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Stella thought for a moment, and got an idea. Maybe the big tub would work? Stella was planning to use it for a small bath, but a dinner for two would be worth even more. " I have an idea. " She said, as she soon stood up. " I have a tub over there, it's... a big, great big bucket. I can fill it with water, and bring it up there. " She said. " And then, I can get you up here, too. "

She really should try to make something, so that way she can easily get in and out of the buildings and on the roof tops.
 
Antheona turned to the side and and looked out in the direction of the other tower. The bucket was indeed really, really big; if it was full of water, it would be heavy. And not only heavy, difficult to balance too, it would probably spill. But maybe if it was the other way around...
"Do you have a rope? You could take me up while I hold the rope, then I would throw the end of the rope down. You could tie it to the bucket and fill the bucket, and then I would pull it up."
Granted, of course, that Stella could indeed carry her up.
 
Stella knew where she was getting at. " I think I do have a rope somewhere! " She had the rope so that way she could dry her clothing, but really, it didn't stretch far enough and it really didn't suffice for something like that. It wasn't long till after they found the rope that the plan was in session. After a few- well, after many attempts and failures, they were able to get the rope and get Antheona onto the roof with the tub of water.

Stella sat on the rooftop, and wiped the sweat from her brow. " Haha... " She was out of breath, and she really was having a hard time catching her breath. What, with the urge to stuff the entire pot of soup down her throat. " Any room in the tub for me? " She was just fibbing, of course.
 
It was quite a lot of work just for the purpose of getting up here, and for Stella it must have been even more. Antheona was partly content that were finally up, neither of them sustained injuries (other than maybe a bump and a scrape here and there), and she didn't suffocate; but partly she was wondering what made this seem like a good idea in the first place. The fire, however, was an enchanting sight from up close; enchanting, but also very dangerous-seeming. Any part of her that was out of the water got dry so fast that she constantly had to pour water on her face, chest and shoulders. It may not have been a piece of the Sun, but it did have a certain sunlike quality to it. She could hardly stop staring.
Stella's question took her by surprise; true, the human seemed out of breath, and lungs solely were hardly an efficient way of breathing, but so far she hadn't seen a sign that humans had to keep their skin wet.
"You could sit on me, but I don't know how comfortable that would be. Why?"
 
Stella tried to stifle a laugh when Anthona responded in that way. Well, that would probably come in handy some day, but not today. " I was joking, I was joking! " She said, as she soon stood up and collected the bowls she brought up earlier. She took the pot that was on the fire, and slowly poured the soup equally into the bowls. As equally as she could get it.

After that, she took two spoons and dunked them into the bowls. Afterwards, she handed one of them to Antheona, and she kept one to herself. She scooted towards Anthona's tub, and she simply sat up against it. She really was enjoying her company. Stella too the spoon from the bowl, and put it inside her mouth. Oh god, it was like liquid ecstasy. She really couldn't wait to go home and taste her mother's home made soup.
 
Antheona observed the way Stella used the spoon to eat. She tried to imitate it at first, but it seemed like unnecessary work to her. Why get the soup into the spoon before getting it into her mouth? She held the bowl to her mouth, tipped it a little and carefully tasted it. After all, who knows whether or not what humans eat is edible at all? It tasted... unusual. But good. Really good. She couldn't really compare it to anything, because it seemed to have many different kinds of things in it at once.
"This is very good. How did you make it?" This was not just an inquiry about humans; she supposed that if it required fire, she wouldn't be able to prepare it, but she was still curious.
 
Stella took another bite of the soup, and spoke. " The soup part came in cans, and I opened them with a can opener. Then, I took the fish and put it in there, so that way it's something like a stew. My mom taught me how to cook when I was little. " She said. A small smile crossed her face when she thought of her mother. She was such a warm person. She wanted to be like her.

Stella had only lived with her mother while growing up. Her father had died when she was little, so she never really knew what he was like. Her mother often told her that she had her father's eyes and nose. She couldn't see it, because all of the pictures of the man was when he was probably at his worst- he was a nice, caring looking man, but he looked more than disheveled. With salt and pepper hair and slight stubble growing under his features, that her mother claimed she shared with him.

He seemed so nice, she often wished she got a chance to meet him. Stella sighed, and took another bite of the soup. He might be proud of her.
 
