[i][b]—— Earth F67X: the Asomatous Détente & Terrestrial Customs[/b][/i]

When Ilaria flutters up to the service desk, it appears unoccupied. Opposite the gold-flecked slate surface, she sees nobody. Nor, really, anything other an inchoate whirling maelstrom. Worse, it is mostly free of clutter. Only one item of note rests upon it, an antique gilt frame. Therein pictured is a Ghibli-esque depiction of a demonic black feline gasconading its dull, opaline wings, flared feathers reminiscent of a painted bunting’s. Malefic rosso corsa eyes reflect forbidden abyssal sigils and hint at hunger, narcissism, and a haughty ego. Scrawled in black sludge on the picture frame is the message [i]out to lunch — Tāwhaki. [/i]

[center][img]http://www.lagedorre.net/rp/tawhaki.png[/img][/center]

While angelic and innocent, Ilaria is no fool, and defies the infernal ruse. She locks eyes with the catmonic creature in the picture and politely, but firmly, requests, [i]“Excuse me, may I go through?” [/i]

No reaction, but as the minutes pass, the cat’s cloying ceases to entertain, so it sighs, and stalks out of the picture frame, a consecutive three-tailed taunt brushing underneath Ilaria’s nose.  Flames accompany each tap of its amber claws against the slate slab, and it turns its rear to her, tails aloft, glances over its shoulder, and huffs, [color=f26522][i]“Mark your name, god-slave, along with your destination, reason for your terrestrial sojourn, and the names of the humans you desire to vex,”[/i][/color] — and taps a foreclaw on a piece of parchment that was not present prior. 

[i]“To whom am I speaking?”[/i] Ilaria demands.

Reclining on the slab directly in front of the frame, which now houses an erupting volcano, the feline licks its paws slowly, ignoring Ilaria, but eventually gets bored, yawns, stretches, and replies, [color=f26522][i]“Tāwhaki, drude and prince of Balam, unrivaled magician, seer of past and future, gestalt of lies, spawn of fire and ash, and ...”[/i][/color] he allows for a dramatic paws, [color=f26522][i]“duty agent of  f67x’s terrestrial customs and metaphysical portal containment and control.”[/i][/color]