I watched in horror as Foxglove walked over to the side of the bed. "Ben...you're gonna want to leave now."

I crawled off the bed, landing on the floor with a loud thud, my legs refusing to work. "Uh...Foxglove I--"

"Oh, his old mate." Light shook her mane, throwing her coverings off. "I'm sorry to--" She was cut off by Foxglove kicking her with her foreleg. "Oh! You want to fight!?"

Foxglove adjusted her bra. "Bitch, he's mine!"

Moon Light just sneered. "Fine, we shall fight for the meat. First to submit shall relinquish the Krossa."

I pulled myself up using a shelf. "I don't even know you!"

"Ben, shut up!" Foxglove snapped at me. "If she wants to fight for you, I'll fucking kill her!"

"As if you--" Foxglove lunged at Light, tackling her and taking her to the floor. "Iddiki!? Mar-aga so--

"Sookiin, mar-aga derova!" Foxglove shot back, hissing angry and slamming herself and Light into the wall. A few bottles crashed to the ground as the bed slid across the floor, nearly pinning me to the wall.

I watched as the mares struggled for dominance, hooves flying, fangs flashing, the room growing more and more broken. It was truly insane.

A pair of bat ponies walked into the doorway, ignoring the violent clash and looking around, finally spotting me flailing in the corner. "Benjamin, hello." A dark red maned mare nodded at me.

I sat on the floor trying to regain the feeling in my legs. "Uh...hi."

The mare smiled wide and nodded. She turned to the other bat by her side, "Dov, help him."

Another deep red maned pony walked over, putting his head under my arm and helping me to my numb feet. "Sir'a, can you walk?" he asked calmly.

I tried to stand, failing over and over again and dragging more and more off the shelf. "Uh. Yes- no- yes- no- yes.... No."

The mare walked over, kicking the bed into the brawling duo. "Still poisoned... here." She took a bottle from her pack and held it for me. "Force it back quickly, we need to get going."

I threw back the paste like brew. "Oh geez...like drinking plastic."

The stallion gestured for me to hold onto him. "How much do you weigh?" he asked, voice honest and not judgmental.

I scratched my head. "Uh, one-eighty?" I guessed, unsure of the last time I weighed myself.

The stallion nodded. "I can lift that."

"You can?"

The stallion bowed proudly. "We are not like the feathered ones. We are not made for speed, we are made for power."

I wrapped my arms around the stallion's neck, feeling myself lift off the ground as the pony flapped his leathery wings. "Whoa...this is kinda freaky."

The mare walked over face to face with me. "Indeed, and before we go any further, it is good to meet you. I am Pursa," she turned to the stallion, "Dov Arder, and...," she gestured to the door as a final stallion walked in. "Carve."

The apparent Carve walked in and sat down in the corner. "Hello...I'll make sure they don't kill eachothe--"

"I'll fucking kill you skank- fucking bitch!" Foxglove screamed, popping above the bed only to be pulled back down in a flash. Carve just shook his head and tried to join the fray, failing and sitting back to watch them fight.

The mare looked over at them and shook her head. "Perhaps your introduction might have been better if we had known you were coming. Oh well, come, time is wasting." She turned to the door, leading Dov through the mare war zone while dragging me along for the ride. I just held onto his neck as my numb legs dragged against the floor.

I watched as I was whisked through a medieval style hovel, complete with thatched roof and assorted glassware just sitting out in the open. It struck me as strange, like I was thrown back in time, and being carried by a magical flying creature wasn't doing anything to change that. "Hey...so, I need to get to the train."

Pursa nodded. "Indeed, our home is rather small, we would be better to talk in the train than in a hut."

I scratched my head a little. "Not what I meant, but that sounds okay.... This might be a bit awkward, considering you're trying to help, but who are you?"

Pursa let out a familiar laugh. "Can you not tell? Foxglove said your species was perceptive. I suppose maybe the venom is still clouding your mind."

I looked at the two thestrals. "Uh...red...red...r- oh...ooooh...."

