Rose leaned forward, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. "So that's how Joyce's father became a mayor. Nice story. But what happened in the early parts of your life?"
Johnson blinked in disbelief. "Wait—Thomas is Joyce's father?"
Jerry, sipping casually from his glass of wine, tilted his head. "Yh, did u not know?"
Mary frowned, reaching over and plucking the glass from his hand. "U sure do drink a lot. Aren't you gonna get drunk?"
Jerry chuckled. "Nah, I can't get drunk unless I want to. My body doesn't really get drunk."
Johnson leaned closer, curiosity piqued. "Why? And what about your backstory?"
Jerry set his glass aside and stretched lazily. "Well, mine's not much. Not long after my parents got married, my mom gave birth to me in the hospital." He raised a hand, and instead of physically taking them there, he projected the memory for everyone to see.
Rose's eyes softened as she clasped her hands. "Awwe, Jerry looks so cute as a baby…"
Jerry's voice was calm, almost detached as he continued, "Immediately I was born, I had self-consciousness. Unlike a normal child that usually becomes conscious around age four or five, mine was since in the womb."
Rose burst into laughter. "How was it then, in the womb?"
Jerry smirked faintly. "It's dark at first, then chaotic, and then suddenly noisy. I just created and mastered Shadow Space so I could stay away from the noise."
Johnson scratched his head, confused. "What noise?"
Jerry's expression deadpanned. "Well, if my dad and mom had sex…"
Angela nearly choked. "What?!"
Jerry shrugged. "Well if mom and dad are busy having sex it's technically noisy, and I am always disturbed. So I was thinking about staying in the womb and not be disturbed. And so, I learnt to use Shadow Space."
Angela leaned in. "What's that?"
Jerry's tone was casual, almost too casual. "It's my primary ability. It helps me store anything in the Shadow Space, including myself."
Johnson's brows furrowed. "But what is truly inside?"
Jerry spread his hands. "Nothing, actually. Just that it can be anything I believe it can be. For now, it is just a dark place."
Mary tilted her head. "So what happened next?"
Jerry leaned back into the couch, smirking faintly. "I was born sometime later. Initially I named myself, but my dad suggested I used the name Jerry 'cos it would sound human-like."
Angela blinked curiously. "What's ur name?"
Jerry's lips curved into a smile as his voice dropped with weight. "Oh, my name is KÅOÜSPÛÈR. But I decided to go by Jerry, for this is my second time in this world."
Mary's eyes widened. "You were a human in ur past life?"
Jerry nodded. "Yh. I was during the prehistoric times."
Rose gasped dramatically. "What, do u mean you were eaten by a dinosaur?"
Jerry laughed softly. "No, but… I can't remember everything."
Johnson narrowed his gaze. "But u seemed to know everything before u were reincarnated in that cave?"
Jerry sat casually as he explained, "I don't know why I can't remember. But I know that each time I reincarnate before I am born, I usually seal my abilities, and I lose my memories immediately I am born."
Mary sighed and leaned into him, pressing his face against her chest. "So that's y u can't remember everything. Oh, poor boy." She patted his head gently.
Johnson's jaw dropped. "Hey—that ain't fair! Why does Jerry get to have boobs?" He pouted dramatically.
"I didn't know u liked boobs, John." Angela remarked dryly, staring at him intently.
Meanwhile, Jerry calmly removed his head from Mary's bosom and continued, "When I was born, my parents wasted no time in taking me to the best school in the world in Japan. But I needed restraint and to learn how to channel my energy. So that's why I came back to the US—back here in Voyage City."
Johnson now curious, teased, "How was Jerry like when he was younger?" He turned his eyes to Alastor.
Alastor straightened with pride. "Well, my master was a very special baby. On the day of his birth, many strange phenomenon occurred."
Angela's eyes widened. She leaned forward, holding Johnson's hand playfully. "Phenomenon like what?!"
Alastor's eyes gleamed as he looked around the room. His voice carried weight. "Well, there were natural disasters, and the rift between the human and non-human worlds opened that day. People from those worlds came in through there, and many humans were lost in the process… same with the non-humans." He sipped calmly from the cup of tea Jerry had just handed him.
Mary turned to Jerry, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "So… did u cause it?"
Jerry blinked, then smiled as he adjusted his glasses. "Nah, I didn't. It's just a natural disaster. I plan on finding out how to close the rift. But that said…" He sipped his wine with a satisfied hum. "I think I've finished my story 'cos I technically don't have much again to say."
Angela frowned, turning to the others. "What, u guys not gonna tell us ur story?"
"Hahaha!" Johnson burst out laughing, holding his stomach.
Angela scowled, folding her arms. "What's so funny? We all told u our story, why can't u share urs?" She pouted and smacked Johnson lightly on the head.
"Ouch!" he cried, rubbing the spot. "Ok, ok! But I don't really like talking about myself—"
"Right. U don't," Jerry interrupted dryly, sipping his wine. "Same dude that posts about his emotional scarcity online."
"Mmm, this flavor is nice." He smirked.
