It seemed to be a normal lazy day around home with Amber, Annabelle, and Darla wondering what to do, especially since they were on vacation from school. They bounced ideas off of each other, but they couldn't seem to agree on anything, and soon enough, the local mailman walked by the Fudo house and put some letters in the mailbox before leaving as he continued his path down the street. Atticus soon got the mail out of the mailbox and decided see what they got.
"I don't know what I wanna do!" Darla complained with her friends.
"We have to do something." Amber said.
"Hey, kiddo," Atticus smiled to his little sister. "You got mail."
"From who?" Darla asked.
"India Buloni?" Atticus replied.
"Oh!" Darla smiled as she accepted the letter. "Thanks, Atticus."
"Oh, is that the girl you've been exchanging letters with for school?" Atticus then asked.
"Yeah," Darla smiled. "She lives in Florida."
"That's nice." Atticus smiled back.
"I always wanted to come visit her... She sounds so lonely..." Darla frowned. "She told me about the other kids she knows, but they don't seem to be friends."
"Like who?" Atticus wondered.
"Amanda Wilkinson, whose face is always pinched up like she's smelling something real bad," Darla replied from memory. "Sweetie Pie Thomas, who's only five-years-old, and always sucks on her knuckle like a baby. Dunlap and Stevie Dewberry, they're bald now because their cat had fleas and their mother had to shave them, but not even they want to be her friends."
"Whoa." Amber said.
"I wish I could help her..." Darla frowned about her pen pal.
"Well, what does she say in the letter?" Atticus asked.
"Oh, right," Darla said before reading it aloud. "'Dear Darla, you've been the closest thing I've had as a friend since I moved into Florida with the preacher. Your letters make me feel like I'm not so alone, so that is why I would love it if you would come over for a week or two to Naomi so that we can have some fun. You don't have to if you don't want to, but I would really appreciate it if you did, so please let me know you get this letter or at least come and visit. Sincerely yours, India Opal Buloni'."
"Looks like we just found out what we'll be doing." Amber said.
Atticus smiled to the girls.
"We better start packing." Annabelle suggested.
"And just how do you plan on getting to Florida?" Atticus smirked playfully to the girls.
"Oh, good question." Amber said.
Atticus chuckled.
Cherry soon walked by as she seemed bored herself about being stuck at home on vacation from school with a groan. "So bored..."
"Hey, Cherry." The others greeted.
"Hey," Cherry replied softly. "Is it me or is nothing going on in town lately?"
"It's not just you." Atticus said.
"Yeah... I guess..." Cherry replied.
"Cherry, you should come to Florida with us so you can meet my pen pal, Opal." Darla smiled.
"Yeah." Amber and Annabelle added.
Cherry looked over before shrugging. "Meh... Gives me something to do."
"It'll be an adventure." Darla smiled.
"Eh, I dunno about that." Cherry replied.
"It might become one." Amber said.
Cherry shrugged. "I suppose it beats hanging around here."
"That's the spirit!" Annabelle smiled before pondering. "Hmm... I wonder if I should bring my wand or not?"
"Who knows?" Darla shrugged.
They soon went to get packing and while they packed, Darla decided to write a letter back to Opal that she and the others would come over as soon as possible.
"Does this Opal girl have a dog?" Patch asked.
"No, she doesn't." Darla replied.
"She sounds like the kind of girl who could use a dog." Patch commented.
"Do you wanna come with?" Darla asked.
"Hmm... Maybe I should," Patch smiled. "I haven't met Opal, but I can tell that she's the kind of girl who could use some company."
"Yeah... No one really seems to want to be her friend," Darla replied. "I'm not sure why though."
"Well, she now has a friend." Patch smiled.
"Oh, thanks, Patch." Darla smiled back as she hugged her brother's dog.
"No problem." Patch smiled back.
Darla smiled as she then sent out her letter as they were still packing, knowing that her newest friend would be happy to read it.
"You kids will behave, right?" Emily asked.
"Mom, we've done this before," Atticus replied. "We're all going to be fine."
"Yeah." Darla said.
"Well... Okay..." Emily said. "Is it okay with Opal's mother and father too?"
"It should be..." Darla replied softly, though she felt bad about the mention of Opal's mother.
"Alright, then we better get going." Atticus said.
"Well, have fun now," Emily smiled. "Remember your manners, Darla."
"I will." Darla smiled back.
"And we'll be there with her all the way." Atticus added.
