Traveling Tantalus and Tree Tits Troupe. (Private)

As Sugary briefly rubbed his arm as what felt like a treetrunk punching him became a notable occurrence, he then tried to get Sakura to stop as some soldiers raised their spears, but Shining kept them from acting as he looked down to Sakura looking quite angry that her lover and Eve had been threatened. He looked at the treemare with a deeply puzzled stare as she went back calmly to her lover's side who would receive her with open arms and the hope she wasn't egging on the Royal Couple.

Between Sakura's emotional outburst, and Eve's surprisingly straightforward answer, Shining and Cadance were left with little to go by aside from the spoken truth. However, Cadance, would just see that Sakura was doing nothing more than being a loyal and caring mare, while Eve was harder to get a read on, but she was with the couple from the day before, so perhaps... "I will tell you about the Crytal Heart, but first... Sugary, right? What does Eve mean to you?"

The question caught him off guard to be sure, but Sugary would answer as best as he could. "Huh...? Not sure what you mean. Eve is and has been my guest since yesterday after we got a job here together as mercenaries. We're just comrades in arms... Of course, she's still welcome at my ship with me and Sakura. Why?"

Again Cadance would assess what vibes she got from Sugary, and again she could read him like an open book. If neither him nor Sakura were worried over Eve, then it seemed she had no reason to think the worst of her either. The Princess let out a light sigh, and explained. "Just curious... And the idea for using the Crystal Heart was mine for starters. Here's why: No doubt you noticed the monsters prowling the frozen territories, right? We've been dealing with them little by little, but there came a time when they became much harder to get rid of after being found further out. They'd been roused from wherever they were hiding it seemed... So we called out for extra help, and then you came along. We were expecting better results at least. What we weren't expecting, especially considering Sir Sentry's report, was that so many would come so close all at once. You might have been dealing with the worst of it, but they came closer up and in greater numbers than ever before! Something called out to them, or certainly lured them in well... So you see, I wanted to use the Crystal Heart while he had the best chance so far to take out many at once... As you no doubts noticed, some others were harmed during the skirmish. Not everyone was as prepared as you were. I'd like to think I made the right choice... Is that an acceptable answer?"

Sakura stayed silent and leaning into Sugary, though as Eve started to speak, the minx decided to squeeze Sugary's ass playfully. "Something...drew...them...in..." Eve's eye twitched, and she glanced at Sugary, fury in her eyes. "Can you please bring Flint back in?" She asked politely, her emotions unreadable to all. As Flint would come in, she smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, before her horn lit and suddenly disappeared, like she was now an earth pony. "I've just made my horn phantom for ten second." She said, smiling, before headbutting Flint. Hard. Her anger was now visible as her horn reappeared and she stepped back from Flint. "This dumbass deserved the headbutt, as he failed to mention what drew the creatures in was ME. I was trying to bring them in and slaughter them all, I even mentioned it out loud, didn't I, Sugary? Yes, it is an acceptable answer. But the thoroughness of Flint's report leaves me quite irritated."

Sakura grasped Sugary's sweet flank enough to elicit a mild neigh from him but he tried to keep it hidden as now was not the best time to be all up for it, though Cadance herself did briefly raise her brow at the two from her seat; They could not hide their attraction from her.

Because Eve asked for Flint nicely, he was eventually called back, though he himself looked quite reluctant to be back there again. Now, as Eve was about to headbutt him, Sugary could tell of her aggressive intent just in time to erect a small barrier between their heads to reduce the impact, while at the same time trying to pull Sakura by the waist along with him as he tried to move closer to Eve to chew her ear out, but also to try and prepare to raise more barriers in case those around them became less tolerant all of a sudden. "Yes you did! But dammit, Eve, stop attacking the Royal Guards!! What part of Wanted don't you get!?"

Flint of course was none too thrilled to have been called back just to get hurt by the one mare he really didn't want to see again and practically growled at her as he struggled to get back up after the reduced impact. "Argh-...!? You disrespectful moron!! Of course they know that, no one else tried to crush those abominations with Dark Magic!! I told them you were violent too, and now they can see that for themselves!!"

