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This article is a rewrite of a previous version of SCP-2214 which was originally written by TimmyTim. I would like to thank the Rewrite team and TimmyTim for letting me go through with this rewrite.
I would also like to thank various reviewers: sirpudding (for an earlier version of it that is utterly different from this), Quin/Qlass, GallantBlade, DrRocks and TL333s.
As to what is going on here…
SCP-2247 is essentially a vial of "truth serum" that got his wish to be useful come true, in the form of becoming a real human and able to seek the truth from humans.
It spent some time in Argentina and working with the junta, before it was "liberated" by the Serpent's Hand. However, in its time "liberated", it felt bored over its time in the Library and heard of the Foundation as "Jailors". Supposing that the Foundation as "jailors" would like its services, it left the Library to seek the Foundation.
This strikes me as weird for the sake of weird, with the only thing existing beyond that being the fact that's yet another thing that seems designed to fuck with the Foundation. There's numerous problems with both of those things.
As to the explanation, it seems extremely random. Also, "truth serum" doesn't work like that.
You could put the spoilers in a collapsible, y'know. Just saying.
This strikes me as weird for the sake of weird, with the only thing existing beyond that
Not going to lie, but this version is intended for weird for weirdness sakes.
being the fact that's yet another thing that seems designed to fuck with the Foundation.
This is where I disagree. The original version was more true to the "fuck with the Foundation" part, with researchers going nuts over the SCP. Here, it is much toned down and the Foundation find ways to circumnavigate this problem. At the most, with D-class as interviewers, it's not going to do much damage to the Foundation at large.
As to the explanation, it seems extremely random. Also, "truth serum" doesn't work like that.
And it does not. That's the improvement the SCP made, to do what people believe it could do but it can't in reality.
An analogy would be a human making a wish to be able to fly, and gains the means and physiology to achieve flight.
This is where I disagree. The original version was more true to the "fuck with the Foundation" part, with researchers going nuts over the SCP. Here, it is much toned down and the Foundation find ways to circumnavigate this problem. At the most, with D-class as interviewers, it's not going to do much damage to the Foundation at large.
That's not my problem. My problem is whenever someone writes something like this (and there's quite a few), where the skip displays awareness of the Foundation and is all like "plz contain me lol", I can't help but wonder how the world as we know it still exists. Since the Foundation is so bad at its job of protecting consensus reality that such things are possible. It's immersion-breaking.
That's the improvement the SCP made, to do what people believe it could do but it can't in reality.
I have no idea how that's an improvement. There might be a point to that, if it were somehow some sort of commentary on popular misconceptions (though that in itself would be kind of tired), but this is too disjointed and random to be doing anything with that. Honestly, that defense sounds a lot like the "well it's supposed to not make any sense" line that gets trotted out frequently in response to being called out on things that don't make a whole lot of sense in an article.
is all like "plz contain me lol",
I am sorry, but that is not the case here. The article itself may state that "SCP-2247 surrendered" itself, but that is but a summary report of what went down. It does not mean that the SCP begged the Foundation to be contained.
To the SCP's POV, it sees the Foundation as a new employer that may want its services (and bored of not doing its thing for too long) and hence its behaviour in the first interview (assuming it is a chance to showoff its skill set in an odd version of a job interview).
Admittedly, the "know the Foundation" portion was the few bits I carried over from the original version. While it is indeed cliche and I have called out and downvoted on other successful articles about this, in this case, I reasoned it as "it knew the Foundation from its mention as jailors by SH".
well it's supposed to not make any sense
It is clear that it is a matter of perspective, as is most things in Life. It is plausible to debate on that topic, but that would be a separate matter altogether.
It does not mean that the SCP begged the Foundation to be contained.
I'm honestly not sure how else I'm supposed to interpret "SCP-2247 was recovered outside the Biblioteca Nacional in Buenos Aires on ██/██/1985, where it was sighted enquiring civilians for whereabouts to "SCP jails"."
While it is indeed cliche and I have called out and downvoted on other successful articles about this, in this case, I reasoned it as "it knew the Foundation from its mention as jailors by SH".
