Special_Kind_Of_Dumb

Item #: SCP-4000

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: Due to the incorporeal nature of SCP-4000-A and SCP-4000-B, containment is currently impossible. SCP-4000-A is to be treated as a normal logical concept among civilian populations. SCP-4000-1 is to be contained in a cell with the same dimensions as a standard Humanoid Containment Cell, but with additional electromagnetic inhibitors and telekill alloy intermeshed with its structure. Scranton Reality Anchors are in place, but usage has not been deemed necessary as of ██ July 20██.

Description: SCP-4000 is incorporated of three entities - two abstract parts, hereafter known as SCP-4000-A and SCP-4000-B, and a concrete entity, hereafter known as SCP-4000-1.

SCP-4000-A is what is commonly referred to as "time" - the shift between instances of reality. SCP-4000-B is what is understood as the entirety of reality: past, present, and future, beginning and end. SCP-4000-A and SCP-4000-B have been acknowledged to be real and non-anomalous throughout the entirety of human history, but their anomalous nature has only been realized with the discovery of SCP-4000-1.

SCP-4000-1 is a sentient, shapeless entity. SCP-4000-1 demonstrates advanced shape-shifting and memetic abilities. It typically takes the form of a genderless humanoid devoid of any detail beyond the most basic shape of the human form, approximately 2 meters tall and with a mass of 150 kilograms. SCP-4000-1 is completely peaceful, demonstrating no desire to cause anything harm, though fully cognizant of its abilities. SCP-4000-1 has been compliant with all Foundation procedures.

Discovery: SCP-4000 was not recognized as anomalous until SCP-4000-1 made itself known to the Foundation on ██████████. SCP-4000-1 claims it has been within our reality for approximately 206 million years prior to the current date. Interview logs with SCP-4000-1 follow.

+ Interview 1

SCP-4000-1 had taken the form of a 47-year-old Chinese-American man by the name of Jackson Han, and found Researcher James Farthreau, claiming to have information that he would like to know.

Researcher James Farthreau: Hello, Mr. Han. I've been told that you have some information that I would like to know. Given that you told me a few other pieces of information-

SCP-4000-1: Your full name, birth date, employment position, employee identification number, and affiliation.

Researcher Farthreau: - Yes, all of that, I figured you must know something important. Please share with me what you know, Mr. Han.

SCP-4000-1: Your reality is in danger, Researcher Farthreau.

Startled, Researcher Farthreau begins to reach for the silent alarm.

Researcher Farthreau: Are you threatening me, Mr. Han?

SCP-4000-1: Oh, forgive me if I alarmed you, Researcher Farthreau. My statement was meant to be generalized to your entire universe.

Farthreau stretches his finger, caressing the alarm button.

Researcher Farthreau: Are you threatening my universe, now, Mr. Han?

SCP-4000-1: I made a statement, not a warning. Are you mentally disabled? Because the last time I checked, you're not.

Researcher Farthreau: I-I-

SCP-4000-1: I forgive you. Now, as I was saying, your universe is in danger.

Researcher Farthreau: Could you please enlighten me, Mr. Han?

SCP-4000-1: I'd love to. Are you familiar with time?

Researcher Farthreau: The Pink Floyd song? Yes, I am.

SCP-4000-1: No, the metaphysical concept.

Researcher Farthreau: …Uh, yes. You know I'm not mentally disabled.

SCP-4000-1: No matter. Time shouldn't exist.

Researcher Farthreau: Please elaborate.

SCP-4000-1: As you know, there are multiple realities. Each one is unique. In the majority of them, time does not exist, and has never existed, until now. Your reality is the first reality to have time. Movies, music, actions, the relatively fundamental idea of calculus - the logical study of change - all started here.

Researcher Farthreau: Are you of this reality?

SCP-4000-1: No, I am not.

Researcher Farthreau: How do you exist here?

SCP-4000-1: It doesn't matter where you exist - as long as you exist, you can exist anywhere not necessarily in the same state, though. Your reality is remarkably flexible, so I can exist as what I think is almost anything you can imagine.

You know what paintings are, right, Researcher Farthreau? - Ah, let me catch myself. You are not mentally disabled, so you know what paintings are. Although false logic, your body language tells me that you were going to say that. I came from what you call a painting. I never moved, never thought, just existed, until time permeated my reality - and ended it.

