//------------------------------//
// Book It 
// Story: The Mystifying Adventures of Occult Readings and Gallant Knight 
// by Giftmak3r 
//------------------------------//

Spitting the key out if his mouth he blanched. The key was filthy and the taste of metal was stuck in his mouth. But it would all be worth it once he escaped. Looking to Occult he felt a wave of anxious determination washed over him as he got ready. Covering himself with mud and dirt to hide his sent he ordered Occult to so the same, rather than getting dirty he just cast a spell on himself. 

It was annoying but Gabe needed to get on with the haphazard escape plan. Standing up tall Gabe began, "Ok, the dogs start becoming less active during the night, and the ones that are active should be down that cave system watching over us. Seeing as it will only be a few I think we should just make a run for it."

"Mmh yes, and what about my book?"

The response was curt, condescending and completely unbelievable. Gabe almost couldn't belive his own ears. "What do you mean 'what about my book'? Who cares about your stupid book!?" he shouted incredulously only to be met with a smirk from Occult. 

"Well givin that my book has detailed accounts of the Yrvarni, a soul swapping demon that is most likely the reason you are here, I figured that you would care about the book." he quipped in a smug tone only to continue on, "So young Gabe, shall we fight our way to my book then fight our way out?" 

That little detail threw off his plans so badly. If that book really could help him get home then he needed to find it, but if they go and get it, that ruins the element of surprise and will make escaping practical impossible. The guard patrols of the dogs weren't even good and he could only come up with this haphazard plan as is. If they put a better effort into keeping them, then he really would just have to wait for the gaurd to save them.

Groaning loudly he mumbled "Fiiinne, let's get out of the cell, find a place for you to hide and I'll go look for your book." with that Occult levitated the key into the cell dor and let them out. As the two walked out Gabe heard Occult pipe up. 

"Say, why are you going to look for my book while I sit by and wait?" Occult asked in a time that almost suggested that he was offended. Gabe couldn't help but blankly stare at Occult. After a good twenty seconds he merely pointed to Occult and waited for the stallion to look at himself. When he did the stallion blushed and gave off an embarresed chuckle. "Yes, I suppose I'm more used to other means of hiding that I forgot my natural coat sticks out like a sore wing."

"Just stay a good twenty feet from me. If I stop you stop. I'm going to lead you to one of the exit tunnels then I'll look for your book. If you get caught or I don't come back then just run away on your own." Gabe explained as a look of pure shock was born onto Occult's face...er muzzle.

"What and leave you here?" He half whispered half shouted. 

"Well yeah, if at least one of us gets out then we can get the guard, but hopefully it shouldn't come to that." Gabe explained further somewhat easing the worry on Occult's fa-muzzle. Without anymore protest Gabe snuck forwards as Occult stayed a good distance away. At the first crossway there were two dog guards blocking the pass. All he needed to do was wait till they were distracted then lead Occult down the left most path. 

After a few painstaking minutes he heard one dog express his concern about how the next shift hasn't come. After a bit of back and forth between the two they decided to walk off allowing Gabe and Occult to sneak by. Walking down the path a bit he decided to warn Occult. 

"Hey listen man, don't wait any longer than twenty minutes. If I'm not back by then, just assume I got caught." With that short little speak said he could tell there was a range of emotions being felt by Occult but he didn't know what. They weren't overly expressive and he didn't know what all the horse body language meant. Without any further verbal communication Gabe assumed Occult would be fine on his own and went back to the cross path. 

Without having to worry about Occults larger frame he could easily move through the shadows of the caves unseen. He was able to make his way through. If he had to guess he'd say that Occult's book is probably with the dog in red and he should hopefully be sleeping. It wasn't to hard to guess where he was though. When he was watching the dogs yesterday, all the gaurds came from the same direction. 

After only about five or so minutes of searching he found Rover sleeping hunched over on a desk. Loe and behold there was the book too. Sneaking up to the desk he very carefully climbed up making as little noise as he could, and after reaching eye level with the desk he noticed an itsy bitsy problem. 

