.buck//Moment

“Why's she still dead?” Starlight asked, staring at Violet, who shook her head and shrugged.

“She should auto-revive when she reaches town... your ghost and body instantly merge when you get back so...” she trailed off as she brought up a menu, typing away. A list of current players popped up, exceedingly empty at this point. A short search for 'Dusk' later and she found who she was looking for.

Player: Dusk Glimmer

Location: Θ Dun Loireag

“But this is Mac Anu, how could...” Ardent began, then paled, “you don't think... maybe...”

Violet nodded, but Starlight, Shadow and Applejack looked to them in confusion. “Think what?”

Ardent gulped, putting on a strong face. “Well, the area we travelled to was on the Θ Server, right?” A series of nods confirmed their understanding as she continued. “So why are we in Δ Server's Root Town?”

“So, y'all think her ghost's in one place while her body's here?” Applejack summarized after a few moments silence. The two ponies nodded. “So can't she just mosey on over here an' pick it up?”

Violet shook her head sadly. “She can't interact with anything as a ghost, so she's trapped there unless someone forces her to revive.”

“How will that help? She's still stuck in one town while her body is elsewhere,” Starlight half yelled.

“Well, that's true, but reviving her manually will either cause her ghost to create a new body wherever it is, or will pull her ghost to her body here. Either way she'll revive.”

“Right. So let's revive her then,” Applejack stated bluntly. Violet and Ardent both looked nervously at her. “What?”

“We can't,” the pegasus scratched the back of her head anxiously. “You can only revive party members.”

Applejack was silent for only a second. “Right, so let's add her to a party.”

“We don't have her Member Address,” Violet pointed out.

“Then we add it!” Applejack was getting more frustrated with every comment.

Shadowdancer stepped closer, coughing gently to interrupt them while apologising. “Um, I just tried and it was declined.”

The others looked to her and each tried to trade Member Addresses. All of them found their invite denied instantly, earning a groan from Applejack as they made no progress.

Ardent placed a hoof on her shoulder gently, calming her. “Looks like she has Member Address trades set to automatically decline. We'd need to find somepony that already has her Member Address.”

Applejack rubbed her forehead with a hoof, thinking for several seconds, then her eyes lit up and she clicked her tongue. “Ah got it!”

At the group's look of curiosity she continued, “Dusk has her own fanclub. Ah'm bettin' somepony there'll help us!”

The emotions of her friends brightened considerably, and they nodded in unison. “Right! Let's do this. Somepony has to have her Member Address!”

*****

“What d'ya mean neither o' y'all have her Member Address?!” Applejack shouted, slamming a hoof onto the table. The glasses on it bounced into the air momentarily before their owners caught them in their magic calmly. They'd found a large group of Dusk's fanclub in a player owned restaurant in Dun Loireag, but so far nopony could help them. “Y'all're her fans!”

“Exactly,” the nearest unicorn responded. “Dusk Glimmer will gladly have us as fans, but doesn't consider anypony her friend.”

Applejack's expression softened slightly. “Well that's jus' sad.”

“Eh, it's life,” the other unicorn scratched her head idly, looking up as she thought. “Although, what about Velvet?”

The first unicorn cocked an eyebrow at her companion, thinking for a few moments. “I guess Velvet might know.”

The group looked to one another before Ardent stepped up. “Who's Velvet?”

“Huh?” the second unicorn stared blankly at them for a second before realising the question. “Oh! Velvet's Dusk's second-in-command. Well... Okay not really. She's Dusk's only friend, at least as far as we know.”

“Great! Do y'all know where we can find her?” Applejack leaned up on the table. Both unicorns looked at her apologetically, shaking their heads. Cursing, she furrowed her brow. “Darn. Still, it's a start.” She tipped an invisible hat at the two unicorns, who waved back. “Thank ya girls.”

The six walked away from them, heading to the next group of ponies. Four sets of identical unicorns and they'd only just made some progress.

