The Dark Hour
gekkoukan2

Interior of SCP-5262-1-1. Image provided by GoI-1546, captured using anomalous camera technology.

Item #: SCP-5262

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: MTF Phi-3 "After School Club" is to cooperate with GoI-1546 "Serialized Extracurricular Execution Squad(S.E.E.S.)" in the ongoing research of the potential containment/neutralization of SCP-5262. Agents of MTF P-3 are to prepare for joint mobilization into SCP-5262-1 with GoI-1546 every twenty-four(24) hours at exactly 12:00AM JST(GMT+9); other personnel located within Zone-α are to seek shelter in designated locations in and around Site-██, Site-██, and Site-713 and remain in shelter until exactly 12:00AM JST(GMT+9). Expeditions into SCP-5262-1 are to be completed before the end of each SCP-5262 event. In an instance of event SCP-5262-A, MTF P-3 is to instead be deployed in the defense of Foundation personnel at Site-██, Site-██, and Site-713.
Only personnel with Level 2 security clearance or above are to be aware of the nature of SCP-5262. Only personnel with Level 3 security clearance or above are to be aware of the existence of GoI-1546 and their role in the containment of SCP-5262. For personnel in active correspondence with GoI-1546, see Document 5262.G for a glossary of terms and mandatory operational procedures.
In the event that Foundation personnel not associated with MTF P-3 are to find themselves conscious during a SCP-5262 event, SCP-5262-2 instances are to be neutralized freely as requisite to self-defense. SCP-5262-1 is not to be entered or approached by any personnel not associated with MTF P-3.
Knowledge suppression measures are ongoing regarding victims of SCP-5262-2 attacks in the form of a cover-up story involving a rare, brain-affecting genetic defect.
[REDACTED] High School and the surrounding area are to be restricted only to authorized personnel each day in near-midnight hours.

Description: SCP-5262 is a spatial-temporal anomaly affecting all locations on the surface of the Earth within the Japanese Standard Time(GMT+9) time zone as it was in 19██, hereafter referred to as Zone-α. At 12:00AM JST every day, Zone-α experiences an "additional" hour during which the following effects occur:

  • Nitrogen's polarizability shifts so that the sky takes a green hue;
  • Bodies of water, natural or unnatural, become human blood;
  • Electronic devices not specifically manufactured using anomalous technology cease to function;
  • The vast majority of human individuals transmute into objects resembling coffins1 and become unconscious and biologically inactive for the duration of the event;
  • A portion of remaining human individuals manifest into instances of SCP-5262-2;
  • SCP-5262-1 manifests in the location of [REDACTED] High School on ███████ Port Island, Japan

SCP-5262-1 is a tower-like structure that exists only during SCP-5262 events. It emerges, by unknown means, from the structure of [REDACTED] High School, at the beginning of each event, and has been hypothesized to house thousandspossibly unlimited instances of SCP-5262-2[Updated 04/██/20██]. SCP-5262-1 is invariably formed of six(6) different "blocks" classified as SCP-5262-1-1 through 6, each comprised of floors connected by stairways in arrangements differing by event. Currently, with the exception of at least █ floors that remain consistent each event, no two identical floors have been observed between events.
SCP-5262-2 are animate, hostile entities of various forms, ranging from humanoid to amorphous in shape. Each instance of SCP-5262-2 is comprised of a mask(humanoid face or masquerade-like) bearing a roman numeral from I(1) to XII(12) and a body. The composition of each varies, but both likely contain anomalous or anomalously affected materials by limited field observation(see Document 5262-2.0 for details). Currently, ██ forms of SCP-5262-2 have been documented by Foundation personnel, and ███ instances encountered. Supplementary intel from GoI-1546 indicates upwards of 2███ past encounters with SCP-5262-2. Several known varieties of SCP-5262-2 are detailed below:

