"Beat your wings to whip up a whirlwind of destruction! I Synchro Summon, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" shouted Rainbow as her monster appeared and loudly roared. "Next, I'm summoning my Speedroid Rubberband Plane. And activate its ability allowing me to target one monster and make it lose 600 defense points. And I choose my dragon. Now Clear Wing, activate your ability. Go Reverse Revenge!" The dragon powered up its wings as it paused.
The image panned out as Zipp was shown sitting on her bed. The girl was looking over the footage of last night's duel.
"She uses Speedroids. Just like me."
Zipp pushed play on the remote as she continued to watch Rainbow.
"I summon Speedroid Razorrang and use its ability to target my dragon!" shouted Dash.
Zipp watched as Rainbow again used her dragon's ability to absorb and destroy her monster. The girl was studying the tape when a knock on her door was heard.
"Come in!" said Zipp as she watched the tape.
"Hey, Zipp."
"Sup, Sunny."
"What are you doing?"
The girl closed the door and walked to where her friend was; she saw that Zipp was watching the duel from last night.
"Clear Wing, attack! Spin Storm Sky Strike!" yelled Rainbow. Her dragon took to the air to gain maximum altitude before coming down and spinning as it collided with its target.
"She's good. Like stupidly good," said Zipp as she paused the video.
"Is this about Ms. Dash having the same cards as you?" said Sunny.
"She used the same cards as me, but she did it so much better and more useful, I guess, is what I'm trying to say."
"Well, keep in mind, Zipp. She's a pro. It takes years to master techniques before they become second nature. I doubt Ms. Dash started out like that. She must have practiced those moves 100 hundred times."
"I just want to see if I can be that good. Reach that level. Something to shoot for, right?"
"It's a goal worth trying," said Sunny, trying to support her friend.
"I don't know why I'm here," said Mario.
The boy stood outside a building with a pair of musical notes. The place was a popular attraction from what the people said and indicated by how many came in and out. However, the teen wasn't alone, as next to him was his whole reason for being here.
"I need some moral support. And you fit that bill," said Pipp as she was texting on her phone, letting her followers know how she was feeling before heading inside, where she was looking to work.
"You must be desperate if you had me as your choice," stated Mario.
A few weeks ago, Pipp had heard about a popular place in Canterlot. From what she read from the threads, it was a hair salon that used to be something else, as indicated by the old pieces of lumber still inside. It sounded weird from just reading that description, but for Pipp, it was perfect for her to be glamorous. She was shocked to find out her friends, Jazz and Rocky, were working at the place as she was fully interested. The place itself was called Mane Melody. It used to be something else till it was bought out, and the new owner decided to change it.
So after her interest was piqued, the girl filled out an online application and received an email saying that the manager would find time to have her come down for an interview. It took a while, but the manager contacted the girl and told her the date to come down, which happened to be the day after the big duel.
So, what does that have to do with Mario being present? Well, as she said, Pipp wanted some moral support. That coupled with the fact that after the duel broadcast ended, Celestia and Luna threw a party for their students as almost everybody partied well into the morning. The girl turned in early to get prepared for her interview. And since the others all stayed up, apart from Mario, who stayed in his room the entire duel, he was the only one who woke up early when Pipp rolled up to his dorm.
And so that's where we are now. The teens were standing in front of the Mane Melody building. They looked at the building as they took in its structure. The establishment's logo comprised two musical notes, each shaped like the letter "M."
"Well, let's go," said Pipp as she grabbed Mario's hand and began to drag him in.
"I'm being held against my will!" shouted Mario, as he hoped for some help.
Two customers saw the girl dragging the boy in as they looked at them before looking at each other. They shook their head after hearing Mario's passing comment before they went about their way. After walking through the door, the teens now got a good look at the building's interior. While the exterior was a white brick building with light pink trim and a dark gray roof, the exterior was completely different. The interior of Mane Melody had mostly pink walls and a tiled floor with a red carpet. A lot of the furniture was pink or purple with gold accents.
