Item #: SCP-204

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-204-1 and SCP-204-2 are to be kept in a 10 m x 10 m fortified holding area in Site-██. The holding area must be constructed out of armor plated steel and heavily-reinforced concrete. The holding area must also be vacuum sealed and contained within an outer shell with a higher air pressure that must always be maintained with at least 2 PSI over the current air pressure in the holding area. At least one full security team must be kept on standby at all times.

It is only during SCP-204-1's scheduled feeding times that D-class personnel are allowed to enter for the purposes of maintenance. SCP-204-1's typical diet consists of any kind of meat, preferably from living subjects. Such subjects will often consist of aggressive animals such as wild dogs, bulls, or any other animal that must be euthanized due to aggression. However, D-class personnel will also suffice if such food sources are unavailable. SCP-204-2's diet consists of a regular human diet with no special measures required. SCP-204-2 is allowed to make special requests, but any and all requests must be given O5 approval. Any personnel caught attempting to deliberately provoke SCP-204-2 will be immediately terminated.

Security personnel are required to ignore any and all of SCP-204-2's attempts to provoke a response from them unless there is a clear and present risk of containment breach. Failure to do so will result in harsh administrative punishment.

When SCP-204-2 is about to turn the age of fourteen, the Foundation must initiate Containment Protocol 204. Further details may be found in Containment Protocol 204 Requirements.

In the event of a containment breach, EMP generators must be immediately activated in order to keep SCP-204-1 disabled. Once EMP generators have been activated, security teams have approximately thirty seconds to neutralize SCP-204-2 before SCP-204-1 can adapt and reassemble itself. If containment cannot be achieved in this time, SCP-204-1 must be contained by conventional means. Security teams and agents are authorized to use any conventional weaponry at their disposal to contain SCP-204-1 and SCP-204-2. If SCP-204-2 is terminated during containment, then Containment Protocol 204 must immediately be initiated.

Description: SCP-204-1 is a semi-organic nano-machine colony that follows SCP-204-2 as a form of protector. SCP-204-1 spends the majority of its time in a dispersed cloud, where it is almost impossible to perceive with normal human senses. However, if SCP-204-2 is put into danger, or if SCP-204-2 commands it to, SCP-204-1 will instantaneously materialize into a solid, physical form. The exact shape and nature of this form is subjective, depending wholly upon SCP-204-2's view, state of mind, and imagination. Despite its variable nature, SCP-204-1 has a number of common traits. These include: massive strength, large size, basic intelligence, perfect obedience to SCP-204-2, and the ability to regenerate itself after consuming living flesh. SCP-204-1 is vulnerable to conventional weaponry, and can be temporarily forced back into its dispersed state if enough damage is inflicted.

SCP-204-2 is always a child, ranging from four to fourteen years old. Physically, there is nothing outstanding about SCP-204-2 besides its ability to call upon SCP-204-1. All incidences of SCP-204-2 have common traits. All of them have had a history of abuse and danger, with many developing acute mental disorders as a result. This makes instances of SCP-204-2 difficult to contain in any traditional manner, as great care must be taken to keep them in a stable state. It appears that SCP-204-1 is attracted to such children, though why or how it finds them is currently unknown. If SCP-204-2 is terminated or reaches the age of fourteen, then SCP-204-1 will abandon it and find a new child to "imprint" on. As a form of self-preservation, if SCP-204-1 cannot find a suitable child, it will immediately materialize and go berserk, attacking anything in sight.

Once SCP-204-1 finds a suitable candidate to protect, it immediately "imprints" upon SCP-204-2 and will follow it until SCP-204-2 expires or until SCP-204-1 decides to leave of its own accord. At first, SCP-204-1 appears benign, protecting SCP-204-2 from overt threats. However, through careful study and observation, it has been noted that all incidences of SCP-204-2 begin to adopt much more aggressive, danger-seeking behavior with little regard for human life. It is theorized that SCP-204-1 is able to manipulate SCP-204-2's thought processes in order to behave in a fashion that would benefit it. It is assumed that since SCP-204-1 requires organic flesh for sustenance, it needs SCP-204-2 to be in danger in order to "justify" its activation. See Addendum 1 for further details.

Addendum 1: There have been numerous recorded incidences where it is believed SCP-204-1 has been involved. The first such recorded incident was when a car was found in a residential street, completely torn apart and covered in partially devoured human remains. Similar incidents occurred until Agents managed to track SCP-204-1 to ████████, ███████████ where they made contact with the first recorded incarnation of SCP-204-2. It took three more attempts and numerous casualties before SCP-204-1 and SCP-204-2 were successfully contained. Interviews with SCP-204-2 revealed that it seemed to feel a need to experience danger, such as standing in traffic or provoking hostile responses from others. When questioned on its reasons, SCP-204-2 simply replied that SCP-204-1 "allowed [it] to".

Containment Protocol 204: In order to keep SCP-204-1 successfully contained, it has been necessary to keep a permanent stock of candidates to replace SCP-204-2 in the event that the current one is terminated or abandoned. Ideally, all candidates should be orphans below the age of ten with a history of abuse. However, in times of need, Article XII of Containment Protocol 204 may be authorized to allow candidates that don't meet specific requirements. They will be put under the supervision of "caretakers" which will consist of D-class personnel convicted of violent crimes, child abuse, and pedophilia with Foundation staff present to prevent inadvertent termination of candidates.1

If SCP-204-2 successfully reaches the cut-off age of fourteen years and SCP-204-1 abandons it, the former SCP-204-2 must undergo a rigorous amnestic treatment and a thorough psychological examination before being reintegrated into a government foster program. If it is deemed that the former SCP-204-2 cannot be successfully reintegrated, then the subject must be immediately terminated.

Addendum 2: As of the writing of this report, the Foundation has contained thirteen instances of SCP-204-2. Eleven instances exhibited the trademark hostile and violent behavior typical among all instances of SCP-204-2. However, 2 instances of SCP-204-2 showed a marked improvement in their mental health and stability and had the lowest number of containment breach attempts. It is currently unclear what specific factors trigger these differences in behavior, as the exact mechanism SCP-204-1 uses to manipulate its host is still unknown.

Addendum 3: Though there is evidence to suggest that SCP-204-1 may be sentient, or possibly even sapient, all attempts to communicate directly with SCP-204-1 have resulted in failure. Currently, the only feasible method of communicating with SCP-204-1 is to use SCP-204-2 as an intermediary. Unfortunately, the violent tendencies and hostile behavior exhibited by nearly all instances of SCP-204-2 as well as their questionable mental stability make this approach highly unreliable.

Footnotes

1. To date, Article XII has not been enacted in any form.