Disturbing Observations
I looked at Walter in my arms. He stared back at me with his big black eyes, almost purring.
Wait.
Purring?
I frowned. In the Foundation files, SCP-524 was described as a simple rabbit. No more intelligent than a normal one. It ate everything by instinct, not by conscious choice.
But this one…
He had recognized his name when Kaya called him. He had chosen to eat Kuro's hand the moment Kuro became aggressive. And now he was looking at me with an expression that strangely resembled… satisfaction?
"System," I murmured. "Walter is supposed to be just a basic rabbit, right?"
[ACCORDING TO THE FILES: AFFIRMATIVE][INTELLIGENCE: EQUIVALENT TO A STANDARD RABBIT]
"Then why does this one seem… more human?"
[HYPOTHESIS: THE ONE PIECE WORLD MODIFIES BIOLOGICAL ENTITIES][OBSERVATION: ANIMALS IN THIS WORLD POSSESS INCREASED INTELLIGENCE][THEY EXPRESS HUMAN EMOTIONS][CONCLUSION: ANIMAL SCPs MAY BE SIMILARLY AFFECTED]
My blood ran cold. "You mean animal SCPs become… more intelligent here?"
[PROBABILITY: HIGH]
"Damn." I stroked Walter thoughtfully. "Walter is Safe. That's fine. But if Euclid- or Keter-class animal SCPs become more intelligent…"
[THEY WOULD BECOME EXPONENTIALLY MORE DANGEROUS]
"Exactly."
Walter tilted his head, as if he understood our conversation. Then he licked my hand.
"Good boy," I said automatically. "Very… very good boy."
[RECOMMENDATION: LABORATORY TESTS REQUIRED][INTELLIGENCE LEVEL EVALUATION]
"Alright. Let's do it."
I turned to the group, who were still staring at me with various expressions of shock, confusion, and suspicion.
"Well, I need to put baby Walter to bed," I announced with a big smile.
Nami stared at me. "Put to bed… the rabbit that just ate a hand?"
"He's a baby! He needs sleep!"
"IT'S A MONSTER!"
"No, he's a good boy." I stroked Walter, who purred even louder. "And he's coming with me."
I summoned the Foundation door. It materialized with its usual metallic shimmer.
Before stepping inside, I turned back and dropped one last bomb.
"Oh, by the way. Kuro is a pirate."
"WHAT?!" Usopp exclaimed.
I pulled an old bounty poster from my pocket—God knows where I found it, probably in the Foundation archives—and tossed it onto the ground.
CAPTAIN KURO "OF THE HUNDRED SCHEMES"BOUNTY: 16,000,000 BERRIES
Silence.
"He… he really is a pirate?" Usopp stammered.
"Yup. And he's probably planning to murder Kaya to inherit her fortune. But you'll be fine. You're strong."
Luffy clenched his fists. "That guy is evil! I'm gonna smash him!"
"He's already missing a hand. Should be easy."
"YEAH!"
I waved at them and stepped into the Foundation, closing the door behind me.
Tests and Discoveries
I walked through the empty corridors toward the containment sector. Walter was calm in my arms, watching everything with curiosity.
"Alright, we're going to put you in a nice enclosure. With grass, water, toys…"
[ANIMAL CONTAINMENT CELL: LEVEL 2][PREPARED FOR NON-HOSTILE SAFE ENTITIES]
The cell was… pleasant. Ten square meters of green space with artificial grass, a small shelter, bowls for food and water. Almost luxurious for a rabbit.
I set Walter inside.
He looked around. Then he looked at me.
Then he sat down and waited.
"Uh… do you want something?"
He stared at me intensely.
"Food?"
He nodded.
HE NODDED.
"System… did you see that?"
[CONFIRMATION: WALTER UNDERSTOOD AND RESPONDED][INTELLIGENCE LEVEL: WELL ABOVE NORMAL]
I sighed. "Alright. What do you want to eat?"
I brought him vegetation. Carrots. Lettuce. Fresh grass.
Walter looked at the bowl.
Then he gave me a look of pure disdain.
"What? That's good food!"
He turned his head away, clearly offended.
"Oh no… don't tell me that—"
[HYPOTHESIS: WALTER WAS SPOILED BY KAYA][HE EXPECTS HIGH-QUALITY FOOD]
"You… you want five-star food?!"
Walter looked at me like it was obvious.
I rubbed my temples. "Great. We have an omnivorous rabbit that can eat ANYTHING, and he's picky."
I gave him meat. He sniffed it, ate a bit, but without enthusiasm.
Bread. Same reaction.
Fruit. He ate it, but clearly not satisfied.
"What do you need?! A Michelin-star chef?!"
Walter nodded hopefully.
"I… YOU—" I sighed deeply. "We'll find a cook. I promise. In the meantime, eat what you've got."
He grumbled—yes, GRUMBLED—but eventually ate.
I watched him closely. His appetite was… impressive. Not quite Luffy-level, but close. He ate and ate and ate, and still seemed hungry.
"Walter plus Luffy on the same ship…" I muttered. "We're going to starve before reaching the Grand Line."