"Wasn't expecting this," said Mario, surprised that this hair salon was not what he expected.
"Welcome to Mane Melody!"
"Jazzy, baby!" said Pipp.
"Hey, Pipp!"
The two friends approached each other and hugged.
"Hey, Mario."
"Sup," the boy said as he wanted to leave this place.
"So, you're here for your interview? Then follow me," gestured Jazz as she led Pipp and Mario to the back.
They came to a door with the word Staff on it as she pulled out a key and inserted it. She unlocked it and led the pair to the backroom. The adolescents arrived at another door as the manager's name was on it.
"Through here. Good luck," said Jazz.
"Yup, good luck!" said Mario as he turned around and walked away with Jazz.
"Some support," scoffed Pipp as she turned her attention back to the door.
The girl took a deep breath before approaching the door and entered. Mario returned to the front of the store as he decided to sit in the waiting area. To think that he was wasting his extra day off from school by going with Pipp to a hair salon. The boy groaned as he leaned back in his chair and raised his head. As he put his head up, he noticed something.
There was a painting above him, but it was unique in that the picture was decorated with some crystals. The main image in the center showed some dragon from what Mario could make out, as around it were seven shiny rocks. He brought his hand up and was looking to touch the painting.
"Please don't touch that!" said Jazz as Mario turned to look at her. "Sorry, Mario, but that painting is worth alot to the manager. She doesn't like it if someone touches it."
The girl approached and stood beside the boy as they looked at the painting.
"It's cool, right? It's colorful, stylish, and even fabulous."
"So, where'd the manager get this painting?" asked Mario.
"It was actually made. Did Pipp ever tell you this place wasn't here before?"
"She mentioned that this place was called something else. Canterlot... something."
"Canterlot Boutique. That's the name of the original store that existed. In fact, it used to belong to the manager of this store, Ms. Prim Hemline. But she was bought out."
"By who?" asked Mario.
"Funny enough, it was actually one of her workers. See, she had someone who was passionate about fashion and had dreams of becoming a world-famous fashionista. She built her entire fashion empire from the ground up. She gained recognition and met up with her old boss. They talked, and she offered Ms. Hemline an offer she couldn't refuse. So she rebuilt the boutique and turned it into what you see now." stated Jazz.
"So what does this painting have to do?" questioned the boy.
"Well, according to Ms. Hemline, that picture is supposed to represent the person who purchased this place. The person asked for a painting of a dragon surrounded by seven colorful stones."
"That's, I guess, I don't know what to say to that," said Mario, after hearing that was the request of the person who purchased this place. "So, is there any hidden meaning behind this?"
"Not that I know of. It's just a cool dragon with seven colorful stones," stated Jazz.
While the pair were talking in the backroom, Pipp stood against the door of the manager's office. It was a dark room; a single light shone on a desk where a woman was shown. The teen swallowed a gulp as she walked forward into the light.
"Take a seat," stated the woman.
Pipp did as instructed and sat in the chair before the desk. The woman before had indigoish gray skin, pale, light grayish cerise eyes, and pale, light grayish amaranth hair. The woman had her fingers tapping against the wooden structure as in her other hand was a piece of paper. Ms. Hemline was looking over the sheet as her fingers tapping echoed.
"So... you wish to intern here?" said the woman.
"Y-Yes," said Pipp, with some hesitation.
Ms. Hemline then dropped the application of Pipp and got up. The teen shrunk a bit at seeing the woman get up and walk. Ms. Hemline approached a string as she pulled it, and the window's blinds opened, letting some light into the room. Pipp covered her face from the sudden sunlight in the room as the lights came on from a switch she flicked.
"Let me ask you, Ms. Petals. Where do you attend school?"
"Canterlot High."
Ms. Hemline kept a straight face, not letting the girl see her true reaction after hearing the school's name.
"Very well," said Ms. Hemline as she reached into a drawer underneath her desk and pulled out a paper with some official lines and words. "This here is a contract that will allow you to work here at my business. Once I sign off and stamp this, you'll officially be with my business for an internship. And should you continue to work here after your term expires, we'll discuss securing a part-time position here."
