SCP-4536

Info SCP-4536: Beauty is the eye of the beholder

Author: ghostchibi

Read more by me here rating: +39 + – x

Link To Guide Item#:4536 Clearance Level 1: Clearance Containment Class: safe Secondary Class: {$secondary-class} Disruption Class: # /dark Risk Class: # /notice

Special Containment Procedures: Agent Shoukoku will undergo a mandatory mental evaluation once every 14 days, with no greater than 17 days between evaluations, and a mandatory physical examination once every 30 days, with no greater than 35 days between examinations. Failure to report to either without notice from Agent Shoukoku within one hour of the scheduled time is to be treated as a Low Level Containment Breach. Agent Shoukoku is allowed to schedule these dates as convenient for himself.

Two consecutive failures to schedule an appointment in a timely manner will result in immediate mandatory mental evaluation and physical examination, and may result in recontainment based on previous containment procedures. Extenuating circumstances and effort made by Agent Shoukoku to avoid these circumstances will be considered in evaluation of reestablishing previous containment procedures.

+ Show Special Containment Procedures before ██/██/████ - Hide Special Containment Procedures before ██/██/████ SCP-4536 is held in a Standard Humanoid Containment Room. The air filtration system is modified to facilitate inspection of the filter every two days for unusual particles. The following requests have been approved: A selection of books from the Site-76 personnel library, rotated as requested

Three magnifying glasses of differing strength (requested individually)

A standard Foundation-issue laptop (wireless and wired connection capabilities removed) with Agent Shoukoku's personal music library downloaded

A blank lined notebook and a set of Pilot brand black ballpoint pens of differing thickness (1.0, 0.7, 0.5, and 0.3)

Description: SCP-4536 is an Ipomoea alba with a single white flower. The plant's stem is 1.2 cm long, creating the impression that the plant lacks a vine and instead has roots extending directly from the base of the flower. The flower is roughly 8 cm in diameter, with slight shrinkage of the petals recorded occasionally.

SCP-4536 is currently located partially inside of Foundation Agent Daniel Shoukoku's right eye socket. The flower rests on the surface of Agent Shoukoku's face, and the root system has entangled with Agent Shoukoku's cranial blood vessels and severed optic nerve. SCP-4536's roots are able to take in nutrients through the blood vessels in an unknown manner, keeping the plant alive. Roots attached to the inside of the eye socket maintain socket shape, and act as an anchor in order to change the flower's direction in a limited range.

The roots are also capable of mimicking the optic nerve, taking in visual information and transmitting it to the brain. Agent Shoukoku has stated that vision through SCP-4536 is indistinguishable from vision through his mundane, organic left eye. Unlike mundane moonflowers, SCP-4536 does not bloom and close based on sunlight level, and will stay in bloom under Agent Shoukoku's control.

SCP-4536 causes no significant physical discomfort to Agent Shoukoku. Consistent mental evaluations and physical examinations have been deemed necessary in order to ensure Agent Shoukoku's safety and the containment of SCP-4536. Removal has been deemed unnecessarily life-threatening due to SCP-4536's benign effects as well as the currently insufficient understanding of the entanglement of SCP-4536's root system with Agent Shoukoku's circulatory and nervous system. Removal may be reconsidered in the future.

Acquisition: Agent Shoukoku was involved in the covert containment of SCP-████, and sustained injuries to his face during capture. Due to extensive damage to the eyeball and surrounding musculature, an enucleation was performed. SCP-4536 was found in a fully-formed state while Agent Shoukoku was in inpatient care during his recovery, despite daily inspection by Foundation medical staff as part of standard aftercare procedure. No foreign bodies were detected during these inspections, and surveillance cameras, room entry logs, and other records show no abnormal activity suggesting outside intervention. Traces of I. alba pollen were found within the air filtration system connected to the room in which Agent Shoukoku was kept, but it is unknown if the pollen originated from SCP-4536 or from another specimen.

Addendum A: Partial sections of notable mental evaluation interviews with Agent Shoukoku are attached below.

