Anima Ex Machina: The Ixodida
Warning: This page contains massive spoilers. Additionally, all of this is subject to change as the series progresses.
The following document details the compiled observations of all five research centers designated by the Japanese government to study the Pokémon XP-494.
Index #: 494
Official Name: XP-494
Proposed Name: Ixodida (IHK-soh-DIE-dah)
Species: Parasite
Type: ???
Special Abilities: ???
Evolutionary Stage: Basic
Evolution Line: Ixodida (does not evolve)
Breeding Group: No Eggs
Compatibility: Cannot breed with any Pokémon except other Ixodida and Ditto. The reasons for this are unknown.
Forms: XP-494A (Parasite Form), XP-494B (Adult Form)
XP-494A Details
Height: 0'3"
Weight: 0.5 lbs
Gender Ratio: 0% (hermaphroditic)
Description: XP-494A is a tiny red parasite with eight claw-like legs arranged in a circle around a mouth. It's covered by a hard, shell-like skin that's actually transparent; its innards are not much more than a series of filaments that radiate from the central point like a starburst. Additionally, blood and chemicals (including the dissolved flesh of its victims) fill the creature, giving it its characteristic red color. Lastly, it occasionally flashes with red light and apparently glows in the dark.
Behavior: The Ixodida parasite is, put simply, a hive-minded creature. It travels in packs called seas, which often contain over 100 other parasites. A sea acts as one creature, often moving rapidly from one location to another. In this way, it hunts for food in groups and can therefore overpower anything up to the size of a Snorlax. Once a sea forces a victim down by overwhelming it, the parasites slice open the body and drain it of fluids. The parasitic stage does not normally consume solid food, although it has the capability of dissolving small amounts with its own inner acid if anything is accidentally ingested.
Additionally, Ixodida parasites seek out hosts as a group, in part because the parasite is only a second brain. That is, while it can reproduce by itself (by laying eggs in a carcass that can't be finished by one sea or individual parasite), it can only create another sea. In order to fulfill its entire lifecycle by becoming an independent creature, it seeks out potential hosts on a planet. If hunting in a sea, the first parasite that can embed itself into a weak point in the host becomes the one to live in that body, while the rest of the sea acknowledges the victory and retreats. (XP-494B, oddly enough, is a predator of XP-494A, hence the latter's scramble to get away from an infected host.) After that point, the parasite grows filaments from its former legs that anchor itself to its host. In this process, it also releases mutagens to transform the host into an XP-494B. The reason for this is currently unknown.
Known Moves:
- Leech Life
XP-494B Details
Height: Depends on the host.
Weight: Depends on the host.
Gender Ratio: Typically 50% male and 50% female. Tends to depend on the species of host.
Description: Specific details often depend on the host and the Ixodida parasite. There are sixteen known varieties of XP-494B, one for each Pokémon type (except, apparently, Normal). The type of the Adult Form Ixodida is dependent on the parasite, who carries an individualized genetic code that seems to have been determined by the parasite's environment on the Ixodida home planet.
In any case, the exact traits of each adult Ixodida depend on its type. For example, a Steel-type Ixodida possesses a hard, shell-like skin made of a strong, carbon-based alloy. Water-type Ixodida possess fins instead of wings, webbed hands and feet, and gills. Ghost-types have bodies that not only produce a noxious purple fog but can also pass through solid objects.
Likewise, certain traits also depend on the species of the host itself. Human-based Ixodida are bipedal creatures that stand at an average height of around 5'06" and possess human faces. There are, however, such things as quadruped Ixodida, legless, short, giant -- hundreds of different possibilities, all dependent on what the planet's dominant species actually is.
In general, all Adult Form Ixodida are vaguely reptilian with reptilian feet, hands, et cetera, and possess long tails that end with either a club (drones) or an arrowhead (monarchs). Their faces are always characteristic of the host species (e.g., human face from a human host), and at the tops of their heads are small, blunt horns that resemble white cat ears. Additionally, every Adult Form Ixodida possesses for the sake of hunting sharp claws, a pointed tongue (for inserting into a wound), fangs, and hidden stingers along the torso that can inject a highly corrosive acid into a victim in order to liquefy internal organs. Most, but not all, Ixodida also possess a pair of wings that enable flight. (Rock-type Ixodida do not have wings at all, and Water-type Ixodida, as stated before, have fins, not wings.)
