Saturday morning, when Ilaria logged into VC, a pulsing red button welcomed her.
“Hey, wanna come for another boss run?” The voice of Diana sounded in her ear.
“Yeah, of course.”
Ilaria messaged Amy immediately, the elf logging in and joining them at the Troll Caverns. She didn't say anything to Mina; it would be pointless for her to join just to follow them. And, to be honest to herself, she was still troubled by Mina's suggestion, a little ashamed to face her sister without having resolved that.
Ilaria carried the worry on her mind during all the first floor. At some point even Kyle noticed and asked her about it. She made up an excuse and decided to forget it for the time being. One more day didn't make a difference.
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At lunch Ricardo looked at his sister guiltily, of course she didn't say anything about it. He thought about what Rob had told him the night before, Mina and Johnny being the ideal couple everyone looked up to. No matter how he tried, he couldn't picture it. His little sister–who he had never seen dating–being in a steady relationship, 'married' inside a game.
After real life lunch, it was time for the lunch date with Johnny. It had been a surprise how he had been the one who had the initiative to ask Ilaria out. Ricardo didn't know if he would have many more chances to 'date' him. He needed to get some results soon. Maybe he should just force the issue, ask directly about Mina and see what happens.
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Ilaria, dressed in her level 7 aquamarine dress, arrived at Johnny's house around 3 pm. He opened the door, dressed in white pants and shirt, an apron on top, and a chef's hat on his head. He welcomed her to sit on the couch, as she waited for the meal.
“Alright, I'll get started.” said Johnny, smiling as he took out a lot of stuff from his shoulder-bag. First came out a couple vacuum-sealed meat packages, maybe rabbit, then there came another pair, bigger and darker colored, and a third pair, which she didn't get a good look at. Then there came assorted vegetables, something that resembled potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes; lots and lots of foodstuffs kept pouring out of the bag onto the kitchen counter.
Ilaria looked and couldn't put it together, she didn't have any idea of what was Johnny going to prepare.
He took out a cutting board and a butcher's cleaver. Then, he opened one of the meat bags and cut it into big, uneven chunks, putting it into a pot. He continued with the second one, doing it the same way. When he went to the kitchen sink to pour water directly into the pot, Ilaria couldn't stay still.
“Wait!” She stood up and went towards Johnny. “What are you trying to do?” She had been restraining herself but she couldn't endure anymore. Pouring water directly over the meat? Whatever it was, it would be a crime against humanity.
Johnny looked at her dumbfounded. Ilaria extended her arms, receiving the–still waterless, thank god–pot from his hands. “Okay, what were you going to prepare?”
“Stew.” Johnny smiled embarrassed.
Ilaria put the pot on the counter and made a quick scan of the stuff currently over it. “What kind of stew?”
“Meat stew, like the ones the adventurers always make.” Johnny drummed on the counter with his fingers as he evaded Ilaria's gaze. The mage looked around–the kitchen was lacking a lot of things–not quite sure about how to proceed.
“Are there any recipes for VC?” finally asked Ilaria, realizing she didn't know if cooking inside the game would work like in real life. For all that she knew, maybe Johnny's way was the how it was done.
“I haven't been able to find anything,” said Johnny. “Cooking is fairly new and only a few people have been posting about it.”
“Hmm, what did they say?” Ilaria had started setting the ingredients in columns, accordingly to how she would use them. It was a comprehensive assortment of meat and vegetables, but no salt, nor spices, nor any fat source.
“That's mostly common sense; easier than cooking for real,” said Johnny, smiling sheepishly.
Ilaria felt his gaze on her, as she opened the kitchen cabinets; they were full of pots, pans, and other kitchenware, but they didn't have any foodstuff at all. After several minutes, she gave up on finding anything, putting all the meat, including the pot, inside the fridge. “Where did you buy the ingredients?”
“There's a grocery store a couple of blocks from here. I just grabbed anything that seemed to fit.”
“Well, we still lack a lot of basic stuff. Let's get going.”
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In the grocery store, Ilaria went ahead directly to a shelf filled with small white containers. She picked up several dried herbs and spices, and, most importantly, salt. Passing by the meat aisle, she also took a big block of lard. Johnny followed her with a basket, receiving the stuff from her hands. When they got to the cashier, he paid for everything without complaining.
At that point Ilaria realized it would probably be the only time they would cook in the house; maybe she should have refrained from buying that many things. She had gotten a bit excited.
“Do you cook often?” asked Johnny, as they were walking back to the house.
“Only once a week.” Ilaria walked looking forward, as she planned her dish in her head. “But I do like it.” Cooking was a very girly interest, she felt it was a safe topic to show enthusiasm for.
“I have never cooked before; I mean in real life,” said Johnny, in a subdued voice.
“It's obvious.” Ilaria resisted glancing at him.
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Back in the house, Ilaria started by taking out a stack of plastic bowls from a cabinet and the meat from the fridge; distributing them one bowl in front of each different ingredient.
