The Mystifying Adventures of Occult Readings and Gallant Knight

by Giftmak3r

On Our Way Through the Woods

Even as they ran far from the Dimond Dog burrows Occult couldn't contain his worried thoughts. What manor of chaos was the Yrvarni causing, what Celestia would think knowing that he failed to catch it. Worse still is what to do with young Gabe.

With what he knew about demons it was completely impossible for the Yrvarni to have been responsible but at the same time it was the only creature he knew that had the capability to implant ones soul into the body of another. Demons were beings made entirely of magic. For them to survive even a second in a void of magic was improbable. Glancing at Gabe he was drivin mad by the nonsensical nature of this situation.

The two slowed their run to a brisk trot as they came to the face of the Everfree forest. "You know, I've been thinking. I ought to change my name to fit in more till we find that demon and send me home." Gabe said ignorant to their plight, his comment bringing a great shame to Occult.

"Oh yeah, and what kind of name were you thinking of?" Occult asked walking a bit faster to take the lead as they walked into the Everfree. Though the woods shouldn't frighten the human there were still very real threats.

The barren trees and the eerie atmosphere were affecting neither of the ponies as they made their way further into the forrest. The creeping winds of the woods sending their ghastly warnings went unheard the two ponies too busy conversing with themselves.

"I don't know, I figured we could come up with a name together. You're more knowledgeable about pony naming." Gabe awnsered absent-mindedly as he gazed around the forest.

"Well you should know that human names aren't like pony names, they aren't just given, they have a certain magic behind them, influenced by harmony." Occult explained to the human turned pony as he saw a confused look stare back at him. "Take my own name and occupation for example. Do you think the name Occult Readings was givin by mere coincidence?"

Gabe's ears folded back and he gave a very pained look. "So your fate is determined by your name? That's.....kinda sad." he said giving Occult a pitiful look. Occult couldn't help but chuckle, That was the same thing he told his dad when he was a foal.

"You shouldn't look at it as if your fate is preordained, you should see it as a magic that is in you that is unique to you." Occult explained. In all honesty he didn't expect Gabe to understand seeing as he is from a place without magic. And seeing the young colt's face he knew he was right.

"Ok, well I guess it doesn't matter that much, I won't be a pony long enough for fate to affect me anyways." Gabe exclaimed with a surety that caused Occult to recoil. The human wanted to go home and he had no idea how to get him there.

"Yes of course, let's think of a new name for you." Occult said avoiding the subject. "So, what sort of interests or special things about you do you remember from your time as a human?" And it was time for Gabe to be embarrassed. Occult couldn't help but give a light-hearted chuckle. Even if Gabe was older he still acted like a colt. He couldn't hide his emotions at all.

"Well, about that. I uhhh, I never really did anything special." Gabe said lacking any enthusiasm.

"Come now, surely there must be something." Occult prodded only to receive a sad look from his new friend.

"I woke up, worked twelve hours went home, slept and repeated the process everyday. Hobbies are for people with time and money, and I didn't have either." Gabe replied somberly only for Occult to sigh in response.

Normally demons and otherworldly creatures were so exotic and usually more 'one-sided' in their characteristics. Gabe was such a mixed bag he didn't know what to do. On the one hoof, Gabe claimes to be from a dull world with no life, which accounts for the lack of magic, but on the other he was so quick to seek his way out of the Diamond Dog den when the gaurd would have come to save them anyways.

Then there's the question of what to do with him. How will he get young Gabe back home? What will the colt do in the meantime? Deep in his thoughts Occult felt a strong pull on his tail.

"Hey dude watch where your going." Gabe groaned. Looking up Occult saw that he had nearly trotted into a field of Poison Joke. While not life threatening givin his old friend's proximity but it was certainly fortunate that Gabe had stopped him. Yet that had only raised another question.

"Thank you for alerting me, but how did you know about Poison Joke?" Occult asked in a much more accusatory manner than he meant. Gabe seemed to not notice or not care about the tone and smiled softly.

"It's the path. The ground around the flowers is matted down. Animals clearly take this path and are purposefully avoiding those flowers. I don't know what they do but I took a wild guess and assumed it wasn't pleasant." the colt explained with that smile still present.

"So how do you know about that? I thought you lived in a boring place doing boring things?" he dug avoiding the poison joke. It wouldn't take long to reach Zecora's place from here and he wanted as many awnsers as possible still.

"I don't remember it super clearly but when I was really young my dad would take me out on hiking trails.........." Gabe stopped suddenly his ears flickering in each direction several times much to Occults confusion.

Swiveling his own Occult couldn't hear anything and had just assumed it was the thestrals natural superior hearing at work until he realized the real problem. While the two of them were talking the critters of the woods had went dead silent, the winds barely audible, blowing towards them... meaning anything behind them couldn't be smelled.

"Gabe get behind me." Occult whispered trying to determine what creature had been following them. If they were timberwolves then he could just draw a rune of magic absorption, it would hurt like tartarus but it would prevent the wooden wolves from remaining as a threat. If it was one of the many other threats of the Everfree then he'd just have to think of something on the spot.

Occult and Gabe waited and waited but nothing happened, for what felt like eternity Occult waited, after drawing the rune Occult simply waited to give it the magic it needed to activate. To soon and he may rib himself of the chance to defend against manicures or gaint two-headed stone snakes.

"Maybe I should go check ahead?" Gabe whispered next to him much to Occult's surprise and horror.

"Sneaking away from the dogs is one thing but I am not going to let you chase down a predator." Occult admonished him in a whisper. Gabe certainly did have the supposed bravery and fearlessness the thestrals were supposed to have. Was it because of his new body or was the human always like that?

Moving forward before gave could get a chance Occult scrutinized the foliage before him. It was so thick it could hide any manner of creature, and he wasn't aware of which ones liked to hide in. Before he could react a set of glowing red eyes jutted from behind a set of bushes as he felt his body become sluggish. Trying to pull all the magic he could he called for help from the only pony he could trust as his body was encased in stone.