New Orleans. Midnight. The newly-dubbed Heroes of New Orleans are having their first official meeting. "So Clara made some deal with a group of Villian Kids that she used to hang out with?" Tiana asks Shane. "Yeah, but we shouldn't have to worry. She's gonna make sure that nothing bad happens," he answers. "Then why are we having this meeting in the first place?" asks Naveen. "Because it's Clara. And I have suspicions. What if something goes wrong? What if something does go wrong, and I'm not there to help?" Shane answers. Charlene rests her head on his shoulder. "Shane, please don't stress yourself out over this. If something does happen, you'd know, right?" she says. "Yeah, I guess," says Shane. He glances down at the hand with the mark on it. "But back in France, Clara said that the deal saved Char and me from... something. I bet that's why he's so worried," says Tina. "Well, it's a good thing for you that she made the deal, but if Shane's so worried about it, we should do something about it," says Tiana. "But that's the thing. We can't," says Shane, standing up. "We cannot go over to France to help her. Ugh, this is so stressful!" Charlene gets up and grabs Shane's hands. "Darling, relax. Don't you trust Clara?" she asks. "Of course, I do. It's everyone else that I don't trust. Frollo, Dawn, Anna, Garrett, Markus, they're all trouble. And I am positive that they're all in cahoots with each other. This... this is all too conspicuous." He suddenly feels a piercing pain in his palm. He looks down and sees a scar that wasn't there before. "I-I-I need to go," he says, walking out the door. "Shane!" shouts Charlene, following him.
Charlene looks around outside of Tiana's Place for Shane, but he's nowhere to be found. "He must be at my place. I sure hope he's okay," she says. She runs towards her house and knocks on the front door. "Looking for me, Char?" Shane asks. He's sitting in a chair on the balcony above the door. "Shane, why's the door locked?" asks Charlene. "Because it's not time for you to come in yet," Shane answers. The door unlocks. "Now it's time," says Shane with a smile on his face. Shane hops down from the balcony and lands in front of Charlene. "Why so secretive, Shane? It's nowhere near my birthday, y' know," she says. Shane opens the door, revealing a bunch of pink ribbons and balloons. Charlene chuckles. "What's this for? I didn't do anything good recently, did I?" she asks. Big Daddy walks in, holding a blindfolded woman's hand. "Oh! Big Daddy, what's with the blindfold?" asks the woman. "Uh, Big Daddy, who's that?" asks Charlene. "Seriously, Char? You forgot?" Shane asks. "Forgot what?" asks Charlene. "Do it, Eli," says Shane. "Ready, honey?" Big Daddy asks the blindfolded woman. "I would be if I knew what to look forward to," the woman replies. "Big Daddy chuckles as he removes the blindfold. Charlene and the woman stare at each other in awe. "Char, in case you haven't noticed, that's your mom," says Shane. "Charlene?" "Mama?"
Charlene and Lottie run-up to each other and give each other a big hug. "Oh! Look at you! All grown up! How old are you, hon?" asks Lottie. "Eighteen! The big one-eight! How could I have forgotten that you'd be coming back?!" Charlene squeals. "Hey, it was his idea!" says Lottie, pointing at Shane. "Who is he, by the way?" Charlene smiles at Shane, then immediately looks at Lottie without a smile. "Uh, promise not to get mad?" she asks. "Promise," Lottie assures. Charlene takes a deep breath and says, "That's my boyfriend, Shane Facilier, son of the Shadow Man." Lottie looks at Shane closely. "Y'know, now that you mention it, he does look kinda like him," she says. "But why would I be mad?" Lottie walks over to Shane. "He already told me what he's been doing around here. Plus, he's the reason I got to see my not-so-little girl again! If you're worried that I'd be mad at you for dating a Villain Kid, don't be! He's a sweetheart, and you two are perfect for each other!" Charlene smiles from ear to ear. "Uh, Mama? Wanna see what I've been working on? It's up in my room," she says. "Sure thing! We have a lot of catching up to do," Lottie answers. For the first time in a long time, everything feels great.
