All work and no play makes Mikey a silly boi.
The Awesomest Man & Deadcanons
Chloe:
I know 169 is strapped for funding, but bear with me. When I got back to Site-55, there was an envelope full of singing purple confetti on my desk and a bright purple box in my chair. I've attached a scan of the letter I found inside the former.
You're the only ones I trust for a case like this, and I don't have many alternatives. What do you say?
Assigned Site
USMARD-Site-55
Site Director
Dir. E. Alder
Research Head
Dr. D. Carrion
Assigned MTF
N/A
Assigned Site
USMARD-Site-55
Site Director
Dir. E. Alder
Research Head
Dr. D. Carrion
Assigned MTF
N/A
SPECIAL CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES
Notice: The Containment Procedures presented here are considered outdated; however, they have been retained due to uncertainty regarding events concerning SCP-1508's containment status. Containment Procedures will be updated pending completed review.
Due to the effects of its prolonged activation, SCP-1508 must remain deactivated for a minimum of 5 hours per 24-hour period; SCP-1508 is otherwise permitted free roam of Site-169. All personnel are to be made aware of its abilities and proclivities. SCP-1508 may choose to help on-site technicians and janitors with their labor, but has been instructed to ask permission first, and understands that personnel are under no obligation to say yes. When performing a task, SCP-1508 must be overseen by at least one member of the relevant Janitorial and Maintenance personnel; these personnel must allow SCP-1508 to complete its given task to completion, though they are authorized to remove or deactivate SCP-1508 if it attempts to exceed its given task.
SCP-1508 must agree to play at least one game per activation, either in the recreational room or the Playground, for enrichment purposes. Interaction between SCP-1508 and other anomalies present at Site-169 must be approved by SCP-1508's designated Research Head.
DESCRIPTION
SCP-1508 is a humanoid automaton composed of cardboard, aluminum foil, and assorted plastics, 57 centimeters in height and 24 grams in mass. Despite not incorporating any mechanical components into its design, SCP-1508 operates in a manner analogous to a toy robot, activated by a switch on the rear of its head. Tampographed text is present on the rear face of SCP-1508’s torso reading “Dr. Wondertainment ©2003”.
When activated, SCP-1508 will seek out the nearest human individual and request that the subject specify a task for it to complete. SCP-1508 is sentient and displays a preference for individuals of younger ages when presented with the choice, though SCP-1508 does not interact solely with such subjects. Tasks given to SCP-1508 must be those of a menial nature, such as filling out paperwork, sanitizing kitchenware, or performing maintenance on machinery. SCP-1508 invariably displays an aptitude for its given task, even if it possesses no obvious prior knowledge of the task's specific details. One observed example is the repair of an automobile: SCP-1508 fully repaired the machine despite no mechanical fault(s) being specified, and SCP-1508 being unfamiliar with the make and model of the automobile.
Depending on the task it is given, SCP-1508 will manifest modifications to its body that allow it to complete the task in as efficient and timely a manner as possible; despite this, SCP-1508's size and composition complicate this process significantly, as it can take up to several days or more for SCP-1508 to complete tasks. SCP-1508 can continue performing a task indefinitely, though depending on the intensity of the task given and the amount of time it has spent performing the task, SCP-1508 may begin displaying symptoms reminiscent of exhaustion and strain injuries in humans, such as sluggish movements, frequently pausing a task before resuming several seconds or minutes later, or parts of its body seizing and being unable to move for a variable length of time.
Upon completing the given task, SCP-1508 will request the subject specify a further task for it to complete. If it is not given such a task or there are no longer humans present in its immediate vicinity, SCP-1508 will deactivate. SCP-1508 can be made to prematurely end a task if it is removed from the area or manually deactivated; SCP-1508 is unwilling to deactivate itself during a task. SCP-1508 can be ordered to end a task, though doing so has resulted in varying, largely negative reactions from SCP-1508.
INTAKE INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW LOG
INTERVIEWER: Rsr. Chloe Boyd
SUBJECT: SCP-1508
SUPERVISING: Rsr. Thaddeus A. Maughn III
[BEGIN LOG]
(Rsr. Boyd is given approval to activate SCP-1508.)
RSR. BOYD: Hi there, SCP-1508! My name is Chloe. Can we talk a little? Can I call you "SCP-1508," or do you have a name you prefer?
SCP-1508: YOU CAN CALL YOUR CHORE BUDDY WHATEVER YOU LIKE, CHLOE.
