SCP-5368

By: JakdragonX

Published on 18 Feb 2021 06:02

Item #: SCP-5368

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-5368 is contained within a standard Anomalous Object Containment Chamber at Site-119. Foundation personnel are authorized to remove SCP-5368-1 from SCP-5368 once it sprouts for experimentation or testing purposes.

Description: SCP-5368 is the designation given to an anomalous flower pot, capable of predicting the romantic potential1 between a designated user and an identified target individual. SCP-5368 can perform this action through SCP-5368-1, a singular, seemingly non-anomalous, red rose that sprouts once a seed or bulb is planted within SCP-5368. The type of seed or bulb is irrelevant, as any that are used within the object will always sprout SCP-5368-1. Tests concerning this process have ascertained that an SCP-5368-1 instance will always sprout regardless of the current life-cycle of the seed or bulb as long as the procedure of identifying a target individual is followed exactly. SCP-5368-1, while being resilient and able to thrive without the standard requirements of a typical rose within the object, will die if disconnected from SCP-5368.

SCP-5368 can only predict romantic attraction once a series of non-anomalous actions are performed:

The performing individual will say the first name of their target, whether aloud or through thinking about them, while planting the chosen seed.

Said individual will begin to pluck off SCP-5368-1's petals. On each pluck, the performing individual must alternately state aloud either "They Love Me", or "They Love Me Not", beginning with the former on the first petal.2

They will then continue plucking the SCP-5368-1 instance until only one petal remains. Whichever statement follows the removal of the final petal will dictate to the performing individual whether or not the targeted subject possesses the romantic potential required to sustain a long-term relationship.

Addendum 5368-1: Discovery

SCP-5368 was recovered by Researcher Marcel Dupont on 2018/09/13, who identified it as a "cursed family heirloom" that had been in his family's possession for several generations before he discovered it. Once contained, several experiments involving SCP-5368 were approved, with results verifying the extent of the object's anomalous properties.

Subject
Target
Results
Notes

Rs. Marcel Dupont
Hayley Morrow
[NO]
Rs. Dupont reported these results to Foundation personnel prior to SCP-5368's containment. Refer to Interview in Addendum 5368-2.

Dr. Frode Kastor
Sr. Rs. Trini Kastor-Riva
[YES]
The two subjects present within the experiment had been married for 32 years and lived together throughout most of their lives.

Js. Rs. Arun Macias
Js. Rs. Margie Zavala
[YES]
The two subjects were chosen due to expressing romantic feelings amongst each other at Site-119 beforehand.

D-472761
Kamron Dawe
[NO]
Kamron Dawe, age 14, was the daughter of D-472761. SCP-5368 seems to indicate strictly romantic feelings, not platonic or paternal ones.

███ █████ ████
Ordinary primate (infraorder Simiiformes)
█████3
It appears that the instances of SCP-5368 are able to work beyond the bounds of species. UPDATE: Test results have been redacted by the request of Foundation psychologist Dr. Devin Collins in order to minimize the damage to ███ █████ ████'s reputation and to facilitate recognition of the personal meaning of the test.

Rs. Kyan Bell
black-eyed Susan sunflower plant (Rudbeckia hirta)
[ERROR]
SCP-5368-1 wilted prior to completion. These results conclude that SCP-5368 requires organisms with baseline intelligence in order to output an answer.

Addendum 5368-2: Investigation

An investigation into SCP-5368 and its relation to Rs. Marcel Dupont was enacted alongside experimentation. An interview was later performed, with Rs. Marcel Dupont questioned about his reasonings for utilizing SCP-5368 and its anomalous attributes.

Interviewer: Dr. Danielle Reigen

Interviewed: Rs. Marcel Dupont

Dr. Reigen: Greetings, Marcel. We doing well?

Rs. Dupont: Yeah, yeah. Just fine. We can probably skip the formalities if you'd like.

Dr. Reigen: Sure. Yeah. Um, (Clears throat.) how about we just start at the beginning? Where did SCP-5368 come from?

Rs. Dupont: Right. I think it's always been a part of my family? Maybe from my Dad's side?

Dr. Reigen: Mhm.

Rs. Dupont: From the story I was told, everyone before me had used it to see if, well, spouses and whatnot were actually going to stay in the family. The same process, and every time it was always right. I never had any proof of this but I don't think there's been a failed marriage in at least… 5? No, 6 generations? Something crazy like that.

Dr. Reigen: And they all used it?

Rs. Dupont: Like I said, I don't really know the details. But I'd assume so. The way my dad was talking about it, it was almost like a requirement for entering the family. I'm guessing it's been used for a while now.

Dr. Reigen: Hm. Gotta be honest, I really don't get why you'd turn this thing in. Sounds like an honest-to-god blessing to have around. And we both know half the staff here are hoarding at least one kind of anomaly at home or in their office. What made you bring it in?

