Traveling Tantalus and Tree Tits Troupe. (Private)

Despite what Sakura might think, neither Shining nor Cadence knew of the store in a lewd manner. To Cadence's knowledge, it was just a fine place for making atypical custom orders that even Sakura could benefit from.

The royal couple, as well as Sugary in a light daze after the lusty kiss, eyed Eve curiously as she made her request. Cadence would be the first to speak once Sakura was well and truly gone. "... Eve, while I don't object to the use of it for a greater cause, I find it curious you claim to know how to do that... Mind telling us how you know that might work? Did your family ever study the Heart?"

Then Sugary would speak. "For that matter... Sakura has a strong life-force, but I'm hardly lacking. I'd be happy to take her place if she somehow can't cooperate. I'm all for trying out new things." There was a glint in her eyes towards Eve. She really hoped to get a chance to see Eve perform a powerful spell, and see the results. She looked forward to it all.

"It was...very long ago, Cadence. I am three hundred years old. But the time when my family got to experiment with the Heart was nearly a thousand years ago. But all our knowledge is passed down immediately to the next in our family, at thirteen we learned everything, and learned the consequences of failure to control our power. That's why, even when threatened by Sombra himself, thought by all to be traitors, thought to be trying to bring Nightmare Moon back, my family sided with Celestia, we continued to do our work and ignore all the other nobles. All those Nobles wanted was us out of the picture, and...Well, Princess, one of your relatives currently lives in the old grounds of where my family used to reside. What was his name, again? Blue Brat? Blueballs?" She grinned cheekily. "Well, regardless, he doesn't know of the sub-basement, thank Celestia, or else he'd be even worse than he is now. Those artifacts and relics we've collected over the years were...powerful..."

Cadance chuckled lightly at whom Eve was referring to, while Shining just had a look of disgust on his face at being reminded he was now related to the stallion in question. Sugary, however, would be the first to answer in a surprised voice. "... Wait, you mean Blueblood...? Sheesh, of all the places to leave relics in, they're right under the most Un-popular-in-Canterlot Noble's home. No one could ever pay me enough to work for him... Though I doubt he'll be all that willing to just let us pass through."

Shining would be the one to follow up on that last statement. "I'd be more concerned with him finding out why. Wouldn't surprise me if he suddenly wanted to lay claim to it all if he ever did find out... What? You know how he gets, Cady." He was now under a constant gaze from an amused Alicorn mare before she turned her attention to the others.

"Blueblood shouldn't be an issue at all if you get Auntie Celestia to help keep him away. He might be dull-witted, but he'd never turn her down for anything. Unless you simply prefer to get your things discretely? Either way though... I'm in no position to fully understand your lineage well. As I said, Celestia would know. As for the Crystal Heart? I think we can get everything ready by tomorrow... You will have what you need if you can really help us with our plight. That's a promise we intend to keep." Shining nodded in agreement, even if he did seem somewhat reluctant. Then again, it was hard for him to simply forget how heated things got earlier in the way, where as Cadance was simply coming to terms with what Cards fate had dealt her with, as the alternative options were not likely to be as effective. She was almost literally taking a shot in the dark here nonetheless.

"Guess we just wait on Sakura then...? She did say she'd be back soon... Things look to be resolved here so far." Sugary thought the discussion had gone well so far, but she kept looking to Eve as she played a key role for the time being, and was willing to keep hearing her out for anything.

Eve chuckled and smiled warmly. "I think all I'd need to do is glare and he'd shit himself. But yes, it would be safer to ask Celestia to warn him off. And...tomorrow it begins...I'll be ready, Sugary probably will, and Sakura, well, she'd definitely be ready, eager as she is to prove herself." She paused and grinned at Cadence. "One thing though. Is it true Alicorns get Earth Pony strength?" Her grin and the way she leaned towards the table meant she wanted to test that. "I'd love a good arm wrestle." She said, but if Cadence turned it down, she'd shrug and say. "Just playing around." But if she accepted, well, Eve never held back before, why would this be any different?

Sugary gave Eve a cocked brow and a smirk, as if to say 'What do you mean probably? Of course I'm ready!', while Cadance merely blinked dumbfounded at Eve's sudden challenge. "Um... Well, I know I said I stay fit, but I'm hardly an Iron Mare..." It was probably easy enough to tell that she wasn't willing to go through with the challenge.

