Parasite Cell

The **Parasite Cell** (パラサイトセル), or **PC** for short, was a mutagenic parasite-like bacterium that was responsible for transforming both the SEA FOX's crew and the personnel of the Big Table into hostile mutants.

## Origins

The Parasite Cells originated from Anthony, a chimpanzee who was a subject of Project Mercury in which he was launched into space by NASA in a pod. According to the research conducted by Dr. Gena Weisburg, the Parasite Cell was a mutated strain of **VMH-117**, a common Earth bacteria that can be found all over the world, leeching onto primates as its final host. The bacteria itself is harmless and doesn't pose a serious threat. At some point, Anthony became infected with this bacteria prior to his launch into space. During the course of 40 years adrift in space, both Anthony and the bacteria were exposed to radiation. As noted by Dr. Weisburg, VMH-117 is known to be easily affected by strong radiation and the amount of gamma, infrared and ultraviolet radiation in outer space is 10 to 100 times more powerful than on Earth. The bacteria within Anthony's body was therefore mutated, eventually becoming the Parasite Cell.

## Abilities

The Parasite Cell inhabiting Anthony's body has displayed anti-aging properties, halting the body's metabolism by putting it in a state of suspended animation, therefore keeping Anthony perfectly alive and preserved in space for the last 40 years. However, there lies one large defect in the Parasite Cell; Once exposed to normal cells, be it animal or human, the Parasite Cell would multiply itself at an incredible speed until the host's original cells are completely devoured by it. This results in the drastic mutation of the host's body, both internally and externally, transforming them into monstrous creatures. Humans who are already infected with the bacterium usually display symptoms of shivering, as displayed by the ill condition of the SEA FOX survivor, Bob and Anna Lawrenson.

The Parasite Cell would specifically target the host's brain, thus allowing the bacterium to take full control of the brain within less than an hour, while taking over the host's entire body takes up to two hours. Even if the host's body is already dead, the Parasite Cell can still reanimate and transform it into creatures as shown when the corpses of Colonel McCoy's men were transformed into Jacks. Mutants created as a result of the Parasite Cell are completely feral and intensely hostile, actively seeking out any uninfected living organisms and attacking them on sight. According to Dr. Weisburg's memo the Parasite Cell's infectivity is limited only to mammals, which is somewhat ironic since the appearance of the mutants created by the Parasite Cell are derived from non-mammal creatures, such as insects, crustaceans and reptiles. Dr. Weisburg also estimated that in the event the Parasite Cell is unleashed upon the world, it could wipe out the world's mammal population within the course of 264 hours (11 days).

Although Anthony himself is seemingly immune to the Parasite Cell's defective nature, showing no signs of visible mutation, it is implied that he is capable of controlling the Parasite Cell. This was made apparent when Dr. Weisburg defended Anthony from John Mayor, who intended to kill the chimpanzee after uncovering the truth behind the outbreak. Dr. Weisburg suddenly transformed into a large blob-like creature despite not showing any symptoms prior, indicating that Anthony had something to do with it.

## Weakness

In addition to the Parasite Cell's infectivity being limited only to mammals, the bacterium also refuses to enter any host already infected with another virus, providing a temporary immunity against it. This weakness was discovered after Dr. Weisburg examined blood samples she had taken from John, discovering that the cold virus he had contracted protected him from the Parasite Cell. Despite this, Dr. Weisburg found that the cold virus was not a permanent solution as it alone can't fight off Parasite Cell. This example was shown when Anna, despite having already contracted a cold, was still mutated by the Parasite Cell.

Another weakness to the Parasite Cell is the fact that it is apparently an anaerobic organism, therefore it is unable to survive in the presence of oxygen. This weakness was remedied in the gradual evolution of the Parasite Cell creatures, spawning the Oxygen Eaters, which are not only immune to oxygen, but also feeds off of it.

Mutations experienced by 1st generation creatures often appear to begin assymetrically, with one side of the infected host's body still retaining some semblance of their uninfected state, although this is not the case for each infection as seen with DuBois' mutated form. Fully mutated creatures often display similar forms of assymetry either vertically or horizontally, either to create a form of attack or mobility to better suit their biological movement.

## List of creatures

The Parasite Cell creatures live in a metagenesis life cycle, in which they would continue to gradually evolve by alternating through generations.

* 1st Generation
* 2nd Generation
* 3rd Generation

First generation (第一世代) creatures are derived from humans or other animals initially infected by the Parasite Cell. Once the Parasite Cell has taken complete control of the body, the host, regardless if either dead or living, will mutate and become hostile creatures having lost any sense of their former selves, attacking anyone they come in contact with.

JackPreservationJack DogPreservation CowMouse

Second generation (第二世代) creatures are hatched from Cocoons laid by first generation creatures. Their appearance depends on the host the parent creatures derived from.

HiddenSoldierMotherPredator

The third and final generation (第三世代) of the creatures, birthed by second generation creatures.

LarvaIndependentOxygen Eater