This damned white and black rock was making my head hurt.

I wanted to give it back to the two Kirlia we have as a test to see what happens. But alas some of the O' Five tried to make it a separate SCP, meaning I would've needed express permission from them to do anything 'drastic'. However, most of the O' Five being curious of the potential results gave me permission for the experiment anyway.

But just when I thought everything had gone right, the rock bloody vanished. BECAUSE OF COURSE IT WOULD! Why couldn't it stay in one place like any good secured and potentially lethal inanimate object? And now we have every man we can searching for it, leaving most of the base in potential quarantine until we can make sure this rock is just teleporting around or something.

"Could someone have taken it?" I asked Kanin as he paced back and forth. I held a picture of it in my hands, bored enough to slip it into my pockets without paying it a second thought.

He stopped and sighed, glancing at his radio briefly. "That's always a possibility, although unlikely. Cams that covered the exit to the room showed no person entering or exiting it until the time at which it was reported missing."

My headache only seemed to worsen with ideas of a possible inside job having happened beneath our noses. I just want something to stay at least somewhat normal for once, and not devolve into whatever you would call this…

"Maybe it's another SCP that slipped in during the 'attack'." Kanin mused. "If it was, it'd need to be able to slip through walls or teleport."

"Be creative, maybe it can turn itself into liquid or gas… nevertheless, that's assuming an SCP did take it. Which I severely doubt."

Kanin sat down on a nearby chair and stared into a monitor that showed all the cams in the facility. "Maybe we can try and convince the O' Five to let us use the two new SCPs we got to try and locate it."

"You first, they don't take those requests very seriously when they come from me."

He sat in contemplation, the same steady and determined look planted on his face. "Well… maybe we don't need to ask this time."

"I'm not going to ask questions as to why you're thinking like this, instead I'm simply going to act on it." I got up and opened the door. I glanced back at him as he jumped off his chair to follow. "Promise to make sure nobody will snitch, and yes, that statement will be recorded."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from Doctor Jack Bright, just fail to mention me in any of the reports..."

I flashed him a thumbs up as we made our way out. "Of course, you're unfortunately on break."

"How unfortunate for everyone… I, Kanin John Mason of the MTF, give my I word I will not snitch on Doctor Jack Bright's brilliant idea to not tell command about the unauthorized use of two SCP to help track another SCP currently missing."

My recorder clicked as I stopped it and put it back. "And now I make the promise to delete that after we're done. Don't want to abuse it now…"

"Oh you better, good Doctor."

"That's the thing, I'm not a good doctor at all."

Kanin rolled his eyes, clearly unamused. "Let's hurry and get this over with, would rather not explain this to anyone else." he pushed the buttons for the elevator, a sigh escaping him as he probably was contemplating how this could horribly go wrong.

And this situation going wrong would spell disaster for the base, we're still under repairs from that damned thing that did the earthquake. What significance is the stone to Ralts and Kirlia I wonder, maybe Luna could answer that. Or Cliff, but he's… difficult so I doubt his abilities in that regard.

We entered briskly, the black doors closing behind us. The descending motions of the elevator forming a pit in my stomach, I liked the feeling secretly. Though it was hard to describe why, the motion itself of slowly descending can be scary, you can't know when you'll start falling for real. Maybe this concrete and metal box simply gave me an illusion of trust that was hard to break, oh well, another question for another time.

The doors to the enclosure were in my view and nobody was guarding it. Everyone was where they should be, which is looking for the stone after all. We had free reign over here, perfect for us.

I swiped my card and put in my password, the door shuddering as it began to open.

Luna perked up at seeing me and Kanin, Cliff, who was sitting on one of the tree's branches, predictably didn't seem very pleased. I tossed her my amulet as she smiled brightly at us. [Hello mister, what are you doing today?]

"Looking for something actually," I took a picture of the rock out of my pocket. "Your rock went missing from containment, we're wondering if you can help us find it."

Luna's expression changed to a mix of curiosity and worry. [How'd it go missing? It doesn't have legs or anything…]

"Well- the running theory is that someone stole it."

[Please don't tell 'Cliff' about it, he'll go crazy. I was supposed to keep it safe for him until he wanted to evolve since he gets into a lot of fights with other Pokémon.] she said innocently.

