The stars may go out, but prices always go up!
SCP-2088 - Avenue 5 by xexnoncores,
MontagueETC,
mxsinister and
Tyrastafr
SCP-2088’s entrance
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-2088 is to be continually monitored by Mobile Task Force Mu-3 ("Highest Bidders"), located at Site-90. Observation of Avenue 5 events is to be performed by an official representative of a Foundation front company. Should a Foundation observer be unable to attend, surveillance devices are to be planted in the bags of attendees. Due to recent events, all monitoring of SCP-2088 is to be performed via remote devices.
Description: SCP-2088 is a stable dimensional aperture located on ███████ Street in New York City, New York. Passage through SCP-2088 grants access to Avenue 5, an "interstellar event venue"1 belonging to PoI-012-03 ("Ruprecht Sidereal Carter"), one of the leading executives of GoI-012 ("Marshall, Carter, and Dark Ltd."). Avenue 5 is primarily used to host business seminars for high-ranking sub-Veil executives, though it is also rented out for other private events. The entrance is locked unless PoI-012-03 is present inside.
Addendum 2088-A: Observed Avenue 5 Events
Title: Business Summit STAR SIGN V
Date: 07/15/2018
Description: First Avenue 5 meeting observed. Summit’s subject was regarding the use of paratechnology and its potential in increasing profit margins. Discussed astrology with regards to how to harness it to trade anomalous synthetic derivatives and predict OTC2 stock prices.
Title: Keeping Up With The Fifthses
Date: 04/25/2019
Description: Real estate investing summit specifically targeted towards landlords. Subject was superstitions around home interest rates and advice on what days were best to buy houses, along with what time of the evening was unluckiest to announce evictions to tenants. Several heated debates were held over whether Thursday or Friday was the fifth day of the week.
Title: Dragons Can Be Fifthists Too ⋆｡°⋆✩
Date: 01/05/2020
Description: Dragonling3 exclusive summit, discussing the cultural implications of Fifthism in different dragonling communities. Topics of discussion were the Void Dragon’s recent conversion to Filipino Fifthism, Void dragonling history with Indonesian Fifthists, and fifth-dimensional ritual thaumaturgy.
Title: Turn To The Stars V
Date: 10/15/2020
Description: Seminar with [REDACTED], former owner of [REDACTED] Books, publisher of SCP-1425. Subject was about the history of SCP-1425’s production, the last copies in circulation, where they were held and by what individuals. At the end of the seminar, a thirty-minute reading session was conducted followed by an auction for [REDACTED]’s copy of SCP-1425. This auction was won by one Amudha Nadar.
Notes: Nadar was apprehended after she left SCP-2088. Her copy of SCP-1425 was seized and she was amnesticized of all events she had experienced over the last 72 hours.
Title: Kimberleigh's Sweet 15!!!!!
Date: 05/25/2021
Description: Private gathering to celebrate the fifteenth birthday of Kimberleigh McCarthy, a high-ranking Amazon executive's daughter. Event began with a display of fifth-dimensional jewelry being draped over Kimberleigh‘s body, culminating in the ritualistic killing and partial consumption of several of her peers by a five-dimensional starfish named Maris.
Notes: Maris managed to escape SCP-2088 upon the event’s end, causing casualties to three individuals leaving. Entity was apprehended by MTF Mu-3 and contained at Site-90 within an hour.
Addendum 2088-B: Obtained Avenue 5 Marketing Materials
The following are promotional materials obtained for an Avenue 5 event to be held on 09/05/2021, distributed physically via unknown means throughout the New York Stock Exchange.
Addendum 2088-C: Tech Summit V Observation Log
Due to the escalating dangers of events held inside SCP-2088, a more intensive manned exploration was planned for the 09/05/2021 event to determine if SCP-2088 warranted Keter status. This exploration’s ancillary goal was to investigate how Avenue 5 events could change in the wake of PoI-012-06 (“Robert Shahid Carter”) becoming involved in operations, as he was set to inherit SCP-2088 per PoI-012-03’s will.
