Opening File: The Invisible Hand

In our world there are many dangers one must be aware of: the Grimm, rogues Huntsmen, bandits, the Satyra but the Invisible Hand is one of most mysterious and secretive groups out there. A secret group commissioned by the Fallen known as Sammael to carry out special missions that could not be left in the hands of Grimm or other Fallen. The Fallen known as General Reginald Skarr is suspect in finding suitable members to be recruited. Among the known members is the serial killer known as Katz, a former Australian Hunter named Jujunga, a southern American skilled in blades known Gentle-Jim, twin Mobians named I and Am who specialize in traps and explosives and Boris, a former Russian Huntsman with a dangerous temper and the strength to back it up.

Each member skilled to enough to be considered on par with Class IV and V Huntsmen and though they accept solo missions they are often paired in teams of four, much like Hunter teams. The current number of members is unknown but the limited information gathered is enough to show that this group is very dangerous. No one aside from Class V or teams composed of Class IV Huntsmen are permitted to engage them.

Close File

Xxx

"What is the best way to defeat someone better than you? Find their weaknesses, outsmart them and wait for an opening. Sometimes the best way to defeat an opponent is to understand them, adapt their strength to your own. It's easy to feel strong and powerful but all it takes is one person to take that all away." TOM watched as the 'Invisible Hand' file was closed. "We all learn differently. Sometimes we learn faster, sometimes through hard work and constant studying and sometimes we learn from the greatest teacher of all: failure. Despite many people being afraid of failure if you just take the time to think things over you can stand up and brush the dirt away and when you have the chance you can turn that failure into a victory."

Xxx

"You sent Skarr and Katz to Nowhere to track down that spirit possessing the Gundam?" Moloch asked upon appearing in Sammael's throne room. "Of all the pawns to send why the two of them?"

"So little faith." Sammael mused. "Katz is powerful enough to fight and kill fully trained Huntsmen and Skarr is a fellow Fallen. They are far more than simple pawns."

"A Fallen who fights like the enemy. He is far from being one of us, not even fit to be considered a Noble class Fallen. That time spent among humans has left him thinking like them despite the purpose of his training. No amount of skill or training should be enough to substitute for the power coursing through his veins." Moloch noted with displeasure. "He relies too heavily on his Semblance and his weapon. He has not accessed the power he shares with all of us aside from the strength we are given. He thinks too much like a human. That is why he has failed against Dracon and other strong opponents in the past."

"Then perhaps he will have his chance." Sammael leaned back in his chair. "Compared to us Skarr and Mandy are newborns. It takes more than training to learn how to kill the enemy to become that which they call Fallen. It is only natural they would need time before evolving into the Noble class."

"Or Majesty Class."

Sammael smirked. "We always did have a flair for theatricality, didn't we?"

Xxx

"That was amazing!" Mushi exclaimed in excitement upon meeting her older sister and Danielle outside of the training area. "So cool!"

Kuki giggled a bit at her younger sister's excitement about the sparring match she had with Danielle but stopped and rubbed her head. After the match had ended both girls had changed back into their normal clothes but Kuki was feeling a headache now even if she hadn't been hurt at all in the match.

"You okay?" Danielle asked, seeing Kuki grimacing a bit.

"I'm fine." Kuki bushed the headache off with a smile. "I think it was a bit of a rush from the match. I've never used my Semblance like that before."

Danielle tilted her head. "You mean you didn't know your Semblance would stop my ghost form?"

"My Semblance is…Complicated. I can feel and sense things around me and if they are dangerous in some way I can somehow just…Stop them." Kuki admitted, trying to explain her Semblance as best as she can. "I have felt headaches before but not as bad as right now. Trying to shut down your powers was harder than usual."

"All the more reason to continue practicing." The girls quickly turned to see Genki approaching them, a small smile on her face but seemed stern at the same time. "You both have amazing abilities and these abilities are like any muscle. Push too hard and they will ache but continue to practice you will grow used to them. Kuki, your Semblance is powerful and you should be careful not to overuse it. A headache is one thing but push too far and you risk much more than a mere headache."

Kuki nodded. "Yes, mother."

Danielle quickly nodded as well, feeling that Genki was speaking to her as well.

"Now I believe there has been enough excitement for today. It is getting late now so start getting ready for bed. I am sure there will be plenty of fun to be had tomorrow." Genki continued.

