Opening File: Kur
Kur is considered the first ever dragon, an ancient Sumerian cryptid that ruled all other cryptids and existing long before even the Grimm. According to Sumerian legend Kur was an underworld deity in the mythology of Sumer and the monstrous creature that roughly corresponded to the Babylonian Tiamat and the Hebrew Leviathan. Kur lived in the empty space between the primal sea and the earth's crust.
In the Sumerian creation myth, Kur carried away the goddess Ereshkigal to the nether world. In response, the water deity, Enki, sailed to the nether world to attack Kur and avenge the theft. Kur hurled stones against the keel of Enki's boat as the primeval waters attacked the ship from all sides. Enki overpowered the dragon and returned victorious.
It is said that Kur was ancient before mankind rose and rampaged across the ancient world unopposed for years, until the warrior-king Gilgamesh challenged his might. Travelling across the known world, Gilgamesh discovered the Legion of Garuda, and with their help he defeated Kur and banished his spirit. An account of this battle was recorded in The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Ancient ruins have depicted Kur leading his kingdom of cryptids against the Grimm during the times they arose from the crater made by the meteor they had spawned from. Despite his great power Kur could not control the Grimm for they had no soul or mind for him to manipulate. After Kur was banished the Kur Stone was created, said to be the key to finding Kur. In the twentieth century a group of scientists led an archaeological expedition into southern Iraq, particularly the site of the ancient Sumerian city of Ur.
There, they and their team of archaeologists uncovered the stone; however, they were not aware of what they had found. The stone was stolen but later retrieved and divided into three pieces, scattered across the world to ensure Kur would never be found.
Close File
Xxx
"You know what history is never short of? Legends and myths. We all look for answers in everything, our day to day lives, what might come in the future and what to look back in the past. The problem is that everyone has their own ideas of what happened in the past whether by looking up history books or reading up on religion." TOM lectured, closing the file. "That makes it hard to find out just for sure what has made history and what is completely fake. But don't let that get in the way of searching for answers. There is an old saying: Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
Xxx
'Everybody has secrets.'
Zak Saturday, son of Solomon and Drew Saturday ran through the dark tropical forest, chasing after a special kind of frog. The boy was lean built and average height and weight for his age, sporting black hair, eyes and dark brown skin from his African-American father, but Caucasian features and a shock of white blonde hair from his mother. His clothing consists of yellow sweatpants, an orange shirt with an 'S' on the front and a black undershirt.
He was just coming up on the frog when out of the bushes came a large green skinned lizard and forced him to stop before he ran it over.
'My family just has bigger ones.' This was no ordinary lizard. It was a Komodo Dragon that looked back at Zak with red eyes before turning around and continuing the chase. 'They're called Cryptids; all the strange, exotic that regular science doesn't believe in. At least not yet.'
Zak took off again, unaware of the large furry creature watching him a tree branch above.
'Skunk Apes, Chupacabras, the Bishopville Liard Man, I've been studying these things with my mom and dad since I was born and trust me, there's a lot of weird stuff out there. '
The Komodo Dragon chased the frog across a log hanging between two cliffs that was the only way across.
At least until it broke under Zak's feet.
The boy let out a cry as he fell but managed to grab onto the cliff and tried to climb back up. However he slipped and slid back, holding on for dear life. A dark shadow jumped from the other side and landed right in front of the boy as he lost his grip. Just as he started to fall something grabbed him by the leg and pulled him back up. The shadow turned out to be an eight foot tall cat like gorilla with red eyes and yet held a friendly gaze he helped Zak up and placed the boy on his back before resuming the chase.
Meanwhile the hunt for strange frog continued with the Komodo dragon actually camouflaging itself and attempting to sneak up on the frog, licking its lips as if preparing to eat it.
