this story takes place after "Chat" Read and Review!
Charlotte was walking down a street in the French Quarter. It was getting late and she knew she should be heading home. As she turned the corner she let out a gasp. Leaning on the wall at the end of the block was the Shadowman. He was playing with a Tarot card and was bored. Business had been slow that day and he hadn't done much. He fiddle with the Tarot card irratibly.
What use is there in my powers coming back if I don't get to use them? He thought to himself, looking around aimlessly. He looked around and saw Charlotte on the other side of the block. He smiled. "I think today just got a lot more interesting," he said to his shadow, who nodded and wrung his hands together eagerly. "Let's go have some fun." He straightened up and walked over to Charlotte, who was doing her best to pretend as if she hadn't seen him. He stood next to her and bowed.
"Miss La Bouff," he said politely, taking her hand and kissing it. She shivered.
"Shadowman," She replied. Facilier frowned.
"Please," he said. "There's no need for formalities here. Call me Facilier." Charlotte shivered at the smoothness in which he said his own name. He moved closer to her and wrapped his arn around her. "You cold, chere?" He asked. "Y'all are shivering an awful lot." Charlotte shook her head and tried to pull away.
"No," she said. "I'm fine. I just need to get home." She started to walk away when something grabbed her arm. She turned around, expecting it to be Facilier but it wasn't. His shadow was holding on to the arm of hers. Facilier smiled.
"Looks like Shadow doesn't want y'all to leave," he said slyly. Charlotte shivered again.
"What do you want?" She asked, growing more and more frightened. She knew the stories and she'd heard about his plan. He had killed people in his desperation to pay back his 'Friends' and he nearly killed her father. Facilier seemed to sense her fear because he snapped his fingers, commanding Shadow to let her go. He the wrapped his arms around her, running his fingers through her hair.
"It's alright, chere," he said gently. "I won't hurt y'all. I'm a changed man." She looked up at him in disbelief. He smiled. "It's true! I wouldn't hurt a fly." If he had been talking to anyone else his lie would have been discovered, but Charlotte was niave enough to believe him. He started to walk towards his alley, guiding her towards his emporium. "What do you say, darling?" He asked. "Would y'all like to know your future?"
"I guess," she said, uncertain. He smiled again and walked her into his home. He lifted his cane and pointed to his table.
"Sit," he said. "Relax. And let me do my thing." For the first time she smiled.
"And what would that be?" She asked. He returned her smile.
"Now that would be telling," he replied. She nodded and walked over to the table taking a seat. She looked around the grisly place and shivered. He walked over and sat down next to her. "Like what you see?" He asked, jokingly. He made his deck appear in his hand and he began to shuffle the 78 cards. "Now then," he said. "What do you want to know?" Charlotte looked at him and shrugged.
"I don't know," she said. "I'm sorry." Facilier shook his head.
"Don't be," he said. "It's my job to tell you that." He finished shuffling the deck and leaned back in his chair. "Now lets see. Where to start? Money?" He shook his head. "No, y'all don't have a problem with that. Power?" Again he shook his head. "Same problem. Y'all got it all chere." He chuckled then looked at her again, remembering something Tiana told him. "Maybe not everything," he said to himself.
"What?" Charlotte asked.
"Love," Facilier said simply, before smiling and taking up shuffiling the deck again. "Yes, that will do." He spread out the cards. "Pick three," he told her. She did as she was told and handed him the cards. He made the deck vanish and laid out the cards face down on the table. He flipprd over the first card. On it was Charlotte handing over a frog to who appeared to be Tiana. She cocked her head to one side. Facilier smiled.
"Confused?" He asked. She nodded. "Then let me explain. This card is your past. It tells me what has happened." He pointed to the one in the middle. "This is the present." Finally he pointed to the one at Charlotte's right. "And this, is the future." Charlotte nodded.
"What does the past one say?" She asked. Facilier smiled and looked at the card.
"It's telling me abotu how y'all gave up marrying that froggy prince so that he could be with your friend Tiana." He smiled. "That was mighty nice of you." Charlotte blushed. He moved on to the next card and flipped it over. This one showed Charlotte an a pedestill, surrounded on all sides by men baring gifts.
"What's that one?" Charlotte asked. Facilier gave her an annoyed look.
"Could you let me talk from now on chere?" He asked. Charlotte nodded and looked down. Facilier looked back at the card and smiled. "Says here you got alot of suiters, darling." He spun the card so that it was now showing Charlotte turning the men away. "But none of then catch your eye, huh?" Charlotte nodded. "So," he continued, "y'all are single." She nodded again. Facilier nodded an placed his hand on the last card. "Let's see if we can fix that now, shall we?" He flipped the card and both he and Charlotte looked at it. This time the card showed only Charlotte, wereing a purple gown and surrounded by a violet cloud. Facilier frowned and looked at the card intently.
"What about this one?" Charlotte asked cautiously, not wanting to be yelled at again. Facilier shook his head.
"I don't know," he said. He looked up at Charlotte. "I'm sorry," he said. "This has never happened to me before." Charlotte nodded.
"Does it tell you anything?" She asked. Facilier sighed. He waved his hand over the card but the image didn't change.
"Y'all are gonna meet someone," he said. "I think." He added unceartain. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I'm just not getting anything from this card." He stood up and walked over to Charlotte, pulling out her chair and helping her to her feet.
"It's alright," she said sweetly. "You did your best." He nodded and walked her to the door. She turned to him and reached into her purse for money but Facilier shook his head.
"It's on the house," he said, "seeing as I didn't actually tell you anything."
"Ok," Charlotte said.
"Will y'all be able to get home ok?" He asked. Charlotte nodded and walked out the door. Once she was gone, Facilier closed the door and turned towards Shadow.
What happened? Shadow asked his master. Facilier shrugged.
"I honestly don't know," he said. Shadow glided over and rubbed up against Facilier.
Do you think it's your powers? He asked. Facilier shook his head.
"No," he said. "They're fine." He sighed. "Tell you what. Tommorrow we'll go ask Odie about it. Maybe she'll know. But for now, I'm tired." Shadow nodded and followed his master to bed.
Mama Odie was at her gumbo pot stirring it with Juju coiled around her shoulders. Suddenly, she sensed a new precence in her boat.
"Well hello there Shadowman," she said. "Why you here child?" Facilier walked over to the blind woman and handed her the card.
"I was reading Charlotte La Bouff's love fortune last night and this was the card she drew for her future." He paused and bacame rather embarassed. "And I'm sorry to say I couldn't read it." Mama Odie chuckled and Facilier sighed. "Do y'all think you could help me?"
"I don't see why not child," she said holding the card in front of Juju. The snake looked the card over and Mama Odie nodded. Facilier leaned against the wall and watched then. He knew that Juju was more than just her helper. He was her eyes. Mama Odie finished examining the card and walked over to Facilier.
"Well?" He asked, taking back the card.
"I got nothing child," she said. Facilier looked her over and shook his head.
"You're lying!" He said his grip on his cane tightening. "Y'all know more than you're letting on. Why?" Mama Odie laughed.
"Y'all want to know what the card means," she told him. "But is that what you need?" Facilier clentched his fists and left without another word.
What did Mama Odie see? hmmm. Facilier's pissed at her though. nice Charlotte Facilier interaction don't you think? please review!!