A party filled with useful abilities would mean nothing if half its members remained in the village.
The thought repeated itself in Tobi's mind as he studied the others. They were now divided by intention, but that still left another problem.
They only knew surface-level details about each other's abilities.
During the first day, when Kiki revealed that they had abilities, a few shared theirs out of confusion. No one wanted to give up critical information about themselves, so most of the known abilities had only been vaguely explained.
Of course, some people didn't care enough to hide their abilities, like Isla or Kwame. It was difficult enough trusting strangers, let alone someone who refused to share even the name of an ability.
Michael appeared to have come to the same conclusion.
"Before we start deciding who joins who," he said, his gaze pausing on Kiki, "we should know what we're working with."
Several expressions changed. Some became alert, while others grew gloomy. A few looked as though they were playing poker.
Kiki's eyes narrowed, though whether she disagreed or just outright disliked where the conversation was headed, Tobi couldn't tell.
Liam chimed in. "You mean abilities?"
"Any capabilities you're willing to share."
"So... abilities then?"
"Not quite," Michael said. "It goes beyond abilities, but for now, yes."
Tobi looked down at the party panel again.
Nobody was forced to join anything. The system required nothing except three members and their acceptance. Once invited, a person could enter a party while hiding everything that made them useful. Or dangerous.
Marie was the first to respond. "I'm not sharing mine."
Her answer carried no embarrassment.
Marie rested her hands together in her lap. "I intend to stay in Windhollow. I don't need a party, and my ability isn't anyone else's concern."
Liam tilted his head. "You told us it was something investigative."
"I told you enough."
Her tone remained warm, then apparently decided he had no argument. Tobi had not expected blunt refusal to sound so reasonable.
The Old Man gave a quiet chuckle from the back of the room.
"See? There's a sensible person here." He adjusted the cuff of his suit as he spoke.
Michael looked toward him. "Are you not joining one either?"
"No."
The answer came before Michael had fully finished the question.
"Managed well enough without being tied at the hip to four strangers."
"But you plan to leave," Carlos said.
"I am."
"And you're going alone?"
"Aye."
Carlos frowned. "Through the forest?"
The Old Man's smile appeared briefly.
"I can move quite fast with my ability here."
That ended his contribution to the conversation. He made no effort to elaborate
Tobi remembered the Old Man's description from the first day. He had also noticed a small clue from the way the Old Man moved. Even near the edge of the village, the wind never seemed to bother him. In fact, his older body would seem to spring to life.
In light of this, Tobi assumed the Old Man gained speed and likely strength in the presence of wind. The ability was so unnaturally suited for the Whisperwood that the forest might not be much of an obstacle.
Michael accepted both refusals without argument and amended his request, "Anyone who does intend to join should share something."
"Something," Kiki repeated.
Michael met her gaze. "Not everything."
"Good."
Liam looked between them. "You two argue like you already know you're leading."
Neither answered him.
Kian did.
"They probably are."
Kiki glanced at him but did not deny it.
Carlos raised one hand. "I'll go first."
He looked uncomfortable with the attention but continued. "Kinetic Manipulation. SS rank."
That earned an immediate reaction.
Liam's eyebrows rose. Kostas straightened slightly. Even Vita stopped twisting the end of her hair. Anyone smarter than a cactus probably realized how useful that could be.
Carlos looked between them. "I can control movement. Or force, kinda. I'm still figuring it out."
"Can you stop things?" Michael asked.
"Sometimes."
"Throw things?"
"Much easier than stopping them."
"People?" Liam asked.
Carlos hesitated. "Probably."
That answer made Liam grin.
Carlos noticed and immediately added, "I'm not throwing people."
"You don't know what I was going to ask."
"Yes, I do."
A few quiet laughs moved through the group.
Attention shifted toward Kostas next. He adjusted one of the rings remaining on his fingers.
"Foresight. SS rank," he said proudly.
The light amusement faded.
Liam leaned forward. "You can see the future?"