It was another five parties of mares before they got a location. Apparently she liked to spend her time in Mac Anu, by the end of one of the docks where nopony goes. “She likes her private time,” one of them had said with a wink, earning a series of groans from her companions. Following her advice, they headed to the given location hastily.

It was empty, the cool sea breeze washing over them. Cursing, Applejack punched a nearby crate, badly injuring herself and hardly denting the box. Scowling, she turned to the other of the group, looking tired and ragged.

“Ah'm sorry y'all Ah jus'... Ah wanted t' help her,” she apologised, hanging her head. To her surprise, she felt herself pulled into a hug, and looked across to see Party, her grin failing as her exhaustion showed through. The others weren't faring much better. “Y'all should get some rest.”

Although the five friends were happy to accept that, they were hesitant. “What about you, AJ?” Ardent asked, stifling a yawn. Applejack smiled slightly.

“Don't worry y'all, Ah still got a bit o' kick left in me,” she widened her grin, bucking to prove her point. “B'sides, y'all got hit pretty hard by that monster thing. Get some rest an' we'll sort it out in tha mornin',” she commanded more than asked. There were a few weak protests, but ultimately they relented. Shadow was the first to accept, nodding to Applejack and saying her goodbyes as she stretched, fading away. Starlight soon followed, muttering about beauty sleep, while Party Time just collapsed on the floor snoring before she too vanished. Ardent and Violet stood staring at Applejack, looking her over. A very loud yawn escaped the pegasus's mouth and she blushed before excusing herself, logging out.

“Are you sure you're okay, Applejack?” Violet asked, worry apparent in her voice and eyes. Applejack laughed nervously, brushing her off.

“Of course.”

“Applejack, you still can't lie, even online.” Violet gained a small smirk as her friend's cheeks glowed. She strode to the end of the dock, motioning for her to follow. The two sat there, hind legs dangling off the wood, staring off into the endless blue horizon. “Come on, what's troubling you,” she softly asked.

Applejack sighed wistfully, leaning back and looking up into the stars. “It's jus'... Ah dunno what's goin' on, an' Ah seem t' be tha centre o' whatever's happenin',” she held her forehoof above her, holding it in front of her face and staring intently at where the bracelet would be if she could see it. “And b'fore it was kinda cool, but now Ah feel like it goes beyond me, beyond us. And Ah dunno if Ah want t'know how far it goes.”

Violet nodded in agreement, lying down next to Applejack. “Yeah, I see what you mean.” Rolling over, she propped herself up and looked down at her friend. “Before it was just some kind of weird event but now, even I have no idea what's going on.”

Applejack closed her eyes. “But Ah know what Ah need t'do.”

Violet looked curiously at her. “Oh? What's that?”

She snapped her eyes open, staring intently at her companion. “Save Aura.”

“Excuse me.”

The two friends paused for a moment, then turned away, looking back towards the town at the newcomer. A unicorn stood there, just visible in the shadows, but enough for Applejack to tell her general features. She was wrapped in a simple off-white cloak, her coat lavender toned, similar to the rest of Dusk's fanclub, but her eyes were a bright sky blue, caring and almost motherly. They regarded the two with a clear curiosity as she approached.

“Apparently you've been looking for me?”

Applejack sat up far more eagerly than she anticipated, and nearly fell over as her body struggled to catch up. “Miss Velvet?”

The unicorn held a hoof to her mouth as she chuckled. “Oh my, it's been a while since anypony has called me 'Miss'.” She smiled warmly, holding a hoof out to Applejack. “My name is Velvet Star, although you can just call me Velvet.” They shook hooves warmly. “And I'm assuming you're Applejack?”

The orange mare nodded as she blushed slightly, then pointed to her companion. “Ah sure am, an' this here's mah friend, Tw- Violet Blaze.” A sharp glare caused her to cough and mime a yawn at her companion, who rolled her eyes and turned to Velvet, shaking her hoof.

