MANesfestations Of Equestria

Chapter 5

The Deal Is Made

As I climbed out of the burning building with my trusty slosh-tray of water from below, I realized that I should check my inventory. It's not like I could stop though, to make sure all my stuff was where it was supposed to be. So I climbed on, shifting every now and then, to make sure I was still sopping wet. I didn't want to burn after all.

I just thought of something...If this world has an arsonist, I swear I'm going to kill myself. I've been through enough of gang violence, and all manner of crazy shit, I don't need to add 'inside a building being burned down by an arsonist, that just happened to be a talking horse' to my most interesting memories.

So, even climbing out of this burning building, along an endless staircase, I still was planning something.

Once outside, I ran straight into the local fire-brigade... Of a sorts. Standing in front me, was the wildest amalgamation of crazy color and cool, was a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, and tail.  Who knows just how long we stood there with our jaws along the ground, but the loud sound of a falling support deterred us from our reverie, accompanied by an earsplitting scream.

"What the— Somepony's in trouble," the pegasus said with a female voice.

Without responding, I ran back inside, following the screams to a staircase I didn't realize was there the first time, and proceeded on up to the second floor. Without meaning to, I checked all the rooms on the floor before finding a grayish pegasus with a blond mane and tail, and a tattoo of seven bubbles on its flank.

"HELLLLLPPPP!" it screamed in a remarkably feminine voice.

On second glance, I noticed she was trapped by a large block of damp wood, that had yet to catch the flames. The room fell apart just trying to get over to the pegasus, I didn't know if it could hold up to too much more pressure.

I set to work as fast as I could, pulling off bits of the wood all the time, before I could lift the plank off of her. When I finally succeeded, I noticed that she had fainted from the fumes. Preparing myself and her for another trip down into the heat of the flames, I lost the tub of water. Realizing I could no longer wait for the journey, I stuffed her under my damp shirt, and rushed out of the building, which at that moment, when we safely exited, chose to give out on itself.

Not wanting to waste precious time to revive the pegasus, I pulled her out of my now ruined shirt—they better goddamn replace it— and began basic cpr, courtesy of my basic martial training.  After about five minutes of repeated pushing on her diaphragm, and breathing fresh air into her lungs, I heard a great intake of breath, that immediately transferred into her coughing.

Relieved at her survival, I relaxed, satisfied that I had done what I set out to, to only notice, the—No, my, audience. Whispers could be heard, from more than a couple, of the viewers of the debacle.

"What is it?"

"Is it dangerous?"

"Why was it in the jail?"

"Is that Derpy Hooves?"

"What is she doing here?"

More than a little paranoid of the whispers, I stood up—to the surrounding ponies, unicorns, and pegasus, immediate and frightened retreats—and ran off. Or at least tried to, before I was caught and held in a bright, and pastel, grip.

"Princess Celestia."

"Keros," she responded with a certain amount of apathy, that I just couldn't ignore, "what were you doing leaving the building?"

"Leaving," I responded.  "Trying to save my own skin. You know...that kind of stuff."

"Then why did I hear that you went back inside, to save one of my little ponies, an injured one, that you carried out, and even performed cpr on?"

"Oh, I don't know. Instinct, perhaps?"

" Maybe you're more than you appear to be. Would you like to try negotiating again, tomorrow, or do I have to banish you to the Everfree, to a horrid and painful death. It certainly would be an interesting experience, living with us, don't you think?"

"I guess... As long as I don't have to sleep in a cell, or am interrogated to death I should be fine."

"Well then, I guess we can reconvene tomorrow."

"Well, Uhm, Princess..."

"Yes, Keros?"

"I need a place to sleep for the night."

"Certainly."

As the princess carried me off in her magical grip, to a large, illuminated tree, away from town, I thought that maybe I ought to have rethought, agreeing to renegotiate, with this strange, though well-trusted creature, so easily. I mean, It did technically kidnap me. But as the door opened to the same room I was brought out of, and I saw a tired dragon, in the doorway, look up in surprise at the creature know as Princess Celestia.

"TWILIGHT, Princess Celestia is here to see you," It called out in a singsong voice.

"WHAT, coming Spike," we heard as the same unicorn from before came running down the steps. "What can I do, Princess," She directed towards Celestia.

"Take care of Keros for the night. He has nowhere to stay and needs rest just like the rest of us do. I have to lower the Sun, and raise the Moon, but I'll be back tomorrow to return to our negotiations. See he gets what he needs and is treated fairly. Good Night, Twilight Sparkle," and as she finished her lines, she drifted me into the room onto a decent sofa, though how they were built is anyone's guess. "Do not harm him, or intrude upon his privacies. If I find out he has been uncomfortable living with you, I will have you write a thousand word report upon regretting your actions."

"Yes, Mom."

"Alright, be good sweetie."