Dov started bellowing as he carried me towards the train. "There is a reason we speak the same."

I let out a nervous laugh as I watched the town go about its usual night, calm streets filled with ponies bustling around. It was calming, the dirt paths and rustic, if not archaic, style homes setting the mood just right. It was like being thrown back to a middle ages' peasant town, will all the smells and sights to go along with it.

I adjusted my grip, looking over my living transportation. "So...I guess--"

"Yes, we're family. Or rather, whenever Foxglove decides to stop screwing around, we will be." Pursa stated, smiling softly. "It is good to meet you, have I said that yet?"

I looked at the elder mare, her mane beautifully long and thick. "Uh..you're- there's no way you're Foxglove's mother. You're not nearly crazy enough." I shot back, my voice echoing as we left the crowded streets of the housing area and entered a market.

"Oh?" Pursa let out a rough cough. "Ben, stop your constant whining you annoying bastard!" she said, matching Foxglove's accent perfectly. "Am I close?" she asked with a cheeky grin, all to familiar from her apparent daughter.

Dov chuckled slightly as he carried me up to the platform. "Not many here speak Equs, but...when your sister is dating a foreigner, you tend to learn."

"Oh...so.... I uh...you're not gonna kill me are you?" I asked, spotting the train in the distance. We were either making excellent time, or more likely this place was an absolute sprawl, clumped so tightly you could reach anywhere in a matter of minutes.

Dov giggled raspily. "Keep making me laugh and you'll be alright." He set me down on the steps up to my train car, finally giving me a real view of the town. It was charming in a dark kinda way. Dim streets, ponies arguing, water running down the trenches dug beside the dirt paths.

The ponies walked past me and into the train car. "Impressive! Ben, would you like help?" Pursa asked, poking her head out of a window.

I started rubbing my legs, trying to revive them. I looked around at the tightly packed houses and the small market we had crossed. "Uh, no. I'll just sit here for a bit."

Pursa nodded and ducked her head in. I sat staring at a pair of ponies flirting. I laughed a little and leaned back on the steps. "Courting of a bat. Bite, bend, bang."

"Indeed." Dov's voice rang out over the soft tussle of the pair in the market. "Perhaps you shouldn't have pornography around my mother." He threw down a pair of magazines. "Just a note...I'm...going to take one."

I shot him a knowing glance. "Page thirty."

Dov sat with me and flipped through the pages. His eyes went wide as he got to a navy blue and white mare. "Harrim verduk...." He stared down at the page, scanning it like a hawk. "I...I'll return...I need to hide this--" He took to the air, slowly moving towards the rooftops.

"Hold up!" I grabbed him by the tail. "Just hide it in the train. I think I'm starting to understand why Foxglove brought me here."

Dov fumbled from my touch, falling chin first in the dirt. He laid on the ground, slowly rolling onto his back and staring angrily at me, "Ow...why you do this?"

I laughed guiltily. "Sorry, I was gonna say just hide them on the train." I held my hand out. "Or I'll hide them."

Dov slowly pulled the magazines from the dirt and placed them into my hand. "Fine...brother."

It felt strange having him call me brother. Even if he meant it in a friend kind of way it felt strange. He walked past me and back into the train, holding the door open as I slowly regained the feeling in my legs. "F-fuck!" I screamed, my legs falling out from under me and bashing my ribs against the floor of the train car.

The two in the train cringed as I went limp across the floor of the car and the steps "Oh dear, Dov, help him."

Before I could protest I felt myself dragged into the car and laid across the wood floor. "Ow...thanks."

"Is no problem." Dov walked off, finding a seat on the couch and sinking into it.

I sat upright and faced the bats. "So...mind if I ask how the hell I ended up back there? What the hell happened?"

Pursa sighed. "Where to start. You killed the Dracko children, almost got strangled to death by the adult, but you did kill them."

Dov laughed a little. "They said you kept it distracted. Then somepony jammed a blade into the creature's gut."

I scratched my head. "Oh.... But I did it? Did I win?"

