Then throughout the day, mankind played with grenades.
An SCP-9696-1 instance pursuing Agent Glendale, 1927.
Item #: SCP-9696
Object Class: Thaumiel
Special Containment Procedures: Knowledge of SCP-9696’s existence must not be disseminated to personnel below Level 6 clearance. A file summarizing the stage one effects of SCP-9696-1 is to be inserted in this slot for lower clearance levels. Should an unauthorized member of personnel access this file, they are to be detained and interrogated at Site-01, and amnesticized of their experience accessing the SCP-9696 file.
Any instances of SCP-9696-1 that are captured by video surveillance systems within Foundation sites are to be filtered by AIC algorithms, and O5-8 is to be directly notified of these newly manifested instances. Subjects affected by SCP-9696-1 are to be monitored for any irregular developments of the anomaly, but are otherwise not to be contained or informed of the anomaly affecting them.
O5-8 is declared the main supervisor of the SCP-9696 project.
Description: SCP-9696 is the merging of the SCP Foundation with the concepts of normalcy and the status quo within the noosphere.1
Through this conceptual merging, the concept of normalcy within the Foundation is preserved, preventing any major, noticeable deviations2 from occurring in personnel who are not within the bounds of normalcy as defined by the consensus of the O5 Council. This effect creates an implicit amplification of personal fulfillment with their work at the Foundation, a stronger connection to the collective ideals of the Foundation and society within personnel as opposed to self-identity, and a drive toward the fulfillment of the core mission of the Foundation, that being the preservation of normalcy.
Personnel who are majorly affected by SCP-9696 are of minority status, existing outside of the normalcy sphere in the collective human consciousness. SCP-9696 pulls these individuals into being a part of this sphere, amplifying their preexisting aspirations for working with the Foundation and their preexisting rejection of traits that would otherwise not fit the concept of normalcy. This takes form via the adoption of normative ideals onto non-normative cultures and identities, for example the adoption of monogamy and matrimony on sexually deviant identities and relationships. It is believed that this makes the SCP Foundation the sole arbiter of the concept of normalcy, as defined by the O5 Council.
SCP-9696-1 is an unintended secondary effect of SCP-9696. SCP-9696-1 is the concept of drowning manifested in material reality. SCP-9696-1 targets a rare number of individuals affected by SCP-9696, physically manifesting in the form of unnatural flooding conditions, imperceptible to the eye and only affecting the specific target of the anomaly.
SCP-9696-1 has three stages:
Stage One: Subjects report feeling tightness in their chests, and symptoms similar to anxiety. On rare occasions, some of their clothes appear to be wet from an unknown source. The majority of subjects fall under this stage.
Stage Two: Symptoms of anxiety gradually increase, leading to feelings of dread of the future and catastrophizing. Subjects cough for intermittent periods, and in some cases display difficulty breathing and chest pain.
Stage Three: Subjects are fully incapacitated. Water is present in their lungs, and they are unable to be resuscitated regardless of any method used. Subjects remain alive, however, and occasionally convulse and choke from the effects of SCP-9696-1. Only a few individuals have been recorded suffering from stage three effects.
SCP-9696-1 is perceivable via video and photographic imaging, as flooding conditions within the area that the targeted subject occupies. The water level can rise or lower depending on the severity of the effects of SCP-9696-1 for each subject affected. Subjects affected by the anomaly are not entirely within the sphere of SCP-9696,3 and the only treatment found to suppress its effects is to further push them into the sphere.4 This can be done via mundane means such as organizational inclusivity initiatives and other incentives, primarily to assist them in refraining from acts against the ideals of SCP-9696.
Discovery: SCP-9696-1 was discovered on 1925/01/06, when Junior Researcher Charles Gomez became the first recorded stage three subject of the anomaly. Soon after, more affected subjects were documented and observed, with initial investigation resulting in no concrete findings, due to a lack of information and knowledge of conceptual anomalies.
SCP-9696 was officially documented on 2000/03/03, after an advancement of understanding of the noosphere and travel/manipulation of noospheric space had led to a greater demand for the Foundation to further tighten its grip on the Veil. The conceptual merging was developed by a clandestine team of researchers and engineers formed by order of the O5 Council to develop a symbiotic relationship between the concepts of the SCP Foundation and normalcy. After the project concluded, it was discovered that SCP-9696-1 had been created retroactively by the installation of SCP-9696. This was found after analyzing the area where SCP-9696 was created, revealing that the two anomalies possessed the same noospheric signature, and that by creating SCP-9696 both anomalies were entwined with the Foundation since its inception. The retroactive installation of SCP-9696 was expected; the installation of 9696-1 was not anticipated.