"Yes, ma'am!" stated Pipp.
"You have to understand that this will be nothing like a regular internship that you students think. There are conditions to be met. You must work here for a minimum of four months and will be paid wages. However, your academic responsibilities will likely suffer due to the absences you'll rack up. Which means your classmates will pull ahead of you."
"Absences?" said Pipp, as she didn't know about that part.
"Well, care to walk away?" taunted Ms. Hemline.
"N-No. I... I understand that. But I can't focus on what others do; I need to focus on myself." stated Pipp.
Ms. Hemline kept her stern look as she pulled out a pen and clicked it to get the tip out. She then began to fill out and scribble on the contract and signed her name. She then turned it to Pipp and handed the pen to her as the girl clutched it shakily.
The teen looked down at the contract as it hit what she was about to sign. Not reading about this when she applied, nor did Rocky or Jazz mention anything about this when they interviewed, made Pipp really second guess. To think that this business prided itself more than she gave it credit for showed that the owner to who it belonged had expectations that she wanted to uphold. But a huge thing weighed on her mind: if she took the internship, it would mean she would fall behind in her studies. Something that her mother took very seriously for her and her sister.
Pipp was now wrestling with her thoughts on wondering if this was a price she was willing to pay. A lot was riding on, and if she failed or didn't bring much value to Ms. Hemline, then it would all be for naught, and no doubt Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna wouldn't like to hear she failed her education. She had a choice to make... Pipp sighed before bringing the pen down and signing on the dotted line, but she wasn't fully confident.
The girl returned the paper to Ms. Hemline as she looked it over again to ensure everything was in order. She then reached into her drawer again and pulled out a small stamp. Once the contract was stamped, Pipp saw that and knew she would be committed to what the ink said. Ms. Hemline was shown lifting her arm and bringing it down as she looked to stamp the paper.
A loud sound was heard as it echoed. What followed next...
Pipp had a stunned look on her face. Before the girl was Ms. Hemline; when she came down to stamp the contract, it hit the table next to the piece of paper. The girl didn't know what to say or do as she felt like the woman might have misjudged where her arm was.
"Uh, pardon me, Ms. Hemline. But I think you slightly missed the contract," chuckled the adolescent nervously.
At that moment, Ms. Hemline lifted her head to look at the teen.
"Because I am not approving this!" stated the woman sternly.
"What?!" exclaimed the girl.
"I understand how working here would be beneficial to you. But what benefit would you bring to my business? This place currently runs smoothly, with tons of employees and two intern students already under my employ. So why would I add you on?" asked Ms. Hemline when she was speaking; she was tapping the stamp on the table to emphasize her points when speaking and inciting fear in Pipp. "How can you contribute to society? How can you be useful to others? In order to be acknowledged, you must be able to answer those questions unequivocally."
Pipp was left stunned as she took this in.
"My former employee, now my boss, showed me her worth in using her creativity, passion, and ability to make anyone look beautiful from the inside and outside. But most importantly, her generosity. She became a symbol. That is why people are happy to acknowledge her. It's why I'm proud of what she's been able to do. Start her own business from scratch and is now the lead fashion designer in the entire world! She took something and made it into valuable!"
Pipp let that sink in. As all Ms. Hemline said was true, the girl's head was down. If this was something she wanted to do, she needed to prove exactly what she brought to the dance. Something to make her stand out. Something that would make people recognize her and not just another face. The girl who was a social media influence and had tons of fans and followers, this right here was made that all seem fake.
"You're right. I need to find out how I can help the world," said Pipp, lifting her head.
"It's time to show me what you would bring. Using actions, not words. I'm giving you a task. Impress me."
"Pardon?"
"Impress me. Show me your worth. And only then will I take you under my employment." stated Ms. Hemline.
"Are you sure you don't have any?" asked Zipp.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Storm. But our card registry doesn't have the card you're asking for. Nor do we have it in stock." said the card shop owner to the girl.
