Attack Training: Fox, Attack!

“Must I?”

 

“Yes! You need to learn about this stuff!”

 

Fox sighed at Pumpkin’s insistence. They loved the cat hybrid with all their heart as any mother would, don’t get them wrong, but sometimes they believe they chose a daughter that was a bit too stubborn. Then again, where would she have gotten it but from Fox themself?

 

“Look, you’re starting from ground zero. Just take it on with some fire!” Pumpkin gestured to the small slime sitting in front of the young woman and deity. It seemed particularly confused as to where it was and why it was there, but when Fox had approached it initially, it had reacted… not so favorably. They found themself cleaning off a little bit of slime that had gotten on their favorite jacket rather crossly.

 

“You’ll never learn if you don’t try,” Pumpkin continued. Fox gave her a look, to which she grabbed their hand and pulled it out in front of them. As she did, a flicker of purple flames came from their fingers.

 

Where these new powers had come from, Fox hadn’t a clue. All they knew was that at times, if they got too emotional or even moved too fast, the flames would come from any exposed skin on their human body, and sometimes even from under their clothes. They were the same color as their eyes, and that led to Pumpkin referring to them as “star-fire.” They were lucky that they hadn’t accidentally burned down a gorgeous cathedral while getting rather excited during a conversation with Diane. They were learning to control it as quickly as all other magical talents and abilities seemed to come to them, but they were, for lack of a better term, iffy about their newfound destructive properties…

 

Pumpkin was talking again. “Look, mom, it’s not that hard, really it’s not. Just focus on calling the fire and send it at the little guy, like you do when you slash at an enemy, ‘cause he is an enemy. It’s just your influence, just a new way of showing it, nothing more. Go on,” she then gently pushed Fox towards the slime.

 

They found it a little cute, truth be told, but they knew what it could potentially do – if it has the ability to hurt Fox, it could hurt one of their friends or even their daughter. So, they focused. They felt their influence, and let it course into their palm as its new form. The flames licked their fingertips in a heartbeat. They then bent down to the level of the slime. It curled in on itself in the slightest, and began to spread out, as though it planned on jumping onto Fox’s face.

 

“So sorry, little friend,” they apologized before reaching out and touching the slime with two fingers. The star-flames immediately took hold, and the poor little slime squealed as it burned away. All that remained was the residue it left where it had sat. 

 

“Nice job, mom,” Pumpkin came up behind them and gently patted them on the shoulder. Fox sighed.

 

“I still feel bad, though…”

 

Pumpkin scoffed. “It’s alright, you’re used to worse. Besides, you have more things to do with this PaperDemon-whatever-it-is, right?”

 

“Yeah, I guess so.”