Chapter 13

I was seated on a bus writing on my new notebook. It was something I managed to buy after street performing for about an hour. Apparently being able to teleport stuff made for a good street magic show.

Now, if the dollar store had normal looking notebooks everything would have been fine. The frontpage of my notebook had 'A practical guide to S&M' written in bright red letters. I had tried to cross out the 'S&M' part, and write domination with my pink pencil but that had just made it worse.

So here I was, at around 8pm, in a dinky bus on my way to Wyoming. I think I made for a pretty funny picture. I, a well-built man, in an almost deserted bus, was writing with a pink pencil on a notebook named 'A practical guide to domination'.

I had quickly realized how useful some runes could actually be and stopped only doodling new ones and was beginning to try to actually give some power. Magic worked by belief, intent, power, and knowledge. I had the belief and power part covered, knowledge could be bypassed with enough power, and intent was easy to focus. Why weren't my runes working then?

I thought that it would be easier than this. Everything I had done so far had been somewhat easy. The only stuff that had given me issues were the boost expy and my flames.

Not even infusing my doodles with the concept of domination worked.

I hummed to myself as I considered what I could do to give my runes power. Obviously I was missing something. What was I missing though? Maybe I needed a bunch of people to believe something worked for it to work? Something like the collective mind of humanity believing something was possible, so that something became possible.

I perked up as the bus stopped, I thought we had reached a bus station when I realized we had just stopped in the middle of nowhere. Some of the few other passengers stood up in alarm and this one redneck-looking guy took out a pistol from god knows where.

I saw a group board the bus and thank the driver. The rest of the people on the bus sat down and calmed down. Some poor saps had been left in the middle of nowhere? That was weird, and highly suspicious. Now that I knew where I was living I realized that thinking stuff happened because of coincidences is what got you killed. I would keep my metaphorical eye on this group for the rest of the ride.

I glanced down at my notebook and continued to stare at it when I felt someone tap me on my shoulder. I looked up and saw the only woman of the group that was picked up. She was wearing baggy clothes and had some headphones on.

"Can I sit here?" Why? Like, actually why? There were like 20 more free spots on the bus.

Pros, if these guys were actually going to do something dumb like try to kidnap the bus or use everyone on it as sacrifices to something, I could stop one of them quickly. Cons, she may be just a normal person who will be weirded out by my guide to domination book.

Fuck it, I don't think I'll see her ever again after getting off the bus. "Sure. You ahead."

She sat next to me and took out her phone, and proceeded to listen to some music. I went back to my book and started to try feeling some kind of connection to the runes. I couldn't convince every person on the planet my scribbles were magical, but maybe I could give them enough belief and power myself. After all, even sealed, I hadn't encountered a single human with a soul as large as mine.

It was a little weird. Realizing that souls were a thing and that people's souls were usually small. Not even the adults looked that different from kids. Or maybe they did and I just couldn't notice the difference? I wonder what affects the growth of a soul?

Was mine so big because I had taken the principles of domination or because I was a reincarnation? Wait, that doesn't make sense, there are literally people older than my two lives combined in this bus and their souls didn't even begin to compare to mine. It was definitely the principles.

I felt another tap on my shoulder and turned back to the woman. "You need something?"

"Are you an artist?" What? Why would she think that?

"Nope, why do you ask?"

"Well, you obviously drew those symbols in your notebook. I was wondering if you would like to draw me."

"Ah, sorry, no. I don't know how to draw. I can trace stuff well enough, but I have no artistic talent."

"That's a shame. Well, how about you instead tell me what are your plans for the future?"

Okay, that was new. Was this some type of flirting? I still felt paranoid about these people and that just made alarms go off in my head. Was she a potential stalker? Why would anyone ask someone they just met about their future plans?

"I uhh, like exploring. So I'll probably just go around the states just walking."

She leaned forward. "Only exploring? That seems boring though." Hey! I can enjoy whatever I want! Just because I had been using reddit on a daily basis during my 'containment' didn't mean I didn't like nature!

"Well, I just don't have any other plans other than just living y'know?"

She sighed. "I guess I didn't ask the right question. What are your plans now that you have escaped the SCP Foundation?" At that moment I immediately dominated my soul so it would not be unleashed, I had not expected that at all, and my tight lid on my soul had been shaken.\

It looks like I still had issues when surprised, though it was becoming easier to not notice the strain I felt when contained.

I slowly turned to look at her in the eyes, and controlled my biology into not showing any emotions. "Who are you?" She grinned at me and turned to face her companions. She made a hand sign, and quickly they all seemed to cast a spell on the rest of the bus riders.

I also turned to look at her companions, and scanned everyone on the bus. I felt how all the passengers' minds were just spaced out, well except for the driver, he was somehow super focussed on driving at the moment. With a sigh I reluctantly returned to look at the woman next to me.

"Again, who are you?"

"Allow me to introduce myself properly." She stood up and lifted her arms towards her sides, and bowed at a 45 degree angle. "I am called Sling, and I am the team captain of Strike Team 0885 'Handy'."

She puffed up her chest and put her hand up for a hand shake. "Pleasure to meet you, Red Angel."

I felt my heart sink a little. "Red Angel?"

She slowly put her hand down with a bit of a sheepish expression. "Well, Tats was not sure what your name was, he just knew that was your nickname."

"Oh no."

"Yeah, sorry about that buddy. We usually try to keep codenames simple and humble." Another voice said, this time from the front of the bus.

I recognized that voice so I looked to the front of the bus and saw that d-class who had walked me to the 'lanky guy'. "Hey, you are random d-class 17!"