"Well, can you order it?" asked Zipp.
"That's tricky. The company that supplies our cards doesn't have any stock. I could submit the request with our next set of lists, and hopefully, they'll send one." said the woman.
"And how long will that take?" asked Zipp.
"Two weeks, maybe three."
"Nevermind," sighed the girl as she left the counter and walked away.
The soccer captain exited the room as her quest to get a card for her deck had turned up empty-handed. Zipp was heading back to her room as in another part of the building, Mario was walking from Roll's locker as he had to get something for his little sister while she was at Band practice.
The boy passed an open door as he heard something. He then backed up as he peeked into the room he passed. A soft singing voice grabbed the attention of the teen. In the center of the room stood Pipp, her eyes closed and holding a broom like it was a microphone stand. She was singing a heartbreakingly beautiful ballad as if she was the only person in the world.
The song swelled into a crescendo, and Pipp's voice was dancing through the high octaves with such precision and feeling that Mario couldn't help but be impressed. Pipp belted out the last few notes as if they carried her soul around the room, and when all was quiet, the boy instinctively began to applaud. Hitherto unaware that she had an audience, Pipp jumped and let the broom clatter to her feet.
"Wow. That was... beautiful. You have a lovely voice." said Mario as he genuinely enjoyed hearing the girl sing.
"Thanks," responded Pipp.
After seeing Mario standing at the door with a smile, she blushed and picked up the broom to put it away before making her way over to her friend.
"Though I doubt that's enough to impress Ms. Hemline," said Pipp as she walked past the boy, which he soon followed.
"What do you mean?" asked Mario as he walked side by side with the girl in the hallways.
"Well, after you and Jazz left, I interviewed Ms. Hemline. She informed me that I would miss many school days as an intern. She runs a tight ship and will not risk anything for that."
"Okay, so what's the problem? You get to skip school; it ain't that bad," stated Mario.
"Well, she had me sign the contract, but to make it official, she needs to stamp it. And she said she'll only stamp it if I can impress her. She wants to see what I bring to Mane Melody." said Pipp.
"Well, too bad you can't just duel your way," said Mario.
"I don't know what I'm gonna do."
The pair exited the building as they continued to walk. They were passing the school ground to the dorms as they passed a small vendor selling ice cream, to which Mario purchased two cups and gave one to the girl.
"Here, eat this. It'll help your mood," said the boy as he learned from his parents that ice cream usually solved everything.
"Thanks. What do you suggest I do?" asked Pipp, taking a seat on a bench.
"Well, if you want my honest opinion. You gotta do something that nobody else has ever done before. That's how you attract eyes." said Mario as he stood before the girl and took a bite of his sweet treat.
"Do something to attract eyes," muttered Pipp as it got her mind to think. She then gasped as a lightbulb went off in her mind. "I have, like, totally an idea! Thanks, Mario!"
"Glad I could help. I think?" said the boy, unaware of what he just did.
"Izzy! I need your help," said Pipp as she walked and contacted her friend.
"Ms. Hemline, I am so excited to show off the brand-new automatic shampoo and shine! A perfect 'do in two minutes!" said Pipp as she stepped to the side and revealed a machine.
Pipp had an idea after the talk with Mario and needed Izzy's help. So with her creative mind, the girl could assemble a machine for her social media friend from scraps. The purpose of the machine was to save time in washing and cleaning people's hair while also sitting back and relaxing with other services.
Ms. Hemline just looked at the device and was not impressed. Pipp saw that and made a worried look before clearing her throat.
"Izzy, are you ready?"
"All set!" said the girl as she was under the device.
Pipp then put cucumber slices over Izzy's eyes before going to the control panel. Zipp and Mario were also present as Pipp dragged them to her presentation against their own will.
"This is gonna go wrong, isn't it?" asked Mario to Zipp as the girl nodded.
