Minds Me : Inside the Mind of Me

It's been roughly four years since he fell into Equestrian life. By side side the entire way, Twilight Sparkle and the rest of her friends moved to aid him. Slowly but surely he's adapted into the life, smiling everyday to his friends, and even joining a few stallions in a few card games or some beer every so often. Everypony thought thought the human had a strange name, as who would name their foal Michael. Not everypony knew that he was from another dimension altogether.

And it wasn't impossible to return the human home, but a very dangerous process that could push him into the void if they weren't careful. So eventually he decided to leave his old life on earth, and begin anew in Equestria. Soon he bought his own house, and even had an amber colored pet cat named Leo. However, when no pony was looking, or when he thought on pony was looking, Michael would look so sad, like he was dealing with a strange problem. Often, he would speak to himself in a language not even the most powerful translation spell could translate. He would look so angry at himself, but when around friends, he kept a smile that hid pain. I saw it.

My name is Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Magic. It is my duty along with my friends to help ponies in need of friendship or dealing with friendship problems. Our duty is to help unite and keep Equestria united as friends rather than enemies. While I was searching through a few scrolls that I had just received from the deer in the Whitetail woods, I felt my cutie mark make this weird hum. As soon as I realized what this meant, I saw Apple Jack and Fluttershy run and fly into the castle.

"Twi! Did ya feel it!?" AJ asked me. She took a look at her flank and shivered. "I ain't ever goin' to get use to dat..." She said in her usual south Equestrian slang.

Fluttershy gave a light nod and looked to Apple Jack. "I felt it while I was feeding my animals. I told them I had to deal with an important problem!"

"Come on girls, let's go see where the map calls us today." They both walked with me down the halls. "It's great to see you two again. I know we haven't seen each other in close to a week. I just wish my schedule was a little more open."

Apple Jack waved her hoof and chuckled. "Don' worry Twi. It's fine that ya get busy, yer a princess now after all." She sighed took an uneven step, but kept her pace. "Jus wish'n we got some'elp on the farm ya'know? Apple bucking season is end'n soon and we ain't got the fields finished yet."

"Oh yes, it's fine Twilight. I understand if you are busy. If you need some help, I'll more than be happy to."

We take a turn and I nod. We're only a few dozen yards from the map room. "Thanks Shy, you're a great friend." I used a quick flick of my magic to open the doors and we ran in.

Each of us sat in our chairs and our cutie marks showed up on the map in a sudden bright flash. Slowly from the roots that hung from the ceiling they floated down with grace. Our eyes were locked on our cutie marks while they floated over the map. They spun in a circle around the map until they fell down on-

"Ponyville?!" We all shouted at the same time. Apple Jack stood up from her chair and scoffed. "Well, at least we ain't gotta go far, but who would need help?" I see her turn from her chair and looked at the map, this time a little bit closer to Ponyville. After a few moments, she sat back down. "I can't think of nopony who'd need help."

"Can't be Cranky, and he just got married!" I said, tapping my chin with a hoof while I was in deep thought. It was hard to think of a pony in Ponyville that wasn't friends or had trouble getting friends. At least everypony in Ponyville had at least two or more friends...My head fell down and slammed onto the map. "This is going to be hard."

"I don't think so..." Fluttershy said. "We all know one human, but no pony."

AJ and I froze up and looked at each other. Fluttershy was more than right. The signs were there, that was for sure. The only human in Equestria, and our best friend. He had been there for all of us during the Tirek crisis, and had protected me from a deadly blast. For one reason or another, Tirek's magic had just went around him, saving me enough time to get to the Tree of Harmony. The signs that Michael was no doing so well, lately they've began getting worse or more noticeable.

Often while I would be reading about magic with him, he would set his book down and just stare out into space. He had this far off look that just put me into thoughts of what he was thinking about. What had caused him to just leave this world, then after perhaps six or seven minutes, he would continue reading like he hadn't stopped. It was strange, even during a party, he would just vanish for a few minutes and appear looking a little upset or lonely.

