Vulnerability of a God

Remember what I said about never going to school? Well now I can safely say that I didn't miss much. Granted the things they are teaching are pretty dated compared to the lessons on earth, but they were all things I was able to learn on my own; even the lessons learned by the higher levels seemed basic. But... I guess having a brain that's part computer makes everything seem easy. Just a little bit.

Regardless the day was rather boring, we went back home, I played some games with Luna, then we ate dinner. I was currently reading Luna a story before she went to sleep. She said she slept better after hearing one.

"And with the monster slain, the prince returned to his princess. And they all lived happily-" I was interrupted by Luna's soft snoring.

Chuckling softly, I fixed her blanket and pet her head gently making her smile in her sleep.

'She looks so cute when she's sleeping.' I thought to my self. As quietly as I could I exited the room taking one last look back at Luna before closing the door. I was about to wander off when I stopped in my tracks as one solitary question popped in my head.

"What am I doing?"

The question lingered for a bit as I started wandering aimlessly. All my life I have only ever cared about the machines I now ruled over, and even then it took my whole life to care about them this much. So why is it I care so much about this kid I've known for less than a month?

Don't get me wrong, she's a good kid and I do owe her for saving my life.
But the level that I care for her and the sappiness I showed earlier at school worried me. What is going on with me?

My thoughts were interrupted when I realized I entered the castle gardens. It was beautiful, the plethora of animals and plants surrounding me were only enhanced by the brilliant light of the moon... the moon...Luna. There it is again, that feeling. I don't get it, is this a side effect of the contract or something?"

"Sigh... What's going on with me?" I asked no one in particular as I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Is there a problem Azrael? You look troubled." A voiced answered back.

Turning around I saw Stella walking towards me with a look of concern.

"... I have some questions."

"Oh? Do they have anything to do with my daughter perhaps?"

Looking back at her I raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess?" She said while giving me a small smirk.

"... You read my mind didn't you?"

"..."

"That's what I thought."

"Regardless, what seems to be the problem? You two seem to be getting along well enough."

"That's the thing. I've almost never gotten along with anybody, let alone this fast. And the strange feeling I get with her around? Where did that come from?"

Stella thought for a moment before talking again. "The familiar contract must be coming into play."

"I knew it. So these feelings I'm getting are just because of the spell's after effects." You know... I actually feel bad thinking about that.

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean?"

"The familiar contract does bind a familiar to it's master, but it doesn't create feelings for the familiar to feel. It does however enhance the feelings already inside the familiar towards it's master."

"Why exactly?" I asked, rather intrigued by the knowledge abet a bit annoyed it's doing this to me.

"It's a way to test if the familiar truly does accepted it's master. Positive feelings aren't the only emotions enhanced after all. Were a familiar to hate its master, those feelings would be enhanced ten fold. It makes the matching of a familiar and a master one of true friendship, not one out of duty or because they were forced to.

Yikes, good thing I don't hate Luna then. However, "I do have one more question though."

"And that would be?"

"How long exactly does this last for?"

"There honestly isn't any answer to that. The effect is unpredictable when it comes to how long it lasts. It could last for a few days, weeks, months, even years. There isn't really any way of telling."

Turning away from her I let out a sigh. "Sigh, great so now I'll never know if I really care for Luna this much."

"Is it so wrong for you to accept that you care for her?"

"YES!" Turning back to her my face showed an amalgamation of different emotions. Fear, rage, worry even sadness.

"The only thing that I've ever cared this much for would me my people, a relationship that mind you, took years to forge! But now out of nowhere this kid I barley know makes me feel for her what i feel for them in less than a month! It doesn't feel... Right." Sighing I looked down and fell to my knees, making a few tears I didn't know I shed fall to the ground. After staying like that for a few seconds I started to laugh pathetically.

"Ironic isn't it?" I looked up just enough for one of my eyes to be visible behind my hair; said eye only reflected the amount of confusion and conflict I was feeling. "I spent my life wondering, hoping, praying for someone to care for. But now that I have one, I'm too afraid to continue caring for them."

Stella POV

In all my life I've never met anypony as powerful as Azrael. He was able to best me in one on one combat and even stood his ground against my released state. He's shown enough intelligence to rival even the highest scholar with how he was able to govern and control the machines. Yet now here he is, kneeling at my feet, his mind wrecking him with enough anxiety and insecurity to drive lesser ponies to insanity and weeping like a child.

In a way I saw myself in him, as a young adolescent I faced the same feelings when I was crowned queen. Though I'm sure mine wasn't at the same level. Yet even now, after decades of experience I can't seem to think of am answer to his dilemma.

Walking towards him I did the only thing I could think of. I kneeled down and hugged him. He froze for a second before gripping onto me and started crying into my chest. Said hug was tight and desperate, it was as if he believed that... I would... disappear... if he let go. It was at this moment that I realized just how vulnerable and damaged he really was.

I remembered the memories me and Luna received from his mind. The memories of pain, of abuse, of sadness. And after all of that, he was given the responsibility to govern a nation of beings hated by his world. All of those memories had one thing in common, he was alone.

Azrael wasn't the powerful, happy and cheerful person he's made himself out to be. He was a child who never got to grow up properly and had a lot of duties and responsibilities dropped onto his already painful amount of baggage.

It amazed me how well he was able to keep this all under control for so long. If I were put in his situation... I wouldn't know what to to either. Looking down at him I felt more than just a new found understanding for this person, it was a feeling only a... Mother would have. The feeling to comfort her child when they are hurt; and by every definition of the word, this child was definitely hurt.

In my deep thought I didn't realize that he had fallen asleep in my arms, still hugging me tightly. It would have looked adorable if it weren't for the drama that took place a few minutes ago.

Smiling I ignited my magic and teleported the two of us to Luna's room. Carefully I laid him beside Luna and tucked the covers over him. In moving the bed so much, he accidentally bumped into Luna. I expected her to wake up, however to my surprise, she turned her body in her sleep towards Azrael and hugged him. As if on instinct, Azrael turned towards Luna and covered her in a hug of his own, curling his body the best he could around her smaller form. A smile formed on both of their faces as they cuddled together.

I found the scene absolutely adorable, it looked like how an older sibling would behave towards it's younger kin.

'Hmmm... Siblings... I wonder...' I thought to myself. 'Well he was an orphan after all... And he's never had a family... And he does get along with Luna well enough... Maybe...'

The sound of shifting in the bed shook me out of my thoughts. I chuckled to myself quietly as I exited the room. Those are thoughts for another... more peasant day. For now I should let them get their sleep.

Those two have a long journey ahead of them. I can feel it.

Author's Note

Yay! I'm back! Don't worry, I won't leave you guys hanging to long this time. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!