[Incident Record] 017-B-2
Author: Researcher E, affiliated with FPL 017-1 Auxiliary Base
Incident Overview:
On the ■th of ■, Year 1, IF-017 entered an “Ascension” state for unknown reasons. About 17 minutes later, IF-017 embraced Researcher H, who was inside IF-017’s containment chamber at the time, conducting a standard anomaly cognition test.
IF-017 did not release Researcher H for approximately ■■ hours and ■■ minutes.
Details:
The following is a transcript of the interview between Researcher H, the subject of the incident, and Researcher E, responsible for recording the event.
Researcher E enters the temporary containment chamber and faces Researcher H across a barrier.
Researcher H gives an awkward smile.
Researcher H’s Beta-class researcher lab coat appears unnaturally bulky as if something is tucked inside.
Researcher H: Ah, hello.
Researcher E: Nice to meet you.
I’m Emily Harper, a cryptid behavior analyst assigned to document this case.
We’ll be seeing each other often, so feel free to address me casually.
Researcher H: Yes, Senior Emily…! Hehe, this is my first time seeing someone from the IF-017 department other than Senior Giselle.
Researcher E: Well, everyone’s been deployed to the 017-1 auxiliary base.
We all assumed 017 would just sleep forever.
Researcher H: Right? I used to think so too, and I was kind of disappointed.
But after seeing IF-017 awake, I feel much more motivated to work.
It’s only been a few days since it woke up, but it’s already made eye contact with me several times!
Its eyes shine like jewels each time—it’s so cute that you wouldn’t understand unless you saw it yourself…
Researcher E: Ahaha. Thanks to that, I finally get to do my job at Research Lab 4. Alright, let’s begin the interview.
Researcher H: Oh, yes.
A beam projector displays CCTV footage from IF-017’s containment chamber.
Researcher E watches the footage in silence, then lets out a small sigh. Researcher H averts their gaze.
Researcher E: I was briefed on the general situation at the 017-1 auxiliary base, but seeing it in person is quite different from what I heard.
Researcher H: (hiccups) Y-yes.
Researcher E pulls out a report and compares it to the CCTV footage.
Researcher E: First, this part—an unstandardized experiment tool. Is that a cat toy? That’s not part of the standard anomaly cognition test protocol.
Researcher H: I asked the security officer, and they readily lent it to me… Ahem. It’s an unorthodox approach, but there were no explicit regulations against it, so I thought it might be helpful.
Honestly, I didn’t expect it to get approved either…
Researcher E: I see.
Researcher H: Yes.
Researcher E: This is a mirror test…
The rest follows standard protocols. No reaction to IF-190-1…
For about 20 seconds, only the sounds of writing and steady breathing are heard.
Researcher E: IF-017 entered Ascension here.
At this point, why did you attempt physical contact with it?
Historically, when IF-017-1 entered Ascension, it was almost always used as a highly aggressive response.
Researcher H: Hmm, well… The feeling was different from what I saw with 017-1.
Researcher E: (writing) Intuition is important. IF-017-1’s Ascension is usually distinctly eerie and violent.
Didn’t IF-017’s Ascension give you any sense of unease?
Researcher H: No. When 017-1 ascends, the transformed organs exude an unmistakable hostility, right?
But IF-017’s horns, wings, and tail didn’t feel like that at all.
They looked soft, almost squishy…
Researcher E: I must admit, that does sound cute.
Researcher H: Hehe, right?
Researcher E: And?
Researcher H: Huh?
Researcher E: Did you consider the possibility of mental contamination?
If this had ended badly, you would have died, but reckless actions like that can also have significant long-term consequences for FPL and its interactions with entities.
It was a careless move.
Researcher H: I apologize…
Researcher E: My apologies.
That was unrelated to the interview.
Researcher E gives a small nod.
Researcher H waves a hand dismissively.
Researcher E: So at this point, you embraced IF-017, and despite being in an Ascended state, it responded positively… (writing)
Then someone else enters…
Researcher E lets out a deep sigh.
Muttering to herself, she says, “Why did they demote Giselle? The research director is a damn lunatic, starting again.”
Researcher E: The CCTV record ends here.
I haven’t heard any reports that it let go afterward, so… I assume it’s still inside?
Could you show me?
Researcher H: Yes… Just a moment.
Researcher H slowly unbuttons their lab coat.
Inside, IF-017 is tightly hugging Researcher H.
It is visibly in its “Ascended” state, with horns, wings, and a tail.
Aside from the sense of pressure, the size of its features, and its visible texture, it does not look significantly different from IF-017-1 instances.
IF-017 appears to be asleep.
Aside from faint breathing sounds, it does not show any particular reaction.
However, after about six seconds, its breathing becomes irregular.
IF-017 trembles slightly and gradually tightens the tail loosely wrapped around Researcher H’s waist.
The movement seems to be an attempt to cling more closely, as it had been while wrapped in the coat.
Researcher H: Hngh… Ugh.
Researcher E: Are you alright?
Researcher H: Yes, yes. It just… feels strange. Is this what a hug feels like?
I wouldn’t know…
Researcher E: (writing) Could you hold IF-017 with both hands for a moment?
As if gently cradling its head?