"Do ya really think Shy that it would me Mike?" Apple Jack asked with a sad look on her face. "We know he ain't goin' to tell us what's got him so tied up."

"I think she's right AJ. The signs are there that Michael seemed to be in pain or at a loss."

"A-ah know, but still Twi, we can't just go in and force it out of him."

"Whatever is wrong with him, it has to be inside his head." I thought aloud. "I see him just stare blankly into a wall once. Spike even started to paint, and he just stared until the paint dried!"

AJ shivered. "Don't know how he does it."

"Zecora says she gives him some kind of herb to help him, and that it might leave him doing that." Fluttershy offered a bit of side information. I could tell that she was trying but this was her friend just as much as ours, if not more. We all knew Fluttershy liked the human, but treated him more as a idol than anything. He would stand tall and face fears like no other pony has.

Michael had faced so much trouble since the moment he got here during the Changeling invasion. Since then, he always fought back and until the end. He was braver than even the Wonderbolts, or so said Rainbow Dash. Still, it left me to thinking.

"I think I have an idea, but we'll need Princess Luna's help."

"What kind of plan ya got goin'?"

"Princess Luna has a spell for going into a pony's dreams and finding out what's troubling them. She's been reporting to me of some of the nightmares she's been able to see from Michael ever since we've noticed he's been having trouble sleeping."

"And he sleeps on a magical cloud right? For his back, I think?" We nodded, that was true. I enchanted a cloud so he can sleep more peacefully, but even that had little effect on his sleeping habits. I was beginning to worry about the two large bags under his eyes I see him with most days. He had his own home, but from time to time I would come to visit him in case  he was lonely. I would see him with just two massive bags that would put Rarity's saddle bags to shame.

"So what's this got to do with Princess Luna?" Apple Jack asked skeptically.

"I think we should come back later with her and talk about this together. With her own input, maybe we can try to figure it out."

They both smiled and nodded. "Okay Twi, I trust ya. This is for Mike after all."

"Then it's settled. We'll come back tomorrow to discuss how we'll fix this." We all hoof bumped.

As soon as they came, they left back to their lives. I couldn't blame them because they both had important jobs in Ponyville. Fluttershy as they animal and pet day care expert, and Apple Jack working at her farm so Ponyville can keep eating. Though, I wish that they didn't leave. I was board of working on trying to translate old manuscripts. So I sat down and began to think of things to do.

One thing I could do is see how Michael is doing, but....he works today. Buck! I thought, looking deeper. What else could there be for me to do? I do need to write to Luna, but Spike wouldn't be here until later after he's done helping Rarity! "UGH!"

"Everything alright Twi?" I heard a lofty low voice. I arch my head to the side and I see Michael sporting a big grin with a bottle of wine in is hand. "I guess it's good I brought this. Everything alright?"

I nodded. "Oh, hello Michael. Yes, everything is fine, but why aren't you working?"

He shrugged and popped the cork off the bottle. "Eh, Berry said she's got the shop handled for the rest of the day, so she gave me the rest off. Said somethin' about talking to her marefriend or something when I left." He took the bottle and pulled it over his head, taking down a few gulps. With a satisfied gasp and sigh of air, Michael offered me the bottle.

With a quick flash of magic, I summoned two glasses and poured each of us a glass. After I was done, I set the bottle off to the side, and took a sip of the wine. "Oh, that's not too bad!"

Michael huffed playfully. "Yeah, right. Of course it's not bad! I made it!"

I gasped, nearly letting my magic lose its hold on the glass. "What?!"

He laughed and swept his black hair from his eyes. For a moment I saw the real dark brown roots. His hair had grown more, and he needed to re-dye it soon. "Yeah, don't you remember? My fourth month here I started working for Berry! Today is my fourth year working for her, so she gave me the first batch of wine I made as a gift." He paused and scratched his small goatee. "Huh...I guess that's why she let me have the rest of the day off."