Shining, however, placed his own arm on the table instead. "Earth Pony strength? Why not take on me instead? I can toss my wi-... I can toss javelins pretty far you know!" He did his very best afterwards to not look back at Cadance's mild glare after his statement.

"Hm? Toss your wi-?" She grinned and laughed loudly. "Don't try hiding it, you two, I've read the reports on Sombra's demise. It seems that it was the smartest choice, but also the most...unorthodox, you could say." Eve shrugged and leaned forward, gently placing her arm on the table and taking hold of Shining's arm. As soon as he decided to start, he'd feel the steel-like solidity of her arm, it moving nowhere for him. But after a minute of grinning at the unicorn stallion, Eve slammed the back of his hand into the table, then yawned and shrugged. "Was hoping to see if the alicorn was stronger than me, would've been a nice surprise. But it's still fun to show off the fact that I'm strong." She smiled at Shining. "Not bad, however, I felt how strong you were, but don't feel bad about losing, I've beaten minotaurs twice your size, and you feel stronger than half of them." She obviously was just being nice, but only Sugary and Cadance would know that. "Cadance, you really must've been aerodynamic for you to be thrown so easily." Eve said with a slight grin, trying to be a bit more friendly, it seemed.

Cadance let out a light chuckle and a blush at being reminded so vividly of how she was thrown out the balcony by her husband for a noble goal, while Shining was badly hurt in his pride... and maybe his wrist as well as he looked like something was aching to him while he rubbed his arm discretely in defeat, mentally swearing to himself that Eve must have cheated in some way.

Sugary lightly tapped Eve's leg with her own to get her attention. "*Ahem*... Glad to see you're in a good mood, but aren't you laying it a bit thick there?" She wasn't upset in any way, but did find it pleasant to see Eve having mostly harmless fun given how bad she felt earlier in the day. She just wanted to make sure she didn't get carried away in her good mood that she ended up hurting someone... else...

"Again, I'll have to pass. But maybe some day we can try competing in something else... Right now though, it's best we focus on tomorrow. Once that's been dealt with, I'll be happy to take things more casually. Is there anything else you think we should discuss though?" said Cadance. For the most part, the group seemingly waited on Sakura to return afterwards.

Eve hummed in thought, she opened her mouth to say something when Sakura appeared behind Sugary and hugged her with a massive grin. "Got the clothes~!" She giggled madly and gave Sugary a lustful kiss. "Let's head back to the airship, Sugary, there's work to do tomorrow~ And I wanna cuddle~!" She looked, possibly, overexcited in some small way, giving Sugary another kiss, before scooting over to Eve. "So, everything talked about and stuff?" She asked, smiling at Eve's yawning nod. "Cool. I'm ready, too, and now Sugary'll never know if I'm horny~" She teased, meaning the new panties she had left to get. After that sentence, though, she plopped down next to Sugary, smiling.

Sugary was happy to see Sakura back with them, but hardly got to say much of anything as her affections smothered quite substantially. This mostly just left Cadance to talk as Shining was still hurt in his pride. "Er... Yes, I believe we've come to terms on what must be done. Just know that you may rest for tonight to your hearts content while the city guards tend to patrols, tomorrow is when work shall continue... The sooner, the better."

Once Sugary got her bearings, she nuzzled Sakura back properly in greeting after giving her a kiss, and then looked to the Royal Couple and Eve. "If that's the case, then we probably should be leaving. We'll give'em hell tomorrow to be sure..." She got up, carrying Sakura while doing so as the Royal Couple nodded in agreement. "... Shame we had to meet again this way though. I was really hoping it would be for making friendly travel arrangements to Sakura's home. Not that I've given up on that." Cadance in particular smiled, calmly waiting for the group to leave and bid them farewell so she could start making preparations. Sugary in particular waited for Eve to get up and go along back with them.

The next day, Eve was up early as usual, but so was Sakura, and they were on the deck, talking quietly about exactly what Eve would be doing with the treemare's soul. After a while, the two headed back inside and sat down with some hot tea, sipping it and letting the smell drift through the ship. But a few hours later, Eve donned her armor and Sakura grabbed her camo clothes, the treemare pestering Sugary to hurry up, playfully, though, and constantly nuzzling and kissing her. Eve had pushed them apart, grinning. "Work to do first, lovebirds." Later, at the gates, Eve looked back to Sugary. "Any warnings you'd like me to give you?"

