The Brannigan mansion is a large house on the top of a grand hill that overlooks the whole town. Roman looked over it as he sipped whiskey from a shot glass. He thought that hiding from the invader was lucky, since he was able to hang out in a mansion for a bit.

Then Mayor Brannigan walked up and stole the drink from him, spilling it off the balcony.

"Hey, what the hell?" Roman cried.

"You're underage, and I'm a respectable man," The mayor pointed at him accusingly, "You may be able to drink with your friends, but not here. This is a place of class." The mayor stormed off, leaving Roman frustrated. He marched after him.

"Hey, I'm sorry," He growled, "I won't do it again, but come on, I've been kind of in a tough spot."

"You're in a tough spot?" The mayor scoffed, "I've had to pull strings to keep your grades up for a month, despite you not being in school. All because you can't kill a stupid kid." He threw his arms up in frustration, "In fact, you've allowed two outside stand users to get in this town.

"Two isn't that much!" Roman squeaked, "I mean, it was gonna happen no matter what, right? Isn't that what you said, something to do with, uhh.." he snapped his fingers, "Destiny?"

"Fate," Corrected the mayor, "Fate brings stand users together. A stand user doesn't go his whole life without meeting another stand user, no matter where he lives or how he lives. Fate will bring them together."

"Yeah," Roman said, "So wouldn't it happen anyway?"

The mayor paused, gritting his teeth, "You are already under the effects of 99 Problems. If these questions really mattered to you, you wouldn't be asking them."

Whenever the mayor brings up 99 Problems, it reminds Roman that he lost his free will a while ago. Not that it's a problem. After all, as that one teacher in his english class said during that one philosophy lesson, free will might not exist at all. He just knows why he doesn't have free will, unlike most people. Still, reminding him is kind of a bummer.

"Outside stand users are not under the influence of 99 Problems. Which means they can get rid of its influence in native stand users. And if that happens, then 99 Problems might lose all influence in the town." The mayor stared at Roman, "That is reason enough for you to worry about any number of outside stand users. Even if it is really just two of them."

Roman stood in silence, remembering that his purpose for living now was to protect 99 Problems. Before the mayor left, he said, "Remember to show up for practice. My son needs his center."

Roman's eyes opened. He wiped the blood away. As he sat himself up, he remembered his purpose here. He looked to the floor next to him, and grabbed the arrow. He held it. Like before, it was heavy.

"Any number of outside stand users," He said to himself, "Even if it is just two of them."

Jordan was finally able to walk normally. He began to march quickly toward the MP. He was going to grab his friend's phone, call Jonas, and then..he didn't really plan for long after that. As he went forwards, he saw a blurry figure approach him. The shape wasn't that of Roman, so he wasn't worried, but he couldn't make out who.

"Jordan?" May walked forward, getting into his line of sight, "What-what happened to you?" She caught him by the shoulders, and looked at him. Mostly, his clothes were ripped, but his body was fine due to Champion healing him.

Jordan took her hands and stared at her for a moment.

"I...fell...down?"

She just looked at him and began shaking her head, "No, you didn't. Jordan, how the hell did you get this wrecked just going to the bathroom?"

"Because Roman Stratus attacked me," Jordan said. He figured that was close to the truth. Before she could ask anything else, he asked, "Do you have a phone on you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I need to call someone. Now."

She gave it to him without questions. He immediately dialed Jonas, and looked behind him. Roman wasn't there. He heard Jonas pick up, and Jordan opened his mouth to speak.

The phone was gone.

May didn't understand what happened. "Did you drop it?" As she looked down to see if it dropped, he looked up. They were under a small bit of roof that was protecting them from rain. Standing right on the edge of that was the huge, stocky figure that was Roman.

Jordan moved his eyes to look at May, but she was already gone. He looked back up, and so was Roman. The worst part about his ability was that it was silent.

"Hey-" He heard May to his left. In between two other buildings, about 20 feet away, May was staring at Jordan, with Roman looming behind her. "How did-what happened?"

"Don't!" Jordan shouted.

May's scream was muffled by Roman's hand pulling her in close. He didn't say anything. He just pulled out the Arrow, and stood there. Nobody from the MP could see him, since nobody was outside due to the rain. If people could see him through the open doors, he was hidden behind the building.

Jordan went to charge forward, but stopped when Roman reeled back the Arrow. Roman said, "I expect you to know what the deal is?" Cha Cha Slide held her in place and wrapped around her with its arms, but it was Roman's hand on her mouth. She didn't understand why she couldn't move. Despite that, she was struggling violently against Roman.

Jordan stood very still and silent, planning his next move. Roman tried to bait him, "Do you think she can survive, freshman? Do you think she has the resolve to survive getting stabbed in the throat?"

Jordan took a deep breath. From afar, he looked May in the eyes. He said, as clear as he could, "May...with everything that's happened in this town, you have been the only person really keeping me grounded in reality. I'm sorry for dragging you into this."