"Oh! Can Dani bunk with us?" Mushi asked, grabbing Danielle's hand.

Genki's smile widened a bit. "Only if she says yes."

Both Kuki and Mushi turned to Danielle with pleading eyes. "Please…"

Danielle chuckled nervously. "Um…Okay I-"

"YAY!" The girls quickly pulled her down the hall, leaving Genki to laugh a bit.

Something told her things wouldn't be dull around here.

Xxx

The return to the Utonium house was silent but the tension so think you could cut through it with a butter knife. Professor Utonium had quickly changed into some new clothes while putting his previous ones in a wash but did keep a few samples of the paste from Elmer's body to study. The police had come and taken the frozen Elmer away to Townsville prison, preparing a special cell for the former boy now turned monster.

That wasn't the current problem though.

Buttercup was sitting on the couch in the living room as the professor walked in and sat down next to her. The tomboy braced herself for the coming lecture but the professor took his time, staring at the clock for a moment. "Well Buttercup, it seems we have to talk sooner or later. So please, just tell me."

Buttercup slowly looked up. "Tell you…"

"Yes, tell me. About Elmer, about what happened, about why he seemed to think you were responsible for what happened?" Utonium clarified calmly. "Was he lying? Did he make it all up? Did he say something mean to you? Or was it all true?"

Buttercup looked away. "…It's true."

Utonium took a deep breath and sighed. "So, just so I have it all in order: you laughed at him along with other kids, you threw paste in his face and didn't apologize and you helped turn him into a monster."

"Well, I didn't do the third thing on purpose. There was a big fight and I didn't know." Buttercup quickly said.

"I see." Utonium looked back down at his daughter. "But the rest was true."

"…Yes." Buttercup looked back down at the floor.

"I only have one question: why?"

"Why?" Buttercup looked back up.

"Yes. Why?"

"He was eating paste which was gross. And I wasn't the only one. Everyone else was doing it." Buttercup weakly argued.

"Everyone? So Blossom and Bubbles did it too?" Utonium asked stoically.

"Uh…No. They didn't do any of that." Buttercup admitted, looking away.

"But you did." Utonium noted. "So I ask again: why? What did this boy do to make you do that?"

"I just said he was eating paste and…"

"I know what you said but you have yet to say why. You are only telling me what he was doing at the time and that all the other kids aside from Blossom and Bubbles were picking on him like you were." Utonium cut her off.

"I…I did it because…I just did it. I saw the paste and I reacted. I thought it'd be funny." Buttercup shifted a bit.

"You thought it would be funny." Utonium sighed. "And was anyone laughing?"

Buttercup looked back down. "No."

"And you didn't apologize."

"No."

Utonium took another deep breath. "Is that it?"

"Yeah…"

"I see. Buttercup, over the years there has always been a bit of trouble from you but in the end you seemed to pull through and understand what you did was wrong. From trying to knock your sister's tooth out to get money from the tooth fairy, refusing to take a bath until you couldn't fight criminals and monsters anymore to beating some criminals to the point they were put in extensive care. You have always been one to believe strength was all that is needed in everyday life, even when you were not fighting." Utonium stood up and paced around the room. "But I've seen how you've taken things too far such as smashing Bubbles' chalk just because you didn't like her drawing on the playground. Fighting with your sisters is one thing since siblings naturally fight at times and you three always make up somehow. Bullying is something a hero and Hunter stand against and finding you taking such an active role…" Utonium rubbed his face. "Where did I go wrong in trying to teach you such actions are not acceptable? That they are no different from the wrong doings you have fought against since the day you were literally born?"

"I didn't mean it." Buttercup floated off the couch. "But everyone else was…"

"Everyone except your sisters and we are not talking about them. We are talking about your actions." Utonium looked back at his black haired daughter. "How can you say you want to be like all the Huntsmen and Huntresses you read about when you do something like this without thinking? If they saw the way this Elmer boy was treated do you believe they would act in the same way you and the other kids did?"

"They…No, they wouldn't." Buttercup floated back down to the couch, looking back down to the ground.

Utonium sat back down next to her. "So, what do we do now?"

"Uh?" Buttercup looked back up.

"There is a choice to be made here, Buttercup. Do we just go about our daily lives or do we try and fix this?"

"H-How do we fix this? Elmer's a monster now. He tried to kill you." Buttercup exclaimed.

