by stormbreath

NOTICE FROM THE FOUNDATION RECORDS AND INFORMATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
The following file was given to this iteration of the Department of Extra-Universal Affairs from an equivalent in Universe B-2004-β. The information contained within does not represent baseline reality (Universe A-173-α). All redactions were present in the original file from B-2004-β.

Item #: SCP-4223
Object Class: ARCHON

Site Responsible: COMMAND Site-01
Director: O5 Command
Research Head: N/A
Assigned Task Force: N/A

Level 4/4223
Extra-Universal

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4223 is currently regarded as nonanomalous in consensus reality and does not require full containment as a result. Containment procedures are to focus on the maintenance of this perception to the public.
SCP-4223-2 is regarded as an extremely unlikely but theoretically possible and poorly understood natural phenomenon. This has been accepted into consensus reality, with little research being conducted into the mechanism of SCP-4223-2. Foundation embeds in major universities, research groups and PepsiCo are to discourage serious scientific inquiry into SCP-4223-2.
SCP-4223-1 has been explained as the recipe to SCP-4223-A being hard to reverse-engineer, as a result of the unusual origin. A cover story detailing the likely existence of an unidentified key ingredient has been disseminated and accepted into consensus reality.

Description: SCP-4223 is a pair of anomalous phenomena affecting the production of SCP-4223-A. By itself, SCP-4223-A has been determined to be nonanomalous. SCP-4223-A is a carbonized soft drink with an aquamarine color and a tropical lime flavor, with the designation of SCP-4223-A covering a wide variety of slight deviations. The most common variant of SCP-4223-A is commercially sold and marketed as Mountain DewTM Baja Blast by PepsiCo.
SCP-4223-1 is a global phenomenon inhibiting the artificial synthesis of SCP-4223-A. Despite the ability of recipes to produce SCP-4223-A in regions not affected by SCP-4223-1,1 such recipes will produce SCP-4223-B in the presence of SCP-4223-1. SCP-4223-B is an uncarbonated liquid which has a taste exclusively described as "battery acid". No other descriptors have ever been applied to SCP-4223-B, and it is believed to be a low-grade cognitohazard.
As a result of SCP-4223-1, imitations of SCP-4223-A cannot be produced, as they generally fall under the small range of variations included in the SCP-4223-A designation. As such, SCP-4223-A is marketed as a unique and rare novelty product and is typically regarded as a high-end soft drink.
SCP-4223-2 is a local phenomenon affecting Hartman Geyser, located in Baja California, Mexico. The surrounding area of Hartman Geyser is composed of non-anomalous silicates and calcium compounds, as well as several cationic metallic particles, which hold their charge despite being grounded; these particles partially act as a catalyst for SCP-4223-2.
Natural processes in and around Hartman Geyser result in the production of SCP-4223-A in the well of the Hartman Geyser. Once per year, typically in late August, the Hartman Geyser will erupt, as a result of the accumulated pressure.2 This eruption is then bottled by PepsiCo and distributed commercially.

Addendum 4223.1: History and Cultural Significance of SCP-4223-A
SCP-4223-2 is believed to have been created in the aftermath of the 001-Apotheosis Event, in which SCP-001 was partially assembled near La Paz, Mexico in late 1942. During this event, side-effects of the primary anomaly created SCP-4223, most likely unintentionally.
SCP-4223-1 is believed to have always existed.
SCP-4223-2 was discovered in 1954 by two American civilians, Barney and Ally Hartman, and quickly purchased from the local landowner, who was unaware of the anomaly. The Hartman brothers named the Hartman Geyser after themselves and began limited bottling operations. During the course of their attempts to recreate SCP-4223-A outside of SCP-4223-2, they discovered the formula for baseline Mountain Dew.
PepsiCo purchased the rights to both SCP-4223-2 and Mountain Dew in 1964 and began to distribute the beverage nationally. Ordinary variants of Mountain Dew were easily replicable and thus sold as a general product to stores and restaurants. However, the supply of SCP-4223-A was limited as a result of the source.
In order to capitalize on their limited supply of SCP-4223-A and sell the product, SCP-4223-A was marketed as a luxury product, with the origin of SCP-4223-2 being used in the marketing. This marketing campaign was successful, and the demand for the product was kept higher than the limited supply.
In 1965, Foundation agents investigated the origins of SCP-4223-A and SCP-4223-2. This investigation concluded that, while unlikely, SCP-4223 could have occurred under baseline conditions, and there was not strong evidence of anomalous phenomena. This conclusion has been overturned following a later investigation with better equipment.

