It was a day like any others. Zeref woke up, got a shower, brushed his teeth, ate breakfast and returned to his room to jack in once more as usual. Once he sat down on his bed and held the helmet in his hands however, he suddenly felt like he didn’t want to. He sighs and sets the helmet back on his nightstand beside his bed. He just sat there, thinking.

You know, you have been in this world for a while now. And you have yet to go and explore much of the area. Do you know how many would kill to be in your position right now?

He thought to himself as he looked out the window then back to the floor. He knew that he was right. He even admitted to himself that he was thrilled to be in this world. It certainly was better than the world he lived in. And his favorite game was resurrected by this very realm.

“Maybe...I will go outside for a bit.”

He said as he stood up and got his usual outfit on. Sliding on his sunglasses finally before heading out his room, down the hall and out the door. Twilight must have already been out, as there was no one else there. He makes his way down the stairs after closing the door behind him. He then simply begins to just..wander. He didn’t know where his feet will take him, just that he wanted to be out. He walked, and walked, and walked. Soon he was standing in the middle of town square. Looking up at the statue of a pony in the middle of the fountain. Something was...off about it though. He closes his eyes for a moment, canceling all surrounding sounds of the other ponies and their activities and focused in on his own area. He could hear a slight humming sound, like light vibrating. The more he concentrated on it though, the louder the humming got.

“Zeref, you alright there, sugarcube?”

Asked Applejack as she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at him with a bit of concern. He snaps his eyes open with a light gasp. Looking to his left to see the emerald green eyes of the farm pony.

“Y-yeah...sorry, something caught my attention was all. How are you doing today Applejack?”

“Ah am doin’ alright, just came into town to take care of some business for the farm. How about you? And you can call me AJ if you want. All of my friends do.”

“Very well then, AJ. As for why I am out.I...honestly don’t know. Just felt like coming out. I guess it’s finally dawned on me that I am no longer in a world of my own. And I need to get out there and explore it and not stay cooped up in the castle.”

Applejack smiled and nodded in agreement with his words.

“Glad to hear it. And also, Ah wanna apologize for the way I acted the other day. It’s just..estrus session is right around the corner and well...you are a new being and that brings a level of excitement to the idea. Ah hope you can forgive me and the others…”

She said as she brought her hat down a bit to cover half her face as those adorable emerald eyes look up at him. He had already gotten over the incident, but it was sweet of Applejack to apologize to him anyways.

“Not to worry AJ. I was..just...taken off guard was all. Though, a part of me was loving the attention. I will admit that.”

He said with a light blush on his face. Applejack laughed lightly.

“Well, you are a full grown stallion after all. It’s only natural. Anyways, Ah better get goin’. Ya’ll be careful now. And if you see Twi, tell her Ah said hi.”

She said as she waved to him and walked off. Zeref waved back to her with a gentle smile. He began walking away as well, his eyes still on that fountain.But the noise has seemed to vanish.

“Was I only imagining it?”

He asked himself before turning his attention to his front. As he walked along, he suddenly felt the need to just...run. Run and jump. Super jump that is. Yes, he wanted to leap into the air and across the town roof top. He didn’t know where this need came from all the sudden. Was it because he knew he could do the things he could only do in a virtual world now? Right here, this minute? He looks down at his hands and slowly forms them into fists, feeling his power surge through him. He knows he can ghost in this world. And he has super jumped here before. But he feels like he could just…

"Here we go..."

He said to himself as he began walking at first, his steps slow and paced. Then he gets into a light jog, then a run and suddenly a full on sprint. Once he was going, He suddenly kicks off the ground and soars through the air, easily scaling over the building, running on the rooftops and leaping across them. He was doing this with a smile. It felt absolutely wonderful! To think that he was actually doing THIS outside of a game! He leaped and flew over the town like it was nothing. Earth ponies below watching in awe and pegasi watched him from their cloud perches in the sky

“This is so awesome!”

He exclaimed as he continued to enjoy this ability further. His coat flowing behind him as he when up and down in the air. He gives another good jump from a roof he lands on and pops over the clouds to see Rainbow Dash napping, as expected.

“Hey, Dash. How goes?”

He asked before falling back through. The pegasus nearly falling off her cloud when he flew over.

“What the…?!”

She said before taking flight and making her under the clouds, only to see him rise up again after another jump. After that, he lands on the ground and gets to running again, his hyper sprint now in effect. While super jumping drained him of inner strength in-game, hyper sprint did not. No he wasn’t as fast as The Flash, but he was still going pretty fast, and what’s even better, he had complete control. The feeling this gave him, nothing could beat it!

