Back in his room, Rocky tests 173's new form, attempting to break her, but nothing happens.
"STOP PULLING ON ME!!" 173 shouts.
Rocky sighs. "At least I know you will be able to hold 682 down." He drops the chain on the floor.
"Uff! Just because I am unbreakable doesn't mean you have to be so rough!" 173 "looks" up and seems to wag her chain like a tail. "You are still going to give me a chance at him?!"
"To help me tame him, yes. We need him as an ally, and I know just the angle to work to accomplish that." Rocky smiles.
"Right! I will grab the girl and dangle her over the acid. The poor beast will do whatever we say, after that!" 173 chuckles.
Rocky grabs 173 and throws her into a wall. "NO! There will be no threatening or harming of that little girl!!" He roars.
173 appears lodged in the wall. "Ouch.. Damn it.. not this crap again! Okay then, what are we doing?!"
"Just focus on wrapping around 682 and leave the rest to me." Rocky replies.
Just then Jennifer walks in, her head hung low. "Hey.."
"Rough day?" Rocky asks.
"Yeah.." She says, not looking up as she makes her way to the couch and sits down.
Rocky brings her a cup of coffee. "Any way I could help?"
"Not unless..." She looks up. Startled she nearly leaps out of her seat. "Holy shit!" She exclaims.
"What's wrong?" Rocky asks.
Jennifer stares for a moment and then collapses into tears, covering her eyes. "Why?! Why did it have to change?!" She sobs.
"What changed?!" Rocky asks annoyed.
"Your future. Your skin is a light blue and frosted over!" She says, continuing to sob.
Rocky thinks for a moment, sipping his coffee calmly. "Sounds like cryogenic freezing. Kind of smart, if you ask me." He then groans. "I guess I will need to call in a few favors and push my plan ahead."
Down the hall, Iris approaches her room but hears Jennifer sobbing loudly. She rushes to Rocky's door and throws it open. "Jennifer, what's wrong?!" She asks, rushing to her side.
"Rocky's future changed.. because of me!!!" She cries.
Rocky continues to sip on his coffee calmly. "I don't suppose telling you I have a foolproof plan to fix this would calm you down?"
Jennifer shakes her head, her hands still cupped over her eyes.
The old man's voice comes from the radio. "Mr. *****, your request for an audience with SCP-035 has been approved. Meet the D class and researcher at interview room 15D, around 8 am."
"Roger that. Thank you, sir." Rocky replies.
"Please don't go. It is just one more step towards this future coming to be." Jennifer whimpers.
Iris glares at Rocky. "Someone better explain why my only friend in this God-forsaken hell hole is crying!!"
173 finally wiggles her way loss from the wall and slithers over. "If I heard everything correctly, He is going to end up cryogenically frozen."
Iris stares at the talking chain blankly. "Why is that chain talking?"
"Full of questions I see." The chain slithers over to a nearby mirror. "How am I able to see? I have no eyes." The chain seems to shrug. "Not that I had eyes before, but at least I had painted on eyes!"
Iris looks at Rocky questioningly.
"That is SCP-173-1." Rocky answers.
"Do you ever think, 'maybe I am making a spectacle of myself'?" Iris asks.
173 turns around quickly. "Are you saying I look gaudy?!"
Iris shakes her head. "Just the existence of a mysterious chain will raise questions."
173 leaps at Rocky, shrinking into a neckless around his neck. "How is this? Happy now?!"
Iris looks puzzled for a moment but shakes the thought off. "I.. guess that is better.." She looks Rocky in the eye. "So, how about this great plan to get unfrozen?"
Rocky grabs some papers and begins writing three letters. "If I play this perfectly, I will only be frozen for about a month." Afterwhich, he places two of them into makeshift metal boxes he cuts out of the wall with his aura, and the third into his back pocket. "Done."
"Now what?" Iris asks.
Rocky snaps his finger. "Come, 106." He says commandingly.
SCP-106 walks through the wall with a grin on his face and kneels.
Iris leaps back behind the couch. "What the hell is he doing here?!"
Jennifer peeks out from her fingers only to cover her eyes again. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!"
"After the whole hallway attack, I convinced 106 to serve me." He hands him the two boxes, pointing to the first. "This one goes to 049, very important." He points to the other. "See if you can get this one into 076's containment cell, not as pressing."
Iris peeks out. "To Abel's cell? What are you sending him?"
"Mr. *****, your presence is required in the cafeteria!" A guard's voice shouts over the radio
Rocky shoes 106 away, as the old man disappears into the wall. "An official challenge from one warrior to another."
Iris stands angrily, watching Rocky head for the door. "He is a berserker, Rocky. All he knows is kill and kill some more!"
Rocky stops at the door. "I need his allegiance, Iris, and the only way I will get that level of loyalty is to beat him, man to man." He leaves the room, leaving the door open.
Iris rushes to the door and shouts at him. "That is just it! He is not a man, he is a wild animal!"