By this point, neither Shining nor Cadance could keep just watching, and so this time Shining gave the signal to have the guards at the ready, while Cadance stood up and her wings and horn flared, making her presence as an Alicorn much more notable. She'd also make use of something her dearest aunts taught her. "THAT IS ENOUGH! THIS IS THE LAST OUTBURST I'LL TOLERATE FROM ANY OF YOU!" She then looked to Eve specifically, looking as if she wasn't one to scowl much, but her eyes sent the message as clearly as her voice that she wasn't about to sit there and let the Dullahan do as she pleased. "Need I remind you why you were brought here? I need to know if you pose a threat to us or not. Harmful creatures spawned enough as is, and you're doing no favors to anyone by threatening and attacking our guards! So I strongly suggest you listen to your companion who insists on getting you to calm down rather than see you get treated by us like the very creatures you destroyed!" It was at that moment that she spoke of the way Sugary was feeling about Eve. "You have a lot of nerve implying that I would choose to threaten my people. Using the Crystal Heart is no small matter by any means, and you provided us with the best chance for it by luring enough of those abominations, as per the swift warning of Sir Flash, Sir Flint's report, and those that followed in the aftermath. For that, I thank you. But my explanation, to you, was so that I could fight them back thanks to you! Now is that all you wanted to ask, or do you have any other outlandish assumptions you wish to make of my decision and my Guards!?" There was little doubt that the Alicorn of Love was quite cross with Eve for being accused of not caring earlier, when it was in fact the opposite that led her to take action.

Eve sat there quietly, then her horn flared and her aura became visible, layering around her armor as a second layer that would repel anyone who came near and keep Cadence's aura at bay as the mare stalked towards Cadence, then halted, horn-to-horn with the princess. "I AM EVOLTIT VON NOCROLIS BLACK!!! ONLY SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE VON BLACK FAMILY!!! YOU SHOULD KNOW OF MY FAMILY AND WHY I SHOULD BE RESPECTED!!!" Her voice echoed and boomed eerily, amplified more than Luna herself could manage. And that name she spoke... That was the name of the most famous Family of Necromancers and Dark Magic users besides Sombra and his followers, and the family had merely vanished three centuries ago with no trace of where they went or what happened. "I will show you my pain..." She murmured, her magic spreading through their horns, showing Cadence a memory.

A young, scarless Evoltit sat chained to a wall, slumped to the floor with three ponies near her, all chained as well, the youngest seven, the other two full grown adults, all were unicorns and shared the same eyes. Rings around there horns, inhibitors, were obviously why they could do nothing to escape, but Evoltit was secretly gathering more and more dark energy from around her, mumbling a small chant to summon a familiar to help them escape. A diamond dog appeared in the door to their cell, and grinned, licking his lips as he looked between them all. "Take the stallion to the mines, only useful there, the other three...They're mares, they'll be for whichever of you please me the most." He chuckled, a few other dogs rushing in and dragging Eve's father off.

The Alpha, the one giving the order, soon looked to the seven year old, and smirked, he started forward, and both Eve and her mother shouted at the same time. "NO!!!" But Eve's magic was dispersed as she lost concentration, and she could do nothing as the Alpha raped her little sister.

A few weeks later, Eve's sister and mother had been used several times, but Eve had not been touched. The Alpha entered the cell, and two of the three mares grimaced, and shrunk back, but Eve was still and silent, staring at the floor. The dog this time marched towards her, and stopped before her, grinning deviously. "I think you've been broken. As we were told, these rings would be the only way to put your family to work, and you especially would need broken." He paused and chuckled. "I think it's time to see if you're as nice as your mother and sister." He grabbed her horn and started to try to shove himself down her throat, but that was his mistake. Without too many details, it was not going to be used anytime in the rest of his days.

The next day, Eve was on the chopping block, neck on a slab of stone and the Alpha himself wielding the axe. Over to the side, her parents and sister were lined up as if to watch, but the alpha flicked his hand and one by one, starting with father and ending with sister, their throats were slit in front of Eve's eyes. A second later her head left her body.

Eve pulled away from Cadence and turned away. "You now know my pain...Do not incur my wrath..." She warned, then walked away, leaving the throne room, before teleporting to Sugary's ship and ripping away her armor, tossing it to the side and curling up under the blanket,beginning to cry as those memories had forced her to relive them.

