Wind was pouring and rain was gusting all throughout the city, Archon wasn't yet fully acquainted with his new place of business and this was not the best first impression he'd ever seen out of something, but definitely not the worst -- the time in Wyoming on the cattle farm, with all of the buckets of milk and screams, he wouldn't ever forget the screams, and all of the oil he had to use, yechhh -- snapping out of the bad thoughts he continued to walk down the city streets and ponder what he would do with most of his time here.

"There has to be something..."

**THUNK**

That's when it struck him almost by pure chance. Now a bowling ball straight to the skull would kill most people, but to the Archon it was just a few of days in the hospital. After a couple of hours with one lucky nurse, he made his way out of the building and back onto the streets, but his memory was still a bit hazy afterwards. What was he doing before all of this? He'd lost four days, sure, but there was still an entire lifetime in front of him to deal with.

"Bowling..."

It was perfect. Perhaps the ball was in fact an omen? A bright blue omen that completely reconfigured his teeth, but an omen nonetheless. He would open up the greatest bowling venture in the big city of Detroit and the people would surely flock to it, or would they? The risk taking of the endevour was the only part that interested him, as bowling wasn't much his forte, but he would do it anyway. After finding a large patch of land that was the perfect fit, and a couple thousand dollars, it was nearly complete.

"This is a terrible idea, isn't it?"

"Yes."

After the short thought-provoking conversation with himself, he decided to scrap the entire bowling idea only ninety percent into the completion of the establishment, surely they could find something else to do with all of these alleys. After a few weeks of hard though he completely gave up and in fact forgot completely about the gigantic building he had built.

The

Those were the only words they had managed to put up on the front of the building before Archon scrapped the entire project. He then decided that he would open it up as a speakeasy instead, as every business district needs at least one thousand of those. 

There wasn't much time, the complete renovation was a bit sloppy, as a few bowling alleys were still up, completely unfinished, and a few relics of the past idea stood up. Where the bowling balls would have been, there were instead now a bunch of glasses all lined up in neat rows for people to take to the what was meant to be a snack bar, which was now just a... bar.

"Serve anyone who makes their way inside, we turn no one back. Unless they're not wearing clothes, I have a strict rule of clothes in all of my businesses."

After the small explanation to his bartender, it was ready to open.

The

Beer - $0.50

All Other Alcohol - $1.50

Alcohol served out of a hollowed out bowling ball - $3

Water - FREE!

Pretzel - $0.10

Ice Cream - $0.20

Nuggets of Chicken - $.25

Welcome to The

Enjoy your stay!

It was perfect and time to open for the masses, he was sure this was exactly what they wanted.

Briya saw the new place and did a double-take as the taxi sailed past.

"Wait. What was that?"

"'The'."

"...yes? The what?"

"It's called 'The'."

"Oh. Well I'd like to visit the The."

The driver smirked at her stuttering sound and pulled a U-turn, dropping her off. Briya handed some cash through the open window and turned to enter The.

Inside, there was what looked to be part of a bowling alley and a small bar. Picking up a glass from the old bowling ball racks, she headed to the counter. Once she spotted the hollowed-out bowling ball containers, though, she eagerly pointed at one. 

"I think I'd like a beer in that, instead," she grinned, then paid and waited. The drink arrived, and she made to lift it, but bowling balls, even hollow ones, are heavy as hell. The drink immediately slipped through her hands and landed on her foot.

"MOTHERFU-" She yelled, wiping a pained tear from her cheek. Looking back at the bartender, she smiled weakly. 

"Another one, please. Make it a double whisky this time, though," she said as her toes began to throb.

Order Beer - $0.50  and  Nuggets of Chicken - $.25  and sit down and enjoy my meal and drink in a quite and enjoyable The

Everything was going great for his new joint, people were lining out the doors just to get into the extremely exclusive bowling-turned-bar establishment and with it he mulled over adding a few new items to the menu. Squirrel was easy to come by and he had been hunting them in his backyard for years, but perhaps they could be transformed into something more? 

Serving the food to Whoops he decided to try and slip in a bit of squirrel meat into the mix. Surely they wouldn't notice?

"Enjoy... that's just Nuggets of Chicken, I promise you. Nothing else. Definitely not squirrel."

Trying to contain his wide smile, the Archon quickly looked away for a moment and waited.

As the cab pulled up outside of 'The' place that his friend had told him they could meet on the phone, Brancer stared at the almost bowling alley turned speakeasy. The conversation that then ensued about the word 'the' was one that Brancer will not soon forget. If only they had gotten into the, 'The' conversation when Brancer hadn't been a little drunk at the time. Brancer then exited the car and paid the cab driver shaking his head with a laugh before making his way inside.

