Ep.3 Preparing for Hysteria

The calming lamp was on when Vanili woke up.
She takes her notebook, a pen and writes down something, fast.

When getting out of bed, Tenebrosa, the cat fell asleep or semi-asleep between the sheets.

Vanilli went straight to the shower and once the door closed, some Spanish music started playing. Punk-flamenco rhythms are heard along with the splash of water droplets. She mutters the refrain and dances while she washes herself.

Tenebrosa was still sleeping when Cobaca entered the room. She seemed that maybe will open one eye, but it was just a maybe. Relaxed and fluffy, she receives the robots caresses, meows a mini-concert and gently wags her tail.

Vanili enters the room wearing a big shower towel and says: Mneatza!

Cobaca responds: Good morning beautiful!
and engages Vanili in conversation in front a computer map:

Cobaca: Have you thought about a specific investigation area for today?

Vanili: Yes. It will be the Circuit, desierto, vacío, oscuro.

Cobaca: Before you start the Circuit mission, I took the liberty of bringing you a cup of exquisite Pu Ehr.

Vanili: It smells appealing. This is like a brake for my brain, thanks! I can´t stop thinking that maybe there are others out there and while struggling to stay alive or fighting with solitude, they also rearrange the place to sleep and transforms it into a beautiful design, cozy cottage or they´ve build something out of easy to find materials, new clumsy structures, you know, make it easier to survive. If someone managed to create their own algorithm out of incertitude and misery, I wish to meet that person.

This force of survival that makes one invent just out of necessity, that shows up when you really badly need a covered place to sleep during a cold rain it´s remarkable. It makes me wonder on the importance of a cottage as form of protection, private space and how, in history this ability was not enough sustained as an individual development necessity…For me everything was already prepared and I have you guys to fulfill all my needs, yet in this very morning some others probably sleep in an improvised cottage or search for breakfast. I wish to meet them.

Cobaca, please fetch me 2 cheese mix bocadillos, one with rosemary, the other with figs. In the meantime, I shall put some close on.

While Vanili is still dressing, Cobaca appears with a cute lunchbox device.

Cobaca: Bocadillos mix to keep your interest in saving humanity, hot PuEhr for extra energy, and the necessary box, if maybe you will find another plant out there. Up to 3 questions, one remains: Would you like me to join you?

Vanili: Thanks Cobaca, it’s so kind to ask. I’d rather have your guide from a distance this time. Will go alone.

Cobaca: Roger that. I´ll be your eyes, ears and some other sensory perception devices.

Vanili smiling: You are even better than my programming. The small errors you make are charming-funny.

Cobaca with a full emotive lady voice: Oh, thank you. It´s always nice to receive a compliment, even for a robot.

Vanili: By the way. I observe that you ware a new kitchen apron.

Cobaca: Yes, I do. It´s wild oregano in bloom, a summerish pattern. Do you like it?

Vanili: Is that a painting somewhere that I have already seen? It reminds me of something.

Cobaca: Excellent dear Vanili. Actually it´s a close-up from the wild flower field you have seen each day during childhood. A well conserved memory, like a landscape painting.

Vanilli while looking through the window: I knew it looks familiar. How I loved to run in those fields to play! The flowery smell of grass, fresh mint and honey, the non-stop bee buzzing, chirping birds, locust concerts and spectacular butterflies. It was a magnificent world out there.

Cobaca: It was, Vanili and maybe it could still be. Look around. The plants we´ve found so far are doing great.

Vanili: Right, they true are gorgeous, alive. One can only admire the way light passes through their greamy leafs and pastel, almost transparent petals. Apparently still creatures, slowly engaging in their glamorous show, blooming. So fragile, yet with a bit of care so strong and spectacular.

Cobaca: In here, the care is constant. We have robots distributed through the whole castle. It is set as a priority.

Vanili: The quality of air improved, excellent done. Hmm and, uh, I´m hungry. Smells like toast?

Cobaca: Oh yes! I have programmed the Chef to cook for you so I can engage in conversation.

The Chef arrives. He is tending a wooden tote plate and places it near the train window table, saying emphatically:

Bonjour! Bikini for the lady. One classic, the other, surprise. Bon appetit!

Vanili sits down and takes a look through the train window: a collage movie-experiment with poppies fields, wild oregano bouquets, yellow Hypericum perforatum, working bees and small size artichoke was on the screen. Compliment to the visuals, you could hear a soft squeaking of train tracks as a background sound.

Cobaca: As master of the breakfast ceremony, I propose classical music for chewing.

Food looked nice. On a round tray there were some dried grapes and seeds, fruit cubes, juicy melon and 2 simple toasted sandwich triangles. One of them was decorated with white salsa and fresh herbs. She smelled the salsa: a bit of onion, some pepper, a touch of garlic and at least 5 different herbs.

Vanili: Bikini provence? What is the salsa with?

Cobaca: Bikini provence with urtica.

Vanili: This means Urtica dioica is growing?

Cobaca: Yes, the plants grow vigorous, rich in vitamins, good for the bees to pick up pollen too. By the way: our recent data shows that with the new flower production the bees population is starting to thrive.

Vanili enthusiast makes a salt from her armchair and hugs Cobaca.

Cobaca responds and also change his voice into an allegre: In fact, the pollen is increasing, which is why I have designed separation areas in and around the castle, interior gardens, so that it does not affect your human body. Plants are pretty, but the polen can be dangerous to your respiratory system. Only a few well-picked plants, which help you breathe easier and smell relaxing, will remain around the castle.

Vanili: Ok, but is there full access to the separate gardens?

Cobaca: Yes and we are working to form interesting gardens, for the pleasure of walking.

Vanili: Sounds fantastic Cobaca, you master of interiors. Ok, prepared to enter Hysteria. Thanks again for the mindset.

Cobaca: I do my best. Art history helps a lot. I´m now influenced by impressionism. Before you go, I must show you something. Recently, cracks in the castel´s walls were filled with seeds we have found as multiplied. We have been feeding them and now, plants start growing.

Vanili: Ok. I´ll go take a look.

While running through the castle, Vanili saw that small greenly leafs are showing up through the cracks.

Vanili: So nice! You have transformed the decay, Cobaca. I still don´t know what kind of plants they are, but this is great, life over ruins.

Cobaca: You´ll see soon enough, these plants are growing pretty fast, they will swallow the whole building.

While they visualized the castle´s future a small group of robots passed by. They all wore printed aprons. What´s going on?, Vanili asks herself and gives Cobaca a long look.