Rs. Dupont: "Blessing." Yeah right. The thing is more like a curse.

Dr. Reigen: How so? I know I would have wasted a lot less time with dead-end relationships if I had access to something like that. Lots of tears and money too.

Rs. Dupont: Remember Hayley?

Dr. Reigen: Yeah of course. I've been wondering what happened there. Last I heard, the rumor around the ice-box was that you were looking for places to get a ring.

Rs. Dupont: Exactly. But that was before I encountered the rose. If I hadn't told my parents before popping the question, everything would've been fine. But, of course, I told my jackass brother — who then told my dad, and then the next thing I knew they had me in the attic of my childhood home plucking petals. Like some middle-schooler or something.

Dr. Reigen: And that's bad because…?

Rs. Dupont: Because I said her name and started plucking, you know? Like I already knew the answer and got a bit carried away, because like—I know she loves me. I didn't have a care in the world. In that moment, I was so confident what the outcome would be. Well, I did until I got to those final two petals. (Pause.) That's when I realized that I was about to land on "she loves me not."

Dr. Reigen: Oh. I'm sorry Marcel. That's rough.

Rs. Dupont: Do you have any idea how painful that is? To be told you don’t have a future with your best friend? By a god-damned flower?

Dr. Reigen: I can't imagi—

Rs. Dupont: No, no you really can't. Look at this.

Rs. Dupont takes his phone out from his pocket and begins tapping the screen.

Rs. Dupont: It's not like we were some fling or something. We've been solid since we met back in Chicago four years ago. I mean, just look for yourself!

Rs. Dupont shows Dr. Reigen a photo of himself and Hayley standing in front of a chrome sculpture in Millenium Park, Chicago.

Rs. Dupont: Look how happy we were! And that wasn't even just like, a honeymoon phase. (Sighs.) Just a month before this stupid flower ruined everything… we went to Vegas together. It was so much fun, you have no idea how happy we were.

Dr. Reigen: I know you're hurting but I think we've gotten way off-topic here. Can we just go back to—

Rs. Dupont: No. I want this on record so that nobody goes through what I did. Anyone who happens to read this transcript in the future: Do not use SCP-5368 or it will ruin your life. I want it on record that we were happy before the rose threw every hope out the window.

Dr. Reigen: Fine. I'll add it to the record if you promise we can get back to the interview afterward.

Rs. Dupont: Thank you.

Several moments pass.

Rs. Dupont: Hang on, it's in here somewhere…

Another second passes.

Rs. Dupont: Here. I found it.

Rs. Dupont turns his device to face Dr. Reigen. On the screen plays a video recording.

Concluding Statement: Interview was subsequently paused for nearly 26 minutes while Dr. Reigen entered the video recording from Rs. Dupont's device into the record.

Note: The included footage has been transcribed for brevity and record-keeping purposes. According to Rs. Dupont, the footage had been edited into its presented form prior to encountering SCP-5368 in order to be utilized at a rehearsal dinner.

Recording begins on the dashboard of an unknown vehicle, with the perspective panning outward towards the driver and passenger seats. Inside, Rs. Dupont can be seen driving, wearing a casual grey shirt and brown shorts. Next to him, a younger blonde woman dressed in a red crop-top and blue jeans stares out of the passenger window. They both appear to be smiling. After several moments, Rs. Dupont can be seen turning the radio on, causing "Breakeven" by The Script to play. He quickly turns up the volume.

Rs. Dupont: You're going to have the time of your life, guaranteed.

The woman turns towards Rs. Dupont, who can now be identified as Hayley Morrow.

Morrow: Oh, really?

Rs. Dupont: What, you don't believe me?

Morrow chuckles slightly as she crosses her legs.

Morrow: Oh I believe you alright. But did you really think driving all the way there would be a good idea?

Rs. Dupont turns his head quickly towards Morrow's gaze.

Rs. Dupont: You don't want to spend time on the road? Just us?

Morrow smiles, leaning over the console to kiss Rs. Dupont on his right cheek.

Morrow: No, that's not what I meant at all.

Morrow chuckles again.

Morrow: You know our time together is always a blast.

Rs. Dupont leans over and turns a knob on the dashboard before returning to his previous position. The vehicle can be seen accelerating onto an interstate.

Morrow: Hey, Marcel.

Rs. Dupont: What's up?

Morrow looks towards Rs. Dupont.

Morrow: We've both always kinda been on the road, haven't we?

Rs. Dupont squints his eyes in apparent confusion.

Rs. Dupont: What do you mean?

Morrow slumps backward in her seat.

Morrow: Like, even when we first met, we've both had this… this attraction, almost, to the road.

Rs. Dupont: Like roadkill?