As if on cue, Pipp pushed the button to start the machine. The sprinkles on top extended and began spraying before they all went haywire and were now spraying in all directions. The trio gasped as they saw this, as the machine was now out of control. The machine was now spraying as some customers got hit. A few employees also were hit as people began to scream and run for their lives. Izzy was under it, still waiting and oblivious to what was happening.
"Sis, shut it off!" shouted Zipp.
Pipp went to push the button when she was sprayed and pushed back.
"Look out!" shouted Mario.
The boy acted on his instincts as he grabbed Zipp by the waist and pulled them out of the way. The teens fell to the floor as Mario landed on Zipp, using his body to protect her.
"Thanks," said Zipp to her friend as he nodded before getting off her and allowing her to sit up.
A scream was heard as Pipp sat up, water straining her eyes.
"I think I got it in my eyes!" yelled Pipp before she saw the sunglasses her sister had on her head. "Quick! Give me your sunglasses!"
"But you said they were so last season," Zipp told her younger sibling, as she knew Pipp hated them. Pipp then grabbed them out of her sister's hand.
"Sometimes, Zipp, you've gotta take function over fashion!" said Pipp as she put the sunglasses on and realized what she said. "Oh! Never tell anybody I said that!"
The girl then rushed to turn off the machine.
"She didn't say anything about me," stated Mario as he and Zipp ducked to avoid the water.
Pipp was rushing toward the button as one of the sprays changed direction. It fired a stream of water at her face, but Zipp's sunglasses protected her eyes. It allowed the girl to push the off button as the machine powered down.
The sprinkles turned off and stopped spraying water. Izzy lifted her cucumbers, surprised to see how messy the place was. Mario and Zipp were helping people up as Pipp removed the sunglasses and rubbed her eyes. She turned as there was Ms. Hemline, whose hair was wet and covered her eyes. She raised a hand to split it open so the teen could see her angry look; Pipp chuckled nervously.
A water spraying transition occurred as Pipp attempted another plan to impress.
"Take a seat, Ms. Hemline. And I'll give you a brand new makeover. One that you'll never forget." said Pipp as the woman sat in the chair.
Pipp turned it to face the mirror as the girl began to get to work. She put a set of cucumbers on Ms. Hemline's face to relax her muscles while she began to work on her hair. The teen concentrated on making Ms. Hemline's hair stand out to impress the woman.
"Okay, almost done. Just need to do a small trim," said Pipp as she picked up a razor and looked to cut just an inch off the back of Ms. Hemline's head.
"Just a touch," said Pipp as she brought it up.
The girl misjudged how she was holding the razor; when she snipped off a piece of Ms. Hemline's hair, she accidentally cut a huge chunk of hair, leaving a bald spot on the woman. Pipp gasped as she realized her mistake.
"Did I hear a gasp?!" stated Ms. Hemline.
"No! I'm just about done. Just need to grab some things!" responded Pipp frantically as she leaned the chair back, catching Ms. Hemline off guard.
The girl grabbed all the bottles and hair products on the counter as she began to go to town on Ms. Hemline's hair. The woman was helpless as the teen attempted to fix her hair. Ms. Hemline demanded that Pipp stop, but the girl held her down and tried not to let her see what she did.
"Just a touch of conditioner! A little shampoo, and there we go!" stated Pipp as she looked nervous. "Well, what do you think?"
"MY HAIR!" yelled Ms. Hemline.
The woman saw her reflection as it was a huge colorful mess. Pipp had tried her best to cover up the bald spot, but being nervous and fearful, she made things worse. Much worst. Zipp and Mario also made faces; they didn't know what to make of what they saw.
"I can fix this!" said Pipp as she picked up some scissors and a razor.
"No! Jazz!" yelled Ms. Hemline.
"Right away, ma'am!" said the girl as she appeared and began to lead her boss away in an attempt to fix Pipp's mess.
The girl saw her friend give her a comforting expression as Jazz knew Pipp was just trying to impress Ms. Hemline. The teen sniffed before putting the tools down and leaving the establishment.
"Yikes," said Zipp as she saw her little sister leave.
