Pieter smiled down at the boy and asked him how the scales felt, and Rohaan wasn't entirely sure how to answer. Except an answer did come, sort of unbidden as he blurted out, "Like soft warm sand on a breezy beach and smooth, cool glass and the velvet of a horse's nose, all at once!" and though he seemed surprised by his own answer, on further inspection he found that in a way, it was accurate. Actually, he couldn't think of what it honestly felt like, not in a physical, empirical sense. But he knew how it made him feel--that he knew quite clearly. 

He tried to think about something being neither human nor animal, and obviously not a plant. He wasn't sure what he thought about that idea, and it troubled him a bit, though he couldn't place why. And then, screwing up his face in concentration, he attempted to shift into one. And in a way, he did. It was much like Pieter described--he [I]looked[/I] like one, but he lacked any of her presence. The tail was a dark inky blue that shone greenish in the right flicker of light, and his skin had gone from suntanned to creamy and smooth with jet hair that tumbled down in elegant waves over his chest. He was perfectly feminine, and in no way did this seem to offend his usually very masculine natural self. "Huh." he said, his voice high and smooth and girlish, though it was not as musical as any real mermaid's might feel. But he released the form after only a few moments, as it was a little uncomfortable being a water creature on dry land. And then in an instant he was small, dirty, and boyish again. 

"Damn!" barked Uban, still staring at him. "I didn't know you could do that!" 
Rohaan blinked. "Do what?"
"Be a...well, be a girl." 
Rohaan's gaze was confused, like the answer to this was obvious. "Why couldn't I be? I can change into near anything." 
Uban gave a slow nod, though he was still wrestling with this idea. "Can you have a baby...?"
Rohaan actually laughed. "No! That ain't how it works. Go back to drinking, Uban, you're better at that," the boy riffed.

---

Hana read to Rohaan by firelight and though he kept his distance at first, his attention was fixed on her mouth as it moved and formed words. He wasn't so much in the mood to peer over her shoulder at the book and to try and figure out which words she was saying, and he only asked for the meaning of a word occasionally if it was crucial to comprehension of the story itself. Generally, he was less inquisitive this time and more content to listen and let his mind color in the imagery. They did this for a while, but within half an hour Rohaan began to nod as the physically rigorous and emotionally draining day finally took hold of him. The boy fell asleep lying near Hana's feet, sprawled out in the sand like it had been his bed for all his life.

Uban, meanwhile, had been sitting with a dopey smile on his face, staring off at what appeared to be nothing in particular, thoughts bumbling clumsily around in his head. Pieter called for him and he snapped to attention (albeit with a bit of a lag) and allowed himself to be helped up as he shrugged and agreed, "okay!"  and marched off with Pieter as assuredly as if it had been his idea to go. It took him until they got at least ten feet from the campsite for him to wonder absently, "Where are we going, anyway?" he craned his head back to look at Pieter, realizing that it was much darker and cooler away from the fire. And as he caught sight of Pieter's face and the rope he now had, Uban stopped walking, swaying just a little as a frown formed on his face. "Pieter..." he began cautiously. "What are we doing out here...?" He kept eyeing the rope, then his face, then back to the rope again. 

--

Berlin, with the rest of the crew either occupied or turned in for the night, had a few moments truly to himself--a rare thing indeed. So with his pipe clenched in his teeth and a cup of wine in one hand, he strolled along the beach with nothing but the moon for company, allowing the water to lap up over his feet despite the chill. He'd been impressed with the state of his crew today, and though he didn't get to really study Hana's fighting ability, from what he'd seen, she and Uban would work well together. And he, like everyone else, was curious as to what else she was capable of. He also thought about he and Wheel coming up with a strategy for their strike...assuming they could find them again.

Berlin knew they needed time to prepare, but the time not spent pursuing them gave him a knot of anxiety in his chest. This was one target he desperately wanted, and he'd go to great lengths to get it. Would there be survivors? And what sort of state would they be in? If he could save any, he would, and part of their plan ought to account for any prisoners down in the hold. As much as he wanted to burn the ship down and let the sea take it, he did not want to take innocent lives if he could help it. If there was a choice between having casualties and letting his prize get away, he knew what he would do, and the tiny pang of guilt he felt about it was snuffed quickly. He was resolute in this. The Barizians would burn.

Berlin meandered back towards camp, finding Uban and Pieter still gone, Wheel still retired for the night, and Rohaan out cold in the sand. Seeing this, he uttered a tiny singular chuckle and found the boy's cloak, throwing it over him before stoking the fire a bit. Berlin sat back, wondering how Uban was doing. Poor sap, he had no idea what he was in for when they'd left and it would hit him hard. Not unpleasantly perhaps, but hard all the same.