[BEGIN LOG]
<Mu-3 Agent Iker Aiza turns his body camera on.>
Aiza: Heading into the target, copy.
<He steps into SCP-2088. The crowd is dense inside, chattering excitedly about various subjects while eating food shaped like stars off silver plates.>
Unknown 1: Did you hear the senior Carter was finally showing his face tonight?
Unknown 2: Holy shit, no way! Totes prefer looking at him over that skinny little thing he calls his nephew.4 What a man!
Unknown 1: Ugh, can’t you at least pretend to care about what they’ll have to say?
Unknown 2: Shut up! Like your influencer ass didn’t come here to take pictures of the food, too.
<Aiza moves quickly through the crowd towards an exit. He bumps shoulders with various Persons of Interest whose faces are all obscured by the low, red thrumming lights.>
Aiza: Pardon me.
Escalator inside SCP-2088
Unknown ritual apparatus in hallway near escalator
<Aiza turns to a nearby dragonling patron wearing a starfish mask. He adjusts his tone of voice to a soft-sounding New York accent.>
Aiza: Excuse me, do you know the way to the main room? This is my first time.
Unknown 3: Down this hall and to the left. You have to take five lefts up the stairs to get to where you need to go.
Aiza: Much appreciated.
<Aiza takes off, following the directions given.>
Stairway inside SCP-2088
<As Aiza moves, he encounters various instances of Fifthist ritual paraphernalia on the walls. They wave their tentacled arms in his direction as he walks past; he ignores this.>
Aiza: Don’t lose your nerve, don’t lose your nerve. You can’t die in here unless you—
<Someone bumps into Aiza from behind. He jumps, his body camera swinging around to reveal PoI-012-06 catching his breath. PoI-012-06’s gas mask glints in the light while his metallic tail swipes across the floor.>
Aiza: Excuse you, I’m trying to get somewhere.
<PoI-012-06’s tail stiffens.>
PoI-012-06: S-So am I—
Aiza: Wait, upstairs?
<PoI-012-06 sighs.>
PoI-012-06: Where else?
Aiza: I-I’m sorry for the inconvenience. These kinds of things still spook a mundane guy like me, I swear. What’s your name?
<Aiza holds a hand out for a handshake. PoI-012-06 takes it after a few seconds and shakes rigorously.>
PoI-012-06: Robert. Robert Carter.
Aiza: Oh, you’re Mr. Carter? Are you running tonight’s seminar?
<PoI-012-06 shakes his head.>
PoI-012-06: Nah, my father is. For the first time in half a decade, if you can believe it.
Aiza: I can believe that, yes. He’s superstitious?
<PoI-012-06 shrugs.>
PoI-012-06: Sometimes, especially when it comes to his more bullish predictions. You’ll see that in action tonight. Come.
<PoI-012-06 grabs Aiza’s hand and begins to drag him up the stairs. Aiza struggles, trying to free himself from PoI-012-06’s grip until the ruby tip of his tail touches the underside of his jaw.>
PoI-012-06: Relax. I’m just getting us the best seats. Who do you work for?
Aiza: Statham Capital Partners.
<PoI-06-12 pauses, cocking his head at Aiza.>
PoI-012-06: Good company. Therefore, you’re going with me. If you’re still vanilla to these kinds of things, tonight will have you thoroughly seasoned by the end of it.
<Aiza struggles a little more before giving into PoI-012-06 and following him. The two approach a door, and PoI-012-06 turns to the side. Facing the pair is an unusual starfish-shaped handle which PoI-012-06 grabs and whispers into.>
PoI-012-06: Ostende mihi astra.5
<A bright white light flashes. Cold mist hisses from the outline of a door forming that opens to a dark hallway.>
PoI-012-06: In here. Count to five, close your eyes, and you’ll be in your seat.