He walked in and looked around casing the place out a bit. Place seemed like a good enough place to discuss moving forward with his plans. Brancer made his way toward the bar area of the alley. He sat down at a booth off to the side that still had ample view of the entrance. It shouldn't be long now before he would be able to see Death_ face to face again.  

"Double whiskey neat would be amazing." 

He said looking to the bartender as he was approached for his drink order. He gave them a big smile and pulled out a cigarette. He pulled out his lighter and struck it a few times before the flame stayed put long enough for him to get the cherry burning. 

Death_ having heard of "The" Place from a good friend at the HQ decided it was time to stop in for a few sets of bowling and some good Whiskey. As he stepped into the establishment, he noticed an old friend in the shadows of the back and quickly stepped over to say hello to Brancer. "Hey there old stranger, what brings you to DT? I thought with the Flying Ivories being so busy you'd never be able to step away... Say... Speaking of your fine establishment, how'd you like to open up a branch here in DT with me? I've noticed how lively the bar's been lately and want to bring some of that life here into DT. Just need a business license and a corner to setup on... " He sat down, lighting up a large cigar and pulling out his flask, offering Brancer a puff and a swig before taking a long draw on the Cigar and a huge swallow of the whiskey in his flask. 

With that, Death_ nodded over to Archon and the barkeep of the place. "Yo, I'll have a round for the entire house on me!" 

The bartender dropped off his whiskey double as he finished his cigarette. Brancer paid them and offered a generous tip on top. He stared into his drink before taking half of it down in a large pull. As he sat the glass down he had an odd feeling. His eyes glanced up to see an old friend walking into "The." 

He smiled and gave a wave towards Death motioning him to sit with him. 

"Ah, thanks for the drink Death_, ole pal! Good to see you again. It is hard to get out of New York at times, but I manage to slip out from time to time." Brancer declined the puff and swig and continued as he pulled another cigarette out and lit it. "I have been wanting to expand The Flying Ivories. Business has been good. Its amazing how well you can sell booze and gambling in a nice neat package." He laughed and picked up his whiskey taking a another sip.

Brancer looked at him as he thought for a moment. "You know that's not a bad idea at all. The thing that has been holding me back this whole time has been a contact here in town. I think we could work out a deal on the profits for sure."  He smiled and finished off his drink. He waved to get the bartenders attention and then pointed to the drink and held up two fingers. Brancer was relieved to see that the bartender seemed to have understood  his call for two more whiskey doubles. 

Death_ sat there a moment, pondering the idea of how to split profits, then decided they could work that out later. "For now", he thought, "we need a location and a Grand Opening Flyer" he smiled as the barkeep brought over the two whiskeys and sat a glass infront of him and Brancer. "Thank ya kind sir" he says as he takes a swig.

"So my friend, where shall we open this new store front? Pick an empty corner and I shall purchase the lot to place this fine establishment... shit, may even add some side business in the place... could possible do with a brothel upstairs... or a nice cozy inn in the back for ye drunken foolz..."  he droned on a minute as he dragged on his cigar 

Brancer nodded with him listening. "Sounds like you have quite a few plans for the place. I've seen down on Michigan Ave a few good spots, but the one best of all is just down the road." 

Brancer reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a piece of paper while picking up the glass of whiskey with his other hand. He took a drink and handed the paper over to Death_.

"Fourth address down. The one that has two check marks next to it. That's the type of spot you are looking for, and it is already zoned and up for sale." He then took another drag from his smoke and blew a chimney up into the air as he thought. "A place to sleep makes perfect sense for a dice hall. Suppose with the new crews here in town you should be seeing a lot of business." 

He then started going over the minutia of getting the ball rolling on the new business adventure with Death_. Telling him about all the problems he had ran across so far. "And that's why you have to get real ivory dice..." He finished and laughed at how long he had been going on telling him about the ins and outs of setting up the tables. 

Death_ sat with Brancer a while, discussing the business plans before venturing out into the streets toward the mapped location to see what the hype on this "Perfect Spot" was. As he walks the streets of the Downtown, Detroit area, he comes across an astonishingly large estate on the corner of Maynard and 43rd Ave. As he looked at the map he was handed and the building in front of him, he couldn't believe they were the same place... ((To be continued in The Flying Ivories: DT Chapter))

Caspian made his way wearily down the busy street god I could use a drink he muttered , crossing the street he caught a glance at a rather odd looking sign "the"  the...the bloody what .

He entered the establishment with a rather bewildered look on his face but to his relief he noticed some familiar but still new faces from his new crew, with a nod in archons direction and a wave to death he makes his way to the bar

Whiskey please barkeep straight up

Munching on a few bits of what looked to be battered balls of mysterious origin, he let out a cute burp before excusing himself in front of Caspian who was now ordering a whiskey. Everyone seemed to want this drink, but the Archon had a better idea and without much warning ran into the back room before returning with what looked to be a large purple tonic with a skull and crossbones label that was tactically covered up with what looked to be a kitten sticker.

