A Tail of Difference.

Faust stared down at the bed by Luna's obsidian colored fireplace. The T.V. and game console were still on, but no one was using either of them. Surprisingly, the queen was in a rather awkward situation of judging her daughters as more than they should be, more than what they are in the eyes of every pony that has seen them.

It was confusing and also emotionally warming, but Faust did not dwell on it too much. She was having too much fun seeing her daughters act so mature and kind to such a sweet boy.

Leo was fast asleep, cuddling between the two princesses that could not keep their hooves off of him. It was so sweet to see them like this that Faust had an ache in her smile. Luna spent a good portion of her time teaching Leo about video games, and it turned out to be quite pleasing.

But now she was busy brushing his tails with her personal hairbrush while Celestia plucked a few hairs from his head, removing the longer stands that stuck out.

"Another nap?" Faust quietly chuckled, leaning over to give her new son a kiss.

Careful not to wake him up, Celestia leaned away to give her mother enough space to kiss the child's cheek. "He had a bit too much fun playing games with us." she replied in a hushed voice. "And we might have introduced him to soda."

Faust gave her eldest daughter a cheeky grin. "And a freshly baked cake from the royal kitchen. Blueblood informed what happened after the chefs told him about a multi-tailed thief in the castle."

Celestia was about to counter, but found herself silenced by her mother's hoof.

"It's quite alright." Faust whispered, "Blueblood will get over not getting his cake for his party with the nobles immediately. And he is well aware of our little prankster having such a nature. It is, after all, what they do when they're not busy protecting guardian angels."

Luna and Celestia raised their eyebrows to their mother. They did not understand what she meant by Leo having the nature to prank others, nor have the comprehension to what it means for 'them' to protect guardian angels.

Both princesses frowned at their mother. They knew now that she was keeping secrets from them, secrets that need to be shared with them while Leo is asleep.

Seeing their dislike, Faust sat on her haunches and took in a deep breath. "I suppose I should explain myself about what Leo is?" she said questioningly, receiving slow nods as their daughters' response.

"Okay..." she coughed lightly and ruffled her wings, removing a handful of feathers that were supposed to be preened hours ago. "...Let me just say that the reason why I rescued Leo is that his mother was an old friend of mine. I have known Leo since he was just a pup in his mother's arms, because I would visit their dimension and speak with her."

"But what is he?" Luna whispered, eyeing the boy to make sure was not waking up. "These tails, ears, and whiskers tell us that he is some sort of fox, but the claws and fangs are a mystery to us."

Looking into the fireplace, Faust gave a deep sigh. "Leo is something very special, but there are others who do not want him to be special. So they killed his mother and tried to kill him for the power that he does not have."

"What?" Celestia gasped. "There are monsters that would hurt this adorable boy?"

"Not monsters....Mortals, Spirits, and Demons." Faust clarified. "Leo's mother was a very powerful spirit that watched over the mortals. She was the watcher of guardian angels, protecting them from demons that would try to kill them and influence mortals. You know that I was created, not born, right?"

Celestia and Luna nodded.

"Well so was she, and together were known as The Creator's left and right thumbs. We kept the balance as co-ruling goddesses; our jobs were to keep the universe in balance and protect the mortals. In a world called Earth, I was one of ten great powers, but I was The Alicorn of The Universe, and she was known as Queen of The Kitsune, The White Faced, Golden Haired, Nine-Tailed Foxed."

This was alot for the princesses to take in, but they had better understanding of it; mainly for the simple fact that their mother somehow makes sense of things.

Celestia tilted her head in a semi-sarcastic manner. "And that is?

"A guardian of heaven, an agent of the light, serving under the angels. Leo's mother, however, was the first spirit to have been created, so she had rank over The Creator's Angel's. She guided the good souls of kind hearted mortals to the angels so that paradise can come. As for the other souls, she...sent them to a place known as hell."

"Hell?" Luna questioned.

Faust took in a deep breath. She collected her thoughts from the memories that scar her mind and said reluctantly, "Hell is a place where all the bad souls go when they pass into the afterlife. Unlike Tartarus, Hell is an endless and eternal prison for the souls that have committed evil. It is a place that I once visited with The Creator, for he was teaching me the balance of good and evil."

"You...visited?

"Yes, I spent a day there, but it felt like an eternity." Faust's eyes widened at the last memory. As though it were only yesterday, the fires of damnation burned in her orbs, reflecting the most vile and disgusting punishments that a sinner can receive.

All those souls reaching out to The Almighty, begging for his forgiveness as the iron bars burnt their skin to a crisp. They were reaching out to him and to her, pinching the smallest strand of the alicorn's tail before the demons of their crimes dragged them back into the darkness.

Even now, the horrors gave Faust a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"So many lives mortals were burning and rotting in cages, pleading for God to help them. I pray that The Creator will never take me there again."

"Mother?" Celestia reached out to Faust with a slight tap to her chest. She poked her twice before a response was given.

"I'm fine, I'm just fine." the queen breathed heavily. "Anyway. Leo is here because the other spirits think he has her power. But in actuality he does not and never will, because The Creator only gives great power to first-born spirits."

