The thing he's picked up appears to be a barrette, or maybe a large pin... Or maybe just a fancy piece of bent copper with some other fancy pieces of silver wire woven through holes in the design, with some sort of clippy thing on the back for some reason.

The woman over the counter gives their arm a little shake. "So you think you're a smart-ass, huh?"

She only gives Phalanx a cursory look-over, but even then, her frown deepens at the sight of white hair sticking out from under his hood. She says something else after that, demanding that they put it back or she'll blah blah blah, but something distracting is happening kind of all of a sudden right at Phalanx's side.

Someone is standing there, dressed all in black, hands politely folded behind his back. He's pale, his hair is dark. He's smiling, but he also stands with a sort of tenseness that does not reflect his expression. Or maybe it's the... feeling that seems to accompany him, something strange and eye-catching, but not necessarily in a good way. One or two passers-by look at him as they shuffle past, but they are quick to glance away again.

"Hello, friend."

He is looking at Phalanx, and very pointedly. The woman, also distracted by his sudden appearance, loosens her grip on their arm.

The man tilts his head a little. "What are you doing so high up?"