Too bad it lost its chance when the cat-gorilla came running out of the bushes with the boy still on its back. The frog scrambled as its pursuers tumbled over each other, getting caught in vines and kept on rolling, causing a bit of damage to the ancient ruins they were visiting when the vines knocked down a pillar. The large sphere resting on top of the pillar rolled after the three as they landed in a murky pond and the three braced themselves for impact.
When nothing happened they opened their eyes to see Zak's father holding back the sphere.
Solomon Saturday, better known as Doc grunted as slid down. "So, who wants to tell me what's going on here?"
"Science?" Zak offered weakly.
"That's my boy!" Doc grunted, pushing the sphere off to the side side.
In the meantime Doc's wife and Zak's mother, Drew Saturday was hot on their target's trail. "Doc! Doc, the frog."
'There are other people out like us. Okay, not exactly like us. They're scientists mostly, like my mom and dad, all working together to solve the mysteries of the universe first so that the bad guys never get the chance. They call themselves 'Secret Scientists'. I mean, I would have gone with something like 'Blaster Minds' or 'Destructo-Brains', but nobody asked me.
U.F.O.'s, Quantum Physics, Paranormal Abilities outside of Aura and Semblance, anywhere there's a secret left uncovered, they've got somebody working on it. And the Cryptids? That's what we do. Any kind, any size, anywhere in the world, the Saturday family's gonna get the call.
So yeah, two scientists, their kid, a Komodo Dragon and a seven foot gorilla cat called the Fiskerton Phantom. We're the only ones standing between you and all the things that go bump in the night, besides the Grimm. That's got to make you feel safe, huh?'
Xxx
BOOM!
It had happened so fast he had no time to react. When he came to after the explosion he was most buried under the remains of the roof of his observatory. His vision had been obscured by the blazing fire and smoke and yet when he opened his eyes he could see a figure, standing in the flames and looking straight at him.
"No! You couldn't have known! I've been so careful!"
The figure stepped forward, speaking in a French cultured accent. "Greetings and bienvenu, Dr. Cheveyo. My name is V.V. Argost." He stepped through the flames, revealing himself to the scientist. His face was pale, his hair was white, his eyes had yellow sclera that showed a deadly intelligence combined with a complete lack of empathy or kindness and he wore a cape that covered almost his entire body except for his pale and almost claw like hands. "You may recognize me from delightful television program 'V.V. Argost's Weird World'." He reached down and grasped the doctor's chin. "Or perhaps from the time you and your friends broke into my home and stole a wonderful giant stone from me. Did I mention I would very much like it back?"
Xxx
Sammael gazed at the massive Gem Fusion before him, still trapped in the stasis field he had set up when Drago had brought it here. Bill Cipher had visited the fusion's mind, no doubt making contact with the personalities that resided deep in its subconscious and attempting to make one of his famous 'deals'.
If Cipher thought he could make a deal behind the Fallen's back he was sorely mistaken.
"Argost has made his move."
Sammael remained still as the shadowy figure of Moloch appeared behind him, closing his eyes as he contemplated the news.
"He is searching for the Kur Stone."
"A worthless husk." Sammael opened his eyes as they flashed bright red for a second. "He and the Secret Scientists are unbearably naïve."
"The stone may be a husk but it will lead them to Kur, eventually."
"…Send out the call to our other teams." Sammael turned around, facing Moloch. "It is time for the Invisible Hand to assemble."
"We are going after Argost?"
"No. We'll deal with Kur." Sammael smirked. "As he is he is absolutely no threat to us. He is much like the current Elementals right now, just beginning to discover their powers. If left alone he'd gather his strength for when the time was right to strike. So we'll push them along and let Argost and the Secret Scientists eliminate each other."
"And then finish off Kur." Moloch caught on, sounding eager now. "It will be a pleasure to watch."
Xxx
"McGucket! McGucket!"
Just as the group were about to leave the junkyard with Old Man McGucket they were greeted with the surprise of Candy and Greta rushing into the junkyard.
"Candy? Grenda?" Dipper asked, seeing the two walk up to them. "What are you two doing here?"
