Opening File: Nergal
Nergal is a demon-like being from the Center of the Earth with snake-like tentacles growing from his back. These tentacles can deliver powerful shocks and act as extra arms. At one point in history Nergal was worshiped as the Sumerian God of the Underworld, war, pestilence, the summer solstice and the god of the dark aspects of the Sun which could take away life, especially since Sumeria was situated in what is today the Middle East, which is a desert region, in the ancient past. Long ago he was banished to the Center of the Earth but has been able to watch all of Earth during his time there.
He has also taken a human as his wife, a Huntress who went missing investigating rumors of a cult in ancient ruins out in the Wilds. Surprisingly Nergal has taken up residence in the Cluster of all places and has spent centuries gathering energy from it. It was later discovered that he made a deal with the Fallen Sammael in exchange for keeping the Cluster dormant and under his control he would not interfere with Drago who had been embedded in the Cluster as part of Sammael's plan to turn the Gem Empire's ultimate weapon against them.
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Opening File: Sis
Sis is the name of a MIA Huntress who went missing while exploring ancient ruins and investigating rumors of a cult. She was shown to have been taken to the Center of the Earth by the demon Nergal and has resided with him since. Apparently she came to love him during her time with him and supposedly sends letters to her brother Harold though she isn't on best terms with his wife Gladys.
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Xxx
"It is said that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Well, that can apply in real life as well." TOM said, watching the file close.
Xxx
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAHHHH!" Screamed Kevin as he woke up and sat up in his bed, sweating.
He looked around to see that he was in his own bed in his dark room. Kevin then turned and placed his feet on the floor as he panted a bit.
"Oh man... What a crazy dream! I was in a bike race, then I fought a bunch of thugs with guns, then I-"
But Kevin stopped as he then clearly remembered last night.
"Oh... Right, guess I really did fight a bunch of criminals. Now that Midas guy probably wants my head for doing it." Said Kevin as he stood up and walked out of bed to the bathroom. But as he finished brushing his teeth, he looked in the mirror once more.
"Man... What's wrong with me? I mean, me and the rest of the guys just got back from being abducted by aliens, watched the world's greatest heroes barely survive fighting an evil god, and everyone's working to stop a group of dark monsters that want to kill off humanity. And now, instead of trying to drive away and leave these punks to the cops, I antagonized a dangerous crime boss. Congrad's Kev, you win the biggest idiot of the year award!" Said Kevin, still talking to himself in the mirror.
"But... I guess as stupid as this sounds... Maybe I just want a little more action in my life... by pissing off dangerous gang leaders." Kevin sighed in annoyance at his own answer."... Better get dressed.
Xxx
ZAP!
BOOM!
"Coward am I?!"
Pericles was glad that he had seen to it that the new and improved Bunny was sleeping peacefully in a soundproof bedroom, allowing her to continue resting through Nyx's rage filled rampage as she blasted the furniture in the living room of their little pocket dimension. After a few minutes of nonstop blasting, Nyx stood in the center of the destroyed living room, panting slightly from letting out all her anger.
That was Pericles decided to take a risk. "A little angry, are we?"
"Actually," Nyx turned and spoke with a bit of laughter/amusement in her tone to Pericles. "I think I owe Sockhead a gift basket."
"Oh? While I'm happy that we no longer have to suffer Preston's arrogance, just wish we could have been the ones to crush his pride. I must confess my confusion to why you would feel any gratitude to young Eddward especially after what he said to you." Pericles commented.
Nyx stroked Pericles feathers. "Because he along with recent events like our little bout with the Reaper has helped me realize some things. First that my passion while probably one of my greatest strengths, can also be a weakness if I let it and my anger control me and my choices too much, so need to work on that." Nyx eyes glowed ominously with the next statement. "Of course that doesn't mean that certain people like mommy dearest, Klarion, or even Miss Spell won't be spared from the full force of my rage when the time comes."
"So you've decided to hold off on your grand plan?" Pericles asked.
Nyx gained a smirk. "Quite the opposite after all what better way to handle the years of resentment and anger that I seem to retain from my mortal life by letting it all out in force at appropriate targets, wouldn't you agree Professor Pericles?"
"So the boy has stirred you to take action?" Pericles asked, his beak curling into a smirk.
"You could say that." Nyx's smirk widened into a smile of malice as she looked at Pericles. "But more than that Sockhead has made me realize that for all my power I haven't been putting it to its full potential, too busy standing by and letting things play out when I could have done more."
"So does this mean…?"
Nyx nodded her head. "Yes I've made good use of my time in the shadows and as a still relatively unknown player, but I've stood by too long it's time to live up to my word by truly starting to play and get involved in this game". Nyx giggled with a menacing tone that would send shivers down anyone's spine. "Besides I do have to show Sockhead how far off he is in his assessment of me."
