The Universe's Mixer

How any of them could be contently living in this place was well beyond the understanding of Malcolm Reynolds. Pausing at the street corner, waiting for the clearance to cross the street safely -- he watched as a postal box flickered out of existence only to reappear right beside him. At least this phenomenon had ceased in surprising him nearly a week into his 'visit'. In fact, it barely caused a brow to raise, if at all. This rearrangement just served as a reminder that he needed to find his crew, find his ship (or any at this point would do) and get out.

But Simon had been the only one he'd found thus far. The least he knew was that Zoe, River and Inara were out there someplace. Hopefully so was Kaylee -- maybe even Jayne. Mal's hike was on it's third day. He couldn't quite explain how he found a safe place to rest his eyes each night, but he did. Though he wasn't sleeping enough. His shoulders were sagging as he waited there on the street corner.

Traffic paused and Mal strode across the way. If there were tracks for there to be an "wrong side of" and a "right side of" -- he'd found them. And he was heading right by way of wrong. For a City that supposedly "provided" this new stretch of town seemed to be provided for a bit better. The sidewalks were cleaner, the street lamps more ornate, brighter too. But the Core-worthy class of this area was lost on Mal as well; between simply not caring and the dull aching of his feet within his boots.