+ Interview #1 - Interview #1 Interviewed: Agent Daniel Shoukoku Interviewer: Junior Psychologist "Chibi" Yamagusuku Foreword: This was the first interview conducted with Agent Shoukoku following containment of SCP-4536. <Begin Log> Yamagusuku: Agent Shoukoku, how are you doing today? Shoukoku: [Agent Shoukoku's head is lowered, muffling his response.] Yamagusuku: I'm sorry? [Agent Shoukoku lifts his head.] Shoukoku: Alright. I'm doing alright. Yamagusuku: I was told you were handling this situation very well. I'm sure this is incredibly disorienting and difficult for you. We really do deeply appreciate your cooperation in this. Shoukoku: It makes all of our lives easier. Yamagusuku: What I mean to say is that anyone would expect much less emotional stability and even less calm from you right now. You've kept your wits despite all of… this, and that's remarkable. We want to make this as painless as possible for you. Shoukoku: Yeah. I was sedated before the physical exam. Yamagusuku: Were you briefed on the state of SCP-4536 and its integration into your body? Shoukoku: Yes. [A three second pause.] Yamagusuku: I'm sorry, I thought you were going to continue. I see you requested… some books, and a magnifying glass? Shoukoku: There's a mirror in the bathroom of the containment cell. Yamagusuku: You want to inspect the SCP yourself? Shoukoku: I want to know what to expect from it. Yamagusuku: Do you think it has anomalous properties that the Foundation hasn't yet discovered? Shoukoku: No. I just want to be prepared. Yamagusuku: Are you worried about it breaching containment? Shoukoku: No, but just in case. Yamagusuku: I see.

<End Log>

+ Interview #2 - Interview #2 Interviewed: Agent Daniel Shoukoku Interviewer: Junior Psychologist "Chibi" Yamagusuku Foreword: Agent Shoukoku requested two more magnifying glasses of differing strength soon after the above interview. This interview was conducted following his request to have them removed. <Begin Log> Yamagusuku: Agent Shoukoku, how are you doing today? Shoukoku: Real bad. Yamagusuku: Can you explain to me about how you're feeling? Shoukoku: I want to pull this thing out. Yamagusuku: That's understandable. I've noticed that you returned the magnifying glasses you requested. Do you not want them anymore? Shoukoku: I don't wanna see this thing anymore. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of this stupid white thing on my face. Yamagusuku: I see. I see it noted that you requested an eyepatch to cover your right eye. Shoukoku: It's not even an eye anymore. It's… It's some… It's weird. Disgusting. I don't want to see out of a flower, and I don't want to see that flower any more than I have to. Yamagusuku: I'll forward your request to the researcher in charge. It may not be approved, since an eyepatch might cause damage to SCP-4536. Shoukoku: It's a flower. It'll grow back. Yamagusuku: It's an anomalous flower, and whether or not it can grow back is something we don't know for sure. Shoukoku: You can't kill a plant from fucking up its flowers. Yamagusuku: I'm sorry, Agent. It really will be based on the head researcher's decision. I'll make a note that this is something negatively affecting your mental and emotion heal- Shoukoku: Whatever. [Jr. Psych. Yamagusuku writes on the notepad for thirty seconds.] Yamagusuku: In the event that an eye patch isn't approved, is there anything else that you would like to help with this? Shoukoku: Garden shears. Yamagusuku: I can say for certain that a request like that will be denied. Shoukoku: Surgical removal. Yamagusuku: That isn't possible, currently. Shoukoku: That was what everyone was talking about as the only way to get this out. Surgery to sever the roots from where they're connected to my bloodstream and nerves. Yamagusuku: Yes, but… severing the points of connections may be too delicate of a surgery to be possible. Especially in the case of its connection to your circulatory system, it could cause extreme bleedi- Shoukoku: Then just… [Agent Shoukoku makes a "cutting" motion with his right index and middle fingers in front of his face.] Yamagusuku: That likely won't work for the same reason that weeds need to be pulled out from the roots to keep them from coming back. Shoukoku: Cut deeper, then. Yamagusuku: Doing that would likely leave rotting material in your eye socket and cranial cavity. I'm sorry, I truly am, but removing it from you isn't a reasonable option right now. Shoukoku: Alright then. I just have a fucking flower on my face, and a bunch of roots in my head for the time being, then? Yamagusuku: Only until a method to remove it without harming you is found. Shoukoku: Which might be never. Yamagusuku: The SCP isn't irreversibly fused to your body. This is only a matter of ensuring that the removal process is safe before it's attempted. Shoukoku: Sure. <End Log>