((Sorrowful Princess))

The moment Eve flared her her magic, she most certainly alerted all the guards who drew their weapons and moved in, put Sugary on edge as he didn't get right away what was the cause for it yet felt incredibly uneasy for what she was about to do while he was about to try and stop her himself, but then it also meant she bore her soul out to Cadance as well. The Princess, while not the least bit amused at the new development, gave the signal to halt the guards and her husband, much to his own chagrin but kept still as best as he could manage, and allowed Eve to get closer.

Cadance did not flinch as she was yelled at right in her face, she didn't flinch when told about Eve's family name but did raise a curious eyebrow as if trying to recall it, she didn't flinch when Eve made horn to horn contact, but... she most certainly did let out tears as she was shown a horrid fragment of the past yet didn't break away the link. By the end of it, she was left with a somewhat empty feeling as Eve left in a hurry, staring into the air. Eventually she placed her hands on her face and closed her eyes as she got on her knees as Eve's vision had taken its toll on her after not having rested too well and then using the Crystal Heart.

Shining decided enough was enough, and he rushed to his wife's side to hold onto her as he kneeled and made her lean onto him, a deeply worried look upon his face. "Cady!? Cady, what's wrong!? What did she do!? Are you hurt!?"

Cadance, however, merely draped a wing around him, lay her head on his chest and neck, and shook her head softly. "... I'm fine... I'll be fine... I am worried of that mare though... She's not our enemy, trust me. But she's certainly very... frail... I fear she might hurt someone badly, or even herself, if she can't find peace of mind soon..."

"Then shouldn't we go out and stop her?" said Shining, being more than willing to do whatever it took to help his beloved.

"No, that's not what I meant... She's not a danger now, at least, but she's in so much pain... Time has not healed her wounds well. That is what I fear may backlash if left alone and untended for too long..." She looked towards Sugary and Sakura, about to speak to them. "... I believe our meeting here is postponed... Mr. Market, you're free to go with Sakura, but on one condition: Please find Eve, and make sure she's alright. She shouldn't have gone too far... And please tell her, I don't think ill of her... though her manners are severely lacking." For the briefest of moments, her tone of voice changed as if to imply the last part wasn't quite as important to point out, but she still looked worn out. "... However, I would like like to speak with her again... Privately, and hopefully in the evening... Can you do that? I believe she's more likely to listen to the two of you than us at least... I must say, you certainly meet some interesting folk."

Sugary hadn't read Eve nearly as well as Cadance, but even he could feel the anger and sorrow in her aura. When called upon to perform a specific task, he looked a tad surprised at the sudden change in what needed to be done next as he kept very close to Sakura. "Can do. But will we still be expected to keep up our end of the contract afterwards?"

Cadance lightly shook her head again. "Consider yourselves dismissed for now... I just wish to speak with your group in better terms. I know you've done your part already so far, so I know I can at least trust you to do a good job... Now please hurry and find her."

Sugary nodded to Cadance, and quickly looked to Sakura with a light sigh as he spoke softly to her. "... Honestly, this is far from what I thought I'd be doing here... Think you can bear with me on this and help me look for Eve? Make sure she hasn't broken anything else yet?" He really was concerned, but he also knew quite well how stubborn and aggressive the Dullahan could be.

Sakura's vine whipped out at Shining, but instead of attacking, it merely grabbed Eve's dagger and yanked it roughly back to the treemare, who caught it and smiled at Cadence. "Cadence, I must say she is stronger willed and more hard-headed than she lets on, a good pep talk should get her running right." She joked, grinning, despite telling Eve's emotions to exactly what she felt. "Girl on Girl talk should help, too. Even if I don't exactly count." She smiled sheepishly then smooched Sugary on the cheek. "Time to go, sexy~! We have an undead to cheer up~!" She said, hand around his wrist and vine around his forearm as she dragged him from the throne room.

Shining seemed briefly startled by the suddenly approaching whip, but then recalled he was in fact supposed to return the dagger, and so did not complain. Instead, he called to some of the guards, relayed some orders, and then helped Cadance up to walk her back to her room and look after her personally while the rest kept up their patrols and regular duties.

"Heh... Yeah, we do. She's still our guest and all..." Sugary was just glad things turned out well-ish so far, and sighed in relief after Sakura urged him along towards the exit. Some of the guards along the way would stare at them in a mix of curiosity and caution, but none would further prove an obstacle for them as they moved to the exit.

