18 Giant Diapers.

"I guess, for some people, a change of colour equals to a change of dress." Calla sneered even as she shoved past a surprised Havillah who yelped in the wake of her relentless fury. Her eyebrows dipped as she steadied herself. What was the woman going on about? she wondered. Still frowning, she raised up her own arms and took a whiff at her own armpits.

"Oh... yuck!" She cried out in disgust even as her scrunched up at the smell that had assaulted her olfactory senses. "She's right though. I do smell quite terrible." How many days had it been? Seven? A week since her last bath? Once again she shook her head in disbelief and displeasure, stalking off to find that elusive Captain.

"Not that I don't like your hub and all, it's all smart and techy, but there is no place for a girl to groom herself here." Havillah spoke out as she entered Killion's office without even a knock.

"I thought I asked Calla to show you around and into the ladies' room?" Killion asked her without looking up from mounds of work that had piled up on his wooden desk.

"She did, but there is no way I can bathe in a toilet." she riposted cringing even as she shook her head at such an obscene thought.

"Oh, sorry I forgot. You do not have a suit."

Havillah's mind snapped back from her rumination and she stared at the man that was before her with a look that spoke great lengths of her inner turmoil and her confusion.

"I don't understand. What does a suit have to do with anything? And while we are on that topic, why does everyone, everywhere I go, keep on bringing that up? Isn't it that obvious?" She retorted, her hands raising up in the air in a show of vexation.

"Oh...You do need a bath." A voice said from behind her and Havillah turned back to glare at boy-man. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's not like I have anything to do with your stench." Gabriel snickered.

"Urgh...Killion! I need a bath!" she cried out, stomping her feet in a fit of pique.

"Right away ma'am." The Captain silently chuckled even as he stowed away his work and stood up ready to escort her out of the Hub. "I think it is time you met my mama anyway and what better than to kill to birds with one stone?" Havillah breathed out a sigh of relief. She turned to also walk out, casting Gabriel one lasting glare which he returned with a laugh that followed them all the way out of the hub. "I am so sorry. I got caught up in all the meetings and the paper work... I am a terrible host!"

"I didn't mind. I know that you're busy person. What I really detest though is being all smelly and grimy."

"I must though, I am surprised at that. I really thought for sure that you would have a trick to handle that or something."

"Like what? Your suits? I am surprised you even need toilets at all."

Havillah asked with a raised eyebrow and Killion answered her with a laugh. "They cleanse us but we still need to use that toilet."

"How disappointing. It would have been so great to imagine the lot of you walking around in giant diapers."

"I am sorry to disappoint , but we haven't perfected that technology yet." The Captain responded with even more laughter, even as he led her through the Hub's massive gates and to the street outside.

"I haven't perfected mine too. If only I was good with the First Virtue, my hygiene would never have been an issue."

"But your crystals? They are awesome Havillah!" Killion protested even as turned back to face her.

"Yes, I am fairly good at the Second Virtue." she agreed. "but it can't help me here." she told him sadly, putting a damper on the once lively mood that had existed around them. Killion did not know what to do to make her feel better. Instead, he attempted to change the topic with the hope that it would change that as well.

"So, is everyone back at home capable of doing the great things that you do?" Havillah blushed despite her darker skin tone.

"As far as I know, I am the only one who can make Hope Crystals and even that is something that I have been keeping as a secret for a while now."

"Why?" asked he, feeling quite confused at her way of reasoning. "If one had that kind of power wouldn't they want to share it with their kin? Wouldn't they want them to know?"

"Most of what I know about the Second Virtue was gotten from the ancient scrolls. I was supposed read through them and makes notes, a chore that was given by my mentor. Instead of just doing that, I went ahead and used them to teach myself and with his kind of emotional predisposition, his temperaments are such that it's really hard to know what he thinks or even how he would have reacted knowing what I had and what I can now do."

"So you played it safe and hid it from prying eyes." Havillah nodded. "But you're doing it here. Aren't you scared that he may be watching you?"

"Maybe, but I don't think so. I am also banking on his arrogance and that other fact that is, he is too disgusted with me to bother. To him, humans are way beneath him and without my Virtues, Great or not, I am just like them and that is what he thinks, I now am."

Killion pondered the girl's words. His mind thought on the monster that his mentor was and her parents who had allowed a kid to suffer under the hand of such a beast. Who does that? he was tempted to ask but he also knew that it was not his place nor did he understand the ways of the Great in order to judge them as he was doing now. No, Havillah would not take his sentiments kindly. What he could do though, would be to protect her and to make sure that her stay there remained as wonderous as ever, just like he was doing now by allowing to view the town in all its glory.

He chosen to take a walk home instead of the vehicles that were much faster and quite comfortable. For how else would he have delight himself other than by watching Havillah and the wonderous look that was now brimming her eyes even as she gazed upon the town and the ocean around in the light of midday? She seemed to be enjoying the bustle of the town as all around them, crowds surged. People weaving in and out and between each other, even as they each went about their own way, fuelled by a common need to meet their quota and earn their livelihoods all before the darkness rolled in bringing the terrors with it. It was the way of his people and this had continued for centuries and despite the fact that no terror had been spotted since Havillah arrived there, they still hurried along.