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[Facilier has been busy since his fortuitous arrival a month ago. He's been keeping an eye on people, both on the tablet and off, quietly getting a feel for the place. People here won't be as easy to fleece as they were back in New Orleans, but it doesn't matter. If he plays it right, he has all the time in the world here to get his footing somewhere good. Now, he's aware he's going to have to do some advertising. Word of mouth is well and good, but he'd rather people know where to find him, should they be in need of his particular...services.

He still isn't used to using the tablet beyond its voice function. At least with that, he can pretend it's a telephone instead of some device that belongs in a moving picture. He's nothing if not a good salesman, though, and this time...this time he needs the video. The screen is static-y at first, the good doctor watching an unseen person trying to get the thing to work]

No, I don't think throwing it at the wall will help.

[Oh. There we go. Facilier offers the camera a wide smile, as his shadow floats from somewhere off screen to hover beside him]

Bonjou and good day, fellow Transports! I'm still fairly new here, and figure it's about time I introduce myself. [A flamboyant bow to the camera, this thing better be working] Doctor Facilier, at your most humble service. I would have introduced myself sooner, but I've been busy establishing myself in this new little 'ol world of ours.

[The shadow moves offscreen again and suddenly the tablet is floating about in mid-air, showing off the little one-room home that Facilier has converted into his Emporium.]

So if any of y'all are in need of potions, charms, or even have your future read, don't you ever hesitate to come find me. [A piece of paper with a scrawled address hovers in front of the screen for a few moments, before it and the tablet are put back down to face Facilier once more]

After all, I'm real interested in helping y'all out. That's what this should all be about, right? Givin' each other a hand while we deal with all this other mess concerning the United Earth and what have you. I'd hate to sit back with my particular talents and not have them be of some use to the folk living here.

[One more friendly smile for good measure] So I hope to be seein' some of you soon.

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Perfect!

[ Apollo doesn't come by until later that day, but she does indeed actually come. She doesn't bother knocking and just sort of strolls in, although she does linger around the doorway a bit as she curiously inspects the set up he has. ] Well then, y'got this place all nice an' cozy, don'tcha? [ Idly poking at some... random thing as she calls out to him. ] Does this all actually help you mystics out or is it an atmosphere thing?

[Wow, rude, Apollo. Still Facilier gives her a wide smile]

Why thank you. And most of it's for atmosphere. [He glances around his little space] Ain't nothing like what I had back home, but given this could all vanish at the drop of the hat, I figured it wasn't worth going all out.

[ Rude is practically her middle name, sorry Facilier. At his last comment, she makes a disapproving noise and waves her hand as though to dispel the idea. ]

Bullshit, it's always worth goin' all out. [ Apollo then stops poking at things she probably shouldn't be poking at long enough to give him a smile. ] So then, you figure you an' the tarot are good friends, yeah?

Perhaps when I've had more time to gather supplies. [Or find someone else to go shopping for him. Same difference. He DOES miss having shrunken heads about the place]

That we are. It's a good way of doin' business. You help folk out and meet a lot of interestin' people at the same time. [And learn exactly what makes them tick and how to exploit it]

Then you'll have yourself the full effect! [ Not that she's at all experienced with voodoo or anything, she just remembers the set up her mystical friend used to have back in the day. ]

Well ain't that sweet of you, helpful and inquisitive! [ Apollo's still not sure what all to think of him, but she's cheerful and casual with him all the same. ] Bet in a place like this you've been gettin' some real interestin' stories, huh?

Not that there's that many tourists to wow here. Not like in the Quarter.

I do what I can. [He'll flash her a wide grin] And how! I never thought I'd meet such a bunch of...unique individuals.

Guessin' the Quarter was a busy place, then? [ Whoops there she goes idly poking at some other random thing he's got in his Emporium here. Luckily she's avoiding breaking anything, though. ]

Yup! Places with offworlder meetin' points or whatever the fuck you wanna call 'em, they tend to see a lotta unique folk. [ Okay she stops nosing now, her curiosity directed at him instead. ] So what about you, huh? Wanna prove you're actually unique and not just another bullshitter?

It's the heart and soul of New Orleans. The place is never quiet. [Unfortunately for her, the thing NEXT to her latest poking victim is one of his living voodoo dolls, which, deciding it would rather not be prodded, gets up and scuttles off across the room. Facilier doesn't seem to notice, and if he does, he pretends otherwise.]

Certainly, ain't like it's hard to prove the truth.

Never heard of it! Guessin' it's an Earth thing, yeah? [ Apollo pauses when the voodoo doll gets up and scuttles away from her, looking surprised for about two seconds as she watches it go, curious but not at all bothered by the strange moving object. ]

You'd be fuckin' surprised. [ Or maybe he wouldn't, but hey. ] But whatever, do your card thing! Tell me all about great ol' me, and we'll see how much y'get right, yeah?

It is, it's a city there. One of the greatest on the planet. [The others cities can go choke, New Orleans is where it's at. The voodoo doll vanishes back into the shadows, thankful for not having a scene thrown its way

Facilier smiles, gesturing for her to take a seat at his table as he starts to shuffle] It'll be my pleasure.

