The Mystifying Adventures of Occult Readings and Gallant Knight

by Giftmak3r

FPS

The first thing Gallant realized when he woke up was just how stiff and tired he felt, it was like he was encased in stone. If it weren't for the comfy pillow under his head he might of belive he'd lost against that monster. Trying to stretch felt like being stuck in a straightjacket so instead he laid there observing the room.

He could tell there was a window behind him due to the natural light pouring into the room but was unable to turn around and look through it. In front of him there were two other beds with curtain rods in-between them. Taking a random guess Gallant assumed that this was some kind of non emergency hospital room or maybe some communal housing.

None of that was really concerning. What scared him was that he couldn't move and he had no idea where Occult was. Things were just so unbelievable. In the course of a few days he got trapped in the body of a baby horse, was enslaved by gnolls and fought a chicken monster with the powers of a gargoyle. At least what he thought was gargoyles, he never had any time to read those kind of myths when he was a kid but Gallant felt like he was living in a story book.

Given the things he's seen they may be handy to try to remember old myths. It wasn't easy to recall. Old legends weren't freely passed around, most kids had to work from a young age and he was no exception. He knew that there were one eyed monsters that had incredible strength and bird people that ate humans. Even then he couldn't imagine a one eyed horse would be much of a threat and he would assume that Occult would tell him if pegasi were cannibals.

Deep in thought he didn't even realize he was approached until a small cough stole his attention. Looking towards the noise he saw a nervous looking white pony with a pink mane. She wasn't comfortable around him he could tell that much.

"Sorry to sneak up on you, I'm Nurse Red Heart. It's good to see you awake, is there anything you need young colt?" Red Heart asked with worry in her voice. She looked like she thought he was going to eat her or something. He wasn't really worried though, she was a nurse and if she wanted to hurt him she would have already. That wasn't important though, he needed to know where Occult was.

"Oc-cc" he weezed, he didn't notice until he tried to speak but his throat was incredibly dry. It hurt... a lot. The nurse seemed to notice and hooved a glass of water that was on a counter over to him. After he didn't take it himself the nurse smiled and held it closer to his mouth.

At first Gallant only took a few sips but as he tasted the water he began to drink it greedily before the nurse yanked it away.

"Easy there young colt, I can't have you drowning on my watch." Red Heart giggled seeming less afraid. He appreciated the thought but he was so thirsty. He hadn't had any water since he became a pony. "Can you tell me how you're feeling? How about your name?"

"Where's... Occult?" Gallant managed to croak out. His throat felt better but he was still stiff and sore. Miss Red Heart had a weird look on her face but it was hidden quickly. It didn't make Gallant feel easy but it wasnt like it was strange enough to panic about.

"How about we start with you first? Can you tell me your name?" Red Heart asked. Gallant didn't really trust her, why would she be elusive about Occult? She couldn't be some demon or monster or something, she just looked like a normal pony.

"Gallant Knight," he lied through his teeth, he felt kinda bad about lying to Zecora about his true nature but he didn't trust this pony. "Where's Occult?"

His question only made the nurse shuffle nervously. While he doubted he was in any immediate danger it still unsettled him to see the nurse act in such a shifty way.

"There's somepony here who will talk to you about Mr.Occult, but in the meantime why don't you tell me what kind of foods you like? I'm sure you must be hungry." the nurse deflected. It was irritating him. She knew something that he didn't. The way she was acting made it seem like she was uncomfortable because he was a child rather than that she had done something wrong. It wasn't good enough though, he needed more.

"Not hungry, where is Occc-gaeh?" Gallant asked in as harsh as a tone he could manage before his voice stopped. Seeing Gallant wince in pain was enough to bring Red Heart back to her senses, the pony offering up the glass of water once more. Once more Gallant drank greedily, without Red Heart stopping him this time.

"I know you're worried about your umm.... friend but we have a pony who's here to ask you about that, you just need to eat and rest first." the nurse said in a soft tone, the kind that you would speak to a puppy or kid. The reminder that Gallant wasn't even in the body of an adult pony agitated him.

"If you don't have any preferences I'll just get you some carrots and hay. Though if you want I can get you a nice tasty hayburger." Red Heart continued. For a moment Gallant had been disgusted by the notion before he came to the realization that his tastes would be completely different. Unable to stop himself he cringed at the thought that he'd be eating flowers, grass and hay for the foreseeable future.

"Who's here?" Gallant asked weakly ignoring the nurses offer of food. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't hungry but there was no point in dragging things out. This other pony knew what happened to Occult and once he found out he would be able to find Occult. That is after he was able to move again.

