Challenge #01632-D171: Magical Memories
Smells, scents, can trigger memories. The hot tar smell of a Summer road combined with the distinctive scent of an Ice Cream Van. Opening a drawer and the scent your Grandmother always wore wafting up. Memories. -- Anon Guest
Humans can trigger their memories with an astonishing amount of things. Words, sensations in their pliable skin, sounds... and smells. They are so entangled into their senses that they have adapted their livesuits to give them sensory feedback from their surrounding environment.
Radiation translates into a particular form of static. Toxins become unpleasant odours. Ominous rumbling comes from approaching astral bodies. Some livesuits even give sensory translations from the surface they walk on or grip. The result has only improved the humans' almost unnatural perception of the area around them.
"Wow," said the Kapraxx's human as they enacted EVA repairs. "This nebula smells exactly like my Gramgram's cookies."
"Focus on the task, Human-Claire," said Frott.
"Yeah, I can. I can. It's just that that smell takes me all the way back. Rainy summer afternoons in Gramgram's kitchen, watching the cookies rise up and turn brown... I used to think magic was real. Mom printed everything, but Gramgram cooked, you know? Seeing stuff turn into other stuff..." Human-Claire paused to make certain a bolt was properly torqued. "Gramgram didn't help, you know. She encouraged that kind'a thing. Cackled like a witch when she was stirring the mixing bowl. Called all'a the ingredients this weird magic stuff." Human-Claire chuckled. "I could cook 'em for you, but you guys are allergic to nutmeg. And they're not the same without nutmeg. Gonna have to go hunting for some suitable, artificial nutmeg substitute."
"Human-Claire," chided Frott. "This is not the time for a monologue."
"Oh, chill out. I can multitask." Human-Claire demonstrated this by working and talking at the same time. "I learned old-fashioned cooking from Gramgram of course. When I was older and understood that baking powder wasn't Eye of Newt. That's why I end up chatting with the Gyiiks when I'm on shore leave. Recipe swapping. Those guys are pros at re-sizing a recipe. Every time I cook, I remember Gramgram. She always smelled like vanilla extract. Mom said she drank it on the sly because of the alcohol, but I never caught her at it." A few last tweaks, and Human-Claire sealed the breach. "All done, Oh impatient lizards." And then she muttered, "Man, I could do with a batch of cookies, right now..."
Frott sighed. "Why are you sharing this information with us, Human-Claire?"
"Because, my stiff-backed little friend, humans talk about random stuff to pack-bond. I'm being friendly whether you like it or not. Deal."
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Kesu]
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Thanks @internutter After seeing the picture, I remember, My Mom was preparing like this sweet-able things in Christmas.