SCP-049 was sick. For the first time in its stay at the Foundation, there was something clearly wrong with it. Over the security cameras, it had been observed holding its stomach and moaning, limping around its cell and stopping occasionally to lie down. The medical staff didn’t know what to think. There was nothing noticeably off about the plague doctor except for the strange stomach pains. It didn’t help that there was no way to get access to its body beneath all its skin robes. SCP-049 was taken to the medical station for a proper examination. His caretaker was Doctor Richard Omel, who specialised in the care of humanoid anomalies.
“Please, I beg you doctor, leave me be. I can assure you that I’m strong enough to withstand the pain.” SCP-049 struggled against his restraints as Doctor Omel examined him.
“Man, what happened to you, 049? This is bizarre.” Omel felt a lump in SCP-049’s stomach as he touched the doctor with his gloved hand. Abdominal distension, maybe? SCP-049’s breathing became labored as it spoke.
“I’ll be fine. This has happened to me before, and I promise that it’s no disease.”
“Then you know what’s happening? Why didn’t you tell us?” Doctor Omel stopped touching it.
“I did not think you would believe me, so I said nothing. Doctor… I’m pregnant.”
“You’re what?!”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t explain it. Please, just let me return to my cell. I need to make the proper preparations.”
“How can you be pregnant? We haven’t let you out of our sight in months!” SCP-049 tensed up and began breathing heavily. It looked like it was in intense pain. “049, are you alright?”
“Don’t concern yourself with me. This will only take a minute.” Doctor Omel ran out of the room to retrieve more members of the medical staff. SCP-049 continued to struggle and gasp in pain, until it shuddered and let out a cry. Doctor Omel and the others returned just in time to see a pearly white egg tumble out from beneath its robes. SCP-049 recovered quickly, and spoke.
“Doctor, would you please free me from these shackles? I need to tend to the egg. It will die without my care.” Doctor Omel was so shocked that he complied. SCP-049 gently reached down to pick up the egg, and cradled it in its arms.
“We’ll need to file a report about this immediately,” breathed one of the doctors. “This has never happened before.” SCP-049 slowly rocked the egg back and forth.
The Foundation kindly allowed SCP-049 to keep and raise the egg for research purposes. For the past five days, it had devoted all of its energy to the care of the egg. It had requested fabric and paper, which the Foundation granted to it, and from those materials it made a nest in the corner of its cell. The egg was safely contained within the soft nest, and 049 sat on it to keep it warm. Many scientists reported hearing soft clucking noises from the speakers in the observation room.
Doctor Omel was standing in the observation room, having come to write a report on SCP-049 after the event had taken place. It seemed healthy, and the egg was in fine condition. Still, this was all very strange. SCP-049 certainly had a bird-like appearance, but did that mean it was really a bird? Doctor Omel had to confront 049 when it began to softly peck at the egg.
“049, could you explain to me what exactly you’re trying to do?” Doctor Omel’s voice crackled over the speakers in 049’s cell.
“What needs to be explained? I was checking for signs of life within the egg, which I found.” SCP-049 stood up, returned the egg to its nest, and sat on top of it again.
“Are you a bird?”
“What?”
“I asked if you were a bird. It’s just…. not normal for something humanoid like yourself to lay an egg.”
SCP-049 thought about it for a moment. “No, as far as I’m aware, I have never been a bird. Yet, producing eggs is natural to me.”
“Then how often does this happen to you?”
“It’s difficult to keep track of time, but I believe it has not happened for decades.”
“Oh, I see.” Doctor Omel couldn’t believe that he was actually writing all this in an official report. SCP-049 began humming to itself as it rocked back and forth on the nest.
Ten days after the egg had emerged, SCP-049’s cell was filled with researchers holding cameras and taking notes. A glass shield ran through the middle of the room, keeping them safe in case 049 made a move, and multiple guards were on standby. Today was a big day. Whatever was inside the egg was going to hatch! SCP-049 stood protectively over the nest while the researchers whispered to each other on the other side of the room.
The egg was shaking as a crack in the center grew bigger and bigger. Finally, something began to break through. A white beak broke free of the shell, and then the creature inside tore itself free with its arms. It was… another plague doctor. It was small, and looked kind of funny in comparison to its father. SCP-049 let out a gasp of excitement and picked up the small doctor, hugging it in its arms.
“Should… should we do something about this?” Just as soon as the excitement reached its climax, the doctors in the room realized that they had just witnessed the birth of a new anomaly that they knew nothing about. Why… was it wearing a hat? Why did it smell like a garden? Doctor Omel was the first to step forward cautiously.
“049, would you please put down that… thing? I know you must be excited, but we need to observe it, and-” Doctor Omel began reaching towards 049, but retreated when the small plague doctor in its arms spun around and smacked his hand with a stick.
“Don’t touch the doctor!” The small doctor leaped from SCP-049’s arms and swiftly exited the cell before anyone could react. As the containment breach alarms blared, SCP-049 wiped a joyful tear from one of its eyes.
“He… is the cure.”