A ball ricocheted from the wall to the floor as it bounced toward a hand that caught it. The hand then threw the ball, repeating the pattern for quite a while; the person in question was Zipp as the girl lay on her bed. She had headphones on and was staring at the ceiling as her mind flooded with thoughts. The events of the Winter Gala played in her brain nonstop as she couldn't get the image out of her kissing Mario for the past few days; the music that Zipp had didn't seem to help her case, as the lyrics of the words depicted how she was feeling.

The girl then began to stare off and daydream as she envisioned Mario standing before her. Her heart stopped when she looked at him as he placed a hand on her shoulder. The touch from the boy sent her shivers along her spine as she was in his arms and looked deep into his eyes. While they stared, the boy moved his hands along Zipp's skin-tight jeans as he felt her body, which seemed to excite the girl.

"Ah!" yelled Zipp as she quickly sat up and tossed her headphones to the floor.

The object made a sound on the floor as the door to her room opened.

"Ms. Storm. Is everything alright?" asked a maid passing near the girl's room when she heard the sound and wanted to check on the girl.

"I wish," groaned Zipp as she fell back on her bed and continued to look at the ceiling.

The sound of a punching bag was heard as the person inside the mansion's workout room was sweating up a storm. As Roll held the bag with her brother, Mario punched the sandbag with his knuckles. The boy had many thoughts running through his mind that he needed to get them out.

"So... what are you going to do?" asked Roll as she leaned against the bag.

"What are you talking about?" said Mario as he ceased punching and looked at his little sister.

"You know, big bro? The thing with Zipp. And then Pipp coming up after." said Roll.

"Yeah, and what do you expect me to do?" said the boy.

"I mean, I'm not saying what you should do. But it's clear that Pipp ain't the only one interested in you last night."

"And you expect me to choose which girl I hook up with?" countered Mario. "Like picking which ice cream I want to eat?"

"Well, not in that sense. I mean more like figuring out who you might be interested in," said Roll, trying to sound logical.

"Look, hermana. I understand where you're coming from, but I won't play that game when it comes to them. Besides, who says I want a relationship?" said Mario as he walked to a bench and began to take off the tape around his knuckles.

"Or is it because of your last relationship?" said Roll as that got Mario to look at her. "Look, I get it. Rose made you feel something and... when you two decided to go your separate ways..."

"Which was for a good reason," said Mario, knowing his sister knew about his previous relationship. "Look, sis. I just don't want a relationship right now, okay? I have other important things in my life."

"Fair enough. You just gotta tell that to them yourself," said Roll as she tossed a towel to her brother and left.

Mario sighed as he dreaded being in this position. He got up from the bench and gave the bag one last bare punch. The boy then left to clean himself up as he and Roll had to go holiday shopping with their parents.

Two cars pulled into the Zephyr Heights Megamall as tons of people were shown entering the shopping mall. As Isaac and his family got out of one car, Haven and her daughters got out of the other. The group began to head toward the mall's entrance as they noticed how big it was.

"Okay, so here's the plan, kids," said Twilight as she turned to her children. "You each have one hour to yourselves. We'll meet in the cafe for lunch."

"Got it, Mom," said Roll as she left to explore the mall.

"Mario, sweetie."

"I understand, Mom," said the boy as Twilight hugged her son before he left.

Watching the boy leave was Zipp as the events of her mother's party still plagued her mind.

"Come on, girls!" said Haven as she instructed her daughters to follow her, which Zipp groaned.

Roll was currently wandering a section of the mall as she took in the many decorations. The girl was handed a small silver jingle bell as a gift, and she thanked the vendor before putting it in her pocket. Eventually, the girl came to a gift shop as she looked to do some shopping for her family.

"Okay, so using my intuitive knowledge. Mom wants books," said Roll as she grabbed some books off the shelves and into a cart. "And one for me."

The girl pushed the cart to another section of the gift shop as she looked among the novelties.

"So, for Dad and Mario..."

"Toy drive! Donate anything!" said a person dressed in an elf costume who rang a small bell.

The person had a small area behind them filled with tons of containers as other people dressed as elves. The group was looking to raise toys for kids, but it seemed nobody was willing to give them the time of day as they just kept walking past them as if they didn't exist. Roll saw this and only grimaced as she pushed her cart toward the checkout line.

