separating it from the living room. They could see the front door from here, almost directly across from them. From what Cole could see through his NODS, the house interior looked fairly normal despite the odd room placement and increased size. 

“Epsilon 6-1, the interior of the house is anonymously larger on the inside than it appears. Over.” Hoffman radioed in. There was a pause, then a woman's voice responded over the radio, “Proceed, Epsilon 6. Over.”

Hoffman made a motion with his hand signaling the others to search the rest of the first floor. Due to it being a fairly open floor plan, there wasn't much more to search. Regardless, they searched it anyway. Afterwards, the group awaited their leader’s orders.

Hoffman nodded, “Rayne, Wade,” Cole perked up at the mention of his last name, “You're with me on the second floor. Tedesco, take Uccello and Monette with you to the basement” 

Cole glanced towards the basement door situated under the stairs, then to Hoffman. He took his place next to him and Rayne. Meanwhile, Uccello and Monette followed Tedesco to the basement door. It opened easily, Cole watched them enter one by one. Hoffman waved for Cole and Rayne to follow him towards the stairs, they did. 

Each step they took up the stairs was unbearable in a sense. Every creak, groan, and squeak of the wood under their feet screeched their location, their presence. The sound echoed and rang in his ears in the silence. Regardless, he kept his gun up and his hands steady despite the goosebumps littering his arms. Hoffman reached the top of the stairs first, Cole came up behind him, then Rayne. The three starred down the long hallway, one that would be abnormal for any kind of suburban house. Damp hazel doors lined the walls of the hall, with one standing ominously at the head of the hallway directly across from them. 

They heard the static of the radio moments before they heard Tedesco’s voice, “Hoffman, the basement contains some kind of dungeon. There's at least three cells. There's blood down here too. Over.”
“Proceed to check the cells. Over.” Hoffman responded briefly, there was a quick “yes sir” over the radio. Hoffman spoke again, this time to Cole and Rayne. “Check the doors”
The three quickly approached the doors. Now that he was a bit closer, Cole could see that each door had a metal label next to it, a number carved into each one.

1. He opened the door. It revealed a fairly normal looking room. It was empty aside from a basic bed and desk. A sheen of dust layered over both. He quickly moved to the closet and ripped it open, empty. “Clear!” He shouted as he exited this room in favor of searching another. He heard both Rayne and Hoffman echo his “Clear” as they moved on to another room each. 

Across the hall. 6. He opened yet another door. This room was less empty than the other, various clothes, objects, and other things littered the floor, bed, and desk. Maybe once, this had been a teenagers room? No. This was an anomaly. They were inside an anomaly. Nothing about this could ever be normal. He checked the closet. Clothes hid the floor. He cleared this room as he left, just as he had with the other.

10. Brightly colored feathers cluttered the floor and the bed, although covered in dust to the point of being damp and dull. They were tattered and torn. A shattered aquarium scattered glass along the floor and the large table that stood against the wall. He took a step. The floor was wet. Ignoring it, he checked the closet, nothing. He cleared this room. Onto the next. 

Across the hall again. 11. Flags and various military themed collections lined the walls. The room was neat aside from a few miscellaneous items scattered on the floor. He checked yet another closet. This one was filled with military clothing, some from far off eras few remembered. Cole left again. 

He crossed once more. 16. This room was like the first. It was empty and dust covered, aside from a bed and desk. Cole questioned whether it was even worth checking the closet. He checked it anyway. Nothing of course. He left yet again. 

The next door over. 18. This one had nothing. Nothing at all. Cole took a step forward. Then another. A wave of calm washed over him. He felt like he could stay here. It was time to relax, calm down. He could make this room his, decorate it with belongings that meant something only to him. Similar to when he was a kid. This could be a haven, if he let it.
“Wade!” Hoffman barked from the hall. Cole startled and darted over to the closet. Empty. “Clear!” He shouted as he ran out into the hallway to meet the other two where they stood. Rayne muttered something under his breath, but Cole didn't catch it, and didn't bother trying. The three looked at the last door, 19.

Hoffman went first. The door creaked open with the twist of a non, Cole and Rayne stood behind him, guns ready. It was quiet. The door was opened more, revealing an empty room, much like the one behind door 18. The only difference was the fact that this one was smaller and without a closet. They hesitated to enter the room. Hoffman, brave as ever, took a step forward. A screech akin to the sound of nails across a chalkboard raptured their ears. A familiar black crack slid across the air in the center of the room. It ripped itself open. In an instant, the doors in the hallway behind them slammed open, more screeches echoed down the hall. Hoffman turned back and went to push his comrades to run, but paused. Rayne stood facing the open door of 18. It was empty still, but Rayne stared at it, seemingly frozen in place. 

“Rayne!” Hoffman shouted. The hall sounded like a hurricane, a whooping sound bouncing off of anything and everything. The air felt too heavy. Rayne didn't budge. 