Pursa got my attention. "Sort of, you did enforce your claim. You were bit, so they brought you out and left you to the nearest pony who said they knew you, Moon Light of course."

"Oh course they did." I grumbled angrily. "I think I get it from there--"

"Apparently she took you home and tried to bandage you, and...took your seed."

I grumbled angrily. "I think--"

"But, in the end. You helped, and Moon Light made a promise, the land will be yours under her protection." Pursa bowed her head. "And of course you have our support."

I let out a short sigh. "Is that because you're--"

The door to the train swung open before I could finish. Foxglove rolled inside, quickly followed by a battered Moon Light. The second brother, Carve, walked in. "They called it a draw...." He stated, shaking his body and flexing his wings.

"No...no...I...won." Foxglove croaked, crawling over to me. "I...fucking fucked her up!" She laid her chin across my thigh and went limp. "I...did it."

She looked terrible. Bites, bruises, small cuts and a few patches of dried blood in her coat. Moon Light hadn't fared much better, her silver mane bloodied slightly and her grey coat rather battered. I turned to the bigger brother. "There's a guy in the front car. Ask him if he's got a first aid kit or something."

The brother nodded and headed off. I turned to the remaining bats and shrugged. "What's his name?"

Foxglove coughed, a bit of blood leaking from her split lip. "Carve."

"Huh," I pet my battered mate's mane. "Odd."

A tired voice croaked out, "There is, nothing strange--" Moon Light crawled over, resting against my calf. "Nothing...strange, about Carve." She tried to lift her head, only managing to bop her jaws together and flop limply across my leg.

"Back off... bitch!" Foxglove snipped, hazily throwing her hoof onto Light's head and trying to bite her. "I'll...I'll...I'll do something."

Between her grunts I looked around, spotting several bats perching on the train and watching me. I let out a short sigh and turned to Pursa. "They're not gonna let me leave, are they?"

"No...and neither will I. We need someone to try and control this town." Pursa walked over and sat before me. "But that will come in time. So...you think you understand my daughter's intentions?"

I nodded, rubbing Foxglove's head. "She wants the castle for you, right?"

Pursa nodded. "But, we are not simply looking for a home--"

"She want's to rebuild us all, to start something powerful." Carve stated, dumping a red bag before me. "Fox, tell him."

I unzipped the kit and started soaking cotton swabs with rubbing alcohol. I dabbed it across her body, Foxglove letting out a sharp scream as I cleaned her, "fuck Luna's butt, that burns!"

I held her in place and continued to clean her up and start putting bandages over her cuts. "Check yourself," I finished with her tired face and laid her down. "So...is he telling the truth?"

Foxglove looked guilty as she spoke, "He's not wrong...he's...not right either. I'm tired of not having a say for us, for thestral- for bats! I'm tried of being second class to some stuffy day dwelling horny jerk!" Foxglove grabbed my leg. "Please don't hate me...I just didn't want you to think I was being selfish."

I rubbed her head and swapped her with Moon Light. I started cleaning her cuts, bandaging her the same way I bandaged Foxglove. "Hey, remember how we have a kid?"

"Don't bucking help her--"

I cut her off, "Remember how we have a kid!? Remember how you drugged me? How we had that date I blew off?" I asked, tending to the wounded.

Foxglove just glared at me and tried to stand. "I remember you asking me out...yes."

"Well I don't think you have to worry! I mean, I didn't quit after you drugged me, I stuck around when you nearly chewed through my tongue, I even stuck around after you did the roof thing! You're not getting rid of me that easy." I treated Light's cuts and set her next to Foxglove. "Jesus...look at you two."

Foxglove rubbed the bandage across her muzzle. "She started it--"

Light stamped her hoof and turned towards me, "I started nothing! Thank you lover."

"Eugh, I'm not your lover. You raped me, but I'm also not unconvinced you're not legally related to me." I turned to Pursa. "Am I?"

Pursa shook her head. "No, she is not part of ours."

I looked at the two mares. "Well they sure as hell act similar enough." I stood shakily and stretched my still numb legs out. "So are you two done?"

