This story is a sequel to Where Loyalties Lie: Honor Guard
After risking her own life in a daring adventure across the world to save Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash wants nothing more than for her life to return to normal. In her mind, what happened is in the past, and she wants nothing more to do with it. But a past abandoned is doomed to be repeated, and with an ancient threat rising beneath the snows, Rainbow may be the only mare who can truly save Equestria.
A Price of Loyalty story.
No longer canon to the 'PoL' universe; see author's note on chapter 1.
Chapters (27)
Here we are again, with another act! I hope you're all looking forward to it.
I figure I should make mention of a few things while I'm posting here:
If you're wondering what happened to Red Ink, and where his incredibly broken Equiish ran away too, you should see From Stalliongrad With Love, my spin-off to Where Loyalties Lie that can in fact be read stand-alone. On that note, if you didn't catch my earlier hints and are now completely lost, this is ACT 2 of an over-arching narrative, so you'll need to read Act 1 first. The link is the blue text at the beginning of the chapter, and can also be found in the story summary.
I warn anyone who might be reading this that there does exist a risk of spoilers in the comments. I strongly suggest you read comments only within the chapters you are up to, rather than the entire body. Unfortunately, due to the newfangled 'ascending comments', this warning is likely to be the very last one anyone actually reads.
I intend to update at a bare minimum of once every 2 weeks, although a frequency of as much as once per week is not unknown for me; it depends very much on my college workload. I'll be updating From Stalliongrad With Love simultaneously until it is done, but again, I don't see much risk of that actually slowing me down. FSWL has much shorter chapters, and I don't have to worry nearly as much about things like allusion to future events or pacing between multiple POV characters.
As always, I encourage discussion, criticism, and speculation in the comments.
Here's hoping you enjoy!
-Loyal Liar
judging by what i just read this act might be better than the first act!
DEAD-EYE'S ALIVE!? O_O
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I don't know... is he?
Actually, given the events of Act 1, that emoticon might be in bad taste...
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Fast, make a screenshot, both parts of WLL currently featured!
Damn, I forget just how good this is. Also, calling it now, it's probably not Deadeye. Possibly his brother?
I was incredibly excited to see this story. I eagerly await more.
DEAD EYE IS ALIVE?? You know.... that actually makes sense. I mean, his cutie mark is a map to the Fountain of Youth, which could used for immortality. That was his cutie mark, right?
1813795He could be alive. I mean, he only fell down a chasm of unknown depth. There could have been some kind of cave system he fell into and escaped through. Only you truly know.
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... Nooooooot quite.
1815275Oh yeah, and this guy.
Reading "From Stalliongrad With Love" reminded me of something. Red Ink is actually speaking proper Equiish! And he doesn't seem as...cold. And he's actually kinda likable. I wonder what caused that change. And what did Scoots mean by "Oh, like Mr. Ink can set himself on fire?" The scenario, to be exact. What happened?
And congrats on the Features.
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Firstly, thank you.
Second, the comment about Ink being on fire is, much like the comment about Rarity and the sash he uses to cover his rather awful scar, a bit of foreshadowing for From Stalliongrad With Love. Thus, I promise it will be explained in time.
Where, the is an implied fic about him, of which I have written only a single chapter... But in all seriousness, his role in the ongoing story did necessitate that he be more palatable to readers overall. From there, it was just a matter of putting two-and-two together, and out came this weird comedy fic.
1815702Oh I know all of that will be explained in FSWL. I just wonder what happened and and how it happened. Meaning I want more. ASAC. As Soon As Convenient. The way you have written these stories, 'requires' people to read the bridge fic, FSWL, to understand the change in his personality. I love it.
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I hope it's not too damning of a requirement, though; the point is that you do have the option of just accepting that he's gotten a little nicer (over threat to his own life) if Slice of Life just isn't your Slice of... cake?
That metaphor got away from me. Sorry.
-Loyal Liar
1815811It isn't 'damning' at all. Just a bit of jest from me since all three of the stories reference involve what happened to Red Ink in FSWL in some minor(or major) fashion.
Oh wow, I was not expecting Deadeye to be alive
Looks like Red Ink's time in Ponyville has done him some good, most noticeably in that he hasn't caught a bad case of death by Celestia.
I'm not sure Masquerade is making a good choice in calling Celestia's bluff, I doubt she's been a nice and benevolent pony the entirety of her tens of thousands of years of life.
I see therapy is going well. CMC + a pegasus who can set himself on fire, can't wait to see what shenanigans that combination of ponies produced.
Sounds like Stalliongrad and it's surroundings may be the original Unicorn homeland from the Heartswarming Eve pageant.
Oh yeah, looks like calling that bluff was a bad plan.
And Deadeye?
>>>Conflict is, at its core, the collision of opposites.>>>
Well, sometimes it's just simple greed, and the players of the game are pretty much of the same mind and want the same thing... then they fight over who gets to keep it. Such was the case in many of Europe's old wars.