"Tell me about it. I've never seen a train wreck like that," said Mario as he was referring to Ms. Hemline's hair.
"Yeah, that was also bad. But I was referring to Pipp. If only there was a way to help her."
Mario and Zipp were trying to figure out what to do. The boy was looking off to the side as he noticed an old rundown runway in one of the corners of the place. The boy recalled what Jazz said: this place used to be a boutique and often held fashion shows.
"Hmm. Tengo una idea," said Mario, as he kept looking at the wooden pile.
"What'cha you got?" asked Zipp to her classmate.
"I might need some tools from Izzy. In the meantime, see if you can find your sister."
"On it," said Zipp as she exited the shop.
The girl was now walking down the sidewalk while looking for Pipp. It didn't take long, as the sound of crying was a dead giveaway. Zipp peeked her head down an alley as there was Pipp, who was leaning with her face planted against the side of the building.
"Pipp! There you are. You have to come back."
"I can't!" said Pipp as she kept her face on the wall. "You saw what happened! I took a huge chunk out of her mane! Who's the style icon now?" responded the girl sarcastically.
"You are. Always have been. Always will be. So you shaved one bald spot. Big whoop." said Zipp as she tried to lift her sister's spirits.
"It is a big deal. I wanted to show Ms. Hemline what I could bring. What can I do to help elevate Mane Melody? And all I've done is made it worse," said the girl, still with her face on the wall.
Zipp was about to say something else when her phone went off. The girl pulled out her device and saw that she had received a text message from Mario. The boy informed the girl to bring Pipp back to the place as he would explain his idea.
Mane Melody was shown as it was now nighttime. Normally the building was closed, but tonight it was open. The reason is that Mario, with the help of Izzy and the others, could use the old rundown runaway and turn it into a stage. Word got out as Mane Melody was going to hold a special event. Soon customers began to enter as they saw the stage and stood before it as they talked.
Izzy stood out behind the curtain as she looked at the people and kids gathering.
"Wow, talk about a full house," said the girl as she retracted her head.
"We're just about ready. All we're missing is our star. So, where is she?" asked Roll as she had a headset.
"I thought she was with you," stated Sunny, who also had a headset.
"Don't look at me," said Hitch.
"Pipp! Get out here!" shouted Zipp as she banged on the door.
"I'm not coming out!"
"Did you get her out?!" said Mario as he appeared.
"What do you think?" said Zipp.
The boy approached the door and knocked.
"I said I'm not coming out!" echoed Pipp.
"Alright, time to bust it down," said Mario as he cranked his neck and knuckles.
The boy backed up as Zipp expected him to ram the door in or kick it down. Instead, the teen turned around to have his back to the door and hiked his leg to a 90-degree angle. He extended his leg backward and put all his power into kicking the door; it worked after two attempts as the door swung open.
"Never seen a door kicked that way," said Zipp.
"That's how you properly do it," said Mario as he shared that knowledge with the girl before both entered.
"I said I'm not coming out!" said Pipp as she was shown on the ground in a dress.
"Too bad!" said Zipp as she and Mario each grabbed her arm and began to drag her out as she continued to sit on the floor.
"Is she always this heavy?" asked Mario.
"Are you calling me fat?!" yelled Pipp.
"Gees, I don't know how you put up with her?"
"The same way you handle it with your sister. Just ignore them at times," responded Zipp with a smile.
"I can hear you, you know!" said Pipp.
"So anyways, I was wondering..." Mario stated that he was doing what Zipp said and ignored Pipp, which annoyed the girl more.
Roll and Sunny peeked out of the curtain to see the waiting crowd. They looked up to where Ms. Hemline was as the woman looked at her watch with a look that she was not amused that nothing was happening.
"If we don't start soon, we might need to ask Izzy to juggle," said Sunny.
"Funny, that's what I wanted to ask you. Can I do that once Pipp finishes her turn?" asked the girl as she was shown with some tennis balls in her arms.
"Where did you get those?" asked Roll.
"Alright, we got her!" shouted Mario as he and Zipp were shown dragging Pipp before they flung her forward.
