A/N: Wow, it's been a LONG time since I wrote fanfiction. I have to say though, it feels really good to be back.
I saw The Princess and the Frog for the first time the day it opened, and am proud to say I've seen it two more time since, and am going to see it again next Thursday. I must say it is one of the best Disney movies I have seen in a very long time, and I'm proud to be a gigantic fan.
How I became inspired to write this fanfiction I'm not sure, and while I believe it to be very much in character, I hope you will find it to be as well. Critiques are encouraged, flames are welcomed, but positive reviews are always appreciated. Please enjoy the first chapter of an ongoing fic, I don't want to give anything away so please enjoy.
As you of course know, I own no characters they all are (c) The Walt Disney company. The story, however, is mine. Please do not steal.
Living Shadows
Chapter One - Shadows Arise
Dark burning blackness. This is all Dr. Facilier knew now. He cried out but could not be heard. He ran forever but moved not at all. He hungered and thirsted but received no relief. So he was left alone with his thoughts in this dark burning blackness.
How did I get here? His thoughts echoed in the void. I was so close! I almost had everything I could have ever dreamed! And more… He paused to try once again to extinguish the flames he felt beneath his feet, but to no avail. He screamed in aggravation, although no sound resulted, before trying once more to reform his thoughts. That girl…He thought. That little pesky waitress. She is NOBODY. HOW did she BEST me?
As if in answer to his question his vision was suddenly filled with images of the small female frog using her slimy tongue to break his talisman. The image replayed over and over before his eyes, and even when he believed them to be closed it still showed. Repeating, repeating his defeat like a broken record. No! No! Nooooo! Stop this! Show me something else! ANYthing else!
His vision returned once more to blackness, then slowly a new scene began to come into focus. Blurry objects slowly became people. One of which he recognized as the young waitress who had destroyed his plans, now in her human form. The location, however, was unfamiliar to him. Was this New Orleans? He watched in fascination as the scene unfolded…
"Get ready, Chef Marc! I just personally seated that party of twelve we've been expecting all afternoon! And remember – Jeremiah does love his food spicy!" Tiana hustled into the kitchen of her restaurant, grinning ear to ear and surveying her kitchen proudly. It was a well-oiled machine and she would be certain it stayed that way. Waiters and waitresses dodged around grabbing dishes from multiple stoves around the kitchen as busboys ran through with trays stacked to the top of dirty dishes begging to be washed by Tiana's perfectly capable staff.
Marc, a large man with as many job offers on his plate as delicious plates on his menu, smiled and laughed heartily. "Oh, Jeremiah's party is here? Wasn't his reservation for hours ago Tiana?"
Tiana smiled, grabbing a small spoon and sampling a few of the dishes that lay around the kitchen, adding dashes and dabs of spices as she saw fit. "Yes indeed, but apparently they were detained a bit waiting for an old friend to come into town and-"
"Tiana," Marc cut her off, darting out a hand to snatch hers in mid-add, "don't you put no basil in that there sauce, darlin'. It's perfect as is."
Tiana, smirk not leaving her face, stared her hired chef down. "Now Marc, I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but this tomato sauce most definitely needs Basil."
"Now Miss Tiana…"
"I'm sorry Marc but if you can't handle the pressure here maybe you oughta just take up that open chef position at Marlow's, I know he's been wanting to get you in his kitchen for a while."
Marc smiled warmly and released Tiana's wrist. "Naw, ma'am indeed. You know I could never leave this place. Y'all know you run the best restaurant in New Orleans. I'd be a fool to go anywhere else."
"That's right ya would. And you know how it is I come to run the best restaurant in New Orleans?"
"How's that?"
"I put more Basil in my tomato soup," Tiana tossed him the bottle and turned to reenter the lobby of Tiana's Palace. She was caught off-guard however as a young busboy ran through with a stack of plates, as he ran past her she tried to avoid him but catered off-balance and would have fallen right onto her back side if a pair of dark, muscled arms had not appeared right behind her to catch her on her way down.
"A shitanza!" came the voice of the strong man holding her. "Glad I came in when I did!"
Tiana looked up as Naveen lifted her back up to her feet. "Jack, slow down!" Tiana called after the busboy. "And don't carry so many plates next time! Take two trips!" A muffled Yes, Miss Tiana followed her call. With a swift spin, Tiana turned and was face-to-face with her husband. "And nice catch!"