"You know... you should try this instead, its slug... sluggishly slow working, but when it hits it really hits!"

It was slugs.

Pouring some of the lumpy juice into a hollowed out bowling ball, he slid it over to the man and smiled widely. It was a brand new concoction and Archon was certain it would go over well -- and that's when he noticed someone else struggling a bit with their bowling ball. Quickly rushing over to their aid, he handed Briya a large packet of ice and a free voucher for Nuggets of Chicken on the house.

"I am proudly announcing that I will also be telling limericks from now on for only forty dollars."

Everything was going perfectly.

Briya gratefully accepted the ice, and as Archon walked away to tend to the gathering line of customers, she glanced at the coupon he'd handed her. 

This coupon good for one complimentary order of nuggets of squirrel chicken.

Her stomach tried to revolt, but she managed to pacify it by drowning it with the contents of her glass. She then stood, a bit unsteadily, and hustled out as fast as her mangled foot would allow.

Caspian looking rather bewildered takes the odd colored liquid filled bowling ball this is for human consumption right? He asks, but just before archon could answer fuck it Caspian exclaims and glugs the strange drink.​drink.Get an ambulance on standby just incase and fetch me and pen and a napkin for my will.

Smiling brightly at how quickly Briya's spirits were taken up a notch due to his hospitality and wondrous tonics, he sighed a slow breath of relief before turning back towards Caspian who had been jotting something down on a piece of napkin. Curious, but there was no time for the Archon to worry about such things as his newest delight was making its way into the back of the establishment with quite graceful MOOvement -- it was a cow -- there hadn't been live cow butchering around here for quite some time he thought to himself.

"Yes, yes. Set it down there!'

After a few minutes, Archon sprung from the back of the business and back towards Caspian who looked a bit under the weather.

"Are you alright? You need another one of my concoctions to bring you back to the proper spirits?"

Mixing together a bit of this and that, he discarded the eyeballs into the nearest garbage before sliding over a glass of yet another liquid, this one a bit more creamy than the first. The sounds of a largely disgruntled cow in the back could be heard as Archon attempted to talk over the utterly loud noises.

"Just take a few sips of that and you'll be back on your feet within moments!"

Then there was silence.

"Sir, the, uhm, the... surprise has escaped."

Jumping up, he ran towards the back once more, leaving Caspian alone with his gooey drink.

Jasmine wanders around aimlessly in Detroit looking for her old pal Archon. She hasn't heard from him in a while and though she might do well to catch up with him.

Looking around the district for a coffee house she approached "The" Jasmine raises an eyebrow and pulls a questionable face. "The? really?" Jasmine steps inside the establishment. There was no door to open.. Where is the door she wonders but carries on inside anyway. She hangs up her coat on a rusty peg and wanders across to the bar. 

Propping herself up on a stool she yells over to the guy behind the bar "Please can I get an ice cream and a beer?"

There was a pause for a moment while The Archon contemplated his next move on this whole ice cream fiasco, he knew that it was placed on the menu but for the life of him he couldn't remember why. Without saying a word the figure seemingly floated over towards the back room, hiding his face so that the newest customer couldn't see his wincing face. 

"Ice cream... Ice cream... Ah! Yes!"

It all clicked. Taking one of the old smoke machines that would have been used for spooky night at the bowling alley, he turned it on and aimed it directly towards a bottle of what looked to be curdled milk. Would this be his best idea yet? It remained to be seen. After a few minutes of smoking the milk, he plopped the chunks into a bowl and quickly escorted it to Jasmine.

"Let the smoke evaporate a bit before you eat it, I don't know how safe it is. Heh."

Yet another satisfied customer, he was sure business would only continue to boom from here.

Briya returned, not letting her previous visit sour her. She waited patiently in line until her turn, then smiled at Archon.

"Just a beer, please," she said, placing money on the counter, As he went to grab a glass, Briya stayed his hand with one of her own. 

"Wait, a bottle will be fine. A can, even. You...you don't even have to open it," she said, watching as confusion and...was that disappointment? cross his features as he reached inside the cooler and extracted a bottle of beer. Briya winked at him, sticking an extra buck in the tip jar and taking a seat nearby. The smile never left her face as she unscrewed the cap and relaxed into her chair. 

This place was better than the picture show, and she was ready for the next feature.

Amilliah left the hotel go for a walk to clear she mind, As she was walk see a place called THE . She was curious , so she walked into this building  and realized it's a bowling alley. " I think this is what i need to clear my mind " she says to her self.

" Hello there Can I help you " says the Bartender.

" Yes, Can i get 2 Shot of something Strong, Pretzel and and a lane for round of bowling " says Amilliah

She drop 40$ on the Counter and said " Keep the Change" then take the 2 shot and walk to she lane to start to bowl.