Cole placed a hand on Rayne’s shoulder in an attempt to get his attention, “Rayne! What are you doing? We have to go! Ray-” Rayne grabbed his wrist and twisted it. Cole opened his mouth in a soundless wince, trying to yank his arm out of Rayne’s grasp. 

“This is my home” Rayne muttered in a monotone voice that sounded uncannily wrong. “You could stay too. We all could. This is our home”

Hoffman raised a leg and kicked Rayne in the chest. Rayne stumbled backwards, catching himself on a wall. He then slid to the ground. Hoffman grabbed his radio, “Epsilon 6-1, 6-3 is down. Anomalous possession of some kind, he’s downed as of currently.” Cole could see the insides of some of the rooms from here, many containing a rift in the center. Hoffman could see them too, “Multiple rifts have opened within the house, permission to vacate the premises? Over.” 

Cole’s stomach dropped as they awaited an answer, relief flooded over him at the sound of a voice from the radio, “Permission granted, Epsilon-6. Over.”

They heard the creak of the stairs and swiveled around to face them, poised to shoot. Uccello and Monette appeared over the railing of the stairs. “Hoffman!” Monette hissed. Both Hoffman and Cole lowered their weapons. Cole turned back to the possibly unconscious Rayne, gun pointed towards his head, ready to take him out if needed. “Tedesco’s been fucked over man! He was talking about staying in the house. He talked like he lived here or something, saying weird shit.” Monette continued as he and Uccello made their way down the hall, warily eyeing the open doors. 

Hoffman sighed, “It happened to Rayne too. We’re leaving”  

Monette and Uccello stopped where they were, about half way down the hall, so that Hoffman and Cole could meet them in the middle. However, a translucent smoky black figure peered out from one of the doors. Its form was fidgety and unstable, constantly moving and changing. Although, It stayed the same enough to have at least a rough shape. It looked kind of like a woman with her hair up? It also wasn't very tall, maybe about 5’4. 

Hoffman reached for his radio, “Epsilon 6-1, an entity has been spotted on the second floor. Over.” The figure looked between Cole and Hoffman and Monette and Uccello, the radio crackled, “Understood. Please proceed with evacuation. Over.” 

More figures appeared, about five from what Cole could see. All identical to the first. One appeared in the same doorway as the first, the others in different doors. “Go. Go. Go.” Hoffman shouted as he ran towards the others, Cole on his heels. Monette and Uccello were already making a break for the stairs, slowing slightly to allow the others to catch up. Screeching sounded behind them, Cole risked a glance back only to see the figures lunging toward them. The stairs were so loud as they ran down, he worried they’d snap and fall to the depths of the basement below. Monette tripped two thirds of the way down the stairs. He tumbled down, hitting the floor below with a thump. Hoffman yanked him upwards as they reached him, and they continued. They turned the stairs to reach the backdoor, but froze when it wasn't there. The basement door sat ajar.
“We closed that!” Uccello called out, however he was cut off by Hoffman’s command, “Front door!” 

They turned to the front door, only getting a step or two in before Rayne stepped in front of it. He moved slowly and limply, as if his body didn't work quite right, as if he were a zombie. His face was obscured by his nods. They stood in the center of the open first floor, staring at the door. Each raised their guns, minus Monette, who seemed a bit dazed from his fall. 

“Why won't you stay?” Rayne called out, sounding a bit sad this time, like a child begging its parent not to leave. “It's nice here, it's safe.” This time, his voice echoed. 

Cole looked over his shoulder. Tedesco had dragged his numbed body out of the basement and in front of where the back door had been. 

He and Rayne spoke together, “You could stay here with us. They dont mind. This is a place for everyone. They might need to warm up to you first, though”

There were more figures now. They creeped in from cracks and crevices, forming as they moved, flooding towards them. Although they moved slowly, like predators hunting their prey. The figures were of all sizes and shapes, some looked like little animals, some were more humanoid. One of the human ones had a halo-like ring above itself, one of the smaller ones reminded Cole of a cat, and another flapped overhead, a bird of some sort. The group stood back to back, guns raised. They had little reason to believe these would do anything against the figures, but if they were lucky they could hurt Rayne and Tedesco. 

Hoffman reached for his radio with one hand, “This is Epsilon 6-1, we’re backed into a corner and both 6-3 and 6-4 are possessed. There are too many entities, we are backed into a corner. Tell anyone of importance to my team we love them. Over” 

There might have been a response, but it was drowned out by Ranye and Tedesco. 

“This is our home. You belong here.”

“This is our home. You belong here.”

“This is our home. You belong here.”

“This is our home. You belong here.”

“This is our home. You belong here.”

“This is our home. You belong here.”

“We belong here”

Chapter Text

Dark 1 nearly smashed his head against the roof of the vehicle as they drove across the bumpy road- if he could even call it that. Really, at this point, they were entirely off-roading. He double checked his gun, confirming the safety was on, before glancing at the others. This rift outpost was in the middle of goddamn nowhere, and he was fucking sick of it. They couldn't drop in by plane, so they were sent in via fucking car. Which was taking a painful amount of time. Plus, they weren't gonna be able to get too close in said vehicle, seeing as they'd be spotted too easily. So, they were being dropped off once they got close enough. 

