Once upon a time there was a man who came from under the ground. He was lost, scared, and had no idea how to get home. But fortunately for him he was not alone. The princesses of Equestria found him, pulled him from the darkness, and offered him gifts he would always treasure. The first, bright like the sun, gave him a home and the comfort to chase away his loss. The second, gentle as the night, offered him companionship and a purpose for his new life. And the third, shining like the stars, offered him knowledge of the new world he found himself in and a passion he thought lost. But the man felt unworthy of such gifts, unable to see why such beings would bother with a creature such as himself. So he swore upon all that he held dear, upon the world he was torn from, upon the friends and family he would never see again, that he would do everything in his power to make these beautiful beings smile.
This is the story of Matthias Martin, an eccentric teacher thrown from his world, and how he came to live in Equestria. He does his best to get by and the princesses have done wonders to help him settle into his new home but he can't help but wonder why they put up with him. So he contents himself with his new daily grind, helping Celestia and Luna manage an overflow of paperwork and regaling Twilight with the feats and tales from Earth. But the life he was taken from and his fears for the future can't help make themselves known as his friends begin dropping some subtle, and not so subtle, hints that they may see him as more than just a friend.

art by DimWitDog