This story is a sequel to Where Loyalties Lie: Honor Guard
Honor Guard Captain Red Ink is a proud warrior, the son of the Stalliongradi Tsar, and something of a legend amongst the Equestrian Guard. Until his mistake, some would have said he was atop the world. But a reckless violent streak and a disrespect for the common pony carry him away from his lofty post aside Celestia.
He expected a frigid post on the dragon border to carry the rest of his days. Compared to that fate, delivering a letter to the Princess's student in Ponyville seems a delightfully easy task. If he had known the fate the Princess had prepared for him in the tiny city, he might well have exiled himself. Fate can be cruel indeed to a warrior staring down at a nearly blank piece of parchment, knowing his life depends on filling it with words. The beginning, after all, is always so very easy.
"Dear Princess Celestia..."
A Price of Loyalty story.
A spin-off of Where Loyalties Lie, though you don't need to have read it.
Oh this sounds very interesting indeed.
poor poor Red Ink
Not even one entire sentence of the description, and you've already f
ked up your history.
1814012
Can you be more detailed in your concerns, please?
I'd be more questionable to "Honor Guard Captain" part, as he was in position for one week in entirety, but he is a son of the Tsar of Stalliongrad.
1814128
The idea of a Tsar/Czar being in the city named Stalliongrad is preposterous, considering that the real city of Stalingrad wasn't named that until after the Russian Civil War between the Red Army (The rebels) and White Army (The royalty/czars of the Russian Empire). If you really want to play the whole having Tsars/Nobles angle, I'm sorry, but you just can't have something like that in there, otherwise you come off (at least to me) as being ignorant of history.
Suggestion? Rename the city. Example: Cossackitsyn.
Same city (Cossackitsyn>Stalliongrad as Tsaritsyn>Stalingrad), plus somewhat a pony pun.
1814012
1814128
I suspect he means the fact that the position of Tsar was LONG GONE by the time Stalingrad was a historical city, to which I respond as follows:
"There is no 'Stalin' in a world of magic technicolor ponies."
Assuming I'm interpeting the issue right, yes, its silly, but the idea was that obviously, their world works on a primarily medieval political basis. Makes sense, given that they have two physically present semi-literal deities around which to frame a 'divine right' system. However, try as I might, I could not come up with a place-name pun for a Russian city better than Stalliongrad.
In short, while Stalingrad was an industrial center ruled by and named after a Premier, Stalliongrad is a magical, prepetually frozen medieval-style city ruled by a Tsar who is tasked with maintaining a border against the formal homeland of literal dragons. It is, in fact, named after an incredibly stupid misunderstanding by ponies who don't speak Russian, as the proper name for the city translates semi-closely to 'City Where the Throne Is'.
Yes, Keyesty, your suggestion worked perfectly.
Poodicus, I hope that helps.
-Loyal Liar
Edit: WOW, power-ninja'd. At least my assumption was right.
Celestia,
downinfront.net/forum/img/smilies/clap.gif
That is all.
1814175
LoyalLiar already covered it in comments, but main idea here is that Stalliongrad have nothing in common with Stalingrad of our world except name punification. And, it also have nothing to do with stallions, courtesy of yours truly.
As master Zecora once told us "Unlearn what you have learned".
I see somepony else also had pink moment here.
That was amazing! Have my favorite!
1815118This story will become all that better when I find out what exactly caused ol' Inky to change so much in 'Ghosts of the Past'. I look forward to his misadventures in Ponyville. Especially his time with Rarity.
I straight up laughed out loud long and hard when I put together the combination of what Twilight asked for in act one epilogue two and where Celestia was going with this assignment.
1815340 Same here, I can't wait to see how Rarity in action.
1815433Oh yeah, I forgot that was where she asked for a control group. THIS is why you have to read all three stories, otherwise little details like that will be missed.
We will just have to see how it happens.
This is great!
I can't wait for more.
1814175
These little technicolor horses that have magic and their own history, don't follow human history exactly?!
Great Scott.
Celestia: God-tier troll.
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At that point, that train of thought followed its predecessor into oblivion, doing a barrel roll off a mountain trail into a skyscraper, where a malicious doctor with a revoked medical license then bludgeoned a particulaly annoying-voiced youthful passenger repeatedly in the nads with a wrench, while the train's cars dangled rather phallically from the building's side before dumping it's cargo of albino molasses on an unsuspecting mare, and thusly the metaphor itself joined the two thoughts.