The night had been as pleasant as could be for Sugary, particularly with Sakura being ever the affectionate one to which she gladly treated kindly in return. She was somewhat disappointed she didn't get to talk with Eve more as she had looked genuinely tired, and so decided to leave things for the next day...

By the next day, and after getting a nice breakfast as well as a decent warm up, they'd all eventually be right back at the gate, though this time she would once again be wearing her beloved red clothes in full set, even if some of the proportions were a tad off underneath. It was time to speak as she looked to Eve while standing close to Sakura. "I suppose I would like to hear the warnings, but more than that I want you to know that you should keep from pushing yourself like last time... I trust your might alright, but my concern is that the very magic you'll use to find and destroy the Dark Ones with may very well backfire on you. We have no way of knowing what those things can really do after all. I want you to please be more moderate this time. You got us with you, so there's no need to go all out right from the start. Last thing I wanna do is keep the promise to beat you up if you get out of control, you know...? Been meaning to say that since yesterday by the way... Anyway, go on." For all the rowdy vibe she got from Eve, Sugary showed genuine concern since she already knew the Dullahan was hardly invulnerable when absorbing too much Dark energies and getting close to powerful Light magic. She didn't want to find out what else could go wrong with her so soon; Especially at a critical moment.

Eve grinned at Sakura, and held out her hand, the treemare giggling and doing as Evoltit did yesterday, withdrawing a piece of her soul and handing it to Eve. Eve gingerly held it before Sugary. "This is your warning. Sakura's soul is being used to power my scan, and it will technically open a link to all the creatures we are hunting down. Their magic will do more damage to her if her defenses fall. Be wary, as I've already warned Sakura as best I could. She understands to be careful, as do I. You are both friends, and I will protect you as I can."

"Aww, it's so sweet~ I'm gonna hurl." Sakura joked, pretending to puke, before giggling and kissing Eve on the cheek. "Protect my ass and I'll protect yours, 'kay?" She grinned, taking back the piece of her soul and returning it to her body.

Sugary looked at the soul-manipulating going on before her with worry, curiosity, and nostalgia. "... You know, I was shown how souls could literally be used as weapons some time ago. Never thought I'd see use of such great magic like this... I'm glad to see you two being so steadfast about this, but I do know what kind of risks are involved. That said..." She smiled, sighed, and continued. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll gladly lend any aid I can to ensure things go well. Maybe I could help in keeping things stable... Anyway, time to see the Princess. But please share anything else you can with me along the way..." And just as told, she'd urge the group to continue moving.

As they had been expected, a couple nondescript Guards would escort them all the way to the hall in which the Crystal Heart was kept. It wouldn't be long before noticing that both Cadence and Shining were waiting there by now along with a few more guards; The Princess was tinkering with the Heart slowly to prepare it for use, while Shining remained close by to assist since he had some knowledge of it, as well as guard her with his life. Cadence would be the one to greet them, though she didn't look like she was in the mood for too much formality. "Ah, good! You're right on time! Just come over here and tell us how you intend to carry out the spell." From that point on, it was on Eve to direct the use of the Heart for her intended purpose while everyone around her was as prepared as could be expected of them to make sure everything came along as well as possible.

"Be quicker, Cadence, if I could just do it now. Demonstrations are easier for me." Eve smiled lightly, then looked at the Heart, placing a hand on it and yelping as if she'd placed her hand on a heated stove. "Sonuvabitch that hurt." She growled, glaring at the Heart angrily. "Yeah, fuck you too, asshole." She growled at it, before looking at Sakura. "Sakura, if you would. As I said earlier."

"'Kay." Sakura grinned and stepped up to the Heart, concentrating and pulling a bit of her soul out after a small pause. She took a few deep breaths, then looked to Eve.

"Press it to the Heart, and ask the Heart to show you what you want to see. AN please, no dirty thoughts, i'd rather not see the consequences."

"You know me too well~" Sakura purred, giggling and closing her eyes after pressing the piece of her soul to the Heart, but as that happened, a small reverberation passed through everyone near, the subtle pulse of magic from the heart traveling rapidly.

Eve suddenly ran to the closest trash can and started hurling, coughing and growling under her breath after a while. "Yep...that...that worked all right." She panted and blinked rapidly, pointing to the Heart. "You are an asshole." She growled, as if it had a mind of it's own.

Sugary, as well as Shining and Cadancel, were reasonably concerned about Eve being physically hurt by even touching the Crystal Heart, but no one immediately told her anything as she looked more annoyed than anything.

