Complete - The Warmth of Milk and Friendship | Page 2

Ilya's expression turned to one of pure exclamation. "Well, I think you are amazing. You can write, I wish I could.. You make everything seem so incomprehensibly simple. Honestly, like drawing is nothing when compared to writing. As for speaking.. It just takes.. Practice.. Ilya grimaced as she thought of her own life, having to speak in front of so many people all the time, To uphold a company handed down through the family... I want to be.. Free almost, instead I get handed a career that maybe I did not want to do... Yet, despite her own negative thoughts towards her life, she knew that it was her duty to fulfill her parent's dreams after they had in fact, left this world. 'My job.. I am not necessarily an inventor.. I am rather the inheritor of a famous company.. Roberts Incorporated.. Centered in Boston, and family owned..." Ilya smiled, I am lucky to be able to live such an amazing life... Most do not get to.. Ilya smiled lightly at the girl, "I am pretty sure, despite where you live you have probably heard of it.. It is pretty big, based on my own father's foundations.. Although if you have not.. I might as well explain what it is.." Ilya gave Harveste no opportunity to interject to say whether she knew of Roberts Inc or not. Instead, Ilya launched right into the company's history and importance in the world. "Roberts Inc was actually founded by my father, about two years before I was born. He wanted to make something that stood out, and give him a fortune to raise his family. It was in two-thousand and five that he started the company.. He had founded the basics of what he wanted to achieve within the first year of the company's history. The company itself is worth billions of dollars in its own net worth. The company is basically a company that focuses on technology. My dad made the first hyperloop. The system of transportation in the real world that gets you places fast. It was nit long before competition started popping up, but my dad had an advantage. We still focus on modes of transport to make the hyperloop better, and we create and distribute energy sources. Our creation of hyperloop made the first huge wave of success to hit my dad. The second huge wave was when we joined in the competition to make full dive gear. Ours were easier to use, and safer than most, and not the ridiculous prices that were set up by the first creator. I did not actually know about the full dive gear aspect until my parents died two years ago.. Now I continue to delve into ways to create and alter all of our branches of the company. We have hands dipped into almost every aspect of technology. In fact, we plan on making holograms to aid in everyday life. We have basic tests set up, and stuff. It takes knowledge.. Its my job to head the company as the social face. I meet with advisers and other companies constantly. I have to draw new inventions and ways to perfect our current tech. Honestly, it gets really tiring." Ilya let out a sigh, it was the first time she had told anyone about her real life. I wonder where this girl is from, and if she even knows about the company.. I mean, I would most likely be surprised.. After all, it is famous isn't it? If she doesn't then I would be overjoyed.
It would mean I would not be held to the obligations I am held to otherwise. "If you cannot tell, I live in Boston.. Where do you live?" Ilya smiled encouragingly at Harveste. "By big city.. Do you mean New York City or Boston? I know a lot of the people from this game live in those two places.. It is the only big cities I can think of.."

Thankfully, the conversation moved away from the conversation of the real life that Ilya and Harveste both had. "For drawing, what I do is if I think of something, then I pull a couple of "images" in sorts.. Sort of like mixtures of fantasy things and that of anime shows. I also like to pull from current things and I combine them all and fit them into what I envision. I really like to go off on my own and just draw though, so when it is not for the company, then I just draw for fun. Like fairies and mermaids.. I also love unicorns.. So I draw those a lot..." Ilya blushed slightly, as she knew that fairies, mermaids and unicorns were all childish things to think about. I cannot believe I am actually telling her this! It is one of my biggest secrets... "It is either drawing or playing with my cat Choji that I like to do in the real world on my free time, if I am not in Terrasphere.." Ilya smiled as she thought of Choji. When I log off, I am definitely going to make up lost time and be with him!

 

Unsure how she felt about Ilya's words, she smiled but felt her stomach start to twist in a way. She wasn't great with flattery- especially when it was including self deprecation of another person. Sure, she herself had tendencies to be that way, but she didn't like seeing it with others! "You may say drawing is simple, but... For some people it's not the least bit. Just like you think my ability to write makes me amazing, I think that you can draw is intensely curious. And speaking... It's definitely a skill that takes practice, but... I've had twenty-five years almost. When do we start talking, a year or two?"

