Item #: 8565
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: The SCP Foundation has influenced Government councils and HOA's to run propaganda campaigns in order to stop people from kicking cans. Reasons such as the danger of playing in a street, littering, and general untidiness of the neighbourhood have been fabricated to support these campaigns.
All confiscated SCP-8565 instances are to be stored in a standard containment locker at site-17. All testing of the instances requires level-3 clearance.
Children playing with an instance of SCP-8565 (instance has been redacted for viewer safety).
Description: SCP-8565 are beverage cans that contain the anomalous memetic agent Root-31. It is unknown how many of these cans are currently in circulation.
SCP-8565's memetic property compels those that kick an instance to continue kicking it. Affected individuals have been sighted "kicking the can" aimlessly for days on end, even at the detriment of their own health. If an SCP-8565 instance appears in a populated area, it can create an instance of SCP-8565-2. These instances are large groups of people (over 10) that have formed a hive-mind, all with the sole purpose of kicking the SCP-8565 instance.
It has been noted that instances of SCP-8565-2 have a distinct behaviour. The instance will pick a leader of the party, kick the can to a flat area and play a sport resembling Soccer for around 2 hours. Afterwards the party will walk to a new flat area, gathering new members along the way.
The memetic effect will become dormant if the SCP-8565 instance is out of line of sight of any individuals for an hour, at which point it becomes a regular beverage can until kicked again. All affected individuals will also be released from its effect.
Interview Log-D-8565-4
Dr. Patricia, D-2942
Begin Log
D-2942 kicks an instance of SCP-8565 against a wall. Dr. Patricia speaks through a microphone located outside of D-2942's test chamber
Dr. Patricia: Hello D-2942, how do you feel?
D-2942: Good.
Dr. Patricia: Care to elaborate as to what exactly "good" means?
D-2942: I just feel good. Like it feels good to be a part of something y'know.
Dr. Patricia: What are you are part of?
D-2942: Hmm, I don't really know… You can come give it a kick too if you really wanted to know.
Dr. Patricia: Do you feel any other feelings, emotions, or the like?
D-2942: You really should come in here.
D-2942 refused to cooperate further, only insisting that the people they interacted with should join in kicking the SCP-8565 instance.
END LOG
The following is a comprehensive list of all known SCP-8565 effected individuals and SCP-8565-2 behaviours.
Report 1 - Dead end
An affected individual was discovered in Kyiv, Ukraine, kicking a 100ml kombucha can. The individual was observed kicking the instance for two days, looking increasingly dejected over the period, before kicking the can off of a bridge.
It seems as though the memetic effect was not strong enough to influence others outside of its inital target.
Report 2 - Small party
Four affected individuals were discovered in Manchester, England, kicking an Arizona Tea can down a street. Over the course of six hours, four bystanders joined their group.
Note
It is unknown why only four people joined them when they passed by hundreds. It is theorised that a larger group creates a stronger effect.
Report 3 - Medium party
An SCP-8565-2 instance containing twenty-one civilians was discovered in the coastal town of [REDACTED]. This instance was seen kicking a can at civiliansin order to increase their chance of succumbingto the meme. After the party reached a size of twenty-eight members, the memetic effect became strong enough that just viewing the group had a 30% chance of affecting an individual.
Note
The Foundation has left the SCP-8565 instance in this town in order to learn more about the anomaly's effect. Two field agents have been posted in the region.
Report 4 - Interaction Report
The Foundation conducted an experiment in which an SCP-8565-2 instance containing thirty-three D-Class kicking a Coca-Cola can met with a party of five individuals kicking a Pepsi-Cola can. The Instance became hostile towards the smaller party, insulting and beating them, then crushing their can. Foundation personnel intervened before things could escalate further.
Report 5 - Complete Party
An SCP-8565-2 instance containing one hundred and thirteen members was discovered in Mumbai, India. The group was gathering an average of thirty-seven members an hour. The party had a leader (believed to be the first member) that was deciding their actions.
Note
When the Foundation attempted to confiscate the SCP-8565 instance they were met with considerable push back. After the ensuing brawl the group dispersed but the leader and the original SCP-8565 instance were not recovered.
Field Report 8565-E
Agents Ramierez, Finn
Location: Town of [REDACTED]
Begin Log
Ramierez: Correct Foundation, we have lost reading on the townsfolk.
Foundation: When did this happen?
Finn: We aren't too sure exactly Foundation, within three hours is our best guess.
Foundation: Please find them. We'll expect a full debrief on how this happened after you get back.
Finn: Affirmative, We'll find them.
A click as Finn deactivates his radio
Finn: Bloody hell.
Ramierez: Let's be quick. Go down third street while I get the drone ready.
Finn: Sure, sure. Why the hell did this have to happen while we are on duty?
Ramierez: Just deal with it. We can't waste any time.
An engine rumbles as Finn rides a motorbike down the street. As he rides he passes by houses, shops and a school, all empty. Twelve minutes pass and Finn regroups with Ramierez
Ramierez: Anything? Drone's found nothing.
Finn: No luck for me either, damn it all!
Finn slaps his head in frustration and looks out over the horizon.
Ramierez: Wait, what is this?
Ramierez flies the drone over a road exiting the town. As the drone approaches the ground, a shoe comes into view.
Finn: It's a lead at least.
Finn gets on his bike and drives down the road with the drone flying ahead. As the drone flies, more signs of human activity are identified; bootprints in the ground, trampled grass and discarded clothing can all be seen around the road.
Finn: Come on, where the bloody hell are they?
Finn stops as he looks out at the land all around him. The drone flies above a nearb cliff.
Finn: Man, I have to clear my head. Oh, the Foundation is going to be pissed!
Finn removes his helmet and walks over to the cliff, the sea breeze whipping his hair wildly. His radio crackles to life.
Ramierez: Wait Finn.
Finn: What's up? Do you have a lead? Oh.
Finn looks down at the narrow beach at the base of the cliff. Hundereds of bodies lay strewn around, dashed apart by the rocks, slowly being taken out to sea. A single Dr. Pepper can floats away from the carnage.
Addendum: The Foundation has made the containment of all SCP-8565 instances a top priority. All testing of the anomaly has been suspended.