Nyx smiled as her eyes flashed purple thinking back to everything said to her not only by Double D but also Preston and the Grim Reaper. "Coward, weak little girl, controlled by my nature as a Lady of Chaos and mortal self, it's high time I prove them wrong by showing them not only how powerful I really am, but that I and I along control my destiny nothing else!"
Pericles grinned, pleased at his mistress. "Good."
"Now then, I have some work to do." Nyx patted Pericles on the head. "If we're going to stand against Miss Spell, those other heroes and even Sammael we'll need something to help us level up. You know what I am talking about."
Pericles grinned and nodded. "Indeed I do."
"Good. Take care of our new guest and I'll get started on tracking down what we need." Nyx said, vanishing in a flash of purple fire.
Once she was gone Pericles flew over to a set of monitors that allowed him to see most of what was happening in Gravity Falls.
Xxx
Bud Gleeful in the meantime was left in a pickle of his own.
With the Blind Eye Society gone and Preston Northwest dead he was unsure where to go next. Pacifica was nowhere to be found and with the Northwest mansion destroyed he had no way of contacting the Great One on his own unless Bill Cipher chose to speak with him.
So he needed to figure out what do nex-
BANG!
SMASH!
Bud Gleeful jumped at seeing his door knocked down, watching in shock as a man with brunette hair and wearing a dark coat stepped in, followed by an elderly woman. "Who are you?! How dare you break into my home?!"
"Bud Gleeful?" The man asked.
"Who's asking?" Bud asked, summoning his powers. "Mirror of Cipher!"
He transformed into his demon form, grinning at the two as preparing to transport them into the mirror dimension.
Only when the portal he summoned was about to engulf them it shattered.
Bud gaped in shock, seeing his powers fail. "Wha-"
The man shot forward and punched Bud in the face just as the elderly woman swung her staff, shattering the triangle mirror on Bud's chest.
"You won't be getting away this time." Lydia Gilligan said, twirling her staff in one hand showing that age had not dulled her skill.
"Luckily, Ford gave me a complete description of how the power Ciphers gives people like you work. He puts a little bit of himself in the Aura of anyone he makes a deal with but when you change into that demon form, the part of him he gives manifests as a physical object or weapon." Hoagie said, gesturing to the broken mirror on Bud's chest as it started smoking. "Break that object and you lose your power."
Bud gaped as he changed back to normal. "This can't be…The Great One promised me that we'd be unstoppable."
"Sorry to break it you but Cipher has left you high and dry. He doesn't need you or what's left of the Blind Eye Society anymore. You're just a loose end he left for us to take care of." Hoagie said, pulling out his pistol.
Bud trembled in terror. "Wait please you don't want to do this, it won't bring her back, and I can he-"
BANG!
Hoagie pulled the trigger but Lydia batted the gun away before he could shoot, sparing Bud's life. "Hey!"
"We're doing this by the book, Hoagie. He might know something." Lydia scolded.
"You expect me to let him live after what he's done?" Hoagie asked looking coldly down at Bud. "Bill won't waste a second on him."
"And killing him only accomplishes one thing." Lydia retorted.
"You mean besides personal satisfaction?" Hoagie asked rhetorically.
"It would make Cipher happy." Lydia stated.
That caused Hoagie to pause before turning and leaving not sparing a glance back. Unaware of the observing eyes watching him hidden in the shadows in the form of a sinister avian wearing a dark wide grin on his beak, as he watched Hoagies leave.
Xxx
Professor Pericles chuckled. "Interesting very interesting indeed, I think I'm beginning to see what Nyx saw in you Mr. Gilligan."
Xxx
"Excuse me?" Mars said after a moment of silence. "Pardon me forgetting protocol but...What the hell are you talking about?!"
"It is simple. Despite the existence of heroes like the Justice Friends and it hasn't been enough against threats like Billiam Milliam, Crom Cruach, Van Kleiss or the Fallen. We were able to intercept transmissions that the attack on Van Kleiss stronghold will begin soon. Since my soldiers are no match for Van Kleiss's forces I have been forced to consider...alternate methods." Feral looked at him. "Mars, you were one of my soldiers before you turned rogue. That's why you are here, to form a new team under the command of my subordinate, Felina."
"...You have got to be kidding." Mars grumbled. "What if I say no?"
"Then I will have no choice but to terminate you." Feral held up his scroll. "A transmitter has been placed inside your body and if I activate the kill switch it will detonate."
Mars' eyes widened as Feral show him his tablet, revealing images of him with a heart monitor and a kill switch option.
"Refusal in this matter is not optional." Feral lowered his scroll.
"You scum!" Mars growled. "I thought slavery was outlawed! There's no way you'd have the council's blessings!"
