The shadows of a hood covered the top half of a pale face, worn converses tapped out a rhythmic beat. He sat on the library stairs, going unnoticed by the large crowd that rushed by only a few meters from him. Long slender fingers held a headphone to his ear and the other hand held the phone but the darting eyes scanning the faces of the crowd suggested that music was the last thing on his mind. He stood with cat-like grace at the appearance of a girl, who was running wildly across the packed square, pushing against the flow of traffic. A smile tugged at his lips, his joy at finding his prize seemed endless. Dropping the phone on the steps he abandoned the useless thing, jumping the steps to stalk his prey. He held his hand out before him, fingers splayed. Time slowing around him till it came to a complete stop. Just as he was a few inches away from touching her, the teen noticed a blur rushing through the crowd, undoing his hold on time. He started to run himself, fearing the approaching stranger. This stranger seemed different from the rest.

The other, now slowing down, cast a glance at the girl who had stopped at the traffic lights. He pulled the hood of his own jacket up, covering his face. Alarm spread through the crowd as the young lady started to walk again, a speeding black bike was about to hit her head on. He grabbed the girl's hand when she stepped off the pavement, pulling her back so that she narrowly missed the speeding bike. He tugged her into his embrace only holding her for a second. "Watch where you're walking," he whispered, lips an inch from her ear. He could feel her shiver as her hand was still in his. He released her quickly, turning away when she whipped round to thank him, but she only caught a glimpse of his back. Being shoved along by the crowd, she gave up setting off to work.