Thank you CuddlyChristina and thank you readers. I hope this chapter is okay.
XXX
Rupert sighed and closed his eyes. He knew the fate of the whole world was now on his shoulders, and that he needed to rely on Nickelback, his Stand.
"I think I should keep your daughter out of this, so I'll leave and try to think of a plan to handle this men before he gets to anyone else."
"Very good. Remember, you may encounter some allies along the way, besides enemies." Jethro told him.
"Thanks." Rupert replied.
Rupert left the college this time to get away from it. He just walked through the sidewalk into town looking for some way to try and stop this Stand user.
He looked around the streets, trying to locate him or her, but it seemed fruitless. Until he came across someone eating at a restaurant.
He was going to walk into the restaurant to have a nice chat with this man. He noticed Rupert before he walked into the restaurant.
"Excuse me, but are you one of the Heinkel boys?" the man asked.
"Uh, yes. I'm Rupert. Who are you, exactly?" Rupert replied.
"I'm a friend. You might say I know your aunt. She's sorry she never got to meet you but she says she cares about you, her sister Stephanie, and especially her brother in law Simon. You can use your Stand wisely?"
"Yes." Rupert replied.
"By the way, I'm Billie Joe." Billie said, shaking the younger man's hand.
Rupert never met a person whose last name was Joe, but he seemed like a friendly person who could help him.
"I'm just curious, but...are you now one of my allies?" Rupert asked.
"Perhaps." Billie replied. "There's also a young woman carrying what appeared to be a box of shoes in her hands." he added.
Rupert had to be walked to where this girl was from Billie. When he saw her, he was reminded of the girl Simon met on the tracks.
"Hello there." Lydia said with a smile.
"You look a lot like your mother. Are you related to her or something?" Rupert asked.
"Yes, she's my mom." she replied.
"Duh." Billie said. "You just asked a question after answering your own question. Of course someone who you say is their mother is their mother."
Rupert burst out laughing, causing Billie and Lydia to join in. Then, Lydia introduced herself. "I'm Lydia; nice to meet you." she said.
She offered Rupert her hand, and he shook it eagerly.
"Your mother is nicer than I ever imagined her to be, but how knowledgeable was she using a Stand power?" Rupert asked.
"Good enough that she was the toughest of boys and girls in her hometown." Lydia smiled.
"Wow...that's pretty awesome!" Rupert exclaimed, smiling back.
"I know, right?" Lydia said.
"Tell me, what does your Stand look like?" Rupert asked.
Lydia immediately opened the box, and removed her pumps. She then put on the shoes that were given to her by her mother, the Stand known as Smashing Pumpkins.
It looked human except it was orange with a veil covering her face, hair that looked like it only grew from the back, yellow eyes, pointy shoes, and jeans with a pumpkin face on it. Nothing really spelled Smashing Pumpkins.
"Are you the Stand accompanying those shoes?" Rupert asked.
"Yeah, that's me. When I reside within the shoes, they are automatically given super-strength, easy for Lydia to deliver devastating kicks to her enemies. And your Stand is...?" she asked.
Rupert immediately summoned his Stand, Nickelback. Lydia wondered as to what it looked like.
His stand was yellow in the face like Lightning Angel was yellow on his skin. His eyes were red, he had gray arms and a blue circle around a white stomach. His shoes were normal on the left but a sonar on the right one.
"I am Nickelback." the Stand simply said.
"So it's looks like you do have a Stand of your own; I'm impressed." Lydia said.
"Thanks. Hopefully, I might seek out more allies besides just you and Mr. Joe." Rupert replied.
"Hopefully you won't even need us against the man who is after your life and won't rest until your dead," Joe said.
"Hopefully." Rupert replied. "I might need to head back to college; if it's still school time, I've got time to study. If not, then I guess I've got time to seek out any enemy that dares to fight me." he added.
Lydia and Joe didn't stop him from going back to class and continuing his school. He was kind of a stubborn kid.
"I can tell he's pretty studious." Lydia said.
"You don't say." Joe added.
The rest of Rupert's day in college progressed until it was over for today; he also had to make sure if he had any homework to do, because if he didn't, he'd begin his adventure.
He was about to leave when his friend sent out an invitation of a party he couldn't accept and he bumped into Isabella.
"Hi Rupert. My dad...he just wanted to ask you something private?"
"Yes." Rupert replied with a nod. Isabella then escorted him to a nearby park, where he was able to find Jehtro sitting on a bench.
"Mr. Aqualung? Is there something you need to tell me?" he asked.
Her father nodded his head to Rupert. This time Isabella didn't leave her father's side. This time she listened to what their conversation was going to be.
Rupert wondered if the discussion was on a serious subject, or perhaps a more lighthearted one.
"Rupert, I'm afraid I have bad news. The person who is after you found me and told me to give you a message."
"What do you mean...?" Rupert asked. He wondered as to what happened, since he was clearly concerned.