Behavior: Once XP-494A attaches to its host, what typically happens it that the host loses the ability to control its own body, and all thought processes are transferred over to the second brain. In other words, the parasite becomes the dominant mind of the pairing. In many cases, this causes the XP-494B to become a savage hunter, focusing only on killing other creatures using its wide range of abilities to survive. However, this is not always so.
In truth, the adult Ixodida are arranged in a complex society. The overarching society on a single planet is called a "colony" and covers not only any subcategories of adults but also the seas of parasites. Colonies are ruled by individual leader Ixodida called emperors (or empresses if female). These Ixodida seem to have the unique ability to sense every creature under their rule (namely, all Ixodida that claim to be from a specific planet, especially any Adult Form Ixodida based on a planet's species) as well as to distribute orders to subordinates and, on a level, influence the actions of their subjects through pheromones and/or psychic waves. In other words, every colony is like a hive of bees, and at its center is the hive queen.
The position of emperor or empress is usually determined through either battling or the death of the leader, usually the former due to the violent nature of the species as a whole. In other words, in order to become an emperor (or empress), one must engage in combat with the ruler and then, in the course of it, break off their horns and (if the opponent is particularly merciful), proceed with killing the former leader. Alternatively, the emperor/empress may designate an heir, or a strong Ixodida to whom power is passed after the emperor/empress is dead. Hence, at all times, the emperor or empress is the strongest Ixodida in a colony.
Underneath that, adult Ixodida have the tendency to form smaller groups called clans. There are usually sixteen clans to a planet, with each clan representing a different type. (For example, the Iron Clan is entirely made up of only Steel-type Ixodida.) The strongest member of each clan serves as a clan leader, capable of giving orders to every member of their own clan the way the emperor or empress would to the entire colony. In addition, each clan leader serves as the emperor's personal court. Four of them, usually the strongest, are the emperor's closest body guards called the Four Guardians. The other twelve are his knights. Thus, the emperor maintains a connection with all sixteen clans and may receive advice from any one of them.
In the meantime, clans are further divided down to the type of Ixodida. Adults essentially are separated into two groups: drones and monarchs. Drones, Ixodida with club-like tails, are simple-minded, feral creatures that usually hunt in packs or pairs with other drone members of their clan. However, they're also often muscle to the monarchs and can serve as servants.
Meanwhile, monarch Ixodida, identified by their arrowhead-tipped tails, are often intelligent and strong, capable of both holding their own in a battle and carefully strategizing at the same time. It's really no wonder, either. All clan leaders and all Ixodida who can possibly become the emperor are monarch Ixodida. In other words, while most Ixodida are born drones and therefore have no hope to be anything but a servant or a mindless hunting machine, monarchs have the potential to become powerful leaders in the Ixodida society. Knowing this, monarchs are often manipulative and cunning hunters, creatures that tend to stalk prey alone, rather than in the groups that the drones form. Alternatively, if they do hunt with drones, it's the drones who usually weaken the prey while the monarch delivers the final blow. In other words, monarchs have a tendency to separate themselves from drones, and in doing so, they exercise their abilities to think strategically in preparation for assuming a position of power.
In some cases, a monarch Ixodida does not control their host. This anomaly could be caused by a variety of different possibilities, but ultimately, what results is a creature who possesses the body of an Adult Form Ixodida but the mind of the host's natural species. These are called rogues for their failure to obey the emperor. While rogues are not unheard of, they're often ignored due to the host's inability to control Ixodida powers, the weakness of the host, or simply the psychological instability of the host's mind after undergoing the horrifically painful process of transfomation. Should a host turn out to be sane and capable of harnessing its powers, it usually attempts to return to a normal life, rather than participate in the politics of the Ixodida. It's rare for a rogue to decide to usurp the emperor's throne, and even then, rogues usually find themselves soundly defeated. As mentioned earlier, the emperor has the power to influence his subjects, and the Ixodida themselves are not strangers to uniting to form entire armies for the sake of protecting the ruler of their colony.