"Have fun now," Emily smiled. "I'm sure I can find something to do... I sometimes miss the good old days with Queen Novo."
"I can't believe you two are old friends." Atticus replied.
"Same here." Darla added.
"Yes, yes," Emily smiled. "Your father and I shared special times in Equestria, even if Jessie used to hate it."
"But then she started to like it." Patch said.
"Yes, but boy, did that take a while." Emily replied.
Everyone waved and soon got into Atticus's car as they took a road trip to Florida. Of course, they would be in for an adventure.
"I better not get carsick." Cherry muttered.
"Can't you take medicine for that?" Darla asked.
"I don't think there's any medicine for carsickness." Cherry said.
"But with help from my powers, and you'll soon have medicine for it." Atticus said.
Cherry glanced at him before rolling her eyes.
"Atticus, do you think we'll go to Hope Island someday?" Darla asked, referring to herself, Amber, and Annabelle.
"I'll have Mo ask Gaia, but that should be fine." Atticus smiled to his little sister.
"Yay!" Darla cheered.
"I'm sure she won't mind," Atticus smiled. "She seems to love anyone who has a good heart, especially since you do since you have the Silver Crystal."
"Yes... That's right..." Darla smiled back as she touched her brooch, just patting it, but not transforming into Sailor Moon. "I just love seeing Serena and the other Sailor Scouts."
"And we're sure they love seeing you too." Cherry said.
"Is it true that Ma-Ti hooked up with Ariel's old friend?" Darla asked.
"Oh, you mean Gabriella? Yeah, it was pretty cute." Atticus smiled.
"Aw!" Darla smiled back.
They soon kept driving, and the ride seemed to take a while.
Atticus soon drove by, following the directions to the Buloni home which seemed to be in a trailer park.
"This is where they live?" Cherry asked,.
"That's what it says according to Darla's letters." Atticus replied.
Darla, Amber, and Annabelle soon woke up from their power nap.
"Whoa... We're in Florida already?" Darla asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah, and we're in a trailer park." Cherry said.
"Well... Opal said she lived here with her father..." Darla replied.
They soon got out of the car and out came an adult man who seemed to be dressed for church, but he didn't seem to have a girl with him.
"That's Mr. Buloni," Darla said. "I recognize him from one of Opal's letters."
"Then where's her mother?" Amber asked.
"Opal doesn't have a mother..." Darla said softly.
Annabelle gave a small frown as she could relate to that.
"Oh, my..." Patch frowned.
Opal's father soon looked around before sighing as his daughter appeared to not be there, but he had to get going anyway because it was Sunday and he had a job to do.
"Hello, sir." Darla spoke up.
"Huh? Oh, um, hello there." Mr. Buloni replied as he stopped by, being polite.
"You must be Opal's father." Darla smiled.
"That would be me, but... I'm not sure where my daughter's run off to... Um... Have we met?" Mr. Buloni asked.
"My name is Darla Fudo." Darla introduced herself.
"Darla Fudo...? Oh! Ohh!" Mr. Buloni said once he realized who she was. "You're that nice girl who exchanges letter with my daughter."
"That's me." Darla smiled.
"I'm not sure where Opal is... I hope she doesn't miss Church..." Mr. Buloni sighed.
"Don't worry, Mr. Buloni, what if we found her for you and met you at the store?" Darla suggested.
"That might work out..." Mr. Buloni replied. "Thank you, Darla."
"No problem, sir." Darla smiled.
"Excuse me, I better get going." Mr. Buloni said.
The others nodded and walked off.
"We're meeting him at a store?" Cherry asked. "Why not an actual church?"
"It's complicated." Darla sighed softly.
"Uh, okay?" Cherry said, looking confused.
"Come on, you girls can help me find Opal," Darla told Amber, Annabelle, and Patch. "Hopefully she didn't get too far."
"Oh, sure, just abandon us." Cherry muttered.
Darla, Amber, Annabelle, and Patch then went to go and find Opal, wherever she might be.
"I'm sure she's not that far." Annabelle said.
Patch began to sniff around for a while. They walked and walked for what seemed like a long time, but they soon heard a girl's voice as she seemed to be playing baseball... All by herself.
"Is that her?" Amber asked.
Darla looked over, she then took out a picture of Opal that was once sent to her and it seemed to be a match. "Yes!" she then smiled. "That's her!"
