Calico breezes into her audition without waiting to be called. She doesn't expect the audition room door to be locked, so it isn't. Mr. Chase gives her a perplexed smile, obviously wondering why she is there.

"Take a hike," she says to the guy currently auditioning; he's already nervous, his hands shaking so hard he's about to drop his notes, so at hearing this he squeaks and runs off. Cally nods firmly, satisfied. She has never waited for anything in her life, but rather expects special treatment and gets it.

She strikes a strong pose, legs apart, hands on hips, a bright smile that shows off the whiteness of her teeth against the tan of her skin. She has the kind of looks naturally that most women get through bleach and surgery: tanned, curved, blond as a white rabbit. For the interview she's wearing a glittery little black dress with a short skirt and off-the-shoulder neckline, and a pair of cute black heels with ankle straps. And her collar of course, a red necklace that was engineered not to come off, courtesy of her owner.

"Hello!" she says to the execs, who are still looking a little bemused. "I'm Calico Bonny the Second, Empress of Cubeland and Daughter of the Middle Islands. You can call me Cally. I'm here to be on your show."

"So, Cally," replies Mr. Chase, taking this in stride, "what is it you do' What's your specialty?"

Like magic, Cally is suddenly in his lap - how did she get over the table" - with her arms around his neck. "I am an heiress, and a lady. As a lady, I am particularly good at wearing fine clothes, lounging seductively on expensive furniture (but not without a certain innocent, insouciant charm), and not paying my bills." This previous speech is murmured into his ear, as she snuggles against him in an intimate way.

She continues, "In fact, I can be counted upon to impart the least little action with style and grace. Would you like to lie down with me, young man' Oh, desire, desire. In French, desiree. I speak three languages and also speak in tongues. Does French make you want to throw off your clothes and make love upright in a convenient broom cabinet, you handsome creature" Or is it just me?"

Chance Chase shares a helpless look with his colleagues. The guy recording all of this is trying not to grin. Mr. Chase decides not to try to pry the girl off his neck, and instead steers the conversation in a sensible direction. "What I actually meant, Miss Bonny....What would you bring to our show, to make SNS the greatest comedy Rhy'din has ever seen?" He adds quickly, "Keeping in mind the - ah - non-erotic nature of our proposed show."

"I do tricks with animals," Cally says, beaming. "Let me show you!" Mr. Chase looks like he's about to object, but instead just nods. Cally leaps off his lap and starts her spiel, talent pageant style.

"I will astound and amaze you with this following trick..." begins Cally, "which I call Hat Trick #8. It is magic the likes of which, you have not seen ever." She strikes a dramatic pose, then pulls a full-size top hat from out of thin air; it appears as if pulled from an invisible drawer. "Observe this simple hat. Nothing inside it. It is quite an ordinary, non-magical hat." She shows it around, and the execs dutifully look inside.

"Now, observe this knife. It as well is ordinary and not magical. It is a real knife." A pocket knife, drawn from a mysterious resting place in her cleavage, is opened and slammed into the table, where it sticks. She pulls it out, closes it, and tosses it into the top hat. Three passes of her hand over the hat, very faux mystical. She then shows them the inside of the hat - empty.

"Where do you think the knife is?" she asks cheerfully. The execs exchange nervous glances and mutter their replies. "All wrong," she exclaims. "The knife is in the hat. It never left!" She shows them the hat - the knife is indeed still there.

"Miss Bonny, if that's all..."

"No," says Cally. "There's still the best bit." She passes her hand three times over the hat, shows them its emptiness. "Where d'you suppose it is NOW?" One of the guys behind the table tries to discretely pat himself down for it, it seems her odd manner has unnerved him. She ends in triumph, "The owl has it!"

"The....owl?" asks Mr. Chase. Just then, a small barn owl, speckled brown and grey, swoops down from the ceiling. From where" No sensible answer to that. It lands in front of Mr. Chase and delivers the pocket knife, which it has clasped in its talons. It hoots twice and flies back up to the ceiling, and through it like a very visible ghost.

"That was Mr. Owl, one of my entertaining animal companions," explains Calico. "Some are quite horrific, though, so I hope they won't manifest around here." She claps her hands in excitement, like a little girl. "Aren't I amazing" When do I start?"