The SCP-035 incident had been contained, but it left Site-19 shaken. A tiny oversight had nearly caused a Keter-level disaster.
So the Site Director ordered a full risk assessment—focusing on units that hadn't shown issues during the earthquake.
(The real dangers are the ones you don't see coming.)
As part of this sweep, MTF Nu-7 was mobilized to assist security.
And Loshu?
He was assigned a "critical mission":
Inspect an Euclid-class containment unit for compliance.
At first, Loshu was suspicious.
(Since when does Jack trust me this much?)
(Normally, he'd slap an explosive collar on me and watch like a hawk.)
Then he saw which SCP he was auditing.
SCP-116.
"The Fragile Boy."
And suddenly, it all made sense.
(Ah. So that's why he doesn't care if I screw up.)
(This thing is barely Safe-class.)
The Mystery of SCP-116
Loshu had always questioned this SCP's existence.
Back in his past life, he'd even downvoted its entry on the Chinese SCP wiki.
(A 9-year-old burn victim with brittle bone disease and a speech impediment?)
(His "anomaly"? He heals fast and talks in word salad that dumbs people down.)
(That's it?)
(Why is this Euclid?)
(Why does it have better containment than 173 or 049?)
The unit was 16m x 16m—larger than some apartments—lined with Kevlar and rubber.
(Kevlar. The stuff they make bulletproof vests from.)
(For a kid who shatters if you breathe on him.)
Eight guards were stationed inside:
4 in the corners.
2 as "personal escorts."
2 monitoring via specific-brand cameras.
(Why? Is he gonna sneak out between bone fractures?)
The guards also had their canine teeth removed, filed flat, and reinserted.
(...What.)
And if SCP-116 "died," they had to perform CPR—which, for a glass-boned child, would pulp his ribs instantly.
(Just get a damn defibrillator!)
Worst of all: Anyone exposed to SCP-116 required bone marrow transplants.
(So his "stupid aura" is radioactive? Then why assign eight people to babysit him?!)
(This makes negative sense.)
The Inspection
Loshu stepped into the unit, bracing for the idiot wave.
(If I start thinking "2+2=fish," I'm out.)
The boy sat in the center, swaddled in padded restraints.
98% burns. Eyes like cracked porcelain.
He mumbled:
"Blue... stairs... Tuesday... teeth..."
(Yep. Word salad.)
Loshu's Encyclopedia activated:
[SCP-116 - "The Fragile Boy"]
[Object Class: Euclid (Disputed)]
[Anomaly: Rapid healing + "Cognitive Dampening" speech.]
[Note: Containment procedures grossly disproportionate to threat level. Possible memetic influence?]
(Memetic influence?)
(Like... someone wants this kid locked up like a nuke?)
One guard approached. "You the inspector?"
Loshu nodded. "Why the Kevlar?"
The guard shrugged. "Protocol."
"Why eight guards?"
"Protocol."
"Why the teeth thing?"
The guard hesitated. "...Protocol?"
(Yeah. Someone's gaslighting the Foundation.)
The Hidden Truth
Loshu crouched beside SCP-116.
"Hey. Why are you really here?"
The boy's shattered voice whispered:
"They... cut... the red wire... not blue..."
(The hell?)
Then—
A shiver down Loshu's spine.
(Wait.)
(If his speech lowers IQ...)
(What if it's not the words, but the pattern?)
(Like a code?)
He grabbed a notepad, scribbling the boy's phrases:
BLUE STAIRS TUESDAY TEETH
RED WIRE NOT BLUE
MOTHER EATS LIGHT
(Anagram? Cipher?)
Then—
The guards stiffened.
"Sir. Step away from the subject."
Loshu ignored them, leaning closer. "Who put you here?"
The boy's lips moved.
"O5... loves... fire..."
A guard yanked Loshu back.
"Inspection over."
(Yeah. Something's very wrong here.)
The Cover-Up
Back at HQ, Loshu reported the unit as "compliant."
(No way I'm touching this O5-level weirdness.)
But in his notes, he left a clue:
[SCP-116's speech may be encrypted data. Recommend linguist review.]
The Director read it, frowned... then deleted the file.
(Of course.)
That night, Loshu dreamed of a burning boy whispering:
"They're listening... don't trust... the teeth..."