[X] take the bus to the Gentle stables.
-[X] Ask faith if she wants to take the bus to New York to ride some horses
----
"You're so lucky you're cute." Faith mutters as she dozes against your shoulder. "Anyone else I woulda shanked."
You chuckle as you lean back against the uncomfortable seat of the bus. There were worse things to do really, but this was up there. Getting up early, finding Faith, and getting on the bus was a fiasco in and of itself. If you were less close to the girl you're fairly certain she would have flipped you off. As it was, you were going to be exhausted when you got home. And that was without you partying as Faith routinely does.
The bus was relatively empty at least, so you didn't have to worry about issues there. It let you both sprawl out as it bumped along the road. And gave you plenty of room for your packs. The driver even nodded at you both as you got off, and you were able to confirm the night bus would be coming the opposite way as well. Which was a relief since this entire thing was cutting it close.
Especially since the place was right in the middle of the wilds. The trees were nearly bare at this point, and there were leaves everywhere. The cold wind bites and you zip up your jacket as you shudder. Faith jams her hands in her pockets as you do this, and starts to walk quickly in the direction of the stables.
"Weird place." The girl mutters to you. "You see any people?"
"Someone in the distance." You squint a bit as you come up on a fence and the field inside.
The figure had apparently spotted you and was moving closer even as you looked. You took your time to walk to the fence in reply, and eventually was able to make out the woman atop the horse. Older, dressed conservatively in a thick pink jacket, and a pair of riding pants. She squints at you both, and then frowns. The horse she's riding on stamps a bit as it comes to an halt.
"Yer not the normal visitors. They usually call." She frowns deeper and looks at you in particular. "What're you here for?"
"You talk to everyone like that?" Faith swings her arms inside her jacket and gives the woman a casual look. "Astral wanted to show me some horses."
"Ya know, normally I'm fine with that, but we don't advertise." The woman keeps looking at you and you meet her gaze steadily. "You're not normal."
"Well that's rude." Faith mutters and moves close to you. "Seriously, my boy here's not..." Faith trails off as you wave a hand.
"I'd say you aren't either." You finally say after a long moment. You tilt your head and half close your eyes. "You feel that wind Faith?"
"What?" The girl looks at you and then at the leaves, still on the ground. "This one of those freaky power things?" She whispers in your ear.
"I'm Sara. Why are you here?" The woman's horse steps back and forth, and then snorts. "I'm retired."
"I was sent here to find something." You give a casual shrug. "Divine guidance."
Another snort from the woman. "All right then. Considering how obscure those idiots can be, I suppose I can understand that. You don't know me, I don't want to know you. You can ride the horses all you like, and explore whatever. Don't expect help from me." With that the woman makes a clicking sound in her mouth and the horse begins to trot off.
"All right, seriously." Faith grumbles. "Is there some sort of power lottery I have to enter in? Some old biddy gets shit, and I don't?"
"You don't need it." You shrug. "I'm happy with you how you are."
The girl gives you a flat look in reply, and then shakes her head. "All right, lets get going. What do need to do? Just 'cause I'm a girl doesn't mean I like horses."
"Then why'd you come along?" You ask curiously as you vault the fence and start walking into the field.
Faith follows after a moment and shudders again as a cold wind blows. "Really, if your asking that, then you really need a clue by four."
You chuckle. "You're a good friend Faith."
The girl rolls her eyes and walks up to you as you both walk along the field. There are a few horses here and there grazing casually. You give them a glance as you move past, but don't do much more than that. You weren't given much to go on really, but there was a fair bit of ground you could cover.
You politely ignore how Faith stops at one of the horses and pets the thing. You're not looking that way at all, honest.
Then you catch movement where the trees start getting thicker, and see a horse outside the fence. You tilt your head as the beast seems to look almost directly at you, and then turns away. It's got a saddle and reins on it, unlike the rest of the horses in the field, so your first thought was that someone had taken it out for a ride, but then you see a shimmer of something as it walks.
You frown and begin to follow. Faith trotting to keep up.
You vault the fence and look down the path the horse had gone down. In the distance as the path curves, you could see the horse there. Cantering now. It's hoof beats echoing strangely.
You started to sprint, and could hear Faith curse as she follows. "What the hell?"
"Found it! Try to keep up." You call back, and the girl curses again.
Down the path, around the bend. There you could see the horse looking back at you from across a small bridge. The stream under it flowed sluggishly, and the horse was looking almost smug as it turned away again.