"Hitch, Izzy, go get the spotlights ready," instructed Sunny as the two left.
"Hermana, get the speakers ready."
"On it," stated Roll as she left with Sunny.
"Look, I appreciate this, but it's not gonna work. Anybody can sing."
"Yeah, but nobody can sing like you, Pipp," stated Zipp.
"She's right. When I heard you singing and how I said you had a beautiful voice, I wasn't kidding. That was me giving my honest opinion. You got talent, Pipp. Now use it." stated the boy.
Zipp pulled out a microphone and handed it to her younger sibling. Pipp took the mic and looked at it before letting out a sigh. She still felt like something as basic as this was not enough to impress someone like Ms. Hemline.
The girl looked at the microphone as she closed her eyes and envisioned herself in a dark space. A single spotlight shined down on her as some music began to play.
[The girl was shown walking forward in the dark as some background singing was heard as she came to a stop.]
Glowin' up kind of love
Dip and slide through the cut
Glowin' up kind of love
We say, "Hi, " you say, "What?"
Ooh-hoo ooh
Ooh-hoo ooh
Oh
[The girl opened her eyes as she lifted the mic and began to sing.]
Used to care what they'd say
Let 'em into my brain
But I found a new way
Ooh-hoo
Every time I fall down
I pick it up like rebound
Gotta get through somehow
We don't fly like we used to
We take what we've been through
And we can feel brand new
Ooh-hoo-hoo
I know I am a fighter
I feel the fire
I'm shining brighter
Ooh-hoo-hoo
[The spotlight on the girl as she sang soon filled the room and showed everybody watching her. The music bopping and the spotlights moving about made it seem like a concert was happening as the people were moving to the beat and cheering for the girl as she sang.]
We got the light
We're coming in stronger
We're in it together
If you want it it's all inside your mind
We got the light
Won't wait any longer
We'll get it together
If you want it then you can paint the sky
Glowin' up kind of love
Dip and slide through the cut
Glowin' up kind of love
We say, "Hi, " you say, "What?"
Glowin' up kind of love
Dip and slide through the cut
Glowin' up kind of love
We say, "Hi, " you say, "What?"
[Pipp saw how the crowd was into her as she sang as a smile appeared. She then began to tap into her inner pop icon and turned it up even more as she sang with even more passion.]
Everywhere that I've been
Yeah, they I'm say different
But I'm good in my skin
Ooh-hoo, hey
If it doesn't feel right
Break it in with tie dye
And don't you stop 'til sunrise
We don't fly like we used to
We take what we've been through
And we can feel brand new
Ooh-hoo-hoo
I know I am a fighter
I feel the fire
I'm shining brighter
Ooh-hoo-hoo
We got the light
We're coming in stronger
We're in it together
If you want it it's all inside your mind
We got the light
Won't wait any longer
We'll get it together
If you want it then you can paint the sky (hey)
[Roll and Sunny pushed a button from a remote that Izzy made as the spot where Pipp stood began to extend upward. The girl was unfazed as she kept on singing her heart out. The small ball made of shiny metal sheets was hit by the spotlight from Izzy as it created a disco pattern throughout the place as the crowd enjoyed it.]
Glowin' up kind of love
Dip and slide through the cut
Glowin' up kind of love
We say, "Hi, " you say, "What"
Glowin' up kind of love (oh)
Dip and slide through the cut (oh)
Glowin' up kind of love
We say, "Hi, " you say, "What?"
[The crowd began to join in as they sang with the teen reaching the end of her solo.]
we got the kind of love
(Ooh-hoo ooh) we got the kind of love
Ooh-hoo-hoo
We got the light (ooh-hoo ooh)
We got the kind of (ooh-hoo ooh)
We got the kind of love (ooh, ooh, ooh)
We got the light
Glowin' up kind of love
Dip and slide through the cut
Glowin' up kind of love
We say, "Hi, " you say, "What?"