“Alright, we should prep the ingredients first.” Ilaria took the meat from the pot first, re-cutting it as even as possible, before putting it in a bowl. “Now, you should do the rest of the meat in similar, even pieces.”
Johnny followed her, opening and cutting the other types of meat. After finishing with that, they continued with the vegetables, peeling and dicing as it was proper for each one. Ilaria always liked to have all her ingredients ready before even turning on the stove.
“Finished,” said Johnny, showing Ilaria the diced potatoes proudly.
“Great; now we can start cooking.”
Ilaria took out the biggest pot of the kitchen. It was tall, made of stainless steel with a glass lid, maybe twenty liters of capacity; enough for feeding a small army. She wondered what was Johnny thinking when he bought that one. He might not have been thinking at all; she had the suspicion he had bought one of everything when he stocked the kitchen.
She directed Johnny to fill the pot a third of the way with water, threw in a couple of bay leaves, and put it to boil. Meanwhile, she scooped a big piece of lard into a pan and started frying the meat bowl by bowl, seasoning and tossing it into the water as they were done. Once she dealt with the meat, she did the same with the onion and most vegetables, asking Johnny to pass her the bowls in order. With the last bowl done, she replaced the lid on the three quarters full pot and lowered the heat.
“Is it done?” asked Johnny, as he picked up the bowls and put them in the dishwasher.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“For now, it needs to simmer for an hour or so.” Ilaria really didn't know how much time it would take in the game. In real life she would have used a pressure cooker, but she hadn't seen one in Johnny's kitchen.
“We could do a Dungeon Date while we wait.”
“Okay.”
The last DD they had done together was a miserable experience for Ilaria, but she relished the chance of showing Johnny the fruits of her week-long practice.
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First wave: Twenty-seven nightmaned direwolves
Ilaria glanced at Johnny as the announcement played; he appeared to nod at her. Maybe it was the wand and shield in her hand, or his newfound respect after showing off with the cooking; but he seemed to trust her. They hadn't discussed any strategy beforehand; she knew what to do anyway. As the silhouettes filled up, she fired fireballs towards the direwolf in front of her chosen door. One, two, three direwolves fell in succession.
“Start moving,” said Johnny, as Ilaria killed a fourth direwolf.
She didn't question it and ran. Johnny pushed the direwolves that had been closing on her, and they safely retired to their designated side of the room.
Johnny took hold of the remaining direwolves, leaving Ilaria at the back without much to do. She started flipping her shield as she waited, until she realized something: she could shoot from behind the tank. The direwolves were as tall as the warrior, if she spun the shield high enough she could get to them as Johnny pushed them back. Besides, it was the first wave. If she failed, it would hardly matter.
Ilaria positioned herself sideways behind Johnny and threw the shield up. She kinda missed the timing a couple of times, but on her third try she shot. The Fireball went up, bounced, and she could watch it from the corner of her eye as it hit the direwolf that had been just pushed back by a Shield bash.
Johnny stood still for bit, missing the timing on another direwolf. It scratched his spear hand before he bashed it on the flank. Ilaria reflexively touched him on the neck, feeling him flinch at the touch.
“No need to heal me,” said Johnny, his voice betraying some irritation.
“Sorry.” For a second she had forgotten she wasn't dating Kyle. Johnny wouldn't need healing from a mere direwolf scratch.
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Second wave: Twenty-three skinshredder hawks
After killing all the direwolves, Johnny positioned himself in front of the door. He hadn't said anything but his intention was obvious. Ilaria prepared herself to shoot the ones to the sides.
A splash of blood on the wall and two felled flaming heaps later, the mage found herself back to back with the tank, as he spun his tower shield overhead.
Now is the time.
Ilaria set herself behind Johnny and she began to spin the shield and shoot. It almost felt like when she played with Kyle, hawk bashed aside, hawk shot to death, move on to the next.
They finished the wave with tons of time left. Johnny turned around, staring at her with haunted eyes; it was uncomfortable, Ilaria breaking eye contact immediately.
The rounds that followed were taken down in the same way as the hawks and direwolves; Johnny tanking at front and Ilaria shooting from the back. They were mostly silent, though the warrior kept taking glances at her. What does he want now?
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Sixth wave: Eleven spiteful Salamanders
The round in which she had died the last time, Ilaria didn't have much hopes for it. They were resistant to fire, and they could use firebreath from a distance; the worst scenario for her.
Johnny engaged the first salamander as soon as it materialized, poking it with the spear and turning around, so he wouldn't be burned with fire at point blank. He kept moving, using moves way more complex than what she had seen from him so far.
Maybe he does have some talent after all.
Ilaria, on her part, decided to try to kill at least one salamander; using only Mana bolts. She had chosen the rightmost one, shooting it repeatably as she watched Johnny take on his prey.