Pokémon? Damn me, I need a free day to properly write all these things down and ask questions. Who knows the amount of information I could get just by simply asking for it. The depths of knowledge that this tiny thing holds within the crevices of its mind just waiting to be exposed. And I'll be the one to see it through. Peacefully and willingly of course…

[Uh mister, are you okay?]

I snapped to my senses, Luna looking at me with a concerned look on her face. "Don't worry, I'm fine. We can do it without Cliff."

[Thanks mister!]

"Oh Kanin, I have a job for you to do," I gestured to Cliff, putting my mouth close to his ear. "Keep him busy and try not to die while I… complete our plan."

He shook his head, confusion on his face. "What does-"

"I can't explain or else he'll find out, he's a psychic, remember?" I said as Luna jumped onto my shoulder.

Kanin rolled his eyes as he flashed me a salute. "Welp, guess I am on break then, good luck Doctor Bright."

"I'll try to be quick for your sake." I said as I ran out the door with Luna hanging on for dear life. Now to find where this rock was, and I think I know where to start…

We made our way through the compound with relative ease, I knew where to go to not be seen by anyone. Dodging and weaving through the same old white and black hallways that looked far too similar to one another. The inexperienced could very well lose their way around here without a map, good thing they're everywhere. Both maps, and giant warning signs signalling where a SCP was being contained.

Luna was curious of everything, staring at the signs and often asking me what they meant or what they warned of. Sometimes I wanted to ask her to be quiet in case someone heard us, remembering that she was speaking via telepathy with my mouth hung agape. Other than the occasional shuffling or what I assumed to be a sigh she was silent. Better for us, would rather not be seen by someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[I feel it,] she murmured.

"The rock?"

She nodded happily. [Yes, someone has it I think… I don't think they like you very much.]

"How can you tell?" I asked curiously, taking a pistol I pickpocketed from Kanin from out of the confines of my coat.

[Their emotions are all icky and weird, its like they know they don't belong here.]

That was all I needed to hear. My pistol was readied and cocked, safety off, along with my finger precariously on the trigger much to basic firearm safety teachings dismay. I had exactly twenty rounds in this thing, no extra mags. And I am a bit rusty with a firearm…

I couldn't help but smirk as I thought of something devious. "Are you able to mess with any weapons they have?"

[You mean your weird boom-stick things? I can, but I need to see them first.]

My smile grew. "As soon as you see any, destroy them. So long as it isn't mine."

[Mister…]

"Yes?" I asked tentatively, lowering the gun slightly.

She seemed worried. [What if you miss?]

"I won't miss-"

She put her hands on my head, a buzzing filling it as my senses crumbled to a halt. The gears inside my head seemed to freeze in place, my surroundings slowing to the point I could swear everything stopped. The sensation wasn't painful, but it certainly wasn't comfortable.

I heard Luna sigh. [There, now you see the world like I do when I use my powers. Don't worry, it's only temporary.]

Everything around me seemed slower, but I knew that wasn't the case at all. I moved just as slow as the world around me, but my thinking was faster than ever. Luna had somehow given me the ability to perceive the world around me so fast that everything seemed slowed down.

Another one to add to the ever growing list. Guessing she can't help me with the men inside though...

I put Luna on the ground, taking my amulet back as I motioned for her to stay.

I swiped my card across the scanner, the door opening at the rate allowing me to see the missing stone being handed off to another person that definitely didn't work for this facility. Both wearing armor that looked like the MTF stuff, but I know for a fact MTF was shipped out in favor of our new unit. I'll deal with the consequences of not taking a prisoner later.

One already had their gun pulled as I entered, firing at the same time as me. I watched both our bullets nearly touch as mine slammed into the neck of the one holding the stone. The other bullet punched into the wall next to me, the strung out noises of the metals colliding ringing in my ears. The armor looked to have absorbed my shot, guess I'll have to try something else.

The guy I shot faltered, falling back as his friend opened fire on me. I jumped to the side, the weird effect allowing me to shoot back with every narrowly avoided shot that passed by me.

I rolled behind a desk, their faceplate was the best bet for a target and I had the means to land every shot. I launched back outside the cover of the desk, sending every bullet in my completely legally obtained gun into him.

