The sun had crept away, leaving the Moon in full glory over the city, though she ruled the night in a brilliant splendor of light rather than in presumed darkness. The city was awash in fake lighting, something I had grown accustomed to (it would be hard to avoid), but nevertheless I wished for the days when the darkness was just that, the protective cloak that had once been my sanctuary, had been withered away and replaced with beacons, though sometimes wonderful to see in various colors, could be rather disheartening and left me with a slight vulnerable uneasiness. Though I managed to adjust as the world around me altered, I clung with an iron grip to certain aspects of my past. Such as a well groomed, respectable attire. Men in this century seemed to think a sweat stained white t-shirt and torn jeans made them look...appealing. I couldn't imagine any female finding that alluring, the women I'd known would have much sooner sought the affections of a man with well stitched silks and a posture of dignity.

Anyway... I had decided to go with something casual to blend in and not look strange standing amongst the manure and chemical insect toxins. Though I still intended to never stoop so low as a torn jean, I had put together a purple tinted dress shirt, which I had rolled the sleeves up on, and loosened the collar to not look quite so overly dressed, and with this I wore a pair of black slacks and shiny black leather shoes. It was in this state that I stood leaning against my cane, staring up at the giant pallets of soil stacked unreasonably high. It seemed oddly pointless to stack things so high, one incident and the humans could mash themselves like ants. I narrowed my gaze up at the bag I wanted and looked around. There were not in reachable distance, and I didn't really want to make the effort to find an employee. So naturally, as I usually do...I took matters upon myself. Limping forward, I glanced side to side quickly to check for witnesses, and Then I gave the metal beam a great shove. Now I was by no means of great strength, but my particular species gave me just enough to quiver the beam and loosen the bag at the end, which had already begun to shift. A few more shakes and the bag came tumbling down.

Now I am not a man of great forethought, I have always lived in the present..and so at this particular moment, my error had not become present until just as it occurred. The bag which I had intended to land agreeably at my feet, had instead knocked into the next shelf on it's way down, directing its course into a large cart. The following calamity was my cue to exit. Damnit... I limped around the cart, my eyes flitting to the startled employee by the cart, whom by the look of guilt had assumed he'd done something to cause this, and I was decidedly OK with his perspective. As I moved away from him, everyone's attention was on the mess, so I helped myself to a basket of Peonys. They were a lovely shade of rosey pink, and I would have continued on my way unencumbered, but a woman decided to just plow right into my shoulder.

"Moron! Eyes off the mess and you might not cause another. My tone was demeaning as I spoke to her, my annoyance at my failed attempt moments ago had left me in an easily aggravated mood. I glanced at my Peony basket to make sure nothing was out of place, and with a groan of irritation, I noticed a stem had bent over. It was one of three beautiful blooms, so by no means a disaster, but that wasn't the point. I looked down at the woman as she collected her own basket, her gentle hands touched the plant like a wounded animal, and internally I found myself calming, her body language was far more gentle and serene than the usual pigeons of the day, and it was that small distraction that kept me from biting back at her further. Instead I inhaled loudly as she came back up, my intent was to chide her once more, but as soon as her blue eyes met mine, I felt my jaw go slack and I stepped back in surprise. "Yejide?" Her name felt foreign on my tongue, something I'd only tasted in thoughts and memories. I felt ashamed suddenly, and my gaze wavered away from hers. She was the only living creature to instill such guilt into my soul, and I both hated it and craved it.