As she spoke, she took note to look that part up. When did kids learn to talk? She knew from her father's talks with her that when she was small, she was fast to crawl, slow to walk and about average if not a bit slow speaking in general. She just wasn't sure when any of those were- even if some of her memories did include climbing and jumping off anything she could manage to.

"Roberts Inc, Roberts Inc..." It rang a bell, but the bell couldn't be placed. It was a vague name, and one that she'd probably heard more in passing than from personal knowledge. It was during Ilya's long explanation of the company and what she did there that she understood why it sounded so vaguely familiar. "I've heard of the hyperloop. Not sure what company I got my VR stuff from anymore, I'd have to take a look. I... Don't use public transit as much as possible. I mean, I do, but... I also really avoid it. So I haven't tried a hyperloop in the least. That might be why it's not fully ringing a bell. Like... I recognize it vaguely, but..."

Shaking her head from the blurred thoughts, she figured if she had to she had plenty of things she could blame for her brain failing to fully load the info on the subject. She was prone to brain fogs, after all. This wasn't news! She'd forgotten way more notable things than a company she barely dealt with. "I'm from New Jersey myself. Been to Massachusetts, but only for a short period. I went to a reading camp in Amherst for two weeks when I was fourteen, went to Boston this year for a short trip for a book thing. But with me, for big city, I generally mean New York. We just call it 'the city' by me. In New Jersey, there are just places like that. We have three towns with the name "Orange" all near each other, so everyone just calls them 'The Oranges' too."

Her hand moved to scratch her neck. She had more questions now, but wasn't sure it was okay to ask them. Then again, they were already talking about fairly personal real life things, weren't they? The real question was where to begin with her friendly stammering of curious moments.

"Drawing for the company kind of makes me think more like architectural drawing. Like, to show how it's made, right? I used to watch this show with my dad called 'How It's Made' actually. Always had blueprint images in between." The memory made her laugh, as she thought about it. "And animals- whether mythical or not- are just as hard. I should commission you to do my book covers. I'd rather pay a friend, you know?"

Her words were dotted with moments of giggling glee, before she tried to return to keeping her mind in tact and focused on the 'task' of learning more, of gaining insight. "So you draw and you have a cat with an interesting name I don't know the meaning of. What does Choji mean?" The question was marked with a quizzical stare that sat upon the small, round face. She wanted to know this answer desperately, it seemed. Though, there was one thing she soon would add. "And what's it like having a cat? I really need to think about getting a pet... Particularly one that can smell. Cats are said to be especially good for that, right? So I've been thinking that might be the best choice... But I can't seem to choose for sure!"

 

"Are you kidding me?! I would be more than honored! Although the payment would be unnecessary. You would be merely helping me keep my own sanity." With a quick tap of her finger she sent over a friend request to Harveste, "I can send you my real life information and how to get a hold of me in a PM later." As soon as Harveste asked Ilya about her cat, a rather large smile appeared on her face, quite easily making it the largest smile she had showed Harveste thus far, her tail and ears swishing in happiness. "Choji is actually my favorite character from an anime called Naruto. My own cat is so special to me, that I decided to name him after the character, as then two of my favorite things would share the same name." Ilya's own mind thought of her own thoughts on owning a cat, "Well, I obviously love cats.." She pointed lightly towards her own cat ears and tail, "They can be really independent, but they love on you at the same time. It is not just a pet, you actually form a real personal relationship with them. They become your friend. Cats not only are independent but really cute in general and soft. They are pretty easy to care for, as long as you know when to give them attention and when to leave them alone. With a cat, you can never go wrong. There are also so many breeds to pick from! Choji is a Siberian they are really gentle in nature.. They come from Russia!" Ilya stopped talking as she realized how she was going on and on.

 

"I don't really see how helping me helps your sanity, but... I appreciate the sentiment?" As the words left her lips, she felt a small, timid laugh join them. She really was a bit confused, but glad nonetheless. "I'll take down the information and give you mine in return when we get to that. For now... Choji from Naruto, huh? Let me think, since it's been a while... Choji was the sort of bigger guy, right? The one that had to eat a lot to use more chakra and was super protective of his friends, if I recall. I mostly remember watching him eat and getting hungry often."