After a good night's sleep, Shane is the first to wake up. He fell asleep in Charlene's room after the party last night. He kisses Charlene on her forehead. "Sweet dreams, darling. Don't worry about me too much," he says. He looks at the scar on his palm, grabs his cane, and makes his way to France.
Shane arrives in France by the cabin, looking for Clara. Clara was pacing in the bathroom the door open muttering fiercely in french angrily. Her fist was clenched with blood coming out of it, the wound had started to bleed again. Shane phases through the door and calls out, "Clara! It's Shane! Just checking up." Clara froze "Um... I'm fine..." She called back out, her voice slightly shaky. "Yeah, she's lying," says Shane to himself. "Okay. Where are you?" Clara grabbed a dish towel, wrapped it around her palm and came out of the bathroom. "I'm here..." Shane sets his cane against the wall and sits on the bed. "Okay, cause I need to talk to you," he says. "Hit me," Clara said. "Well, not literally but yeah. What's up? Don't think my day can get any worst?" Shane takes a deep breath. "It's this spell I cast. I think it does more than bind our lives together. I think we're able to feel each other's pain and feelings and stuff," he says, his voice slightly trembling. "What? What does that mean? I mean I know what it means but... what exactly do you feel?" Clara asked slightly unnerved. Shane held up his hand and revealed a scar on his palm. "That's how," he says. "I didn't do that. I couldn't have done it." Clara looked down at her towel-covered hand. "I cut myself before you even came back. I have made it deeper. Why would it affect you now? Because if you have old scars that I have, well you might have a cross on the back of your neck, which I think you'd tell me first," Clara said. "I think the spell only affects any wounds and pain experienced after the spell has been cast. And maybe it's not as bad for me, because I'm not directly affected," says Shane. "But now I'm really worried. We both can agree that I shouldn't have cast that spell. "Can you reverse it?" Clara asked. "Unfortunately, no. It'll wear off after your deal has either been broken or fulfilled," he says. "Just try not to get hurt anyone until then, okay?" Clara bit her lip, "That is going to be... nevermind. I'll try but I can't promise anything. I don't like being grabbed by guards and if I do get taken back... I apologize for the pain." Clara went over to the window. "But I think my father's guards will be leaving this side of Paris." "Well, that's some good news, I guess," says Shane. "One less problem to worry about." Clara nodded still looking out the window, "I guess..." "How are Claytin and Adrianna doing?" Shane asks, hoping to change the subject to something more positive. "I wouldn't know..." Clara sighed. "Haven't seen Claytin since the fight and Adrianna? She hasn't talked to me. She saw me a little bit ago but ran off somewhere. I couldn't find her when I went looking. I don't even know where she is right now but Claytin hasn't contacted me so that tells me enough to say she is okay..." Shane looks down at the floor. "Man. That's not good" says Shane. Clara shrugged, "It was stupid not to expect something like this. Villain kid at the core. Some of us aren't as lucky as you Shane. We aren't born to be a hero. So we mess things up. I am just waiting for Claytin to come and divorce me and take Adrianna. I bet he could." Clara sat on her bed. "I probably will have to move, Claytin technically owns this place, not me. Wonder where I'll go..." "Tell you the truth, I don't know what to do, Clara," he says. "There's so much that I wish I could do, but there's just... nothing." "I'm not asking for your help with this. I know Claytin won't do any of that. And if he did, I'd fight for him. I know everything will be okay, it's just hard sometimes. I want to tell Claytin the plan but you know him, he'd try to stop me or he wouldn't leave France. I am just trying to protect him. He is almost as stubborn as you," Clara said taking a few breaths. Shane gets up and grabs his cane. "In all honesty, this is really the best I can do for you," he says. "Just do what you think is the best choice. And remember this. You may have gotten yourself into this, but you don't have to get yourself out of it alone." Clara stiffened. "Yes, I do... I don't have a choice..." Shane shrugs his shoulders. "If you say so," he says. Suddenly, his phone rings. "Who's calling?" Clara asked. "Nobody bad I hope." Shane takes his phone out of his coat pocket and looks at the caller ID. "It's Tina. I'll put it on speaker," he says. "Shane! Did you bring Charlene to France with you?!" says Tina, panicked. "Uh, no, I didn't. Why?" Shane answers. "She's supposed to be at the restaurant helping us. I went to her house to check on her, but Big Daddy and Lottie both said that she wasn't there. I thought you might have gotten her." Clara bit her lip and muttered something angrily in french. "Tina, when was the last time you saw her? You to Shane. And what was happening?" "Last I saw her, we were in the restaurant, catching up," says Tina. "And the last time I saw her, we were in her room after Lottie came back," says Shane. Clara got up. "That son of a..." she stopped. "How much do you trust me?" She asked Shane. "As far as I can throw a shadow orb. So pretty far. Why?" says Shane. Clara sighed. "I am going to call her but not on speaker. You have to trust me enough to let me call and not steal my phone." Shane crosses his heart. "Got it," he says. Clara nodded and called Charlene. "Come on Char, pick up..." she muttered.