Rocky ignores her, making his way quickly to the cafeteria. Once there, he sees the guards lined up against the walls. The nearest guard points to a table where two individuals are sitting. Walking closer, Rocky sees what the problem was. At the table sits SCP-073 and 303 in a crudely pieced together human skin suit. The mere sight of it reminds Rocky of a poorly represented clown. The eyes are too small for the skull and completely lope sighted, four nostrils poorly spaced, two chins, and an oversized smile that would make 682 cringe.
"No. I really like it!" Cain replies. "It is your first attempt, after all. Practice will make perfect, my friend!"
(Image of Cain)
Rocky walks up. "Cain, good to see you again." He sighs.
Cain looks up at him with a smile. "Oh, officer 411..."
"You can just call me Rocky. I lost my officer status recently." Rocky interrupts.
Cain looks curiously at him. "Why is that?"
303 taps on the table in reply.
"OH! Oh. Well, there goes the American dream!" Cain laughs.
"Very funny. What is this?" Rocky asks, waving at 303.
"It would seem 303 wishes he was human, unfeared, able to interact with the personnel." Cain replies.
Rocky shakes his head. "You being here may have been the only thing that saved him from being shot on sight."
"I suspected as much. They can't fire for fear of just hurting themselves should the bullets hit me." Cain says glancing at the guards.
303 taps on the table again.
"He is asking if you find his.. project.. repulsive." Cain interprets.
Rocky shakes his head, sitting down. "No, 303. I mean, I could have found you some.. fresher alternatives or even a synthetic suit. However, you wish to be 'human', and so I will help you to the best of my ability."
As he says this, 049 walks in from the hallway. "303! I have been looking everywhere for you!" He continues towards them, unbothered by the sight of 303. "Master Cain, Mr. *****." He quickly greets them, turning his attention back to 303. "If you had wished to skin a few corpses I could have helped you!"
303 taps on the table.
"I would have been more mad at you had you been simply peeling potatoes." 049 pauses, leaning forward to examine him from a safe distance. "However, you show a lot of promise in your execution of this task. The skin is almost perfectly preserved, not torn, and the stitching is adequate." He stands proudly. "I will allow you to keep my tools, for the time being, on the condition that you continue practicing. Seek me out if you need any help!" He turns and walks off, back down the hall.
Cain shakes his head. "Doctor P is a strange sort, isn't he?"
Rocky rolls his eyes. "You are all unique in your own ways." He looks at 303. "Listen, I could have a suit made that would last much longer than human skin. Regardless, until you make up your mind, just stay out of sight of 187 please.. she is having a hard time."
303 nods.
Rocky stands, waving his arms in the direction of the hall. "Okay, gentlemen, nothing to see here! There is no threat to personnel!"
The guards all turn their heads to look at the head guard. The head guard makes a hand motion for them to move out. As they march out, the sound of their boots makes 303 noticeably shutter.
"The response may be excessive, but that is because they don't fully understand your intentions." Rocky looks back with a smile. "Think about my offer. I am sure you will find a more welcoming demeanor when you are not wearing actual human skin. Oh! And don't forget to return the things you took."
303 nods, tapping on the table.
"You're welcome. Now get scarce for a little bit." Rocky orders.
303 slowly stands and heads down a different hallway.
Cain gets up and follows Rocky out.
"I am sending a challenge to Abel." Rocky mutters.
Cain stops for a moment and then continues following him. "Why are you challenging Abel?"
"Fate of the world, lead an army, save the world." Rocky whispers.
"Is that why your eyes have changed colors and your aura is giving off heat?" Cain asks.
"Very observant! This is phase two of my anomalous ability. I am trying to see how long I can retain it before losing consciousness." Rocky replies walking unsteadily.
"Perhaps you should lay down." Cain suggests.
Nearing the door to his room, Rocky falls against the door frame and then uprights quickly. "Twelve hours, give or take a few minutes."
"Is.. this still.. stage two?" Cain asks innocently.
Rocky looks at him, his grey eyes seemingly staring straight through him. "Oh.. right. He was having a conversation with you. I wasn't paying attention. Regardless, I have taken over for now."
Cain cocks his head slightly. "Do.. you have a name?"
"No. I have no need for a name. I am not possessing this body, I am part of it, part of Rocky. We do not distinguish between the two and neither should you." Rocky replies annoyed by the question.
Cain nervously raises his arms. "Okay dude. I'm cool."
"I would just leave him be. He is just cranky from lack of sleep." 173 says.
Cain sighs. "I would ask, but I feel like it will just annoy you more.. I will be going.."
"Come back later, please!" 173 sings, as Cain walks off.
Rocky enters his room, slamming the door. "I maybe have six more hours before I reach my limit, full exhaustion. I can not test this theory anymore today, I need sleep for tomorrow."
"What happens when you reach your limit?" 173 asks.
"Stage three.." Rocky groans, falling onto his bed.
"We don't need that! You better..."
Rocky begins snoring.
"Oh.. well.. just ignore me then." 173 mutters. She then stops and pokes his cheek, she manages to touch his skin. "I can touch him?! He must be so exhausted that his aura is weakened." She slowly and gently wraps around him. "Idiot.. The little witch bound our fates, if you get hurt and die so do I."