"He showed up telling you he takes no satisfaction with your upcoming battle, but his battle against the Heinkel family has him facing all the members including you."
"That Hades guy...I know deep down inside that I will do what it takes to take him out!" Rupert said.
"But for now, he has a few goons looking to track you down." Aqualung replied.
"Goons? This guy is going from taking revenge to putting a whole hit on me."
"Then I've got to protect you at all costs!" Rupert exclaimed.
"And you should!" Jethro replied with a nod.
Isabella kept looking at Rupert with that face showing concern for him. She didn't know what kind of fight they would have.
"Rupert...is there anyone after my dad?" Isabella asked.
Rupert pondered over this, and said to Jethro, "Isabella and I are wondering as to who wants you dead."
"Nay, do not pursue this man. It is Hades who wants you dead but you have no right to ask if you can go after him. It's the calamity of the unknown assailant, a man you can not touch."
"Sounds dangerous...but I'll do my best to avoid this man and focus solely on Hades." Rupert replied.
"Very good." Jehtro replied.
"Perhaps you can ask the townspeople to see if there are any clues as to where Hades is." Isabella told Rupert.
"Isabella...your a genius. I'm going to find Lydia and Joe and see if they know anyone."
Isabella felt a little surprised Rupert was doing this mission with a girl.
"Really? Thanks!" she replied with a smile.
"Though there's one thing I must ask: do you have a Stand of your own?" Rupert asked her.
Isabella closed her eyes and breathed from her nose. A visage appeared in a glowing white image until a lady with big arms wearing a business suit and glasses appeared. She was red skinned, green eyed, and wearing shoes with two sharp claws poking out of them.
Rupert's jaw dropped, amazed by the appearance of Isabella's Stand.
"Who are you?" he asked, still bewildered.
"My name is Denobo. I am the Stand of Isabella and am astute in order of the law."
"I have a stand named Nickelback; he's getting used to his abilities, and I'm confident he'll have you as an ally Stand." Rupert replied.
"That is good; thank you." Denobo said.
Rupert was having actual conversations with a Stand controlled by a college classmate of his.
"I can't help but be surprised, Isabella. I'm seriously talking to a Stand?" Rupert asked.
"Yes; there are certain Stands that have the ability to speak, you know." Isabella replied.
Rupert knew his father's Stand never had the ability to speak, but Nickelback talked to him all the time unless Rupert needed to shut off their communications.
"That's...that's outstanding, Isabella!" Rupert exclaimed in amazement.
"Thanks." Isabella replied with a smile.
"Now...shall we get going and find Mr. Joe and Lydia?" Rupert asked.
"Of course." she replied.
"Good luck out there, kid; and stay safe." Jethro told Rupert, causing him to nod his head in agreement.
Meanwhile, Hades was showing a boy an important lesson. This boy was very poor and covered in soot. He was pretty much the Oliver Twist of this town but with a nefarious and eccentric man looking out for him.
"The best way to clean things is to put one thing on top of the other so when it's clean you can move on to the next thing. Remember that for cleaning cups or boxes. As for floors, keep in mind that your sanitizing so it's clean enough to eat off of."
Hades would tell the boy more if it wasn't for an idiot about to make a bad move with a car, a collision. Hades Stand powers activated...after three versions of his Stand appeared giving him an option to chose from. He pumped his fist like pulling the chain of a lawnmower as giant nails extended out of the ground.
As soon as the light turned green, the idiot had two nails piercing through his car.
"Huh? What the hell?!" he asked. The front and back of his car now had the nails pierced through, and he was unable to move the vehicle.
The Stand in question was known as Seether.
It was once considered a weak Stand until Hades unlocked its true powers. No Stand though was worthless yet it grew that only feared Stand users stood a chance against him.
"Um...mister?" the boy asked. "What else were you going to teach me?"
Hades watched as the idiot stormed out of his car, walking by foot, before he turned his attention to the soot-covered youth. "Oh, yes. Where was I?" he said with a brief chuckle.
At the same time far away, Rupert, Joe, Lydia, and Isabella were walking on the street in the direction towards Hades street he seemed to relish being in.
"My mother was a witness to your father battling Swift Taylor on that train a long time ago; Taylor was an old friend of her's, but she remained neutral concerning her alignment." Lydia said.
"Do you or Mr. Joe know anything about Hades?" Rupert asked.
Both of them nodded their heads. Rupert didn't expect two people he was allying himself with would know more about the person after his life than Rupert knew.
"Hades used to attend my high school, until he got kicked out for his suspicious behavior. I'm not sure what he was up to, but I think it's pretty dangerous." Lydia said.
"Really?" Rupert asked. "How about you, Mr. Joe?" he told Billie.
"I once saw him do this thing where he pumps his arms and trees started emerging out of the ground. That was the most bizarre thing I've ever seen. He didn't do it to hurt someone and the trees went away in just a few hours between me seeing it and that police officer I found to get to the spot."