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Con Mane villain–complete with deforming scar...
[youtube=d7r9RqWBdl8]
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'Blood Line', your misery is delicious to me.
My only issue with this story so far is that, given the fact that Red Ink is back as a guardpony in Where Loyalties Lie part 2, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he eventually succeeds. Still, it should be a good read, looking forward to next chapter.
Not bad so far. That's all I can really say, other than I just got my profile here after lurking for the past 4 months.
Ты понимаешь русски язык?
1824507
Нет, у меня Keyesty переводить для меня.
1824507
LoyalLiar вдохновляет меня на художественный перевод. С ним весело сотрудничать.
Well, what could possibly go wrong?
Well done as usual sir.
Still going good
I am loving this more and more!
P.S.
Red Ink x Applejack OTP
Oh, I really do like this guy, especially since I know he turns out a better pony.
Red Ink:
Punches out Waiters who think he might prefer vodka to his favorite drink
Is resenting Twilight's joke about his speech
Hates stupid impressionist ponies
Is trying to maintain sanity after meeting Pinkie Pie
Breaks into ponies home without giving a buck
Hates the Apple Farm owning bourgeoisie.
HATES Apples.
1826579
I support this.
1826971
1826579
But I haven't introduced him to Rarity or Fluttershy yet.
1826992
He had better stay away from Fluttershy
1826899
I like you. You infer things, and that makes me happy. Almost as happy as seeing your expectations utterly obliterated.
1824514
1824572
1824507
... Ba weep gra na weep ninny bong?
Судя по событиям сиквела, дела у него пойдут не очень
Oh Red, oh Pinkie. That encounter really couldn't have gone any other way.
Ouch, applying for the weather team didn't go so well.
Hah!
Oh my god, his first job is going to be substitute teaching?
1814012 would you rather have whatever they called a communist dictator?
1824572 question: does red ink's name mean stroke of blood, or is the actual translation different?
I laughed very hard at this fic, and then i coughed much harder, then i gasped for air for a few seconds, then i took some cough medicine, and then i said hello to the purple elephant who had just materialized in my room.
1827725The closet translation in Equiish is Stroke of Blood.
1827117So you mean, he ISN'T a reformed pony by the time of the events of Ghosts of the Past?
1827721
You mean a Premier?
1828162
Reformed is such a strong word. Ink in Ghosts of the Past is simply more... polished, shall we say? He's like a blood-encrusted sword that's been cleaned and buffed to a perfect shine.
1828403Compared to the openly bloodthirsty pony he was before, I would call him reformed.
1828444
To continue with my previous metaphor: The clean blade is less openly menacing than one encrusted with blood, yet cuts just as deep.
1828558Yes, yes. At least the clean sword is more pleasant before you die.
1828579
... Assuming the exact same wound was inflicted, I don't think I would give a rat's ass if the sword that killed me was clean when it went in.
You can trust a man with a bloody sword to a certain extent, because it's clear as day that he's used it to hurt/kill someone/something and has no desire to hide it. A man with a clean sword is an unknown--he might have picked it up for the first time that morning, or he might have used it to kill dozens of people.
1828716
In fact, all you can be assured of is that he has the decency to regularly clean his sword, despite whatever purposes it is used for.
1828716>>1828736When did the conversation get onto clean swords vs. dirty swords.
1828795
I have no idea. We took rather too well to my metaphor, but the conversation still makes sense in the context of Red Ink being 'reformed'.
1828822It was a good metaphor.
Yes, reformed might have been a strong word. He does learn some of the magics of friendship, of course?
1828842
Afraid I can't say, outright spoilers being bad and all that. You'll have to wait and see.
1828842
Of course. He learns 'Friendship Missile' and 'Protection from Friendship', as well as some more unique ones like 'Anti-friendship Field' and the vile, necromantic 'Friendship Jar'.
1828870Aw. I was hoping for a hint' like last time I asked a spoilerific question.
I'm still pondering the connection between the Commander(Hurricane) and Celestia. There was something there. I just don't know what.
1828875Cool! I'm really surprised he didn't learn the Friendship Cannon. It can be used as an anti- infantry gatling-gun.
1828974
... Magic Cannon isn't a spell...
1829179How do you explain Twilight using a semi-auto version of it and the Pinkie using the gatling version of it?