A big dude to the left of RDC17 laughed and bumped him on the shoulder. "Hear that Tats, you also have an SCP nickname now, random d-class 17!"

'Tats' grumbled for a bit and then looked back at me. "Call me Tats." He looked at Sling and then back at me. "Finish telling him whatever you wanted to tell him and let's get out of here. I want to return to my bed and finally have some good sleep."

"Well, there is no need to hurry, but you are right. Going back to my house does sound nice." She turned to me again.

"We are from the US branch of the GoC, and we are not interested in following Site-19's mistakes. We wish to give you a contact line with the GoC. We want to have a cordial relationship with you."

… Who the hell were the GoC? Was I in some crossover? Man, I really wish I had read more about the SCP verse.

"That is alright and all, but I don't really have any way to contact anyone in an indirect manner. I left my phone and other stuff in the Foundation, I didn't want to be tracked down so easily. It seems like I failed at that. I also do not have the slightest clue what the GoC is." Sling looked at me and then at the last person of their group. He was looking out of a window with some serious 'my family was killed in front of me' vibes.

"Can you take on this question Desk?"

He stopped brooding and grunted as he walked over to me. "The GoC is like the Foundation. Difference being that we are funded and somewhat controlled by the UN, and we like to destroy threats, not put them in cages." He glared at me and started walking away.

Wtf?

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POV - Tats 14238725/726: Reece Stafford Devin Ellighton

As we got out of the bus and saw it go drive away I turned my attention to Sling and Desk.

"Did you really have to go all edgy around the Type Black?" Sling complained.

"Well, no, but did you see his face? He totally thought I had some kind of mysterious past."

I butted in the conversation. "He actually only looked weirded out." Desk made a face at that.

"Hey." Called Dud, he was still watching the bus go. "Did we do the right thing, Sling? We were supposed to contact command after Tats returned, not go and talk to the Type Black."

Sling looked at Dud for a moment and sighed. "Well, we were either gonna be sent to track him down anyways, or command would have sent a PSYCHE team that would have screwed the pooch."

"How are you so sure? He seemed pretty chill, just like Tats said."

"Well, the PSYCHE team would have come guns blazing and demanding he die in the name of humanities survival."

"Just like the Foundation." I added.

Sling nodded. "Just like the Foundation. Doing it in a remote area, diplomatically, and not actually threatening Red was the best thing we could have done. We may be reprimanded a bit, but I believe it will turn out for the better."

"The PSYCHE team wouldn't have done that, they normally just have enough to deal with a threat with a response level of 2."

"But they would have taken our reports at face value and would have gone anyway on their holy crusade of exterminating threats with diplomacy alone."

I butted in again. "All things considered, I also think we did good."

"Now if only you didn't give him my new phone." Bemoaned Desk.

The captain smirked at him. "Well, who told you to be an edgelord?"

Desk looked annoyed till he developed a silly grin. "Still, did you see the name of the book he was writing on?"

At that Sling cheeks flushed a bit. "Y-yeah, a practical guide to domination. Who would have thought that a threat of that level was so… so…"

"Promiscuous?" I offered.

"... Yeah."

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SCP-12725 - Last review date **/**/****

Item #: SCP-12725 Codename: Red Angel

Level 3 Restricted

Object class: Apollyon

Disruption Class: Amida (5)

Risk Class: Critical (5)

Special Containment Procedures: Due to SCP-12527's various abilities, the Foundation has not found a way to contain it. SCP-12725's current location is unknown, if any agent discovers his location, he is to inform his officer as soon as possible.

Description: SCP-12725 is a humanoid being with red hair and green eyes, with male characteristics. Due to its abilities to change forms, this description may not be accurate. It claims to own the 'principles of domination'. There is currently no consensus among the Foundation staff assigned to SCP-12725 on the nature of the 'principles of domination'. [REDACTED] believes SCP-12725 attempted to become a [REDACTED] when it made a deal with SCP-738. See Addendum 738-7 for more information about the deal made.

SCP-12725 is no longer human. SCP-12725 is not to be thought of as human. Talking to it expecting human-like responses will make your perspective of its answers skewed. Primarily psychological research theorizes it no longer thinks like humans nor does it manifest feelings as humans do.

SCP-12725 is unaffected by the passage of time and its mental stability will not deteriorate even when kept in isolation for long periods of time. SCP-12725 was noted to be capable of growing bored.

SCP-12725's amount and strength of abilities seem to grow with time. Last time SCP-12725 was seen it possessed the ability to teleport, control space, control air, control its own biology, influence minds and send telepathic messages, and can create a fire that can destroy anything. SCP-12725 has an enormous soul and an inhuman control over it, see Dr. Aurelia Baldovini report #568 for more information on the soul. SCP-12725 also showed the ability to protect its mind against invasions.

After Dr. Clef denied SCP-12725's request of learning runes from him, SCP-12725 began writing its own runes. SCP-12725 seemed to attempt to create its own magical language.

Among all of SCP-12725's abilities, its soul is considered the most dangerous. It is believed that during the Incident 12725-3, SCP-12725 released all of its soul. This resulted in the immediate incapacitation of all Site-19 personnel, and some SCPs.

Addendum 12725-14

SCP-12725 is responsible for the termination of SCP-096.

SCP-12725 showed some signs of sadness and regret when it escaped containment.

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AN

Alright, that's the chapter. It was a much lighter chapter than normal eh?

I am having issues deciding on how to continue the story. There are so many things I could go for that I don't know what to do, don't worry though, I have some ideas.

Only spelled checked the chapter once, so if any of y'all finds a spelling mistake, has questions, has some criticism, or whatever, please leave a comment. I enjoy reading them.

Thanks for reading.