Addendum 9696.1: Examples of Affected Subjects of SCP-9696-1
The following is a list of affected SCP-9696-1 subjects, and actions taken to lessen the severity of the effects of the anomaly for each subject.
| Subject | Description | Actions Taken |
|---|---|---|
| Evelyn Denver | Junior researcher at Site-19, stage one subject. Reclusive, and interacts with her peers sporadically. Claims to not have depressive symptoms during therapy sessions, however it has been noted that she always has taken a day off during the 14th of February each year. Through examining civilian files, the subject has a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend Ed Brubeck. In interviews Brubeck claims that Denver had left him due to “not really giving me any affection at all” and “being an absolute bitch.” | Well, it was clear to me that this attitude was due to a traumatic event of some sort, likely the reason for the restraining order. Trauma can do many things to the human brain. Even if that isn’t the reason, I could make it appear that way. So I switched her therapist to one who specializes in difficulties with intimacy and emotional distress, and it seems to have worked so far. She is going out more, and her symptoms are dropping dramatically. I’ll still keep an eye on her, I don’t think it’s over for her quite yet. -O5-8 |
| Michelle Adams | Technician at Site-15, stage two subject. Takes 5 mg of oral estradiol per day as documented in medical records. Has been criticized for being too “aggressive,” “loud,” “childish” and “hysterical” by peers. She has filed multiple claims of unacceptable behavior from fellow technicians in the past. These claims include alleged spreading of false rumors of her being abusive towards others, alleged threats to keep her quiet about misconduct, and alleged social ostracism and being barred from conferences and other events. | This one raised some interesting questions. How does one make someone like Michelle be accepted with the very obvious fact that she defies just about every social norm that we embrace as a society? Well, the answer is quite simple. When you cross the gender binary, you’re merely moving from one box to the other. So I did my best for her to fit in that box, so she’ll settle in with those expectations. It’s been a bit of a struggle, considering how adamant she is on keeping the attributes that make her a pariah among her peers, which also quite frankly makes her difficult to work with. But all will be solved in time. -O5-8 |
| Alyx Kelley | Zoologist employed at Site-58, stage one subject. According to medical records, they were found to have ambiguous genitalia at birth, but later were assigned as female. After birth, their genitalia was surgically modified to resemble female organs. Presents themselves as androgynous, expressing themselves with combined feminine and masculine traits. Has stated in therapy sessions that they feel like they “don’t belong here, no matter how hard I try.” | It was a bit difficult to find the angle of approach here, but eventually it became obvious to me. They already present themselves the way that we think when we hear the word ‘non-binary,’ don’t they? As for their other concerns about themselves, that’s covered by their therapy, which I made sure to be as accessible to them as much as I reasonably could. -O5-8 |
| Sasha O’Neil | Containment specialist from Site-42, stage two subject. Is in a romantic relationship with researcher Roxanne Saunders, according to HR records. Keeps her hair short and has consistently been seen wearing suits and formal attire. Had once requested a change in personal identification, but later backtracked. Interviews with Saunders reveal that O’Neil was convinced by Saunders that her masculine presentation was merely the result of the way she views herself as a lesbian. | These just get more and more perplexing, huh? Well, I don’t have much to say about this one in particular. I remember that one recent movement a few years ago that pushed the idea that women can be strong, they can be confident, they don’t have to necessarily be feminine to be a woman. As normalcy is redefined, we must always remember to protect that consensus no matter which form it takes, and purge that which doesn’t follow it. -O5-8 |
| Cameron Pritchett | Senior researcher at Site-17, stage one subject. Confirmed to be married to Mitchell Pritchett, another researcher stationed at the same site. Was promoted after a push for diversity and inclusivity incentives in 2013, with an added bonus to his salary. Participated in many organizational initiatives to further prioritize inclusion of LGBT staffers. It has been noted that Pritchett had strongly opposed the inclusion of gender-neutral bathrooms, and called for an indication of a person’s assigned sex in their personnel IDs along with their preferred identity. | This one speaks for itself. Cameron desires to feel included, which makes my job much easier. After all, regardless of who you are, we are all united in our mission to protect normalcy. He worked hard to prove that he deserves to be recognized as much as we all do, so I gave him what he wanted. As for the other bits, some may oppose such things, but it’s a common culture there at that site, and it’s not exactly in my purview to challenge that. -O5-8 |
| John Blake | Stage three subject. Was the former security chief at Site-35, before he succumbed to the effects of SCP-9696-1. Not much information is known about him, as he had kept most of his personal information private, never sending any documentation to the relevant HR representative, except for documents that are necessary for eligibility of employment. Father to Emily Blake, a security officer stationed at Site-35. Currently in storage at an undisclosed location. | It’s a shame, what happened to him. He was very competent and did the most he could to protect those under his watch. It’s also a shame that his daughter will never know what truly happened to him, but that’s just how things are in this line of work. I could’ve helped him, had the reason for how 9696-1 was affecting him be revealed to me, but that was his decision to make. A shame, really. -O5-8 |
Addendum 9696.2: O5 Meeting 9696/727272
The following is the transcription of the 2015/04/15 meeting between O5-8 and O5-1 regarding the state of SCP-9696 and its continued existence.