"Hey—that's not true!" Johnson pouted again, but before he could continue, he found his face smothered by another pair of breasts.
It was Joyce.
"Oh my, oh my, u guys were having a sleepover without informing me? That's not fair," she teased, rubbing Johnson's face against her bosom.
The entire household froze in surprise at the unexpected intruder.
Mary's eyes narrowed. Though shocked, she quickly regained composure and interrogated the newcomer with a smile. "And u are?"
"Oh, we haven't met before, miss Mary." Joyce smiled politely. "My name is Joyce Hart. Nice to meet u. I'm Johnson's teacher."
Angela frowned. "I thought Mrs. Sasha is our teacher. Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"I'm the one who is gonna start giving him training." Joyce replied smoothly, still clinging to Johnson.
Johnson flailed in her hold. "Umm, Miss Joyce—I… can't breathe."
"Oh my, oh my, I didn't know that. Well, I'm sorry." She released him with a laugh, then faced the others. "So, I came to announce that y'all are nominated for the upcoming competition in May till the end of July."
Mary's eyes widened. "Wait, is it that intercontinental stuff that's gonna happen soon?"
"Oh, u have heard of it? That's nice. Well, Mr. Lucian sent me to tell them." Joyce sank into a chair, creating water from thin air and drinking it with relief. "Ahh, that tasted nice. I've been exhausted visiting everyone nominated for the competition around the city. Lot of work, actually." She wiped the sweat from her brow.
Rose folded her arms, jealousy flashing in her eyes. She floated toward Joyce with a smug smirk. "Why can u do the same thing I can do? And what's more, u didn't use any incantation."
"Hahahaha, that's so funny—you look funny." Johnson laughed, pointing at Rose.
Joyce smiled calmly. "Well, our abilities are similar but different."
Angela suddenly raised her hand. "Wait—hold on. What's everyone's ability? I think we should start from there. I'll go first." She pointed at herself proudly. "My ability is basically restoration. But I can't restore without losing something. What about you, Joyce?"
Joyce adjusted her glasses, conjuring an atom model in the air. "Well, I can basically see and manipulate matter. And also transport myself from one place to another, as long as there is matter in that place."
Mary conjured fire in her palm, opening a shadow space behind her. The dark void rippled weakly. "My ability is basically protection. I can copy the ability of anybody I want to protect. But it technically drains my life force. Can't explain more than that." She sighed and drank more water.
Johnson smirked as he drew out the aura of Alastor, letting it flare across his palm. "My ability is energy absorption and aura absorption. Technically, I can see and sense the aura of anybody I see—tho I haven't mastered it yet."
Rose floated lazily in the air, munching on the last piece of pizza. "Well, u all know my abilities. Same with Jerry's, right? I'm basically a psychic and I can use magic—mostly elemental magic. But I haven't mastered it. So answer me…" She hovered close to Joyce, glaring. "Why can u do that without an incantation?"
Joyce's smirk widened. "Because it's my ability. Unlike u that use magic, I don't use magic."
Mary checked her watch and rose from her seat. "So when is the training? Tomorrow, tonight, or next week?" She began collecting plates. "And again, it's 9pm. We should start going home before it gets late."
"Well, I don't know when," Joyce shrugged. "But I believe we all are gonna get informed on the date tomorrow by the principal. And before I forget—my brother is gonna be there."
Rose smirked knowingly. "Who? That dude Johnson beat his ass during the entrance exams?"
Angela's eyes widened. "That white-haired boy was you?" She looked at Johnson with awe.
"Yh. It was. Henry later apologized tho, so it's behind us." Johnson smiled.
Angela's face turned crimson. "Well… u looked cool."
"Oh really? Thank you." Johnson smiled warmly.
Jerry sighed and stood up, clearly bored. "John, u are dense. Well, I'm gonna go home now. Alastor…?"
"Yes, sir." Alastor immediately opened a portal. Jerry waved as he stepped through.
"I'm gonna go now. I got to rest my body. Bye, Miss Mary!" Jerry called out.
"Oh yeah, goodbye. I'll see u later, kid." Mary waved from the kitchen. Then her voice boomed, "Johnson!! Rose!! Come and clean up the dishes."
Rose groaned as she floated lazily toward the kitchen. "Oh man, I don't wanna. Let Johnson do it."
Johnson smirked as he escorted Joyce and Angela outside. "Nah, u do it. You are the youngest, after all."
Rose grumbled from the kitchen as she scrubbed.
Outside, Joyce teleported home after hugging Johnson. Angela stayed behind, holding Johnson's hand as they reached the street. He called a taxi for her.
Her cheeks flushed. "What did u mean u would tell me on the next date?" She looked at him nervously.
Johnson smiled softly. "Well, I will tell u—maybe after this competition. I promise." He leaned down and pecked her forehead before disappearing into the night.
Angela stood frozen, her heart racing. She waved at his departing figure before stepping into the taxi. But just as the car door closed, a blur of golden light flashed.
In a nanosecond, Angela was snatched through a dark alley—dragged into an abandoned house by a golden-haired man.