"In these dark times, desperate matters must be taken. Complete any of the missions assigned to you and I will consider lowering the severity of your sentence. For now, you will be working under Felina." Feral said as Felina stepped forward. "Any questions?"
Mars remained still.
"Good. Felina, make sure our new ally is ready." Feral turned and walked out of the room.
Felina looked him over. "First off, Mars you will have your equipment updated and ready."
Xxx
The sound of a rooster cawing stirred Rolf from his slumber who let out a big yawn and smiled at the bright sun that had risen over the Cul-De-Sac. For some reason he had felt very strange for the last couple of days and decided it would all go away with a long nice nap. And in addition to the deep, relaxing slumber he had he also felt very warm, possibly having taken his lucky clam Bobo to bed with him.
Only when he looked down it wasn't Bobo he was snuggling.
It was the giggling sleeping form of Ed.
"GAH!" Rolf screamed and jumped out of bed, causing Ed to do the same as each pin themselves to the opposite sides of the room.
"ED-BOY!? WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN ROLF'S BED!?" Rolf yelled confused and angry as the same time. "ONLY ROLF IS ALLOWED ON ROLF'S BED WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF BOBO!"
"I DON'T KNOW, ROLF! I THINK I WAS PROBABLY SLEEP WALKING AT NIGHT AND ENDED UP IN YOUR BED BY ACCIDENT!" Ed explained as he and Rolf looked at the open door to Rolf's room where a trail of half-eaten food led to Rolf's bed.
"…Well, that explains you as warm and snuggling as Rolf's dear friend, Bobo." Rolf said, pulling out his lucky giant clam. "But still why you were giggling like a ninny in your sleep? Were you dreaming of eating Rolf?!"
"BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME DREAM WHERE I WAS MADE OF TAFFY AND I COULD EAT MYSELF AND STRECH REALLY LONG DISTANCES!" Yelled Ed.
"Well... Why would you dream of that!? With that fly brain you have, why not have a better dream like... The first hair you grow on your back!" Rolf asked with a big smile on his face as he turned around and showed a large fluff of hair growing from is back.
"Rolf, why is someone in the bedroom with Dinah?" Ed simply asked and Rolf just remained silent for a moment.
"... Uh... Are Nana and white-haired fairy Aisley up yet?" Rolf asked as he scratched his chin and walked out of the room.
Just as he left, Aisling peeked out from under a pile of food, eating from a box of cookies. "Is he gone?"
Xxx
"And in other news... Notorious businessman and accused crime lord Midas Goult is accused of connections with a string of Dust robberies that have plagued the area." Said the news announcer as they showed a mugshot of Midas smirking.
"Even through the businessman has had some run in's with the law several times, his lawyers managed to prove his innocence. Yet, last night on the freeway there was footage taped of men who are believed to have connections with Midas Goult being chased by a man on a burning motorcycle. As the motorcycle man manage to knock one car off the road and split another one in half. Here is the footage captured by a police helicopter." Said the announcer as the footage flashed on the screen, showing a man on a motorcycle spewing green flames as he chased down the two black vans with an unidentified black helicopter hovering over them.
Kevin looked on nervously as everyone else watched on. They saw everything as the man on the bike tore one of the vans in half, drove the other one off the overpass, and tried to drag down the unidentified helicopter with its chain until he let the helicopter go.
"Woah... a burning guy on a motorcycle with a burning chain!? That's so cool! I wonder what kind of Dust he might've incorporated to burn like that." Nazz said with a smile.
"NO!" Yelled Kevin as everyone turned to him.
'Aww... Man! They'd KILL me if they found out I was racing and getting into trouble without them knowing! Gotta play it cool...' Thought Kevin.
"Who knows? Maybe he's a burning robot? Or maybe some kind of spirit of vengeance? I mean who knows!" Kevin said as the footage continued playing of him.
"Umm... I don't know about you, Kevin. I mean we all have studied what Dust looks like. And whoever that is on the bike, IS using Dust of some sort." Nazz said pointing at the TV screen as the footage ended and the news announcer popped up once more.
"Authorities are still unsure of who the burning man on the motorcycle is, but he has been nicknamed Hot Rod. Authorities are on the lookout for this man, if anyone has any information about the man, please contact your local authorities." Said the announcer as they then moved onto other news.
"So..." Jonny walking in and putting his hand on the couch. "Ed is the reincarnation of slime, people able to turn into crows, evil dudes who can control hordes of monsters, evil alien warlords from other worlds... And now some dude on a burning motorcycle fighting crime. Now I THINK I've seen everything...Hmm..."
Jonny he bent down to Plank. "I don't know about this new guy, Plank. He's probably a motorcyclist using his skills in inventing weapons to knock out any competition!"
After Jonny told Plank his thoughts, Jonny's eyes widened as he listened to what Plank had to say.
