Item #: SCP-3XXX
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Due to the nature of SCP-3XXX, it cannot be fully contained. Imaging satellites and local weather stations are to be monitored for the formation of high-pressure systems over designated Red Zones. Zones are to be updated on a bi-monthly basis. See Document 3XXX-m for current Red Zone listings.
If such a weather system is detected, the area is to be cross checked against local missing pet reports. Staff are then to notify SCP-3XXX Lead Researcher Dr. Murphy or the closest level 2 personnel at Site-38. Upon sign off from Dr. Murphy or two level 2 personnel, a pre-emptive local media-blackout is to be initiated in the area. As commercial flights occur above the cloud cover, no air traffic rerouting is required.
A containment team led by MTF-Sigma-415 ("The Meateorologists"), is to be deployed for the resultant cleanup effort. To account for property damage, cover story "It's Just Hail, Mary" is to be used in conjunction with Class A amnestics on persons within the affected area. Recovered deceased specimens are to be disposed of following standard biological waste disposal protocols. Surviving specimens are to be kept in standard small animal crates for observation for up to 72 hours before being released at area of recovery.
Description: SCP-3XXX is the designation for a recurring weather phenomenon in parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi. It is preceded by an increase in pet disappearances over a short period of time, typically 48 to 72 hours. Disappearances are concurrent with the formation of high-pressure weather systems above the affected area.
About 45% of affected animals were Felis catus while roughly 46% were Canis familiaris, with the remainder being various other species. Instances of Oryctolagus cuniculus, Dasypus novemcinctus, Testudo graeca, and Tiliqua scincoides have been recovered. See Document 3XXX-a for a complete record of recovered specimens. It is unknown how the phenomenon determines what classifies as a pet; livestock, wild animals, and work animals have not been observed to be affected by SCP-3XXX. Testing is pending approval from Site-38 Ethics Committee.
The weather system will proceed consistent with non-anomalous weather systems of similar characteristics, culminating in precipitation. During rainfall, the missing animals will reappear roughly 6,000m above ground level, within the cloud layer, and fall as expected. Recovered animals and animal remains have been found otherwise non-anomalous.
Discovery: SCP-3XXX was first discovered on ██/██/20██ when Foundation webcrawlers flagged footage of the phenomenon on various video streaming websites. The videos had collectively attained an estimated 15,500 views before being taken down. All uploaders were identified and administered Class B Amnestics while Foundation dis-information teams successfully attributed the videos to a failed viral marketing campaign for the movie ██████ ██ █ ██████ ██ █████████. Due to the potentially disturbing nature of the footage, local media-blackout was determined to be necessary for the prevention of the spread of information regarding SCP-3XXX.
Addendum 3XXX-b
Interviewed: Carol Walker, Jeremy Walker
Interviewer: Field Agent F███
Foreword: Shortly after the first recorded event on ██/██/20██, the Foundation made a positive identification on an original uploader of the footage where SCP-3XXX could be observed. Contact was made with the spouse of the uploader and an interview was scheduled in their home in ███ ████, TN.
<Begin Log, Interview 3XXX-1 - ██/██/20██>
Interviewer: Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Carol.
Subject A: Of course. Jeremy has been inconsolable since the incident. He posted the video online hoping to bring whoever is responsible to justice.
Interviewer: I assure you, we're doing everything we can.
Jeremy Walker, Subject B enters the room.
Interviewer: Hello, Mr… Walker is it? Can I call you Jeremy? I'm Agent F███.
Subject B: Fuck you. What the hell are you doing in my house?
Interviewer: We just want to ask you and Carol a few questions.
Subject B: You can't just barge into my house! This is my house! I-!
Interviewer: Relax, Mr. Walker. We just want to ask you a few questions about what you saw-
Subject B: Are you the goddamn Feds?
Subject B turns to Subject A
Subject B: Carol! Did you let the Feds in here?
Interviewer: -on the day of ██/██/20██—
Subject A: They're just some investigation agency asking about your vide-
Subject B: Is this about that animal video I posted?
Interviewer: -and if you cooperate, we can be done quickly.
Subject B: I knew I shouldn't have uploaded that video! Look I have ri-!
Interviewer: Mr. Walker, we are not 'the Feds'.