Without hesitation, Researcher H embraces IF-017.
IF-017’s breathing quickly stabilizes, and the tension in its tail releases as it loosens and droops.
It visibly relaxes at Researcher H’s touch.
Researcher E covers her mouth in surprise.
Researcher H: I was stuck like this until I realized I could just button up my coat. Hehe…
Researcher E: (writing) Was there anything noteworthy at Research Lab 4?
Researcher H: Hmm… Ah, yes.
Something about a high-risk unreality anomaly activating while I was in the containment chamber.
Researcher E: Containment and neutralization device?
Researcher H: Yes, that one.
Apparently, Senior Giselle came to get me because of it.
Researcher E: What was the cause?
Was it IF-684 again?
Researcher H: I don’t know much since I was stuck here, but they said it wasn’t IF-684.
It sounds like they’re still trying to figure it out…
Researcher E: The ascension timing was at ■ minutes…
Considering the detection delay…
Does this make sense…?
Researcher E mutters while replaying the CCTV footage, seemingly cross-referencing records and timestamps.
Researcher E: I see. I’ll need to return to the 017-1 auxiliary base to review this further.
That concludes the interview.
Researcher H: Oh, alright. Senior Emily, have a good day.
Researcher E: You’ve been very helpful.
Thank you.
End of record.
The behavior exhibited by IF-017 was vastly different from expectations.
Unlike cases observed in IF-017-1, IF-017’s Ascension state showed no signs of bodily collapse.
IF-017 did not experience an extreme heart rate surge exceeding 300 bpm, did not display indiscriminate aggression, and did not exhibit [Level 2 Security Code Required].
Instead, it remained in what appeared to be a natural state, as if it had always looked that way.
Furthermore, IF-017 exhibited immediate distress when its covering gown was removed.
Despite being asleep, it demonstrated avoidance responses to external stimuli such as lighting and sound in the temporary containment chamber.
In this anxious state, when Researcher H gently embraced IF-017, the entity visibly experienced psychological comfort.
The most reasonable interpretation of IF-017’s behavior is that of a high-intelligence organism exhibiting defensive mechanisms in response to a clear and persistent stressor.
In summary, IF-017 is highly likely to be in an extremely frightened state.
The fact that it instinctively sought attachment to Researcher H—the only available individual it could use to isolate itself from its surroundings in an empty containment chamber—supports this conclusion.
(omitted section)
Considering these biological indicators, it is likely that IF-017 requires greater emotional interaction.
Cross-referencing the timestamp of IF-017’s transformation into the Ascension state with the activation time of the ultra-high-risk anomaly detection system, it is suspected that IF-017 underwent Ascension due to an “unknown cause” detected by the containment and neutralization system on ■■ date.
Conclusion:
After approximately 17 hours following the interview, at 1:■ AM, Researcher H was released.
A detailed examination showed no signs of mental contamination or anomalous mutations.
While a demotion to Gamma class was considered due to unauthorized actions, the lack of available personnel in the IF-017 department and the unique nature of the situation led to the proposal being rejected.
“They demoted Giselle for a ridiculous reason, yet they protect and promote a reckless newbie to research lead? What, is this person some executive’s child? Since when did handling anomalies become a joke? And it’s not just any anomaly—it’s the highest-grade unknown phenomenon, the entity worshipped as the ‘god’ of the IF-017-1 instances. The research
director is a complete lunatic. Of course, this mess happens when you put someone like that in charge.”
Observations on IF-017’s Status Post Re-containment:
IF-017’s biological activity has significantly increased compared to previous records, necessitating a properly structured environment and thorough observation.
Damage Report:
There is no estimable material damage.
Considering that a typical IF-017-1 entering Ascension would cause catastrophic destruction, this is an astounding anomaly.
Additional Notes:
The phenomenon termed “Ascension”—in which IF-017-1 transforms its body—has historically been interpreted as a combat form, significantly enhancing its overall capabilities.
However, contrary to this assumption, IF-017 entered an Ascended state in a non-hostile situation and displayed no aggression whatsoever while in this form.
Aside from its physical appearance, the only common factor between IF-017’s Ascension and IF-017-1’s Ascension was an extreme spike in stress levels.
This suggests that, contrary to existing research, IF-017-1’s Ascension may not solely be a combat enhancement mechanism, and further study is required.
Unresolved Question:
There exists a possibility that IF-017’s Ascension itself was the cause of the ultra-high-risk anomaly containment system’s activation on ■■ date.
However, considering the “Iron Stake” system’s compatibility, the only way the detection device would have reacted to an inactive, sleeping IF-017 is if its anti-entropy value exceeded that of IF-684 by at least 110,000 times.
Such a figure is absurdly unrealistic, and a being with such a level of power would have no reason to remain passively contained out of stress.
Thus, this possibility is not worth considering.
Annotation:
Looking at the amount of analytical data compiled, you must have worked hard.
I see that there were parts marked for deletion during review, but you left them intact when submitting the report.
You researchers are no different from me.
If you think I’ll just delete this and ignore it, you’re mistaken.
For that reason, when the disciplinary proposal for that newbie comes up, I will personally ensure it is fully dismissed.
— E, Research Director
Author’s Note (Afterword):
(The document ends here.)