"Uh…" Both girls stuttered and looked at Old Man McGucket. "Well…"
"Oh these two!" McGucket laughed as he patted them on the shoulder. "These two have been coming around, checking up on little old me from time to time."
"Really?" Mabel asked, looking at her two friends. "Why didn't you guys tell me?"
"Uh…Didn't think you'd want in." Grenda answered quickly, sounding a bit unsure of herself.
"Yes. You go on adventures with your brother, not checking on poor crazy old man." Candy quickly nodded.
Hoagie and Dipper shared a look, thinking the two were not being entirely truthful but Mabel seemed to buy it as she smiled. "Oh, that's so sweet! You want to come along? We're going to help him get back his brain."
"Really?" Both girls asked, looking at McGucket who nodded. "Okay!"
The group piled into Wendy's car, taking off for the museum.
Xxx
"Where is it?"
Leonidas Van Rook was not a patient man.
He was not a cheap one either as anyone who knew him would say.
This man was an expert in his field, trained as a Huntsman with a degree in cryptozoology and the reputation of a dangerous mercenary that allowed him to command large fees from those that hired him. That explained the armor, jetpack, wrist gauntlets and the metal faceplate he wore to conceal his identity.
"We're turned this whole compound over, top to bottom three times. Argost said it would be here!" Van Rook complained while throwing a table and then aimed his wrist gauntlet at the bed.
From the gauntlet came a barrage of energy bolts that fried the bed instantly.
His apprentice tossed away a picture, looking at his so-called mentor with possibly a dry look under the identical mask he wore. "Did you check under the bed?"
Van Rook kicked a plant. "You think this is funny? What's the first thing I taught you?" He turned away, not giving his apprentice a chance to answer as he tore down a curtain. "Reputation, that's what the people pay me for. If that chalk faced freak gave me bad information, it's his fault the job doesn't get done."
"But we will bill him anyway." The apprentice said knowingly.
"Now you're learning." Van Rook said simply, preparing to continue the search…
Just before Doc Saturday swung in from the very hole the two made and sent the apprentice flying across and into the wall with a double kick.
"Another new apprentice, Van Rook?" Doc asked, facing down the bounty hunter. "Did you warn him what I did to the last one?"
"He did." The apprentice said as he kicked Doc's legs out from under him. "I'm better."
Doc slipped his Battle Glove on, activating it instantly. "Prove it."
As both men started fighting Drew swung in, landing in front of Van Rook with one hand on the hilt of her sword.
"Drew, you're looking as ever." Van Rook said teasingly.
Ignoring the jab Drew pulled out her sword, extending the built-in metal flames at the end of the blade and went on the attack. Van Rook fell back, dodging the sword while Doc and the apprentice continued their fist fight. Van Rook raised his gauntlet and fired energy blasts at Drew who quickly blocked each shot with her sword and then threw explosive disks. The bounty hunter blasted each disk, moving as smoke obscured his vision as he accurately predicted Drew jumping through the smoke, aiming her foot at his head.
Drew landed on her feet and grabbed the TV on the wall, hurling it at Van Rook who ducked and it flew over him…
Straight at Doc!
"Huh?" The husband barely had time to duck as the TV hit the wall behind him, almost being the one to be hit by the very object thrown by his wife. "Why would you throw a TV?"
Drew had the decency to look embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I-I just get in the zone."
Van Rook's apprentice took the chance in his opponent's distraction, throwing eight concussion grenades at Doc, hitting him right in the check and the resulting explosion knocked him off his feet and right onto the floor with a loud thud.
Van Rook didn't seem impressed with his apprentice's victory. "I told you two charges at a time was plenty. The other six come out of your pay."
Just as Drew leapt at the mercenary with her sword raised to strike Van Rook threw a multi-bolo that successfully hit his former flame, tying her arms and making her drop her sword. Drew fell to the floor at Van Rook's feet and the apprentice moved to finish Doc off with his wrist blaster.