"The Ones, ETA is around 3 minutes."

 The group glanced forward at the operative driving the vehicle, before they all nodded. 

"Hey Dark-1, what's the gameplan if a fucker comes through the rift while we're raiding it?"

 He glanced over at Bright-2, narrowing his eyes at the blonde. That...was a good question actually. The most logical route would be to figure out if it would be useful to the insurgency, then react accordingly. He locked eyes with his sister, before grinning, pulling his mask down onto his face. 

"We do as usual. Grab 'em if they're useful, leave it be if not. No point in helping the foundation by engaging with the fucker if it doesn't attack us first. Let the bitch rip and tear. After all, we'll be doing the same."

 "I'll toast to that. Let's fucking wreck these motherfuckers."

 Rage-5 matched his grin, pulling his own mask down. Sad-4 sighed, double checking his weapons before pulling his mask down as well. Bright-2 held up a thumbs up, sliding her mask down at the same time as Sad-4. His gaze scanned across his team, startling slightly as he spotted Silent-3. He forgot she was here. She really needed to be louder outside of stealth missions. Though, he supposes being mute makes that hard.

"We've arrived at the drop off point. Fuck em up, Ones. Try not to die."

"Aye aye. Don't ditch us alright? We need a ride back to base after all."

 They snorted, flipping him off as he shook his head in amusement. He turned to his team, before opening the door. Time to get the fuck outta this clown car. 

"As they say, fuck it we BALL."

He made an offended sound at the assortment of groans and complaints, before rolling his eyes and walking towards the rift outpost. The landscape was a mix of a clearing and a forest, their escape vehicle being parked in the clearing. Meaning they had to walk through the forest part. Wonderful. He grumbled under his breath, stepping over an entire ass fallen tree. While they weren't far, it was still a decently long walk. The silent walk was actually quite nice, a break from his siblings' constant chatter. 

Of course it couldn't last, though. 

"So, what absolute monstrosity is gonna pop out of the rift? I'm betting it's just some normal ass person."

He glanced back at Bright-2, raising an eyebrow. Not that she could see it, what with his mask. Sad-4 hummed, tilting his head ever so slightly. Never tell them he thinks this, but he quite likes their matching masks. Really fits the theme. 

"Mmmm...Nah, that'd be far too normal. I'm betting it's some abomination that's already escaped the rift, but has hidden itself in the area, and is lying in wait, ready to strike."

"UUuuughhh. Stop being so fucking emo you pussy. I bet it's gonna be some strong ass motherfucker that's gonna burst through and rip everyone to shreds. Not us though. Well- Dark-1 might get torn to shreds, he's a bit of a pussy. Not me though. I'm built different."

He rolled his eyes at Rage-5's antics, flipping him off. 

"Didn't you literally ask me to kill a spider for you just this morning? That's not really strong person behavior."

"Oh FUCK OFF. You KNOW I hate spiders."

"Awwww, is the big strong man afraid of something that's literally smaller than his pinky?"

"KILL YOURSELF. IMMEDIATELY."

 "Heyy, that's not very nice. :< Apologize."

"I would actually rather die.”

Dark-1 snorted, watching as Rage-5 tripped on a log and ate shit. Yes, he had seen the log. But, he totally thought his brother had seen it. Definitely. No other reason why he didn't warn him. Bright-2 snickered quietly, causing Rage-5 to get even more angry. 

"DON'T FUCKING LAUGH AT ME. I'LL KICK YOUR SHIT IN!"

 He was about to continue teasing him, when suddenly he got an elbow to the side. He yelped, whipping around to glare at Silent-3, who simply glared right back, before signing. 

"Stop being a dick. We have a mission to do."

"Don't get your titties in a twist, I know I know. We aren't even there yet, though. It'll be fine."

 She glared at him for a moment longer, before pointing ahead. He blinked, before following her finger, finally noticing the rift outpost in the distance. Oh. They WERE there. Huh. He held up a fist, before putting a finger to his mouth. The team nodded, crouching down and preparing to approach as quietly as possible. For literally any other group, communication would be an issue, however they all knew sign language because of Silent-3. Once they got close enough, he nudged Silent-3. "Go ahead and plant the C4, you're the quietest. regroup once it's in place. The rest of us will keep watch, and we'll make our move once you return."

Silent-3 nodded, grabbing the bag he held out for her, before sneaking off. Within seconds, he could no longer spot her. He seriously envied her ability to disappear at times. He slung his bag off of his shoulder, digging through it and pulling out binoculars and looking through them. As he located the guard posts, he signed their locations to the others. The rift itself was in the middle of the outpost, guarded heavily. Somehow, he managed to catch sight of Silent-3, who was planting C4 nearby. Looks like she had planted the C4 on the guard towers already.

