Fred, classified by the SCP Foundation as SCP-423, and nicknamed "Self-Inserting Character" is a sapient metafictional construct that can enter narratives with characters, like books, biographies, and in rare cases, Foundation research notes, that appear as a character named Fred. 423 has been used by the Foundation in multiple instances to go after metafictional or textual entities like SCP-4028.
SCP-423 was found by Agent ██████, during a routine search, in a used book store in ████████, Texas, on ████ ██, 19██, in a reproduction of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, ██████ brought it to a unidentified Foundation location in Sector 28. The book seemed normal until a character named "Fred" appeared in the book, which is not known to be in any version of the book, when 423 was left by a reproduction of Moby Dick, his anomalous nature became known to The Foundation.[1]
Experimentation
To test SCP-423's anomalous properties on other physical narratives, The Foundation subjected 423 to multiple narratives, including The Hobbit, where a 14th dwarf named Feredor, which is 423, the story is the same except for being no references to a lucky number and Feredor surviving the Battle of Five Armies, but Oin is killed.[2]
After the SCP Foundation discovered SCP-4028, Alonso Quixano, some personnel debated whether the sudden appearance of Alonso Quixano was a collaboration between authors, and after the debate, they used 423 to find out if it was a collaboration due to 423's ability to enter physical texts. 423 was then brought back to his journal and briefed on his task through written notes by Agent O'Hara. When 423 heard that he was to investigate Alonso Quixano, which meant he was going after Don Quixote, he reacted in fear at encountering Don Quixote, commenting how this wasn't a "two-bit noir cut-out" or a "hoighty-toighty meta-vore" he was going after but the real Don Quixote. The agent then asked if 423 could do this, and 423 responded that he could do this but shouldn't be blamed if things go south. 423 then enters an English translation of The Orphan's Story, and all references to 4028 disappear, which occurred in all versions of the manuscript. Immediately after this change happens, 423 returns to the journal and gets back into contact with Agent O'Hara, saying how he thinks he got 4028 mad and that there could be a possible metanarrative crisis. 423 then describes what happened in the book in his own words: how 4028 thought he was an evil wizard and how 423 explained he wasn't and he was sent by the Foundation to investigate him, and then 4028 gets quiet and asks if the Foundation "upholds knightly chivalry." O'Hara then writes a question asking what 423 told him, and 423 responds saying how the Foundation isn't the good guys, sometimes is bad, and is just complicated, and then tells how 4028 doesn't get the idea of someone being complicated and gets up and draws a sword at 423, and 423 says how he just ran. O'Hara then writes a question asking 423 what 4028 said, and 423 responds saying O'Hara needs to call their people and tell them 4028's coming. O'Hara then writes again, asking what he said, and 423 answers saying 4028 said the Foundation sounded like giants.[5]
Alternate realities
SCP-420-J
423 appeared in SCP-420-J's digital documentation, despite it not being able to affect digital narratives, asking where he could get some of 420-J.[6]
Personality
Attributes
SCP-423 can enter any physical narrative, always making itself a minor character named Fred or some variation of the name Fred (e.g., Fredrick, Feredor, F'Red, Freddy). 423 can alter itself to fit the setting of the narrative it inhabits, like if the narrative focused only on children, 423 would appear as a child, or in a narrative where there are no or barely any humans, 423 would appear as a non-human creature. SCP-423 can narrative-hop from one narrative to another if they are within 1 meter (100 centimeters) of each other; this takes either 3 minutes or longer or shorter depending on how long the narrative is. During this process, the entire narrative will change to suit 423's changes, with the text on the pages moving, and on rare occasions, the narrative will become bigger or smaller. 423 cannot affect electronic narratives, like website pages, or visual narratives.
Containment procedures
423 is contained inside a 5 x 5 meter room with three 2 x 3 meter bookshelves in it. An incinerator is located adjacent to the bookshelves. All SCP Foundation personnel entering or leaving 423's containment chamber must be searched for written materials, and said written materials must be checked for the presence of 423. If 423 is confirmed to not be in the material, the material is to be incinerated.
During the night, 423 is to be put into a small, plain journal labeled "423". If 423 fails to remain in this journal, then it won't be allowed to read material outside of testing.
Series I SCPs