Carefully Arc spooned the soup into the bowls, being ridiculously, borderline neurotically, careful not to spill even a drop. It could have been considered beyond over-the-top, but it was how he always way when he cooked. "Not all seven. Spent a little while wandering around on my own. I met some decent people in the beginning but... " Arc's eyes sort of glazed over for a moment. His spooning ceased and he sat in silence as his mind traveled back six years. "... I learned how ugly the world can really be, no matter how good someone is." He could still see their faces, terrified by what they knew was coming but resigned to it, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop it.<br/><br/>He could feel his eyes starting to well up with tears, so he chose to comment on her story about her lost dog. It was also sad, but at least it was a type of sad he could handle. "I'm sorry. It's hard to lose a companion like that. Dogs are so loving, too. I'm sure he didn't leave you on purpose." Arc finished pouring the soup, then passed Madison her bowl. He would have loved to have some garlic bread like the old days, but such a thing was a luxury anymore. It was almost amusing to him how something as simple as bread, once labeled as the only thing the poor could afford to eat, was now a precious commodity. Of course just about anything became rare when the whole world was coming to an end.<br/><br/>Arc took a spoonful of the soup and, after blowing on it briefly, took his first taste. "Hmm... a little heavy on the sage. Sorry about that." Being very particular about the flavors he used, Arc was a little embarrassed by what he considered to be a failed dish. He really wasn't all that heavy-handed with it, but his OCD turned a very small detail into a big deal. It always did.<br/><br/>"You should get another one. A dog, I mean. I love dogs."