Charlotte held her granddaughter's hand as they walked down the street together. "Once the Shadow Man was released back into our world, she had to find a way to transfer the message through... She must've picked you."

"Is... Is he going to hurt anyone?" Darla asked, worried as she held her biological grandmother's hand.

"I'm afraid he's done worse," Charlotte explained. "He's taken the soul of an innocent man he bewitched from a very young age and is out for revenge on not just him, but even Cherry and Atticus, not to mention Patch since he's close with Atticus."

"That's terrible!" Darla was both angry and worried.

"I know, now he's planning on letting this world's Twilight Sparkle unleash the magic from her pendant with Atticus." Charlotte told her.

"But Atticus won't agree to it..." Darla was sure of that.

Charlotte bit her lip nervously.

"R-Right, Nana...?" Darla asked, worriedly.

"I'm afraid that he might because of Principal Cinch blackmailing Sci-Twi with her application to Everton." Charlotte told her.

"Everton?" Darla asked.

"It's an Independent Study Program," Charlotte explained. "Sci-Twi wants the application because she'll be using her science and mathematical skills into good use with only her."

"No one else?" Darla asked. "Who'd wanna go to school all by themselves?"

"Sci-Twi is one of those logical people who only stay focused on their studies and don't engage in social activities," Charlotte explained. "Principal Cinch is using it so that Sci-Twi stays on the bad side with Atticus and they can win the Friendship Games for Crystal Prep like they always do."

"Why that evil heartless witch!" Darla exclaimed.

"Couldn't have said it better myself..." Charlotte bent down to her granddaughter's height. "Also, Ms. Eglantine Price is here."

"Who's she?" Darla asked, she had heard of that name, but did not know the woman.

"She's a witch, though not like the one Principal Cinch is," Charlotte explained, with an amused smile at the 'witch' part, but then kept a serious face again. "She wanted to use her magic to defend herself during World War II that she lived during. Though an older woman, she did not do so well in the magical department as her ancestors before her. She was also a good friend of Cherry's maternal grandmother, since they were both witches after all."

"Cherry's a witch?" Darla's eyes widened.

"Not exactly." Charlotte said.

"Huh?" Darla tilted her head. "But... Her grandmother-"

"Is a witch, but Cherry is not," Charlotte shook her head. "Her mother was adopted and is a mortal."

"Oh..." Darla understood now.

They went into the Mall to have dinner at the Food Court instead of one of their usual shopping days that they spent at least once a week together.

"Can we do anything to stop this madness?" Darla asked her grandmother. "I mean... This is a lot to take in... The Shadow Man, the Shadowbolts from Crystal Prep... The end of the world as we know it!?"

"Well, there are two ways, one, destroying the device, two, friendship getting through when they turn evil." Charlotte said.

Darla sipped from her frosted drink. "But which will work?" she then asked.

"Only time can tell us..." Charlotte soothed.

"I wish I could be there..." Darla sighed. "But I can't cut school... I'll get in trouble..."

"Not unless you have a family emergency." Charlotte smiled sneakily.

Darla raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"What if say you have a family emergency then you would be excused from school." Charlotte told her.

"Um... What could I do?" Darla rubbed her arm. "I can't lie..."

Charlotte took her granddaughter's baby-like hands. "Just say something's come up, I'll come pick you up."

Darla looked back up to her grandmother. "You're amazing."

"If I could've foreseen this when I was your age, I'd be so proud of my fate." Charlotte giggled.

"Good point." Darla smiled.

"I was a lot like you when I was younger," Charlotte giggled in memory as she reached into her purse and handed a photo. "Only, I wanted to be a princess... My best friend Tia's mama was the best seamstress in all of New Orleans..."

Darla took the photograph of her grandmother around her age in a princess dress while hugging a white kitten who looked easily frightened. "Poor kitty cat..." she said, never thinking she would hear herself say those words with how she was back in Hollywood.

"Think you'll ever go back to Hollywood, sugah?" Charlotte asked.

"Maybe someday..." Darla shrugged. "I just feel like those animals would hate to see me after what I did..."

"I'm sure they've forgiven you." Charlotte said.

"Sometimes I think about it..." Darla nuzzled up to her. "I used to have nightmares of flooding the stage though..."

Charlotte gently stroked her granddaughter's curls. "I'm sure it'll be okay... Just worry about Atticus right now."

Darla smiled to her. "Nana, even though you're my real family, I'm glad Atticus let me stay with him and his family... I don't know where else I'd go or what I'd do if he hadn't."

"Well, he sure is a remarkable boy," Charlotte said. "And a strong one too."

"More stronger than you know..." Darla whispered.

---

The elderly woman and young girl then continued to enjoy their dinner out and decided to walk along the Mall. Darla normally would've picked out some toys or clothes she would want, but due to Dr. Faciler and Principal Cinch bewitching Atticus, she was a little too distracted. Seeing this, Charlotte decided to bring Darla back home in time for bed for school in the morning, but Darla would not be going to school tomorrow for long.

"Try getting some sleep tonight, dear." Charlotte said.

"I'll try..." Darla sighed a little once she got to her bedroom. "Thank you for telling me everything, Nana..."

"Of course, sweetheart..." Charlotte hugged her granddaughter and kissed her cheek.

Darla hugged back, kissing her cheek back, and went to get ready for bed. Charlotte then told her goodbyes to the others and let herself go off for the rest of the evening. Once Darla got to her bedroom, she fell asleep in bed. Maisy hopped on the bed and curled into a fluff ball, joining Darla and fell asleep as well.

