"When you have gathered sufficient life energy, you will transform into a humanoid body for the first time, and this comes with a... High, a fugue state. You can feel it coming on a day or two in advance as a sort of lightheadedness. Being in humanoid form, some methods of transforming, and most of kitsunes' more exotic powers take life energy, too, but you need a whole lot to have your Red Dream. There are several ways to get energy- Two, arguably three, are universal for kitsunes- Absorbing it from the world while relaxing in fox form, and- Well, I think I told you earlier." She makes a lewd gesture, blushing slightly. "The arguable third is what I would call 'places of power'. Much like we can feel cursed energy, we can feel places where the Spriit World is close, and places where magic runs thick and heavy. If you spend time on one, you charge much faster than normal foxing around. If cursed ground is like rot, places where the spirit world is close are a bit like cool mint, and places of magical power are... Salt and a hint of lightning on the air."

She nods.  "Would 'places that are close to the spirit world' naturally include graveyards?"

"Yes. Though, only magical leylines are things all kitsunes can charge off- I'd say otherworldly places are... Maybe a third can? We can all feel them, though. Oh, the Spirit World. It's a very strange place. It does have spirits in it, spirits almost never manifest on the material. You'll have instincts for navigating it. There are more energy gathering traits that not every kitsune has. Not methods, you either can do them or you can't, and there's no real changing it. Let me see if I can remember all the 'sometimes' ones... Otherworldly places, sex with women, food, fresh blood, moonlight on bare skin, the love and care put into good gourmet food (that's why we're eating here!), the Light Gods' blessings, strong emotions, people's appreciation and wonder if you like sing or dance... And there's several different variations on friendliness and cuddles and good feelings. In fact, that's the only way that some kitsunes can charge off each other, if they both have the trait for it."

She nods.  "I really hope I get the sex with women one.  But I think I might have graveyards.  I went past one and it felt different.  Not, y'know, bad, just, different."

"Hihihi. My personal preference is for the guys, but I hope you do too~ Feeding is a wonderful feeling even all by itself, but combined... It's a rush. Oh, ordinary food is more of a bonus than something to rely on, by the way. Being near strong emotions, too, those are both fairly slow."

She nods.  "Good to know."

"...What sorts of things do most kitsunes have the ability to do once they're grown?"

"Oh, just as a scattering... Illusions, obviously. Tail powers? Some kitsunes' tails are supernaturally tough or can make things vanish and reappear later. Most kitsunes can't really learn human magic, but... I asked Tamamo and she said you can. Because you would hate it too much if you couldn't. There's charm magic, shape-copying magic- Sometimes it will copy knowledge and abilities too- I can heal wounds and diseases if I really must, not just bandaging people up but real healing. It's very draining, though. Fortune telling. A variety of physical and mental boons, like moving really fast, or danger senses, or just unnatural strength and fighting ability. Foxfires, which are sort of - the ghosts of fires? A light source. Hmm... Oh, there's a really strong Kitsune named Weiss who can see magic really clearly and has a lot of strong combat powers, like magic claws and regeneration. She's kind of touchy but a good person a bit deeper down. Great at fighting cryptids, and it certainly needs doing."

She nods sagely at "would hate it too much if she couldn't", because yeah, Tamamo has the right of that one.  "I assume that means, like, sorcery, because my gut instinct is that wizardry as-practiced is absolutely all in the ritual setup."

"...Though now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if you could use certain sorceries to effect a magic circle faster, more precisely, or on the fly."

"No, no, I can't even do a teensy tiny bit of wizardry either. The... Makeup of my soul, or body, or whatever, just rebels and doesn't have the right energy output. And I couldn't even begin to guess."

"Huh.  That's weird."

"I wonder why that is?"

"But, ah...  Thank you, Tamamo, I really would have hated it," by which she means not getting to do the magic, she directs in a vaguely up and to the left direction.

There's the sound of an unfamiliar fox's cackling, as if echoing distantly. One of the baos disappears.

...Megi looks slightly stunned. Before shrugging, and grabbing a second dumpling for herself. "Might want more... But I'll see how hungry I feel after the main dish."

Alicia is rather poleaxed as well, if she's being honest!

"...I must admit, I did not expect to have quite that much of Her attention...!"

...Then she steals another bao before Tamamo can do it again.

Leaving exactly one still on the plate.

"Tamamo is whimsical. And she likes her foxes and foxgirls."

...A standoff, for the final bao.  Who will reach for it?  Who will seize it?  (Probably not her; it was - however unexpectedly - her offering, so the stolen one comes out of her share.  Assuming there's an even split to begin with.)

"Mmhmm.  I rather guessed."

"I think I gave you a quick rundown of the gods earlier, but I feel like if you want familiarity you should see them mentioned in ordinary events... Ragni smiles upon simple pleasures like good food, honestly enjoyed. Otena loves community and friendship and bonds generally..."

She starts reaching for the last dumpling almost casually, in a way that could just be a conversational gesture, and stops as soon as Alicia reacts, determinedly not smirking or showing any sign of it.

Halp.  This is torture, and torture justly earned.  But she wants the bao.  Please?

...Fox to fox nonverbal communication powers go?

(The information on the gods is fascinating, though, regardless of its delivery being used to troll.)

"...The worst part is that I have absolutely brought this situation upon myself," she very quietly lets herself say, staring directly at the bao like a starving fox.

It's prepared food, too.  She can't do that herself - aside from not having kitchen skills worth the name, she still doesn't have hands.  She misses her opposable thumbs.

"Hmm? What situation would that be?"

"Wanting, but feeling as though I should not permit myself to have, the last bao."

"Oh, go ahead! I can always order more. I'm not 'casually buy diamonds' rich, but I'm not badly off."

"Well, then, if you're sure."  But actually she's eating that bao before Megi can say anything one way or another.  So there.

...Okay that's a very anemic revenge.  She'll have to think of something better sometime.  (She will not be doing that.)

"Oh, also, I get the feeling you're going to be one of those kitsunes who can talk to lingering spirits. It's a vocation of mine to help them resolve any lingering regrets, within reason, so they can go rejoin the Great Wheel of Reincarnation at peace."

"That makes sense.  I mean none of this makes sense, really, because the idea that I'm here in the first place to do it just seems so absurd I've nothing to do but roll with it, but it makes sense."

"I remember when things were like that for me... Good times!"

"It's still just kind of fundamentally amazing to me that magic is probably real, discarding the simulation hypothesis, and I'm around to see it when, uh, there was like next to none of it in my time even if we're particularly credulous.  I wonder how it works..."