Morrow: (Chuckling.) No, no. I just, ergh, I can't really explain it.

Rs. Dupont: No I think I get it. (Pausing.) Almost like nomads, right?

Morrow: Something like that, yeah. Just doing our own thing, having the wind take us wherever. Kinda nomadic, in a good way.

Rs. Dupont: Is there ever a bad nomadic lifestyle?

Morrow shrugs.

Morrow: I'm sure someone, somewhere has probably made it bad. At some point.

The two sit in silence for several seconds as the radio begins playing a new song.

Morrow: You know, you never did tell me how I was going to have the time of my life, Marcel.

Rs. Dupont: Just trust me! I promise. Have I ever mislead you?

Morrow: Yes. Definitely.

Both laughs as The footage fades.

The camera cuts to the inside of a small hotel room, with one bed visible and a large window overlooking the Las Vegas skyline. Rs. Depont can be seen carrying the recording above his head, with Morrow walking towards him from a nearby bathroom. Rs. Dupont begins speaking with his face towards the camera.

Rs. Dupont: Man, this hotel room is fucking awesome, huh?

Morrow: Marcel, what are you doing?

Rs. Dupont turns his head but keeps the camera angled towards him.

Rs. Dupont: (Offhand.) What do you mean? I'm immortalizing our trip! Keeping memories.

Morrow laughs as she sits down atop of the bed. The TV adjacent to her flashes on, with the local news playing at a low volume.

Morrow: You look like a middle-aged man when you do that.

Rs. Dupont rolls his eyes as he continues holding the camera above him.

Morrow: Marcel, seriously.

Rs. Dupont: Aw come on, you know you love it.

They both sit in silence for a moment as Rs. Dupont moves the camera to another position, pointing towards them.

Rs. Dupont: I just thought of something.

Morrow: Yeah?

Rs. Dupont: You remember that one time, back in August, when we went to that diner in Columbus?

Morrow pauses.

Morrow: I think so, yeah.

Rs. Dupont: And they didn't cook your meal and you almost threw up?

Morrow: Yes, I definitely remember now. (Chuckling.) You almost went over the counter.

Rs. Dupont: I was mad, I couldn't help it.

Morrow: Mhm, sure.

Rs. Dupont: I was!

Morrow: Trust me, I know. But why bring it up now?

Rs. Dupont turns towards Morrow.

Rs. Dupont: We're going out there again someday, I have a score to settle with the cooks who made your food.

Morrow: That really necessary? I'm sure you got your point across to them already.

Rs. Dupont: Maybe, but they definitely fucked you over. Freddy's has always been a good place to eat at. I can't just forgive them.

Morrow: I think you'll be able to just fine.

Rs. Dupont: Yeah, whatever.

Rs. Dupont walks over to Morrow, offering his hand towards her. She grasps it and then rises to her feet. The two smile at each other momentarily before they both share a kiss.

Rs. Dupont: Okay, okay. We both should probably go get ready. We got somewhere to be in an hour.

The camera changes perspectives once more, now again in Rs. Dupont's hand. The camera appears to be slightly spinning, overlooking a massive crowd. Upon closer inspection, it appears that Rs. Dupont and Morrow are inside of the Golden Nugget Casino, located within downtown Las Vegas. The two also appear slightly intoxicated, with Morrow quickly running up to Rs. Dupont and giving him a kiss on the lips as he records.

Rs. Dupont: Are you having fun yet?

Morrow nods. Rs. Dupont quickly turns towards her, giving Morrow another kiss as the two begin walking.

Morrow: Do we have any more money?

Rs. Dupont: (Chuckles.) Probably not.

The two continue walking around the casino, with each holding the other's hands. After several minutes, the two wander outside and continue walking northwest.

Morrow: Where are we going? (Laughing.)

Rs. Dupont: I, uh, I think there's a park nearby. Wanna stop there for a second and get some fresh air?

Morrow nods as they continue walking. After another 10 minutes, the two arrive at Symphony Park. Despite the several streetlights, the area is still dark. The two spot a nearby bench, and can be seen sitting down. After another pause, Morrow leans her head against Rs. Dupont's shoulder.

Morrow: I'm getting sleepy.

Rs. Dupont: Do you want to head home soon?

Morrow: Not right now, no. But soon, probably. What do you want to do?

Rs. Dupont: I'm okay with whatever.

Morrow snorts.

Morrow: I hate it when you do that.

Rs. Dupont: What? I'm only copying you, Ms. "Whatever You Want To Eat, I Don't Care."

Morrow playfully punches Rs. Dupont in the arm.

Rs. Dupont: Ow! That hurt.

The two laugh for a few seconds before they each go silent. It remains like this for several minutes. The camera moves and is now pointed upwards, with Rs. Dupont and Morrow away from the frame.