"He did but does that mean what happened before doesn't matter now? He becomes a monster and that makes us all forget what he was before…And what he might be again if someone tries to help him." Utonium stood up again and walked toward his bedroom. "Just so you know Buttercup, there won't be any punishment for you."

"R-Really? So you are not mad?" Buttercup asked hopefully.

"I am not mad." Utonium turned around, looking sternly at his daughter who flinched. "I am…Disappointed. I don't if it's aimed at you or me for failing to properly teach you but it is how I feel. It is up to you to decide to simply move on or see if something can be done."

Buttercup watched as the professor walked to his bed, leaving her alone in the living room of their damaged house.

Being left alone seemed worse than when she thought the professor was mad at her.

Xxx

"How interesting. This Elmer child could be useful to us." A screen showed Elmer fighting against the Powerpuff Girls and he almost won before being frozen. "He would make a fine recruit. The High Commander will be pleased to hear this."

Xxx

When Skulker phased through the ceiling and escape the restaurant in Dracon's body the only plan he had was to escape those lunatics and the Gundam he was possessing was the perfect host body for him to use. His original suit had been destroyed so he needed a new temporary body until he could return to the Ghost Zone and get his spare.

'Now that I have escaped I just need to find a portal to the Ghost Zone and get-'Skulker mentally plotted but was assaulted by a sudden force that made the body he was possessing freeze up. "Wh-What?!"

"GET OUT OF MY BODY!" A familiar voice shouted through the voice speakers.

The Gundam's visors flashed red and then green as it fell to the ground, kicking up dust everywhere when it crashed.

"Wha-What is going on?!" Skulker grunted, struggling to keep his host body under control. "How are you still conscious?!"

The voice speakers now projected Dracon's voice. "I've dealt with possession Semblances before, freak! I can't be possessed like a normal human. My body was designed to fight off invading freaks like you!"

Skulker growled, fighting back to remain in control. "We'll see about that. I have not come this far to be put back in a cage by whatever you are supposed to be. A Hunter does not get put in a cage by prey!"

"And what kind of Hunter are you supposed to be?" Dracon retorted. "Trying to attack a town for no other reason than simply because you could? That's not Hunter behavior. That's the behavior of a coward and a bully."

"You watch your mouth…Or voice box or whatever! I will not be degraded by some walking tin-can!" Skulker growled.

"No, you'll just steal said tin-can because you know you're completely useless without a big machine body to hide in!"

"I AM SKULKER! I AM THE GREATEST HUNTER IN THE GHOST ZONE! FEARED BY HUMANS AND GHOST ALIKE!" Skulker raged, infuriated by Dracon's insults. "WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH YOU YOUR HEAD WILL DECORATE MY WALL!"

"How do you plan to take my head if you are in it?!" Dracon retorted.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" Skulker shouted, unable to take it anymore. "YOU HAVE BEEN THE MOST ANNOYING HUMAN I HAVE MET IN THE LAST FEW DAYS! NOT EVEN PLASMIUS OR THE RED-EYED FREAK OF A HUMAN ANNOYED ME THIS MUCH!"

"Yea- Wait!" Dracon started but suddenly stopped. "Red-eyed human? Did this red-eyed human have dark vein like markings all over their body?"

Skulker was still angry but consented to answering. "Yes he did, I don't know what breed of human that was but he had strange powers and I had no intention of sticking around."

"What was his name?"

"What?"

"What was his name?!"

"I don't know! I never asked!" Skulker answered, getting annoyed with the constant questioning. "What's with all the questioning?"

But Dracon was too busy thinking over what he had just learned. Only a handful of beings he knew had matched Skulker's description: the Fallen.

"Someone seems distracted."

Both Dracon and Skulker halted their feud, looking up and spotting two strangers approaching them.

Well, to one of them they were both strangers.

To the other they were very dangerous people.

"The so-called Dragon of Denver." Katz remarked, stepping forward. "It has been a while, hasn't it? Well, don't worry. This will be the last time."

Skulker grunted, taking back control and stood up, pointing Dracon's magnum at the two. "I don't know who you are but I am done with-"

Katz's eyes flashed and Skulker stiffened, feeling himself being pulled under. He looked down and gasped when he saw the body he was in literally melting. "Wh-WHAT?! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Skulker phased out of the Gundam's body, falling onto the ground while Joseph collapsed. The sudden attack from Katz's Semblance was too much for the ghost to handle, making him lose control of Joseph's body in the process.