Once the process began, the Royal Couple looked at the soul being used by Sakura as it was placed within the Heart. They all drew in their breaths as they awaited for the results... And would be reasonably surprised to see something actually came of it in the form of a huge but seemingly harmless pulse, to those that weren't Dark beings anyway.

Sugary would move right by Eve's side, looking over to Sakura as well as she checked on the both of them after the experimental spell was set in motion, and because she wanted to make sure Eve would not end up as bad as last time. "Hey, you two gonna be okay...? Do you need me to help you recover at all?" She recalled how Eve syphoned her magic, and thought she might as well be ready for it again for good measure, this time willingly ready to tend to the both of them.

Meanwhile, over the distance, some of the weaker remnants were slain as the pulse expanded, while others that were in hiding became restless and hurt. If Eve was trying to pinpoint a location, there would be a particularly reactive location Northwest of the Empire.

Of the Royal Couple, Shining would be the more curious as Cadance made sure the Heart was stable. "... That was... interesting... Did something else happen?"

"The Heart gave me just enough Light Magic to puke. Which reinforces my ancestor's feelings that it houses an actual Spirit of Light. I don't know myself, but it'd explain why it reacts with hostility towards me." She kept glaring at the Heart, but of course, it did nothing to prove Eve's thoughts. "Trying to help everyone and the thing decides to hate me still." She grumbled. "Yo, Sakura, got a location?"

"I think...Northwest?" She frowned, then nodded and grinned, looking like nothing had happened to her. "Yep, they're northwest." She smiled at Eve. "Eve~ That's not how you talk to others, now is it~? You gotta be ni-OW, SONUVAWHORE THAT HURT!!" Sakura cut off as she had tried touching the Heart, but now looked like she was about to shatter it herself. "Eve, dafuck was that?"

"You're technically connected to those souls we're hunting down. Heart hates dark anything." Eve looked close to laughing, but she held it in. She turned to Shining and Cadance, bowing her head. "Thank you, Cadance, Shining. Now we can hunt them down and get this over with." She grinned, then blinked a few times. "Oh, yes, I do hope the guard who questioned me and Sugary when we signed up for this a few days back wrote down my fee." She smirked. "I am a mercenary. And I'd hate to not get paid." She purred playfully, giggling and grabbing the still-fuming Sakura. "C'mon, Sakura, let's go." She said, dragging the treemare off.

Cadance would smile at Eve's request. "If your journey goes well, I'll be the one to personally compensate your work. You have my word." Once the group left, she'd stay behind to continue observing the Heart for good measure, while Shining went back to his usual duties and relaying new orders to the guards.

Sugary had nothing short of a constant look of worry over how both Sakura and Eve kept getting seemingly hurt by the Heart and spell. Having a known hostile location was great, but she really wasn't looking forward to either of them keeling over. She also thought they were being rather friendly with one another to the point her asking how they were doing went over their heads as she followed along. "It's almost as if they bonded with more than friendship... Does it have to do with the soul spell...?" She spoke softly to herself along the way, watching the two mares carefully on how they behaved with one another as they left the castle.

Eve let go of Sakura and they both continued on, walking in silence, but while Eve was grinning, Skaura still looked rather peeved. "Calm down, Sakura, You'll be able to touch it later, I promise, but I can't promise you'll get revenge on it."

"Yeah, yeah, I don't care 'bout the thing. Just...surprised, is all." She mumbled, before yawning and tagging back to hug Sugary's arm. "Hey, cutie~ Whatcha think~? You okay with your beautiful friend and fuck buddy getting into a fight~?" She murred deeply, purring into the unicorn mare's ear, before kissing her horn gently and giggling. "Personally, I say this should be fun. What do you think , Eve?"

"I think I'm getting paid for a good job done. So let's make sure we do this right. I won't accept payment if we fail, even if we only left the tiniest soul alive. Job ain't done, I don't want paid." She said simply, adjusting her armor with a small smile.

Sugary was more or less getting an idea of how well they got along, to the extend she thought she missed quite a lot when they had spent time alone together while she showered. She also shuddered as the light kiss to the horn, but otherwise was glad Sakura was right by her side. "What I think...? I'd rather not see either of you fight. Sparring is alright by me of course. And as worried as I am on soul using spells... I'm glad you two have the right kind of drive for this; Even if one of you is treating this like it was any old job despite the stakes." While it was poking a bit of fun at Eve, she couldn't help but admire the professionalism she held. "Not that I'm complaining, I could hardly ask for better companions." And she meant it. Eve and Sakura were both capable and as confident as could be expected, so she was at ease with them around.