"Not exactly."
"What does that mean?"
"It means not exactly."
Kostas looked annoyed by the question before it had even fully left Liam's mouth.
"I receive glimpses of the future. Most of the time, it's warning me about mundane things. I don't control what I see."
Tobi studied him more carefully.
Kostas had appeared uncomfortable since they met him, but Tobi had assumed it came from losing the life he had before. Maybe some of the discomfort came from things he could not prevent back on Earth.
"And I have Fire Manipulation," Kostas added. "C rank."
Liam blinked. "You said the worse one second?"
"I was going to leave this one out."
Vita spoke next. "Everyone already knows mine."
"Accelerated Recovery," Isla said.
Vita nodded. "S rank. But I don't know if I'm leaving anytime soon."
She offered nothing else, making Tobi wonder whether that was truly all. The thought came quick and left even faster. Suspicion would become a bad habit if he assumed the worst of everyone.
Ohara Satoru shifted slightly in his seat.
"Energy Projection," he said.
His ability had already been revealed in the forest, though no one had ever seen him use it. Even now, the name left room for misinterpretation.
"Projection like light?" Carlos asked.
Ohara shook his head.
"It looks like light, but it's just energy."
"What kind?"
"I don't know."
The uncertainty returned to his voice.
No one pressed further. His answer was accepted for what it was.
Isla raised her hand despite not needing to. "Life Projection and Life Storage." Her voice was small but clear.
"I can give life energy to people. I think it helps with injuries."
"You know you already told us, right?" Liam said.
"Yeah..."
"Then why say it again?"
"Because Michael asked."
Liam stared at her for a moment. "You're way too honest."
Isla looked uncertain whether it was an insult or not. Marie wrapped her arm around her reassuringly.
"It isn't a bad thing, Isla," she said tenderly.
Liam shrugged. "I didn't say it was."
Tobi believed him. He personally thought Isla's honesty was a nice change.
Kiki looked toward Liam.
"Your turn, since you're the center of attention."
He frowned. "Everyone already knows mine is..."
"Everyone knows Flash Step." Kiki interrupted without a second thought.
The wording caught his attention. Tobi noticed the brief change in Liam's expression.
Liam looked around the gathering, suddenly far less eager than he had been while questioning everyone else. Kiki's cold gaze only dimmed the excitement in his eyes further.
Then he released a breath.
"Fine."
He lifted one hand.
The air above his palm shimmered as if it were waving. At first, Tobi had thought only the light was shifting. Then warmth brushed against his face despite the distance.
The heat grew quickly. When it became uncomfortable, Liam closed his fingers, and it vanished.
"Heat Manipulation," he said. "SS rank."
Nobody spoke for half a second.
Kian was the first. "You had another high-rank ability this whole time?"
Liam looked defensive. "I didn't need to tell anyone. We don't even know your ability yet."
One person, of course, remained unsurprised. Kiki didn't even blink at the reveal. It made Tobi wonder how could she have known.
Michael's attention remained on Liam's hand. "How much control do you have?"
"More than Flash Step."
"That's not too reassuring," Kian said.
Liam ignored him instead, offering more explanation. "I can make things hotter, move that heat around, and cool things down a little. I haven't tested it too much because I didn't want to start a fire."
Kian stared at him, opened his mouth, and closed it. Similar reactions appeared around the room.
"That is the most responsible thing you've said since we got here."
"I did not know you could think before acting."
"Wow."
Liam opened his mouth to argue, then decided he had no argument and closed it again.
Kian went next without being prompted.
"Resonant Shield. S rank. I can create barriers."
Kian lifted his hand, and a faint layer of translucent energy formed in front of his palm. It was about the size of a basketball, but it was barely thicker than his finger.
He created two more layers, stacking them before allowing the barriers to dissipate into fragments of light in the air.
No one had any questions about his ability yet.
Liam looked toward Kiki. "Your turn."
It looked as though he had gone out of his way to push Kiki into the spotlight.
"No."