Foundation’s Hope

Working at the Foundation usually involves dealing with some of the most terrifying, most evil, and most dangerous creatures on the planet.

Which is why my weekly visit with SCP 8999 is exactly the refreshing moment I need.

I knocked on the door of her containment unit, which is not something I would do with most of our Skips, and heard her say “come in”.

I entered. The unit was made a little differently than most containment units - some concessions to comfort have been included.

The bed has a little privacy screen in front of it, as does the toilet. The only other furniture is a chair and table, but the walls have been converted into bookshelves, each loaded down with books, magazines, and a group of binders containing stories written by the skip herself.

SCP 8999, also called Dee, is a transgender woman, but that of course isn’t why she is an anomaly. That is because of the creature hovering just above the table.

It is the size of a basketball, orange fur all over it. It has no legs, but doesn’t seem to need any as it casually defies gravity.

When it turns to look at me, I can see the large green eyes, the twitching ears, and the lack of a nose or mouth.

It tensed, and then looked at Dee.

She looked at me, and I nodded, so she said to the creature “Go.”

It flew across the room, getting larger until it was the size of my chest, which is where it landed, and wrapped furry appendages around me.

“Gentle!” Dee cried out, and the creature stopped squeezing as hard, and I could actually breathe.

“You’ve been training it.” I stated.

“Yeah, she picks tricks pretty fast.” Dee replied.

“She?” I asked.

“It felt kind of impersonal not to give it a gender. She doesn’t seem to mind” Dee answered, blushing.

While we were talking, the creature settled into my arms and purred.

“You still okay with the test this afternoon?” I asked Dee.

“Yeah, from what you told me, this D class has suffered from extreme depression and trauma. I hope my little girl here can help them” Dee responded.

“Good. If this goes well, I want to try her on one of our angrier ‘guests’, if that works, well, maybe she could really make our world a safer, and happier place” I said.

“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Dee said with a smile.

End.