Once she finished, she disappeared yet again, most likely leaving to regroup with them. Once she left his point of view, he watched for a moment, making sure no one noticed the bombs, before lowering the binoculars. he turned to the others, nodding once, before looking back. his heart lept out of his fucking chest as Silent-3 was suddenly infront of him, it taking everything in him to not scream. he clutched at his chest, before flipping off his sister. Though he couldn't see it, he could literally FEEL her roll her eyes. He sighed, before motioning for everyone to get into position. He pulled out the detonator, holding up his fingers in a silent countdown. 3...2...1... 

BOOM 

All at once, the bombs detonated, blowing the entire place to high hell. He shot to his feet, switching the safety off of his gun as he gestured forward. 

"GO GO GO!"

They ran forward together, taking cover in the treeline as they fired at those who survived the initial attack. He aimed down the sights, firing a bullet straight into an MTF's skull. He repeated this process multiple times, before having to reload. as he was doing so, he glanced at Sad-4. He knew from experience how skilled his brother was with weapons, and sure enough, he seemed to be racking up quite the kill count. He shook his head in amusement, before returning to his own gun. Now that the place wasn't actively exploding, the foundation members were starting to fire back, however they couldn't seem to pinpoint exactly where they were. Good. 

Now, they didn't exactly have to kill everyone. Their main mission was to simply cause as much chaos and disorder as possible, destroy whatever research they had stored here, then return to base. A relatively easy mission. He's pretty sure they were good on the destroy research aspect, however, there's not NEARLY enough chaos for his liking. He dug around in his belt for a moment, before pulling out three grenades.

He turned, making direct eye contact with Rage-5. They couldn't see each other, but they both KNEW matching feral grins crossed both of their faces. He pulled out his own grenades, signing to Dark-1. "I betcha I can get more people in the blast radius than you."

He glared, flipping him off, before pulling the pins on his first grenades and chucking it into the now ruins of the outpost. After a second or two, it exploded, catching three people in it. He repeated this with his last two, five more falling to them. A smug grin on his face, he looked at Rage-5, before signing. "Eight. Beat that motherfucker."

 Rage-5 scoffed, before chucking his three as well. His aim was solid, the grenades landing right where the foundation personnel were hiding and fighting back. they exploded, catching at LEAST eleven people in it. Dark-1 cursed under his breath, before rolling his eyes and flipping off his brother again. Fucking bitch. He wasn't a sore loser, YOU were.

After a few more minutes of firing, something absolutely massive started to emerge from the rift. Just in time too, he had just run out of ammo. He looked at the others, before speaking aloud so his team would hear him. 

"Alrighty, we've got a friend coming through the rift, so I'd say it's time to fucking scram. Everyone with ammo provides cover fire so we can safely retreat."

 Various affirmatives sounded as Sad-4 and Silent-3 provided cover fire, everyone starting to slowly back away deeper into the forest. While some were still focused on trying to spot their position in the foliage, most had turned their attention to the thing in the rift, allowing an even easier escape. Just before they left, Those who hadn't done so already threw their remaining grenades at the outpost, causing more disorder. Finally, they managed to get out of range, quickly making their way back to the escape vehicle.

Once they were a safe distance away, Dark-1 and Rage-5 burst into cackles, nearly tripping as they ran. 

"HA- Oh my god, I wish I could've seen their faces when they just- fucking RANDOMLY exploded! Oh my shit, that was beautiful. We have GOT to play around with C4 more often."

 Silent-3 seemed to beam at Rage-5's words, managing a small bow as they sprinted. Dark-1 nodded, leaping over the same fallen tree as earlier. 

"Wonderful work team. They had no idea what hit them. Probably. Actually, with how skillfully we pulled that off, they might be able to figure out it was us. You know. Because not many foundation members see us and live?"

Bright-2 giggled, before sighing. "Man, I wish we could take credit for our work. We've done SO many goddamn missions, and yet half of them are credited to other teams by the foundation!"

Sad-4 gestured up ahead at the getaway car coming into view, before voicing his opinion as well. 

"While I wholeheartedly agree, I DO think it's kinda weird that we want to take credit for committing murder and other various war crimes."

“...Yknow, fair enough."

The door to the car opened, and one by one they each fucking launched themselves into the car. Going in last, Dark-1 slammed the door shut, not even having time to sit as the car started speeding away. Didn't want to get spotted by the foundation after all. He pulled his mask off, sighing as he thunked his head against the headrest. Eyes shut, he didn't notice Rage-5 approaching until it was too late. He recoiled as he was slapped on the face, glaring daggers at the now maskless Rage-5. 

"Oh you are SO ON!"