Researcher Farthreau: How did you escape your reality?

SCP-4000-1: My painting was sufficiently what you call "technologically advanced" such that I was able to escape my reality before it ended.

Researcher Farthreau: How can you communicate with me?

SCP-4000-1: Communication is what I do best. Remember, I was what you call "born" as a painting - something your kind uses to communicate.

Researcher Farthreau: What are you hoping to accomplish by telling me all of this?

SCP-4000-1: I will remind you. This was a warning. I'm hoping you will take it as such and heed it. Your reality will end soon. And there are only so many realities, of which "time" seems to be infecting them all. I suggest you do something about it.

[END OF INTERVIEW]

Researcher Farthreau: If Mr. Han is telling me the truth, I think there could be some serious implications of different realities. Permission to continue interviews with Mr. Han requested.

Dr. Q'elgan: As airheaded as you are, this seems interesting. Permission granted.

Following this interview, Researcher Farthreau requested that Jackson Han be contained to assist in further research of time and its capabilities. Jackson Han consented and willingly entered Foundation custody on ██████████.

On ██████████, tests were conducted on the subject to determine the veracity of its claims. Subject was administered Class D, E, and F¹ amnestics, with the premise that if it was not of our reality, then it would not be affected by the amnestics of this reality. Subject was asked, following a recuperation period of 24 hours, to restate anything from the interview it had with Researcher Farthreau on ██████████. Subject subsequently restated the entirety of the interview verbatim and at the same pace as the original interview. Subject was subsequently re-designated SCP-4000-1.

On ██████████, Researcher Farthreau interviewed SCP-4000-1 again.

+ Interview 2

Researcher Farthreau's primary goal in this interview was to learn how SCP-4000-1 acquired knowledge of humanity. Upon entering SCP-4000-1's containment chamber, Researcher Farthreau discovered SCP-4000-1 had taken the form of former President of the United States of America Barack Obama.

Researcher Farthreau: You are the entity known as SCP-4000-1, correct?

SCP-4000-1: Did I spook you?

Researcher Farthreau: Yes. Do you know of any of the other Presidents of the United States?

SCP-4000-1: Yes, I do, and I'll show you.

For the next 20 minutes, SCP-4000-1 changes between the forms of all ██ Presidents of the United States of America.

Researcher Farthreau: That's interesting. Remind me, again, when you made yourself known to the Foundation?

SCP-4000-1: ██████████, Researcher Farthreau.

Researcher Farthreau: How long have you been within the reach of humanity?

SCP-4000-1: I did not encounter your reality's humanity until ██████████.

Researcher Farthreau: That only leaves me with more questions.

SCP-4000-1 chuckles.

Researcher Farthreau: How did you know of all of the Presidents of the United States? And what do you mean by "this reality's humanity"?

SCP-4000-1: As you know, I can switch between realities. In every reality I have encountered with time, there has been a species similar, if not the same, as yours. The same general evolution, history, and characteristics as your species. Some of them are farther along than your species is, and, similarly, some of them are behind you.

Researcher Farthreau: How can different humanities be farther along than us if time itself started in this reality? Furthermore, can you provide proof that time started in this reality?

SCP-4000-1: I am from a painting, Researcher Farthreau. Paintings are used in this reality as tools to paint emotions and time. You could say that some paintings are from the future, and some are from the past. Depending on when time infected them, they could be at different points of progress. As to how I know time started here? Well, [DATA EXPUNGED].

Researcher Farthreau pauses, and takes a deep breath.

SCP-4000-1: Researcher Farthreau - you are shaken by this news, as if it is very unsettling.

Researcher Farthreau goes to leave the containment chamber, but stops himself.

Researcher Farthreau: I almost forgot, I have another question. Do you have any idea how time is infecting other realities?

SCP-4000-1: Unfortunately, I do not know the answer to that question, Researcher Farthreau.

Researcher Farthreau: Thank you for your time, SCP-4000-1.

[END OF INTERVIEW]

Researcher Farthreau: This is starting to give me some vibes of another contained object, though I cannot remember which. Permission to continue interviews and begin experiments with SCP-4000-1 requested.

UPDATE Dr. Q'elgan: Permission granted. I agree with you. This reminds me of SCP-███. I highly recommend looking into that.

Footnotes

1. As described in the Updated Amnestics Guide