Morrow: Marcel?

Rs. Dupont: Yeah?

Morrow: I love you.

Rs. Dupont pauses momentarily.

Rs. Dupont: I love you too, Hayley.

Morrow: Thank you.

A final pause before Rs. Dupont can be heard chuckling.

Rs. Dupont: You're welcome Hayley. You're welcome. But hey, we should probably head back to the room soon.

Morrow: Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.

Addendum 5368-3: Conclusion

Interviewer: Dr. Danielle Reigen

Interviewed: Rs. Marcel Dupont

Foreword: This interview is a continuation of the first, following a short break by Dr. Reigen.

Dr. Reigen: Alright, I've got it. I'll make sure that that gets into the record.

Rs. Dupont: Thank you. You're a good friend, Dani. I just don't want anyone else to go through this pain. I would have been so much happier to just love Hayley a little longer, you know? Sure, we probably would have ended at some point, but I would have liked to have been happy for just a little longer.

Dr. Reigen: Yeah I get it.

Rs. Dupont: And you know what the worst part was? I really didn't even realize what I had until it was too late. If we weren't doomed I would have loved her so much more after taking this break. I would have taken more time off, stuck to my scheduled hours more tightly, taken her to her dumb cheesy movies, and anything else that would make her smile. I would've tried everything I could because I never really realized how perfect she was, you know? I've become such a better man because of her and how much I've been missing her. But there's no point in any of it anymore. Sorry I'm such a mess. Not like I can talk about any of this with a therapist or something, ya know? Stupid Veil.

Dupont rests his head in his arms on the table in front of him and goes quiet.

Dr. Reigen: Yeah, uh, not a problem at all. Look, we can go get a drink and talk after we're done here but I really need to get back to the actual questions. You know how it is.

Rs. Dupont: Yeah, of course. What else do you have?

Dr. Reigen: Well, getting back to the actual event in the attic, you said your dad and brother were there… Anyone else?

Rs. Dupont: No, it was just us.

Dr. Reigen: And where did your dad retrieve SCP-5368 from?

Rs. Dupont: Um, it was locked in a little box on an old dusty table in the back. Nothing really notable about it.

Dr. Reigen: Perfect. Just one more, I promise. Then we can call it a night and head to Gilly's.

Rs. Dupont: Yeah I get it. Don't worry about me. I'm just not really feeling it now.

Dr. Reigen: Uh, right. So, was the flower already present when it was taken out of the chest, or did you have to do anything to sprout it?

Rs. Dupont: Oh, right, I had to just say the name to a seed and then plant it to start. Dad said something about how each plant was meant for only the person who planted it. Sorry, I totally forgot about that. I would have mentioned it before.

Dr. Reigen: No worries. That's why we have these questions. And then you said you left it with the three remaining petals there so… that explains why it was still un-wilted when we recovered it. Alright, I think that's everything we need on this list. Thank you!

Rs. Dupont: Sounds good. But I think you made a mistake. It only had, erm, two petals left when I walked out.

Dr. Reigen: No? I'm certain there were three.

Rs. Dupont: No, I clearly remember. I ended on "she loves me not" so it was definitely an even number left. You've got something wrong.

Dr. Reigen: I don't know what to tell you… It has three petals. Look.

Dr. Reigen slides a photo SCP-5368 that was previously recovered from Rs. Dupont's residency.

Dr. Reigen: See?

Instance of SCP-5368-1 with three visible petals.

Rs. Dupont: Danielle.

Dr. Reigen: I—yes?

Rs. Dupont: There's three petals.

Dr. Reigen: That's what I said, yeah. There it is too, in the photo that you're, uh, looking at right now.

Rs. Dupont: Danielle.

Dr. Reigen: What, Marcel?

Rs. Dupont: There's no way.

Dr. Reigen: I'm pretty sure there is a way, actually. You can even see it for yourself—it's like, right there.

Rs. Dupont: No, no, you don't realize what I'm saying.

Dr. Reigen: Which is?

Rs. Dupont: I've made a very stupid mistake.

Concluding Statement: Rs. Dupont quickly left the room before Dr. Reigen could officially conclude the interview. Additionally, due to the image provided by Rs. Dupont, Foundation personnel are unaware if the extra petal spotted on the SCP-5368-1 instance was anomalously manifested or otherwise an oversight by the researcher in question.

Hey, hayley?

yes? something up?

I think I'm an idiot

I've been saying that for years <3

Footnotes

1. Likelihood of having a successful long-term 1st-order relationship.

2. Failure to recite the required alternating claim will result in the SCP-5368-1 instance growing new petals to replace the lost ones, trapping the user in an infinite loop.

3. Reason for Redaction: "To preserve the reputation of a Foundation asset" ~ Dr. Devin Collins.