Once outside, he'd try and deduce where to start looking, however obvious it might seem. "Eve probably left a few things in the ship. If there's any place we should look first, it's right where she sleeps..." Eventually, his hunch would prove to be more than correct as he could slowly feel Eve's presence as he got closer to the Black Mambo, walked up the ramp, and entered through the door as he called out to her from a distance. "Eve, are you here...? You doing okay?"

Eve was still trembling in her bed, but Sakura soon left Sugary's side and walked into the room. "Forgot to lock it, hon." She commented softly, lifting up the blankets and slipping in behind Eve, pulling the noticeably colder mare into a gentle embrace and cuddle, but the Undead tensed at this unexpected touch, then slowly relaxed and stopped crying, wiping her eyes and laying limp in Sakura's arms, blushing as she felt something against her rump, but knew it was most likely an accident. She did not care anyway, it was...nice being like this. Calming, warm...safe. She shifted a little and sighed softly.

"Sakura, how are you able to calm me down so easily?" She asked curiously, not moving very much.

Sakura giggled and licked her ear playfully. "Power of the D, babe~" She joked, hinting at what Eve thought was an accident was purposeful, but knowing Eve would think so, it would make it seem like Sakura cared enough for Eve to forget about that. It was odd, but successful, psychology.

Sugary might have been skeptical about Sakura's ability for psychology, or rather, the so-called 'Power of the D' as she put it. "I think it's because she smells like flowers, but let's go with that." Nonetheless, he saw that Eve was calm as he entered the room, and so he smiled as he watched Sakura work her charm while he moved closer to them. He kneeled near Eve so he could look her in the eye. "Hey, guess what? I got some good news for ya... Turns out we're not in trouble, and we've been dismissed till further notice... That said, we were asked to meet back with the Princess again. Seems she really wants to talk to you about something..." He paused for a moment, assessing Eve's state as she lay on the bed with Sakura. "... Of course, I won't force you to do it. We don't need to go right away until we're all ready at least. That alright with you?"

Sakura nibbled on Eve's ear as the undead sighed and shifted a little, looking to the side. "Fine, whatever...Just...I need to relax..." She mumbled tiredly, but then Sakura whispered something softly to the Dullahan, and her white face turned red, eye twitching as Sakura gave her a playful hump. "Err...no thanks, Sakura, even if your friend is eager to play, I'm afraid I might not bE!" The last bit was a squeak of surprise as a bulge pressed into her rump. "Sakura..." She said warningly.

"H-Hey, was not my fault this time, sorry for my cock's eagerness. Besides, it is a compliment to how cute you are~" She teased, and one of Eve's hands strayed to rest on Sakura's thigh.

"Move or I show you how tight my grip is."

Sakura immediately slid away from Eve and stared lightly. "I doubt you could do anything once it got hard but I'm really not testing that theory..."

Before Sakura's marecock might get them into Eve's bad side, and not her bad side, Sugary moved closer to Sakura as he held back a chuckle while helping her out of the bed. "I'm sure Eve likes being told she's attractive, but please try to keep it in your pants and let her rest." He lightly nuzzled her blossoms and roots on her head gently. "She'll be fine, we're fine, and it looks like we're off the hook for now. So let's try and make the best of it..." He then whispered right into her ear "... And if you're really that pent up, didn't you say you had something for me when I got back?" and then playfully nuzzled her nose. "Or you could take a shower... Or... You could tell me a little more about those vines of yours. Didn't know you could do that."

"But...I don't want to keep it in my pants~!" Sakura whined playfully, purring at the nuzzle. "I want to put it in the sexy undead unicorn right there~" She murred, pointing at Eve, who blushed lightly, while Sakura noticed she had forgotten to hold the beast back and it was straining her pants. "Gah, ow ow ow ow ow." She hastily freed it and sighed in relief, but panted softly and stared as it hung mostly-limp but hard enough to not touch her thighs or the bed. "...Well, I might need to get some release, Sugary, though I doubt you'd be up for what I had in mind~" She purred, then paused. "Eve, gimme your favor he owes you, please~! I'll promise to never touch you or try playing with you until you allow me to, and if I do, you get to do whatever you want as payback, okay~!?" She looked ecstatically happy and that was unsettling to those who knew of her mischief.