"I take it you found everything you need?" said the clerk as she scanned the prices of the stuff that the girl was buying.

"Y-Yeah," said Roll, looking at the toy donation drive.

"Would you like any of this stuff to be wrapped?" asked the clerk.

The elf, trying to get attention, sat on his stool next to his coworkers as they didn't seem to be in the brightest of moods. Their efforts to get some toys for unfortunate kids were failing miserably. The group was ready to give up when Roll was shown approaching them.

"Um, excuse me," said the girl as she made her presence known.

Nearly all the containers were full of all the gifts that Roll decided to donate. Due to the girl's actions, many others saw it, and they soon began donating any gifts or toys they could spare. The people were pleased by how much they had made as they had exceeded their initial goal.

"I can't thank you enough," said one of the people to Roll.

"Think nothing of it. This time of year, it's important to spread cheer and happiness. Happy Holidays!" said Roll as she waved goodbye to the charity workers. They all waved at the teen for what she'd done for them.

Roll kept her smile as she walked deeper into the mall before pulling out some money and counting it.

"I still have enough to get Mom a book," stated the girl.

In another part of the massive mall, Mario was wondering about looking at the many things. He soon stopped when he saw a person handing out some flyers to passing people; he received one as he looked at what was on it.

"National World Duel Finals. Compete on the biggest stages across the world. Test your skills against others and be part of a team."

"Team? Pff, not my style," said Mario as he crumpled up the poster and tossed it away.

The teen kept walking as he approached a water fountain where people tossed in some coins. He approached the water and saw many coins underneath its surface, showing how many wishes people had made. As Mario looked at the water, he remembered his mother telling him about a wishing fountain. The teen started to reach into his pocket when something caught his attention.

"Why am I thinking of her?" said a voice.

Mario turned his attention as he saw a boy close to his age looking at what appeared to be a locket in his hand. The boy held a heart-shaped locket; inside was a picture of him and a girl he used to know. Based on the expression that Mario saw, he could tell that the teen had just broken up with the girl. And it was indeed the case as he saw the boy going to purchase a cinnamon roll from the nearby stand. When he turned around, Mario stood in front of him.

"Trouble with your girl?" asked Mario.

"What's it to you?" asked the teen.

"Nothing, really. Just... I know the exact feeling you have," smiled Mario, causing the boy to raise his eyebrow.

Mario retained that smile as he approached the cinnamon stand and paid for his own.

"So... how long were two together?" asked Mario as he leaned cooly against the counter and looked at the boy he just met.

"About a year," responded the boy.

"Ah. First time?" asked Mario, to which he got another nod. "Yeah, that's tough. They say you never forget your first love, and... they're right."

"I suppose you know what I'm going through?" said the boy.

"That look you had when you opened your locket. I know that look. It's the look of someone who hasn't gotten over." said Mario as he opened his box and ate a piece of his treat.

"So you do know?" sighed the boy as he looked at his locket. "We were together for so long that I thought there was no way we'd ever break up. But then... about a month ago, she said we should go our separate ways and remain friends. But... as you can tell, I've clearly not gotta over her. And I just saw her for the first time today since we broke up."

"I see. And how long have you felt like this?" asked Mario.

"Since the day after we broke up."

"Okay. And have you told her this when you two saw each other?" asked Mario, taking another bite of his treat.

"No. I choked. I just let her walk out of my life again." sighed the boy as he tossed away his empty box.

"Well, bud. I think you should find her and tell her how you feel. She sounds like a very special girl."

"How am I gonna do that?"

"Well, for starters, turn around," said Mario.

The boy was confused by what he said when he did as Mario said, and sure enough, approaching him was the girl he still had feelings for.

"Hi, PJ," said the girl as she approached her old flame.

"Look, I'm really glad you came back 'cause I got to tell you something. The minute I saw you, I knew I was still crazy about you."

"That's why I came back, too," said the girl with a small smile. "See, I took a moment to reflect and realized I'm still crazy about you, too."

"Really?" said PJ.

"Really," confirmed the girl as the pair smiled.

"Now that I have you back in my life, I'm never gonna let you go," said the boy.

"Actually, I have to go," said the girl as Mario almost laughed at the timing.

"Really? So this is it?" said the boy.