You'll understand then why I continue to have this issue. As a reader, I'm not really buying the justification.
it was sighted enquiring civilians for whereabouts to "SCP jails"
To break down the words, enquire/inquire is to seek information by questioning. So it is seeking information about "SCP jails", not necessarily wanting to be in those jails. And there is no evidence suggesting that it wanted to be in containment, only that it asked for Foundation bases and went along with some people claiming to be from that group.
Perhaps it is the word "jail" that stands out, if we consider the connotations behind it. On one hand, that is how SH calls the Foundation. On the other, "jail" brings about the idea of imprisonment and one would usually look for a jail for a few reasons — break-in, visits, or turn oneself in.
Yes, I know what "inquire" means. It asked about a place that it characterizes as a "jail" and then willingly went there. Why you're going to the lengths you are to parse this out is completely beyond me at this point.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter. The issue I stated above is that this is yet another thing that just shows up one day and knows about the Foundation. "Well yeah that's because the Serpent's Hand told it about the Foundation for some inexplicable reason" is an explanation, but it doesn't really address that problem.
It asked about a place that it characterizes as a "jail" and then willingly went there.
I see your concern, which is why I have opted to change the phrasing.
the Serpent's Hand told it about the Foundation for some inexplicable reason
While other GoIs may have security clearances and hierarchy that hinder total access to information, SH does not run like a hierarchal organisation and is more akin with a group of like-minded people. Secrecy and hiding the truth is unlike to be SH's style. Instead, it would be more of colouring the truth to their POV — including imposing that Jailors are not a good thing.
Novote. This could be a lot more cohesive - you have the Library, Spanish military secrets, wishes from fairies, all strung together. Perhaps focusing on an individual element and taking it further would benefit this. As it is, it's cute but it's not as great as it could be.
Well, I've got no clue what turquiose hair has to do with Pinocchio, but I actually remember this one way back when! What you've done with it is definitely a lot better than what it was previously, and I'm really enjoying how it all turns out.
Also, yes, I see what Pinocchio has to do with this SCP.
The fairy that brought Pinocchio to life is generally called The Blue Fairy. Turquoise is a shade of blue.
Edit: I didn't realize it was even more explicit in the original story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fairy_with_Turquoise_Hair
Giving bearhugs to the unsuspecting since 1872.
Eh, as far as humanoid skips go, this one didn't really grab me. The effects are kind of neat, but the interviews just kill it for me with the narmy dialogue.
-1.
but the interviews just kill it for me with the narmy dialogue.
Ah, this obligates me to ask which lines you feel are narmy?
To be blunt, its most of the interviews. I'll include some examples below:
Agent de Souza: Pedro de Souza. Agent of Mobile Task Force Alpha-7. [pauses] Wait, you should be telling me your name.
This makes the agent come across as dopey. You'd think with the vast experience with reality benders and other such individuals, that the Foundation has, once the compulsion took place the first time the Agent would have made a line straight to the door so that no other classified info needs to be revealed.
Agent de Souza: I'm supposed to be interrogating you instead, but you decided to make a mockery out of this process.
Reading this transcript its this agent who is making the bigger mockery at this point.
Agent de Souza: You will be helping us by staying here and letting us do research on you without hindering us!
This isn't so much on the nose as it is a punch to the face. I realize that this is exactly what the Foundations does in a nut shell, but you'd think the Agent would avoid being so blunt, especially when the anomaly has already displayed its interest in cooperating with the Foundation.
It really just goes on and on from there. I realize that there is a compulsion effect in play here, but you'd think the Agent would be more responsible than they are here. If the interview was more of a cat and mouse game in which the Agent was attempting to prevent completely putting all his cards on the table, that would be interesting. As it is, however, this dialogue just comes across as narmy.
This makes the agent come across as dopey. You'd think with the vast experience with reality benders and other such individuals, that the Foundation has, once the compulsion took place the first time the Agent would have made a line straight to the door so that no other classified info needs to be revealed.
A logical line of thought. I can see 2 possible trajectories.
