It was a Monday, and a cold one at that. No one ever said Monday was their favorite day of the week. If they had, they were definitely lying.

Belle had been in meetings all day long, and still had a speech to give to the good people of the six cities, and good people they were. There was hard work for everyone to do, such as rid the fine streets of ours of the SuperThug bullies that had shown up only a few short days ago. Luckily for everyone, Darrow-au-Andromedus was there to save the day. Scratch that, he wasn't there to save anything. He was there to support Belle by asserting his dominance and showing the people he meant business. Scratch that again, no, he was there to just stand. He stood well.  He leaned against walls even better.

Belle along with Darrow, and Original21 had approached a tiny stage about three feet high, where only Belle managed to fit. She stepped up with the other two on the stairs below and to the side of her. Good afternoon everyone.

As you may have noticed our beloved leader of The Speakeasy, Tony_Alacchi, will be stepping down to tend to some matters in the old country. Myself and the rest of The Speakeasy, will miss his leadership, and are very grateful for our time there.

However, business must move forward. I will be setting up operation and taking in the former Speakeasy members and associates.

I want to thank Godfather-Chairman, Asher, for affording me this opportunity and supporting us during this transition. Without his support, I'm sure things would be a lot different. Myself, along with my hands, Darrow-au-Andromedus and Original21 are looking forward to see what the future holds for The Ballroom.

Belle waves as she turns to step down from the stage. She extends her hands out for Darrow and Original21 to grab, but Darrow walked away. She thanked Original for his help while Darrow could be heard mumbling about how he 'was the greatest giant the world had ever seen'. Lovely.

Placing the delicate tiara upon the pile of curls that she had painstakingly pinned to her head, she looked one last time in the bathroom mirror before heading to what she had hoped would be the greatest event of the year. Her long emerald green satin dress made a lovely "swish" noise with every step, very satisfying. Frankie arrived and flicked open her fan in a gloved hand and waved it in front of her face, "I'm here for the ba..." she paused and looked around. "Well fuck." she said snapping her fan closed. 

She listened to Belle- and smiled, she barely knew the woman but she was excited for her. She gave a little wave and mouthed the word, "Congratulations!" before snapping her fan open again to hide behind it while slinking away, wondering where the hell she could go now in a god damn ball gown and tiara and in Phillidelphia. 

Darrow loved Mondays. They were just bloody brilliant. Everything good that had ever happened to him had happened on a Monday. His conception. His first haircut. The day he found that hat to cover his first haircut up. Even his birthday was a Monday. The Mondayth of June, every year, like clockwork. You could set your watch by it. And, in fact, Darrow often did. He had broken a large number of watches.

This particular Monday however was a special one indeed. Darrow was out and about earning money in the only way he knew how, 'illicit inclinations'. It was a niche crime, but Darrow had found his calling. And he had found quite possibly the greatest wall to lean against in the entire world. Smooth? You betcha. Burnished? Oh yeah. Hirsute? Weirdly, kind of. It was magnificent. One might call it ornate. They shouldn't do, but they might. Look, regardless, it was comfortable to lean against. But criminally so.

As he stood there, acutely, he watched as Belle strode out onto the streets. A comically small stage had been erected in the middle of the road.

"Hey, Darrow, Original21, flank me." Belle said.

"I beg your pardon?" Darrow said aghast.

Belle sighed.

"Follow me over to that tiny little stage in the road and stand there dynamically as I make a speech."

"Ohhhhhhh!" Darrow nodded and walked over, sparing a last forlorn look at the wall that got away. Not literally obviously. It didn't move or go anywhere. But you only get one shot with a wall like that. Shame.

Belle strode atop the stage like the majestic Candy-Crab, the scientific name of which is "Hoplophrys oatesi", Darrow happened to think to himself. An interesting fact of which is that it doesn't want to be eaten. It is amazing what gets published.

Belle started to speak.

Darrow drifted off into a daydream. He had been part of the circus as a child. The Incredibly Tall (but not insanely tall) Gentleman, had been his gimmick. People came from, well not miles exactly, not kilometres, no not kilometres. Meters? Yeah that's fair to say that people travelled meters to come and see him. But the crowds had loved him. Again, loved might have been going too far. But they tolerated him. Mostly.

Things had been going great until Barrow turned up. Barrow The Even Taller Gentleman. What a fucking dick. And the crowds loved him more. And they booed Darrow and chased him out of town. It was Darrow's greatest shame.

Belle finished speaking and held her hands out to Darrow and Original21, but Darrow was already walking away. Caught up in his day-nightmare.