Chapter Text

Minnie sighed as she ran her hands under the cold water. It had been a long morning. Minnie wasn't one of the many doctors here that specializes in mental health, but today they had needed help gathering a general idea of staff mental health. So, she had spent her morning working as a makeshift therapist, instead of her usual, where she performed her duties as a very skilled nurse. One that was used to treating wounds and injuries akin to ones you might see on victims of war. Although, her job as a makeshift therapist had been simple enough. All she had to do was ask each person a few questions and gather the responses. She was allowed to provide advice here and there as well, if she had any.
As she dried her hands on a nearby towel and turned off the sink, she wondered briefly what her husband had been up to. Normally on slow days she got to see him more often, but she supposed that would be hard seeing as it was around that time where doctors were required to start training and familiarizing the newer nurses. She glanced between the analog clock that hung on the wall and the few nurses that lingered in the medical ward. Those that had been tasked with gathering responses in regards to staff mental health were slowly returning. Minnie walked over to a screen on the wall, checking what functioned as attendance for those working in the medical department. Only two doctors were on standby, the rest, as well as many high level nurses, were off with the trainees or were with testing groups in case of emergency.

Rapidly approaching yelling could be heard in the distance. An alarm went off on one of the screens in the room. Although she only glanced at it, she could tell someone had pressed one of the medic call buttons in the facility. All medics in the room were now suddenly on alert. They quickly scattered around the room, preparing for the worst. Minnie ran over to the supply area and grabbed a pair of rubber gloves, quickly slipping them on as she had done a million times before. The double doors of the entrance to the medical ward slammed open. Several nurses and a couple doctors wheeled in various foundation employees on gurneys. Some being MTF, researchers, security, and more. One MTF stood to the side, ushering people inside. Minnie made her way over to him as quickly as she could.

“What happened?” She demanded. The MTF briefly paused what he was doing to look at her.

“There was an attack on one of the nearby rift outposts. Multiple explosions were set off. There was gunfire as well.” He explained before quickly turning back to what he’d been doing.

Some people were now being carried by fellow employees. She figured they’d run out of gurneys in the area where all these people had been brought in. Minnie turned to face the commotion. Nurses and doctors were spread around the room, attempting to tend to whatever patients they could among the chaos. Minnie ran over, now directing people on where to go. Once everything had begun to calm down to some degree, she searched for a patient that wasn't currently being tended to. While on her way, a few people had asked for details on what had happened. She would quickly repeat what the MTF told her and continue.

Eventually she made her way over to a security guard who had been quickly placed on a stationary bed and left in favor of getting others into the medical ward. The security guard was a woman from what Minnie could tell, and her chest heaved and stuttered awkwardly. The woman’s shirt was tattered, but it was being held together and plastered to her by the blood that coated her chest. Minnie quickly grabbed a ventilator and applied it as gently as she could while in such a rush. With the same urgency, she attached the woman to a heart monitor as well. Using a pair of nearby medical scissors, Minnie cut the woman's shirt away in an attempt to see what damage had been done.

Out of the corner of her eye, Minnie could see that the woman was now somewhat conscious, her eyes open to slits. A hand grazed Minnie’s wrist. Minnie placed the scissors on a tray behind her and took a moment to apply medicine to relieve the woman’s pain. For a moment, she turned to face her patient's gaze.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Minnie asked, making sure her voice was soft and gentle, but loud enough to be heard over the surrounding commotion. For a moment, Minnie wasn't quite sure if the woman was even capable of speaking currently. But she leaned closer as the woman mumbled something.

“Poppy” The woman muttered, being just barely conscious enough to mutter her own name.

Minnie returned to removing Poppy’s shirt with the scissors, glancing away briefly when she felt Poppy’s arm grip her own. “Well Poppy,” She said, “It seems you've taken quite the hit, but I'll see what I can do for you, okay?”

Poppy made some kind of intelligible noise, which Minnie assumed was an attempt of something along the lines of “okay.”

“You're very strong,” Minnie said, knowing well that the shock and pain medication was the only thing currently numbing whatever pain Poppy was currently in. “Not many would be awake after this. You’re a very good patient though.” Her voice was warm. A quiet hum in response escaped Poppy’s throat. Minnie smiled briefly. However, she paused as she gazed down at Poppy’s now exposed chest. Multiple pieces of debris were lodged in her chest, blood pooling around each piece. Minnie took Poppy’s hand, which had been latched onto her arm, and placed it in her own. She forced another smile as she looked at Poppy, who had begun to fall unconscious again.

And that's when she heard the screech of the heart monitor as Poppy began to flat line.

Minnie’s heart dropped. Eyes darting around the room, she ran towards the screen that hung from the wall. With a few practiced taps, she pressed something and loud beeps echoed through the ward. A red warning was mirrored on each screen. However, it went unnoticed among the commotion of patients being tended to and moved around. This was not an uncommon occurrence in times when they were in urgent situations. Minnie was on her own.

Quickly finding the defibrillator, she switched it on and sat it on the table next to the gurney Poppy was laid on. After a few moments of useless chest compressions, she took the pads of the defibrillator and placed them on the proper spots on Poppy’s chest. Minnie glanced around one last time, hoping someone would come to assist, but she knew no one would. The defibrillator administered a shock. She glanced at the heart monitor, still flat. After a pause, another shock was provided, then another. Eventually, Minnie came to the conclusion that this was a life she could not save.