[RECOMMENDATION: PRIORITY RECRUITMENT OF A COOK]
"No kidding."
Eventually, Walter seemed satisfied. He curled up in his little shelter and fell asleep almost instantly.
I left the cell and activated the containment protocols.
[SCP-524: CONTAINED][CLASS: SAFE (WITH RESERVATIONS)][NOTE: INCREASED INTELLIGENCE DETECTED][CONTINUOUS MONITORING RECOMMENDED]
The Battle of the Village
I exited the Foundation and rejoined the group near the mansion. The sun was setting, painting the sky orange and red.
The atmosphere had changed.
Everyone was in battle mode. Luffy clenched his fists. Zoro had his three swords ready. Nami held her staff. Usopp, despite his visible fear, was loading his slingshot.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"The Black Cat Pirates are attacking tonight," Nami explained. "Kuro confessed everything before passing out."
"He's sending his men to kill everyone in the village," Usopp added, trembling. "We have to stop them."
Luffy grinned. "We're gonna crush them!"
I looked toward the village. In the manga, this was a tough fight. But now…
Kuro had lost a hand. He was half-dead from blood loss. Even if he survived, he'd be a shadow of his former self.
"You'll be fine," I said confidently. "Kuro is finished. His men are nothing without him."
"You're not coming with us?" Luffy asked.
"I have… things to do." I glanced toward the mansion. "Kaya needs someone. And I need to talk to her."
Nami frowned. "About Walter?"
"Yeah."
"Good luck explaining that her pet rabbit is a man-eating monster."
"He's not a monster. He's just… special."
Conversation with Kaya
I found Kaya in her bedroom, surrounded by worried servants. She was awake now, but pale, her eyes red from crying.
When she saw me, she flinched. "You… you're Usopp's friend?"
"Marc. And yes."
"Kurahadol… Kuro… he…" She didn't finish, tears flowing again.
"I know. He betrayed you. I'm sorry."
She wiped her eyes. "And Walter… that nightmare… he really…?"
"Ate a hand? Yes."
She curled in on herself. "My rabbit… is he a monster?"
"No." I sat beside her bed. "Walter is a good rabbit. He's just… special. He can eat anything. But he never hurts anyone without a reason."
"He ate a HAND!"
"Because Kuro violently tore him away from you. Walter was protecting you."
She blinked. "He… was protecting me?"
"Yes. He's your friend. Your companion. But…" I sighed. "He's too dangerous to stay here. If someone else angers him, it could happen again."
"So… I can't keep him anymore?" Her voice broke.
"I'll take care of him. In a special place. For… extraordinary rabbits like him."
"Will he be happy?"
"Very. He'll have everything he wants. Good food. Space. Care."
Kaya hesitated, then slowly nodded. "Alright. But… you promise you'll take good care of him?"
"I promise."
She smiled weakly through her tears. "Thank you. And tell Usopp… tell him I'm okay."
"I will."
After the Battle
Night fell. Fighting broke out in the village. But as expected, without Kuro at full strength, the Black Cat Pirates were defeated quickly.
Luffy smashed everyone with enthusiasm.
Zoro cut down Kuro's lieutenants effortlessly—the captain himself was too weak to properly defend himself.
Nami knocked out pirates trying to loot.
And Usopp, despite his fear, protected Kaya with surprising bravery.
By dawn, it was over.
Kuro was captured and handed over to the Marines—what was left of him, anyway.
The village was saved.
And Kaya, grateful, offered us a ship. The Going Merry. A beautiful vessel with a ram-shaped figurehead.
"It's perfect!" Luffy exclaimed, eyes shining. "THANK YOU, KAYA!"
Usopp stepped aboard, tears in his eyes. "I… I'm setting out to sea. To become a real pirate."
"You're joining us?" Luffy asked hopefully.
"YES! I AM USOPP, THE GREAT WARRIOR OF THE SEA!"
We burst out laughing.
I looked at the Going Merry, then at the invisible Foundation in my dimensional pocket.
Walter slept peacefully in his cell. One more SCP in my collection.
But how many others were still out there? How many had become more dangerous in this world?
[ANOMALIES CAPTURED: 3/???][SCP-006: FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (SYMBIOSIS 70%)][SCP-005: MASTER KEY (CONTAINED)][SCP-524: WALTER (CONTAINED)]
"Three out of how many?" I murmured.
[CURRENT ESTIMATE: 47–300+][PROGRESS: 1%]
I sighed. "This is going to take a while."
But looking at my new companions—Luffy laughing, Zoro smiling, Nami counting Kaya's money, Usopp already telling lies—I found myself smiling too.
The adventure was only just beginning.
[END OF CHAPTER 11][ANOMALIES CAPTURED: 3/???][CREW: LUFFY, ZORO, NAMI, USOPP, MARC][SHIP: GOING MERRY][SCP-006 SYMBIOSIS: 72%][MAJOR DISCOVERY: ANIMAL SCPs BECOME MORE INTELLIGENT IN THIS WORLD][NEXT DESTINATION: BARATIE (SEARCHING FOR A COOK)][PRIORITY: FEED LUFFY AND WALTER WITHOUT STARVING]