"All too easy." Katz remarked, taking another step forward. "I am starting to believe Sammael was being overly cautious when he sent the two of us."

"Do not question the orders given to you, Katz." Skarr growled, fighting the urge to shoot Katz for his arrogance. "Just grab the spirit and finish off Dracon while we're at it."

Katz returned Skarr's glare with a smile. "Of course, General."

However just as Katz turned around the Gundam shot up, delivering a punch to Katz and sending the Mobian flying past the Fallen and into the ground, very hard.

Dracon let out a sigh from his speakers. "I can't believe I am saying this but I owe you two for helping me break free. I gave up control just in time when Katz used his Semblance on Skulker so it affected him but not me."

Katz sat up, his black Aura shimmering as he growled, glaring hatefully at Dracon. "You…"

"So, Sammael has something to do with this ghost and I imagine he sent the two of you to stop us from learning anything." Dracon pointed his magnum at his two opponents. "You're too late though. We already know there is a hidden base out here and we will find it."

Skarr pointed his rifle at the Gundam. "We will see about that, Gundam."

Katz stood up, narrowing his eyes which Joseph was careful to avoid looking at as he kept his magnum trained on Skarr. He had faced down both opponents in the past and knew both of them were extremely dangerous. General Skarr was a Fallen, the first Fallen Joseph had faced and barely survived fighting against. He was a skilled fighter as Joseph remembered, able to take on fully trained Huntsmen and had a powerful Semblance that allowed him to dominate the wills of his opponents.

Katz on the other hand was a Mobian serial killer, relying on his skilled agility and Semblance to get the better of anyone who faced him as Joseph had found out the hard way the last time he had met the killer. Fortunately he was not as strong as Skarr and Joseph knew how to fight both of them. So he started off by pulling the trigger of his magnum, aiming not at either Skarr or Katz but at the ground. The projectile kicked up dust, covering the entire area and he was quickly on the move.

Skarr fired a Dust shell that Dracon quickly dodged but even with the dust cloud blinding them no one was worried. Dracon had his sensors, Skarr's Fallen abilities allowed him to sense the Gundam and Katz had enhanced hearing. Activating his Vulcan cannons Dracon aimed and fired, shooting at Skarr first but the Fallen was quick to move and fired another shell, this time a Wind Dust shell that upon exploding blew away the cloud. Katz rushed at the Gundam, aiming to lock his eyes on the Gundam's visual sensors but Dracon knew all too well what would happen if that happened.

The Gundam aimed and fired at the ground again, creating another dust cloud that exploded in front of Katz. The Mobian growled in annoyance while Dracon aimed in Skarr's direction but the Fallen had already moved, switching his weapon to its broad blade form and swung it. The blade knocked his magnum's aim off course just as Dracon fired again. Dracon stepped back and ducked as Skarr swung his sword again, the blade flying over the Gundam's head.

Dracon fired his Vulcan cannons again but Skarr dodged and fell back. In the meantime Katz held up a satchel bag and pulled out what looked to an ordinary red ball but when he threw it at Dracon spikes grew out and shredded the magnum, rendering it useless. Dracon discarded the shredded magnum and pulled out his Hyper Beam Sword, activating it as he shot at the serial killer. Katz quickly pulled out another sphere and threw at Dracon who sliced it in half with his beam saber.

The sphere exploded, releasing ice Dust that instantly frozen the saber's hilt and most of the Gundam's arm. Dracon stepped back; moving to shatter the ice but Skarr fired another round from his rifle and hit Dracon right in the side, knocking the Gundam down. Dracon grunted, feeling the damage to his frame and realized he should have perhaps tried to run. If it was just one of them he could take them on but fighting both of them at the same time was another story.

"How disappointing." Katz remarked as he slowly walked over to the Gundam. "I was expecting a slightly more difficult challenge. Perhaps we should have a little sport before you go bye-bye."

"Enough of this. We have no time for foolish games." Skarr's weapon shifted to its sword form. "Let us finish him off and collect the spirit."

"Very well." Katz said, sounding disappointed.

Skarr stood over the Gundam, raising his sword over his head to deliver the final blow. "A pity. I would have preferred our last fight to be one on one. It would have been a great challenge."

Dracon looked up as Skarr swung the blade down…

BANG!

"GAH!" Skarr shouted as a bullet slammed into him, knocking him back as his Aura shimmered.

