Item #: SCP-5086

Object Classification: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: The Foundation has created a fake company to claim responsibility for the distribution of SCP-5086 instances throughout New York, entitled: Trees4U. Trees4U claims to be distributing the SCP-5086 as a marketing ploy to gain attention for its subscription-based tree and potted plant business.

SCP-5086 are too plentiful and are all situated on private property. An attempt to confiscate all instances would be impossible without the use of dangerous Foundation infrastructure, which would not be warranted given the stability of the situation. As the effects of SCP-5086 are innocuous and not visibly anomalous, it has been decided that no action will be taken.

Description: SCP-5086 are several varieties of potted herbs typically used in cooking, which, over the course of April, 2020, were delivered to an estimated million apartments throughout New York City. SCP-5086 instances were packaged in unmarked brown cardboard boxes, accompanied by a note1. The majority of recipients suffered from depression, anxiety, being dangerously overweight, being dangerously underweight, anorexia, and other mental and physiological issues.

SCP-5086 instances do not require water or soil containing active microbial life to grow. Instead, when the individual who owns that specific instance experiences a rise in serotonin, dopamine or oxytocin as a result of satisfaction, the instance will grow at the usual rate for its species. If the owner is absent from SCP-5086 for periods of time exceeding three days, the specimen will begin to dry out as though dehydrated, even when frequently watered.

All SCP-5086 instances possess an elevated level of chemicals responsible for the flavor of the herb itself, as well as naturally-produced flavor enhancers. SCP-5086 will also excrete a gaseous drug when cut which alters activity in the occipital lobe, making objects appear more attractive to the viewer, and the gustatory cortex, to increase the detail of tastes. Addition of parts of SCP-5086 to any meal improves its flavor, texture, and appeal.

Frequent usage of SCP-5086 in foods increases the consumer's willingness to engage in physical activity and assists with loss of fat as well as development of muscle. SCP-5086 has resulted in a 15% increase in the number of people frequently visiting gyms throughout New York City, as well as the greatest public happiness and health spikes ever recorded in New York City.

Notelog-5086:

Each SCP-5086 delivery came with a handwritten note, addressing the recipient by name. The handwriting is all from the same person. While some notes deviated to address specifics concerning the individual, most are near-identical.

Note Transcript:

Hey, [Recipient's Name]

I heard you’ve been going through some things, so I bought you this.

You aren’t alone.

-A Friend

Diary log of Hector Brooke, current student at New York City Culinary Institute:

I don't think my current culinary portfolio is going to make the cut. The deadline is in only a few weeks, but I still dont know what i'm going to make. I have to compete with people from all over the country! Stressful times, but I'm going to go back to research.

A package showed up at my door today. It had a basil plant in it along with a note. It said it was from a 'friend'. Was it Greg? It was probably Greg.

Holy shit, that Basil doesn't fuck around. I've cooked with oregano, parsley, and every other herb under the sun, but I've never eaten something with as much of a tang as this.

I bought some more basil plants from the store. After all, the little plant can't produce enough leaves for me to use it as much as I want to.

Ok, I talked to Greg, apparently he didn't send the plant. Very strange…

The other basil don't taste anywhere near as good as this one. Is it genetically modified or some shit?

That basil plant has started wilting. I've constantly been watering it and I bought some fertilizer to try and revive it, but it hasn't worked yet. If this thing really is GMO, maybe it has cancer or something? Can plants get cancer?

The damn thing is practically flopped over dead on the ground. Some of its leaves are still green, though. I'm going to pluck those off and mix them into tonight's salad.

You're a computer file, so I suppose you can't really call me a weakling. Stupid as it sounds, I actually started crying while I was eating. Not just because of the dead plant, obviously. The deadline for applications is tomorrow, and I don't have the slightest fucking idea of what I should do.

Holy shit, I wake up the next day and the plant is perfectly fine, like nothing had even happened. It even sprouted flowers. That can't be normal.

I've finally realized what I should make. I'm going to use this basil to make a garnish for a seafood curry. I'll splurge on some fresh crab and mussel to throw in there and take it over to the Culinary School tomorrow.

Wish me luck.

End of log

Footnotes

1. See Notelog-5086