Back in New York, Beth was confronting a man in the road, riding a taxi. He shouted to her, "HEY, KID! GET OFF THE STREETS, WHY DON'T YOU? Don't you know that New York's packed with cars, dumbass?"
Beth glares at him, as he continued, "Now, get the hell out of my way!"
She approached him and grabbed his collar. She barked, "Excuse me? What did you say to me? You called me dumb, didn't you? Sorry, could you say it all again, and be more specific? I would like to know what you're really saying… that is…"
She grinned at him, "If you're lucky for an adult like you to be throttled by this kid, hmm?"
A girl in long blonde hair, glasses, wearing a red shirt and jeans, called out, "SIS! Unhand him, this instant!"
Beth gasped, as she cringed, "URK! Uh, Sis?"
"I ask what you're doing to that man!"
Beth replied to her, "Uh… I was getting… uh… getting a ride, and…"
She looked at the vehicle and said, "AH! It's a taxi! I was finding a taxi for us to ride in!"
The girl was with Midoriya, who was accompanying Beth. Beth opened the door and said, "Here, step inside, June. This way, we cannot walk that far."
June smiled, "Thanks, Beth. That was thoughtful of you."
June Nevins, a.k.a. "The Devil Princess" – Age: 15 (born 11/14/2001); Powers: ESP Perk & Darkness Shadow; Abilities: Psychic Powers and Manipulation; June is the first daughter of Steven Nevins and Heather Dunn, and is Beth Nevins' older sister.
June said to Midoriya, "Climb in, Izuku, we're going to ride. My treat."
Beth grins in nervousness, thinking in relief, "Phew! That was close."
June clamps Beth's neck and pulled her into the taxi. June hissed, "You know, I can read your thoughts, too, you know…"
Beth squeaked, "Eep."
Episode XI – Chapter 2: The ESP Perk!
The Yin of Darkness Shadow!
At they were riding, June was sitting in the middle, as Beth took a window seat.
The Nevins Family – reduced to two sisters and a mother… Overtime, I would hear bits of their past.
Beth said, in concern, "Really? Miss Speedwagon came all the way here, and we came back to New York to visit her. But we find that she's not even here?"
June replied, "Well, to be honest, it's not like Hotaru to be late… I'm sure that her spare time outside the Moji Mikisa requires much time than she hoped for."
Beth grumbled, "So I've heard."
She asked June, "Say, sis… I'm curious… Aside from Emily, your best friend, do you and Hotaru have a bond together, since I was in grade school? I mean, she was Auntie Michelle's best friend, after all."
June asked, "Why bring that up? What are you implying?"
Beth said, in smugness, "Well, let's see… Miss Hotaru's never married, and Auntie Michelle's single… Plus, you're at the age of puberty, before me. I was thinking that a simple relationship was the only thing going on here."
June was angry, as she strangled and beat up Beth, "YOU BRAT! ROGUE! BRUTE!"
"OW, HEY! STOP IT, SIS!" Beth cried out, being lambasted by her sister. "OW! I KNOW SPEEDWAGON'S LOYAL, BUT I WAS KIDDING! OW! OW! STOP!"
Midoriya was shocked, seeing the siblings fight.
The Nevinses are known for their huge adventures. But their biggest ones to date were dismayed. They lost their aunt, Michelle, in an accident at sea. Their father, Steven, disappeared, following said accident, and their mother, Heather Dunn, was busy training in the mountains, while on sabbatical from her job.
June Nevins, the older sister, was a nice and gentle girl, and even takes after her mother. I guess that is fair, even for punks in the streets… or anybody else. Maybe because she was destined for being a hero, like her parents. Beth, on the other hand, was like June… only her basic kindness got into trouble.
XXXXX
They were at a café, having dinner, as Midoriya was having curry, while June was having a salad, and Beth a hamburger.
…thanks to me.
A man called out, "WAITER! WAITER!"