It was a sad fact, really, the way she remembered things. Her stomach was fairly good at helping her with it, at times. Other times, not so much. She still mostly remembered Naruto himself for the ramen, after all. "Cats definitely vary from one to another like people. When I was little, my closest friend had two cats: one adored me and getting attention and would basically plop on my lap the moment I came to visit. Big kitty, ate a ton. His sister was basically a 'scaredy-cat' personified. Moment I walked near the door she was rushing to find a hiding spot to stay as far from me as possible. Really, really hated strangers, that one."

The memory actually made her crack up a bit, her smile broadening as she spoke before she realized she was going on and on herself. "See... I have a weird issue. Have you ever seen those really old Febreeze commercials on the net where they talk about going 'nose-blind'? I was born with that, kind of. I've never had a sense of smell. One of my favorite things in this game is I can actually smell things, even if it's a fake sense. I'm learning a lot and improving my scenery from it. But... That doesn't change the fact that where we're from, you and me... It's kind of not safe to have no sense of smell and live alone. Can't tell if there's a gas leak unless there's company, you know? Sure, there's special monitors, but those only help so much. And there's other issues without smell too. Like if milk's going bad and it hasn't quite soured yet, but it's not really safe to drink anymore."

 

Ilya nodded her head as the girl spoke of Choji, "Oh yes, always eating. The character that would never let anyone have the last bite of anything except himself. The lover of BBQ..." Internally, her mind replayed her favorite episodes of one of her favorite anime series. Indeed, watching him at made her hungry as well quite often.

"True, all cats have their own personality, their own likes and dislikes. Just like any other living thing. But you are also casting aside necessary things that other animals need. Dogs, they need a sort of bed. Cats are fine sleeping on the couch or your bed. They do not release any key hormones when they sleep, unless they are kittens in which case its growth hormones, and are fine sleeping all day just cause they can. They can drink seawater even though they cannot taste sweet things. Cats are just amazing, really. Oh! And their tale vibrates when they are happy to see you." Ilya realized she was going on and on about cats... I just.. love cats.. "S-sorry about talking a lot. I just am really passionate about cats..."

"Nose-blind huh? It is really cool that this game opens the world of smell to you! I can kind of relate, but not fully. In my real life, I am limited to specific foods. Allergies can be a pain." Ilya recalled the last time that she had eaten one of the various foods she was allergic too, shuddering at the picture that was set forth. "Much like you, this game lets me do things and eat things that I normally would not have been able to."

 

The woman's consistent explanation of the unique aspects of cats was interesting, though Harveste could note one or two biases included easily enough due to her youth. "I had a dog when I was small, and he'd sleep on just about anything. I don't think we actually had a special bed for him... Maybe it's because he was a puppy? I have to admit, though, a litter box would be easier to deal with. Cats don't require walks to use the toilet, right?" She mused the thought with a giggle, though felt a bead of sweat on her brow as she remembered one notable question and fact at the same time.

"Though... Do they need them in general? Some people would say that'd be a good part for me, since I don't go out much..."

It was no secret to Harveste that she was a bit of a homebody- and by 'a bit', she'd admit to just not leaving her house a good chunk of the time. She was learning to be more actively social, but she still tended to stay as close to home as she could when possible. And, unfortunately, her mass exercise in the game didn't correlate to the real world. So, her weight wasn't getting anything out of the game so far.

Besides, perhaps, leading her out to meet new friends once in a while.

"The proper term is 'congenital anosmia', but I find most people understand it better if I say something like that 'nose-blind' commercial. I smell nothing at all normally. It's still kind of hard to get used to in game..." Scratching the side of her nose, the girl took a quick whiff of the milk's gentle scent. So that was what it was like? How would sour milk smell different? It ws a curious question to her.

Ilya's mention of allergies, however, caught her attention. "Allergies are never fun. I've got some 'intolerances', but no definitive food allergies generally. My dad's allergic to all corn products, though. Hard to believe, since when I was small, it was half his diet I swear. Allergies pop up suddenly sometimes. I need to keep an eye out for myself... What allergies do you have, if you don't mind me asking? For me, I have an intolerance with watermelon for some reason... So eating it makes me feel kind of sick... I'm not sure why, though."