Eve shrugged. "Deal, now get out of my room." She mumbled, ignoring the fact it was still technically Sakura's as well.

Sakura smirked and grabbed Sugary's arm, dragging him away to his room and shoving him onto the bed, laying overtop him and kissing him softly, smiling. "Well, then~ My plans can come into action with Eve's help~" She pulled out a small pink potion with a label of "Efemmes" on the side. "It'll last a week, and you aren't allowed to reverse it during that time." She grinned devilishly, her shaft, which was now hard in anticipation of what was about to happen, and the tree's own lust for Sugary and thoughts of him were helping.

All Sugary could do was stare in sympathy as Sakura had to let out her large cock, knowing she genuinely had trouble keeping it in her pants. He didn't seem bothered the least bit about it though, aside from the fact Eve might be uncomfortable with it hovering above her. He seemed genuinely surprised though when Sakura asked for Eve's right of favor though, even more so as he got dragged away to his room, shoved, and got kissed by her.

He stopped to read the label, and then looked at her and her cock as he looked down at his own loins in extreme perplexion. "Wwaaaaiiiiiit a minute, Sakura... I know I made promise, but what exactly are you expecting!? And I mean really expecting!"

She set the bottle beside his head and planted her hands on his chest. "What I expect is some sex after you drink the potion~ And I also expect you to drink it and not complain or try to reverse i~." She purred, leaning down and running a tongue up his neck to tickle his ear. "Besides, you know I'm horny and it's probably best to sate me before it takes over~" She purred, softly into the ear. She then giggled madly. "Is the strong stallion I knew not here~? Is it just a nervous little colt~?" She murred, playing the pride card like she's done so many times in her life. Almost always worked, too. "Besides, the label has two meanings in two languages~ One means Lover~" She whispered, not saying the other, that one she'd say once he drank it. "Oh, and back with those vines you asked about, I can grow anything off my own bark, except trees. Those are too big."

His eyes would trail the bottle's movement, and then quickly shoot back to her eyes as she placed her arms on him and licked him; He snorted and lightly shuddered, feeling a mix of arousal, nervousness, and curiosity. "... Neither... But you're asking me to change what I am for a week. Kind of a big deal for me... Mind making a compromise?" He spoke a bit quietly as he lay somewhat stiff on the bed, as if carefully considering the implications and possibilities. "... Think we could have one more session before I have to take the potion? A week is longer than we've known each other you know..."

"Hmm~...One more ride before the potion...or potion now and some fun immediately after...Choice, choices~!" She seemed to think it over while tracing a finger in circles around his shoulder, thinking and soon whining lightly. "Oh, I can't decide...Ooh~! Both~! A session before, a session after. Whadya say, sexy~?" She purred, kissing him softly with her hands resting on his chest. "I sure have the stamina for it~" She teased, like she was saying he might not be up to the challenge. "If you don't, I'm sure I have a Stamina Potion somewhere~" She purred challengingly.

Sugary blinked with a blank look upon his face, stunned by the proposition after the kiss which he didn't seem to responsive to at first. But soon he closed his eyes, and then chuckled nervously as he placed his hand on Sakura's hips and caressed them. "... Hm... Can't exactly back away from this... I really hope you know what you're doing... Fine. Deal. Now let's get started before I regret this..." He was more or less steeling his resolve shakily, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. He was determined to see this through.

He leaned upwards to kiss her on the lips, this time going for a deeper kiss as his arms went up her body and slowly tried to take off her shirt. Meanwhile, his horn began to glow as he focused on his own loins to further prevent the chance of pregnancy on her.

She purred and nuzzled him after pressing into the kiss quietly, her shaft resting between them on his chest as she leaned up a little to help remove her shirt, then she unclasped and slid her bra onto the floor, smiling warmly and happily as she shimmied her hips side to side, getting her pants and panties off after a bit, then she kicked them aside and sat up in his lap with a grin, pausing to allow him a nice look at her once more, her D-cups and curvy form on display for him, as well as the shaft that loomed under his chin, throbbing with the tree's heartbeat. "Mmm~" She seemed to think as she gripped his own shirt and pulled it off, then used magic to slowly pull away his pants, but she did not yet touch his boxers, smiling and deciding to let him do that. "Whenever you take those off~ Tell me the game plan, hon~ What shall we do first~? Maybe I should fulfill that promise about getting a taste of you~?"

