Curiously 049 follows Rocky to his room where Dr. Collingwood and 999 are waiting outside. 049 glances at 999 before entering.
"I imagine it is a serious topic if you brought 999 along." 049 says with an air of nervousness.
"Nothing too awful. You remember our talk about SCP-914?" Rocky asks.
049 nods.
"Have you ever identified what the pestilence truly is?" Rocky asks.
"I have always sensed it. I never considered that..."
"That it might not be a virus but an emotion or state of alignment?" Rocky asks.
049 slowly becomes agitated. "What do you mean?"
Rocky sits on the couch as Dr. Collingwood moves to the kitchen to make coffee.
"The 'cure' is death and revival, your basic 'born again' situation. But is it possible the pestilence was never the original black plague you were fighting but the very evil in their hearts?" Rocky presses. "Think about it. You have even said it yourself that some people were 'cured' before you even touched them. If they are dead then they are no longer capable of evil."
049 thinks for a moment. "You.. might be right!" He then looks down to see 999 looking cutely up at him. 049 picks 999 up and cradles him in his arms. "Consider this my willingness to listen to you fully without rebuttal."
Rocky chuckles. "I appreciate that. My thought is that full-on death is overkill. What if you could pull the evil out of them and destroy it?"
049 stares at Dr. Collingwood thoughtfully. "I.. think you are correct." He then waves to Dr. Collingwood. "You spend a lot of time with 999, correct?"
Dr. Collingwood turns and nods with a smile. "All my time here is spent with him!"
049 looks at Rocky. "And his ability is to cure mental disorders, make people less violent, and generally happy?" He asks.
Rocky nods. "That is indeed the case."
049 then approaches Dr. Collingwood holding out his hand. "I.. can not sense any pestilence in you.. how.. amazing!" He then turns 999 around and begins examining him. "You are.. the cure I have been looking for?!" He begins dancing with 999.
"049.. please try to focus.." Rocky sighs.
049 stops spinning abruptly, then stands straight, and clears his throat. "What do you purpose?"
"I think you should consider an.. upgrade." Rocky then looks to Dr. Collingwood while motioning to 999. "May he take a sample of 999 with him?"
Dr. Collingwood looks sceptically between Rocky and 049. "I should say no.. but.. are you sure this will better him?"
Rocky nods. "I didn't memorize all the SCP files to NOT try to better their lives. I believe fully this was his purpose for being."
Dr. Collingwood approaches 049 and 999, looking down at the orange glob of joy. "What do you think?"
999 squills happily as it shakes.
Dr. Collingwood looks up at 049 and points to a place on 999. "Cut a piece out here. He will regenerate it quickly, I am sure."
049 produces a scalpel out of his sleeve and quickly removes a small amount of 999's gel, placing it in a beaker. 999 seems unphased by this, instead, turning to 049 and presenting him with a hug.
049 slowly and carefully hands 999 to Dr. Collingwood. "Thank you."
Dr. Collingwood smiles. "You are welcome! I hope this goes well for you! You deserve to follow your passion as a doctor fully!"
049 nods and heads towards the door.
"Consider this carefully. 914 is not your only option and maybe the more.. problematic option." Rocky warns.
049 does not answer, seemingly deep in thought, but opens the door and slowly leaves with a wave of his hand.
"Is he going to be okay?" Dr. Collingwood asks.
Rocky crosses his arms. "I think he will be fine.. he just needs time to process things."
049 walks slowly, his head lowered, past other personnel as he makes his way back to his cell. As he enters he closes and locks the door he places the beaker in a stand on a nearby table. He then turns to a corpse on a table. "Could I have saved you.. had I known this sooner?"
"Of course. But all things in its time." A deep voice comes from behind him.
049 jumps in surprise whipping around quickly to see nothing there. "Am.. I going crazy?"
"Once upon a time.. yes." The voice again speaks behind him.
049 whips around again, this time coming face to face with 343. 049 sighs in relief. "Oh, god! It is just you.."
343 glances at the becker or 999's gel. "I see the pieces are in place, as I have foreseen."
049 crosses his arms. "Are you back to tell me I have strayed into sin or something biblical like that?"
343 shakes his head. "I am here to help you decide on your path and course of action."
"I would roll my eyes right now.. if I had eyes." 049 says sarcastically.
"Don't be like that.." 343 sighs.
"Exactly why not? Maybe the last 700 years of aimlessly seeking my purpose in life? Certainly not the BILLIONS of lives I could have saved had I been presented with this solution sooner?!! You have been decidedly absent from our lives for too long! OH! But by all means.. tell me what I should do NOW!!" 049 says as he walks in a circle flailing his arms about.
343 taps his foot. "To explain.. SCP-999 is only a few years old. All the pieces were not in place before now."
049 groans. "Do you want a medal or something?"
343 towers over 049. "If you are quite finished being an ungrateful child, may I finish?"
049 crosses his arms. "900 years old, but please continue, my Lord!" He says mockingly.
343 sighs. "Short run down if you use 914 you have a 45% chance of losing your invulnerability, not to mention the.. mutation. You take my hand and I will restore your humanity, you restain or invulnerability, and you will be able to rip the evil out of people with mild discomfort to them."
049 sits in an old victorian chair. "What do you want from me?"
"Help defeat ****************." 343 says clamly.
049 stands quickly. "Are you freaking serious?!!!"
343 reaches out his hand. "Deathly serious."
049 looks at 343's hand and then back up. "I want one answer."
343 shrugs. "Sure, what?"
"Are aliens real?" 049 asks.
343 chuckles. "SCP-1000." He answers quickly.
049 stares blankly forward. "What.. The.. FUCK?!!!"
"Language, young man!!" 343 shouts.
049 crosses his arms in a huff. "I am 900 years old.. god!!"