Sacrifice and Loyalty

"You sure you wanna do this Loyal?"

"Buck yes Dashie!"

Loyal and Dash stood at the bar with the barkeep bringing over a few shots.

"You do know you don't have to do this, right?"

"Of course I don't, but you've seen my way of having fun at a bar already. Besides, you only live once!" he replied with a smirk.

Both him and Dash new that you infact could live twice, but it was a decently kept secret outside of Ponyville. It was also a personal inside joke and a testament to their love for eachother.

"Well ok then, but don't tell me I didn't try to warn you or talk you out of it later."

At this Dash and Loyal downed their first shot. Dash took it easily, licking her lips. Loyal on the other hoof had a much more intersting reaction. His eyes dilated and his face screwed up as the liquid burned his throat.

After a short coughing fit he lifted his head up with tears in his eyes.

"Damn!"

"Oh Celestia, Loyal. If you could see your face right now!"

A quick glance at the 'keep told the stallion that Dashie wasn't the only one finding this amusing.

Annoyed Loyal swept up a shot from the other side of the line as the first two and downed it.

'Holy shit, he didn't just?!' thought the stallion just running the bar.

Loyal's face screwed up real bad as he shook his head side to side. Dash leaned over to see if he was ok when he looked right at her.

"Dash? I think that one wash a little shtrong?"

At this the cyan mare doubled over in a fit of howling laughter.

"And that Vinyl, was Loyal's first drink!" Dash chortled.

"Ah whatever, how was I supposed to know that they were in order from weakest to strongest." the stallion in question objected.

"Oh no Dash, you think that's bad you should hear about the time Vinyl got into a bottle of Gargle Blaster."

At this the blue maned mare gave a sly smile and suggestively asked, "All of the story, Octy?"

The cellist blushed profusely, "Actually maybe you shouldn't."

The four ponies laughed uproarsly. "Hey, I can hold my own now though." shot Loyal who was infact now holding an exotic drink mix of his own creation.

"Really? Cause that looks alot like water with a lemon to me Loyal." Vinyl smirked back. At this Loyal offered his glass to her.

"Well then test it my musically inclined friend?"

"Loyal, you sure she can handle the R-Dash 5k?"

"Dash please, I'm a DJ I can handle any drink thrown my way!" at this Vinyl took the glass and chugged it, much to her own chagrin.

Her eyes dilated much like Loyal's had on his first drink. Ears twitching slightly the DJ collapsed straight down onto the table.

"Oh dear, Scratchie are you ok!?"

"Relax Tavi, Dashie did the same thing the first time she had it. There is a very valid reason I sip that drink." Loyal sputtered inbetween bouts of laughter.

"I hope she realizes that I won't allow this to be lived down. Ever."

"That wasn't very nice Loyal." giggled Rainbow Dash.

"Well no, but it was bucking hilarious!"

"Why is it called the R-Dash 5k though?"

"That's simple, I was already tipsy when I made it and I claimed it tasted as good as Dashie here. Then Dash chugged it and found out it knocks you on your plot in nanoseconds. When she came to the first thing she could think of was stating that chugging it is like down five thousand shots in one go." the stallion remembered fondly.

"Ah I see, and when does it wear off."

"Give it a few days." smirked Dash.

Dash and Loyal eventually wandered out into the dance floor, much like their usual routine. They didn't care whether they looked weird, or if other ponies mocked them. They just had fun. And nothing was funner that a waltz to slow paced dubstep.

"If you're gonna live Loyal.." started the chromatic mare.

"Live like tommorrow is your last Dashie!" finished the stallion as they continued around the dance floor sharing a kiss.

They eventually headed back to their own house where a intresting note was attached to their door.

"Hmm it's from Canterlot Loyal." remarked a rather pertrubed Element of Loyalty.

"Really now? Well what does it say?"

Well here we go, it says:

Dearest Loyal and Rainbowdash,

We wish to invite you both to visit us in Canterlot regarding Loyal's intrestingand unexpected return into this world. We waited this long so you could enjoy some of your time together but there are matters that must be discussed. It is also unclear to us how this amazing feat was performed and whjat it all means.

You will be staying in the palace and won't need to pack too much.

With loving care and guidance,

Your Princesses Celestia and Luna.

"Hmm, I was wondering when they'd take an intrest in my return." Loyal chuckled nonchalntly. He looked over at his mare-friend to find a worried look upon her face.

"What's wrong Dashie?"

Rainbow Dash was worried in a way that she couldn't even begin to describe. tears in her eyes she threw her hooves around Loyal's neck and sobbed out every fear she had.

"I know you weren't supposed to come back for me Loyal! what if they want to return you? Or what if they have to return you? What if they say you can't stay? I can't lose you again Loyal. It''l kill me!"

"Relax, it's ok Dash. Remember the night I came back? What did I tell you?"

"You rold me that you couldn't find perfection without me." the mare mumbled into his mane.

"Exactly, they can't send me back to a perfect place for me to live out the rest of eternity perfectly if I can't find perfection there."

The stallion hoped his mare would find the sense in his words and low a behold if she did.

"Ok, if your sure then I guess I can't really doubt you, and Loyal?"

"Yes Dashie?" he replied as he turned to look at her.

"I love you more than anything in the world. Thank you for coming back for me."

"I know you do, and I love you too."

The two headed off to bed to catch some sleep. Dash fell right into slumber despite the excitement moments ago but Lyal was far more troubled.

'I still don't know how to tell her the truth. Should I even tell her? Maybe we can both just pass away and she can learn that way. Maybe I can tell her when we're old and grey. I just don't know what to do..." with these thoughts swirling in his head Loyal slipped into a fitful slumber.

It was always the same nightmare. He'd be running to Dash as she aged before his eyes. He would unwillingly slow down until he passed a pond. Unlike usual he actually stopped and looked into this pond for the first time. What he saw was a withered old stallion. Then just like usual a chasm opened beneath him as he fell into the pits of Tartarus.

Author's note. While I know this is short, and I don't have a good name for the Story yet, this is mostly going to be bits and peaices of info that tells you what happened between the chapter 'Sacrifice and Loyalty' and 'The Things We Refuse to Leave Behind' My way of making this a bit funner. Relax though, there will be multi chapter stories in this.