"Clara? What are you doing?" Charlene whispers. "Don't ask questions, just answer them. Where are you?" Clara asked taking a small breath glancing over to Shane. "I don't know. It's dark. I'm scared, and I don't have my sword with me," Charlene answers. "Alright, do you hear anything? Like someone might be around. And what do you feel around you?" Clara asked, anger filling her as her heart dropped. She knew what was going on. "It's... kinda rocky and wet, like a... cave!" Charlene finally realized what had happened. "It's them!" "Calm down, one second, stay on the phone" Clara said. She turned to Shane, "Go to New Orleans, you said you trusted me. If you do, go back to New Orleans and stay with Tina. I will give you more information later. I know you love her Shane but right now, the best thing you can do is get back and stay with Tina. I promise..." "Okay," says Shane. He clutches his charm and says, "Stay safe, Char. I love you." He summons a portal back to New Orleans and walks through. "Okay, Char. Put me on speaker. You need to trust me, put me on speaker," Clara said. "Okay," says Charlene. "Done. What next?" "Next? I get angry." Clara said before shouting in the phone, "HEY IDIOTS! WE NEED TO TALK!" Charlene jumps in surprise. "Clara?! What are you doing?" she says. "Getting you out, are they coming?" Clara said. "Oh, and I am already on my way, it'll take a few minutes." Charlene looks closely. "Uh, Dawn and Anna. Don't see Markus or Garrett, though," she says. "Oh great, the annoying ones," Clara muttered. "Where are the boys, girls?" "Waiting for you!" Dawn responded. "Hurry hurry Frollo!" Anna laughed. Charlene snaps. "I hope you know what you're getting into! When Clara gets here, she's gonna-" "Shut up!" Dawn spat while Anna started to laugh.
