Sicaloid

Sicaloids are a strange "creature" made of an unusual black ooze. This semi-sentient "being" has no real mind of it's own, rather it is controlled by a low-key Psionic link and meant to attack targets with the intent of entering their bodies through the mouth or nose, then assuming control of the individual.

Once a Sicaloid locates a target, the black ooze will surge towards the individual at surprisingly high speeds and without concern for it's own fate. After it reaches the target, it will leap at their face and attempt to force it's way down their throat or nasal passage. As it is nearly impossible to grab liquid, there is little chance to stop the Sicaloid once it attacks.

After a Sicaloid enters the body, it will slowly seep into the victim's bloodstream. During this time, the blood will circulate to the brain and manipulate the behaviour of the victim by making them repeat the same phrases and actions over and over, seemingly without end. As this process starts, the victim will suffer from repeated headaches, flu-like symptoms, reddened pupils, and all bodily liquids (excluding blood) will turn black and sludge-like. This, combined with excessive excretion of bodily fluids through the eyes, nose and mouth, makes the victim's face gain black streaks which can give away signs of early infection.

The process of repeating actions only happens when a victim is "switched off." This happens when the Psionic connection is not being utilised or is severed. In this phase, the victim is called a "Sleepwalker," and is completely unphased by interaction. This state is meant to make the victim far easier to take in for experimentation.

The Sicaloid may be "activated" and allow connected entities to fully control whatever it has chosen as it's victim. In this phase, the victim is called "Activated" and can act as both a sleeper agent or a unit for attacking other, uninfected persons.

Persons with a sufficiently high will may be able to resist the Activated and Sleepwalker phases, but they would most likely still repeat the last few words of certain sentences at random.

Sicaloids can be destroyed by energy-based attacks before they infect anyone, but one should still take heed after their destruction as the traces left over are still capable of infecting people should they enter the body in any way. This infection method takes a lot longer as it will have to regenerate itself.

Sicaloids managed to infect Commander Fielde Locke and Major Charlie Wrale during the Enemy Unknown campaign. While Fielde's strong will prevented the Sicaloid from making him a Sleepwalker or Activated, Charlie ended up resisting the control but becoming a Sleepwalker. She remained that way until the alien Temple Ship was destroyed, after which the Sicaloid screeched inside her head (causing her major mental stress) and seeped out of any orifice the inanimate liquid could escape from, leaving her free from being a Sleepwalker.

After this, XCOM's remaining Sicaloid samples were shipped to Nuka-World's newest section (Alien Skies) before being placed in an exhibitory container inside Bunker X for visitors of Nuka-World to learn about. Marelin managed to acquire a sample from the Grey Market, with which they created their own Sicaloids which never saw the battlefield before the Last Lights, during which they escaped into the Frozen North and were frozen in the cold climate, creating hunks of black ice.

During her visit to the Frozen North, Kate inadvertently thaws out a Sicaloid and it attacks her. This attack is fruitless despite Kate's helplessness as she is disarmed by her fall down a hill, as ED-E shot it with his Pulse Weapon, destroying it completely.

Sicaloids were deployed by the alternate reality aliens against the world of CHS. Their first sighting is at Everfree Camp, and they are discovered by Rainbow Dash who becomes infected. She, not having told her friends what she was investigating, is approached by her friends who all become infected. This means Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer all become infected. Although their wills are sufficient enough to resist becoming Activated, they do become trapped as Sleepwalkers.

The infected six are recovered by Union Strike before the aliens take them in for experimentation, and taken back to XCOM HQ where they are kept in containment for their safety. Union would often visit them and watch them repeat the same three words over and over as a means of punishing himself, as he blames his own behaviour towards Rainbow Dash as he aggressively turned down her invitation to go to Everfree Camp with the girls in favour of watching for aliens for her infected state.

The attack on XCOM HQ by the aliens resulted in Colonel Rainbow Shine, Major Vladimir Gorchevski and Central Officer Bradford becoming infected, all becoming Sleepwalkers themselves, leaving XCOM with a very low headcount after the attack killed many of their operatives.

Once the alien Temple Ship was destroyed, the Sicaloids all "died" and leaked from their victims, all of whom were free from being Activated or Sleepwalkers.

Sicaloids make an appearance in The Hunt when Fielde sets one against Twilight Sparkle in the Labyrinth. This Sicaloid is destroyed by Twilight using a Pulse Pistol that Fielde had left for her, but after a minute it rebuilds itself and goes after her again, a feat never seen before or afterwards as Fielde has made the "creature" immortal with the intent on scaring Twilight into submission.