10 Cylus 720
The stopped by The Cabin Boy before they did anything else for Balthazar's shift and Kit clarified that while he always recommended coming here before a shift, it wasn't a necessity. When Balthazar inquired as to why coming to The Cabin Boy was a better idea than going to The Scribe, who one of Balthazar's little birds had told him about, when the Scribe seemed far more reliable. Kit explained that the Flame Troopers used The Scribe for their investigations occasionally and his information was only as reliable as what he was paid. Kit didn't like any man who negotiated that way... he felt like it was playing with the lives of every citizen in Scalvoris. Balthazar was inclined to agree. If The Scribe had some information about the missing children, he should have brought it to the Elements... but it seemed that the man would only be moved by nels.
All the same, Kit and Balthazar stopped by The Cabin Boy to pick up two papers, one for Kit and one for Balthazar. Anton Callipo was something to be sure. Balthazar thought the man had a personality like a raisin, small and shriveled, mad at the world for making him what he was. Not that a raisin particularly cared that it was just the dried out, inferior grape. Callipo seemed to care that he was the dried out, inferior Scribe. In a brief exchange with Callipo, Balthazar learned everything he needed to know about the man and those prejudices were confirmed when he began reading the paper that had been published. Kit tried to stop and read outside but Balthazar explained his mutation making him unable to read while idle and so Kit agreed to read through it as they walked to the docks where they'd be getting Balthazar a mount for the trial.
Along the way, Balthazar read the paper and found himself thoroughly disappointed in Anton's work. Even Balthazar could see the opinion bleeding through the pages. There were words used that seemed to indicate a dislike or hatred towards certain academics and many of the stories came from unnamed sources so that didn't give Balthazar any idea of how Kit meant for them to use the paper. When Balthazar pushed that he thought the paper was a waste of their time, Kit pointed out a few articles about pirate attacks at sea and one about a sea creature attacking ships. Kit explained that while they couldn't really trust what Anton wrote about the seas, it gave them some idea of where to set up for patrol rather than simply the ocean. Now they knew- due to the article, to set up on the western side of the island where most of the pirate attack reports seemed to come from.
The duo of Kit and Balthazar walked down to the beach where a few other Water Troopers had begun organizing a few mounts for Balthazar to try out. They coralled a merquestrian onto the land for Balthazar first, the seahorse-like beast bearing shades of blue and green. Balthazar approached it nervously, he'd never done very well with things apart from his magics that made him move faster than his own feet. The merquestrian must have sensed his doubts, because it reared backwards away from Balthazar when the mage approached it. Balthazar backed away slightly too and Kit laughed while the other two water troopers calmed the merquestrian again.
"You have to relax, they can tell when you're afraid." Kit urged Balthazar as he pat the man on the back. Balthazar looked to Kit for a moment and then back at the merquestrian.
"I'm not afraid of it." Balthazar admit, his eyes trailing down towards the water itself. Ever since he'd come to Scalvoris the water had treated him with some animosity... or perhaps that was how he perceived it. Conceptually what the water did to Balthazar now was not very different than what flames had done to him before only in this moment it was quite possible the water would seek to pull him under and very unlikely that he might catch on fire. "I just don't want it to hit me."
"Alright, I'll get it in the water for you then. They can't kick as well in the water. Get his attention once he's in though and try to mount him calmly this time?" Kit motioned to the other two Water Troopers and they lead the merquestrian into the water. It seemed to dip it's head into the water and splash around playfully, enjoying the company of the other troopers who were far more experienced with animal handling than Balthazar was. Balthazar stepped towards the sea and the waves seemed to reach a little farther to strike at his toes. Balthazar whistled and the merquestrian turned from it's play with the other troopers back to Balthazar- and Balthazar would have sworn he saw that seahorse-looking-bastard's eyes squint.
Balthazar narrowed his eyes back at the beast who was more or less submerged in an element Balthazar could command... so what did he have to be afraid of? The merquestrian sat with it's head gently bobbing above the water, it's eyes watching Balthazar as he seemingly refused to wade into the sea beside Kit who seemed at home in the water. Balthazar had stopped right at the peak of the tide and yet with every wave he seemed to be pulled slightly closer. There was already a sense of pulling created by the water washing back towards the sea in preparation for a wave but when Balthazar stood in the water the pull was amplified to the point that it was slowly dragging him to the sea.
When Balthazar had gone about waist deep into the water he really began to feel the downward tension around him. He could feel the water trying to pull him down and when he realized it was his mutation he began moving his arms to coax the water into passiveness with his spark. He became so distracted by the task of keeping the water passive that Balthazar hadn't noticed he'd waded all the way out to his mount who stood far less antsy than it had in Balthazar's last attempt. Balthazar held out a hand and the merquestrian nudged the hand with it's nose before pulling back suddenly, surprised by the warmth in Balthazar's skin. Yet this time Balthazar did not pull away, he kept his hand out and the merquestrian returned to it, nuzzling the mage more comfortably.
Balthazar moved into position beside the merquestrian and used a little propulsion from the water around him to help mount the creatures saddle. Mounting was an immediately uncomfortable feeling that caused Balthazar to adjust himself several times without having gone anywhere at all and after a few trills of watching Balthazar shift back and forth, Kit chimed in. "It doesn't get more comfortable for the family treasure, I'm afraid. You learn to endure it."
Balthazar raised his eyebrows in some surprise, perhaps making that region more durable would make this whole venture more worthwhile. He hadn't put much thought into his decision to join the Elements, certainly not as much as Isabella had put into it, but Balthazar was beginning to see the advantages. Yet the question remained of how long it would be before he saw the darker politics of organized military. Balthazar enjoyed the liberty he had to follow his own rules in his private investigating but with the Elements he was under the impression there would be a measure more of point and obey commands. Thus far though, he hadn't experience that.
Having mounted the merquestrian successfully, Balthazar's next great challenge was figuring out exactly where he was supposed to hang on to the creature. He looked around awkwardly for a few trills before Kit swam over to him and tapped Balthazar on the leg. "Grab the reigns, here." Kit picked up a strap attached to the merquestrian and help it to Balthazar who took it in hand. "Gently tug to slow down, tap it's sides with your feet to get it going." He explained as if the creature was some sort of machine that would follow simple instructions.
Balthazar looked at the merquestrian who seemed to be shifting it's weight in the water. He leaned forward to it and whispered "Please don't get me killed."