"Catching beautiful women comes naturally to men in my family. One of our many talents."
As Tiana laughed, Naveen admired her beautiful radiant smile and sparkling eyes, he was lost within her beauty when she spoke again. "Well one of my many talents is making sure this restaurant keeps runnin', so if you'll excuse me-" Tiana turned to leave but before she could make it out the kitchen doors Naveen caught her hand and gracefully spun her until she was once again face to face with him. "Naveen…"
"You know when you fell thanks to the busboy there, you could have fallen and died. In my country it is customary to reward someone who saves your life!"
Tiana cocked her head to the side and looked at him playfully, "Oh really? And what sort of reward are you looking for?"
"Oh you know the usual, perhaps some cash or rare jewelry or gold, or perhaps even-"
Naveen was suddenly silenced as Tiana pressed her lips against his in a brief yet passionate kiss. As they parted Tiana looked up at him, "How that for a reward?"
"That was good. Can I order some more of that?" The two leaned in to kiss again when a host came busting through the kitchen doors.
"Miss Tiana!" the host called almost in a panic, "Governor Parker is here!"
Tiana gasped, turning her back to Naveen. "Governor Parker? The Governor Parker?"
"Yes ma'am! He says he's heard nothin' but this restaurant's the best in Louisiana, and as governor it's his job to say so."
Tiana quickly ran her fingers through her hair, "Well goodness sakes alive, child! Give his party the best table in the house and I'll be out in just a sec' to meet him."
"Yes ma'am!" The host left as Tiana spun in circles, wiping off her apron and continually trying to straighten her hair.
"The governor, Naveen! The governor! This could be the best publicity Tiana's Palace ever has had! Before you know it the president himself will be in here!"
"I have no doubt!" Naveen smiled watching his ecstatically panicking wife.
"Okay, okay, okay. Naveen – make sure the band's ready to play the best they have in their LIVES! And spread the word that the governor's here and that everyone is to be on their best behavior!"
"Of course my love," Naveen kissed her forehead and quickly rushed out to find Louis and the band.
"Marc! Be ready to whip up the best gumbo you've ever made! Taste everything before it goes out these doors! And make sure Jack isn't carrying twelve plates back here at once!"
"Yes ma'am! You go make sure to give that politician our best, now!"
"Do I look alright? Ready to meet the governor?"
"Y'look prettier'n' the stars in the sky, Tiana. Now go meet the man."
And Tiana strutted out of her kitchen and off to meet the most important man in the state of Louisiana.
IMPOSSIBLE! Dr. Facilier cried out at the sight. She's a waitress! How could she have gotten her restaurant, and the spoiled brat of a prince, and the governor to boot! Why with that much power in her restaurant she could… Wait…With that much power in her restaurant I could… But I'm stuck here… Hmmm…
Suddenly the shadow man was aware of another being in his presence. "So Shadow Man, what do you think of the other side? Just as much FUN as you always thought it would be?" The voice was low and resonating, and was hardly there to sympathize with him.
"My friend," Dr. Facilier found for the first time his voice was actually audible to him, "I must say it was certainly more than I bargained for."
"Just give it a little time, doctor. Your debt should be paid in another," the dark voice cackled, "fifteen million years or so! Maybe the burning will go away by then!" The voice began to laugh loudly and Dr. Facilier could feel it leaving him.
"Wait friend!" he called out after it.
The laughing stopped. "What is it?"
"Suppose I could pay my debt to you now?" Dr. Facilier said in a sneaky tone as he prepared his plan. After all, he couldn't make things any worse for himself.
"You already HAD your chance, human!" The doctor could feel the heat surrounding him intensify. "You cost us time and money and WASTED it! THAT's why you're here!"
"But could you pass up the opportunity to earn for yourself millions of lost souls?"
The voice was silent.
Dr. Facilier smiled slyly and continued, "Why if I were given just a small bit of power and freedom, I know I could pay back my debts to you one hundred times over."
"That's what you said last time, Shadow Man. And still you failed to deliver!"
"Please, my friend," Dr. Facilier said coolly, "that was just New Orleans – how could you pass up a chance at the entire state of Louisiana? Or maybe even the whole United States?"