There were actually two books, a black one and a red one. Without more control of this body he wasn't sure if he'd be able to carry a book with anything other than his mouth. Gabe took the black book with his mouth and placed it on the ground opening it. That's when he noticed his second itsy bitsy problem. He couldn't read anything in this book. 

Silently cursing himself, the dogs, the books and whatever else he could think of to curse he grabbed the black book. Praying that this was the right one as he snuck away from the sleeping dog.

After only about eight minutes of backtracking he found Occult waiting for him sitting behind a rock. Putting the book on the ground Gabe addressed him, "Hey, I got your book so let's get out of here."

Levitating the book up to his muzzle he scrutinized it. Opening it up he flipped through the pages, blushed heavily and tossed it far down the cave. "Do you think that's funny!" Occult exclaimed.

"No I was just-"

"Do you not know how important my studies are. The only thing I could even imagine as to what brought you here is the Yrvarni and it has been so difficult for me to track and study. That book has the only information that will even come remotely close to help you return to your old world!" Occult was clearly not happy with him, maybe even mad but the blush didn't fade which lead Gabe to belive that whatever he grabbed was rather explicit. 

"Hey uh, I'm sorry for bringing you smut or whatever but uh, I... I uhhh," even though he wanted to explain what happened the words got caught in his mouth. He got so embarrassed for something that shouldn't of bothered him. He was in an alien world in an alien body. It makes sense, but for some reason admitting that he couldn't read was so embarrassing. "I can't read." he whimpered out.

The look on Occult's face softened quite a bit as he sat down. "Please accept my apologies, I hadn't considered that you would be unable to read. I presume there was more than one book right?" Gabe nodded unable to bring his eyes to the older stallion. It made no sense for him to act like this. He was a grown man, he should be able to admit his faults and look the stallion in the eyes but he felt so ashamed. "Well it's a shame that I'll have lost my research but the guard can always come find it when I send my report. Let's get out of here young Gabe." 

"Wait, I can just go back and get the other book, most of the dogs are still asleep." he said trying it hide his embarrassment. He shouldn't have said that he reprimanded himself. What Occult said makes sense. Even if it meant he would have to stay as a pony longer it would keep him from being enslaved again. He kept making these rash decisions and it was very unlike him. 

"Well if you're certain then-"

"Of course I'm certain, just wait here. I'll be back in no time." he blurted without any thought. With a nod from Occult Gabe turned to walk back into the lions den. 

As he waited for patrols and prowled around outside of vision he couldn't help but wonder why he was doing this. Sure he wanted to be return to his old body soon, but getting help would be way safer.  It was the practical choice. Boring is better as his father always told him. Better to work a 9 to 9 shift everyday for stable pay then taking your chances out in the slums.

He was so entranced in thought that when he reached the book he hadn't even noticed that Rover was gone. Making his way to the desk and picking up the book in his mouth he felt a tingle down his spine. 

"Little pony didn't think Rover would notice hmm?" the dog snarled and Gabe dropped the book as mind went into overdrive. How the heck would he worm his way out of this one? He couldn't outrun Rover with his shorter legs, he couldn't overpower him givin his weak body as well as the fact that he wasn't comfortable with his movements yet. That left him just one option.

As Rover dove for him, paws ready to grab, Gabe took a hoof full of dirt and flung it into the dogs eyes. The pained howl gave him all the confirmation he needed as he bolted behind the desk. Waiting for a moment he heard the dog growl viciously.

"Ah nooo, little pony you won't get away from me!" Rover yelled then running in the completely wrong direction. It seemed like his little trick worked but Gabe waited an extra moment just to make sure Rover was gone. Leaving his cover he grabbed the book and legged it. 

As he made his way back to Occult he saw the panicked and scrambled movements of the dog gaurds. Like he thought, most of them were heading in the direction of the cells with a few scattering elsewhere. With most of the dogs heading in the completely wrong direction he easily made his way to Occult. 

Once he saw the yellow stallion he couldn't help but let out a muffled cry, "BOK ET!"