Aiza: Wow, so many little rituals.
PoI-012-06: What can I say? Every good businessman knows one, same as every Fifthist.
Aiza: Does this come naturally to you?
PoI-012-06: Somewhat. My family was quite superstitious before I got into the MC&D business.
Aiza: Why?
PoI-012-06: From Karachi.
Aiza: Pakistan? I thought the senior Carter was from London?
<PoI-012-06 does not respond. He walks in, counts to five, and disappears. Aiza curses under his breath inaudibly, following him. After he follows the instructions, he finds himself in a velvet seat situated in a massive glass dome bolted to the ground.>
PoI-012-06: Show’s about to start.
Aiza: Show?
PoI-012-06: Seminar, same thing.
Aiza: What’s the dome for?
PoI-012-06: Signifies our VIP status. And keeps us clean.
Aiza: Clean?
PoI-012-06: Quiet—it’s starting now.
<Several lights illuminate the stage. They hover over the left side until a fat man in a red suit emerges and waves.>
<Aiza’s camera zooms. It is PoI-012-03.>
PoI-012-03: MAKE SOME NOISE NEW YORK CITY!
<The crowd stands and applauds ferociously. Aiza follows their cue, PoI-012-03 smiling widely as he waves back to everyone. He barks a hearty laugh as he approaches the podium and puts his glittering green cane to the side, tapping the microphone.>
PoI-012-03: Stellar performance everyone! I’d give you all a job if you didn’t pay to get in here, haha!
<The crowd laughs with PoI-012-03. He clicks a remote that brings up a large projector screen which flickers for a few moments.>
PoI-012-03: Anyone care for formalities? No? Me neither! But I’m still the star tonight, your one and only magnificent host—thank you all for coming out, for your curiosity, your energy and your sidereal vibrations! Now, tell me—
<PoI-012-03 looks up to the screen.>
PoI-012-03: Who’s ready to make some moneyyyyy?!
<The crowd roars. PoI-012-03’s smile widens to the entirety of his face.>
PoI-012-03: That’s what I thought! First, to clear some misconceptions. Many of you have said tonight my starlight schemes sound like get-rich-quick hogwash, but rest assured that’s not the case! Why? Because they require a great deal of work, and I’m no con man! Unless you’re a leftie who hates landlords, that is, haha! First, let’s look at the system the stars beyond our dimensions believe in and how that affects the liquidity of…
<Thirty-nine minutes and ten seconds of extraneous footage removed.>
PoI-012-03: And that’s what believing in your own inner sun can do! Follow the tenets, the stellar path whispering to you, and before you know it, you’ll be as successful as I am. Maybe even more!
<PoI-012-03 pulls out a large piece of spherical citrine and a vinyl record.>
PoI-012-03: But what’s a bunch of believing in yourself if you slack off and laze around? Nothing! You’ll never make anything of yourself!
<PoI-012-06 elbows Aiza.>
PoI-012-06: Mr. Aiza, this is the good part.
<PoI-012-03 puts the citrine down on the stage and balances the record on top of it. He spins both, watching them glow slowly until they’re so bright the audience begins to cover their eyes. After ten seconds, something pops off-camera, and a deep, bass-heavy song plays.>
Aiza: What the—
PoI-012-03: Don’t take your eyes off this, ladies and gentlemen!
Aiza: So much for being a tech summit.
PoI-012-06: That’s mostly for the breakout sessions.
<The record continues to spin on top of the citrine as the song plays. Poi-012-03 backs up as a circle of light forms and five pentagonal tendrils erupt from the floor. The camera struggles to focus on them, as they seem to undulate at sharp angles.>
PoI-012-03: There you are. Everyone, are you seeing what I’m seeing?
<The audience nods. Aiza does not.>
PoI-012-03: A good businessman is always looking for opportunities! Opportunities which reside in the fifth dimension, often beneath your feet!