Eventually, the border would be reached, and the snow became more visible. It was at this point Sugary would address a different topic, though mostly to Sakura whom she held close. "Hey, Sakura? What did you and Eve talk about before we left the ship? You've both been chipper since we left. I feel like I missed something important."

"Sugary, no offense, but even if your body's female, I won't divulge the private talks with another mare. Most of it was Personal talk, you'll have to deal with not knowing, okay?" Sakura nuzzled the unicorn and kissed her, smiling softly. "'Sides, We're headed into a fight, why don't we focus on being prepared, eh?" She grinned happily then looked at Eve, who had tagged back as well.

"So, when we get into the fight, Sakura, you know what I told you to do, right?" At Sakura's nod, she grinned. "Good, maybe we can end it before it starts if we work together." She stared ahead, humming. "You say their ahead? Well, when I can sense them, too, they'll be closer than I'd like..."

Sugary sighed slightly, feeling a bit envious of the girl's only rule the true mares had set for themselves, leaving her feeling out of the loop even if Sakura meant well. "I'm ready to fight, no doubts there. Just making an observation or two." She'd smile for a moment as they reached the border, but then got a seemingly distant look in her eyes, perking her ears and readying her magic as soon as they moved out to the cold norther area. "... Don't suppose you could let me in on what the plan is at least? Course, I won't mind just being pointed at anything hostile and blow it up..."

There were hardly any dangers right away, especially since the guards and the pulse only made any approaches by the dark ones dangerous and unlikely, but as they moved closer to the intended direction, the wind seemed to whisper at them, particularly Eve, to turn back lest they wished to be consumed harshly.

Eve was letting out an almost-feral growl constantly by now. She glared ahead, every sense she had available on full alert, and she was irritated at the whispers, she dealt with enough of that from within. She decided t send back her own. If you wish for a clean, unpainful death, submit to the Dullahan approaching, mercy only comes for those who give up initially.

Sakura shuddered lightly and hugged Sugary's arm. "Bleh. Should've dressed wamrer." She mumbled softly, kissing Sugary on the cheek to calm herself before yawning and grinning lightly. "Hear those whispers, girls? They're scared~!"

As far as replies went, the wind howled like thunder towards the group. The Dark Ones were growing anxious and rowdy at Eve's blatant challenge, while the fact the group as a whole kept advancing would be taken as an insult to their fell might as they saw it.

Indeed Sugary heard the sounds, but she was currently more concerned about Sakura looking cold. She soon lit up her horn, and enveloped the two of them in a light blue aura. Contrary to its look, it would actually protect against the cold, helping Sakura and Sugary to keep their normal body temperatures over time as the spell kept active. Of course, that didn't mean she wasn't also just rubbing her body with her arm to aid the process for that matter. "I heard... And I can feel them too in a way... Personally, I'm just glad to have a chance to throw my strength at something dangerous again. Less reasons to hold back!"

As the group went further and further onwards, they would receive a welcoming committee in the form of half a dozen dark being charging at them from a distance. The very location they were meant to go. "Look alive! They're coming right this way!" There was no particular formation to them; They were merely out for blood.

"Sakura..." Eve hissed, fists clenching as she gathered her soul-rending magicks together, the grey energy forming around her arms slowly.

Sakura, on the other hand, smirked challengingly and knelt slowly, digging through the snow below her with a few vines as fast as possible, soon revealing the ground beneath, and then four vines burrowed deep, Sakura's magic and vines seeking out old roots from past plantlife, connecting to them, using their trapped energy to expand, grow outwards, until a massive circle of roots were spread around the area before them, slowly forming a sort of web. "Alright, ten more seconds and we're good. Gods, I hope this works, Eve."

Sugary saw what Eve and Sakura were up to, and so she became the first to fire right away from long range using the same spell of Light as before in the form of various orbs being conjured around her, mostly away from Eve out of respect and caution, and launched them in a fast barrage towards those on the farther sides and inwards. She pelted and tore apart 2 out of 6 with the Light spell that exploded and purified on contact, forcing the others to advance more in a row, making them easier targets for the others as they were less spread out. "Can you pick them off from here?"