Roman and May looked at him questioningly.

"Wow," Roman chuckled, "I guess that's you giving u-"

"TA!"

Roman fell backward, both him and his stand recoiling and stumbling from the sudden blow to his face. He just barely managed to stand up. He screamed, "What the hell?" And looked at May. She was surrounded by a static, pulsating blue aura. And guarding her was CHAMPION. As he looked at her, he thought to himself, can that motherfucker give other people his stand?

He threw several attacks at CHAMPION, but instead of being drained of energy, the stand was rejuvenated. Sure, Jordan was tired, but May wasn't. The attacks were at full strength and speed, slamming into Cha Cha Slide, but before he could be blown away, he was pulled back toward May. She backed up, but Roman still stumbled forward, staying in CHAMPION's most effective range.

"YATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA!"

Everything that CHAMPION had was thrown into Roman, the full weight of the stand's power slamming through his weak stand and right into his even weaker human body. The hits were so fast that his body saw them all as one continuous blast slamming into him. And then, with one final hit, he was blasted through the air, over the concrete, and onto the grassy field just outside of the main school complex.

May stared at Roman as he rocketed through the air and slid across the grass. She looked at Jordan, who was slowly walking towards her. They just stared at each other, for a very long and awkward moment.

"I can explain everything," He said.

"Can you?" She snapped.

Jordan felt shame spread through his body. His hands tensed, and he stood in silence at his own shame. He inhaled to say something, but he saw something the distance: Roman's body twitch, and a purple light swirling through his head.

"Why did that happen, Jordan?!" She screamed, "Did he just-" She covered her mouth, "Did he try to stab me? Why couldn't I-" She was terrified, and the emotions were coming out. And the purple light around Roman's head fully returned.

"May," Jordan steeled himself, "I can explain everything, if you want me to. But not right now."

"Why not?!" She screamed.

"Because Roman Stratus is trying to kill me, and he's about to get back up," Jordan yelled, "And I need my stand back!"

"Your what?"

"My-" She doesn't know what that is. He really didn't want to insult May right now, so he thought to his own stand, be useful you stupid fucking ghost!

And then Champion returned to him, which made him even more angry than he already was. But he still needed to focus, as Roman began to get up from his prone position. May looked back and realized the situation. She asked, "Are you….can you…"

"If you want to make sure I can handle it," Jordan said, "Then you need to find Melvin and Donny and get them over here. And Goth, too."

May stammered, but ultimately didn't say anything. Her eyes were staring questioningly at him, and her mouth was open trying to say words, but not knowing which to say. Eventually, she just nodded and ran off.

Jordan walked toward Roman's body. He was sitting up, staring at Jordan with a glowing purple film over his green eyes. He was wet and covered in mud. He yelled to Jordan, "Wanna go again, freshman?" He sprung up, summoning his stand.

Then, with one kick from Champion, he was knocked down again. The glow from Champion's aura electrified the raindrops around it. As Roman struggled to bring himself up again, Jordan pleaded, "Be logical, Roman! Just stop trying!"

Roman, instead of listening, sent Cha Cha Slide out for another attack, only to be slammed across the head and cause Roman to begin coughing up a few of his teeth into the mud. Even with that, Roman took the pain and brought himself to his feet. Jordan stood with his clenched fists. Roman stumbled forward again, the Arrow in his fist. As he swung it down to try and stab Jordan, he was pummeled three times by Champion.

"Why?!" Jordan cried, "Why are you doing this?!"

"SHUT UP!" Roman held his damaged torso and screamed through his bloodied mouth, "You don't understand! This is my purpose!" He heaved forward again, but was kicked directly in the stomach. He was sent backwards, but still screamed, "I won't stop, freshman! This is life and death for me and you!" Roman, using what seemed to be all of his strength, charged forward towards Jordan with all of his energy-

crack!

The punch landed against Roman's cheek. His head was bent backwards, and his body frozen. There was no sound but the rain. And then, the Arrow dropping into the wet grass. Roman stared off into the distance, with blank eyes. Jordan wasn't sure what to make of it. Then he saw Cha Cha Slide, the frail little stand as it fell from Roman's body, cracking and breaking apart. The aura was no more. Roman's body fell onto its side, a loud slap echoing in Jordan's mind as he hit the ground. The cubes did not sprinkle out of his ear like he expected.

Jordan doesn't remember how long he stared at the remains of Roman on the ground. But he knows that as the reality set in, he felt more and more constrained. What was he supposed to do? Roman didn't have a choice in what he was doing. He was under the control of something else. It wasn't him. But Jordan failed to find who was making him that way, and now he's dead. As he fell, he was caught by the arms of someone else.

Jonas held him in his arms, "It's ok, Jordan," He said, "It's ok."