<PoI-012-03 grabs one of the tendrils and yanks on them. A high-pitched whine emanates from the ground, but he grabs another one, although not before clicking the screen to a new slide with a variety of stock index graphs on them.>
PoI-012-03: My company found this beaut beneath the NYSE, where it was responsible for fifty-five percent of Apple’s stock growth over the day!
<One of the tendrils aims for PoI-012-03’s stomach. He grabs it with his free hand and sinks his teeth into it. He rips a chunk out of its surface, sending glowing golden ichor into the air which splatters several members of the audience.>
PoI-012-03: Those of you who got wet, check your portfolios!
<The audience murmurs fervently. After several seconds, a woman stands up holding her phone in the air.>
Woman: Hey, my ETFs just went up by 5.55%! I thought the market was closed?!
PoI-012-03: Market only closes to these things twice a day!
Woman: At 05:55 AM and PM?
PoI-012-03: Yep! Don’t try summoning them then.
<PoI-012-03 bites another chunk out of the entity, sending more ichor spilling into the audience. People bolt from their seats to try and get on stage, pushing each other.>
Audience Member 1: Mr. Carter, please!
Audience Member 2: No, me! I don’t just want money, I wanna know how you did that!
Audience Member 3: Like the rest of us don’t?! Move, bitch!
Audience Member 4: Please, I need a mansion in Miami!
Audience Member 5: I want one in Honolulu!
<More high-pitched whines are heard as PoI-012-03 continues to rip at the entity with his teeth. Yellow flies and stains his suit in moving, iridescent patterns, and the audience screams louder as he throws tendrils to them. Their limp forms don’t have the opportunity to touch the floor; the screaming begins to overwhelm the audio as yellow splatters the dome and chairs are knocked over.>
<PoI-012-06 clicks a button by his foot. The dome flashes red, and is followed by an abrupt silence.>
PoI-012-06: There, some peace and quiet for us. See what I meant earlier?
Aiza: What the hell…are they eating it?
PoI-012-06: Won’t take them long. It’s going to be hell on their kidneys though, so don’t feel like you got left out.
Aiza: Ugh… This is typical for a seminar he puts on here?
PoI-012-06: More or less. Despite the theatrics, he’s right that those starfish things are everywhere if you know where to look.
Aiza: Or pray?
PoI-012-06: Sure.
Aiza: How many a year do you think he locates? What equipment does he use?
PoI-012-06: He usually tries to find a maximum of fifty-five each year.
Aiza: That’s it? Figured an executive of his status would want an extra digit there.
<PoI-012-06 shrugs.>
PoI-012-06: Can’t be too greedy, I guess. Either that or he’s afraid more will curse his portfolio. He was off by one when I was little and he lost nearly half of his fortune.
Aiza: What? Really? I didn’t think Marshall, Carter, and Dark would ever allow that…
PoI-012-06: Ah, well, ever since then, I’ve been told we try to limit these kinds of things. It’s not like magic, you know. That we can predict, just like the LSE.6
<Aiza points to the stage.>
Aiza: That’s what you call limiting risk?
<PoI-012-06 laughs.>
PoI-012-06: Can’t ever get rid of market exposure entirely.
<The crowd begins to disperse. Most members’ mouths are stained yellow. PoI-012-03 coughs and pulls himself back up onto the stage, tapping the podium microphone out of breath. PoI-012-06 clicks the button by his foot again, presumably to release the soundproofing.>
PoI-012-03: What a workout! Ha—You’ve all proven yourself to be exceptionally hard workers. I know the stars will look down upon your gains positively.
<The woman from earlier holds her phone back up.>
Woman: Will there be more? I need to know how to summon something like that!
PoI-012-03: Really now? Bold little thing you are—come here. Robert!
<PoI-012-06 perks up. His tail lashes from side-to-side.>
PoI-012-06: Yes?
PoI-012-03: Don’t be slow—get up on stage! Bring that little thing you’ve got with you here too.