Guess I'll take your word for it.

[ The gesture is all she needs to promptly plop herself down in the chair at his table, placing her elbow on it so she can casually rest her jaw against her knuckles as she watches. ] It'll be mine too if it's good!

[After a little more shuffling, a few card tricks here and there in the process, he fans out the deck to her, face down]

Pick three cards, please, and we'll see what you've got in store.

[ She eyes the cards for a couple seconds before lowering her hand to pull three cards from the fanned out deck. Curious, she lifts her eyes from the cards to glance over at Facilier. ] And?

[He'll take the cards off her and fan them out on his table.]

And now we see what your cards have to say.

[He turns the first over. The picture upon it is Apollo, a sword in each hand while a third is embedded into the ground beside her. As Facilier speaks, people in the background appear and fade away, her sister, her boyfriend, her crew.]

You've had a tough life, you lost a lost of people very dear to you in mysterious circumstances, some died, some...well, they just vanished. You fought your way through many dangers and obstacles to try to get those vanished ones back. You've lived the sort of life pirates should, thievery violence, all that.

[He waves a hand over the card, Apollo still stands there, though now her shoulders are slumped in defeat, standing over what looks very much like her sister again, lying still on the ground]

But no matter how much you try, ya'll still can't get over what happened. No matter how far you run, your past is never that far behind you in your mind.

[ While she's had her cards and palm and tea leaves or whatever the hell else read before, Apollo's never seen a reading play out quite like... this. The changing images isn't something she's seen before for one thing, and she might have been more enthused about it all if not for the people appearing and disappearing in the background. Instantly their faces make her smile fade away until it's gone entirely, clearly taken over by her feelings when it comes to those she's loved and lost.

The image of her sister is what seems to get her the hardest. Where she was leaning over the table just moments ago, Apollo is now leaning against the chair instead, her jaw set tightly and even her wings seeming to be held lower than they were at first. It takes her a moment of heavy thinking before she finally speaks again. ]

You're good. But I ain't runnin'. [ Technically yes, she is. ] Just-- tryin' to find someone.

[He watches her reaction carefully, at least attempting something of a sympathetic expression for her woes. He turns the next card over, there's a man in emperor's robes, watching Apollo interact with various other Transports she's become close to. His face is hard to make out, largely because he's not important]

Of course, being trapped in a place like this puts a dampener on lookin' for folks.

Sorta. [ Her eyes are transfixed on the images on the cards when she speaks, distracted enough by it to miss any expression he might be trying to convey anyway. ] I can't go out searchin' on my own accord, but we get a lotta offworlders every month and you never know who's gonna show up, y'know?

[Oh how true. It was why he was quietly working on a little Tiana voodoo doll. Just in case]

True, perhaps one day, someone you know will show up here. Can't seem to make head or tail of the goin's on of this place. Seems it runs on different rules.

[And boy does he hate not knowing. He turns the final card over, and there is Apollo, standing aboard a pirate ship, Malakai by her side and a great star behind them]

In the future, you'll raise yourself through the pirate ranks, and take yourself a new lover. [He shrugs] You'll not be all that sure if you love him, though. Lost love, as always, leaves a pretty deep scar.

Yup, places like this don't often make sense anyway.

[ Upon recognizing Malakai in the card with her, Apollo's curiosity comes through her expression and tilted head. When he mentions taking a new lover, though, she can't stop a short, incredulous sounding laugh. ]

What the-- him? Malakai's gonna be my new lover? What in the fuck, sure I mean yeah I've slept with him more times than I can fuckin' count but lover? [ She started off with bewilderment, but quickly dissolves into something more contemplative, as though she quite suddenly doesn't know how to actually feel about that. There's a pause, then: ] Gods, really?

Not even a lick, most of the time.

[He smiles at her reaction, then gives a shrug, spreading his palms] That's what the cards are tellin' me, and they've never been wrong yet.

[ Apollo makes another little noise, something between disbelief and amusement, as she tries not to think about all the ways her and Malakai might actually work. ]

Well, fuck. [ A pause, and a sigh. ] But I ain't gonna be sure if I love him. Shit, then what's the point? [ This new relationship doesn't seem to make much sense to her now, but give it two years and she'd know the point is that being with Malakai somehow makes her past easier to deal with. Companionship, understanding, that sort of thing. But for now, her mind is just going to run a little wild for a minute as she considers everything Facilier's told her so far. ]

Wish I could tell you, but the intricacies of the heart are a mystery even to me.

[Mostly because he doesn't understand silly things like empathy and love, but there you go]

Intricacies of the heart, what a load of bullshit. [ Empathy and love aren't exactly strong points for her either, apparently. Still though, she seems to making some kind of attempt. ]

Whatever. Raisin' through ranks though, that sounds alright. Maybe it'll make more sense if Malakai and I are both Lords anyway, I dunno.

That's what I understand from most of it.

[He gives a shrug.] Might just be. Must be a pirate thing.

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Un | Video

video to action whoops

aww yeah

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