1. The Wabbit in the Art Installation

Lapinette had told him not to go in because she knew it would make him dizzy. This, he ignored. He strode into the installation like John Wayne. But he'd only gone a few hops when he was seized with giddiness. "Aargh," he cried. He lurched from the left to the right and back again. He looked up, but that did no good at all. He looked for a point of reference, but none were available. At last he placed a paw on something that seemed stable. He heard Lapinette's voice. "Are you in there, Wabbit?" He tentatively turned. He heard her say, "Are you all right?" He saw Lapinette emerge out of nowhere. "I'm absolutely fine," he said. "Never better." He slowly made his way along the surface. "I'll come and get you," said Lapinette. "No need," said the Wabbit with confidence. He let go of the surface and staggered round in circles for some time. Lapinette watched with amusement. The Wabbit located another surface and sat down. Lapinette hopped boldly forward with no trouble and took up a seat beside him. "I'm not keen on installations," he murmured. "This is by Esther Stocker, from the future," said Lapinette. "Oh really," nodded the Wabbit, "then that's OK." Lapinette put her paws on her hips. "Abandon your ways of seeing and understanding associated with recognition of forms!" The Wabbit stumbled towards the door. "I will - after I have an aperitivo."

[Installation, Esther Stocker. 2004. AR/GE Kunst Galerie Museum Bozen, Bolzano, Italy]

The Wabbit at his Birthday Caffè

The team gathered at an unusual venue. It was the Concert Hall Caffè where the Wabbit was celebrating his birthday. "Happy Birthday Wabbit!" yelled Skratch. He'd only just made it in time. The Wabbit smiled. It was a relief to see him. "How old are you now? asked Lapinette. "A secret never to be revealed," grinned the Wabbit. "You may be old," said Wabsworth," but you don't carrot all." Skratch snickered long and hard. "In the Flatlands we don't show any signs of ageing." They all laughed. "Look over there," said Wabsworth, "Someone's taking a photograph." The Wabbit shrugged. "We won't charge him a copyright fee." They giggled and slapped the Wabbit on the back. "We're forgetting to ask what kind of adventure we just had." Skratch screeched a bit. "AI doesn't know anything about stories, it's not a person." Lapinette stood up. She was anxious to get to her seat early. "There is no self-consciousness there," she said, "It just parrots off what it scraped from the Internet." Wabsworth stood up too. He was in the mood for Beethoven. "Self-consciousness is overrated." Skratch thought for only a second. He was already on his feet anyway. "AI doesn't understand jokes!" A cry went up from the other concert goers. They had been eavesdropping. "Three cheers for the birthday Wabbit and his team, and their jokes," shouted the photographer. The Wabbit turned and gave him a thumbs up. "You're paying for the drinks afterwards!"

4. The Wabbit and the Bloody Rabbit

It was all over and they made their way from the museum. "I think AI is a crock of Schmidt." The Wabbit could be merciless in his criticism. Lapinette laughed. "Surely you mean a sack of grit?" They both giggled. That was when it happened. A vampire rabbit stormed down the stairs and vomited blood over them. The Wabbit expressed annoyance. His coat had just come out of the dry cleaners. Lapinette was wearing her favourite frock and she let forth a stream of swear words that were less than polite. The rabbit laughed and coughed up more gore. "I'm real, I'm real," he yelled, "I'm the best that AI can offer." The Wabbit said something under his breath. "I heard that!" The rabbit vampire span and shattered, then coalesced. "I'm a rootin', tootin', ton of fun!" The Wabbit turned and stood his ground. "You've no self-awareness, you have no clue who you are." "You're in a fit of twin pique." responded the rabbit. "You think you're funny," yelled the Wabbit. "Funnier than you!" The vampire rabbit coughed up more blood. "Watch my kilt!" roared Lapinette. "Well plaid," retorted the rabbit. Lapinette turned purple and made for the rabbit, but he began to fade. They heard a whisper. "I'm an AI rabbit." Then nothing. The Wabbit shrugged and joked. "I need a drink. What do you think our AI friend will have?" Lapinette jumped up and down. "He'll choose what everyone else is having."  

3. The Wabbit and the Poorly Staged AI.

As the Wabbit came round he had a flash of clarity. This wasn't real. The ferocious rabbit was merely an artificially generated image and not a very good one. He could see the ragged edges. The gun was far from accurate. His teeth looked like they'd seen better days. He was making a lot of noise, but the sounds were the flash bang wallop of an impoverished circus. Nonetheless, the Wabbit decided to go along with it, just to see what would happen. But he hadn't reckoned with Lovely Lapinette. She came dashing from the back rooms of the museum and grabbed the gun. "Leave my Wabbit alone, you brute!" The gun bent like butter. Lapinette continued her attack. Her paws flailed. The Wabbit tried to stop her. "It's artificial intelligence," he yelled. "It's harmless." Lapinette's eyes gleamed. "I'll tear its fur off and use it to stuff cushions." The AI rabbit was taking a pasting. He stopped in his tracks. "I give up," he croaked, "call off your dogs." Lapinette thumped him in the eye. "Don't you call me a dog you artificial hogwashery." The AI rabbit shrank back and turned away. He hopped a feeble hop and hid whimpering behind a generator. The Wabbit shrugged. "I don't think the technology is there yet." Lapinette calmed down. "Where did he come from?" The Wabbit grinned. "A bad B movie?" "Stands for Blithering Bore," snapped Lapinette.