<Begin Log>
O5-8 enters the meeting room, and sits in his chair, crossing his arms. O5-1 can be seen across from him, looking at the SCP-9696 file.
O5-8: You know what I’m getting sick of? Those goddamn ‘wet floor’ signs that keep showing up in the hallway when I try to walk in here. It’s getting ridiculous at this point.
O5-1 ignores him.
O5-1: Good afternoon, Eight.
O5-8: Afternoon.
O5-8 sighs.
O5-8: This is even more ridiculous. It’s been what, the third meeting in three months?
O5-1: Yes. Is there a problem?
O5-8: Why yes, there is. You’re being paranoid again.
O5-1: I’m having reasonable concerns.
O5-8: 9696 is working perfectly. Our grip on normalcy is stronger than ever. The morale of our personnel is even higher. Everyone is happy! Is that concerning to you?
O5-1: You know precisely what my concerns are.
O5-8: Go on, then. Enlighten me.
O5-1 pushes the file closer to O5-8, and taps on a picture of SCP-9696-1.
O5-8: Oh, that? That’s nothing.
O5-1: That’s nothing? There’s permanent suffering from this, and that’s nothing?
O5-8: …This matters to you now?
O5-1: These aren’t anomalies, Eight. These aren’t numbers on a graph.
O5-8: I don’t see why that’s relevant.
O5-1: This is not a sacrifice worth having.
O5-8: We’ve sacrificed worse. We have to sacrifice what’s necessary for the greater good. That’s what we are.
O5-1: But this isn’t calculated for a noble cause. All of this can be entirely avoided.
O5-8: I never get why you’re so worked up over this. It’s not like the total number of stage threes is in the thousands, or the hundreds, or even the dozens.
O5-1 stifles a cough.
O5-1: Look, Eight. Are we able to get rid of it?
O5-8: The merging?
O5-1: The floods.
O5-8: We can’t. I had the brightest minds working day after day so that we could manipulate the noosphere to excise it, and it wouldn’t budge. Nothing I could do.
O5-1: Then what’s the point of all this? How is any of this necessary for our mission?
O5-8: How is it necessary— Are you hearing yourself? We are bound to the concept of normalcy, and that means we get to decide how that’s defined for everyone else. This is what we all wanted, isn’t it?
O5-1: Yes. But that’s not what concerns me.
O5-8: 9696 is too significant of an asset for us. Why should we disable ourselves entirely to help a few precious personnel?
O5-1: Because the cons outweigh the pros by a landslide. You don’t even know how many risks there are with this thing. It might not even be helping us in the long run, and we’d never know.
O5-8 scowls.
O5-8: And how might that be the case, exactly? Our personnel are happier and more productive when they’re collaborating with each other to fulfill our prime directive. It’s not like we’re changing personality traits and turning them all into a bunch of drones. It takes what’s already there, and amplifies it. They want to be here, they want to feel like they’re part of something bigger than them, that they’re doing what’s best for the world. I see this as a boon for not only our mission but for our personnel who help make it happen.
O5-1: Fritz always told me that we should be standing shoulder to shoulder, holding our shields up to defend the human race from what lies beyond what we can comprehend. Not this.
O5-8: But we are, aren’t we? We’re defending ourselves from any threats to our natural order, and in turn, we defend humanity from those same threats.
O5-1: That’s not the same thing, and you know it.
O5-8: Tell me why, then. If your way is so much better, then go on and tell me.
O5-1 looks down at the file, and stares at it in silence for a few moments, before looking back up at O5-8.
O5-1: I can’t say that we shouldn’t have advanced to where we are now, but back when we started this thing all we had to do was lock them up and that was that. It made no difference who they were and where they were from, they defied the natural laws that govern our reality. They had to be taken in.
O5-1: But now we have nonexistent departments and ones which I wish we didn’t have. We can put our grubby fingers into the human mindscape like that.