I shrugged and sipped the glass. "Well, it's good. Normally I'm not the one for drinking, but today has been a little stressful." I set down the glass and looked at him in his dark blue eyes. They were so dark, they were almost black. He had on a red shirt and the same camo-cargo pants he's had since he's been here. "How are you today?"

I see him shrug and look away. "Eh, I'm fine. Today's a bit lousy, but hey!" He tipped his glass with mine and winked. "You're not doing anything right now are you?"

"No, I decided to take a break." I answered quietly. "Why do you ask?"

He smiled softly. "I just didn't want to bother you, that's all." Michael replied in his softest voice. He was always one to change his voice, sometimes he would just act so differently when he did some weird voice. "Anyways, so I gotta tell you about..." It was happening again. I swear he just stopped mid-sentence and paused there. His eyes just looked so blank. Slowly, he took a deep breath in and out, blinking slowly. "Alright, I gotta tell you about what happened today while I was on my way over here."

"Oh?" I asked. He had this huge smile on his face, completely different from what he just did. "What happened to my little human?"

He blushed and looked away. "W-well...don't call me that...I'm not little." He sighed and looked up smiling again. "So I was carrying my bottle of wine towards your place when I saw this weird looking pony. She just had the strangest eyes, like her irises just swirled like....like she was trying to hypnotize someone. So I asked her about it, and she said it was a rare eye condition."

"Are you talking about Discord's adopted daughter?"

"Yeah! Though, I can't remember what name she chose today...." He did it again.

I made a loud popping sound with my magic, which seemed to snap him out of it again. "Michael?..." He looks over at me with a frown. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, why?" He lied. "I feel better than ever. I got a bottle of wine, my best friend, and I'm drinking with you!" He laughed and swallowed down the wine.

"...It's just..."

He leans forward. "Just what Twi?" Michael just gives me this look of concern. "What?"

"Y-you seem....you seem to freeze sometimes...Just in mid-sentence..."

He scratched his head for a moment. "Well, I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe I should go see nurse Red Heart...wait...she's a doctor now. Right!" He smacks himself in the face with his hand. "That's right! She's my doctor."

"How'd you forget?"

He chuckled and drank. "This drink is heavier than I thought...I guess it aged just right." He finishes off his drink, and I pour the last of the bottle into his cup and filling my own cup up. "Thanks." I just nod. "So, any friendship problems?"

I shook my head. I was lying yes, but this was about him. I hid my flank while it was shimmering again. This was a sign that it was him that we were supposed to help. "No, everything seems to be really calm right now. Other than that Bee-Bear the other day..."

Michael just chuckles at the thought of the monster we fought a few days ago. It was some sort of cross between a bee and a bear. It was frightening at first, but I wondered why it was here in the first place. "Yeah, that was a doozy. At least Pinkie was right."

I sigh in understanding, covering my head with my forelegs. Just thinking about Pinkie being right once again made my head hurt. "Yeah, she's strange." Michael's watch began beeping and he stood up. "Need to go?"

"Yeah, it's time to take my medication. I'll see ya around okay?" He downs his drink and gives me a quick hug. "You ponies are so soft." He gives off a light chuckle and scratches me behind my head. "See ya." Michael waves off and vanishes behind the doors.

I lean my head down, feeling a little dizzy from the drink he gave me. There's a light blush on my face and I snort. "I'm not soft...."

Way to go guys! Stop that! I yelled in my head as I felt a pain surge forth. Wrath!!

Perhaps we should all try to remain calm? Thaemis suggested.

Yes, lets try to remain calm. We haven't been discovered yet.

Yes, yet is the operative word there...I'm telling you, Twilight Sparkle is catching on.

No she isn't! And besides, it isn't like she can tell that you guys are up there! I haven't even told the guys yet! Not even Red Heart knows.

If we are found out, I will kill them all.

No! Bad Wrath!

We have a deal, if we're found out, no more triggers.

Y-yes but-

A contract is a contract.

Aye, that it is. As a man, you cannot go back on your word.

Fine...let's just hope they don't find out.