You indulged some cursing as you shifted into an easy jog. Behind you Faith mutters dire things as you both crest the bridge and followed the horse still further into the forest. Down a corridor of trees bare of leaves. The ground covered with multicolored hues, and crunching as you and Faith ran.
The horse stayed just ahead as you moved. Just the sound of it's hooves as it trotted and almost danced. Just in sight at all times. Clearly unnatural, but you didn't feel any malice from it. Nothing demonic.
"Fucking pain in the ass." Faith huffs as she jogs just behind you. "Seriously chasing after Casper the dumbass horse." The snap and pained sound makes you skid to a halt, and you turn to see Faith on the ground. "Fuckkkkk. Go!" She points at the horse and whines as she pulls her foot out of a hole.
The horse whinnies softly in the distance, and you hear several deliberate stomps.
"Seriously. I'm good." She holds at her ankle and pulls back.
You huff yourself and glance at the horse in the distance. It looks directly at you and stomps again. Finally you snort and move towards Faith.
"Hold still." You mutter and light flares in your hand as you kneel.
"Seriously?" The girl mutters in reply, and then hisses. "Ok, ok, yeah, thanks." She lets out a big breath. "Now go after the thing! I'm fine now idiot."
You smile a bit as the healing spell finishes and then get to your feet. Then turn to find that the horse is now right in your face.
You take a startled step back and the horse whinnies. Then lower's it's head to nuzzle at Faith.
"I'm mad at you you know." The girl mutters and pats at the horse. "Casper over here has a thing for girls in distress I suppose."
The horse whinnies again and then shimmers as it's form starts to fade out of sight. The reins that it was wearing fall down to the ground with a small patter, and you look at them curiously.
"Always with the freaky shit." Faith mutters and you help her up.
Then you reach down to pick up the reins. They look normal. A bit fancy, with golden colored metalic connectors, and patterened leather, but nothing seems unusual about them. Yet, you know there's something special.
"So what do they do?" The girl looks at them, and you give a small grin.
"Watch!" You snap out the tool, and focus your power.
A flare of light. Like sunshine on a warm day. It flowed through the reins and then flared brightly. A horse's whinny sounds off, and in front of you is an armor plated horse pawing at the ground. It looks at you with glowing eyes, and you give a grin to Faith.
The girl looks at you and the horse with wide eyes, and you vault onto it. Instinct and light powered knowledge flows into your head and you reach out to Faith. Hesitantly the girl takes your hand, and you pull her up behind you. Then with your granted knowledge snap the reins.
The horse breaks into a gallop, and Faith shrieks in your ear as the trees whip by. Another snap of the reins and the horse goes even faster. Light powered muscles surging as you fly through the fields faster than a horse normally would be able to go. Over the fields and back to the fences. Faith shrieking, and the whooping as the horse vaults the fence and gallops into the center of the field.
You stop there, and let her off. Then snap the reins again and the horse disappears.
You give Faith a grin, and she grabs at you. Your eyes widen as her lips meet yours, and you can't bring yourself to push her away as she kisses you hard and long.
You lose track of time for a bit, and hear a cough. Breaking away from the girl, you blink at Sarah.
"Well, looks like you found your thing." The woman mutters from atop her horse. "Good. Now off my property."
"Seriously?" Faith asks from your side.
"Seriously." The reply is flat, and you can almost feel the wind start to pick up in the distance.
You stop Faith from making an issue of it, and head out soon after. You forgo the bus on the way back. It's unpleasant, but it gets you back before it gets really dark by riding on the horse. Though both Faith and you are walking funny at the end of that, and your quite sore in unmentionable areas.
---
Item:
Reins of the Holy Charger - An item that can summon a ghostly horse. May also be attached to a motorcycle to give it a psuedo life, allowing it to follow commands as if it was a rather intelligent animal, and letting it run without fuel. May also transform the motorcycle into a mechanical horse, or add a side car to the motorcycle as well. Note, the horse can be used in outdoor combat, but damage to it will carry over to the motorcycle or cause it to 'pop' and drop the rider.
Weekday action?
Mr Smith is auto training Charisma.
We've had this discussion before. The metaphor went something like "We are volunteer Emergency workers. When we accept a quest from the light, that's us volunteering to go save somebody's life, or stop murderers before they can kill again. If we accept a quest and don't do it, that's like the emergency rescue services just stopping for coffee and doughnuts, then going to a casino for half a day, and then -finally- making it to where they were supposed to be twelve hours ago." 