The waiter said to the man in a blue shirt and beard, "Yes, sir?"
The man said, "Who's these three? And what are they doing in my seat?"
The waiter said, "Oh, these three? They're just dining at the usual spot."
The man shouted, "Crappy snot-nosed kids like them? Kids like them shouldn't be allowed in a place like this! That punk in the black hair, his ugly mug is ruining my appetite!"
The waiter said, "I understand, sir. But they are customers. As long as they pay the check, we happily serve to anybody. That's a law we go by, from management."
The man barked, "Oh, yeah? What about adult supervision?! You'll happily accept these punks sit here in my booth? Huh?"
The waiter said, "They have cellphones. They are old enough to go by themselves, sir."
Midoriya sighed and said, "You know, if we chose his seat, that's fine. But still, we can let him budge."
Beth barked, "Like hell I'd go to the Smoking Section!"
June said, "It's alright, Izuku. I'll handle this."
Beth growled, but June halted her, "Beth! NO!"
Beth said, "Come on. You're not going to let that big ape ruin our dinner, right?"
June replied, "NO. But… People are entitled to their opinions. But this big oaf is treating disrespect to our friend. He is the same age as me, but we know how to fend for ourselves. Be mindful of the others, now, but show no carnage!"
Beth smiled, "I was hoping you'd say that."
The man approached the booth and said, "Hey, you punks! You kids should leave, before I call the cops on you! You brats don't belong in an adult-orientated facility. Now, get out of MY seat!"
Beth barked, "Your seat?"
She stood up and said, "Heartwarming…"
He snarled, and reached for his pocket, "Okay, since you won't move, it's time for a little girl to being spanked by me!"
He cackled, as Beth called out, "May I assist? If you're looking for a spare belt, look no further! You're going to reach for your left pants pocket, you'll find a paddle that you're using to swat me arse, are you? Try looking on your right pocket."
The man said, "Wah?!"
Midoriya gasped, "What did she-?"
The others were concerned, as the man said, reaching in his pants pocket, "What is she talking about?"
He gasped, as he found it. He cried, "No way!"
Beth called out, "Next you'll say "You brat! How could you have known where they were?""
The man shouted, "You brat! How could you have known where they were?" and then gasped in shock.
Beth explained, "By the visible abrasions on your hands, I do say that your hobby is ping pong. Besides, you always carry that paddle with you, for anything, including disciplining punk kids like me."
The man gasped, as Beth continued, "Moreover, the paddle is still a bit worn out, and not from a game of pong. You just came back from assaulting your child! Is that right?"
The man cried, "WHAT? I don't have snot-nosed brats!"
"Why the wedding band? I understand that you have a wife, and in that suit of yours. Since it's well-fresh and clean, I would say that there's a little sweat and piss on your shirt, over that horrid blue blazer. Meaning, you'd either tried to change your son's diaper, or that you were beating him up, after you removed your jacket. And after that, you put your blazer on, and stowed the paddle away, in your back pocket."
The man clutched his paddle and growled. Beth continued, "For my next psychic thought, you're about to say "Yeah, so what?" Now!"
The man grinned evilly, "Yeah, so what? Right, I do have a wife, but I don't plan on getting children! I was offered to babysit her sister's son! But the brat was a noisy little pisshead! So, yeah, I did spank him rotten with my paddle!"
He ran to her and shouted, "So, now… YOU'RE ABOUT TO FEEL THE SAME PUNISHMENT, KID!"
He swung his paddle and was about to strike Beth. But…
SWAT!
He swatted her hamburger in front of his paddle, spewing out ketchup and chunks of meat and crumbs. She said, "Sorry. But does my dinner look like a fanny? I wasn't the one you're swatting… But, hey, at least I have no lip holes."
The man's suit was completely ruined, because of his assault on an innocent hamburger. He shrieked, "OH, MY GOD!"
Beth said, as the man was embarrassed, on all-fours, "I can predict anything that your tiny brain can come up with. Do you understand that now, you simpleton? Men like you, who abuses children, make me sick!"
