Author's Note

Took me long enough but here it is. The next chapter. Enjoy.

Concerns

The ascending walk through Canterlot streets with nobles strewn about and disregarding both the fox prince and the lunar princess was an insult that could backfire should either of them decide to show authority. The sight of snobby uptight ponies either ignoring or glaring at the boy would play as a reminder that needed addressed to Faust. Shame of having such a bad reputation for no reason was almost heavy for the prince as he tried to carefully step over a group that found it amusing to purposely shuffle wherever his paw was going to land.

The obvious thing to do would be stopping and finding another way to home without causing an ordeal with the snobby nobles when all they would do is complain to the queen, but one particular unicorn was thin with her patience and took it upon herself to lean out from atop Leo’s head with terrifying scowl that could match Fluttershy’s.

She had enough of the blatant disrespect towards her nephew.

“DEPART OR I WILL BUCKING HELP YOU.” Rarity roared with all the strength in her voice bringing the city to a complete halt, tick marks swelling on her head as Leo wrapped a tail around her so that she didn’t fall.

The nobles remained still and aghast of the popular fashionista, unsure as to why she was riding the princes and then realizing Luna was right behind her with a scowl of her own.

Patience had now broke.

“THATS IT!” Rarity barked, her horn brightening before she grabbed the upright ponies by the hoof-full in her magic and scooted them onto the sidewalk.

Leo didn’t waste any time of hearing the nobles berate the angry mare forcing them to make-way of if their ascension, but actions carried consequences that would no doubt stir bigger trouble than any pony was ready to deal with.

A glint in his eye and a grunt perking his ears, Leo tilted his head to an earth pony tossing a rotten tomato that flew directly at his alabaster aunt and struck the side of her face with a loud splat. Rarity’s yelp revived the earlier feelings as he watched her scream about her eye burning with Luna magically summoning a towel and bottle of water out of thin air to help her.

The nobles laughed at the suddenly teary-eyed unicorn, but Leo didn’t remain still to this disrespectful action. This was his aunt, the same mare that made him clothes all his life, would cancel all her plans and run to the castle to repair or clean any special attire that needed attention when the maids couldn’t figure out how to clean them.

This was his family who just had her beauty smeared, and it angered him greatly.

“LEO DON’T!” He heard Applejack snap, but the instincts already washed over the boy’s sense of right and wrong.

The furious kitsune reached out and snapped his teeth at the earth pony, forcing them to fall back in the cart of rotten food and whimper beneath the grotesque pile. The three mares tried to bring reason to the fox as he leaned in until his breath was felt by said pony, his eyes burning brightly while fire pursed through his lips.

“Pick on me all you want.” His vocal change… a deep and terrifying decibel that purely intimidated the earth pony into defecating on the sidewalk. ”But if you ever do that to my aunt again, I will bite you in half.”

The earth pony made no response other than quiver as Leo returned his attention to the rest of the nobles.

A pondering thought of how he should treat said nobles crossed his more peaceful nature, and he suffered a defeated breath in realization that no progress would be made this way.

The fuming whispers of the generous unicorn were made dull with Leo taking her in his tail to bring her eye level.

Confusion he could see before gently licking her once to remove the remaining tomato off her cheek.

“Nephew!” Rarity gagged, pushing the wet muscle away and revealing her wildly strewn hair from the saliva.

“Sorry,” he grinned, licking his own lips. “Can’t help grooming.”

And she couldn’t disagree with the fox prince. It was always in his nature to clean or even groom his loved ones and it was a nature he couldn’t control most of the time.

Still the boy could at least be more proper about removing the disgusting redness and causing a mess with her mane.

Disgust was her expression from the mild amount of drool she magically removed as Leo resumed his ascension to the castle, this time making his presence known with a more intimidating nature about his walk. Ponies waste no effort, this time, to make haste and remove themselves from his path.

So why did it feel wrong?

Defeated with emotional tension, Rarity looked back to find the incident more harsh than what was let on with the street scarred by Leo’s claws having left scars in the pathway.

Scars that which were far deeper than any other time she witnessed his strength in full size.