Leaning against the wall for a moment, Minnie took off her gloves and ran a hand down her face. The moment she had seen the debris lodged in Poppy’s chest, she had figured the poor girl wouldn't make it. She’d lost too much blood, and the debris had most likely punctured at least one of her lungs. Still, Minnie had tried to be hopeful. With a sigh, she pushed herself off the wall and applied a new, clean pair of gloves. As she went by, she pressed the “deceased” button on the screen on the wall. With that, she left to find someone to dispose of the body. She had patients to tend to.

Chapter Text

Dr. Reader - (Chapter 2, Therafter)
Dr. Darkness'Reader - (Chapter 4, Dragonic Tragedy)

Dr. Reader rubbed her eyes, suffering through the bone-deep exhaustion as she waited for the coffee machine to finish brewing. She removed her hands from her face, before tugging the scrunchie out of her hair. At some point during the last 48 hours, she’d switched from feeling masculine to feminine. This really wasn’t an issue, though. Once she’d gone through gender affirming care, the max she ever did to accommodate the switch was put her hair up or down. Those who worked with her had eventually caught on, and reacted accordingly. Which, typically, meant not at all other than using the correct pronouns.

However, for one annoying nuisance in particular, that was not the case.

“Dr. Reader! Just the lady I was looking for!”

The high pitched shriek of a voice met her ears, and she slowly felt every single ounce of willpower be replaced by dread. Squeezing her eyes shut, relishing one last moment of precious silence, she turned to face them. Speed walking over to her was a woman, one of the other researchers. Dr. Reader didn’t even know their name, since she always gritted her teeth and tried to space out during their interactions. She KNEW that the other researcher had seen her around, and yet was only approaching the moment she put her hair down. She truly regretted letting the other researchers catch on.

“Ah, wonderful to see you again. How may I help you?”

The kindness in her voice was easy to fake, as she gritted her teeth and tried not to glare. The other researcher, blissfully unaware of Dr. Reader’s anger, happily continued.

“It’d help a lot if you reconsidered saying yes to that coffee date! But, date aside, I was told to inform you of a new SCP being added to your workload.”

Dr. Reader violently shoved the date reminder out of her mind, latching onto the new information. Another new SCP? Her workload was already dragging her to an early grave, she wasn’t sure she could deal with even more. There was a quiet beep, the sound immediately filling her with relief as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She held a finger up, telling the other researcher to wait as she drank the blessed liquid. If it was anyone else, they would've been scalded, but her odd tolerance to the heat meant that she barely felt it. Well, that and repeatedly drinking scalding hot coffee probably made her mouth and throat numb to the burning. After a moment, she lowered her cup, looking at the other again.

“And why would they send you to inform me, rather than simply sending over the information?”

The other researcher, and damn she really needed to learn their name, shook off their horrified expression.

“Doesn’t that hurt?- You know what, it doesn't matter. They sent me over because I was the previous researcher in charge of the SCP. They finally started cooperating, so they’re putting a professional on the case rather than me.”

While she couldn’t remember her name for the life of her, she did remember that they had a specialty in dealing with uncooperative SCPs. Dr. Reader took a deep breath, actively feeling her free time shriveling up and dying.

“Right…In that case, please send over the information, and I will handle it.”

The other researcher nodded, grabbing the tablet tucked under their arm and tapping around for a moment. She felt her own device ding in her bag, as it received the information. They smiled, opening their mouth to find an excuse to continue the conversation, before Dr. Reader quickly cut in.

“Right, well, as wonderful as this conversation has been, I am afraid that I am terribly busy. Perhaps another time?”

She watched the other researcher visibly deflate, before responding.

“Oh, yeah! Totally! Please, reconsider the coffee date!”

The other researcher waved as Dr. Reader walked away, coffee in hand. Much to the others’ probable disappointment, she would not be reconsidering the 37 “No”s she’s said in response to being asked out. Yes, she has kept count. As she walked, she chugged the rest of her coffee and tossed the disposable cup. She’d get another coffee later, when the 48 hours awake hit her again. With both hands free, she stepped off to the side in the hallway and brought up the information.

Self proclaimed “Dr. Darkness’Reader,” also known as SCP-4056.

Dr. Reader paused, dragging her gaze back to the name. Dr. Darkness’Reader. Pardon? She furrowed her eyebrows, before reading the rest of the document. SCP-4056, also known as Dr. Darkness’Reader. Draconic being, around 20 ft tall with the ability to speak english. Capable of fire breath, with thick reptilian scales acting as a natural armor of sorts. After regaining consciousness, Dr. Darkness’Reader showed extreme aggression, attacking without thought whenever anyone entered its cell. Dr. Theodora, the researcher previously in charge of the SCP, finally managed to calm it down after a significant period of time. There was more unimportant information, which Dr. Reader skimmed, before finally finding what she was looking for.

