VanMojo looked at Josh, at the Episkopos, and then back at Josh the dill, perplexed.
What did just happen?
Josh the dill was nodding, his mind still a bit elsewhere.
He wasn't accustomed to dream that way. Not anymore since the kabal was destroyed.
Was it a sign? He needed to stay alone a bit to think about this all.
For now, he remained silent and smiled timidly at Mal and at VanMojo.
"Hmmm..." The fine doctor VanMojo grinned. "That wasn't a good idea to drink all that scotch Josh"
He patted on Josh's shoulder with a patronizing smile.
Josh was confused. Didn't he see what happened?
But the old man remembered. Everyone has its own way to hear, see and feel.
The question was... What would VanMojo see? In what way would it be different?
That sounded like a fascinating topic and despite his wish to leave the Kiva to stay alone with his thoughts, he decided to stay a bit to witness what would follow.
The good doctor VanMojo switched to Mal, who was patiently waiting the old pope to finally go ahead.
He was still quite confused about all that 'donkey' thing.
After all, the Appendix didn't talk about any donkey face. Or.. Did he pay enough attention...? "Ermm...." He whispered, giving a side look at an absent-minded Josh as if he needed some support "Why has my donkey stopped running....Why has it balked, knowing that another race awaits.... and what must I whisper in my donkey's ear to calm its' fears... Hmmm...."
"There is many ways to interpret this, pope VanMojo" said a feminine voice coming from the ceiling.
A woman in robe was gazing at them from the entry of the Kiva. She smiled.
"First, consider the symbols.... The Donkey was known as a symbol of ignorance. It was also a symbol of Dyonisus... Then... If you really dig it..." The mid-fourties woman rolled her eyes while smiling and started to go down using the ladder.
She kept talking as she was doing so : "The donkey was used in many paradoxal thesis. For example! There is this tale about the 'Messiah's donkey' concerning the paradox between secular and religious powers in a leadership... And then... I'm sure you heard about that scholar case known as the 'Buridan's ass dilema'... Didn't you?"
She jumped from the ladder and turned around. The woman bowed ceremonially and then laughed loudly when she saw VanMojo's face. "If you could see your face right now, dear VanMojo..."
Ignoring Mal's insistent gaze, she walked around the kiva, caressing the walls.
While walking around, doing five laps, she talked again. "Interesting. Interesting! Oh where was i anyway? Ah yes... We could also consider that tale about a 'donkey who didn't care about escaping, because one way or another he would continue working hard', is it?"
VanMojo was looking at that woman, and then at Mal, whose expression was indecipherable as usual. The Episkopos was staring at the woman, without blinking.
"Now let's talk about the meaning... There is two interpretations... The donkey is the universe, and the donkey is your mind."
She smiled "And if you think about it, they aren't as diametrically opposed as it would seem. There is many universes. There is one universe."
She stopped and turned around to look at VanMojo "Not helping much?" She pouted then smiled softly "I see i see!"
The woman sat near the Hearth and put down her hood.
"W-Who are you?" Said VanMojo, quite puzzled.
She smiled once again "Ahhhh.... Names... The power they are holding... What would you do if that wise one's name" she pointed at Mal, smiling teasingly "wasn't Malaclypse the third?"
Chuckling, she finally said "But... You asked... I answer : I'm KSC. Mnemosym, my fine doctor."
She then leaned forward and whispered to VanMojo "Say say! Did it even come to your mind there wasn't three answers to give, but two questions to find?"
The woman laughed and then looked innocently at Mal, as if she was noticing him only now. "What?" She said grinning, answering to his stare "I can't visit an old friend?"
She then smiled mischievously "Or are women forbidden in your alcove, Episkopos Prime?"