SCP-8923

Item #: SCP-8923

Object Class: Keter, Apollyon

Special Containment Procedures: Due to the vast population of SCP-8923 instances, containment is impossible. As a result, Foundation agents are advised to immediately retreat on sighting and call in MTF-Romeo-9 "Skullcrushers" immediately. Termination of single instances is recommended, but when packs and/or communities are found, it is best to drop a napalm bomb on the area if they are causing any trouble to human populations. Instances are best terminated with flamethrowers or incendiary grenades.

Instances contained by the Foundation are kept in full-body restraints against the walls of their cells. They are fed 12 kilograms of raw steak every 4 months and 9000 milliliters of water every day. Subjects are only released for testing purposes.

Description: SCP-8923 is a species of highly predatory organisms usually measuring 3.9 meters in length for females and 3.2 meters for males. SCP-8923 instances have jet black scales and long, curved horns measuring 2 feet in length each. Instances have glowing, dome-shaped white eyes and horizontal eyelids, as well as a third eye located on the forehead. They have no visible pupils. Instances have long claws measuring 1 foot in length each.

SCP-8923 instances have a low metabolism, allowing fasting periods for more than 8 months. The lifespan of SCP-8923 instances ranges from 50-90 years.

SCP-8923 instances have a variety of abilities, including but not limited to; human-superior intellect, extreme agility and strength, a prehensile tail, acidic saliva, strength able to lift over 170 kilograms with one arm, the ability to mimic voices, and the ability to shapeshift. When shapeshifting into humans, there is almost always a defect such as heterochromia, an inhumanly wide smile, long fingers, or disproportionate bodily dimensions. They are also capable of speaking English, Spanish, and an unknown language found to be loosely based on Yiddish and Russian.

SCP-8923 instances have barbs at the end of their tails and are highly venomous. When in the body, the venom causes severe hemorrhaging, internal bleeding, kidney failure, loss of higher brain function, and eventual death. SCP-8923 instances are capable of asexual reproduction via "spores," but can still reproduce sexually. The females are the dominant factors in SCP-8923's romantic dynamic. Females usually find a male before attempting to court them with dances, unique screeching, or the presentation of gifts. Gifts are usually animal carcasses, crudely made dolls, handwritten notes in aforementioned unknown language, and/or a human or goat head. Females are usually successful in acquiring mates. After becoming mates, they will mate every 2-5 days. Mating is usually unsuccessful in reproducing. Mating lasts from 9 minutes to 3 hours. Impregnation of the species is quite uncommon, as the process of spore releasing is incredibly distressing to subjects and fertility of specimens is incredibly low, happening once every few years, but the village of SCP-8923 instances has over 12 children. Gestation periods range from 1-3 months. Instances reach adolescence in █ years.

SCP-8923 instances hunt like felines, stalking their prey until they have an opportunity to strike. Dispatching of prey is usually done by swift decapitation, strangulation using their tails, stinging with aforementioned tails, or live-devouring.

Discovery: SCP-8923 was discovered on July 9, 2019, when South American explorers found a community of SCP-8923 instances. Amnestics were administered to the aforementioned explorers and the cover story of an indigenous, hostile tribe was used. Instances seemed curious of Foundation researchers and would stalk them, but not attack during research periods. An instance was captured for interrogation. The log below is the interrogation.

Researcher: Dr. Remis
Instance: SCP-8923-17

Dr. Remis enters the chamber. SCP-8923-17 thrashes against its restraints.

Remis: "Calm down, calm down… we just want to talk. Your name?"

SCP-8923-17: "… Ari."

Remis: "Great, great… my name is █████ Remis."

SCP-8923 inhales deeply through its nostrils before sighing.

SCP-8923-17: "Hmm… yea, you smell like a █████…"

Remis: "Excuse me?"

SCP-8923-17: "You heard me… your scent, it is that of a █████."

Remis: "You… can… smell my name?"

SCP-8923-17: "Yes… reminds me of ████████."

Remis: "You mean… SCP-███?"

SCP-8923-17: "If that is what you call him."

Remis: "I see… well, I have another rather important question for you. Why did you, or members of your village, dissect that woman?"

SCP-8923-17: "You are foreign to us. We simply wanted to figure out how you function."

SCP-8923-17 thinks for a moment, then perks up.