+ Interview #3 - Interview #3 Interviewed: Agent Daniel Shoukoku Interviewer: Junior Psychologist "Chibi" Yamagusuku Foreword: An eyepatch large enough to cover SCP-4536 was approved for Agent Shoukoku, following a determination that this would not damage SCP-4536 nor harm Agent Shoukoku. Agent Shoukoku wore the eyepatch for three weeks before this interview. Containment procedures for SCP-4536 had been modified to the current iteration 2 weeks prior. <Begin Log> Yamagusuku: Is the eyepatch still helping you? Shoukoku: It's annoying because it's so damn big, but it hides everything. I don't have to see that stupid flower. Even if I can't see anything right next to my head. Yamagusuku: I'm glad that this is helping you. I'm sorry that it requires covering up your vision, but if you prefer this, then I don't see any issue with continuing. Shoukoku: Yeah, yeah, it's… good. Yamagusuku: Is there an issue with it? Shoukoku: No. Yamagusuku: Are you sure? Shoukoku: Yeah. Yamagusuku: Daniel. Shoukoku: …okay, maybe there's an issue, but it's not about the eyepatch. Yamagusuku: Any issue is worth talking about in our sessions. This isn't just about the SCP, it's about you. If you need a therapist, then I can assign one to you. Shoukoku: I don't know how that would help. It's not like its a problem I have, it's a problem other people have. Yamagusuku: How so? Shoukoku: Everyone keeps fucking staring. Yamagusuku: Oh. I'm… I'm sorry. Shoukoku: Like, yeah, we're all aware there's a weird ass flower under this. [Agent Shoukoku taps his eyepatch.] I'm not hiding it to look normal, I'm hiding it because I hate looking at it. But everyone tries to be too normal about it, but of course there isn't anything normal about it, so everyone stares to make up for having to be extra normal around me, or something. Yamagusuku: So everyone believes that the eyepatch is to hide SCP-4536 from others, and their reaction to this annoys you. Shoukoku: It goes beyond annoying, to be perfectly honest. It's starting to edge on pissing me off. It might be worse than having to see a flower on my face every single morning. Yamagusuku: Would keeping the eyepatch on only while you're in an area with mirrors be more helpful? Shoukoku: What? Yamagusuku: You carry the eyepatch with you when you leave home, and put it back on only when you think you'll need to see yourself in a mirror. You take it off once that's over, and put it back on when you get home. [Agent Shoukoku is silent.] Yamagusuku: Agent Shoukoku? Shoukoku: I can do that? Yamagusuku: I don't see a reason not to. You wear it only for yourself and find it annoying to be seen wearing it by others. It may be a nuisance to put it on and take it off so often, but that'll minimize amount of time others see you wearing it. Shoukoku: Uh. Yamagusuku: Hmm? Shoukoku: I. Um. Huh. I didn't think of it like that. Yamagusuku: That's what I'm here for. Shoukoku: I thought you were here to make sure I didn't go out of my mind. Yamagusuku: Well, this is a form of prevention for that. <End Log>

