Not much could delight Arden. Her emotional capacity for excitement was almost nonexistent. When amusement did come knocking at her door, it was a fleeting feeling at best. It didn’t last. It never did. But sweets always managed to bring a genuine smile to her face. She loved them. She loved them ever since she was a little girl back in Milan, Italy. They gave her happiness even if that happiness was temporary, short-lived.
She took what she could get from it.
In a way, Arden was well-aware she was dead inside. It was a passing knowledge, something she didn’t think too hard on. She was going through the motion in life, yet she didn’t feel any dissatisfaction from it. Just boredom. Mostly boredom.
The mention of a cotton candy machine on the Freenet had grabbed her attention for once. She usually only browsed through the conversations, rarely participating herself. Communicating with people was tedious. It was a last resort at best; an unnecessary irritant at worst. But that particular exchange had been productive. It’d left her with a small pull of anticipation – something she hadn’t felt in a long, long time.
Two bags of cotton candy for two paint cans. It was a good deal. It also gave her the excuse to go aboveground and stretch her legs. All she needed to do to make it better was send Nico off to the edge of town to check if the rest of their Famiglia have arrived yet. She was seated cross-legged on a bench in front of the once active fountain in front of the mall. The two cans had been set next to her as she waited for the mysterious cotton candy maker.
It didn’t take too long of a wait as she heard the distant roar of engines. Motorcycles. She could make out two, three of them. Whoever it was didn’t come alone – but no matter. She was here to do a trade. If they had something else in mind, she was more than ready for them. Otherwise, she just wanted her sweets.