The voice was silent for a moment more before saying, "We're listening."
Dr. Facilier held back a laugh as he felt the heat decreasing and the presence of more of his friends in the room. "Now just sit back a second and listen. This, my friends, is a plan that can't fail."
Tiana wore a smile bigger than Texas as she waved out the door of Tiana's Palace as a motor car pulled away, Governor Parker seated inside. "Glad you enjoyed it! Can't wait to see y'all back here again!" She continued to wave until the automobile was out of sight, at which point she breathed a sigh of relief and, happy to find Naveen at her side, leaned into him as she did so. Naveen put his arms around her stomach and softly kissed the top of her head. "He was pleased with the place, no?"
"He seemed it. He said he's gonna have to bring his wife and kids here before he's willing to make any sort of public statement, but he said he loved our gumbo and would welcome any chance to come back again. He made a reservation for a week from today."
"A shitanza! That's terrific news!"
"Terrific?" Tiana suddenly snapped upright, regaining her own balance and turning to face her restaurant, pacing as she continued to think aloud. "This means we only have a week to make this restaurant the best one in Louisiana! We need to do a major cleaning, scrub down the entire kitchen, get the floors waxed and the windows scrubbed, make sure NOBODY in this restaurant takes Saturday off…"
"Tiana, we will be fine," Naveen attempted to console Tiana, although she continued to list without stopping to hear him.
"Make sure we're fully stocked on everything, hire another pastry chef, get all of the upholstery cleaned…"
"Tiana, really!"
"That's not even mentioning all the work I need to do on our menu to make sure it's all – Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Tiana screamed, almost falling over and grabbing into Naveen's shirt for balance and hiding her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her quickly, ready to fight against whatever had frightened her. "What is it? What bug am I to squish for you?"
"It, it, it's HIM!"
Naveen looked around confused, "What him? Who him?"
Tiana brought her face out from his shirt to where she had before been looking, but saw this time only an empty alley. "It, it was the shadow man… I thought I saw him, standing there and staring at us."
"Tiana, that is not possible. You saw him killed with the two of your own eyes!"
"I… I know that's why I – I saw him it…"
Naveen drew Tiana back into his warm embrace, "Tiana shhhh, now. As always you are working too hard and worrying too hard. Today has been a long day, no?" Naveen kissed her head once more.
"You're right. I must just be seeing things." Tiana stepped back once more and walked toward the door. "I'm gonna go make sure today's cleaning's going well and maybe look over a few applicants for the pastry chef position. You go ahead home and I'll meet you there, okay baby?"
Naveen nodded as his busy wife darted back inside the restaurant, her demeanor once more as cool and calm as ever. But before heading to the small house they shared, Naveen ventured to the alleyway next to the restaurant in the direction Tiana had screamed.
He took a step, and immediately noticed the foul odor of the trash bins in the back and the bugs that surrounded it. He hesitated, wondering if it would be wise to venture forward any further. But with a gulp, he decided he had to inspect it for Tiana. With each step his nervousness grew with the smell of the garbage, but so far he saw neither hide nor hair of anything alive except the disgusting insects. He finally reached the back of the alley. He turned to examine one corner, when SNAP! He heard a noise behind him and spun 180 degrees to see a mouse dart out from the trash and scurry down the alley. Naveen breathed a sigh of relief and felt his heart once more continue to pump blood. There was no one here. "Good," he said to himself. "Besides, even if the Shadow Man was here, he'd be no match for the mighty Prince Naveen and his beautiful, courageous princess." Satisfied with his answer, he left the alley and headed toward the small house the two shared, muttering quietly to himself that of course he should have said gorgeous, courageous princess, or something to that effect, no?
And as Naveen's shadow became the last moving thing in that alley, something emerged from the shadows themselves. It started out as nothing but the thin profile of an eerily thin man, but soon became that eerily thin man himself. As shadow became flesh and bone, Dr. Facilier smiled wickedly, peering up at the restaurant before him. "Oh 'beautiful, courageous princess,' you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into…" And with that, he disappeared back into the shadows.
To be continued...
A/N: Again, critiques are encouraged, positive or negative comments are welcomed. Please review and let me know what you think!
RobotMonkeys4Ever