Twisted Fate p1

I will probably continue this if I get stuck on RiE or when I am finished with RiE. Until then enjoy what might be

>A forest surrounds you on all sides
>The deep oranges and yellows of Autumn hang in the trees around you
>The sun shines down between the branches bringing sustaining warmth the cold forest floor
>An icy wind circles between the trees promising the winter that is soon to come
>You have no recollection of this place or how you got here
>The last thing you remember is sitting on your couch drinking away the memories of the girl who broke your heart
>The lost love that drove you into a deep spiraling depression
>Perhaps you fell asleep and this is an whiskey induced dream?
>If it is then this is the best dream you have had in months
>However that is not saying much as lately your dreams have been filled with lament and fear.
>And honestly this much nicer than sitting on your couch trying to find the bottom of a bottle
>Why not go with it?
>You see no path or any discernible way to know where to go
>To your left light streams down from above forming almost a road of light
>Deciding that you might as well be warm you follow the sunlit "path"
>That cold wind seems to shift to your back as you walk sending shivers down your spine.
>You cannot remember ever feeling cold in a dream before this.
>Then again none of your dreams have ever been as vivid as this.
>It all seems more real than anything you have experienced before
>The forest fades from a dense mass of trunks to scattered trees across an open field
>The ground before you sloping up to a hill that is the only change in elevation you have come across
>Sitting atop the crest is a long deep mahogany colored table with three indistinct figures seated on one side
>You stare at the sight before you for a short while pondering the scene before you.
>Who is around the table? Why are there three of them?
>Finally working up the nerve you trudge your way up the hill never taking your eyes from them.
>Eventually you get a good look at the beings that rest upon the gilded chairs
>Sitting a short distance apart are three what you can only assume are people people wearing earthen toned doublets that cover their overly long white arms
>Each of the three were wearing a porcelain mask shaped to resemble a woodland creature.
>From behind their masks spills hair of a platinum sheen that threatens to blind you with the suns reflection
>On the left a stag, on the right an owl, and one of a fox on the one sitting in the center
>Each silently eying you as you approach
>Sitting on the table is a small banquet that seems to have all your favorites
>As you approach that you have decided to aptly call "Stag" stands and pulls a chair out for you
>On his hands are white gloves that seem to cover impossibly long fingers
>"Thank you." you say more out of habit than actually politeness
>Taking a seat you cant help but be impressed at the strange things the mind can dream
>"Fox" waves his hand above the food in front of you. It seems like he is offering some to you.
>However the sheer surreality of the situation removes any thought of actually attempting to consume anything.
>"No thank you. This all looks very good but I am not hungry right now."
>Fox nods to you before waving his hand once more over the table causing the food and plates to disappear
>You stare momentarily where the food once was before movement makes you look up
>The movement was Fox turning to the others each in turn and nodding.
>All three stand and in a chorus of voices the words seem to flow from all around you. You cannot distinguish which voice belongs to any of the three

"Long, long ago in the ages of old
A pact was made by the children of man
A bargain struck with souls and gold
We took them as far away as we can"

>Upon the table an image forms
>A scene of a table set upon a snowy field at the edge of a forest
>You see group of men dressed in pelts and rough cloth standing across from these three at a similar but much larger table
>Behind the men seemed to be hundreds of others. Men, women, and children all silent and watching.
>A sack of coins is tossed on the table where it spills out showering the table with gold
>Then a line of people bound together is led to the table. One of the men hands the free end of rope to Stag
>Who nods and guides the line of people into the forests edge

"We lead them to a promised place
Beyond the fears of war and strife
Man trusted and followed the fairer race
In a new land they made their life"

>Fox takes the hand of each of the men in turn causing them to shudder from his touch.
>With a flourish of his arms he  motions to a doorway that is set between two trees.
>An ornate door inlaid with silver has the images of two rearing pegasi upon it
>Owl runs his hand over the door lightly before grasping a ring hanging from the center and opens it slowly
>On the other side of the doorway is a vibrant meadow covered in flowers
>The people begin to go through the doorway as the image fades

"There was but only one golden law
If a man lays with a foreign beast
Back to their world all man will withdraw
And on their souls we all would feast"

>Another image appears. It is a village built into the lower reaches of a mountain.
>People are milling about around stone homes
>The image seems to zoom in on a home in the distant corner of the village
>It zooms in through the roof and shows you a strange sight
>A man having sex with a strange creature that your brain tells you is a minotaur
>A bell tolls from everywhere at once.
>Suddenly he is naked in a forest glade surrounded by hundreds of other humans.
>They look down to find themselves bound and being led into the darkness by Fox

"Once more with man we desire a pact
We have come to offer a new land
If a change to your life you wish to enact
Merely reach out and take our hand"

>Once again the image fades.
>Fox has his gloved hand offered out to you.
>The idea of getting away from current life was staggering.
>No more shitty job or dealing with all the assholes that surround you day to day.
>Yet...
>Fox seems to sense your hesitation

"You hate your life we know this for true
Regretting your decisions and all you know
Pain and desperation is why we chose you
And why on you this offer we bestow"