Suddenly Dawn's arm was grabbed, she was forced to turn and was slapped. "I am the only one who gets to tell Shane and his friends slash girlfriend, to shut up!" Clara came out of the shadows. "Clara!" Charlene exclaimed. "Hey Char, sorry it took so long," Clara said. Anna went to grab her but Clara took her dagger out and pointed it at her. "Back off! Don't make me stab you!" she growled. "Calm it down Frollo, no one here is going to hurt you," Garrett's voice said coming from behind her. She turned to see him and Markus. "Back again?" Markus asked laughing. "You broke your side of the deal!" Clara shouted. Charlene's face lights up. "Wait, does that mean the deal's off?" she asks. The other four gave a laugh, "Well Frollo, is it?" Markus asked. Clara bit her lip for a second, "The deal was Charlene and Tina went untouched! That means not being taken prisoner! You want the deal, you let her go!" She said angrily. "Or, we keep her and we all go back to the old days," Garrett suggested. "Go to hell!" Clara spat. Anna and Dawn started laughing. "Markus, teach her a lesson will you?" Garrett said. Markus raised his hand, as soon as it glowed green, Clara screamed in agony. "Clara!" shouted Charlene. "Ugh! The one time I actually need my sword, I don't have it!" Suddenly, Charlene's sword appeared next to her. It was surrounded in shadows for a brief moment after it appeared. "Shane," she whispers. She grabs her sword and hides it behind herself. "Markus stop!" Clara yelled. He didn't. "I said stop! That's an order!" He put his hand down and the pain stopped. Clara took a breath. "Let her go and the deal still stands! I will keep my side, you keep yours! It's simple!" Clara said. "Simple?! Simple?! We planned this years ago Clara! You left us! You abandoned us for the Facilier boy!" Markus yelled. Clara gave a laugh and gave a dark glare. "Is that what Garrett told you?! I know villains are liars but good grief! I didn't abandon you! You abandoned me! After Shane gave Garrett that scar he told me not return! That you lot wouldn't want me as your leader! I told him you would come crawling back! I said to contact me when you need me! You never did! So I forgot about you! I left you alone for five years! We were thirteen! Not once did any of you contact me! You betrayed me! I didn't betray you! You left me! Shane didn't!" Clara said angrily until she was screaming. "Garrett, is this true?!" Markus asked Garrett. "She said it herself, villains are liars! Who are you going to believe buddy, me who stayed with you since we were young or Clara, the girl who left us for five years!" "Right, like me, the most feared villain kid in Paris abandoned a group that gave her power! The power-hungry villain kid!" Clara said rolling her eyes. Charlene gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. Markus looked to Clara and back at Garrett then back to Clara. "We let her go, the deal stands still, you keep your side." "I promise," Clara said, "Not that I have a choice..." she muttered under her breath. "Let her go," Markus told Anna. "You aren't the leader of the group!" Garrett growled. "Neither are you, let the girl go. Do you want the deal to stand or not?!" "Why can't you just keep teaching her a lesson until she gets it! Until she learns!" "She is stubborn and you know it! But she keeps her promises, Garrett!" After a minute, Garrett nodded to Anna. Charlene hides her sword in her dress. "Just in case," she says.
Clara grabbed her arm and led her out. She was speaking in French, fast, annoyed and angry. In one hand she was fiddling with her dagger. "I sure hope you made the right choice, Clara. And don't let Shane get anywhere near here. If he tries to think of any sort of plan, don't let him," says Charlene. "I know he's usually reasonable, but he wanted me to do something. He sent me my sword, but I'm not gonna use it unless I need to." "Char, don't tell Shane about anything said or done in there. All he needs to know is I found you and sent you back. Oh, and don't come back to France. if you need me you call or text. I don't care what Shane says, slap him if you need to. Don't come back," Clara said. "And I am sending you back through airplane. I'll get you first class. Markus won't dare try to get you on the plane which means you will have a good ten hours and half to think everything over and stuff. Once home, send Shane to collect your sword. I can't smuggle a sword onto a plane." Charlene nods. "This is all so much to process. I don't even remember how I got here," she says. "I was just in my room, sleeping, then the next thing I know, I'm in that cave." "Magic, it's a dangerous and powerful thing. We have to keep knowledge that Markus had you as far away from Shane as possible... if he finds out Markus took you. I am afraid there will be a war going on between Paris and New Orleans. Shane is a voodoo master and Markus is a magic master. Together, an unbreakable force. Against each other, could rip the world apart. Or kill each other, that one most likely. And I think Shane will do anything for you. I am sorry but if he asks, you're going to have to lie," Clara sighed. "I hate lying to Shane, but if it'll keep things from escalating any further, I guess I'll do it," says Charlene. Clara nodded, "I am sorry Charlene. I am really just trying to protect you. I wouldn't ask unless... Claytin?" They were at the cabin by now and Claytin was standing there at the door. "Shane texted, told me about the spell and how he was having the feeling you were in pain. Clara, what is going on?" he asked coming up to her. "Where is Adrianna?" Clara asked. "Safe, with my dad. Clara are you okay?" "I'm fine. I need to get Charlene to the airport, can we talk when I get back?" Claytin nodded and went to wait inside. "Shane, what did you do?" Charlene whispers.