"I mean, my family and I are leaving to spend the holidays with my grandparents. But don't worry. I'll call you," said the girl as she kissed the boyfriend she had hooked back up with.

"Promise," asked PJ with a smile.

"Promise," said the girl, kissing her boyfriend's cheek before leaving, to which he waved.

"She's a keeper, pal. Make her feel special," said Mario as he tossed his cinnamon box away and looked to leave.

"Hey, thanks. You know... you're wise in the ways of love," said the boy to Mario.

"I... guess," said the teen as he gave a two-finger salute and left.

The food court had a live band performing, and many people gathered around and clapped along to the beat. Sitting at a table was Twilight and Roll as the two looked and listened to the music being played. Isaac and Mario soon joined them as they each brought back their food.

"So, kids, how did you enjoy yourselves?" asked Twilight.

"I donated some gifts to a toy drive," said Roll.

"That's my girl. Helping others in need. I'm so proud of you." said Twilight as she hugged her daughter for helping others as she and her father preached.

"Mario?" asked Isaac.

"Eh," said the boy as he shrugged his shoulder and wanted to eat his food.

"Well, since we're all here. Now's a good time to give you two something special," stated Isaac as he pulled out two small boxes and gave them to his kids.

Mario and Roll grabbed the gifts their father gave them as they took the ribbons off. Inside each box was a small stack of cards as the pair took them out and sifted through them.

"New cards? Thanks, Dad!" said Roll as she briefly read the effects of the cards she got.

"Well, your mother also had a part in it," said Isaac as he looked at Twilight.

"I put aside some special cards," responded Twilight smugly at seeing Roll's expression and how thrilled she was to get some additional firepower to her deck.

Mario was looking through his small stack of cards; he wasn't thrilled but admitted that his parents got some powerful cards for them. He then noticed something else in the small box: the cards came in as he picked them up. The thing was a small amulet of sorts. Roll also had an amulet similar to her brother's as she eyed it.

"What's this?" asked Mario.

"A little trinket that your mom asked me to get you," said Isaac. "Just... make sure you don't lose it."

The two siblings looked at each other and exchanged expressions. They didn't quite know what their parents meant by this, but they knew they would keep these amulets close as they were a gift to them. While the group was having lunch, Haven and her daughters were doing their yearly window shopping, which Zipp was not enjoying as it was mostly clothes shopping and trying out new outfits for her.

The teen groaned and complained as she would rather do anything else but this. Pipp was mostly on her phone and updating her socials as she posted nonstop pics about their shopping trip; one pic showed Zipp trying to get at her sister for taking an embarrassing photo of an outfit she wore.

"Hasn't this been a lovely trip, girls?" said Haven as she had some servants carrying many bags. "Am I right, Cloudpuff?"

The dog barked and licked the woman's face as she rubbed her nose against the canine.

"Yeah, Mom. This is so exciting. And I totally don't want to be anywhere else other than here." groaned and complained Zipp as she begrudgingly walked behind her mother.

"Lighten up, Zipp. It's the holidays. And speaking of that, I need to find the perfect gift for Mario. Now, what would get his attention?" said the girl, wondering what to get her crush.

Hearing Mario's name mentioned triggered Zipp's brain as she recalled the kiss she had planted on him.

"Zipp? Zipp! Zipp!"

"Huh, what?" said the girl as she looked at her sister, who'd been trying to get her attention.

"Are you okay? You've been turning a bit red," said Pipp.

"Oh, dear. Are you getting a fever?" asked Haven as she overheard her daughters talking and quickly approached Zipp to feel her forehead.

"Mom, chill! I'm fine!" said Zipp as she removed her mother's hand from feeling her forehead.

"Are you sure?" asked Haven.

"I'm fine, alright!" stated Zipp as she walked past her mother and sister, needing some space. "Stupid Pipp, mentioning lover's boy name." mumbled the girl as she tried to get Mario out of her head.

Soon, the two families finished their holiday shopping and returned to the Haven estate. Upon returning to the mansion, Mario was looking to chill out in his room when he noticed a piece of envelope sticking out in the wedge of the doorway. The identity of the envelope was given by the little lightning bolt with a crown on top of it.

The teen grabbed it and looked it over to see if anything was on it. He then opened the envelope and pulled out the small piece of paper to read what was written.

Zipp was currently in the estate gardens as she saw the tree being dragged into the mansion living room that would be decorated. She sat on a bench, crossed her arms, and tapped her fingers.