All the patrons in the café applauded to her, as the man slinked away. However, a man in a black suit appeared, knowing the man that had his suit soiled. He bowed to her and said, "Please… forgive me, milady. Forgive my employee's misgotten behavior…"
He turned to June and said, "You're June Nevins, right? I happen to work on a lot of business deals with Miss Speedwagon. In fact, my father once worked with the late Robert Speedwagon, a while back in London. The woman, Miss Speedwagon, told me stories about you and your family. Nice to meet you, finally."
June gasped, "Huh? You know my Mom and Dad?"
The man approached them and said, "I heard it through the grapevine, which, of course, didn't make the mainstream, yet. But you should know. It seems that Miss Speedwagon has been murdered."
They gasped, as Beth asked, "You sure? I won't believe it, but… I'm sure it's not true…"
The man said, "Don't worry, kid. It's unclear, but the chick that killed her was a fighter for Ty Ko Ky."
"Ty Ko Ky?! Could it be Miss Yatogami? But… she's been dead, for months."
"All we could say that the bodies of Speedwagon and her team were washed away in the riverbank, somewhere in Mexico. But luckily, her whereabouts remained unknown. Pity, it reminds me of your aunt, Michelle Nevins… She died at sea in the Atlantic, but no body was found. Nobody knows why it happened, or how the murderer did it, but she fled, long after."
June grew worried, as she sobbed, "I know exactly what… Miss Speedwagon told me everything that I chose to keep hidden, after all these years. I know Auntie Michelle, and her feud with a horrible woman named Akiyama… or, as she's called, MIO, and the dark gem that changed her."
Midoriya said, "Beth, stay back. He's a mafia guy. Don't believe what he says!"
The man said, smoking a cigar, "Believe whatever you want to, kid. But it's fact."
Beth called out, "Hold on! Try your breast pocket, if you're after your lighter."
The man said, "Eh?" and reached in his pocket.
Beth said, "Thanks for the warning, Midoriya. But I believe what these guys are saying. You're only motivated for money. Information is important, so I'm inclined to listen, since my Mommy's an AAW Agent from New York. However…"
She grabbed his collar and slugged him in the solar plexus. He gagged and coughed up blood, while Beth walks passed him, "As true as what he says, you don't just waltz on here, and simply blurt out awful news towards my sister, June! Don't you see how upset you made her, from this horrible news? You're a very thoughtless man!"
WHAM!
She threw him towards a table, destroying it. June was scared, as she whimpered, "That was 18 months ago, and I'm still frightened by these moments… including what became of Daddy and Auntie Michelle…"
Beth hugged her and said, "It's alright, Sis… I'm here. I'll protect you."
June said, "You mustn't, Beth. I'm the older sister. I'm concerned for you. I don't want the same fate befall to either of us, like Grandfather, Daddy, and Auntie Michelle."
They hugged, as Beth said, "I'll be fine. You are a braver hero than me… But, if it were my fate… then I'd gladly accept it…"
Midoriya was saddened, as he was upset for the two girls.
At the time, I didn't understand what was going on… including what these two were… But these two, torn by family, had an unimaginable history.
At AAW-New York, June visited the office, as she called, "Hello? Anyone here?"
BANG!
"OW!" A woman in a pink shirt and white pants banged her head from under the desk.
June asked, "Mom? Is that you?"
Heather appeared, as she was under the desk, again. She moaned, "Ungh… My head…"
Heather asked, "Oh, Junior."
June said, "Mom… We need to talk… it's about what Miss Speedwagon told me…"
"About?" Heather asked in worry.
June said, "About MIO…"
Heather gasped, as June whispered, "Beth made a ruckus in the café, though she was polite to outsmart the lowlifes, but a horrid man told me what happened to Hotaru. She's dead… Killed in Mexico…"
Heather whispered, as she hugged her, "It's okay… Mommy's here. And this was from…"
"An employee in her business, who knows her ancestor, R.E.O. Speedwagon."