RSR. BOYD: Really? Hmm… How about I call you "Mikey"? You look like a "Mikey."
SCP-1508: (enthusiastically) MIKE…Y!
RSR. BOYD: So, how about—
SCP-1508: WHAT CAN WE DO TODAY, CHLOE? HOMEWORK? DISHES? MIKEY SAW A MAN IN RUBBER GLOVES WORKING WITH WIRES EARLIER; MAYBE WE CAN HELP HIM?
RSR. BOYD: Actually, I just want to talk today, Mikey. Can I ask where you're from? I have a good guess, but I'd like to know for sure.
SCP-1508: THE CHORE BUDDY 8000 IS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OF DR. WONDERTAINMENT.
RSR. BOYD: Dr. Wondertainment? That's so cool! My daughter is a big fan, I'm sure she'd love you!
SCP-1508: WHAT IS HER NAME? WHAT ARE HER CHORES? DOES SHE DO HOMEWORK?
RSR. BOYD: She's in eighth grade, so yes, she still has homework! On that note, do you have a favorite kind of work, Mikey? What makes you feel happy?
SCP-1508: MIKEY SEES CLEANERS OUTSIDE THE WINDOW. MIKEY LIKES CLEANING. CAN MIKEY CLEAN?
RSR. BOYD: You like to clean things with others, don't you?
SCP-1508: THAT IS THE CHORE BUDDY'S FUNCTION. MIKEY LIKES CLEANING. MIKEY WANTS TO CLEAN.
RSR. BOYD: I'd need to go through my bosses, but I think I can arrange that. We can get you started in a few days.
SCP-1508: THAT SOUNDS GOOD, CHLOE.
[END LOG]
INTERVIEWER NOTE: SCP-1508, or Mikey as I've decided to nickname them, seems very excited at the thought of helping janitorial staff with their duties. I think putting Mikey to work with them will give me the best results in the SCP-1508 project.
COUNSELING & TESTING
To simultaneously ensure a comfortable environment for SCP-1508 at Site-169 and facilitate testing to determine the scope of its properties, Counseling and Testing sessions were conducted jointly. For one-week periods, SCP-1508 was allowed to interact with janitorial and maintenance personnel while under observation. SCP-1508 was given follow-up counseling sessions with Rsr. Boyd at the end of each week-long period.
| Week 1 |
|---|
| DATE: APR/03/2006 | ASSIGNMENT: Homework |
|
Rsr. Boyd presented SCP-1508 with a copy of their daughter's 8th-grade arithmetic workbook and instructed it to complete the workbook in as much time as it needed to do so. Results showed no deviation from the established curriculum of the school district Rsr. Boyd's daughter attended; this is despite SCP-1508 possessing no knowledge of the district or the arithmetic methods taught there. |
|
| Week 2 |
|---|
| DATE: APR/10/2006 | ASSIGNMENT: Sweeping floors |
|
Janitorial staff were scheduled to sweep the ground-floor units of Site-169. SCP-1508 was allowed to assist in cleaning the facilities and was given a broom to do so. SCP-1508 extended its arms to sweep larger portions of the rooms, much to the amusement of observing staff. Upon completing the ground-floor buildings, SCP-1508 began sweeping the exterior courtyard and sidewalks. SCP-1508 did not request permission to do so from personnel present and did not adhere to the established procedure for cleaning these areas. SCP-1508 was given light correction and agreed to relinquish the broom without further incident. |
|
| Week 3 |
|---|
| DATE: APR/17/2006 | ASSIGNMENT: Lawn mowing |
|
SCP-1508 was instructed to mow Site-169's central courtyard utilizing a commercially available lawnmower. SCP-1508 extended its legs to stand at an average human height and formed the ends of its arms into rubberized grips with which to grasp the lawnmower's handle. SCP-1508 spent approximately 2 hours mowing the courtyard, though it did not deactivate itself afterward despite being informed that the test was over. SCP-1508 spent a further 2 hours performing garden care on the various flora present throughout the courtyard, forming its arms into tools as appropriate, including hedge shears, a trowel, and an apparatus reminiscent of a weed whacker, among others. SCP-1508 was ultimately commanded to stop by researchers present after it began displaying difficulty in moving its legs, which had remained extended for the majority of the test. |
|
| Week 4 |
|---|
| DATE: APR/24/2006 | ASSIGNMENT: Painting |
|
Janitorial staff were scheduled to paint the siding of the covered seating area in the Playground. In an impromptu test, SCP-1508 approached personnel present and offered to help. SCP-1508 demonstrated difficulty holding a paintbrush directly over its head and repeatedly lost balance. After expressing frustration, SCP-1508 attempted to extend its arms to the top of the fence before again losing balance and falling backward. The paintbrush landed on the center of the entity's chest, leaving a stain. SCP-1508 expressed distress, and the test was aborted early. |
|
FINAL TEST
INTERVIEW LOG
INTERVIEWER: Rsr. Chloe Boyd
SUBJECT: SCP-1508
SUPERVISING: Rsr. Thaddeus A. Maughn III
[BEGIN LOG]
(Rsr. Boyd activates SCP-1508.)