"Did I make the right call?"

"I don't know. You tell me," said Mario as he suddenly appeared before the girl as she nearly fell over.

"You just love sneaking up on people, huh, lover boy!" said Zipp as Mario smiled.

"So, what's the deal? You called me to give you a spook?" said the boy.

"No! I called you here because... because... because..." Zipp trailed off as she knew why she wanted Mario to meet her. The girl's face started to go red as the reason was clear.

"Rich girl!" shouted Mario as he snapped his fingers repeatedly to snap Zipp out of her trance.

"Huh?!"

"You good or not!" asked the boy as he started getting annoyed.

"Alright, look, here's the deal. Since... the... you know..."

"You kissed me," responded Mario bluntly.

"Yeah. That," said the teen as she was glad Mario wouldn't beat around the bush like any of the boys she previously had in a relationship. "Look. Ever since that, I... I can't get you out of my mind."

"I have that effect on people. For different reasons, though," said Mario as he crossed his arms.

"Well, congrats. You got me in a different way. Anyways... I just want to say that I can't move past this until I do something about it."

"And what's that mean?" asked the boy.

"It means I'm cashing in my favor of the bet. You know, the one we made during bowling where you have to agree to do whatever I want?" said Zipp.

"Alright. What you got me doing?" said Mario.

"You and me. We go out," said Zipp without any hesitation.

Mario blinked a few times after hearing Zipp's proclamation as he rubbed his chin and the left side of his face.

"You said that confidently?"

"Yeah. So what?" asked the girl.

"Nothing," responded the boy calmly. "So. This legit? You and me going on a date?"

"Okay, well, back up. It's not a date per se, more like... hanging out," said Zipp, not wanting to label that between her and Mario.

"Whatever you feel comfortable labeling it," said Mario. "So, rich girl... when do you want to do this?"

"Tomorrow before Christmas dinner."

"What's the place?"

"I got something in mind," smiled Zipp smugly while looking at her friend. "We'll take one of my mom's cars. She won't notice. This isn't the first date I've been on, lover boy."

"Well, this isn't my first date either. Guess we're both seasoned veterans. Alright then," smiled Mario as he looked to leave. "You know, Zipp. I like your style. Not trying to lead me on or build it up, just asking me straight up. I admire that."

Zipp retained her smile as she saw Mario leave. Hearing that Mario admired her approach of asking him out made her smile even more. And so, it was set. The two eldest kids of their respective wealthy families would go out.

The next morning came as Mario was waiting for Zipp to appear. The boy had informed his sister about Zipp asking him out and that he had asked her to cover for him if their parents had mentioned him. Roll gave her big brother her word and wished him luck. Not long after, Zipp appeared as she and Mario exited the front door. A servant came around with a sports car as he exited it, and Mario blew a whistle at seeing the vehicle.

"Nice," said the boy.

"Hop in," smiled Zipp as she got on the driver's side while Mario got on the passenger's side.

The girl turned the key as the car drove out of the estate and onto the road. Zipp reached into the mirror above as she got her shades and put them on while turning the radio on, allowing the music to blare. Mario was enjoying himself as the teens went joyride through the city.

"Mario! Mario!" said Twilight as she entered the boy's room. She was shocked to see that he wasn't there.

Twilight searched the mansion for her son but couldn't locate him.

"Mario!" called out the woman.

"He's not here, Mom!" said Roll as she appeared before her mother. "He's currently out with Zipp."

"For what?" asked Twilight as she was curious why her son was with a girl of her husband's sponsor.

"Don't know. Said she wanted to show him something. But they'll be back by dinner time." said Roll, giving a half-lie to her mother.

"Alright, then," said Twilight as she seemed to have bought what her daughter told her. "If you need me, I'll be with your father talking about things."

"Got it," said Roll as she watched her mother leave before leaving herself.

Neither was unaware of Pipp, who had secretly listened to the conversation. The popstar teen girl had heard Twilight calling out for her son and went to check it out. She had arrived when Roll told her mother that Mario was currently out with Zipp, and she was surprised to learn that. Her sister never mentioned that she'd be out with Mario, and she wondered why she didn't say.