This concerned not just her but Luna as well whilst gazing to the ponies that were staring in fear of the damage and then to them, whispering to one another too lowly for either pony to understand before they disappeared around the next corner.

“His growth may be more dangerous than mother expected.” Luna spoke quietly to the unicorn, having caught her attention.

Luna turned her gaze back to the prince’s head with Rarity following, concern now obvious in her expression.

“I don’t think he knows what he did.” Rarity added, and soon both mares leaned over to check the boy’s paw.

Their concern became worry, a gasp from both to the realization that said paw that damaged the road was unscathed. Now a chip or scratch in the tips of his claws from what they could see.

“He’s getting stronger-“ Rarity added, turning her gaze to the agreeing princess.” Perhaps too strong for him to control outside of the castle.”

“I agree,” Luna nodded. “But those ponies did invoke his anger after what they did. It was only natural for him to display his authority.”

“Yes-“ Rarity sighed, thinking about the kitsune that was laughing with Applejack. “But if he were to lose his temper then the consequences could be disastrous on his end.”

Luna hadn’t thought about the impact of the boy making a minor mistake of himself, denial clashing with her logic as she stared down at the boy’s fur in wonder of the possibilities that could happen.

Leo was kind and gentle, a prankster at heart with every intention of making jokes of the ponies in the castle. But, nonetheless, Rarity was absolutely correct about their favorite prince being a danger, and not just to the citizens but to himself as well.

Leo wasn’t a pup anymore and she knew that all too well, but the chances of him making a mistake were greater now with his growth and it had to realized sooner than later with how the short span of time between the farm and the city already displayed two obvious reasons.

It hurt to embrace the unicorn’s truth, but Luna did with a deep sigh and nodded to her.

“He needs to train and master himself before somepony gets hurt.”

“Any suggestions?” Rarity asked staring with the alicorn at the back of the boy’s head.

Silence overtook both mares as they approached the castle doors with the guards kneeling to Leo.

Luna pondered for what felt like forever, and grasped many ideas that she would likely share with everypony, but interruption came with the doors of her home opening to reveal her mother, and still blackened-mane sister, waiting for them on the other side with Twilight, Shining, and the crusaders behind them.

Luna’s mind did not alter with the gentle descent to the floor, her spine and wings tingling at the smooth softness of Leo’s retracting tail before he returned to his bipedal form.

All attention drew to the prince, his favorite stallion approaching to offer a hug that followed with a classic noogie.

“Ow!” Leo tried to slap the hoof but was too slow and groaned at the laughter surrounding him.

“How are you doing Leo?” Shining Armor asked, still teasing the boy and examining his physique.

“Just fine.” Leo answered with irritation laced in his tone, his tails flicking in show of his emotions. “Except for one problem.”

“And what’s that?” Shining’s smile did not disappear like his teasing, but there was definite concern in Leo’s expression.

Luna interrupted and stepped forward, her wing draped over his shoulders and all eyes on her.

She inhaled a breath of courage for what she needed to say.

But why was it fearful to speak the truth when this was trust given to her by her mother? This was her task: to monitor the boy and bring about the facts that were blatantly obvious.

Was she perhaps worried that it would anger the boy she loved, or perhaps it felt like betrayal?

Regardless, they all needed to know.

She peered to her mother, hoping for the best.

“Leo’s growth is not just his size.” She spoke, receding a nod from Faust but confusion from the others. “His strength is growing as well and it’s becoming a danger with how uncontrolled it is.”

Nothing more than a hum from her mother and sister, but a sidestep from Leo had drawn her attention to his shocked expression and the immediate removal of her wing with his hand, his grip somewhat tight and painful yet not enough to make her express the pain.

“You knew?” His expression the same as tension grew between him and Luna.

Eyes had now fixated on the alicorn having approached the again and take his hand in her wing with a closeness that brought suspicion to Faust’s mind.

“Leo-“ Luna breathed, gathering her emotions as she stared at the now bewildered angered fox. “I say this with the utmost care, but it is there. Your growth is affecting you so strongly that you have no control over your own strength.”

“No control?” He questioned, breathing sudden denial with a chuckle. “Luna, I’m perfectly capable of keeping myself in check. I’m not losing control.”