The girl soon began to run and she seemed to slide a little and then jumped up happily. "Safe!" She soon heard someone clapping. This made her blink and look over to see Darla and the others.
"Oh, I didn't see you there." Opal said.
"It's nice to finally meet you, Opal." Darla smiled.
"Finally meet me?" Opal asked, a bit confused. "Oh! You're Darla from the letters! I didn't know you were coming today. No mail today because it's Sunday."
"Ugh! I forgot about that!" Darla face-palmed herself.
"Guess we should have waited until tomorrow." Amber said.
"Heh... Sorry about that, Opal." Darla added.
"Wait... What time is it?" Opal suddenly panicked before she ran to her bicycle. "Oh, my gosh! I gotta go!"
"Actually, that's the reason why we were also looking for you." Darla said.
"Uh-huh..." Opal replied, a bit rushed.
"Shouldn't you be dressed for church?" Annabelle asked.
"Don't worry, I got that covered." Opal replied.
"How?" Amber asked.
"Just trust me." Opal replied as she biked over to the gas station where church was for her and her father.
The others did their best to keep up with Opal and ran after her since they didn't have their own bikes.
"This is getting a little tiring." Amber panted.
"I'm sorry, guys." Opal said to them since she had her bike and they had to run.
Mr. Buloni smiled and welcomed people into the 'church' as he looked around for his daughter, but sighed as it looked like he would have to start without her.
"Do we have to go in for the service?" Cherry gave her best friend a look since this was a church and she wasn't very religious.
"Yes." Atticus said.
"Since when are you in charge of me, Atticus Fudo?" Cherry replied.
Atticus simply shrugged. They soon went inside to be polite as the service was getting ready to start and it seemed like Mr. Buloni would have to start without his daughter.
"I feel blessed to be brought here to Naomi to do God's work in His new church," Mr. Buloni smiled nervously as he stood in front of the patrons. "I have to admit, I-I'm still trying to get used to the idea of His house being in a convenience store. Nothing wrong with making church more convenient. I have preached in some pretty strange places in my time. Not that... Not that this is a strange place."
"We made it." Opal said as she got off her bike and put her baseball cap in the basket and brought out a skirt to wear so she would appease her father.
"Whew, hope we're not late." Darla sighed.
"You and me both." Opal replied as she wasted no time and came inside with them.
"Ah... Opal..." Mr. Buloni greeted his daughter as she came in, seeming to be a bit late as the others stared at her once she came inside before seeing the other girls along with Patch. "Come on in! Have a seat, please... Help your new friends to some seats. The dog can stay as long as he's quiet."
Patch nodded in agreement.
"This is my daughter, India Opal," Mr. Buloni introduced. "Forgive us, we're new here... Still trying to find our way around. Maybe, uh, one of you two boys could teach Opal a better shortcut to church, huh?"
The twin boys seemed to roll their eyes and when Darla looked at them, she could tell that they were Dunlap and Stevie.
"Uh... Let us begin..." Mr. Buloni then said as it was time to pray to God.
Everyone soon bowed their heads as the prayer to God started. Opal began to pray about hopefully making friends in this town, and that she missed her mother very much. Darla took a small look around as she recognized some of the kids that Opal wrote about in her letters and she knew who they were instantly once they fit their descriptions perfectly.
"Amen." Mr. Buloni then said.
"Amen." Everyone else replied.
Before they knew it, church was over.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Atticus asked Cherry.
"If you say so." Cherry shrugged.
"Seriously?" Atticus asked.
"We've been through this, I'm not a religious person." Cherry told him.
"Fair enough." Atticus said.
"I'm glad that dog was quiet... A little surprised too." Mr. Buloni told Atticus about Patch.
"Patch is a one of a kind dog." Atticus smiled.
Patch smiled back as those words meant so much to him.
"Well, that's good." Mr. Buloni smiled back to Atticus and Patch.
"That was a great day of service at church." Darla smiled.
"Oh, thank you, dear," Mr. Buloni replied. "You can help Opal out by the way, there's still some things that need to be put away."
"Of course, sir," Darla smiled. "I just love helping my friends."
"You're as sweet as a strawberry shortcake." Mr. Buloni smiled back.
"You can thank my family for helping me become the person I am today." Darla smiled back.
"Well, that's very sweet of you to say about them." Mr. Buloni replied.
A/N: I loved watching this movie with my mother and reading the book in school when it came out. Want more? Drop me a line in the comments.