Mario quickly leaped over a barricade as he transitioned into a dodge roll. He looked back as he saw a figure closing in on him. The boy ran as he came to four poles, holding up a platform above him as he began to climb it. He got on and pointed the blaster he was holding out as he pulled the trigger. Laser beams came out as he tried to shoot the figure, but they were evading his shots. Eventually, he jumped to another platform and began to parkour toward one side of the playground as the figure tried to take shots at him jumping about.

They saw where Mario was heading as they looked to cut him off. The boy had reached the end of the arena; he quickly pushed off and grabbed a rope that allowed him to swing down gently. He then took off as he ran through a corridor and jumped over blockades to an open area. He quickly sensed danger as he turned and moved out of the way of some laser beams. He ducked behind some cover and took a moment before popping out and attempting to shoot the person but was shocked to see they weren't there.

Mario looked about, trying to spot the individual. He then quickly turned around and aimed his blaster at the person chasing him; it was none other than Zipp as the girl also aimed her blaster at the boy. The two pulled the trigger of their blasters in an attempt to shoot the other as their chests lit up and glowed before making a sound.

"Game over!" said the system as both teens removed their helmets.

"I think I'm faster than you, rich girl!" said Mario.

"Yeah, right, lover boy. I shot you first!" said Zipp, both still having their laser blasters aimed at each other.

After their extreme round of laser tag, the pair were now doing miniature golf as Mario was shown lying on the ground. His eye was behind his golf ball as he was trying to figure out how much power he had to put into his swing to get the ball into the hole.

"Come on, lover boy! Just swing!" said Zipp.

"Chill out, rich girl!" responded Mario as he stood up.

The boy got what he needed as he positioned his golf club just a few meters behind the ball; he took a deep breath as he prepared to hit his ball. Nothing could break his concentration as he was about to swing.

"Don't choke," coughed Zipp into her hand as it affected Mario's swing.

The sudden action by the girl caused him to lose focus and put a bit more power into his swing as it sent the ball past the hole.

"Nice shot."

"You did that on purpose, rich girl!"

"Cry me a river, lover boy," snickered Zipp as she dropped her golf ball and gently moved her club back and forth before hitting her ball and getting it in the hole. "Now that's how you do it."

Mario grumbled as he approached his ball. He took a moment to recalculate his swing and hit his ball as it dropped into the hole. He smirked as he looked at Zipp, who held her smug smile, knowing this game of mini golf would be anything but normal.

"Easy hole in one," proclaimed Zipp as she dropped her ball and prepared to hit it.

"Hey, Zipp..."

"Nice try, Mario. But nothing you're saying will mess me up," Zipp proclaimed as she was about to swing.

"Want a good luck kiss?" coughed Mario, which affected the girl as she missed her shot and caused her ball to go flying as it missed the hole completely.

The teen saw how she overshot her shot and turned around to address her friend.

"Why would you say something like that?!" said the girl, seething at the boy for messing her up.

"What? Can't handle a little truth?" responded Mario.

His response took Zipp off guard as she stammered and turned red, to which Mario chuckled. He dropped his ball and swung his club as it rolled and dropped into the hole with ease.

"You're right. It is an easy hole-in-one. I'd be embarrassed if I missed a shot that easy." said the boy.

"I'm get you for this, lover boy!" proclaimed Zipp as she walked past her friend.

"Hey, you started it, rich girl!" taunted Mario as she took her shot and managed to sink her ball into the hole.

Each tried to mess with the other for the rest of the game. At one point, Zipp tried to screw with Mario as she decided to bend over in front of him with her legs spread out. The teen knew what she was doing as he tried not to let his hormones take over. Even with Zipp teasing him, he somehow managed to keep himself under control and sink his shot in. Eventually, they reached the end of their game as the pair had reached a tie.

After their game of mini golf, the pair went to the arcade section of the building. The pair were engaged in another competition as they were doing some go-kart. On the screen, Mario's player was rounding the corner as Zipp was right behind him, hot on his tail. The boy grabbed an item box and set the item behind to offer some protection; Zipp also grabbed an item she used to give her a boost. The girl used her temporary speed boost to fly off a nearby ramp as the pair got closer to the finish line. It looked like Mario was about to win when Zipp was shown above him, dropped in front of him, and crossed the finish line first.

"Woo!" said Zipp as she won.

Mario grunted as he was now happy that she beat him.