 

"Dogs are adorable too. But they often times require too much time and energy. I personally prefer cats, besides.. I actually enjoy walking Choji places.. He also loves outdoors... So its a win, win. Dogs do not necessarily require dog beds, but they do need to be let out every so often or you risk them having an accident in your house. As for cats, they use a litterbox. So it is easy and clean. They do not have accidents like at all. Also, dogs bite.. Cats do scratch, but you can contain it since you can trim their nails. You also need to trim dog nails, but they will always bite.. Cats do not bite as often. Only like forty thousand people get bitten by cats a year, and in comparison dogs bite at least four point five million people a year. Cat's hearing is better than dogs. Also, cats purr which is so adorable. They are like always soft too. You do not have to bathe them, but you can if you want. It all is a win, win." Ilya withheld her joyful expression while she was speaking, along with afterwards.

Taking note of Harveste's blindness to her nose, Ilya nodded her head, "I can only imagine how much you like to smell in game then.." Ilya thought of herself and her allergies as Harveste brought up a very imperative question, "I am allergic to lactose, nuts, corn, sesame, mustard, beer, mushrooms, soy, strawberries, oranges, apples, and a ton of others... Just watermelon? I actually am not allergic to watermelon, one of the few foods I can eat.."

 

"I'm one of the few that's been bitten and scratched constantly by cats, I guess. I don't seem to get bitten by dogs, but I've worked with someone who had a dog that bit her a lot..." She thought it over, a nervous laugh leaving her otherwise relaxed frame. Perhaps it was the warm milk or the nice person to talk to, but she felt oddly at ease in a place like this right now. Not too many drunks, just the right amount of noise to make her feel less scared than usual...

Yep, this was perfect, she decided.

"I was terrified of cats as a kid. My godmother always had two cats, and somehow they always hated me, even when they'd change out because of things happening. I think there was maybe one that didn't give me a death glare and hiss the moment I entered their house in my entire youth. But, I also had a dog most of those years at home... So maybe it was smelling him on me that made them hate me so much."

Another laugh, this time a hearty one as she realized what had terrified her was her own fault, most likely. She was impressed not long after when she heard the statistics about dog and cat bites, and then not long after that, about the girl's many, many allergies. "You know a lot of things for someone who doesn't accept they do. And... Your allergy list is worse than my dad's." She tried to count the number of things said. She stopped part way- it was futile to bother, really.

"I thought his was insane, honestly. Though he'd be happy to know I met another person allergic to corn, he'd feel horrible for you too. That really sucks... You must go nuts trying to find food without corn starch and gunk in it... I used to help my dad read every package in existence when I lived with him. Sometimes I still do it for him." Shaking her head, she added, "Until now... The worst situation I think I heard was this one friend of mine... She was from a family that kept kosher, but to top that off, she was allergic to wheat, eggs and milk. On the bright side, it wasn't hard to keep to the 'no meat and dairy mixing' rule since she just couldn't have dairy anyway, but..."

Shaking her head rapidly, she realized she'd gone off into a tangent while trying to relate to the girl's predicament with stories of her own life. This wasn't the time or place. This wasn't what she'd meant to do at all! "Speaking of food though... I should probably eat soon. What about you? Make sure you eat enough of what you can. And especially in a case like this, don't miss your vitamins! It's hard to get enough nutrition if there's so much you can't eat. I suppose on the bright side, your blood sugar must be pretty tame with so much fruit on the list... It sucks, but looking on the bright side is important, right?"

 

"Hmm. Might be the dog smell, yeah... I must admit, it is rather up to you, upon which animal you end up getting as your new friend.. I just suggest a cat." Letting out a soft hum, she finished off her conversation about the animals, moving onto the questions on her allergies, "I love fruits and vegetables, so it all works out." Now that Ilya thought about it, she did have to eat.. And she had that one meeting.... What time is it? With a quick swipe, she took note of the time, "Oh my god.. I am so sorry, but I have to cut our meeting short.. I am supposed to run a meeting five minutes ago... I am late.... But yes, you go and eat. We can meet up afterwards? I can just let you know all of my info as I said I would..." Ilya stood to her feet and held out her arms to give Harveste a gentle hug.

~~~~

Upon saying her goodbyes, Ilya pulled up her menu and hurriedly selected the "Log Out" option, taking her chances as potentially not holding up the crew for too long. As soon as her room appeared before her open eyes, she ripped off her gear and leaped off her feet, racing down the hall to get to the downstairs meeting room.