SCP-4056 “Dr. Darkness’Reader” is believed to be resident Dr. Dark Ness Reader from another universe, despite the obvious differences.

She felt excitement thrumming through her veins, quickly memorizing the cell location and beginning to walk over. The SCP's that came through the rifts were already fascinating, however the idea of speaking to herself from another universe was an opportunity she could not miss. Her mind filled with questions to ask the SCP, as she weaved through the other people in the hallways. Just how similar were they? It was obvious that they were also a scientist, however did the little details also carry over? Was Dr. Darkness’Reader also genderfluid, or had such a small detail been ignored?

She had to admit, she was feeling an anticipation that she hadn’t experienced since the early days of working for the SCP Foundation.

She entered the Euclid Containment sector, eyes scanning the containment numbers. After walking for multiple minutes, she began to question if she’d been given the wrong location, when SCP-4056’s cell finally came into view. She power walked to the observation room, tapping her keycard to the reader and quickly stepping inside.

“Excuse me, you aren’t supposed to be here.”

She paused, before turning to the voice and giving them a dry, annoyed look. The researcher studied her for a moment, startled, before recognition flashed across their face.

“Oh! You’re Dr. Reader! I apologize, Dr. Theodora said you most likely wouldn’t arrive for a few more hours.”

She resisted the urge to pinch the bride of her nose, settling for exhaling sharply.

“Yes, well, after reading SCP-4056’s document I couldn’t help but rush over. You are one of Dr. Theodora’s assistant researchers, correct?”

They nodded, about to reach for their identification card. Dr. Reader held up a hand, a smile on her face.

“That's unnecessary. If you could please give all of your information regarding SCP-4056 to my assistant, Dr. Eden Faul, that would be wonderful. Thank you for your work so far, but you are no longer required. Have a wonderful day.”

Their face scrunched, before reluctantly nodding and leaving to do just that. Thank god. Dr. Reader usually struggled to tolerate most other researchers, only willingly working with a rare few. Eden Faul, her assistant, was a little…enthusiastic, for her tastes. However, she’d never been bothered by some of Dr. Reader’s more extreme methods of research, making her Dr. Reader’s preferred associate to work with. The next few minutes were a flurry of movement, as Dr. Reader adjusted the area to her own preferences. Dr. Theodora seemed to be a mess, the researcher’s notes scattered everywhere.

Dr. Reader gathered and organized all of the notes into what was essential information, and what was less important. She then snagged some paper and a pen, before finally approaching the actual observation area. She sat down at the desk, placing her writing supplies infront of her, before looking through the glass. Immediately, she made direct eye contact with SCP-4056, who was studying her like a particularly interesting insect. As she fearlessly met their gaze with her own studying, they tilted their head to the side. Finally, Dr. Reader ended the staring contest by glancing down and pressing the button for the microphone. Dr. Darkness’Reader seemed to hear the click, interest coating their expression.

“Hello, Dr. Darkness’Reader. My name is Dr. Dark Ness Reader, the new researcher in charge of studying you.”

The interest seemed to increase tenfold, as SCP-4056’s face scrunched. She had no idea why she was able to read the SCP so well. Perhaps because it was simply another version of herself? Before the SCP could respond in any way, she continued.

“Dr. Theodora had her own notes on you, however I would like to create my own as a reference for later. I hope you do not mind me asking a few questions?”

She was already mentally adjusting her usual research methods, when the SCP responded. Despite its voice having a deep rumble to it, their voice sounded uncannily similar to her own.

“I do not mind in the slightest, Dr. Reader.”

There was a dry amusement to the dragon’s voice, despite the intense staring. If this was another version of herself, then they were most certainly creating their own mental file on her. She gave the dragon a polite smile, one that was instantly seen through.

“Oh please. Do not give me empty platitudes. As previously stated, I am a doctor, I know you are itching to interrogate me.”

Her smile turned more genuine, her suspicions being confirmed. If the SCP could see through her usual methods like glass, then she would have to adjust. She was only a few minutes in, and this was already fascinating.

“In that case, let me cut the usual explanations. I am sure you are aware of how this goes?”

“If you are referring to everything I say and do being recorded, then yes, I am aware.”

She nodded, already writing a psychological profile on the SCP. It would be edited as she spoke to SCP-4056, and by the end she would compile her notes into a more proper one.

“Right. Is there anything specific you would like me to note before I begin?”

The dragon seemed to think for a moment, the tip of its massive tail flicking back and forth. A deep rumble came from deep in its chest, not quite a growl. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but she noted it down anyway.
“Hmmm…I am 46 years old, and identify as genderfluid. I would appreciate this being kept in mind, however if my assumptions are correct, you in particular will have no problem doing so.”

The dragon gave her a sharp grin, and she gave an equally sharp one back. She quickly wrote this down, before placing her pen on the paper and pressing her hands together, leaning on them.

“If I may ask what you are at the moment?”

“He/Him will suffice, darling. And you?”

“She/Her works just fine, honey.”