After Plank was done, Jonny whispered to him. "You're reading my mind, Buddy! Time to call in the special forces to deal with this 'Hot Rod' guy!"
"Jonny... What did you say?" Nazz asked as Jonny stood back up with a nervous smile as he held plank behind him as he backed off.
"Oh! Me? Nothing!" Jonny said quickly before he left, leaving Nazz, Ed, Rolf, and Kevin standing there with confused looks.
Xxx
"…ve…"
Heat
"Ste…"
When he started to awaken he could feel the heat.
"Steve…"
Then he felt something long and slimy wrapped around his body.
"Steven!"
His eyes stop open, frantic from hearing the voices calling his name. "Wha-What?!"
He heard Pearl sighing relief and looked to his left, seeing her tied up next to him by some kind of tendril.
And it wasn't just Pearl.
Garnet, Amethyst, Connie, and Peridot were all tied up as well by tendrils hanging from above in a cavern made completely of gemstones with the ground covered in a strange blackness, giving it a red and black theme.
"What happened?" Steven mumbled, trying to get free but the tentacle holding him was too tight.
A laugh from above stopped his struggled as he and the others looked up, watching as a strange…man descended from above with all the tendrils holding them and two on the ground underneath him as he descended coming out of his back.
"Welcome to the center of the world. The Cluster." The creature spoke grandly, spreading his arms out in a dramatic fashion.
He was quite tall with a slim build, black skin, green and purple eyes, a green tongue and green teeth. He wears a sharp black and red suit as well as heeled, black boots. Due to his black skin, his clothes and boots seem to blend in with his skin.
Once he was on the ground he retracted his tentacles, releasing Steven, Connie and the Gems. "My name is Nergal and you must be the Crystal Gems."
Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst pulled out their weapons as Garnet asked the main question. "How do you know of us?"
"I know a great deal about many of the famous people on the surface. The band of rebels Gems that fought a thousand year war against their own home world the survival and independence of this planet." Nergal folded his arms behind his back. "And I know why you're here now. Fortunately your services are not required. The Cluster has been, for the most part, contained."
Peridot looked around, seeing all of the gemstones that made up the Cluster glowing a pinkish color. "Did you do this?"
"Not me personally but it was part of an arrangement. Long ago I came here to this Cluster and made myself at home." Nergal said, pacing around the group who warily watched him. "It was around this time that someone else had been embedded here as part of a way to control the Cluster and it's great power."
"Control the Cluster? Impossible." Peridot exclaimed.
"Not as much as you would think." Nergal replied with a smile. "So in exchange not interfering with the new tenant I was allowed to live here."
"Live here? Why?" Steven questioned.
"Well, if you hadn't noticed things can be really lonely at the center of the Earth. I thought the Cluster was a good way to cure my loneliness." Nergel answered in a melancholy voice. "The gemstones provide some good company through it all."
"Who is this other person?" Garnet questioned, keeping her guard up.
"He's a former Viking from the north. A man by the name of Drago Bludvist." Nergal answered calmly, stopping in front of the group. "He was placed here long ago in exchange for power and revenge which he indeed gained. Now he waits here for orders."
"Orders? From who?" Pearl asked.
"Oh that's right, you don't know at all." Nergal grinned as he leaned in close to Pearl. "Do you? I am sure Rose Quartz would have told you."
Steven perked up. "My mom?"
Nergal chuckled as he turned around. "I suppose you wouldn't know. Rose Quartz had been on this planet for some time but it never occurred of you to ask how the Grimm began assaulting the cities and bases the Homeworld Gems were building and yet your rebel camps remained untouched."
"What do you mean? We hid ourselves from the Grimm so they wouldn't find us." Pearl stated.
"Oh you did but that didn't mean someone did not know." Nergal turned around, chuckling to himself. "I'm afraid there was a bit more to the luck you had, gaining victory after victory in your Rebellion. The Grimm left you alone because they had been directed against your Homeworld enemies instead of you. The reason being is that your dear Rose Quartz made a deal with someone who happened to be the same person I myself made a bargain with for living here."
"Who?" Steven asked.
Nergal waved it off. "I've said too much on the subject already. Until then, consider yourselves guests here in my home. I am sure we will get along greatly."
"So they are staying, darling?
The group looked behind Nergal to see a woman emerge from a nearby cave. She was rather short and a bit chubby. She had curly, strawberry blond hair, a large nose and dark eyes framed by black cat-eye glasses. She wore a yellow blouse, a long, green skirt and red sneakers.
"Indeed they are." Nergal walked over to the woman, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Allow me to introduce my beautiful wife."
'Wife?!' Almost the entire group gaped.
A human woman married to…a demon?!
"Hello, I am Sis Nergal." She greeted the politely. "I hope your stay here will better than you think it will."