Chapter 1 - Dr. Facilier's New Assistant
It was a cool and cloudy day as Tiana meandered the streets of the old city of New Orleans. She was simply spending some free time to her heart's content, though also on the lookout for a new job, something new and exciting. She had almost lost her way when she passed a purple-painted door. There was a sign that read, "some assistance wanted," scrawled in messy handwriting. Did that mean "help wanted"? She had never been to this venue before. She looked up at the sign that said "Dr. Facilier's Voodoo Emporium." The dark-complexioned beauty gave a gasp. Was this the Shadow Man's lair? She had never been here before herself, only read advertisements, and never really heard any rumors from anyone who'd been there except warnings to stay away. Out of all her friends, she was the first to actually come here. She was suddenly determined . . .
She knocked on the royal purple door to no answer.
"Hello, is anyone here?" she called, before boldly pushing the door open and entering. She was wearing a new lavender dress herself, hanging diagonally to the calves of her legs, and her black hair tied up. It was dark inside. She jumped as the lights suddenly flared on, and standing there was a tall thin dark man in a purple suit and top hat with a grin on his face.
"Welcome! Welcome to my humble abode," the man called out.
"The Shadow Man?" Tiana gasped.
"Please, call me Dr. Facilier," he replied. "In French, it means to make things easier."
"I saw you had up a help-wanted sign," she said, encouraging herself onward. "What exactly are you looking for?"
"Just looking for someone to help me run the shop. And who might you be? No, let me guess . . ." He took a moment as if sensing something about her. "A heroine from her fairy tales, I think. But there's something special about you."
"I'm Tiana," the girl said matter-of-factly.
"I can sense you have a gift, Tiana," the man said, stepping up beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "A gift like that should be put to good use. Why don't you help me read tarot cards? Just read any customers' cards for them while I'm out, and I'll recompense you fairly when I return."
"I don't know how," Tiana admitted. She would still like the job though, she thought to herself. It was maybe something she could do.
"Oh, it's easy! I'll teach you how to read the cards. And if stuck, just say the first thing that pops into your mind. Like I said, you've got a gift." He pointed one finger at her heart. "What do you say, be my assistant?" He held out a bony hand for her to shake.
It couldn't be too hard, she thought to herself. "Alright, I agree!" She took his hand without hesitation, though instead of shaking her hand he twirled her around in a mockery of a dance. Then he pulled out one of the chairs at the table and let her sit down in it. The stack of tarot cards was before her. Dr. Facilier started to shuffle the cards, splayed them across the table, and taught her to read them . . . Soon, she was doing it like she had done it all her life, so he said.
Then the voodoo man tipped his top hat to her. "I'll be out for a while. Mind the shop. I'll be back soon. Good luck, Tiana!" He snuck out the door, putting up an "open" sign, and shutting the door behind him.