“Pleasure to meet you, Velvet Star.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Blaze,” the unicorn winked before leaning in and whispering in her ear. “Or should I call you Twily?”

Violet's face almost burned up as she stuttered. “Wha- Who- Bu- Wha-” but Velvet was grinning as she turned her attention to Applejack, who was watching the situation with more amusement than she felt she should. It took a few seconds to realise she was being spoken to.

“Wha-? Oh Ah'm sorry, Ah wasn't focusin',” she apologised, earning a warm smile from the new unicorn.

“Not to worry dear. I simply asked what you needed me for.”

Applejack's brain took a few more seconds to kick in before she exclaimed, nearly jumping in the air. “Oh! D'ya have Dusk Glimmer's Member Address?”

Velvet's expression changed to amused curiosity. “Yes, I do. Any particular reason?”

“She uh...” Applejack paused, looking to Violet, who had sufficiently calmed down, although her blush hadn't subsided.

“She got hit by a nasty bug. Her character didn't resurrect properly so we need someone to revive her manually, if that's alright with you?” she spoke quickly and flawlessly.

Velvet nodded instantly. “Of course I'll help. Lead me to her.”

*****

Applejack and Violet stood anxiously in the entrance to the guild house as Velvet worked through several menus, adding Dusk to her party and using a revive item. The three impatiently waited, watching the golden glow subside. The pony remained still on the floor for several minutes, the mares refusing to look away for even a second.

“Well, it looks like it didn't--” Violet began before the pony coughed, gasping loudly as her eyes shot open and she jumped upright, looking around erratically.

“Where... Where?” Before she could panic she felt hooves wrap around her as she was pulled into a hug by Velvet, soothingly shushing her until she'd calmed down enough to stand still.

Applejack exhaled loudly, wiping her brow, while Violet held a hoof to her chest as she settled her breathing. Dusk looked to them, immediately trying to jump away, her eyes wide.

“You! What did you do to me?!”

Raising her hooves up in peace, Applejack slowly approached. “Whoa there, simmer down. We're jus' as confused as you and it weren't us. We jus' wanna make sure y'all're okay.”

Dusk eyed her nervously, shaking, while Velvet held her tight and gently stroked her back, slowly relaxing her. “I'm okay,” she eventually managed to whisper.

“Good,” Violet affirmed, stepping forwards. Dusk's eyes shot up, glaring at her, causing her to back down, forehooves raised. Velvet blocked her view, looking deep into her eyes.

“Look at me, Dusk." She ordered. "She just saved you. Thank her.”

“But... She...” Dusk began to protest, but was cut off.

“No, she saved you. You at least owe her an apology, and certainly owe her more for making her stay up late to make sure you were okay.”

Tears began to roll down Dusk's face as she broke away. Nodding slightly, she strode over to her rival, refusing to look into her eyes as she mumbled. “Thank you for saving me.” She turned to Applejack, glancing to Velvet, who nodded, before heading to her too. “And thank you for saving me too.” A menu popped up in front of Applejack's face.

Player  Dusk Glimmer  wishes to exchange Member Addresses!

“If there's anything I can do to repay you... give me a call.” She flashed a small smile, no longer hiding behind her wall of confidence. Applejack gave a sincere smile back as she accepted, pulling the mare into a hug. As they backed off, Dusk excused herself, mumbling another thanks and stepping out the door before popping her head in and waiting for Velvet. The unicorn nodded to her, trotting over to Applejack.

Player  Velvet Star  wishes to exchange Member Addresses!

“Just in case you need me,” she winked, joining her friend as she headed out the door. As it was about to close, she leaned back in, an evil grin on her face as her head reappeared.

“Twilight, go to bed.”

The flustered unicorn 'eeped', quickly shoving the mare - who was now sticking her tongue out at the two - outside and slamming the door. Leaning against it, she looked over to Applejack, a weak smile on her face as she lightly giggled. “Looks like we're just getting started.”

Applejack nodded, glancing once more at her foreleg.

“Ah think things are about t'get real interestin'.”