Charlotte was walking down the street to get to her own home, hoping Dr. Faciler wouldn't cross her, luckily she made it home okay and walked into her home, leaning on the door, feeling relaxed. "As long as that shadow fiend doesn't touch Darlene, I'm happy..." she narrowed her eyes, very angry about the dark force plaguing everyone.

---

The next day was going to have lots of surprises. The day started out slightly normal at first. Penn, Zolten, and Moxie were still miserable about Teller, Cherry was with Eglantine while her mother was still knocked out, and Atticus was working out so he would be ready for the physical challenges of the Friendship Games today.

"I think that now is not a good time to continue on of what happened last night." Patch whispered to Mo.

Mo nodded to the Dalmatian puppy.

"Patch! Quickly, put three 500 pound dumbbell weights on my back!" Atticus told the Dalmatian puppy.

Patch sighed, going to do as told. He then grabbed three weights that would have been extremely heavy for anyone else. "He's frightening me like this..." Patch said to Mo. "I'm not sure if it's with the Shadow Man or not, but hopefully, this'll not make him evil..."

"Sombra's defeated for now..." Mo reassured. "I'm sure he won't corrupt Atticus."

"Yeah, you're right." Patch said before placing the weights on his owner's back.

Mo winced, she knew Atticus could lift that, but it seemed a little excessive and that worried her. And where she could see in his eyes that he was wanting to make Principal Cinch pay, but while also not let Sci-Twi down. She let out a sigh, just not sure what to do or say next to this.

---

When the time came, they all got ready to go to school. Mo hid Patch in her backpack this time and everybody got ready for the next day of the Friendship Games.

"Thanks for letting Patch go inside your backpack, Mo." Atticus smiled.

"I thought I'd save you the trouble." Mo smiled back as they went to school for the day.

---

Meanwhile...

Eglantine was working on a cauldron with a lot of foggy steam coming out from it as she stirred with a wooden spoon to make a brew to wake Michelle up with. "Don't worry about your mother, Cherry, you run along off to school." she told her best friend's granddaughter.

"But, Aunty Eglantine..." Cherry was unsure.

"Don't worry, your mother will be just fine." Eglantine assured her.

"What is that?" Cherry looked at the cauldron.

"Trust me, this will work," Eglantine promised. "I made it with your grandmother every time your mother felt sick as a child. The Council didn't approve of it back then, but since your grandmother was raising a mortal, they made an exception. Now, don't dawdle, they won't hold off classes while you just laze around."

Cherry sighed and left to get to school. "Hopefully whatever she's making will help." she then said.

Eglantine stirred the potion enough and poured it into Michelle's coffee cup. "That should make her as sober as a priest on Sunday..." she giggled at her little joke and went to feed the potion to the poor mortal woman.

---

Darla was at school, feeling trapped behind her desk as she dully looked at the board while the teacher 'rambled' on. There came a knock to the door and it was the nurse and she wanted to speak with Darla.

Darla walked out of the classroom and shut the door behind her. "What is it?" she asked the nurse.

"It's your grandmother, Miss Fudo." the nurse replied.

"Is she okay?" Darla asked, knowing exactly which one the nurse meant.

"She says that it's an emergency." The nurse said.

"Oh, my..." Darla put her hand to her mouth. "W-What's wrong?" she then started to wet her eyes and cry.

"Oh, sweetie, it's okay..." the nurse hugged her. "She said she wants to see you... You go right ahead..."

"I'll be right over..." Darla nodded, she went inside the classroom to take her backpack.

"Darla, what's wrong?" Amber looked worried for her best friend.

"Nana needs me, Amber..." Darla put her hand to her forehead in melodramatic, though false worry. "I am the mighty boulder in the emotional crutch of her life... How could she go on without me?"

"Well, then you better get going." Amber said.

Darla gave her best friend a hug, she then walked out of the classroom.

"It's not fair!" Alvin whined. "How come SHE gets to leave early!?"

"Now, Alvin..." the teacher started to scold.

"Hmph!" Alvin folded his arms as he sat in his desk.

Darla was in tears as she walked out of the school, but then smiled once she saw her grandmother and they walked off together.

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Charlotte asked.

"I just acted sad and they bought it!" Darla giggled.

"Yep, you were born to be an actress." Charlotte smiled.

"It's the role I was born to play~" Darla batted her eyelashes with her hands together and a cutesy smile.

"You sure were." Charlotte said.

Darla then held her grandmother's hand again as they were on their way to Canterlot High.

---

While they made their way to the high school, Principal Cinch was now talking to her students, Sci-Twi, Atticus, and Cherry.

"You will race in pairs," Principal Cinch gave instruction. "Indigo Zap and Sugarcoat will handle the motocross."

"YES!" Indigo cheered.

"Lemon Zest and Cherry have requested the short rack." Principal Cinch continued.

Cherry and Lemon Zest high-fived each other.

"Since archery is a standard requirement at our school," Principal Cinch came to the final two. "Any of you should be able to do it. Twilight and Atticus will start us off."

"Well, that's just marvelous!" the girl with a high ponytail and freckles smiled sweetly at first before becoming dully angry, obviously having mood swing issues. "If you want to lose before we even start!"

"Hey, you know what you can do? SHUT UP!" Atticus glared at the high ponytail girl.

The sour/sweet girl gasped and glared to Atticus.

Principal Cinch ignored that, looking to her two 'genius' students. "Given that Twilight and Atticus won the last event, I have every confidence that they will be able to pull their weight around here."

Sci-Twi looked down to the ground anxiously.

"Won't you?" Principal Cinch leaned over them.

Sci-Twi gave a weak smile and nodded to agree with her. Atticus nodded while glaring at the evil principal. Photo Finish smiled as she snapped pictures with her camera as the Wondercolts and Shadowbolts took their seats to root for their schools.