Luna’s concern did not fade as he stepped away and summoned a flame with the snap of his fingers, his toying of his natural power making her worry much more.

“Leo, please-“

“No.” He interrupted, tossing said fire up and down in said hand. “I’m just fine and-“

Great fire…… streaming flames of dangerous heat suddenly bursted forth from his hand and shot to the ceiling with great force that blew right through the marble above and left a hole in the second floor of the castle. His eyes widened in shock whilst the screams of many maids above struck his ears.

Everyone looked up in shock as the maids peered over the hole, guards following the former captain in a rush to check the damages as silence drew between the kitsune and the alicorn.

“Well that was quite interesting.” Discord echoed before he appeared in the main hall, his gaze fixated on the hole above.

“See!” Luna said worriedly, having earned Leo’s silence. “Your size isn’t the only thing growing. Your power is as well and it almost hurt somepony!”

Truth was harsh no matter how gentle it was spoken, and Luna did as softly as she could to help the teenager realize his lack of control. Yet, even with the trust of his secret marefriend, Leo was stricken with anger to that truth and expressed it towards her, even though said anger wasn’t meant for the mare sharing hurt across her eyes.

Young yet strong, the relationship of the two was all Luna could care for whilst she watched Leo look down at the floor and growl. She loved this boy and didn’t want to hurt him, but he had to know, no matter the results, that he was indeed a powerful being that was unable to maintain his control.

“Leo, please don’t be angry with me.” Luna breathed, unable to move in fear of the assumed response that flooded her thoughts.

“I’m not. I’m mad at myself.” He answered, which ended Luna’s concern but added her to the confusion in the rest of the ponies around him.

This answer helped Luna take his hand into her wing while Celestia and Faust draped their own across his back and shoulders. Even Applejack approached and held his hand other hand worriedly in her hoof as he mustered the courage to speak his mind.

They knew, however, from experience and didn’t let him answer.

“It’s alright sugar.” Applejack told him with a tender smile. “Nopony can keep themselves in line when they grow. Twilight struggled when she became an alicorn.”

Leo’s anger faded somewhat at that truth.

“She’s absolutely right.” Celestia added. “Twilight was far from controlling her magic when she was my student.”

Her added giggles lightened the mood for the boy. “Why the first time I tried teaching her levitation, she through an entire bookshelf at me, and I was knocked out cold for two days.”

“Aunt Twilight did that?” Leo question, having received only the reveal of a scar on Celestia’s head when she moved her crown slightly.

This reveal was a comforting revelation for the prince, but worry did not leave his face. He destroyed a piece of his home; and although it was easily fixable, he was still scared of the fact that somepony could have been hurt and it showed.

“Leo-“ Faust brought his gaze to hers with a lift of chin. “You’re a very powerful spirit that is young and naive of yourself and that is not your fault.”

“And you have so much to learn,” Discord added, his finger snap having added a summoning of two bracelets he clicked to the boy’s wrists. “But for now, let’s keep you in check with these.”

Leo was not unfamiliar of the gold bracelets. He remembered them all too well from the various times he was grounded from using his powers for disobeying or playing one too many pranks. They regulated his energies and he felt them reduce what felt to be the flow of his spiritual energy.

He hated said bracelets for many years, but today he was content not having the ability to use his abilities, especially his fire.

“Thanks.” He whispered with pat to his head received by the spirit of chaos.

“Well now,” Faust said to break the ice.” Perhaps it’s best we enjoy this gathering at the start of lunch. Anypony hungry for some sandwiches?”

“I can definitely eat.” Leo piped up, walking away away with most of the gang following, except for Luna, who happened to be stopped by her mother.

Luna looked up to find the seriousness of her mother that frightened most ponies, gazing down at her.

“What did you see out there?” The mighty goddess whispered after the hall was empty.

Luna’s fear dropped with a sigh. She thought her mother figured out her and Leo’s relationship, and relief swept her mind as she gathered the mental evidence to share.

“Let’s go somewhere private first.” She answered, receiving a nod from the queen before disappearing in a spark of magic.