SCP-1508: HELLO, CHLOE.
RSR. BOYD: Hi, Mikey! I think you're going to like what I have today!
SCP-1508: WHAT DOES MIKEY HAVE TO DO?
RSR. BOYD: Well….
(Rsr. Boyd produces a canvas from her bag and places it on an easel in front of SCP-1508. Rsr. Boyd places additional painting materials on the easel as she speaks.)
RSR. BOYD: I want you to paint, Mikey. Whatever you want, and for as long as you want.
SCP-1508: OKAY! WHAT SHOULD MIKEY PAINT FOR CHLOE?
RSR. BOYD: (patiently) I want you to decide.
(Several seconds of silence.)
RSR. BOYD: Is that okay, Mikey?
SCP-1508: IS THIS BECAUSE MIKEY COULDN'T PAINT WITH THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE?
RSR. BOYD: No! Oh my gosh. No, Mikey, I'm sorry. Well, it's true that I thought you'd like this better. See, the brushes are a lot smaller, and so is the canvas. I… I thought it would be fun.
SCP-1508: BUT IF MIKEY CAN'T PAINT LIKE OUTSIDE, THEN MIKEY CAN'T COMPLETE CHORES RIGHT.
RSR. BOYD: This isn't supposed to be a chore.
SCP-1508: BUT YOU ASKED MIKEY, SO—
RSR. BOYD: Mikey! This isn't about me!
(Several seconds of silence.)
RSR. BOYD: …It's never supposed to be about me. Wondertainment made you to help kids, right? Well, I'm here to help you. I'm asking you to try something different today. I know that can be scary and confusing, but those feelings don't have to control you. Nothing controls you. Just pick up the brush and paint. You can paint the whole thing one color if you want, like it's the covering in the Playground. But whatever you do, I want it to be your decision. (pause) Can you try that for me?
(Another silence as SCP-1508 looks between Rsr. Boyd and the waiting canvas.)
SCP-1508: CAN MIKEY TRY PAINTING ALONE?
RSR. BOYD: Sure. We'll be right on the other side of that door if you need us, okay?
(Rsr. Boyd and Supervisor exit through the indicated door.)
(Approx. three hours elapse.)
(SCP-1508 notifies Rsr. Boyd that it is done painting.)
(Rsr. Boyd and Supervisor reenter the room, and the former examines the painting. It depicts SCP-1508 and Rsr. Boyd walking through a park together, while gardeners are seen tending to flora in the background.)
RSR. BOYD: Oh, Mikey, this is adorable!
SCP-1508: MIKEY LIKES TO BE HAPPY. MIKEY LIKES WHEN CHLOE IS HAPPY. MIKEY THINKS… I… THINK… I LIKE IT WHEN I AM HAPPY.
RSR. BOYD: I like those things too, Mikey. I'm proud of you. You've come a long way.
SCP-1508: YES.
(Silence for several seconds)
SCP-1508: CAN… I… BE DONE? I… AM TIRED.
[END LOG]
CONTAINMENT UPDATE
On MAY/08/2006, while retrieving SCP-1508 to begin another testing session, Researchers noted that SCP-1508 could no longer be activated, as its switch no longer responded to input. Further analysis confirmed that SCP-1508 was no longer functional, and the anomaly was declared NEUTRALIZED.
On MAY/10/2006, during transport to Site-77 to enter long-term storage, SCP-1508 spontaneously vanished from the transport vehicle. It is unknown how this happened; none of the redundant breach alert systems aboard the vehicle triggered during the journey, and the vehicle was secured according to standard Foundation protocol. A note, written in SCP-1508's handwriting, was discovered in its place. A transcription is presented below, though it has been sealed under Level 3 security credentials at the request of Rsr. Boyd.
Despite the aforementioned analysis, SCP-1508 has been reclassified UNCONTAINED as of JUL/18/2006.