"I see." Antheona didn't know what a stew was, but it was obviously something like this, and it wouldn't be of any more use to ask. She peered at Stella over the edge of the bowl as she ate. The human seemed to be lost in thought, as her eyes drifted far away, and with the firelight dancing in her hair and the faint smile adorning her features Antheona unexpectedly realized that she was beautiful.
Could humans even be beautiful? She didn't know that until now. But she didn't think the rememberers would have much use for this particular piece of information.
"What are you thinking of? Is that something I can know?"
That was also something she hadn't done until now, and she only realized as she said it. She had asked for - no, demanded - information. She hadn't made allowances for Stella deciding not to tell; Stella could take care of that on her own. And everything she asked was to learn about humans and the surface in general. Of course this would technically still help with that, but that still wasn't why she asked. Well, but they were friends now. And they were talking like friends. That was different.
 
Stella snapped out of her daydream upon hearing Antheona's question. " Hm? Oh, " She chuckled lightly as she rested her head against the metal interior of the tub. " I was thinking about my family, " She started. Could merpeople have such a thing? Well, that was another question she would have to ask. " My mom told me that I always looked like my dad. Well, to a degree. I have his big green eyes, and I have his greek nose, " She guessed that's what it was called.

His father was greek, and thus came a few genes. Her mother was Irish, and that played a factor as well. " He died before I could meet him. But my mom always told me that he loved me, " Stella chuckled to herself. " She even told me that when I was born, he started to cry. He had to leave the room because he was crying too much. " Stella sighed, and looked up at the sky. That's where he was right then. " He died a few months after I was born. He had a type of cancer- it was horrible. The Cancer had eaten away his chest, liver, bones, pelvis, lungs and finally his brain. "

She paused for a moment. She had read his doctor report one night, and she really never forgot what it said. " He lost all functions of his body within a few weeks, and died silently one night, after fighting for far too long. " She set down her soup, and sat cross legged next to her new friend. " He had tumors in almost every inch of him, and it caused him too much pain to even try to pick me up. " She sighed, once again.

" The doctors think I'll die the same way. "
 
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Antheona didn't understand the concept of a father the way she knew humans did; she knew humans lived in families - she saw families herself on beaches sometimes - but she couldn't imagine what it felt like. But the way Stella described it, it all sounded tragic. Like she loved him even though she didn't really know him, and he loved her too. Death wasn't the horrible part. Parting was. And parting without even really having time together was even worse. But even so, there was something in Stella's words, something bittersweet, that made her feel that this wasn't the kind of sadness one wishes one would forget about.
"I don't know what a cancer is, and I know I can't understand the way you feel. But I'm very sorry and it's very sad. Thank you for telling me even if it's sad, because it's important."
It also surprised her how heavy her heart felt when Stella said she would die. She didn't usually feel that way. Everyone had to die, Stella too, Antheona too, and everyone. This sounded like a very painful death, and slow too, if it took weeks, and that was bad; but it also happened sometimes. Then she realized that what saddened her was the parting again. She knew Stella would eventually leave, at least according to her plan, but one can leave and come back, and even if one doesn't, one could. That was very different from dying. And once more she said something she wouldn't have said before.
"I don't want you to die."
 
Stella was slightly shocked at the choice of words that Antheona spoke. She wouldn't want that? Well, it was obvious. They were less than enemies right now, and really death wasn't a good thing to wish on someone, even a past enemy. Stella tried to hide a smile from her face, but her efforts were futile. She picked up her bowl, and smiled once more. " That means a lot to me. " She said, as she took another sip of her fish stew. " No one has ever said that. " She paused momentarily and chuckled. " But I guess that's a good thing, right? "

" It'll be a long time before I die. " She said, as she sat up and turned her body, so that way she could be facing Antheona. She looked relatively confused for the most part. But she also looked.... sad? She hasn't seen that before. Why was she sad? Stella sat on her knees, and touched Antheona's forearm encouragingly. She smiled for her. " I won't die while I'm here with you, and I won't die on land, and I won't die at sea. I promise you. "
 
Antheona looked at Stella for a long time, trying to make sense of her words. It was like a riddle. It was sort of reassuring, but not really; if she had read Macbeth, she would think it sounded like the prophecy of the weird sisters. She hadn't, of course, and so she couldn't phrase what she thought, but she still very definitely felt it; and so in a way, until she understood the meaning of it, it would be the opposite of reassuring. Stella would still die, that much was obvious, and her death would have unusual circumstances. Was that better or worse? "But then how? In the sky? How will you do that?"
 