The pair moved to another game as they selected their fighters and prepared for more intense gaming. The competition between the pair had attracted some others as they got into the game. They played a first to 10 as the score was tied, with each person winning nine games. Both were going with the fighter they knew best, as jab after jab was traded. Spot dodging, blocking with shield, and combos were thrown out as both were in the danger zone of defeat. The percentages at the bottom in the red showed just how close this was.

In the game, Mario's character blocked Zipp's three-piece jab as he grabbed her character and threw her backward. His character then began to chase after her as it jumped into the air and looked to hit the final attack off the stage, but Zipp recovered immediately as her character hit him; it allowed her time to get back onto the stage. Now she landed and chased after Mario's fighter as he dodged to the side when Zipp went for a mid-air attack. About another 2 minutes passed of each other trying to get a final attack in while avoiding getting hit.

The high-pressure and tense situation, as well as the atmosphere, was on full display. Both players made a few mistakes, which was expected given the circumstances. Eventually, it came to the final closing moments of the fight, as Zipp grabbed Mario's character and threw him forward; she dealt a hard attack that sent his character sailing to the left and would have knocked him out, but Mario used the analog stick of the controller to input some DI of his own that barely saved his character as he stopped Zipp from hitting his fighter again and then recovered as his fighter hung on the ledge.

At that moment, Zipp had her character throw out a side special while she jumped in the air, anticipating Mario's fighter would jump. The boy jumped up as he did a side special to delay his fall just enough to avoid getting hit by Zipp's side attack. As he landed on the stage, just as Zipp's fighter landed, she spot dodged, thinking Mario would attack, but instead, he grabbed her and instead of throwing forward, backward, or even upwards. He did a downward throw, which flung her character into the air as she air-dodged to avoid an attack. Instead, Mario had his character charge up his side smash as it hit Zipp's character as she was but inches from touching the ground; the camera zoomed in on the final hit for 2 seconds as her fighter was sent zooming off the screen as it was over.

"GAME!" said the screen as the fighter's pose was done, with Mario being the winner. The crowd cheering for the boy made noises as the ones who wanted Zipp to win groaned before they all disbursed.

"Come on!" exclaimed Zipp as she couldn't believe she lost.

"Here you go."

"Thanks," said Mario as he handed his card to the person who swiped it through the machine before giving it and the hot chocolate back to the boy.

The teen then walked to Zipp, who sat on the car's hood. The girl made room as the boy sat beside her and handed her the hot chocolate.

"So, rich girl? Where do I rank among your other first dates?" asked Mario as he looked at the girl.

"Too early to say," said Zipp smugly as she blew on her hot chocolate before taking a sip. "If you had gotten me marshmallows in this, then I might say you're in the top 5."

"Well, the date ain't over yet. I think I still have a chance to make the top 3," responded Mario confidently as Zipp playfully punched his shoulder.

"By the way, have you heard from Sunny or the others?"

"No. But why would I?" responded Mario.

"Well, you know. What if... something happens to them? Something like those mysterious figures that you and Roll encountered." said Zipp.

"You haven't dropped that theory, have you?" sighed Mario, as he should have known that the detective that Zipp was wouldn't let a case go unsolved.

"You know me, despite us only being friends for a few months," said Zipp as she scooted closer to her friend.

"Well, I don't have much else to say. What me and Roll told you about those Shadow Duelists, that's all we know."

"Well, then maybe we need to shift gears and look at this mystery from another angle. Maybe the question isn't who they are or what they wanted... but why did they attack you and your sister?" said Zipp.

"What's your answer?" responded Mario, taking another sip of his hot chocolate.

"Well, obviously, your parents are big-time celebrities. Especially your father, who's the World Champion. So maybe someone wants to send him a message, and they could get his attention by going after you two."

"Well, a lot good that did. Me and Roll held our own against them," said the boy, as he had no problem taking care of the Shadow Duelists that ambushed him and his sister on the train.

"Yeah, but that was against one person. Imagine you got jumped by a group of them," said Zipp.

"So, what are you thinking, rich girl? It's all a conspiracy."

"Not necessarily. See, I want to show you something when we return to the mansion. But for now..." said the girl as she downed the last of her hot chocolate before getting off the car's hood. "You and I still need to finish our date."