The remainder of the conversation went dead as Leo woke up from his sugar-crash nap. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as the two manes that blanket his body slithered off and returned to their wavy forms. He blinked once and looked up to a smiling mare that was most eager to hold him in her wings.

"You're quite the sleeper, aren't you?" Faust chuckled.

"Mommy." Leo grumbled tiredly, her scent being the answer to who she is. He was so groggy that he could not make out the alicorn, but the smell of lavender in her mane gave it away.

Mommy was a word that got the alicorn the hardest. Even when her little fox has already called her that so many times, Faust could not fully embrace the reward that comes with this child calling her 'mommy'. It felt so very right, but also very confusing since motherhood has not been on her list in over three thousand years. She could not remember the last time she held her own babies in her wings, and yet the feeling was like instinct.

Feeling the tears to swell, Faust had to take a moment to calm herself before making a scene. She wiped the tears from her eyes and inhaled a shaky breath before hugging the little fox closely to her chest.

"Yes my darling, I am here. Mommy is here." she cooed softly to his ear; voice heavy with joy over that one word.

"Mommy, I don't feel good." Leo's stomach started to growl and gurgle as the doors opened. His eyes dilated as the one that entered Luna's bedroom stomped inside with am empty cake platter.

He was a pure white unicorn with a magnificent tuxedo to go with his charming figure, but not with his foul attitude. He glared at the three ponies as Leo drew their attention, feeling unattended when he is actually the most spoiled of family.

Growling angrily, he dropped the platter and stomped in front of his great aunt. Vladimir Blueblood was his name, but right now he was known as the pain in the flank that is getting in their way.

"Aunt Fausty," he whined like a little colt, "The culprit of my chocolate cake is still amongst us, and the chefs have yet to make another cake. Where exactly is this vermin so that I may lock him up until he rots to the bone?"

Faust, Celestia, and Luna would have given Blueblood pieces of their minds, but Leo was top priority at the moment. He was cringing and hugging his stomach as the heaving of his chest turned to gags and coughs. It went on for a minute before he finally leaned up and looked over he alicorn's wings, lining his firepower to the one that is as clueless as any snobby noble.

"Aunt Fausty!" Blueblood snapped, "I am talking to you, and I demand that-"

"Bleeegh!" a splash of brown and red flavored soda shot out of the boys mouth. He had no time to react or gain control as the alicorns around him stared in utter shock of where his vomit landed.

Chunks of cake and undigested frosting splattered over the flabbergasted unicorn, his tuxedo and white coat barely having white. Blueblood just stared at the boy as it continued with another heave and cough, while Faust dangled him with her wings. She wanted no part of it on her body, but she also didn't want to drop him for releasing the problem onto the one that gives her so many headaches.

Celestia was dumbfounded by karma's sudden choice of hitting Blueblood with such nastiness. Luna, on the other hoof, was just glad that none of the vomit got on her floor or on her bed. In a weird sense of gratitude, the Lunar Princess was thankful for her hated nephew wearing such an absorbent piece of clothing.

The horrors were finally over, and Leo was left to wipe what is on his chin with the only spot on Blueblood that is not covered.

A small patch of blonde hair.

"I feel better now." Leo chirped, patting his stomach as Blueblood fell shook like a leaf. The little fox looked back and sniffed the unicorn; his nose sealing itself before he could pinch it.

"Holy moly," he coughed, "You need a bath."

That was it. That was all it took for the alicorns to lose themselves in such a marvelous moment as a maid entered. Celestia, Luna, Faust, all three of them, fell onto their back and guffawed at Blueblood as he sputtered about having vomit splashed all over his groomed tail. He turned away and walked out of the room as the little fox tilted his head in confusion of this, forgetting whatever it was that infuriated him in the first place.

"Le-Leo puked on Blueblood..." Celestia muffled her voice, but it was just too much for her. She could not help enjoying such a fantastic moment of Blueblood's Blunder. "BAAHAHAHAHA!"

Luna took it upon herself to pat the child's head while the maid walked inside. "Well done Leo. You have made our lives so much better with just that!"

"Ri-right on his face too." Faust wiped away her tears just before having to regain her composure. Unfortunately, it was short-lived; there was another in the room, and she just happened to be sending a message.

But it didn't, for she got the honor of seeing the cutie that everyone wants to cuddle.

Carrying a warm smile, the brown furred maid bowed her head at the three alicorns. "Your majesties, I am here to inform you that Princess Twilight and her friends are in The Throne Room. They await for you as I speak."

"Already?" Faust chuckled. She found it hard to not laugh a little. "Very well, we will be out there in a few minutes."

Not saying a word, the brown furred earth pony took her leave for the remainder of her shift. Meanwhile, Leo was scooped up in Faust's wings again and carried to Luna's bathroom.

"Let's get you cleaned up before the others see you." she looked back to her daughters. "Daughters, would be so kind as to help me clean up Leo? A little magic from all three of us should make this go by quick."

"I call grooming his tails." Celestia chirped, following her mother into the oversized bathroom.

"I wanted to groom his tails." Luna muttered.