Catalyst

Part 3

"That's enough for training today bro. And might I say, you totally suck at this." No shit Sebastian! Rue thought panting.

"Well I guess it's to be expected. You weren't born a kit. Since it's not technically a part of your training for college, let's try again for tomorrow." Sebastian held out his hand pulling Rue from the ground. Although he was always very blunt, he was also very patient with Rue. Something his other siblings could learn a thing or two about.

"To sum up today's lesson. A kit's element can also be considered a food source. You have some control over your element, but properly feeding from it should be abstained." The emphasis was well understood looking at the baby tree before him. Once it was a full grown oak of hundreds of years. Now it was reverted back into a sapling. Time was not under his control. And when he ate it was in excess. Well he was a binger as a human, so it makes sense for that trait to pass over.

"Lucky for you, everyday food of the earth can sustain us like a human. This was just something to help you out in a tough spot." Sebastian was always putting him through survival training every morning. Combat, spirit control, and practical uses for abilities. Everything he learned from his actual studies he brought back to teach Rue because he was family regardless of origin. And he refused to lose any more if he could help it.

From what he had learned before, Kitsune are rare. Not from lack of birth. It was due to being constantly hunted young. Young kits are considered to be weak. Only able to wield basic illusions until their first tail appeared. Many other creatures surpassed them in strength. Many that could see passed shifted lights. Not many of his kind could live to be as old as his mother who earned her ninth tail long ago. 

Sebastian has lost countless siblings. One who risked her life just to conceal him back when he was a twin tail. He never was the same after that. Before, mother said he was so lively... That boy was gone now obviously, but his kindness survived in this young man today. After achieving his six tail, he made it his life mission to save all of his kind from the hunts. It's his reason for joining the Academy. A thing Rue also didn't know magical creatures had.

"I appreciate it," Rue responded.

"But I will say that your illusions are top notch. Probably better than the others honestly." Well you can thank his constant daydreaming as a human for that. Envisioning a scene while taking note of the miniscule details in his mind was a daily thing. All that he really had to learn was projecting his magic.

"I have a great teacher."

"Mom really does know her stuff. But honestly any one of us could teach you. I think since you were her first success that she decided to be more hands on."

"First? She never created before me?" Sebastian grinned at the question.

"Honestly, she had many failures. The technique that transforms one entire being. If you perform the calculations just right you get pie as the success rate. Even so, that rate factors in mom having nine tails."

Rue's expression swells at the thought. " My chance of rebirth was a simple three percent?"

"In theory. Mom devised this technique herself. In order to bypass having weak kits. If she can make each new born stronger the result would be our chance of survival would fare better. Seeing as you have one tail you could say it worked and failed." Way to mince the words bro. However, it is interesting.

"So in short, there is no guarantee on why her technique worked. Just theories."

"Bingo!"

Now time for the bigger question. One he had been asking himself for the past six months...