Clara got Char to the airport and bought her plane ticket. "You board in thirty minutes, call Shane now if you want to tell him you're going by plane. If he asks why, try avoiding that answer." Charlene takes out her phone and calls Shane. "Shane, I'm gonna be heading back to New Orleans by plane. Tell everyone that I'm okay," she says. "Don't worry about that. I didn't use it. I'm fine. No cuts or bruises. Okay. See you when I get there." "I'd hug you but my hand is still bleeding and I'm still getting used to hugging others other than Adrianna and Claytin. Will you be okay on your own? Oh, and give me the sword so I can give it to Shane when he comes back." Clara explained. Charlene hands her sword to Clara. "Shane didn't ask about what happened. Which could mean that he trusts you to the fullest, or that he already knows," she says. "Or maybe both." "He knows what the deal is, but hopefully he doesn't know anything else. I really don't want to get in between him and Markus. Bad things would happen," Clara said. "It's just that he has that magic mirror. He could check up on us without having to leave New Orleans. But I don't know if he'd do that," says Charlene. "Well, if he does know, or if he is listening now, I just hope he doesn't go stupid. Shane is powerful but I'm afraid to say Markus he has something, something that could stop Shane in his tracks. Also, Markus' mother was the Mistress of all Evil. But anyway, you need to get ready to board, unless there is something else you need to ask?" Charlene thinks for a moment. "Have you contacted Roma in a while?" she asks. "No, I think Claytin told Adrianna about her though. Probably even let her meet her. But I haven't had contact with my mom since our fight," Clara shrugged. Charlene smiles. "Well, you should. I bet she misses you. And remember, Shane's gonna have her in New Orleans anyway. Your wedding ceremony is soon, right?" "I don't know, you're the planner. I've been busy to think about it. With Adrianna moving in, saving your life and now I have four villain kids to... deal with..." Clara said trailing off. Charlene snaps her fingers in front of Clara's face. "Clara! You're drifting off," she says. Clara blinked a few times, "Sorry, mind is off in different places. I have a lot to plan and stuff." Charlene giggles. "Yeah, I bet it's a lot to think about," she says. "I'm sure that everything will sort themselves out." "I'll be praying as I used to tell my father whenever something seemed to be going south for us. Those days were fun..." Clara said before going deep in thought. " Before you leave can I ask you something? I would ask Shane, but I don't know, you're here, and you can be nicer than him..." "Sure! Go on ahead!" "Is it bad that I... miss him? My father. I get that he is a villain and not the most... well gentle. But he still is my father. We had our bad days and we had our good days. We never ran around or anything but there were times that we would plot together or talk about God. There were just times that I forgot about all the times he hit me and told me not to see Shane. I don't know, I must sound crazy..." Charlene laughs. "You seriously thought that Shane would be upset about that? He tells me stuff like that all the time!" Clara shrugged. "Shane hates my father after everything he has done to me, I don't know how'd he react if I said that. Also, Facilier was never much of a father to Shane as far as I know. I know he used to try and turn Shane but he wasn't raised by him. I don't know, like I said, I sound crazy." "Well, that's the thing. Shane never really had a father. And he wasn't really in his mother's life for that long, either. He kinda raised himself. But he oftentimes wished that his family could've been, well, a family. He plans to go back to Los Angeles to live with his mother after all this is over. Of course, that means I won't get to see him as often." Charlene sighs. "But I know that he misses teasing his dad. That was his favorite thing to do!" "The question here is, will this ever end?" Clara said before being cut off by a woman over the intercom saying, "Plane to New Orleans, boarding in five minutes." "Well, I should get back home and talk to Claytin and you need to get on the plane. I'll talk to you later okay? And text me if you find out Shane knows everything please. Until we know if he does, please lie," Clara said putting the sword in her cloak to keep safe until she got back to the cabin. "Alright!" says Charlene. "And let me know when you're ready for the wedding!"