SCP-8923-17: "You know… we [REDACTED], but otherwise would've [REDACTED] that [EXPLETIVE REMOVED]. Y'know, you should consider your options. After all, [REDACTED]."

Remis: "I… okay, I'll release you…"

Dr. Remis unlocks the shackles of SCP-8923-17 who immediately devours him and breaches containment, killing 12 researchers and 7 guards before escaping from the Site.

Head Researcher Note: It seems SCP-8923 instances have such high intellect that they can manipulate humans with ease. It seems we'll have to run some tests to see what their weaknesses are, considering they are newfound apex predators. The [EXPLETIVE REMOVED] freaks…

Addendum: Following Dr. Remis' death, tests were conducted to gauge the abilities of SCP-8923 instances. Below are the test logs.

Subject: SCP-8923-12
Experiment: Liquid Nitrogen
Results: SCP-8923-12 was doused in 17 gallons of liquid nitrogen. It thrashed around violently for 3 seconds before freezing solid. Subject was shattered during collection.

Subject: SCP-8923-19
Experiment: Fire
Results: SCP-8923-19 was coated in 17 gallons of turpentine and set ablaze. It ran around the cell while screeching violently before succumbing to the burns after █ seconds.

Subject: SCP-8923-23
Experiment: Acid
Results: SCP-8923-23 was doused with hydrochloric acid. Subject started to lick it off their scales before breaching containment by vomiting acid onto the wall.

Subject: SCP-8923-23
Experiment: 9mm. Handgun
Results: SCP-8923-23 is shot by six 9mm. rounds, but the bullets bounce off its scales.

Subject: SCP-8923-23
Experiment: 50. Caliber Armor-Piercing Rounds
Results: SCP-8923-23 was shot in the head by a 50. caliber sniper rifle. Its head was completely destroyed, terminating the subject instantly.

Subject: SCP-8923-9
Experiment: Gamma Radiation
Results: SCP-8923-9 was slightly confused when it heard the whirring of the machine, and the radiation didn't seem to affect it. After 19 hours of continued exposure with no effect, the test was concluded and the subject was taken back into containment

Autopsy: When the body of SCP-8923-9 was dissected, it was discovered that SCP-8923 instances only have a heart, brain, stomach, intestines, liver, and uterus (instance was female.) The rest of the chest cavity and body was a complex skeleton with many bones seeming to be crafted from marble, with ornate carvings along most of them. There was also a strange, bulbous organ located above the stomach. Testing shows this organ to act similarly to a bomb via organically produced nitroglycerin and [REDACTED]. Observation of SCP-8923 instances reveals funerals to be hosted by a ceremony on a special stone platform. The carcass of the instance is laid on the rock and an unidentified substance is poured down the throat of the carcass. The body then violently explodes with blood and viscera spraying up to 9 meters away.

Addendum.2: Researchers discovered mutilated human bodies, as well as some kept as slaves. Field Agent ███ ██████ also discovered a woman, aged 25, chained to a wall with her skull open, in some crude dissection. The wounds were somehow not infected, and traces of SCP-8923 saliva were detected on the wounds. She was taken back to Site-██ and her wounds treated, amnestics administered, and she was identified as missing girl ██████ ███████. She was sent back to her family with the cover story of a human trafficking operation.

Update: While the biggest community has been discovered in the Amazon rainforest, packs of SCP-8923 have been found all over the world, the most in █████████, Alaska and ████████, Afghanistan. All instances found were contained and there are now ███ instances in Foundation custody. Instances in █████████, Alaska wore thick fur coats made of bear fur. The coats were noted to be "quite cozy" by researchers. There are no doubt more that the Foundation has not discovered.

Update: An instance of SCP-8923 was found in the guise of a researcher on Floor 3 of Site-██. The instance was discovered because it was shown to have many rows of teeth when speaking. It also did not have Foundation credentials. According to the receptionist, it was seeking access to SCP-8923 instances and SCP-███. The receptionist reported the instance to have "been' plain rude."

Update: Instances of prepubescent SCP-8923 subjects were captured for testing. They appeared quite timid and shy to researchers, curling into the fetal position in a huddle at the corner of the testing chamber. Dissection reveals traces of human DNA inside them, particularly in the brain and liver. Theory proposed of SCP-8923 instances capturing human children and subjecting them to a process eventually turning them into an instance of SCP-8923.