Addendum 4223.2: Discovery of Anomalous Nature
The initial indication of SCP-4223 was recovered during a 2019 meeting between the Department of Extra-Universal Affairs of baseline reality and an equivalent from A-173-α. An excerpt from this meeting follows below:

[EXTRANEOUS DATA EXPUNGED]
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): I'm going to go get something to drink, we can continue the religious symbol trading when I get back. Want anything?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): What do you have?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Oh, the usual. Beer, wine, Baja Blast, water, tea, whatever you want.
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Baja Blast?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Good choice, that was what I was just about to get myself.
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): No, is that fancy in this universe?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Oh, yeah, it is. It isn't in yours?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Nope, just a low-end soda. Pretty bad rep, even. I'll take one though, it could always hit the spot.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β) briefly leaves and returns with two glasses filled with SCP-4223-A, and places one in front of Trevor Bailey (A-173-α).
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Hmm, tastes the same.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): So is it just a minor novelty in your dimension?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): I suppose. It's really only sold in Taco Bells, I guess it's exclusive there?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Hmm. Just seems a bit weird given where it comes from.
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Huh? Where does it come from here?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): It wells up in a geyser in South America and then explodes in the Baja Blast once a year, right?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): That is 100% anomalous.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): … Shit.

Following this exchange, a new investigation was launched into the nature of SCP-4223. With the usage of Kant Counters, which had not been in widespread usage in 1965, it was determined that local reality surrounding SCP-4223-2 was significantly weaker than the baseline. Similarities were also noted between SCP-4223 and SCP-2217. As such, it was concluded that SCP-4223 was anomalous.
Additionally, O5-6 issued the following statement:

It has come to my attention that Hartman Geyser may be anomalous. If so, it is likely the result of a separate classified anomaly that was active in late 1942. Full information has been given to the SCP-4223 HMCL Supervisor.

Addendum 4223.3: Religious Significance of SCP-4223-A
Further analysis of the cultural significance of SCP-4223-A has indicated one prominent connection to a known anomalous group - specifically, the Church of the Broken God. Several notable ancient Mekhanists make reference to a drink with similar attributes to SCP-4223-A, describing it as the chosen drink of Mekhane and equivalent to the nectar of the Olympian Gods. The relevance of Mekhane having a preferred drink is never explained.
It is currently unknown how SCP-4223-A was produced during the ancient Mekhanist period, but it is believed that another instance of SCP-4223-2 existed during that time period. This instance was likely destroyed but might be SCP-2217.
Modern-day Mekhanist groups are divided on the interpretation of SCP-4223-A. While GoI-004C ("Church of Maxwellism") has adopted SCP-4223-A as a sacred beverage, GoI-004B ("Cogwork Orthodox Church") has entirely rejected SCP-4223-A, claiming that the relevant scripture is noncanonical. GoI-004A ("The Broken Church") remains divided on the issue, being a point of debate in the Church.
An excerpt from the Homeric Hymn to Mekhane3 regarding SCP-4223-A follows below:

… They rushed to the opened halls of Mekhane, goddess descended from Olympus4. The banquet tables, having been opened lay with bountiful food, the nectar and ambrosia of the heavens. The celebrants sipped the nectar, that sweet liquid with the color of seawater and strange taste from Indian5 lands. It rises with the will of Mekhane, delighting the mouth with its strange and unknown textures. …

Addendum 4223.4: O5-Council Deliberations
The O5 Council, as part of their regular meetings, discussed containment of SCP-4223 and proper management of the anomaly. Redactions have been made to the following transcript that relate to the containment of other anomalies, in order to preserve proper containment. For unredacted transcripts, contact the acting RAISA supervisor.

