Item #: SCP-408

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: The screen mesh aviary must be kept properly maintained by Level 2 personnel with backgrounds in biology or lepidoptery. Proper humidity must be maintained and recorded once per day and backed up to Site 17. 200 feeders filled with an aqueous sugar solution are to be maintained and refilled once per week.

Description: SCP-408 is a large mass of Lepidoptera, taking the appearance of zebra butterflies when not camouflaged. SCP-408 acts as a single entity at all times speculated to be a form of hive mind communication amongst the mass. When inactive, SCP-408 will take on the color, pattern, and even texture of its immediate surroundings, making them functionally invisible. When threatened, SCP-408 has been observed to take on the form and appearance of a number of threatening creatures as a defense method, including a pride of lions, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and most notably SCP-682 (See Incident Log 682-C).

SCP-408 possesses the ability to communicate and reason, utilizing its ability to manipulate its color into words and sentences to reply to researchers. IQ tests administered to SCP-408 have evaluated its IQ to be 109, or slightly above average. However, when a part of the swarm is isolated, lower scores have been reported, resulting in a theory that SCP-408 shares its cognitive capacity amongst the entirety of the swarm. As of ██-██-████, SCP-408 prefers to be identified by its SCP number.

SCP-408 was discovered in ██████, Brazil, after reports that locals and logging teams found their maps to be frequently inaccurate regarding the size of the rainforest. After reports of animal sightings not local to both the Brazilian Rainforest and some not found on Earth at all, Foundation agents began an investigation resulting in the discovery of SCP-408. After learning it was intelligent, Dr. ███████, who accompanied the agents in the field, communicated with SCP-408 and convinced it to accompany him to Site 17, where their current habitat exists.

Addendum 408-A: Regarding SCP-408's knowledge of SCP-682, an investigation is underway regarding this leak of information.

Incident 408-A: Due to a failure by appropriate personnel to properly refill 408's feeders, the swarm took it upon itself to find sustenance by its own means. Taking the appearance of several level 1 personnel, SCP-408 convinced a passerby to open the door to the aviary, upon which they made an escape into the Site 17 facility. For the whole of the day, Site 17 personnel reported an alarming series of irregular events, ranging from color changing walls to several dozen versions of SCP-529 walking down a hallway. Site 17 was placed on lockdown and Delta Level Alert when it appeared that 90% of the containment units had been breached. Dr. Kondraki, Head of Research for 408 had been out on assignment that day, and it wasn't until his return that the illusion had been revealed, and in short order SCP-408 was returned to its aviary. Little damage was done, except to the faculty break room, which was left without proper sweeteners for the next week.

Note: It may be just sugar water, but without it, 408 are prone to mischief as we clearly saw yesterday. It's fortunate that it doesn't act maliciously, but think about others next time you slack off custodial duties. Think about yourself as well, as I will not tolerate having to use Sweet-n-Low in my morning coffee for very long. -Dr. Kondraki

Addendum 408-B: Recent field testing has shown that SCP-408 can act as an effective form of active invisibility when ordered to. SCP-408 was able to conceal five Level 2 personnel and keep them undetected throughout the facility. Tests show the concealment to operate at 99.997% efficiency and can be maintained for up to five hours without the need for rest or recuperation. The option of lending SCP-408 to Task Forces for covert operations is pending approval.

Addendum 408-C: During Incident 239 B Clef-Kondraki, which SCP-408 was heavily involved in, a number of corpses left by Dr. Clef vanished in the aftermath of the event. Surveillance showed that at certain times, the entire swarm of SCP-408 would descend on the body, only to leave no trace of the corpse behind. Subsequent testing shows a proportional increase in IQ, although a lack of cooperation, when questioned, has shed no light on this development.

Interview Log 408-c

Interviewer: Dr. ████ Saghai Interviewee: SCP-408

Dr. Saghai is seated within the aviary, while SCP-408 hovers around a large feeding trough filled with sugar water.

Dr. ████ Saghai: I'll start off with asking how you're recovering; you seem to have lost quite a bit of your mass after the SCP-531-D termination.

<SCP-408 responds by uniformly creating words one after the other.>

SCP-408: KONDRAKI...WHERE?