He cooperated rather well with her as she undressed him in turn, but he also paid special attention to when she used magic on him despite not having a horn. It seemed there was a lot more he needed to learn about his lover, whose form he most certainly admired which included her marecock.

He just calmly stared in brief thought before using one hand to lightly grasp and stroke the mid point of her shaft while he stared at her nether region. "You taste me, and I'll taste you. I already know this..." he poked the tip of her shaft with the other hand "... tastes sweet~. I'm very curious about there too."

She nuzzled him softly as he spoke and cooperated, humming thoughtfully and purring as he lightly played with her shaft, then smiled sheepishly. "Actually...I've never been eaten out before~" She giggled and licked his cheek. Her mind was on why she thought that was, and it was probably because for those that bedded with her were either hilt deep or too concentrated on her shaft, as it would dominate one's vision and it was rather delicious-looking, especially once you knew it was so sweet. "I kinda prefer my shaft being played with~...It's the more sensitive and eager part of me, and I really like the feeling of one milking it~..."

Sugary began to grin as Sakura told him she wasn't ever eaten out, which he found surprising given her libido. He'd probably ask about her love life soon... very, very soon as he leaned upwards somewhat against her marecock, slid both hands down her shaft, used one to lightly fondle her balls, while the other went further under her into her flower, pushing and stroking his way in with digits. "I could do both you know~... Is there something else other lovers haven't done with you yet? Now's as good a time as any to talk about it."

Sakura cooed softly as he played with her, letting out a hum of approval and smiling warmly. "That'd be nice, Sugary, but I'd prefer just my shaft being serviced, buuuut...Since I'm feeling particularly frisky, you get free reign~" She purred, licking his jawline and nibbling there softly, shaft twitching and throbbing on his chest, while one hand went behind her to work into his boxers and run up and down his sheath,fingers playing against it gently and slowly, the mare smiling at him. "And no, I've tried about everything else~"

He hummed and neighed softly as she took off his boxers and started to stroke him in return. He nuzzled her as he kept tending to her in the meantime. "Aaah~... And what is it about me that made you pick me as a lover? Is it the way I treated you when we met?" He pulled away from her nethers while still fondling her to caress where she got injured by the pickaxe. "... Or am I just that enjoyable for you~?" He leaned forward, opening his mouth wide as he licked and suckled on one of her breasts with a fair bit of enthusiasm before going back to inserting digits into her nethers, but this time deliberately wriggling them more and trying to grasp and grope deeper.

With her caresses and his growing lust, his member would soon come out and play with hers as it brushed by it slowly as it pulsed and twitched. Even if it was overshadowed, it would still stand proudly and ready at its side as Sugary moved his hips in light thrusting motions.

She continued to run her fingers along his shaft, not reacting much to his touch as she thought hard. Why did she like Sugary so much... "I guess...It's because you were kind, caring, and you...accepted how different I was without even thinking about it..." She then purred softly as his fingers reached deeper, nuzzling his neck playfully, before kissing him passionately. "That, and my heat cycles should kick into gear in three weeks. I really need someone to keep me under control during that time." She giggled playfully, then lightly rubbed her tip against his collarbone gently as she took hold of him and began stroking slowly.

Sugary actually had to stop tending to her supple breast to look at her after she kissed her neck very eagerly and told him about her heat cycle. "I'm glad you think of me that way, but seriously!? You have a chance to get pregnant yet still have a heat cycle!? Oh me oh my~" He felt both a rushing nervousness and state of arousal at the thought as she stroked him again more attentively. "Mmm~... Guess I'll just have to be in top shape to keep up then~. If that's gonna happen, may as well enjoy it, right~?" Perhaps he was in way over his head, but he was by no means backing down either as her lover. Challenging tough the prospect may be.

But in the present time, he was tending to her nonetheless, more coming along the way soon as he had a promise to keep. He raised his hand over to the roots on her marecock and played with them by stroking them from side to side as he pulled the other hand away from her nethers, and slowly stuck his hand out in front of her as he licked her juices from his fingers to find out if she really did taste any different from there.