Salamander number one–Johnny's–was killed before the two neighboring ones closed on them, at firebreath range. The warrior went to the left, leaving the damaged one to her. She tried to flank it, but the salamander turned its head, breathing on her. Ilaria slided on the floor, evading most of the fire but still taking damage. She kept shooting as the salamander got closer. It should go down soon.
As the salamander opened its mouth, Ilaria shoot her shot. It ate it, going through its mouth and throat, it bursting seconds afterward. The mage had downed her first salamander. She turned around to check on Johnny, when she felt the heat on her, followed by a whoosh.
Ilaria turned to the other side, seeing a salamander impaled through its neck by a spear in the middle of a firebreath. She had taken so much time on one monster, that the rest of the wave was already over them.
Johnny ran towards her, fending off the salamanders as he could. They breathed on him, his HP bar declining steadily. Hers wasn't that high either, having taken on two half-way firebreaths. They might be gone this round.
Ilaria thought how in their other date she had died early in the round and Johnny finished the salamanders alone. They had undoubtedly done better this time around, but it could end up being worse for them. That she wasn't dead yet was a disadvantage, the tank taking damage to protect her. How ironic.
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As they returned to the house, the spicy meat smell made Ilaria's mouth water. She went directly to the stove, opening the lid of the pot and whiffing. She whirled the stew with the ladle, taking a piece of meat with it. She took out a knife and poked.
It's tender, thank god.
Ilaria hadn't really known how much time it would take for the mysterious meat to be done. It would have been embarrassing for it to not be good after having taken over the cooking from Johnny. She tried the salt and poured two bowls of the thick, brown stew.
Johnny smiled in expectation as Ilaria put the bowl on the table, in front of him. She sat on the opposite seat, with spoon in hand, looking at the host as he tried it.
“This is amazing.” said Johnny, almost immediately scooping a second meat piece with his spoon. “Better than the inn's for sure.”
Ilaria smiled as she ate. Her cooking experience did work for VR, such a pity she wouldn't have access to a kitchen after today. There was no way she would spend the kind of money needed for a house in Virtual Connection.
They had second servings, and even a third for Johnny, but the stew seemed inexhaustible. The house would be gone after today, so they couldn't keep it in the fridge. It felt like a pity, Ilaria had used the biggest pot available because of the quantity of ingredients Johnny had provided, maybe she shouldn't had used up everything. It would have been faster too.
“Don't worry,” said Johnny, materializing his bag. He took out several stacks of flimsy plastic containers, like those for takeout. “These can keep food fresh for a month.”
They filled twenty-seven.
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While putting the kitchen in order, Ilaria couldn't help thinking of all the stuff Johnny had bought and wouldn't ever use, starting with the kitchenware. It gnawed at her so much that she had to say something.
“You should take the stuff from the kitchen. It must be worth something.”
“I guess I could put it in my inventory, I do have the space.” said Johnny. “Maybe I can give them away at the guild. Do you want something?”
“Aren't you being way too casual about things you have spent your money on?” asked Ilaria, growing impatient.
“True; it might look like that,” said Johnny, smiling. “I'm quitting VC after Valentines anyway. The golden hearts won't be of any use to me.”
Ilaria turned around to disguise her shock. What was that? Quitting? Why?
“I haven't told anyone else yet; sorry if I surprised you,” said Johnny, walking towards the living room area and sitting on the couch. “If I told any of the long time members of the guild, they would try to change my mind.”
“And I won't?” asked Ilaria, sitting in a chair sideways to Johnny.
“I get the impression that you wouldn't be too sad about it,” said Johnny, laughing. “Sometimes it feels like you hate me. I wonder why you keep seeing me.”
Ilaria laughed too, embarrassed at having been seen through, though it was liberating at the same time.
“I don't hate you; at least not most of the time.” As Ilaria was saying it, she wondered if it was true. Last week she would have said she hated him for sure; now she didn't know.
“I'm glad, even if it's not true.”
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After a while, Ilaria convinced Johnny of taking everything they could from the house before the day was over. They went through the kitchen cabinets, taking stuff and tossing it into Johnny's bottomless shoulder-bag. Ilaria did keep some kitchenware: a pot, a pan, a set of knives and a peeler. She figured they should be able to cook over a campfire.
As they picked the house clean, Ilaria pondered about Johnny's confession and what it meant for the plan. It was bad. Not so much for the original plan of just asking him, but for the real one. He was quitting anyway, the dating and humiliating him would be pointless. She needed to rethink everything, but she could start asking now. And she knew where she wanted to start.
“Why did you start the Speed Dating Club?” asked Ilaria, without any preamble. Johnny stopped what he was doing, turning to look at her.
“I mean, you're quitting anyway, aren't you?” Ilaria continued, not letting herself seem fazed.
“That's obvious,” said Johnny, his smug smile reappearing for a second. “To find a partner for the Valentines' Tournament.”
Ilaria looked downwards, entertaining herself with a grater.
“Thought that's a lie.”