He muttered to himself, "I was the greatest giant the world had ever seen... fucking Barrow."

Please, can you help me out? I always go here..! Tammy said to the carpenter, who was having a nail in his mouth and a hammer in his hand in front of what once used to be the bustling place named The Speakeasy, Tony_Alacchi's HQ.

Tammy shook her head as she put one leg in front of the other. Her own Headquarters were too far away now, especially with Lance and a carriage not being around to quickly pedal her there. She was desperate. Her need was high. She sighed. She had to find a bathroom. Fast!
She looked around her, noticed the bowl of custard with a spoon it she had been carrying herself and couldn't resist. She submerged the spoon, lifted it again and brought the gorgeous clumpy custard she had manufactured herself this very morning towards her mouth. Her lips parted just before the spoon entered her mouth and closed exactly when it was fully in. She pressed her lips together as she took out the spoon..

God.. that taste.. She thought, as she noticed Belle- walk passed.. Tammy wondered where she went, as she always kind of had been the furniture of Tony_Alacchi's Speakeasy. Tammy followed her with her eyes until Darrow-au-Andromedus moved behind her in the same direction Belle- had gone. The need was too high for her not to ask now.. So Tammy stepped up to Darrow-au-Andromedus and asked.. with her mouth full of custard, trying not to spill anything of the devine liquid

MMpph.. So.. mmph.. Sorre.. Dmmarowph? Couldph you mphell me vvwhere thm hmmphballroom ismph?

As if he literally understood, he pointed right to where Belle- was heading. Tammy quickly nodded, then turned left, and started running towards the bathroom, slowly swallowing the custard, bit by bit. When she arrived, there seemed to be a lot of other people that needed to go as well. Tammy stroked @Belle's shoulder as she sped past her, then opened the doors of the brand new place, even breaking a ribbon that someone had clumsily hung just in front of the door.
Rather large and luxurious for a bathroom only, Tammy thought, but she had little time to put much thought into it. She found the toilet, quickly closed it behind her, untied her apron and sat down. She swallowed the last bit of the custard and sighed deeply.

Just in time.

Belle walked into her newly redesigned headquarters along side Original21. She noticed the rwd ribbon had already been broken. Yelling for Darrow to get back here and explain himself, she looked to her left and saw the giant picking berries from the bush.

"I'm going to bake a nice razzleberry pie tonight" he exclaimed.

Shaking her head, Belle grew concerned that someone had broken in. To steal what? Who knew. Suddenly a voice could be heard coming from what seemed to be the bathroom. Drawing her gun, Belle moved toward the sound.

Who's there? she shouted. 

no response was heard so She opened the door to find Tammy reapplying her lipstick.

Tammy?! What are you doing? You scared me half to death...​​​​​​​

Belle-!

Tammy greeted her armed friend with a wide red-lipped smile.

I already saw you there, queuing to get to the bathroom, too.. I am sorry I skipped the row, but well.. It was needed.. I was so glad that Darrow-au-Andromedus pointed me to this set of toilets here. Have you seen it? It's awe-inspiring. I mean.. It looks like it could be so much more than a loo.. I didn't really look properly yet, but you know, where you enter, on the left hand side, I think I saw an incredibly spacious empty oak-floored room, albeit perhaps slightly over the top in romantic elements, you know.. mirrors on the wall, fresco's on the ceiling and all kinds of decoration... It seemed absolutely spotless..

She looked at a smirking Belle- and felt like she was missing something..

Belle-..? What's going on here?

It did not take over five minutes of Belle-'s explaining for Tammy to realize that her friend had just acquired an incredibly beautiful, stately new Headquarters.

Oh.. I am terribly sorry if I have interrupted any ceremonies, Belle-, Tammy said. On the other hand, I am elated to have been the very first person to have used your amazing marble and mohagany Ballroom bathroom.

Tammy spread her arms, gesturing Belle- that she wanted to give her a rather big hug to congratulate her. After a slight hesitation from the other party, Tammy looked down and spotted the stains on her apron.

Right.. Hang on..

She removed her apron and checked her red and white dress. As she inspected, she thought

Were these pink and yellow polka's already there when I put it on?

Thinking quickly, she turned her apron around and put it back in front of her dress, she tied it and then gave Belle- a massive hug, whilst telling her

You will do great leading the Ballroom, Belle-! There's a reason why Asher granted permission for you to start your own family and that is that you are awesome. We will have forgotten Tony_Alacchi in no-time!

Hoping she'd see the pun in her last remark, she let go and gave Belle- a kiss on the cheek.