Stella chuckled momentarily. " Maybe. I might die in the sky, or in a tree, but it won't be today or tomorrow or the day after that. " She promised. She took her hand away, and finished off her soup. " Maybe some other day, I could teach you how to make this. " She said, as she put the bowl to the side and laid near the fire and near the tub. " I could teach you a lot of things, but you have to promise me that you'll teach me some in return. "
 
Antheona drank the last drops of the soup and put down the empty bowl. She still wasn't exactly reassured by Stella's words, not until she understood their significance. But she didn't know what question to ask to make it clearer. So she decided to forego that and answer the other part only. Of course it would still remain there, nagging in her mind, until she knew, but she couldn't help that.
"Of course. Just tell me what you want to know."
She stretched her back a little; she was unused to being in one position for so long, even in her sleep she moved. With a little difficulty she turned around: that felt better.
"I've been thinking. I'll have to tell the others about you sooner or later. I wanted to do that after you go, but they might find you like I did, and I think it's better to tell than have them find out and ask why I didn't tell."
 
Stella thought about it, and turned around to sit on her bottom again, with her back to the tub. " I completely understand. " She said, as she put the empty bowl on her lap, and took Antheona's bowl, as well. She would wash them. Should she even bother? Well, probably, sure. She'll wash them later. " Will they be as promising as you? "

Stella really wasn't sure how to feel. She could trust Antheona, sure, they already had a deal. But what of the others? What will they do? Will they try to harm her? Hurt her? Sabotage her expeditioning plans? This really was a predicament. " Will they kill me? " She asked, as she set them off to the side. Could she put her complete and utter trust in her? Something told her that she could.
 
Antheona thought about this. Of course they would kill Stella, normally - that's why she had to introduce her herself. But would that convince them that she wasn't an enemy? They were more than a tribe, they were also a warband whenever the need arose, everyone had to be able to trust the others fully, and everyone had to do his or her part. Antheona also had the others' complete trust. So would that mean that they would accept her word that Stella wasn't an enemy, or would it mean that they would think Stella deceived her somehow and kill her all the more for having gained access to information that no surfacer should know?
"This is a first, I think. But I will tell them that we made a pinky promise. That's serious, it will have to convince them."
She was only slightly surprised at herself that she was about to stake her honour on a human. But Stella was a good human.
 
Stella turned around, and rested her arms on the rim of the tub. She then rested her head between the spaces in her arms, and looked to the mermaid. She chuckled, and smiled to her. " I bet you don't do that for most humans. But, then again, most humans don't make you supper or teach you how to read. " She said, as she dipped her fingers into the tub water. It was cold, but getting warmer with the fire.

" I would have asked to come, but I can't speak their language. And they might kill me the first second they look at me. " She said, as she let the droplets of water drip from her fingers. Her fingernails were getting long. And so was her hair. She would have to look for a comb, a fingernail clipper, a scissors and a mirror.
 
"I don't think anyone ever did it for any human. I'd have to ask the rememberers. Still, I don't think they would immediately kill you if you are with me; they would assume I took you captive for some reason, and wait until I explain. But I agree it might be better to stay up here until I tell you it's safe. But not tonight. I'll tell them tomorrow." Tonight was just too peaceful and pleasant to spoil. She wet her face again, then turned towards Stella, leaning facing her on the inside edge of the tub. From this angle, Stella had the fire mostly behind her, and that made the edges of her hair and face glow. It was an enchanting sight. "It's good to be up here. Thank you for bringing me up."
 
Stella smiled at her. " No problem! I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I got quite the workout, and really, you're great company. " She looked at Antheona for a second. Her teeth were intimidating, but also a scientific treasure. They could have easily outnumbered the amount Stella had in her mouth, but they were much like an animal's teeth. Well, she was an animal. But to Stella, she was as human as she was.

Her hair was oddly colored, but it was beautiful. Her greenish hair all in a tangled mess, with her car-keys still intact and all. Wouldn't the others think that as strange? Maybe not. They might think of it as a fashion statement. If they knew what fashion was. " You can tell them whenever you need to. I'm not going anywhere as of right now, " She chuckled jokingly. She was to be going soon, but it was up to them and all.
 
Antheona looked at Stella earnestly. "I like your company too. So I'm glad you aren't going. But I'm also worried. Your people should be looking for you. But they aren't. It's a good thing you aren't going, but it's also bad." However strange that was, she was going to miss Stella. "But if they do come for you and you go," she added after a moment's thought, "will you visit sometimes? We can think of a place that's closer to the shore, and we can visit each other secretly. I know caves in the sides of islands where humans won't see us. I would show them to you."
 
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