The bullets hit their mark, shattering the mask and decorating the wall with his crimson blood. His last grunt of pain echoing around, lasting far longer than what I would consider comfortable.

More bullets hit around me, the recovered man running out of ammo with every second. One skimmed past my face as I turned around to dash to the other gun. Blood flowed from a wound on my face, the pain sending me barreling back behind the desk. It stuck around, and seemed multiplied.

I could see Luna in the doorway, her hands outstretched as she stopped most of the bullets. A clicking came from his gun. The sound of a magazine hitting the floor echoed through the room. I vaulted over the desk and threw my empty pistol at him, knocking the gun off course enough for him to fumble with the inserting a new one.

I took my amulet in hand, knowing full well I was about to send this man's consciousness on a one-way-ticket straight to brazil. With fervor in my heart for revenge for the flesh wound, I plunged the silver amulet around his neck.

Time seemed to flash forward, realizing the effect wore off. He stopped fighting back against it, a croaked voice coming from him. "Well now you'll have to explain what your amulet does to Luna-"

I tore it off, the body falling limp. Luna seemed confused, scared even. I tossed it to her, catching it with those weird white 'hands'. [There were two of you…]

"Remember back when you first picked up my amulet?"

She nodded. [I felt you were scared of me touching it for a moment.]

"I was scared because of what it does to other humans, if they hold it, they die and are replaced by a clone of my current consciousness in that body. They are effectively me, they have the same memories, same way of thought and way of doing things, but they have to be in contact with my amulet for thirty days. Or else the body just goes dead again, like here." I kicked the body for good measure. Eliciting a funny look from Luna.

She seemed confused still, though her fright seemed gone. Replaced by curiosity. [Are you a ghost?]

"... I don't know, all I know is that my soul is trapped in the amulet."

She tilted her head. [Is the body you have right now your original one?]

"Nope, I can't even remember my original face." I said in some level of loathing present.

A newfound glow was in her eyes. [At least you get to keep your memories, apparently ghosts lose all of theirs when they come back.] she stated happily.

"What do you know of 'ghosts'?"

[Well mister, ghosts where I'm from can possess people, they come in all shapes and sizes as well. Some are friendly, while others aren't.]

I rolled my eyes as I retrieved the stone, still in perfect condition. "Am I a friendly 'ghost'?"

[Well-]

I heard footsteps echoing down the corridor, must be a patrol. "I'm sorry, but you need to teleport back before they see you here with me."

[Okay mister, see you later.] she waved to me as a flash of light took my vision, leaving nothing behind other than a quickly fading 'dust' of sorts.

I sighed, the troops entering the scene with their weapons trained. What surprised me was Kanin was with them. He stepped forward, seeing that I had the stone. "You okay, Doctor Bright? We came as soon as we heard gunshots."

"Turns out the stone was stolen after all, they had to have had a train of people they were passing it between in order to slip it past everyone in our ranks. I want to tighten security, like starting now."

"Where'd you get the gun from?" he asked, gesturing to his holster, empty of the weapon it should have. "It's not completely against protocol for you to have a firearm, so long as the 'certain people' know about it."

I picked up the empty pistol, tossing back to him. "All of you can take a sigh of relief, I don't want a firearm. This was just a temporary option I had to use."

"Well if you insist, so I'm guessing the rock doesn't have any odd anomalous details about it other then the energy signature, right?"

"Basically," I tossed the rock to him. "Just recontain it, I want to do a test tomorrow involving it. Then I'll get actual documents on these SCP done sometime soon. Hopefully."

"Alright then, Echo two through six, go initiate procedures to take off lockdown."

"Your squad is back already?" I asked inquisitively as they all left.

He chuckled. "No, until my other actual mates are back I have decided to call my main squad by 'Echo' still for simplicity's sake."

"Well then here is my last question for you, how was your break?" I asked as I leaned against the wall.

"Better than I thought it was going to be, we might be able to let them roam the base if they want at this point. Though we'll need O' Five permission of course."

"Or do we-"

He raised his hand. "Not with that, this was different and worked, surprisingly well. But I'll try to vouch where I can."

"Fine. We'll get permission this time."