>>>After a terrible grating noise, both the princess and her bodyguard sealed off the prisoner again. Masquerade smiled, and even afforded herself a mild laugh. It had almost been too easy.>>>
See, this is why smart dictators just kill their prisoners after they get the info they want. Like I have! I mean... like I.. would... have... if I were a dictator... which I'm totally not...
Also, those boars are some sick mo-fo's. I expect them to be exterminated when this is all over, otherwise I shall do it myself. Fithy pigs.
Buh? Deadeye? The skeptic in me is thinking that maybe he had another long lost brother/relative that looked exactly like him... and also suffered similar injuries...
Someone brought him back from the dead, didn't they? Him and Dash'll be able to commiserate on their neo-zombie experience, anyway.
The whole time you were saying that Luna was going on a journey and was going to need guards, I was hoping Dash would have to go with her. I think you may have said somewhere that the romance was between Luna and Dash (although you could've been trolling, I'm not sure) but after seeing Twilight as a more prominent character in this Act I was thinking it was going to be Twidash. And what happened to Solo? Its been like five months - either she's dead (although I don't think so) or she's still recovering in a burn unit somewhere. And what's up with the mysterious figure and the rabid Timberwolves? So many questions...
Anywho, awesome chapter. I liked that Dash's friends set up therapy sessions for her. They meant well, really, and now they know all the crap she had to go through. And poor orphan Scoots. I'm assuming that's why she was sleeping in the clubhouse in the middle of the winter, anyway. At least Dash was there to teach her about waterbending and snuggle a bit. All in all, this act is starting out super strong, and as always, I can't wait to see where you take it next
Yay my picture!!
What! Act II ? Why hasn't anyone told me of act I? Where has this fic been all my life??
good good good you are making me very interested very interested indeed
1819527Here is the link to Act I. I hope you don't mind having to read some 200,000 words.
That's not Deadeye. That's Masquerade.
That's my theory.
Damn you to hell, Loyal Liar. I forgot how fond you are of cliffhangers.
Soooo, who is the romance gonna be between, can someone please tell me.
This... Just... Uh...
I'd love to comment on how great this chapter was. On how the humour made me laugh, and the action got my blood pumping.
I'd like to comment on many things, but I'm afraid I can't do that. My brain made an explosive exit from my skull when I read that ending.
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Do you really want to ruin the suspense?
I'll tell you that I stated in in a comment to Act I. You can do the digging yourself if you're so inclined, but I encourage you to enjoy the ride instead and wait it out.
-Loyal Liar
Wow... great way to start act 2!
So... did Dead Reckoning get resurrected via necromancy or is this some kind of illusionist like Masquerade? I can't wait for the next update!
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) as it would help me too get better into the story.
Could'nt find the comment
Actually, can I be told now (please
PLEASE
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*Huffing noise, delivered with hesitation*
How could I say no to that enormous string of Rarity emoticons?
(The answer is 'very easily').
Click here if you want something spoiled because you're impatient, or something similarly scolding.
-LL
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Way to make sure everyone else sees it to, there, buddy. I don't mind you knowing, but don't go shouting it to people who don't want to know.
(That is to say, edit your comment. Seriously.)
-LL
1821229
Done, it is deleted.
Sadly, however, i don't like that kind of romancing so, i have to give it a miss.
Sorry, but it seems like a dumb (and kinda ridiculous) romancing to me. No offence intended.
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Heck, I don't care; it's not like I'm just assuming the characters in question are just going to 'magically' fall for each other (at least, not in the Disney sense). Despite the romance tag, I do not promise the perpendicular tango or a three-act tongue waltz in 10,000 word or less. To quote Ruirik (whose story 'Fire & Rain' is totally worth checking out on this subject):
Romance is more about the build up than the payoff after all, in my mind.
Either way, thanks for taking care of that comment.
-Loyal Liar
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and single-minded), and thank you for acting maturely about all this, Loyal Lair. 
Yeah sorry, that's just how i feel.
Some romance fimfiction i am reading (because i like this kind of romance) are Spike's Scootaloo, Son of Princess (first book in a three part trilogy, and is honestly that best fimfiction i have read, ever) and Repairing Harmony (Book 1).
I'm sorry for my opinion and preferences (for being pretty silly
- Alexander Hunt
DEADEYE!!!!!!~!
if i could if i would i just cant read its too much like the meme face "too long didn't read" sorry.
but its about dashie 
so i can keep cool XD but i found it intersting.
HOLY SH*T ON A SH*T SANDWICH WITH SH*T ON TOP!!!!!
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You don't really need instant clop in thousands of words for making characters likeable and their ship enjoyable.
I will confess, when I first trotted near WLL, it was "Romance" tag what grabbed my attention. Usually, I stay away from "Dark". But you know, I do not regret it for a moment. And I love what LoyalLiar did with Going Solo.
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Ok then
Don't you dare touch Twilight, Red Ink!!!!
Oh god dont give up commander, just dont guve up. The reason he musnt die is that he reminds me of master cheif.
Deadeye cant be alive.... or CAN HE? Duh duh duh