Rhys was sitting in the boot of his car drinking a lager when one of the boys parked his truck in the lot and bounded over. It was one of the new guys he hired not too long ago. Rhys tried to remember his name, but he was awful at that sort of thing. Was it Tom? No, that wasn't right. As the young man reached him, it came to him. Tim was his name.

"Hey boss, you're not going to believe this one," Tim O'Callahan said, his green eyes sparkling as he made his way over to where Rhys was sitting. Rhys pulled a bottle out of the boot behind him and handed it to Tim, who took it but only played with the label on the side.

"Try me," he said, taking a long pull on his bottle. "There's not much in this world that can take me by surprise these days."

"There's a girl down the corner at the market," Tim began and Rhys laughed.

"Oh, I wouldn't believe that one at all, you're right Tim. Girl in the market, that's a surprise."

"No, wait!" Tim said. "She's blue."

"So, go cheer her up why don't you?" Rhys said. He went to take another sip but found his bottle empty. He debated the merits of having another versus whether it would be best to head home and wait for Gwen.

"I mean she's really blue," Tim said. He tugged on Rhys' sleeve. "Her skin is blue. Come see." That was enough to garner Rhys' interest.

"Okay then, lead on, MacDuff." He said, putting his empty bottle in his boot. Tim carried his along with him, although he had yet to take a drink from it.

"It's O'Callahan, not MacDuff," he said. Rhys just shook his head in bemusement as he slammed the hatch closed on his car. He followed the young driver around the corner and down the street. A crowd was gathered around the small market on the corner and long before they got there they could hear laughing and people calling out names at someone.

Rhys used his bulk to push his way through the crowd. Even if someone was walking around painted blue, there was no reason to make fun of them like that. Several blokes took umbrage at his pushing through, but backed off once they saw the determined look on his face. Finally he made it through the crowd and saw what everyone was staring at.

It was a young girl, no more than fifteen or sixteen, Rhys estimated. And she was blue. But Rhys was sure it wasn't makeup. Several young men were poking her and she wrapped her arms around herself as a protection, but didn't try to stop them. Tears streaked her cheeks and Rhys felt his heart go out to her. She wasn't trying to hurt anyone, but these people were poking and prodding her because she was different.

"What's your problem? " Rhys demanded his voice rough with anger as he broke through the remaining people into the center of the circle to stand by her. She cowered next to him as if she thought he was going to strike her. "Leave her alone." He placed his formidable bulk between the girl and the boys tormenting her.

"Look at her, mate. What the heck is she thinking she's doing, going out like that?" One of them asked. He was a burly boy and the murmuring of the crowd gave him enough bravado to stand up to the man in front of him. "What's it to you?"

"You're a bully," Rhys said, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I don't like bullies. Leave her alone."

"You gonna make me?" The young man asked, puffing himself up for a confrontation. Rhys stared at him.

"Yes, I am. And I'll box your ears if you so much as lay a finger on this poor girl," he threatened. That was the problem with these kids. No discipline, and no fear of reprisal. He didn't give a damn about the fact he might get into trouble by accosting the boy. He probably needed someone to teach him a lesson since his own parents didn't seem to be doing the job properly.

The boy sized up the man in front of him and seeing the light of determination in the other man's eyes he backed down. "Go on, old man. Go play with your blue girl then." He turned away, his friends trailing behind him. The rest of the crowd broke up reluctantly, now that the show seemed to be over. They drifted away, talking amongst themselves and leaving Rhys and Tim alone with the girl.