Katz barely had time to react as another bullet was shot, hitting him just as he engaged his Aura. He looked up, just in time to spot Nancy Monroe lunge at him with her weapon in club form. She swung at his head which he barely avoided. She followed up with more strikes, forcing Katz to fall back as he dodged her strikes, unable to get a lock on her eyes to use his Semblance. He jumped back, pulling out another sphere from his satchel and tried to throw it at Nancy.

Just as he raised his arm a storm cloud shot out from behind Nancy and she quickly tossed a fire Dust crystal into the cloud, causing it to ignite with fire. The sphere Katz threw was instantly incinerated, burning it and the tear gas it had been carrying away. Katz grunted, turning around and fleeing as the cloud sped after him. Skarr in the meantime spotted another bullet flying at him and he deflected it with his sword.

He spotted the origin of the bullets: the leader of the Guardsmen and one of the best Huntsmen in the world, Quickdraw McGraw.

The horse Mobian quickly reloaded his pistol and aimed at Skarr. "Well, isn't this a surprise. Former disgraced member of the army, General Reginald Skarr. You still go by general, right? Even if you technically aren't a real soldier anymore?"

"I am always a soldier, cowboy." Skarr retorted as his sword shifted back into its rifle mode. "You really think that toy pistol will be enough?"

"Yippee kay yay, Skarr-face." Quickdraw smirked.

Skarr growled and prepared to fire when a barrage of bullet slammed into his Aura, forcing him back. Once the barrage ended he looked up and barely had the time to change his rifle back into a sword and block the massive claymore coming down on his head. The Fallen grunted, locking eyes with none other than Scotty Blake and quickly activated his Semblance.

Scotty grunted, feeling Skarr attempting to probe his mind but the Scotsmen's will was too strong. "Is that the best you can do?!"

Scotty pushed Skarr back and he followed up with a series of powerful slashes that Skarr could barely block.

"I've faced down the Grimm and their baby daddy. You Fallen might be tough but you're no giant tree ogre!" Scotty shouted, clashing his sword with Skarr's. "Now get lost!"

He raised his gun leg and shot Skarr right in the chest, making the Fallen lower his guard and followed up with a punch right to the face. Skarr flew back, slamming into a nearby rock so hard his Aura broke and his head rolled back, seemingly about to fall off. Just as he was about to fall unconscious the dark vein markings running along his skin seemed to pulse. Skarr's eye went wide, flashing red as the marking pulsed again and seemed to spread ever further.

"What is happening?" Quickdraw asked, leveling his pistol on Skarr.

"He's a Fallen and they're not easy to kill. I'd say that the Grimm part of him is healing the body and maybe activating a few of those powers the Fallen have." Scotty answered, sword in both hands as Skarr stood up.

The sound of bones cracking was heard but they healed. Skarr was panting now, more dark vein markings appearing from his eyes, both of them and spreading down his face and neck. His hands turned black with the fingers turning into claws.

"Get ready, horsey. Things are about to get a little rough." Scotty warned as Skarr opened his mouth and let out a terrifying roar.

Xxx

Sammael smirked, sensing a surge of power. "It seemed all that our dear general needed was a simple love tap."

Xxx

Name: General Reginald Skarr

Species: Fallen

Aura: Bright Purple

Semblance: Domineer

Description: Able to subdue and dominate the wills of his opponents. Only those with stronger wills such as Dracon and Scotty Blake are able to resist. Also has to maintain eye contact for it to work.

Weapon: An assault rifle that can turn into a bastard broadsword

(Skarr's weapon and abilities were made by Titanic X, author of GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising which Skarr first appeared in.)

Fallen Abilities: Able to regenerate from wounds crippling and fatal to a normal human.

Name: Katz

Species: Mobian

Aura: Black

Semblance: Terror Infusion

Description: His Semblance allows him to project terrifying images into his opponent's vision. It is highly effective in getting them to surrender or succumb to his will. However, it can be countered by throwing a flash bang grenade or disrupting his concentration with a loud racket. If his concentration on his opponent is broken, the victim will suffer a fever or fever-like symptoms for about a month until they recover.

Weapon: A satchel bag carrying an assortment of weapons disguised as ordinary objects filled with explosives, gas canisters and other dangerous weapons.

(Katz's Semblance and backstory were also by Titanic X, appearing first in GrimmFall: Dragon's Rising along with Skarr)