O5-4: Baja Blast is anomalous? The luxury, high end soda?
O5-2: As trivial as the matter seems, it is indeed an anomaly, and an unavoidable one, it seems.
O5-6: Containment is difficult, to say the least. Baja Blast has become a well-integrated piece of normalcy. We could shut down PepsiCo and remove all Baja Blast from circulation, but that would inevitably raise questions.
O5-11: But allowing an anomaly to remain in common circulation is untenable. We cannot allow this system to remain. Simply put, we have to do something about this.
O5-7: Let me remind the Council that the continued existence of Pepsi is vital to the containment of both SCP-████ and SCP-████, and is mandated by the procedures of both.
O5-1: And a containment breach of the first would be rather unfortunate, to say the least. The second not so much.
O5-8: That's putting aside the gravity of destroying a Fortune 500 company for something that is nonanomalous by itself. Getting rid of Pepsi might not even do anything - the rights to Mountain Dew could be sold off in their closure.
O5-3: Have we considered using the Ennui Protocol to contain this anomaly?
O5-8: Yes, but it won't be feasible. Ennui is only effective in containing conceptual anomalies, or convincing the public that an anomaly is not anomalous. The public already believes it is not.
O5-13: That gives me an idea. We allow it to go uncontained for the time being. But the next time we turn 2000 on and restart society, we can contain it then. There are several anomalies in containment that were once considered to be a part of normalcy, before other resets. It's what we currently plan to do concerning the Gulf of Mexico.
O5-1: It's worked well in the past.
O5-6: Simple enough. How long is the list of anomalies we'll need to contain following the next reboot, in any case?
O5-10: It is currently three hundred and fifty one items long.
O5-13: Most of it minor, correct?
O5-10: Less than ideal.
O5-1: Let's put it to a vote. Show of hands?
Shuffling.
O5-1: Motion passes. Anomaly will go uncontained until the next activation of the Ganymede Protocol.

Following these deliberations, the current Containment Procedures for SCP-4223 were implemented, and it was assigned the esoteric Archon Object Class, as proper containment is theoretically possible, but would likely have adverse effects on consensus reality.

Addendum 4223.5: Parallel Extra-Universal Anomaly
During a follow-up meeting by the Department of Extra-Universal Affairs to the meeting detailed in Addendum 4223.2, the existence of another phenomenon highly similar to SCP-4223 in Reality M-121948-δ was discovered. An excerpt from this meeting follows below:

[EXTRANEOUS DATA EXPUNGED]
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): I'm going to go get something to drink, we can continue the religious symbol trading when I get back. Want anything?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): That'd be great, thank you.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): What do you have?
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): Oh, the usual. Beer, wine, Mountain Dew, water, tea, whatever you want.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Mountain Dew?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Oh god, not again.
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): Good choice, that was what I was just about to get myself.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): No, is that fancy in this universe?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): The Pataphysicists were wrong! God isn't a horror writer, he's a hack!
stormbreath (scp-wiki): Guilty as charged.
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): Oh, yeah, it is. It isn't in yours?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Nope, just a low-end soda. Pretty bad rep, even. I'll take one though, it could always hit the spot.
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Get me one too.
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ) briefly leaves and returns with three glasses filled with Mountain Dew, and places one in front of Trevor Bailey (A-173-α) and Trevor Bailey (Β-2004-β).
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Hmm, tastes the same.
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Same as my dimension too.
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): So is it just a minor novelty in your dimension?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): I suppose. It's really only sold in Taco Bells, I guess it's exclusive there?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): The difference between normal Dew and Blast in your dimension makes no sense.
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): Hmm. Just seems a bit weird given where it comes from.
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): Huh? Where does it come from here?
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Oh, here's the stinger, how stupid is it going to be?
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): It accumulates on the grasses of a few mountains in Siberia during the morning, right?
Trevor Bailey (B-2004-β): That is 100% anomalous.
Trevor Bailey (A-173-α): Laughing.
Trevor Bailey (M-121948-δ): … Shit.

In Reality M-121948-δ, Mountain Dew is formed as the natural accumulation of liquids on small plants on a few mountains in Siberia, in territory associated with the Daevite Empire. Mountain Dew was not harvested in large amounts until 1954 when the Hartman brothers discovered the anomaly and began bottling it. Other Mountain Dew varieties6 were created as an attempt to replicate the liquid.
Information from the M-121948-δ copy of SCP-140 indicated that this phenomenon was known to the Daevite Empire, and was regarded as culturally relevant, similar to the Mekhanist view of SCP-4223-A.
The Department of Extra-Universal Affairs is currently contacting its equivalents in an attempt to discover more parallel anomalies and is distributing copies of this file to its equivalents in order to potentially find an explanation for these similarities.

Backlinks: twistedgears-kaktus-proposal, SCP-2000

Footnotes
1. Areas not affected by SCP-4223-1 include off-world locations (such as Lunar Area-32) or extradimensional locations (such as Site-64).
2. This event is colloquially referred to as "The Baja Blast."
3. An anonymous poem regarding Mekhane, suppressed to conceal the existence of GOI-004. Homeric refers to dialect and meter, rather than author.
4. Syncretism of Mekhane and traditional Greek pantheon, refers to increased presence of Mekhane on Earth compared to pantheon.
5. Likely refers to Southeast Asia in general rather than modern India. India would have been the closest region to actual origin of limes known to the Ancient Greeks.
6. Including Baja Blast

« SCP-4222 | SCP-4223 | SCP-4224 »