Mario smirked as he downed the last of his hot beverage before entering the car with Zipp as they looked to continue their hang out. The two teens continued their fun as they explored more of the girl's home. They stopped at an ice rink as the pair showed off their skills while trying to one-up each other. At one point, Mario came up behind Zipp as he placed one hand on the girl's waist while clasping his other hand with hers.

The sudden action by her friend caught Zipp off guard, but she went along with it as he guided them to the center of the rink. The girl couldn't help but feel the kindling in her heart ablaze, spreading throughout her body.

By the time the pair had returned to the girl's estate, it was already dark out. Zipp didn't know how, but she could avoid her mother finding her as she entered the mansion quietly and snuck toward her room with Mario in tow. Upon entering the girl's room, she approached a wall as she felt it about before pushing something in.

The wall began to change as it slid to the side, revealing a different room.

"Wow," said Mario as he could see that Zipp had her own secret room within her room.

The girl clapped her hands as everything turned on. She sat down in a comfy gaming chair as her stuff came online. Fans whirred, CPUs sprang to life, and the monitors lit up obediently at her command while the sound effect of a small dog barking played.

"So, did you spend your own money on this, or did your mom pay for this?" asked Mario.

"Very funny," Zipp cackled as Mario pulled the extra chair beside her.

Zipp's fingers flew across the keyboard while simultaneously pulling up several files and websites. "I still have accounts with all the genealogy sites I used. Social media also helps. It's crazy what people post about their lives these days. Here we go." The girl pulled up an article that covered the break-in the night of the robbery.

"So this is the night of when something was stolen. And after a little digging around, I also found this," said Zipp as her fingers worked their magic and pulled up an image of Twilight's company.

"My mom's business?" said Mario. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Check this out," said the girl as she selected the article and sent it to the printer.

The machine whirred as Mario rolled over to the device and ripped the paper. He looked at it, and the headline read: Company Break-In.

"Seems you're not the only one in your family targeted by this mysterious group. It seems your mother is also a victim of them."

"Is this real?" said the boy, who couldn't believe what he read.

"Positive. I'm surprised she didn't tell you, but then again, she probably didn't want to worry you. But, the fact that your mom had somebody break into her business means that whoever is in charge of these Shadow Duelists is trying to send a message to your father." stated Zipp as Mario was still trying to process the girl's logic.

"Tell me, has your father had any run-ins with evil forces before?"

Mario let Zipp's question sink in as he rolled back toward her.

"I just... I just thought he was making it up. Stories that he told me and Roll when we were younger. Stories that were filled with some truth but stretched for entertainment but..." Mario took a deep breath and recalled some of the tales their father told him and his sister about his adventures when facing evil magic. "When he and my mom were about our age, they faced magic. Shadow magic, as they called it. He says it all stems from ancient Egypt. Ancient sorcerers used stone tablets and summoned monsters to do battle."

"Stone tablets? Monsters? So... are you saying that they..."

"Played Duel Monsters. Yeah. That was the first iteration of the game."

"Cool," said Zipp as she found the concept interesting.

"Yeah, well, compared to today, it wasn't for fun. It was a matter of life and death. Ancient Sorcerers fought for their lives using these stone tablets, and usually, the loser would have their soul sent away. To a place called the Shadow Realm."

"Shadow Realm?" said Zipp, a bit unsure.

"My father describes it as a place of despair and anguish. A separate dimension where those who wield the power of darkness could send their foes if they wanted to make them suffer. It is an ambiguous place of suffering where duels can't be interrupted, and villainous individuals can manipulate the duel to their will."

"Wow," said Zipp, trying to process everything.

"But, hey, like I said, I just thought the stories my father told were a myth. But I guess... they might be real," said Mario as he looked at his hand.

The two teens sat silently for a while as they processed what was said.

"Well, I think that's enough for today," said Zipp.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," stated Mario as he got up from his chair, and Zipp shut off her computer.

The pair were going to head downstairs for dinner as Zipp exited her secret room and made her way toward the door. The moment she opened it, there stood Pipp as she had a stern expression.

"Hey, Pipp. What's up?" said the girl to her little sister.

"Hmm. Nothing much," said the popstar teen as she looked firmly at her older sister. "Just... wanted to see if you were back."

"Yeah, I've been here for a while," said Zipp, not picking up on her sister's tone.

"Mmm."

