Item #: SCP-EQ-011
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Due to risk of cross-contamination with other objects, only D-class are to be used as host for SCP-EQ-011. The current host is to receive an indefinite stay of sentence and given employment in a secure sector of Site 12. Employment should be safe, such as food prep or accounting, and they are to be led to believe that all employees live onsite. Host is to be treated kindly, allowed the use of their real name, be told they are a valuable member of the team, and never allowed out of direct line of sight of at least three (3) guards. A tracking spell is to be woven into the host's work uniform. Under no circumstances is the host to be overworked or made tired. Under no circumstances is the host to be told of SCP-EQ-011.
Before nightfall, SCP-EQ-011's host is to be injected with amnestic compound Tanta-805, a chemical designed to relieve only memories of other ponies. The host is to be led to believe that injections are a normal procedure. They are to be supplied with a dream journal and must update it daily upon awakening. Upon completion of entry, the host is to be doused with a spell to forget the contents of the dream and recover stored memories of coworkers. The journal is to be read for irregularities daily.
All forms of communication are to be magically scanned for certain keywords in close relation to the words "sleep", "dream", and "nightmare". If a containment breach is confirmed, MTF Sigma-3 (Dream Catchers) are to be dispatched to remand anypony infected into Foundation care. If cleared in time, victims are to remain under covert watch for one (1) week in case of relapse.
Description: SCP-EQ-011 is a dream entity that has no physical form. It exists solely within the mind of a chosen host at all times, though it seems to go dormant during the day until the hosts goes to sleep.
In dreams, SCP-EQ-011 takes the form of an amorphous blob of inky darkness studded with stars. The size, shape, and volume of this blob is highly malleable, but when at rest SCP-EQ-011 most often takes the shape of a sphere 0.4 meters in diameter with a flame-like appendage at the top. SCP-EQ-011 extends this appendage whenever it interacts with its environment. When it chooses to transform into a pony-like shape, it frequently takes the form of a tall unicorn with a flowing tail and mane. Why it elects to be a unicorn instead of an alicorn is unknown.
SCP-EQ-011 goes into its active phase as soon as its host enters REM sleep, at which point it induces a chemical into its host brain so that they remain in this stage of sleep for the duration of the night. The host then enters a state of lucid dreaming during which SCP-EQ-011 will manifest. SCP-EQ-011 has the ability to alter the dream state in any way it wishes, primarily corrupting existing aspects in order to elicit a response from its host. The adrenaline and/or dopamine released during this time anomalously vanishes, presumably to be consumed by SCP-EQ-011 as its primary food source. As the dopamine harvested from happy dreams appears to have a calming effect on SCP-EQ-011, and is less taxing on the host's psyche, it is recommended that the host remain in a happy state of mind at all times to prevent the stress that might cause nightmares.
SCP-EQ-011 does not appear to have any set goal other than to continue feeding. It has never responded to its host's direct attention nor that of any researchers using dream-walking spells to interact with it directly. When not feeding it maintains the lucid dream but remains in the background, apparently observing the dream and letting it run its course. After scrutinizing reports after several escape attempts, it is believed SCP-EQ-011 is using this time to scan its host's memories for ways to induce them to dream of other ponies.
Should anypony any sapient creature appear in a host's dream, SCP-EQ-011 can form a link to that creature's mind, transforming them into a new host and allowing it to feed from them. There is currently no method for preventing this link from forming once a creature has been observed by SCP-EQ-011, nor is there an upper limit to the number of hosts it can have.
Once a certain number of hosts have been gathered, SCP-EQ-011 will begin to bloat as it gains strength and power. Once it has amassed enough power, it will then try and tear a hole in reality to enter the real world. While the Foundation has been successful in preventing this from happening to date, it is understood that SCP-EQ-011 would retain its reality bending abilities should it cross over, resulting in a CK-Class end of the world scenario.
A Mind Shield spell has proven effective in severing a link between SCP-EQ-011 and a new host, but only if applied within 72 hours of initial contact. SCP-EQ-011 does not appear to retain memories between its active cycles, so affected creatures can be deemed safe if the spell is maintained for a full day. Should all links to its hosts be severed, SCP-EQ-011 will disappear into the dreamscape and infect another creature in Equestria at random.
SCP-EQ-011 was created by [REDACTED] in an act of atonement for past crimes. After the events of Incident MS-513, [REDACTED] actively contained SCP-EQ-011 on her own for several years until she remanded it into Foundation control. At the same point she described it in detail and proposed a method of containment. [REDACTED] voluntarily subjected herself to Class A amnestics once current containment procedures were put into place.
I am once again submitting a request to have the containment procedures on SCP-EQ-011 revised. It is simply inconceivable that we are allowing a Keter level threat to just roam the halls wherever it wants. There is no evidence that 011 isn't controlling that pony's actions while she's awake! Who cares if locking her into a cell will result in bad dreams? We are preventing the end of the world here, not running a babysitting service for newborn gods!
--- Senior Researcher C_________ N_______
It is well documented that SCP-EQ-011 is more docile in happy dreams than in nightmares. And keeping it happy makes it less likely to try and escape. While we are willing to do anything to ensure the safety of Equestria, there is no point in being needlessly cruel when another alternative exists. And I'd be careful about pointing hooves if I were you, N_______. You are lucky we're giving you another chance after that whole deal with SCP-EQ-___. --- O5-1