<PoI-012-06 nods and grabs Aiza’s arm. The dome releases and Aiza tugs to free himself, but PoI-012-06 curls his tail around his ankle.>
PoI-012-06: You’re the curious type, aren’t you? This’ll give you a look that hardly anybody gets.
Aiza: I have to go—
PoI-012-06: Don’t you want to be rich?
Aiza: What are you going to do to me?!
PoI-012-03: Hurry up, Robert! Stop taking so long, don’t keep the good audience waiting!
<PoI-012-06 leans into Aiza’s ear and whispers just barely enough for the camera to hear.>
PoI-012-06: Please. For me. I promise you’ll make it out alive and see something worth why you came here.
<Aiza pauses. Soon, he loosens his stance to follow PoI-012-06 onstage but stands a way away from PoI-012-03.>
PoI-012-03: Good, good. Young man, tell the audience your name.
Aiza: Uh, my name is B—
PoI-012-06: His name is Mr. Aiza.
PoI-012-03: Is that so? Mr. Aiza, where do you work?
Aiza: I—
PoI-012-06: Statham Capital Partners.
<PoI-012-03 pauses, sounding out the words silently. When he’s done, he smiles, leading Aiza to the woman and pointing at the both of them.>
PoI-012-03: Well, Mr. Aiza, it’s your lucky day! Your company is about to walk away with a lot of information!
Aiza: Thank you—?!
<The woman stomps her foot.>
Woman: I wanna make money! Get this loser out of my sight!
<PoI-012-03 laughs as PoI-012-06 backs up into the curtains. Poi-012-03 firmly plants his palms onto Aiza’s shoulders and shakes him.>
PoI-012-03: Listen, they say patience is a virtue, but all a businessman sees is anticipation! Why are you tired of being patient, young lady?
Woman: Because I need to get one over on my rat of a husband who took all of my penthouses in the divorce!
PoI-012-03: Atta girl, that’s the spirit! Now, grab hands with the nice Mr. Aiza here—
<The woman does as she’s told. Aiza is stiff as he complies.>
Aiza: Wait—
PoI-012-03: No waiting! The two of you say—“Show me the stars!”
Woman: Show me the stars!
<Aiza does not say anything. The crowd boos him.>
Aiza: I-I really need to go now, I have a kid at home—
PoI-012-03: Like hell you do. Stay, boy! You’re doing this whether you like it or not, because—
<The ground between Aiza and the woman’s feet begins to glow. It’s the same circumference as the circle before, but this time a low, burbling growl is heard instead.>
PoI-012-03: Statham Capital Partners, huh? Please tell me the Foundation still isn’t using that stupid naming convention.
Aiza: You—!
Woman: What the hell is—AHH!
<Screaming. The woman and Aiza scream as fifty-five sharp blades impale their feet, spraying blood as a large mouth with shifting teeth forms beneath Aiza. Before he can say anything, PoI-012-03 grabs the camera off his chest and holds it up, capturing the moment that Aiza is imploded by a large shadow, sending viscera flying into the woman and the crowd.>
PoI-012-03: How about that, Foundation? Good thing I was kind enough to film his last moments before the footage cut out!
Woman: My feet!!!
<PoI-012-06 steps out from behind the curtains.>
PoI-012-06: I knew it all along, by the way.
PoI-012-03: Good kid you are, ha! Lady, check your bank account after this is all said and done. The stars will have blessed you fifty-five fold, and in a manner which is completely tax exempt! Now you can buy all the penthouses you want!
<PoI-012-03 throws the camera to the ground and smashes it.>
PoI-012-03: Now it’s time for some real estate tips, about how you can create fifth-dimensional property with your phone!
<The crowd cheering is the last thing the camera records before the feed cuts out.>
Re-classification to Keter pending. Priority tracking for PoI-012-03 and PoI-012-06 initiated. After the 09/05/2021 event, SCP-2088’s entrance moved; its whereabouts are currently unknown.
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