Classification: #encountered: Description: Size2: Threat Level:
SCP-5262-2-2 1██ Amorphous body with arm-like appendages on each side of mask 0.2m tall, 0.3m wide Low
SCP-5262-2-16 67 Table-like body with four(4) protruding legs. Tablecloth draped over body with mask being 'worn' on its front. 1m tall, 1m wide Low
SCP-5262-2-38 3 Vaguely humanoid, clothed in long, colorful robes and jester cap, and enclosed by two(2) body-sized hand-like extremities. Mask located on face 3m tall, 1m wide High
SCP-5262-2-█4 1 Slender humanoid, clothed in black robes, face concealed by cloth sack tied around neck. One eye visible through hole in sack, which is covered in possibly blood-like substance. Wields two single action revolvers with disproportionately long barrels; surrounded by levitating chains, weightless or suspended by anomalous forces. Mask concealed or absent. Hypothesized to be unique. 5m tall, 3m wide Very High

When an individual is overtaken by an instance of SCP-5262-2, they enter a vegetative state. Instances of SCP-5262-2 are unable to affect individuals in coffin states in approximately 96% of cases; in the remaining cases, individuals revert to their human forms and are attacked without resistance. According to current estimates, ██.█% of the population of [Zone-α/███████ Port Island] will be affected by 20██; without the containment/neutralization of SCP-5262, [Zone-α/███████ Port Island] faces imminent risk of a localized human extinction event.
SCP-5262-2 instances demanifest near instantly after sustaining a certain amount of physical damage and are therefore vulnerable to conventional weaponry. However, they are more effectively combated with the use of personal anomalous abilities designated SCP-5262-3.
SCP-5262A is a type of event that occurs during SCP-5262 events each full moon. During each instance of SCP-5262A, a unique form of SCP-5262-2 manifests outside of SCP-5262-1. This form is typically larger and physically stronger than the majority of SCP-5262-2 instances and poses exceptional threat to operating personnel as well as the general public; such instances are to be eliminated as soon as possible.

Discovery: SCP-5262 was discovered on ██/██/20██ by Field Agent ████ Sasagawa while off duty on ███████ Port Island. After encountering the phenomena, Agent Sasagawa reported immediately to Site-713 with the following handwritten report, transcribed for convenience:

Date: ██/██/20██
Time: approx. 12:10AM
Location: ███████ Port Island, Japan
I am writing this report by hand, as all of my communications and electronic recording devices have been rendered inoperable, along with my wristwatch. I've encountered what I believe is a previously unknown anomaly. At exactly 12:00AM, the sky turned green and my watch stopped. I found the people around me had become or maybe entered coffins. Where there once was [REDACTED] High School there is now a giant tower made of jumbled building segments. It's been about 10 minutes since. I've encountered a couple of hostile black-bodied entities with masks. I dispatched one with my side arm, and fled successfully from the next. Both were about human-sized and fluid in shape. I consider myself lucky that conventional weaponry worked. I've yet to encounter any living beings besides. I'm remaining in shelter for the time being.
Date: ██/██/20██
Time: approx. X:40AM
Location: ███████ Port Island, Japan
At about X:20AM, I encountered a group of live human beings. They were students from [REDACTED] High School who call themselves S.E.E.S. They use anomalous abilities and technology to combat the hostile entities, which they call "shadows". They assisted me in escaping a particularly dangerous entity. They explained that this phenomenon happens every night here at 12 and takes exactly an hour, calling it the "Dark Hour". Once it ends, everyone who turned into coffins go about their lives as if nothing happened. Their operation is quite sophisticated. Tonight is special in particular, apparently, as it's a full moon; otherwise, they'd usually be in the tower, which they called "Tartarus". They have tech that doesn't stop working during the Dark Hour, a headquarters in a nearby dorm, and intelligence in consistent communication. The party I encountered was four strong, but they have a great number more. Will remain in their care until the hour ends, then immediately report my findings.

Addendum 1: Intelligence gathered by MTF P-3 and GoI-1546 within SCP-5262-1(see Document 5262.16.2) suggests the possibility of the global proliferation of SCP-5262. Such an event poses risk of an XK-class end-of-the-world scenario; investigation into the containment/neutralization of SCP-5262 is ongoing.

Footnotes