Dr. ████ Saghai: I'm his substitute for the interview, as he happens to be busy adjusting to his new promotion. Lots of paperwork I'm told.

<A moment goes by...>

SCP-408: I...FINE...RECOVER...GOOD...FOOD...GOOD

Dr. ████ Saghai: How exactly do you replenish your numbers?

SCP-408: ...COMPL

<Another pause.>

Dr. ████ Saghai: Was Dr. Kondraki the one who taught you to speak?

SCP-408: YES...TEACH.A...LOT

Dr. ████ Saghai: He taught you, but how do you communicate with him?

SCP-408: ....DON'T...KNOW...WORD...LOST...IN...SPACE

Dr. ████ Saghai: You lost the part that knew?

SCP-408: YES...I...FORGET...UNTIL...RETURN

Dr. ████ Saghai: Next question then. What happened with SCP-091-ARC and you during the incident a few months ago?

SCP-408: PRETTY...SMELL...FAMILIAR...LONG...TIME

Dr. ████ Saghai: You mean you'd smelled it before?

SCP-408: YES...BEFORE...LONG...BEFORE...PEOPLE

Dr. ████ Saghai: Are you saying you predate human existence?

<No response from SCP-408.>

Dr. ████ Saghai: Never mind, doesn't matter. Last question.

<Dr. Saghai closes the interview questionnaire and sets it onto the ground.>

Dr. ████ Saghai: What is the nature of your relationship with Dr. Kondraki?

SCP-408: HE...THINK...RIGHT...HE...RIGHT

Dr. ████ Saghai: That's not what I meant. Logs show that you're with him, out of containment, almost all of the time now. Dr. Kondraki has been breaching protocol by letting you out of containment.

SCP-408: I...DON'T...KNOW...WHAT...

Dr. ████ Saghai: You're going to admit this to me, so I can bring it before Oversight. Do you know what I was doing, before that schmuck snatched me up as an "assistant"? I was head of research for the entire sub-human Safe SCP sector. Now, I'm interviewing a damn insect! I will have him thrown out; Oversight won't let him get away with this.

<SCP-408 proceeds to approximate a "laugh", as described in the log as a caricatured face displayed by SCP-408.>

Dr. ████ Saghai: Are...you laughing at me!? I'm about to have your little friend terminated, and you're having a chuckle?

<SCP-408 shifts to display a new image, which was presumed to be a live feed of Dr. Kondraki in his new office.>

Dr. ████ Saghai: No...that's not possible! I read the damn logs, you can't do that! You can't do that!

<Dr. Saghai attempts to damage SCP-408. Guards later found Dr. Saghai huddled in a fetal position, displaying symptoms similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome.>

Kondraki walks into the SCP library with a slight limp from his sword fight with Clef. Clef isn't as skilled when it comes to swords as Kondraki but that doesn't mean that Clef didn't get a few good hits on him. Kondraki saw Kain Pathos which is unusual. Kain Pathos is a level 4 Bio-Research usual at Area-12.

Area-12 is a containment and research facility located on remote federal land in the Midwestern United States. Area-12 contains both live specimens of anomalous biological entities as well as samples of biohazardous or otherwise dangerous biological anomalies for study.

The SCP library is where everything is at such as SCP files, reports about security breaches, reports in general everything. Every sites and area have one of course what's in the library solely depend on what there are doing at the area or site. The library at each site and an area is one of the most guarded sectors.

"Hello Kain, what are you doing here? I thought you left for Area-12 already." Kondraki said walking up to Kain then sits down in front of the desk.

Kain is behind the desk writing his personal report on the incident Kain is in charge of the SCP library but one thing you should take note about Kain Pathos is that he is a dog (golden retriever) that wears glasses.

Kain looks away from the computer screen at Kondraki.

"Hello Kondraki, well right now I'm writing a report for the incident. I need a break from Area-12 so I'm staying here." Kain said then laughed "Did you beat Clef into next week yet?"

Kondraki's eyebrow twitched "No not yet I want the butterfly smashing bastard to put up a fight." Kondraki laughed "Zoe asked me if she would watch so when Clef is knock out she can put some pink in his hair."

Kondraki and Kain started to laugh.

