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Aster nodded, walking over. He helped her up and sat her down on the bed. He sat next to her. "Watch my legs. Watch how they move." He stood up slowly from the bed and walked around the room a few times, slowly.
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"Okay." Aislinn slowly stood up, leaning against the wall. She was utterly nervous as she took her first step forward. She stumbled, but soon caught herself. "Wait, how am I going to move the other foot? I might fall with one foot up."
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Aster put one of his feet forward, then put another forward once the first one hit the ground. "Like this. Try."
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"Hmph." Aislinn looked at her feet and took a deep breath. She placed one foot forward, a little bit ahead of the last foot. "I'm sure you feel embarrassed right now." Ice giggled.
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Aster chuckled, then shrugged. "No, no...not particularly...here, try a few more steps. Let's see if you can walk around the room in a circle."
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Aislinn's voice was high. "But a circle is confusing. Swimming is far more easier than walking." Although she complained, she started to walk in a circle. She had a few stumbles, but she managed to hold herself up.
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Aster smiled. "It seems like you've got the hang of it. What would you like to do, now...? I can't let you go back in the water, yet...you might bleed to death. We can do anything you want."
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Aislinn bubbled with excitement. She was the first mermaid to learn how to walk like a human! "I want to know more about your world. Anything on this ship that would be interesting?" Ice asked.
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"Well...not really...but my home is just off the shore," Aster offered, slowly. "I could take you there, if you'd like. Then maybe for a walk around town? On the boardwalk?"
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"Okay." Aislinn quickly accepted. She wanted to know what a town and a boardwalk are. She slowly walked towards him.
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Aster coughed a bit, suddenly very aware of something, and scuttled off to his room. He returned with some clothing for her. "Do you know how to put these on, or should I help you out?"
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"We don't have that much clothing underwater." Aislinn commented. Seeing the clothes, she blushed. "I don't know how to put these kind of clothes on." Ice admitted.
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Aster stared, then went a little pink. "Well...I can help you. Here..." He slid the shirt on over her head, and then gingerly helped her step into the pants.
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Aislinn turned pink. "Aren't girls supposed to wear skirts, or at least that's what I was told." She slipped onto the shirt, feeling the comfy fabric. "And stop staring..."
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"I didn't mean to stare...we're just...humans aren't used to seeing a lot of skin unless they're...lovers," Aster sighed. "Women don't have to. Men can wear skirts, and women can wear pants...and vice-versa..."
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"Oh." Aislinn never learned about this back at her home. Usually, they teach her about how humans destroyed her beautiful city once and how they were like monsters. Looking at Aster, she was willing to change all that.
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Aster nodded, standing there awkwardly for a moment. "Oh...that's right--my home..." He headed out onto deck, helping her along whenever she needed it. "I'll pull up the anchor and get this thing running..."
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Once Aislinn was out on deck, she was awed at how the sky looked like. Back underwater, it looked blurry and most merpeople don't actually care about it. "It's so blue!" She announced.
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Aster nodded, pulling up the anchor. "Yeah..." He shoved the key in the ignition and turned the boat on. "Hold on to something...your balance isn't perfect, yet, and I don't want you to fall." With that, he began to pilot the boat back to his private dock.
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Once the boat moved, Aislinn toppled over. She giggled as she soon knew what he meant by holding on to something. The only thing she has ever ridden was chariots powered by seahorses.
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"Are you all right?" Aster asked as the small dock started to come into sight. His house was behind it...his summer house. His normal house was a posh home in a fancy New York neighborhood. He was a prominent businessman.
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"Yes, I'm fine." Aislinn held on to the railing of the ship as she saw his house coming into view. It was a normal size for a summer home and she asked, "Is that it?"
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"That's it," Aster confirmed, pulling up to the dock. He summarily cut the engine and worked on securing his boat to the dock. "There we are. Here." He hopped off of the side of the boat onto the dock and held his hand out for her, politely, to help her across.
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Aislinn was surprised when her feet touched land, holding on to Aster's hand, of course. She explored as much as she could before reaching his house. On the way, she asked countless questions. "What is this? What makes it fly? What color is it?"
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Aster tried to answer her questions as best he could, and as simply as possible, as he led her through the back gates and through his backyard garden...it was blooming with flowers.
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