"Well, somepony from FPS is here to see you and ask some questions. She's really nice, you'll like her." Red Heart said with a genuine smile. She didn't seem like she was lying for all Gallant could tell. Not that he trusted her, he learned at a young age that three letter agencies weren't often friendly to those who weren't rich and powerful. "I'll go get Loving Grace and fetch you something to eat just in case you change your mind."

Left on his own Gallant couldn't help but focus on the sinking feeling in his gut. Everything just felt so wrong. He needed to find Occult and track down that demon that stole his body...... but what would be left when he went back? He didn't have any close friends that were still alive, his family is gone and his job was terrible.... no, pushing the thoughts from his mind Gallant tried to focus on the colt who's body he inadvertently stole. He couldn't leave a kid like that.

If he wanted to save that kid and go back home then first he'd have to find Occult Readings, and to do that he'd have to learn more from this Loving Grace mare. Before Gallant could plan how to confront this mare the door opened and two ponies walked in the room. The first being Nurse Red Heart followed by who he assumed was Loving Grace, a light yellow furred pegasus with an orange mane. She showed a slight shock when looking at Gallant the first time but was much better at hiding it than the nurse had been. Almost as soon as he noticed that, it was almost immediately replace with a caring smile.

"Well hello there young colt, I'm Loving Grace from foal protective services." she said in such a reassuring tone, it was like how Zecora had spoken to him. If he wasn't already cautious of her he might have been caught off gaurd. "I've heard you were a very brave young stallion, going in to the Everfree. Would you like to tell us what happened?"

It clicked in Gallant's mind right then. FPS is this world's version of child protective services and he had just been taken out of a dangerous forest with a stallion who was quite obviously not a relative. Now begs the question of how to respond. He obviously can't tell them the truth, they would think he was delusional. If he told them a lie then the person who's job it is to recognize when kids were lying would be even more suspicious of Occult.

Gallant was stuck between a rock and a hard place but he didn't really see any other option but to stay quiet or lie. An idea came to his head like a lightning bolt. He was a thestral and according to Occult they were incredibly rare. He could just blame any oddities about his behavior on a different and unknown culture.

"I was monster hunting on my own for the first time and I got lost miss Grace," Gallant said in as childish a voice as he could manage and the look of pure shock on Grace's face was priceless. "Mr. Occult found me and lead me out of the forest."

It wasn't a full story, but he was a kid so it would be enough. Judging by the uncomfortable look on Loving Grace's face it seemed like it was working.

"Ah yes, but why were you, um.. monster hunting?" Loving asked while trying to keep up the facade and hide her confusion. It was perfect, now she shouldn't be as focused on Occult.

"All thestrals hunt a monster on their own when they come of age." Gallant lied with ease, "I got hurt in the forest and Occult saved me."

"Is that so? Because Occult Readings gave me a very different story." Grace said in a gentle tone. Gallant's heart sank, his plan failed immediately. Gallant couldn't help but curse under his breath. How was he supposed to get back home if some government agency stole him away?

"I only want to help you Gallant, and I can't do that if you don't help me." Grace said in that sweet voice of hers. It was ironic, she wanted to help him but she'd never be able to. Not seeing any way to get what he wanted Gallant simply refused to speak. Once he could move again he could simply go out and look for Occult Readings himself.

After moments of dead silence between the two Loving Grace sighed and her wings twitched. "Occult isn't.... a great stallion, it's fine if he's your friend, but due to his past and your erm.. condition we're worried about you."

That had caught his attention. Condition? Did something permanent happen? Did he screw up this kids body?

"Condition?"

"You're suffering from mana exhaustion, something that usually only affects young unicorns, and given Occults history...." the FPS agent said with disgust in her voice. It was obvious she thought Occult did something ti him but Gallant knew that couldn't be true.

"Occult helped me." Gallant responded weakly. His voice giving out. He felt oddly tired. He'd woken up not that long ago and it was still bright out but his eyes were getting droopy. Loving Grace noticed and put her hoove on his.

"Go ahead and get some rest, Nurse Red Heart and I will be here if you need anything at all." Grace reassured, and with that Gallant felt his eyes grow impossibly heavy. He didn't want to sleep, he still needed to learn more. Try all he might he couldn't keep his eyes open.

Comments

[Ali della Morte]

who's body he inadvertently stole

This has been said a couple of times in the last few chapters. But you have given no indication as to whether that's true or not or how he came to that conclusion. That leaves a hole in the plot of the story.