Holy hell. This is so awesome! I bet Twi is gonna be all over this when she sees me running around like this

He thought to himself as before coming to a complete stop outside the town, taking in a few breaths before turning back to look at the town, then continues his journey to….wherever. The walking speed went back to normal as he walked along the path. This trail seemed familiar to him, like he had seen it in the show somewhere. The small bridge, the river. Yep, soon enough he was heading towards Fluttershy’s cottage. It certainly looked bigger in person. When it comes into full view, he sees the yellow pegasus mare out in her front yard on her knees, offering a bit of food to her smaller animal friends. Zeref couldn’t help but smile at the gesture. As long as he has known Fluttershy, she has always been kind to her animal friends.

Maybe I should stop by and say hi…

He thought to himself as he began making his way over to her. He calls out to her from a ways away so she knows he is coming. He didn’t want to startle her, knowing that can easily happen to her.

“Hey, Shy!”

He said with a wave. He noticed she jumped a little bit, but it could have been worse. She turns her head to see him walking up to her, a smile slowly forming over her face as she stands up and waves back to him.

“Zeref, it’s good to see you!”

She said in that ever adorable little voice of hers. She meets him halfway in his approach, wrapping her arms around his body as tight as she could. She looks up at him with her beautiful cyan eyes.

“What brings you all the way out here this morning? If..you don’t mind me asking?”

He reaches up and pets her gently, running his hands through her soft mane. He couldn’t help it, they are just so...petable!

“Just exploring is all. Figured I had been kept in the castle long enough. I was just wandering about until I remembered the path I was on lead to your home. So here I am.”

She nods and releases him from her embrace, she placed her hands in front of her as she looks up at him with a slight blush.

“I am glad you came by...I wanted to apologize for-”

He puts a hand up and shakes his head with a smile.

“It’s alright, Shy. I don’t hold it against you or the others. I know it’s getting close to that time of the year. I was made aware and warned.”

The pegasus blushes even more when he tells her exactly what she was thinking. She squeezed the hem of her light blue form-fitting shirt and slowly brought his gaze back up to him.

“S--so...how will you handle it? I am sure a lot of mares will be coming after you. Since you are quite different from a pony.”

“The fact that I am not a pony at all you mean?”

He asked with a light chuckle. She gave an adorable giggle in response.

“Mhmm.”

“Don’t worry Shy. Remember, you cannot catch a ghost, no matter how hard you try.”

She blinks a few times and remembers his trick.

“Oh...right. I forgot you can do that here as well. Then I am sure you will be fine.”

“I am sure you will have a lucky stallion tending to you though huh?”

She shakes her head, hiding her face in her mane.

“I...have other means of taming my estrus…”

He nodded in understanding.

“You don’t have to explain Shy. I know it would be rather embarrassing for you to do so. Anyways, I better not keep you from your little friends there. It was good to see you!”

He said as he hugged her gently and even gave her a few pettings on her head.

“Be safe Zeref, I will be on later, I could use some help with one of the gang hideouts.”

“Of course, you know I’d be happy to help out.”

He said as he waved goodbye to her, heading down the other path that lead away from her home and away from the pathe he came in on. Soon enough he came upon the swimming hole. He remembered back in this show this is where Dash came to soak up some sun a few times. Though it looks like the area was vacant for the moment. He makes his way over to the edge of the water and crouches down, sitting on his heels and stares into his reflection, resting his arms on his thighs.

“Geez….I don’t even remember what my old self looks like anymore. I remember the color of my hair and eyes of course...but now that I think about it, I never really looked in the mirror all that much when I was back home...I didn’t find it necessary unless I was cleaning up for a certain event, which was a rarity itself….”

He brought his hand to his chin and lightly ran his hand over the bit of beard that was growing there, that light staticy sound coming from him when he does so. He needed to remember, he was never ever going back to his world again. But at the same time, it didn’t matter. He didn’t want to go back anyways. Fate could have tossed him a much different hand, but it seems like it chose to be a little nicer to him

“First The Matrix, now this. Life….isn’t so bad now that I think about it. No wonder I didn’t stay mad at Moony for a while. I am just starting to realize just how cool this is…”

He said with a light chuckle.

Author's Note

Here ya go guys.

May the darkness grant you peace.