O5-1 snaps his fingers in emphasis.
O5-1: And as we keep growing, so does the threat that we contain.
O5-8: I see your point.
O5-1: There has to be a better way than this, Eight. I can’t keep dealing with this. I can’t keep seeing us having to constantly one up ourselves to keep our grip from slipping. It’s all slipping from my fingers like sand.
O5-8: Then let me handle it.
O5-1: How can I trust you to not step out of line?
O5-8: You trusted me with all of this. Without me, the gears of our working machine would not be turning as smoothly as they are now. Believe me, I can handle it.
O5-1: Can you say that to the personnel who are drowning as we speak?
O5-8 shrugs.
O5-8: They knew the risks. They chose this path, so they did this to themselves.
There is silence. O5-8 picks up the file and examines it.
O5-1: Say that again?
O5-8: Well, it’s simple. Those outside the collective are pulled in because that’s what they desire, and those who resist drown. Again, it’s merely an amplification of what’s already there.
O5-1: But it can’t—
O5-8: This is how it’s always been. Who wouldn’t want to belong to a community that’ll make them feel safe, that’ll accept them with open arms? This is what all our personnel are striving for. No one ever wants to be an outsider.
O5-8: And those who drown, well they shouldn’t have brought it on themselves. They knew the risks when they made their decision to join us. In fact, we may now have our greatest loyalty detection method yet.
O5-1: We already have a panopticon. That’s all we need.
O5-8: I see nothing that could be a better option to what we have.
O5-1: There has to be another way.
O5-8: There isn’t. Let me tell you something. You want to go back to the days when we had white picket fences and happy families and communities that accepted each other, right? None of this chicanery. What do you think I’ve been doing this whole time?
O5-1: Well, I—
O5-8: Mankind must not go back to hiding in fear. That’s what Fritz said, correct? We can’t hide in fear from what we don’t understand. We have to live in a sane and normal world.
O5-1: Yes. That’s what he said at our first meeting.
O5-8: People are afraid out there. They’re afraid of dangerous people who aren’t what they expect. People like Michelle, one of my cases, they endanger what we’re supposed to protect. It’s not only the anomalies anymore.
O5-1: That’s not in our purview.
O5-8: I know it isn’t. But I’ve been doing my best to prevent this from affecting us. If we can’t be bothered to protect normalcy from within our ranks, then what are we even doing?
O5-8: They need us, Aaron. They need me to help them. They want to be seen, they want to be accepted. That’s how I save them from drowning, one small step after another so that we can be a big happy family. Or at least something to that effect.
O5-1: This isn’t what my world was like.
O5-8: We have to take the world as it is, not as you’d like it to be. I think it’s about time you get with the program.
O5-1 stares at the man across from him in silence.
O5-1: I only wanted peace. I only wanted people to feel safe. Safe from the anomalies. Safe from what they’re afraid of.
O5-8: They’ll be safe. They won’t have to worry about anything anymore. Because we are the Ark to spare them all from the floods. We’ll be their guiding hand to lead them as we always have.
O5-1: This cannot continue. There’s too many risks.
O5-8: Guess we’re at another stalemate, then.
O5-8 pauses.
O5-8: But between you and me, this isn’t our decision to make.
O5-1: What do you mean?
O5-8: You’re the leader, but that doesn’t mean you make the decisions. 9696 encompasses the entire scope of our organization, we can’t simply solve your concerns with a back-and-forth like this.
O5-1: You want a vote.
O5-8: Yes. With everyone else. It can either go my way and everything can continue as expected, or we can do your way and tear it all apart from the ground up.
O5-1: These meetings are only between us for a reason. You know how heated they can get. There’s no telling what would happen if I brought this to the table.
O5-8: And I’m guessing our continued standstill is preferable to you?
O5-1: Well, no, but—
O5-8: Then we need a vote. A decision will eventually be reached, and then we can finally move on to more important things.
O5-1 considers what has been spoken.
O5-1: Fine. We’ll have a vote.
O5-8 grins.
O5-8: Knew I’d get somewhere with you eventually, you ol’ coffin-dodger.
O5-8 stands up and pushes in his chair.
O5-8: Regardless of what decision is reached, I have faith that we will persist, and our world will continue to thrive on one condition: everything being as it should be.
O5-8 exits the meeting room, and closes the door behind him.
O5-1: Is this how things should be? For your sake, Eight, I hope it isn’t.
O5-1 coughs for a prolonged period, and a few drops of water are expelled from his throat. He does not appear to notice.
<End Log>
As of 2025/09/20, SCP-9696 is expected to continue operating at maximum efficacy.