The only other notable behavior in Adult Form Ixodida are breeding habits. All Ixodida mate for life, and when they do, they're highly protective of their chosen mates, regardless of gender. (Emperors and empresses are usually more protective than any other Ixodida due to the fact that their first offspring automatically become their heirs due to birthright.) Moreover, most of the reason why the Ixodida seek out hosts is due to the way they breed. While the Parasite Form can lay fertile eggs without the aid of another specimen, ultimately, they only become more parasites. However, when a male and female Adult Form Ixodida mate, the resulting offspring is a host infected by birth (in the same way a Bulbasaur has a seed planted on its back shortly after hatching) -- hence, the ability to perpetuate the Ixodida society.
Known Moves: Varies by type. General movesets usually include:
- Scratch
- Growl
- Slash
- Tail Whip
- Type-specific moves.
Known Powers: Adult Ixodida usually also possess the following abilities:
- Refined strength (i.e., Allowing the host to reach his full physical potential.)
- Enhanced senses of smell and hearing
- Night vision
- Razor-sharp claws and fangs
- Flight (most types)
- Two sets of stingers (hidden) that excrete extremely corrosive acids. One of these sets can also function as a pair of underdeveloped hands.
- Further natural defenses, depending type of subject (such as the fact that all of the spines on a Poison-type Ixodida are poisonous)
- Rapid healing and regenerative abilities (except if decapitated or if the parasite is damaged.)
- Increased density (Subject is heavier and therefore, with the exception of Water and Ice-types, cannot swim. Likewise, with the exception of Flying, Psychic, and Ghost-types, amount of time spent in flight is limited to a span dependent on the subject. On the other hand, physical blows from any Ixodida tend to deal significant damage.)
- Ability to excrete pheromones from the base of the horns. Pheromones related to mating will smell like strawberries to attract mates; pheromones meant for hunting will smell like honey to attract prey.
Indexed Ixodida
Certain Ixodida have already been indexed by the National Defense Forces, the Pokémon Symposium, the Committee, and the Japanese government as a whole for the purposes of research. Typically, they're given names of first humans or figures associated with first humans in either mythology or religion. Their identities are below:
01. Pandora
Real Name: [classified]
Gender: Female
Approx. Age: 24
Subtype: Ice
Level: Monarch
Status: Unknown, escaped.
Pandora was the first Ixodida to be created in a human environment and was, as a result, the one who revealed the fact that the Ixodida have more than one form. Formerly an intern for the Orange Islands' Valencia Institute of Science and Technology, her captivity was short-lived and entailed only her transformation. Shortly thereafter, she went berserk and killed half the research staff before escaping to Hoenn (presumably). She was the reason why the Valencia Institute was thereafter shut down.
02. Adam
Real Name: William ("Bill") McKenzie
Gender: Male
Age: [classified]
Subtype: Steel
Level: Monarch
Status: Alive, quarantined.
Another accident, this time in Kanto's Polaris Institute, resulted in the fusion of one of its researchers to the Ixodida specimen they were studying. Like Pandora, Adam's duration at Polaris Institute lasted only until just after his transformation. After that point, Abel (see below) appeared within the facility and attacked the institute before engaging in combat with Adam. In the course of the battle, Adam was incapacitated and captured by Abel; the latter subsequently flew (with him) in the direction of Hoenn. Witnesses in the region have reported his appearance just north of Mauville City. The National Defense Forces therefore officially consider him quarantined.
03. Abel
Real Name: [classified]
Gender: Male
Approx. Age: 27
Subtype: Electric
Level: Drone
Status: Alive, escaped.
A third accident occurred in Polaris Institute with a janitor who inadvertently interfered with a specimen transfer. His captivity also lasted until just after his transformation, at which point he short-circuited the complex's security systems, attacked the laboratory, captured Adam, and fled to Hoenn. It's unknown whether or not Abel is still alive.
04. Lilith
Real Name: [virtually unknown]
Gender: Female
Approx. Age: [unknown]
Subtype: Ghost
Level: Monarch
Status: Alive, wild.
Lilith is the first Adult Form Ixodida to make herself known who was not originally in captivity, and it is said that she was the first Adult Form Ixodida to actually be created. More importantly, she's the current empress of the colony on Earth, but other than that, the NDF do not know where she's located. They've only heard of her from wild Ixodida. Hence, very little actual information is available about her.