"Hmm… Well, I'll see if I can find her, via a search party. Where was she last seen?"
June told her mother everything that the man said, last night, including the woman that allegedly killed her: Tohka Yatogami. Heather said that Tohka died, long ago. June said, "That's what we thought, from Hotaru… But she… Did you guys ever run into Tohka?"
Heather replied, "Well… Once, in Yatsuga Forest, during a mission. But that was only for Rook and Peter. Of course, they won and obliterated them, being they were vampires like MIO. But it puzzles me… How could Tohka be still alive, if she was killed, long ago?"
June was worried, and then said, "I don't know… But it's weird. Hearing her name… it reminds me… … …of what happened to Auntie Michelle…"
She sobbed, as Heather hugged her. She said, "It's alright… Michelle's in a better place."
Of course, she doesn't know that Michelle's still alive… but her whereabouts are unknown. Heather then explained, "Junior, you should know, since you're old enough now, and that your powers are growing strong… You see, your body is of the Precious Stones of Control, a la Yin Yang. You possess the Darkness Shadow and the ESP Perk, both of which are considered the strongest powers, individually. But combined, it made into one powerful being. Knowing your sister, she has none, as I recall…"
"She does," June lied, knowing that Beth has ESP Perk as well, and cannot tell her mother, "But… What if, like Auntie Michelle, would she receive psychic powers, albeit from hereditary beliefs?"
Heather replied, "Well, your grandfather… He was once of psychic powers… So, it's safe to assume that she will. But with her attitude, Beth's not of pure heart, like her father."
What Heather doesn't know was that Beth was indeed of pure heart, like June. June received her powers, during an invasion involving Mistress Makie and Mal, and received her Darkness Shadow from a séance, during a second Mech-Sister invasion. Beth, on the other hand, her powers were awakened, from her grandfather, via mind-link from Hikari's ESP Perk, prior to her death. Hikari died, and handed over her psychic energy to Beth, thereby awakening her ESP Perk, which was dormant, since she was born. Heather even explained the difference between ESP Perk and Darkness Shadow.
"Also, there's a reason why it's Yin and Yang… The ESP Perk, which you, your grandfather, and a few others hold, is a peaceful and good power, similar to the Herbal Zester, only it's weaker than the Zester. However, the Darkness Shadow is considered the Yang, and it's held by a few evil people… The Big Guy holds his powers, but uses it for justice. It's rather weird, since the Darkness Shadow AND ESP Perk cannot be joined as on combined power."
"And you? June asked.
Heather replied, "I hold NO Darkness nor ESP. I have the Increased Suplex and Ice Shard. So, it's possible that one of those powers will consume me… since you can only hold three at a time."
"There's a limit to it?"
"Of course. But they say that you hold more than three Precious Stones, you die. Your body cannot control the powers inside you, if it's overflowing with more than four different states of power. And there are even powers that cannot combine, like fire with water, or stone with psychic, or robot with grass."
"I see… And those powers are okay?"
"As long as you control them…" Heather said, "Beth, however, whatever her powers are, if she had any, let's hope she uses them to good use. She is like her father… my husband…"
June smiled and said, "Thank you. But I'm still worried about the action that is going on… MIO almost destroyed your careers, using Miss Nishikinomiya for her law. Mom, can you… Let me watch over Sis? If she does, indeed, go wild, and fight after the evil vampire, I cannot lose her…"
Heather replied, "I suppose so… You are her older sister… But if it's her fate, she has no choice but to choose it… win or lose…"
June was sad, as she sniffled, "Mommy… I'm sorry…"
XXXXX
Meanwhile, far away in New York, that evening, Midoriya and Beth were at the park, having lunch, and reading the newspaper. Beth showed him a newspaper article, as she said, "Midoriya… Can this be true?"
He asked, "What?"