Subject B: Fine! Whatever! Some men-in-black bullshit going on here…
Interviewer: Can you tell me more about the events surrounding video you uploaded?
Subject B: What's there to say? My dog disappears, it rains a bunch and then horrible thudding and splatting sounds outside! And for what? It's a dumb idiom! It's so dumb!
Interviewer: Can you elaborate?
Subject B: In a mocking tone "Can you elaborate?" It rained cats and dogs! That's it! That's it. It was disgusting. The way that the dogs fell to the ground. The howling! It's messed up! Look, I don't know what you government types have been doing, but it's completely messed up how you're abducting peoples' pets!
Interviewer: Do you have any pets?
Subject B: I had a dog until someone abducted it! Just like they did the whole street! My cat's got a collapsed lung and 2 broken legs! Is this some sort of prank? What's the point?
Interviewer: No this isn't a prank… I'm truly sorry for your loss.
Subject B: Yeah, well "truly sorry" doesn't un-meat-paste my dog or fix my truck's windshield.
Silence for 30 seconds.
Subject A: Why just pets though? Why don't they just use wild animals for whatever crazy stuff they're doing?
Interviewer: That's what we're trying to find out, ma'am.
<End Log>
Closing Statement: Post-interview, both subjects were administered Class A amnestics and released without incident.
The use of directly expository interviews to tell a story is becoming about as bad as the "note at the end" around here. In most cases, it's a blunt-force information delivery vehicle that makes the barest attempt to establish character, but fails most of the time because the interview rarely strays outside of the neatly defined narrative lines that the author has set up. That's assuming, of course, that the interview is actually adding information to the story.
In this case, the interview isn't telling us anything we don't know from reading the description, and also doesn't really track with normal human behavior. The guy is upset that "the feds" are in his home, yet talks to the agent anyway after he somehow manages to make the encounter even more sinister by just saying that he's from an unnamed "investigative agency." Most people would likely call the police at that point. And the dialogue, or what there is of it, has stuff like this:
> "truly sorry" doesn't un-meat-paste my dog
I'm assuming that this guy is upset and probably somewhat frightened by the fact that some shadowy dude has just showed up in his house, and yet he manages to crack off that line. In my experience, this isn't a turn of phrase that gets used in normal conversation, and probably less so in these circumstances. It seems like one of those lines that someone would come up with in the chat and then say "lol upvoted at the meat paste dog thing."
The base concept isn't a whole lot more than another entry in the "common phrase/concept done literally" genre with a pretty weak filler addendum attached to it.
An overhead diagram of the SCP-4XXX cut
{Gonna use the fancy ACB but sandbox doesn't load it.}
Clearance: Confidential
Class: Safe
Disruption: Keneq
Risk: Danger
Special Containment Procedures: In ongoing efforts to contain SCP-XXXX, a Foundation-run front company has been established to sell a modified, non-anomalous variant of SCP-XXXX-1. Web crawlers are to continuously monitor gem-cutter's forums for discussion surrounding SCP-XXXX. Any mention of relevant anomalous properties is to be immediately reported to, and investigated by MTF Mu-3 ("Highest Bidders").
Instances of SCP-XXXX-1 are to be stored separately in secure item lockers at Site-76. Document XXXX-A is to be stored in a secure, non-anomalous items locker at Site-73 behind level 3 clearance.
Description: SCP-XXXX is the designation for a modified radiant cut of diamond with ██ facets. Stones cut in this manner of a critical weight result in the production of anomalous gemstones, designated as SCP-XXXX-1. Instances of SCP-XXXX-1 are warm to the touch, and MAKE THE WEAERER WHAT LOOK REAL GOOD LIKE.
Shortly upon expiration of the wearer, both the gem and the body will spontaneously combust. THEY THEN WHAT CLIMBES OUT OF ASHSE AND IS RESTORED WOOWWW GEM BREAKS.
Recovered Document XXXX-A contains the method instructions on how to produce additional instances of SCP-XXXX-1. The document is otherwise non-anomalous.
Discovery: Something something MC&D. Something something. gem heist gone wrong. something something phoenix lore. something something burst into flames.
Additional Recovered Documents: (LINK TO MC&D DIM89/PHXC7/F1R35)