"Is something the matter, sis?" asked Zipp as she stepped out of her room and shut her door.

"You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, right?" said Pipp.

"Uh, yeah."

"And you wouldn't do the same to me either, right?"

"Pipp, we're sisters. We're family!" said Zipp.

"Yeah. We're family," said the girl, glaring at her eldest sibling before leaving.

Zipp was a bit speechless at Pipp's sudden demeanor just a moment ago but put it out of her mind as she had many other things.

Dinner was rather calm as Haven had her chefs make the most delicious-looking Christmas feast; the kids couldn't take their eyes off the many foods before them as the smell enticed them. Isaac raised his glass as he gave a heartfelt toast and thanked Haven and her daughters for allowing him and his family to spend the holidays with them, as everyone agreed. Once dinner was finished, Pipp decided to sing some carols with the help of Mario's guitar-playing skills. Begrudgingly, the boy was forced to do it as Pipp kissed his cheek, which got Isaac and Twilight to smile, seeing their son had caught the interest of the popstar teen.

Eventually, it was late at night when everyone decided to head to bed. As Mario was heading upstairs to his room, he saw what looked like a glimpse of Zipp as she disappeared around the corner. The boy's curiosity was caught as he trailed after the girl. He came to a balcony that had a bench, and sure enough, there was the teen girl as she looked at the moon. Zipp was taking in the cool air as it helped take her mind off things. She sensed someone as she turned to see Mario standing before her.

"Hey," said the boy, putting his hands in his pocket and leaning against the railing across from her.

"Sup," responded Zipp as she looked back at the moon.

"So, do you always take in the moon before you head to bed?" asked Mario as he turned to look at the object in the sky.

"I just like to be here. Alone. It gives me... serenity." said Zipp. "Listen, Mario. I enjoyed myself today. You... gave me a good time. Of all my first dates, you made it into the top 3."

"I'll take that as a victory," chuckled the boy, glad to see he still could play the game despite having a previous relationship. "And I'll say, you're not bad yourself, rich girl."

"But I also have to be frank with you. You know Pipp's interested in you. And I... well... I don't know about me. I need time to sort this out. But know that I would never hurt my sister intentionally."

"I would hope not," said Mario, as he would never do anything to hurt Roll.

"So, can we keep what happened between us under wraps for now?" asked Zipp.

"If that's what you want," said Mario.

"Just for the time being. Until I sort out my emotions," stated the girl.

"Fair enough," said the boy.

"Well, um, good night. And uh, thanks. You know, for the date." said Zipp as she got up.

The girl looked to leave as Mario watched her. Zipp soon stopped as she looked at the boy; before she knew it, she walked back toward him, grabbed onto his shirt, and pulled him into a kiss. Mario wasn't caught off guard like last time, as he stuck his hands out from his pockets and put his arms around the girl's waist, clutching her as if she would dissolve into mist. The pair closed their eyes as they switched off their brains and allowed their emotions to take control. The kiss itself didn't last long as Zipp pulled back to look the boy in the eyes as he had a straight expression.

"I, uh, usually give my dates a good night kiss," stated the girl sheepishly while turning red.

"Well, that was one hell of a good night kiss," responded Mario as he brought his thumb up to caress Zipp's cheek.

The girl chuckled nervously as the blush on her face intensified due to the feeling of the boy's touch. She regained her composure and broke free from his arms as she headed toward her room.

"Merry Christmas, Mario."

"Merry Christmas, Zipp."

The girl smiled before disappearing. The boy was left alone with his thoughts as he sighed and leaned forward on the railing while putting his head down. He then looked up to see the moon as if he could see his reflection on the object's surface.

Rose made you feel something.

"Is it too soon to start dating again?" wondered Mario, as his sister's words echoed in his mind as he was reminded of his previous relationship.

Author's Note: Managed to get this out in time. So following up from the last chapter, it's clear at this point, Mario hasn't just caught the eye of Pipp. And we also see why he's a little hesitantabout pursuing a relationship given that he feels it might be too soon to get back into the dating world. Yet, he seems to be somewhat of an expert on the matters of love as he helped a couple get back together. And of course, further developing the mysterious group of Shadow Duelists and the mention of the Shadow Realm within the world of Yugioh.

Oh, and Merry Christmas by the way. Hope you all enjoy yourselves with the ones that you care about.