Peppery Justice

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be kept in an isolated greenhouse on Site-103. All plant life must be kept a minimum of 100m away from SCP-XXXX. Herbicides are to be sprayed daily to prevent growth of life that could become instances of SCP-XXXX-1. SCP-XXXX is to be watered, pruned, and provided with a high nitrogen fertiliser as required, as well as being repotted every 3 years. Debris from repotting and pruning, as well as any instances of SCP-XXXX-1, must be incinerated.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a 53cm tall ficus bonsai that is planted in a ceramic black pot. SCP-XXXX’s branches, trunk and leaves are a pale pink colour. The leaves have a slight green tint, indicating the presence of chlorophyll. The trunk and branches are able to be compressed slightly and have a smooth texture. The leaves of SCP-XXXX are very thin but are still composed of the same material as the trunk and branches. SCP-XXXX’s roots are darker than other sections of the object and they resemble the inner layers of human intestines.

Histological analysis of SCP-XXXX samples has shown that SCP-XXXX’s cells are a hybrid of animal and plant cell and contain organelles from both cell types. DNA testing has shown that both ficus and human DNA is present within SCP-XXXX. The human DNA has been matched to a member of MTF Theta-4 (“Gardeners”) who was killed in action during the containment of SCP-████ .

Any plant life within 100m of SCP-XXXX will accumulate human DNA at an average rate of 2.5% of the human genome per hour , leading a complete human genome being present in all plant cells within 48 hours. This DNA is identical to the DNA present in SCP-XXXX. Any plant life exposed to these effects is to be given the designation SCP-XXXX-1. Instances of SCP-XXXX-1 do not carry the spreading properties of SCP-XXXX.

During the DNA transfer SCP-XXXX-1 cells gain characteristics of SCP-XXXX, with the amount of acquired characteristics depending the percentage of the genome that has been transferred. This leads to instances of SCP-XXXX-1 having a similar appearance to SCP-XXXX, with identical cell morphology. SCP-XXXX-1 instances that are no longer within 100m of SCP-XXXX will expire within 12 hours via apoptosis of all cells. This process will not reverse if instances of SCP-XXXX-1 are returned to the active range of SCP-XXXX.

SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1 utilise both sets of DNA present to create various proteins. This allows the objects to carry out metabolic processes unique to plants and animals. For example a cell taken from SCP-XXXX would be able to carry out photosynthesis while creating keratin, which is not found in plants.