Foxglove stared at me. "She fucking raped you!"

I put my hands on my hips. "So did you! Remember when my tongue changed!? You fucking sucked it like a needy little filly!"

Foxglove grew bright red as she stared at her mother. She started laughing slightly and flattened out her ears, "He's joking mom...he's joking."

I shook my head angrily. "Doesn't matter! Apparently I'm too sexy, or something, I don't even know anymore. But the both of you need to stop acting like children! Because after all this, I'm about five seconds from lodging my shoe up someone's ass!"

"Even me?" Light asked, a sultry grin on her face.

I started her down, slowly whittling down her proud stance until she finally backed off. "Bitch, dead lizard men! Don't fuck with me!" I took a deep breath and lurched towards the door. "Look, it's been fun and all. But I need to get to work." I found a pencil and paper and started taking down a list. "Foxglove, take your brothers down to Canterlot, Luna said she was gonna send some supplies and I need someone to make sure we get them." I finished with my list and held it for her. "Take this, get everything, and come back."

Foxglove cocked her head. "Then what are you gonna do!?"

I took a deep breath and turned towards the window facing the castle. "I'm gonna take what's mine."

Foxglove shook her head hard, "Oh no, I'm not leaving you alone with that--"

I shook my head. "Foxglove...I won't be alone with her," I gestured to Pursa. "Now get the fuck to Canterlot, get the supplies, pack some personal stuff from the apartment and be ready." I struck a pose. "Whenever I can feel my legs and get a shower, we're gonna bang...hard."

Foxglove's ears perked up. "Ben, not in front--"

Pursa walked over, laughing heartily. "You sound like my husband. Always so impassioned." she walked to the door and pulled it open. "Well, come along then. We have land to claim."

I looked at the train of brothers, looking at a dirty magazine, Foxglove staring at me with a mix of embarrassment and worry, and Moon Light, slowly walking out of the train. She brushed against my side and stopped next to me, "It will be good to be alone with you, perhaps we can know each other again--"

I grabbed Moon by the mane. "Okay, knock it the fuck off!" I stomped my dead leg, the train tilting from the impact. "I will bury you if you try and touch me again!"

Moon tried to pull free. "Fine then, Krossa, my Count. I will leave you to your harridan." She pulled free and hopped out of the train."I shall keep your bed warm and waiting  for when your senses have returned."

I let out a short huff and carefully climbed down from the train. Foxglove popped out the door. "Ben...please--"

"Foxglove you will listen to me, you will do what I say for once in your god damn life!" I screamed, slamming the side of the train with my hands. "Okay?"

Foxglove shrinked down. "Okay...."

"Good." I walked to the front of the train and threw a rock at the engine. Bane popped out and looked over the safety rail. "Bane, train, Canterlot, now!"

Bane took a step back, nervously saluting and starting up the train. "Yes sir!"

I watched as the train slowly maneuvered the old station, turning around and heading back home. Pursa walked next to me and watch it leave. "Hmmm, impressive. Quite a presence about you."

I took a deep breath and rubbed my arms. "I feel angry...." I rubbed my legs as the numbness was slowly replaced by burning. "What exactly did you give me?"

Pursa scratched her chin. "Nickle powder, spring water and dragon testosterone. It cures paralysis."

The last ingredient bounced around my head. "Steroids...you drugged--" I let out a soft sigh. "You'd think I'd be used to getting drugged. But I keep letting it happen." I looked dourly towards the castle. "Come on. Let's get going."

Pursa nodded, "as you wish my Count."

I scoffed slightly, "I'm in wedlock with your daughter...just call me Ben. Or Benjamin." I scratched my head. "Or even Wesk."

"As you wish, Ben." With that, we started off towards the castle. My walking grew rather stiff as the feeling in my legs came back.

"Pursa...how long have I been like this?" I asked, pointing to my groin. A full on erection was threatening to tear out of my slacks.

"Since you entered the train."

"Of course.... God damn it." I scratched my head hard, digging against my scalp. "I need to go find a bathroom or something. Take care of this."