>Your life is terrible. The only person you actually thought cared for you just left you for your beast friend.
>Since then every day has been a living hell. You can't escape it.
>Just yesterday you were contemplating suicide
>The only one who would notice you were dead would be your landlord when you did not pay rent

"We offer all and ask for naught
You will not regret the deal we make
Though there is a rule if you forgot
If it is broken your soul we will take"

>The offer is beyond tempting
>You get everything for nothing as long as you follow the one rule
>A new life, a new world, a new home.
>Everything in you wants you to accept. However there is this nagging in the back of your mind.
>"Nothing is ever free." the one bit of advice your dad gave you before he ran off leaving you alone
>"You say you ask for naught. Why would you do this? What does making me happy gain you?"
>Fox seems to flinch ever so slightly at your question

"Millennia ago we lived in this place
A world of beauty, life, and peace
We were expelled by an enemy in disgrace
Perhaps through you our exile will cease"

>This does not feel right but it makes some sense.
>"Alright I really want to accept your offer but first I have two questions. Question one, why did you get expelled? Question two, why do you need me?"
>Fox stands silently like a silent judge contemplating your punishment
>After a few moments a single voice carries over the cold breeze that accompanies it

"We lived in an unspoiled land
Safe and secure and hidden away
When they came we made our stand
We then lost to our dismay"

"With them came the Sun and the Moon
From our realms and homes we were hurled
As our forests were burned and hewn
We were forever banished to this world"

"Into you we place our hope and desire
Go into this land and be our eyes
A passage back through you we shall acquire
Should you succeed than you man name your prize"

>His hand is still waiting for you
>Hovering over the table like a guillotine ready to drop
>You get what you want and they get what they want
>If this is not just a dream than you will come out of this ahead
>You stand and clasp Fox's hand and look into a pair of deep golden eyes that stare at you from behind it
>The golden eyes of a fox stare back at you as the mask begins to shift into some warped form of a smile

"Our bargain is agreed and our end we give
In the magical land of Equestria you shall awaken
A wondrous land full of happiness and place to live
Never shall you miss the world you have forsaken"

>The world seems to shake around you as the grip on your hand gets tighter
>The bones in your hand begin to creak as you try to tear you hand from his painful grip
>You cry out loudly as it feels like your hand is being juiced
>All at once his hand opens and fall back into the chair you had just stood from
>Something wraps around your arms and chest as you attempt to stand pulling you back down to the chair
>You try to look down to see what it was when something grabs you by the neck and slams your head into the back of the seat
>A deep blackness overtakes you and your consciousness quickly fades