"I told you I was better." The apprentice gloated, charging his weapon. "Time to go boom."
Seeing her husband in danger Drew reached out with one hand, grabbing her sword and cutting her bonds. She pointed her sword forward, the light charging the blade as it began to glow fiery red with actual flames circling the end.
"Boom." She said as a swirling stream of fire blasted from the tip of the sword.
Van Rook successfully dodged but the apprentice was hit head and was slammed into the wall. He luckily had time to engage his Aura that managed to hold off the worst of the blast but he was still reeling from the attack.
"You could have mentioned the sword." The apprentice complained.
Van Rook looked back, seeing Drew help her husband back to her feet and realized they had lost this fight. He tapped a switch and in a flash of light they were both gone.
Drew scowled but then smirked at her husband as she sheathed her sword. "You let him surprise you with concussion grenades? Rookie."
Doc smirked back, not planning to let his wife be the victor. "Oh, that wasn't you I saw tied up in Van Rook's multi-bolo?"
"Who saved you, big man?" Drew placed a hand on her husband's chest and gave him a quick kiss.
Doc wanted to say something to his smirking wife as she walked, giving off a victory walk but simply smiled and decided she was the winner…
This time.
Both jumped as the door opened and readied themselves in case Van Rook was back for a rematch but instead it was their son, leaping and rolling in, followed by Fiskerton and Komodo. "Zak Saturday to the rescue!"
However instead of coming to the rescue the boy came in time be glared at by his parents. "Oh. What? You knew I wasn't gonna stay in the airship."
Xxx
"Who told you?"
Lime Ricky was sweating under the gaze of Rex Salazar and Agent Six, the two having grabbed him and dragged him out back into the alley behind the bar.
"Look, people come in and spout things all the time. I can't keep track of them all." Ricky weakly defended himself.
"I doubt people come in and talk about a dangerous criminal almost no one has ever heard of before." Agent Six calmly retorted. "Rumors of a dangerous man hold up in the mountains of Nowhere Kansas, committing abductions and strange experiments with the offer of a reward that almost every mercenary in the country will be looking for him with enough of a trail to lead straight back him."
"Meaning someone wants Van Kleiss found." Rex said, keeping Lime Ricky against the wall. "So who told you?"
"It was…" Lime Ricky gulped. "You have to protect me."
"Who was it?" Rex pressed.
"A Hunter, a dangerous one." Ricky confessed. "He's got a lot of connections in and out of GrimmFall and in South America. He's known as the Gentleman."
"And why is he called that?" Rex could not help but ask.
"Because he's got the manners of a gentleman combined the skills of a deadly hunter. Many have fallen to his blade mastery."
"Where do we find him?" Six asked.
Xxx
"The call has been sent." Sir James, better known as the Gentleman or Gentle-Jim reported. "They should be arriving within a day or two."
"Good." Sammael said in approval, leaning back on his throne.
"Sir, if I may be allowed to ask a question?"
"That tone in your voice, James." Sammael noted, sounding interested. "You sound concerned all of a sudden."
"It's about Jujunga." Gentle-Jim clarified. "You made the capture of his target a high priority and he failed. Despite the girl's powers it is…not often a child could best one of us."
"You fear the leader of Team JJIBA (Sheba) will be punished for not capturing the girl." Sammael said knowingly.
"I am, sir." Gentle-Jim nodded. "We formed the first team of the Invisible Hand and in all that time we have never failed a mission. I find it very hard to believe this girl was formidable enough to best Jujunga, despite her powers that you have shown me. "
Sammael smirked. "You assume too much, James."
"Sir?"
"I did make this girl's capture a high priority and I instructed Jujunga to capture her if he had the chance. Yet it has come to my attention she has made contact with someone who will be going after Van Kleiss very soon. Jujunga's failure could be seen as just another opportunity."
"She has? Who could she make contact with in the middle of Nowhere?" Gentle-Jim questioned.