She showed him a bra ad, and asked, "Can my boobs be that big, like that?"
Midoriya said, "Lemme see… Go from A-cup to C-cup… Yeah, right. Don't buy into this snake oil."
Beth asked, "Come again?"
As they were talking, Beth sensed a figure from far away. It was Tohka, in a dark purple robe. She was spying in the tree, behind Beth and Midoriya. Beth then said, "Yeah, that's great. You mind wait here? I have to go to the swings."
She dashed off to the swings, which is closer to Tohka. Beth said, as she was looking, "I say… You look rather familiar to me. Come out."
Tohka appeared, as she calmly said, "Bethany Nevins… We meet, at last…"
Beth smiled, "Odd… I never knew you were nice to me… yet you're rather picky… Please, tell me. Have we possibly met somewhere before? And why isn't your breath visible? It's cold, tonight. And, if I'm not seeing things, I hint some fangs in your mouth, like from a stray dog. Am I right?"
Tohka walked to her and smirked, as Beth stepped back. She whispered, "Don't trifle with me, I warn you."
Tohka prepared to fight, as she said, "Bethany Nevins… You are a formidable foe, like your father… but your life will end, before you are even a threat! Even if it is in plain sight, on this city street… Bethany Nevins… Your blood will be spilled all around, for I will succeed in taking you away from this world…"
Beth then added, as she held up a NERF gun, shaped like a Tommy Gun, "Or… perhaps not."
RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT…
She fired at Tohka, firing rounds of huge reddish bullets onto Tohka. The shells were produced, coated with a fiery red aura and with shadowy essence. Tohka was continuously shot at, as everyone took cover. Midoriya was shocked, beyond belief.
I knew the girl was crazy. BUT NOT THAT CRAZY! AT THIS EVENING, IN PUBLIC?! INCREDIBLE! AND IS THAT A NERF GUN? WHERE DID SHE EVEN GET A TOMMY GUN?! WHY SHOOT UP THE WHOLE CITY?
Beth screamed out loud, as the bullets continued to shot at the vampire Tohka. Tohka dropped to the ground, badly injured, as Beth stopped firing. She called to her, with tears in her eyes.
"Yes! I was waiting for you, Tohka Yatogami! That was on behalf of Miss Speedwagon and Auntie Michelle. But I don't think you'll go down that easily.
Our war has begun!"
She wiped her tears and called out, "YATOGAMI! I'm going to give you the choice of your demise! What's your choice, you newly-christened vampire: sunlight, Hamon, or I could just smash your fucking brains in? How about that, woman?"
A few of the people were scared, as Beth went closer to where Tohka fell. Midoriya cried out, "Beth!"
He pleaded, "Beth, do you have any idea what you did? You've lost your mind? Just look at what you did!"
Beth said, "Yeah, I know. It'll take a small fortune to fix the park's trees up."
Midoriya yelled, "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! YOU KILLED AN INNOCENT WOMAN!"
Beth barked, "THAT… was no woman…"
She thought, picking up her foam pellets, "These bullets I fired have strange dents in them."
She said to him, "Midoriya, get out of here, now! That woman I shot… she's not a woman… but I can only hope she was human. And if she was human, I'll happily go to jail, without thinking twice about it."
He gasped, "What? What are you-?"
Beth shouted, as a few women were crying, "CAN WE PLEASE STOP THE WATER WORKS? I'M TRYING TO THINK, DAMN IT! If you don't calm down, I'll play the Cute Girl routine on you."
She gasped, seeing where Tohka was. She was lying on the ground, bloodied and full of holes, but then she suddenly sat up, brimming with dark energy. The people in the park screamed, as they ran away. Tohka stood back up, and smiled, "It hurt… but not too much…"
Beth growled, as Midoriya was shocked.
What is this? Tohka Yatogami's shot into holes, but she's standing tall. What could it mean, and is she really Tohka Yatogami?!
Find out in the next chapter…
To be continued…