>You are Fluttershy and its been a hard day
>The first half of the day was normal for you
>ON a normal day you feed the animals, Gather eggs, Make breakfast for yourself, clean house, clean out animal pens, take a shower, feed the animals again, make lunch, pick berries and herbs, sell them to Pinky, come home, feed animals again, make dinner, and do the dishes.
>However today you had to try to rebuild your chicken coop after Yip the fox decided to try and eat your feathered friends
>Luckily Harry was there to protect them without hurting Yip but in return you had to patch up a chicken coop and bandage a few bites on Harry
>Your hasty repairs are good for tonight but you are going to have to hire somep0ny who is better with their hooves than you to fix it for good
>All in all today was exhausting and you really want to get to bed
>You make your way to your room at what could be considered glacial speeds
>Quietly yawning you lay down in bed
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
>"MEEP!" you quietly meep.
>Grabbing the covers you throw them over yourself and make yourself as small as possible
>After a few moments you don't hear another noise and you bring yourself to peep above the covers
>Now that you think about it you are sure the sound came from outside
>Oh dear what if it was one of your animal friends hurt
>It didn't sound familiar but sometimes animals sound completely different when injured
>You shakily get out of bed and make your way downstairs
>Hearing a light scratching at the door you open it slightly and peek outside
>A large furry head is all you can see
>"EEEEEEEEEP!"
>Quick as Rainbow Dash you are hiding under the cushions of your couch shivering
>A familiar growl emanates from the doorway
>Peeking your head out you see Harry looking in from outside
>Mustering up courage at the presence of one of your oldest animal friends you come out of your hiding spot
>"Oh my goodness Harry I am so sorry. I was just so surprised by you that it frightened me out of my wits."
>Harry nods and smiles in that strange way that bears do
>"Did you hear that yell earlier Harry?" he nods "Do you think it may be a poor animal in trouble?"
>He sits back on his haunches and does the strange movement that is a bears shrug
>You gulp loudly as you try to work up the nerve to ask what you are about to ask
>"Harry c-can you go with me to find out?"
>He nods and starts walking around to the back of your house
>You quickly grab your lantern from the storage closet and light it
>When you get to the back of your house you see Harry standing and staring off at the Everfree Forest
>He turns back for a moment and looks at you before he lopes off to the forests edge
>Once more you gulp before steeling yourself with the thought of a wounded animal friend
>You head out following Harry as he heads straight for that wall of trees that signifies the edge of safety
>He plunges into the darkness of the forest without slowing down at all
>You stay right on his heels afraid of losing sight of him in the darkness
>"Hello? Is there an injured little creature out there that needs some help?"
>It was barely above a whisper but it made you feel better having asked
>Suddenly Harry has his head in the air and is sniffing like crazy
>His head jerks back and forth before he snarls
>A low growl you have only heard once before escapes his throat
>You cringe. The last time you heard that growl timber wolves had approached your home and Harry ran them off.
>Suddenly he stops and charges forward through the brush
>You rush forward trying to follow him
>Branches striking you across the face and wings as you fly behind him
>He pulls away from you as you try your best to keep up
>Suddenly an overly large limb comes into view and you are not able to dodge it
>A few moments later you are on the ground nursing your head
>The blow caught you off guard
>Other than a large lump forming on the side of your head you are undamaged
>Your lamp landed upright on the ground thankfully
>Harry however is nowhere to be seen and you are not quite sure where you are anyways
>As you were about to fly over the treetops to get your a nearby growl tells you that Harry did not keep running
>You push through and the sight before you Causes you to drop to the ground
>A break in the trees allows Luna's light to shine down through the trees revealing a strange sight
>In the middle of a small clearing sits a large golden throne-like chair masterfully engraved
>The chair is haphazardly wrapped in roots growing out from the ground around it all stemming from a small golden leaved tree that seems to be growing out of the top of the chair
>And seated in this forest throne was a creature unlike you had ever seen
>It reminded you of monkeys and yet its shape was more that of a Minotaurs
>As you examine it you see that the roots that wrap around the chair seem to also be binding the creature to it
>Under the roots the creature seems to be wearing some sort of clothes
>That suggest that it is at least moderately intelligent
>So you don't need to worry it can take care of itself right?
>NO this thing obviously needs help. You cant leave it!
>But how can you help it? Maybe if you removed the roots?
>You start to approach it but Harry jumps between you and the chair
>"Harry he could be hurt I need to see if I can help."
>You try to go around Harry and this time he only eyes you cautiously
>Nervously you approach the chair and poke one of the roots with your hoof
>IT feels like a normal root if a bit less giving than what you are used to
>Grabbing one in your mouth you start to pull when you feel a tingling starts in your mouth and flows through the rest of your body
>It causes you to let go of the root and fly back a few feet as you feel each hair on your body stand at attention
>As you back off you see a green and purple flame burst from the tree that is residing on top of the chair
>You stare at it and see tiny flecks of pink and yellow that remind you way to much of your own coloration
>The fire burns down from the tree and along the roots that surround him
>Small wisps of multicolored flame float away from the chair and off into the forest bobbing up and down looking eerily like butterflies scattering into the woods
>Once every last root was engulfed in flames a soft ringing seemed to fill the glade
>Suddenly the creatures eyes opened wide. They almost seemed to from the reflection of the moonlight and flame.
>Throwing itself forward the roots crumbled yet the flames remained
>One arm thrust out into the sky the creature landed on its knees before looking you dead in the eyes and speaking in a voice that seemed made of hundreds of whispers
"Help me"
>He proceeded to fall flat on his face with his arm stretched out to you
>As his fingers passed you a small bolt of purple fire leaped off him and struck your right fore hoof
>The shock was similar to a static shock but a dull numbness lingered
>When his body strikes the ground fully the flame explodes into more of the multicolored butterflies that disappear into the forest
>They leave behind the strange creature covered in burns that seem to spiral up his body
>You can smell the blood as it begins to drip from the burns
>Whatever it is now burned badly but do you still want to help it after what you saw?
>What if it is a monster?
>But it asked for help!
>The argument goes on in your head for a minute before the obvious answer wins
>It is hurting and it asked for help. You cant turn away from it.
>Examining its wounds you see that the bleeding is not bad. It looks the fire cauterized his wounds. You know burns will bleed a lot if they are moved
>But what would you do with him? He obviously was magic in some way. The hospital would not know what to do with him
>Maybe Twilight would know what to do with it

2 Hours Later
>You finally arrived at Twilight's treebrary
>It was not easy nor was it quick
>First you had to construct a litter to haul him after Harry refused to let him ride on his back
>Then you had to convince Harry to help you pull it into town
>Whatever this thing is Harry did not like it.
>You stopped at your house and grabbed all the bandages you had before continuing on to Twilight's
>Luckily you saw nop0ny on your way here
>Pulling the litter right up to the door you do a light knock like usual
>After a minute you knock again.
>Harry was frustrated at this point and slams his paw on the door a few times rattling the windows
>A quiet shout and a few seconds later and a much bedraggled Twilight answers the door
"Fluttershy its like 2AM what are yo-"
>Her words cut out as she sees the litter with the creature on it and Harry standing beside it
>After a few seconds of silence you say "Oh T-twilight I am so sorry you see I-I found it in the woods. It is burned fairly badly and is magic so I figured you...I hope your not mad"
>You bite your lip. You didn't realize how late it was
>She looks at you and then back at the thing on the cot before plopping on her flanks
"Fluttershy how in Equestria did you find something that has been extinct for almost 2000 years?"