"Scotty Blake." Sammael answered, amused at the reaction the Gentleman showed at the mention of the name. "Quite surprising isn't it?"
"Of all people it turns out to be Scotty Blake, one of our most dangerous enemies." Gentle-Jim remarked, feeling even more concerned.
"Perhaps, but despite the dangers, like I said they could just be another opportunity." Sammael replied, his calm attitude seemingly easing the concern Gentle-Jim was showing. "Scotty Blake will be heading the mission to go after Van Kleiss and his hidden base. Even if they do know of his connection to us they still know nothing of the full scope of our plans. This presents a chance to eliminate Scotty Blake."
"Can it be done?" Gentle-Jim inquired.
"It has been done before, only this time to ensure he does not come back we have to eliminate that which ties him to the physical plane." Sammael stated. "I am sure Van Kleiss will have something ready by the time the attack begins."
"And what if Sebben decides to send one of the Justice Friends to participate in this attack?" Gentle-Jim could not help but question.
"I am sure they will be distracted." Sammael chuckled. "Tell me James, have you ever met a boy named Control Freak?"
Xxx
"Unbelievable. I am starting to think I am wasting my time in this backwards town." Dexter muttered to himself as he walked back into the Northwest Mansion. "I should be back home working on my inventions…Speaking of which."
Upon returning to his room Dexter opened a briefcase and pulled out a few science kits he had been working on.
"Despite the few setbacks I am actually making more progress here than working back at home with Dee-Dee." Dexter remarked in satisfaction as he pulled out a wrench. "If I had known I could get more work done while on 'vacation' I would have booked more."
Despite the vast resources of his lab Dexter had surprisingly found working late in places like school to be more productive than working at home with his crazy sister who would continuously harass him with her annoying antics. It didn't help that their grandfather and uncle would continue to let her into the lab, let her go around and touching all the new inventions, let keep on asking questions about everything around her and wouldn't scold her when she 'accidently' damaged or broke something.
Why did they continue to indulge her destructive tendencies?
Why wouldn't they forbid from entering the lab if she had no intention of behaving herself?
Why couldn't she stop being so klutzy?
Why was she so stupid?
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
And let's not forget…
She was so stupid!
Dexter grunted, feeling annoyed that even so far away Dee-Dee was still able to sneak into his head and literally throw a monkey wrench or whatever she got her hands on into the cogs of Dexter's head. Shaking his head, Dexter concentrated on the blue prints he made for one day creating his ultimate creation.
The one that will change everything.
"Bill Cipher may have dropped the idea in my head but I know just how to make it." Dexter brought out his laptop and connected with main supercomputer at DexLabs. "Computer, open all files on my grandfather's Free Energy Core."
"I am sorry, Dexter. Those files are restricted." The female voice of Computress, the artificial intelligence tasked with running DexLabs answered.
"As the grandson of its founder I should have complete access." Dexter said stoically.
"I am afraid that you do not have access either, Dexter."
"What?" Dexter couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How can I be denied access? As the future heir of DexLabs I should have full access."
"Only your grandfather is allowed access."
"I don't believe what I am hearing." Dexter felt his headache returning. "Why would he deny me access?"
"I cannot answ-"
"I wasn't asking you!" Dexter snapped.
"Sorry." Computress apologized, her tone remaining emotionless and detached.
Dexter ignored the apology, thinking more on why his grandfather would keep all information on his Free Energy Core restricted from his own grandson. Dee-Dee was understandable; she would just cause another catastrophe but him…
Why him?
He was every bit the genius his grandfather was.
He had the right.
"I will find out why." Dexter vowed.
Xxx
Team JJIBA (Sheba)
Members: Jujunga, Gentle-Jim, I, Boris and Am
History: The first assembled team of the Invisible Hand under the command of Sammael Team JJIBA is only one of several teams the organization is composed but is no less dangerous. Dangerously skilled this group has never failed a mission assigned by Sammael.
Ever.