She nodded, studying the dragon for a moment. She must have been staring for too long, as the dragon tilted his head in the other direction, before speaking.

“Are you adjusting your usual research methods to account for the fact that you are me, and I am you?”

“Yes, in fact, I am. I must say, during all of my years at the SCP Foundation, I have never had to interrogate myself. This is truly a fascinating experience.”

“I can only imagine.”

She clears her throat, before picking up her pen once more.

“In any case, let me begin. Is there anything that could pose an immediate threat to your wellbeing? Allergies, unfortunate weaknesses, etcetera?”

SCP-4056 hummed, the sound rumbling from deep within its chest like before. She recognized the sound as a habit of her own, and wrote it down.

“I do not believe so, no. There may be some…Dietary issues, as well as caffeine withdrawals, however those do not pose any risk to my life.”

Her pen paused, and she glanced up at the dragon.

“If you could expand further on the possible dietary issues, I may be able to accommodate them.”

Dr. Darkness’Reader gave her another sharp grin that was all teeth.

“I happen to be a bit of a cannibal in my own universe. Unfortunately, I assume you do not have the means to supply such a diet.”

She tilts her head slightly, processing this new information. She’d always had a nagging curiosity regarding what humans taste like, however she’d never acted upon it. It seems her counterpart was not the same. In response to her lack of a reaction, the dragon rumbled a laugh as her pen scratched paper.

“I assume you are the same, from reaction alone.”

Dr. Reader did not glance up from the paper as she responded, dry amusement coating her voice.

“I am not a cannibal, no. I will admit, I have always been curious, however I was not willing to risk my career just to answer a question. Aside from cannibalism and willingness to kill, are there any mental issues we should be aware of?”

Dr. Darkness’Reader seemed confused by her response, before shaking it off and answering her question.

“I am a diagnosed psychopath and sociopath, as well as having sadistic tendencies. These typically present themselves as lack of empathy and remorse, as well as a malicious curiosity.”

“Ah, it seems like some things never change.”

She hums, adding it to the psychological profile. As she does so, Dr. Darkness’Reader responds.

“Ah, I see. Do you also struggle with social interaction that does not involve manipulation?”

She barks a laugh, pausing her writing so she doesn’t accidentally scribble on the paper. She looks up at the dragon, who seemed to have settled into a comfortable position lying down.

“Socially inept in every universe, I suppose. Did you know, I have a coworker who has asked me out 37 times? She simply refuses to take no for an answer. Not to mention, she always asks whenever I present in a feminine way.”

The SCP huffs a laugh, rolling his eyes.

“I would’ve simply removed them from the planet in a rather bloody manner. I never understood the appeal of romance, or anything of the sort.”

She smiles, nodding. She wrote down the new information gained, which Dr. Darkness’Reader seemed to notice. After a moment, the dragon made a noise of realization.

“Oh, I see! Are you attempting to subtly gain information via feigned casual conversation?”

She startled, looking up at the SCP. Her confusion was quickly replaced by annoyance as she remembered who she was interrogating. She scowls at the dragon, before writing down that the SCP would most likely recognize any subtle interrogation methods for what they were.

“It's a good method darling, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve utilized it far too many times to not recognize it. I would have gone for blunt questioning, personally.”

Her scowl deepened, gaze sharpening into a glare.

“Ah, but my beloved subject, then you would’ve been able to lie. Using the more subtle methods, you wouldn’t recognize them for what they are, and would accidentally give away information.”

Dr. Darkness’Reader hums, shaking his head.

“You make a good point, however you failed to account for the fact that a doctor such as myself would notice such things.”

Annoyance turning to irritation, she took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.

“What sort of doctor are you anyways? Physical doctors wouldn’t be so well versed in manipulation methods.”

“Ah, I suppose I’m a jack of all trades. While I specialize in psychology and pathology, I’m also quite skilled in physical health. It's a useful skill to have in the apocalypse.”

“Apocalypse?”

Dr. Darkness’Reader paused, seemingly noticing her renewed interest. He scowled at her, smoke rising from his nostrils in annoyance.

“Did I not just say such methods of interrogation would not work?”

She smirked, writing down the new information.

“So you claim, despite them actively succeeding.”

An irritated growl rose from the cell, and she sighed. She gathered her notes, standing from her chair and nodding at the SCP.

“As productive as this conversation has been, I am afraid I’m rather busy these days. I will most likely return tomorrow. Have a wonderful day, Mr. Darkness’Reader.”

The dragon’s eyes narrowed in a glare as she purposefully replaced the Dr. with Mr., before he feigned calm.

“Ah, leaving the subject to cool down are you? I suppose that’s fair. Have a great day, Ms. Reader.”

She paused, scowling, before forcing herself to leave the room. She forgot how irritating she could be. She forced her face into a mask of calm, striding down the hallway to her next subject of the day. No need to terrify some newbie by radiating the irritation she was experiencing. Now that she had an idea of what to expect, her next conversation with the SCP would hopefully be far more productive.

Hopefully.