+ Interview #4 - Interview #4 Interviewed: Agent Daniel Shoukoku Interviewer: Junior Psychologist "Chibi" Yamagusuku Foreword: Agent Shoukoku modified his eyepatch, stitching a flower pattern into the outer layer using various colored threads and attaching a plastic craft gem in the center. He began to wear the eyepatch regularly again, despite initially following Junior Psychologist Yamagusuku's suggestion about his eyepatch use. The similarity of the pattern to SCP-4536 and his changed behavior prompted concerns about SCP-4536's potential cognitohazardous effects. <Begin Log> Yamagusuku: You said before that the eyepatch was for yourself, in order to hide SCP-4536 from yourself. Shoukoku: Yeah. Yamagusuku: So… why decorate your eyepatch to mimic SCP-4536? Shoukoku: This one's for everyone else. Yamagusuku: Do you mind elaborating on that? Shoukoku: The staring thing. I wasn't trying to get people to treat me any differently, or try to look more normal with it. I just wanted to not see something, so I hid it from myself. But ever since, everyone started taking that as some sort of… pity party invitation? Excuse to show weird concern for someone they don't know, don't talk to, and didn't particularly care about before this? I've liked this eyepatch idea less and less. So if they're going to stare and annoy the everloving hell out of me, it might as well be for a half-decent reason. Yamagusuku: You added a visible design to attract attention to the eyepatch? Shoukoku: It's a way to explain why they're staring. If it makes them stare any more than a blank black eyepatch that covers up a quarter of my face, I don't care. Yamagusuku: Why in the shape of SCP-4536, though? Shoukoku: Because that's what's under here. I mean, the actual thing is a very exciting solid white, which is why I made the outside look like a rainbow vomited on this corner of my face. It's a label. No need to peel this off to see what's underneath, here's what it is. Yamagusuku: There's been some concerns over your specific decision to use a pattern that looks like SCP-4536. Shoukoku: Why? Yamagusuku: Well, it still isn't well-understood, and for the most part it seems like it doesn't do anything beyond give you the capability to see. But especially with its roots connected to nerves very close to your brain, it may have cognitohazardous effects. Shoukoku: I'll make sure to tell you if I start feeling a desire to bury myself in dirt. <End Log>

+ Interview #5 - Interview #5 Interviewed: Agent Daniel Shoukoku Interviewer: Junior Psychologist "Chibi" Yamagusuku Foreword: Agent Shoukoku stopped wearing his eyepatch, prompting further concerns of SCP-4536's potential cognitohazardous effects. Agent Shoukoku was called in to address these concerns with him. <Begin Log> Yamagusuku: You do understand how this change in behavior appears. Shoukoku: I'm not saying anyone's overreacting, I'm just saying that it's not that serious. At least, I don't think it is. Yamagusuku: I understand that you have training in congnitohazard resistance. Shoukoku: As much as you can teach someone to resist something like that, yeah. Which is why I don't think that's what's going on. I just don't care about seeing Celeste anymore. Yamagusuku: Celeste? Shoukoku: Oh. Yamagusuku: Agent Shoukoku? Shoukoku: It's not a big deal. Yamagusuku: Agent Shoukoku, who is Celeste? Shoukoku: Uh. Yamagusuku: Daniel. Who are you referring to? Shoukoku: Nobody. Celeste isn't a person. Yamagusuku: Then what is Celeste? [Agent Shoukoku sighs, and points at SCP-4536.] Shoukoku: …Celeste. Yamagusuku: You named it? Shoukoku: Yeah, listen, it's not a big deal. I just wanted to find something to call it that wasn't a number. It's easier to use a name than a bunch of numbers, or calling it "the flower." Yamagusuku: I see. Shoukoku: You think this is funny. Yamagusuku: I don't think anything is funny, as much as I find it completely contrary to how I expected you to react to this situation. Shoukoku: I'm guessing this doesn't really help the whole "I'm not suffering from a cognitohazardous effect" argument. Yamagusuku: This isn't an argument, Agent. All that needs to be done is monitor you for a while and determine whether your changes in mentality toward SCP-4536 are a non-anomalous adaption to your situation, or if SCP-4536 does have the ability to influence your thoughts. Shoukoku: How do you do that? Yamagusuku: That is for a Foundation psychiatrist to determine. Shoukoku: Sounds good enough for me. [Jr. Psych. Yamagusuku writes for twenty seconds.] Shoukoku: "Subject is cooperative with monitoring," right? Yamagusuku: Hmm? Shoukoku: What you're writing. That I'm not arguing with you about being watched. Yamagusuku: Is there something bothering you, Agent Shoukoku? Shoukoku: No, just… kind of tired of always being looked at because I have a flower in my eye socket. [Agent Shoukoku looks to SCP-4536 with his left eye, and flicks one of its petals back and forth with his index finger.] Shoukoku: You're more trouble than you're worth, buddy. <End Log>

Addendum B: A containment breach occurred on ██/██/████, in which Agent Shoukoku acted to aid recontainment. During the breach, Agent Shoukoku sustained facial injuries and SCP-4536's flower was severed from the vine. A physical evaluation of SCP-4536 was conducted following medical attention, and Agent Shoukoku was interviewed to ensure his safety was not at risk. The following includes a section of the interview.