"That does sound like something she would do!" Kain said with a laugh then sighed "You can't blame her for being mad that incident report is so long! It took me a full twenty-four hours to complete the file to the best of my abilities I can't imagine putting it into another language." Kain said

Some of the files are incomplete due to audio and visual feed being unavailable or the file can't be found.

"I'm not too worried about it Zoe is a fast worker and as long as no one asks her if she's done yet then she'll be done soon," Kondraki said

Zoe can't stand it when people keep asking her when she'll be done. There was this one time 05-9 asked her every time he saw her if she was done the file that she was working should have only taken her a few days to compete. But 05-9 keeps on asking her so it took her nearly three weeks to compete. Zoe lied why it took her so long she told 05-9 that Clef and Dr.Bright needed her help with a few thing. 05-9 asked Clef and Dr.Bright

"That's bullshit Zoe would just come in my office and start talking to me, I didn't need her help with anything." Clef laughed "But now I can see that Zoe isn't such a goodie goodie."

"Sir, you shouldn't have been asking her so much if she was done that's why it's taking her so long don't ask her next time!" Dr.Bright said

The O5 Council refers to the committee consisting of the highest-ranking directors of the Foundation. With complete access to all information regarding anomalies in containment, the O5 Council oversees all Foundation operations worldwide and directs its long-term strategic plans. Due to the sensitivity of their positions, O5 Council members must not come into direct contact with any anomalous object, entity, or phenomenon. Furthermore, the identities of all O5 Council members are classified; all council members are referred to only by their numeric designation (O5-1 through O5-13).

Raven, Dr.Gears, 05-1, 05-3, and 05-5 are inside Dr.Gears's office. Raven is sitting down and losing her patience with 05-1 has been standing there asking her the same question over and over.

Raven stood up and grabbed the collar with both of her hands of 05-1's shirt.

"I don't fucking know damn it!" Raven said with a locked jar but her hands were shaking. Dr.Gears put his hand on hers and Raven's shoulder shot towards him.

"Please calm down Raven," Dr.Gears said in a soft tone not wanting to anger her, even more.

Raven let out a growl and Dr.Gears sat her back down.

"Are you happy now, 05-1? She's no longer just shaken up but now she wants to hurt you." Dr.Gears said looking at 05-1.

"This is pointless anyways why would Raven Blackstone know what's going through SCP-106's head?" 05-5 asked with a sigh rubbing the side of her face.

05-5 didn't see the point to treat a good personnel of the Foundation like this.

05-1 looks at 05-5 "You know why!"

"If she was the one responsible for their deaths and SCP-106 escaping why would SCP-106 go after her?" 05-5 asked

"To fool weak minds-

"Okay, okay you two needs to calm down we're all stressed out here," 05-3 said

"Whose death are you two talking about?" Raven asked

05-1 looks at raven "That's none of your concern." 05-1 said

"That's bullshit! you've been asking me the same question over and over 'why didn't SCP-106 kill you' so yes it is! I should know why!" Raven said

"Sir, she has a point. Look how shaken up she is" Dr.Gears said putting his hand on her head "It's clear that she doesn't know anything." Dr.Gears said

"Yeah, 05-1 just tell her I think she deserves to know after you've been tormented her for the last twenty minutes. 05-3 said

"Oh, so that makes me the bad guy?" 05-1 asked with his arms crossed.

"No one is the bad guy...Not yet anyway innocent until proven guilty." 05-5 said with a sigh then looks at Raven "Two researchers were killed and someone put a D-Class inside an SCP containment cell and now that same someone might have let out SCP-106." 05-5 said

Raven's eyes went wide it all made sense to Raven now why 05-1 was asking that question. It must look suspicious to him. No one ever made it out of the old man in black's dimension alive before but she did and things like this are happening, yes it would look very suspicious.

"Sir I have nothing to do with that you can ask Alison Chao I was with her in her office before I went to do to watch the D-Class," Raven said

05-3 patted 05-1 on the back with a smile "See how easy that was!"

05-1 growled then looked at Raven then sigh "Sorry Raven Blackstone I could have handled that better you may go back to site-17 I'll find someone else to watch the D-Class." 05-1 said smiling at the end.

Raven sigh "Thank you, that job was boring as all Hell." Raven said.