Autolycus had contacted Kiko and arranged a meeting with her in the Athenaeum. He didn't know anything about her, other than the fact that she shared his Path and that she had been in the city for a little more than two years now. Still, he felt it wise to meet his fellow mystagogue sooner, rather than later, so the Order could come together into a tighter and more productive part of the Consilium.
Her spirit had been.. cleansed.. in her self imposed trip and it showed. Gone was the person from before and in its place stood the wide eyed child at heart she'd came to Sacramento as before.
Greeting Gina with a smile and a wave, she'd catch up with her later, she headed down into the depths dressed in a nice billowy skirt and a colorful tye dye t-shirt. Her sneaker shod feet almost seeming to make little to no noise on the floor perhaps granting to her budding inner souls aspirations.
Once she had arrived she once again, or perhaps for the first time, blinked and looked around amazed at what lay before her. Noting the new person she quirked an eyebrow and wondered inwardly if it was who she was to meet, well fortune favored the bold so the saying goes.
Walking up she stopped a few feet away as she just studied him curiously before speaking "Hello Sir"
The two shamans were dressed very differently. Where Kiko was sporting a skirt and tye-dye, Autolycus was clad in dark grey dress pants and a dark green, long sleeved button up dress shirt and black oxfords. When she Sirs him, Auto nods at her. "Mystagogue Kiko, I presume? Glad you received my message. I'm Setian Autolycus, I've only recently arrived in the city. I understand you've just returned from a leave of absence? I hope it was productive." After all, it only counts as a sabbatical if you're still getting paid while you take it.
When he acknowledged her the young woman slightly bowed to him before casting her eyes about the room a moment before settling them back on Autolycus.
"It was productive in a sense and elusive in others but such are the way of things. I am far calmer than I was before I left and while I still have.." she paused a moment searching for the right word before continuing "Issues, compared to before I'm as the saying goes Right as Rain"
"I went in search of something I'd lost Sir, I do believe I found it again. Only time will tell"
Autolycus makes a polity neutral sound at Kiko's neutral statement. He then moves on with the conversation. "I recently joined the caucus here and I wanted to get to know everyone. If I understand correctly, you've been living here for a little more than two years now? What do you think of the Consilium?"
Moving to find a suitable place to lean against and study Autolycus, as she was want to do, she nodded her head as she placed her arms behind her clasping her small left wrist with her right hand and bounced her right foot to some unheard song before answering him.
"You are correct in your understanding Sir" she finally smiled almost like it was some joke she knew about "I've been here a little over a couple years and have, in all honesty, kept my affairs away from the Consillium unless it was needed or called for."
Stretching her back biting her bottom lip a moment in bliss as the muscles relaxed to her movements before continuing "As a whole? The Consillium is.. "Off" somehow but.. I'm unsure the reasons for it. I've never been one to be so active in such matters and yet before I left I was a Herald." she blinked a moment then shook her head "I have a feeling that I'm not anymore though.."
Taking somewhat of a personal initiative herself she returned his questions with one of her own "And to why have you come to Sacramento's Consillium Sir? Do you search for something? A more personal and soulful reason?"
"You don't need to call me 'Sir', you know." He tilts his head quizzically at Kiko. "This isn't the Arrow, anyone more deeply initiated than you into the Order should be a teacher and not your Commander. Likewise, you should view anyone less initiated than yourself as a student. One of the purposes of the Order is so that we can help each other achieve a fuller understanding of the Mysteries."
"I came from New York." Autolycus starts, responding to her questions. "My Master, Censor Nike, was approached to assist in a long-term project that I lack the aptitude to contribute towards. After discussing the direction of my Sophiad, we agreed that some space to stand on my own would be positive for both of us."
Her description of the state of the Consilium extracts a worried nod of agreement from Autolycus. "Yes, I guess it's comforting to know that others sense the same disorder in the Consilium. An Arrow Field Day was held recently, various accusations of malfeasance were charged against the Hierarch and she was challenged for her position by someone. That's one of the reasons I contacted you, in fact. I want to make sure that lines of communication amongst the Caucus are open, especially now."
He smiled though. Such talk, while important, was not what he wished to speak with the Mystagogues for. "If you would be kind enough, would you tell me about your Sophiad? In what way have you pursued furthering your understanding of the Mysteries?"
She rose an eyebrow at Autolycus and shrugged a little "I was taught manners and was simply following traditions I've followed my whole life but very well if Sir will not suffice then perhaps Senpai will? As my Mentor is a member of the Arrows and the fact my Father was one lets just say old habits are hard to break."
She let the question hang in the air for a moment before she continued moving off the wall the slowly walk around the other Wise her eyes watching him curiously one moment then finding something interesting in her vision the next but her speech stayed it's usual cheery self "I incorporate what my Soul was Gifted with with my upbringing in Shinto. I tend to look at Magic and the Supernal as simply a Gift, and one I do my best not to sully or dishonor."
She finished her circling, as her curiosity was sated for the moment, as she stood once more looking up at the taller Wise with an honest and humble expression "I was Gifted with the Awakening Autolycus, I do not understand the reasons or meaning for it because in my eyes I am a no one, a Nemo if you will. I simply search for those reasons, my soul claims pridemates as it is want to do and I fiercely protect those I call family, is there any other Higher Calling in this world or the next to these things?"
Autolycus matches Kiko eyebrow for eyebrow. As she circles him, he lets her but by the look on his face he is not pleased to be treated like an animal to be examined. "I see. I neither speak Japanese or know anything about Shinto, perhaps you would care to enlighten me about what a Senpai is and about Shinto?"
He tilts his head and responds to her question with a thought and a question of his own. "The Supernatural is something that everyone has to experience and come to an understanding on their own. For some people that understanding comes through healing, for others alchemy. I have not seen any evidence that there is an upper limit to how many ways it can manifest. I am curious though, in calling it a gift, are you implying that you don't deserve it?"
She noted the look but she didn't understand why he was displeased he was, after all, rather nice looking.. oh well some beings simply didn't understand her.. even those who walked the same Path.
"A Senpai and Kohai are rather intricate in Japanese Society, for the most part. The Senpai is the "senior" and the Kohai the "junior". This can be from a studious examples like when I was in school or even to work relations."
She watched him curiously some more before continuing "In the simplest of explanations Shinto is a Nature Religion. The dealings of Kami, or as most would understand them "Spirits" are one of their beliefs." she couldn't help but grin impishly "Fitting and funny that I'm a Shaman who already believed in such things so the Awakening, to me, was a reaffirmation of my Faith, yet yes.. I do not feel worthy. I never have and one of the reasons I hunt and search for meanings of to the "Why" I, of all people, were chosen to such a beautiful and terrible task. For as I have heard Animus-nii tell me once before Nature is both beautiful and deadly as well as bountiful and harsh as any Mother can be."
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