+ Interview - Interview Interviewed: Agent Daniel Shoukoku Interviewer: Junior Psychologist "Chibi" Yamagusuku <Begin Log> Yamagusuku: I see you've had some time to… customize. Shoukoku: Yeah. Yamagusuku: I suppose it's a good way to adjust to yet another change in your life. Hopefully, this is temporary. Shoukoku: Assuming that Celeste grows back. Eyepatch for the rest of my life, if it doesn't. Yamagusuku: We don't have any reason to believe that it won't grow back, other than the assumption that SCP-4536 is unique in its state of being. Shoukoku: Is it? Yamagusuku: Well, I'm sure that we'll find out soon enough. The plant seems to still be sustaining itself off of its connection to you. You've lost all vision in your right eye? Shoukoku: Flower. Yamagusuku: Right, flower. Shoukoku: Yeah, nothing there. I can still kind of see a weird floating thing going on. You know when you close your eyes, and it seems like something's still moving around? Vague shapes and all that? I can see those if I close my eye so all of my vision is dark. Yamagusuku: I see. Did you let the doctors know during your exam? Shoukoku: Yeah. They kept testing my vision. Apparently the little stem bit still moves around if I look in different directions, even though there's nothing there. Yamagusuku: I suppose it's something like the ocular muscles being able to contract and relax, even with no eye in place. Anyway, I'm less interested in how your muscles are doing, and more about how your emotions are doing. Shoukoku: Fine. Better than when I could first see through a flower in my head. Kind of mad that the same exact quadrant of my face got fucked up again. Yamagusuku: You've gone blind in one eye. You're not having any problems adjusting to that? Shoukoku: My field of vision is cut in half, so what. I dealt with it before. Yamagusuku: But your first experience was very short, and the eyepatch is removable. This isn't. But moving on, what about mentally or emotionally? Shoukoku: I get mad when I hit my hip on corners. Yamagusuku: Mmhmm. Shoukoku: What do you want from me? It's… well, it fucking sucks, but I'm not having any mental breakdowns over it. Give me some time to make some emotions about this, I don't know how to feel about it yet. Yamagusuku: We are planning to increase your appointments to weekly after this. Shoukoku: Cool. Yamagusuku: Apathy is also an emotion to watch for. Numbness is a reaction to trauma, too. Shoukoku: I mean. Okay. Maybe I'm a little jumpy about seeing sharp edges, and things getting close to my face. But not so much that it'll get in the way. Yamagusuku: Any amount of hesitation is enough to "get in the way" in your line of work, Agent. Regardless, we may re-establish previous containment procedures, just to ensure that SCP-4536 doesn't harm you while it grows. If the flower doesn't regrow, it might be time to consider surgical removal. Without a flower, the SCP effectively becomes a parasite pulling nutrients from your body. Shoukoku: I thought doing that was an "unnecessary life-threatening risk." Yamagusuku: It is, although if it's possible to remove it without significant risk to your life, then it would be worth doing so. Shoukoku: Hm. Yamagusuku: You don't sound very happy about that. Shoukoku: Maybe I'm just a little bit fond of Celeste. Yamagusuku: Really? Even if the flower never grows back, you never get your vision in that e- side back, and the SCP only parasitizes you? Shoukoku: Maybe I don't mind. Yamagusuku: You don't mind? Shoukoku: Listen, I don't care. Besides, you gotta give shit time to heal. It's not fair to decide that Celeste is dead or broken forever if it doesn't grow a flower back ASAP. Yamagusuku: Well, we're not going to declare SCP-4536 dead just yet. Shoukoku: That's the thing about plants, though. Yamagusuku: What is? Shoukoku: They usually don't die just because you cut off a flower.



<End Log>

Addendum C: A flower bud has regrown from SCP-4536's severed stem, and is currently growing at a rate consistent with non-anomalous I. alba specimens. SCP-4536 has been left uncovered in order to encourage further growth of the stem and avoid the flowering of SCP-4536 inside of Agent Shoukoku's eye socket.