Glowin' up kind of love (ooh-hoo ooh) (we got the kind of)
Dip and slide through the cut (ooh-hoo ooh) (we got the kind of love)
Glowin' up kind of love
We say "Hi"
We got the light
The song ended as a sea of applause broke out. The crowd enjoyed the show and expressed their love for the teen singer. Pipp smiled at seeing the love she got; she glanced over to where her sister and Mario were, and they gave a thumbs up as she was lowered down.
She stepped off the stage as Sunny got on.
"Alright, hope everyone enjoyed that. Now let me welcome our next performer, Izzy!" said the girl as she stepped to the side, and the girl was going to do her juggling act.
As the crowd prepared to watch Izzy's act, Pipp made her way to Ms. Hemline as the woman had her stoic face throughout her performance.
"Well?" asked the girl hesitantly.
"I'll say this, Ms. Petals. As talented as that performance was, I am anything but amused," said the woman, as she didn't seem to think much of Pipp's performance.
Zipp and Mario were nearby as they heard Ms. Hemline didn't think Pipp's performance was noteworthy. They were about to go over and comfort the girl when Ms. Hemline spoke.
"However, Ms. Petals. You've done something that I have not experienced in quite a while. You've surprised me." said Ms. Hemline.
Pipp was taken aback when she heard that as Ms. Hemline began to walk past her. She then stopped and turned her head to address the teen one last time.
"Continue to surprise me, Ms. Petals," said Ms. Hemline as she walked off.
"So, does that mean I got..."
"Don't jinx it, sis!" said Zipp as she quickly put her hand over her sister's mouth to just accept it.
A while passed as Mario was currently outside of the building. The events inside continued as the boy took in the quiet, cool night sky. The silence that was present seemed comforting.
"So, why are you out here by yourself?" asked Zipp as she appeared beside the boy.
"You following me?" countered Mario as he got up from leaning against the wall and walked with Zipp.
"And if I say yes," answered the girl with a smile.
"Wanted to enjoy some peace, is all," said the boy as they approached a bench and sat down.
"Hey, listen. Thanks for helping my sister. This meant a lot to her, and you've definitely made a lasting impression on her."
"No biggie. Just... helping a friend, is all."
"So, she is your friend, huh?" said Zipp with a sly smile.
"What do you want?!" demanded Mario as he could tell Zipp was attempting to hide the true reason she wanted to talk.
"It's about your upcoming duel. Look, Mario... we're all worried about..."
"About what?! I lose, and you guys never see me again. Is that it? Am I really that important to you guys?" taunted the boy. "What about me is so crucial that you can't bear to see me leave?"
"What about your sister? Don't you care about her?"
"I love my sister. I love her to death. She's the only one I can count on." stated Mario as he looked at Zipp. "No matter what, I'll always be there for my little sibling."
"So does that mean you'll be there when she needs you as her partner?" asked Zipp.
Mario sighed as he turned to look away.
"Alright," stated the girl as she got up and began to walk.
Mario could hear the footsteps of the girl receding as he continued to look to the side. The thought lingered on his mind for a bit; soon, he thought back to the envelope that Roll had slid under his door. And the contents of what was in them. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard footsteps and assumed that Zipp had returned to convince him again. The teen looked up, and to his surprise, it was Pipp.
"And what do you want?" asked the boy, now having the other sister to deal with.
"Just wanted to say thanks," expressed Pipp as she wanted to thank Mario for helping her.
"Y-Yeah, well, don't say I never did anything for you," expressed the boy as he stood up and bent backward a bit to stretch.
"Of course. So, as you know, I'll be missing some classes every now and then. So, can I count on you to keep me up to date with my studies so I don't fall behind?" asked the social media girl, as she was looking to count on her friend again.
"The things I do..." muttered Mario as it was loud enough that Pipp heard it. "I... can't promise anything. But I'll see what I can do."
"That's good enough for me," said Pipp with a smile.
The girl then did something bold as she leaned in and planted a quick peck on Mario's cheek. The boy raised an eyebrow at the girl's action as she quickly walked away. He was left with his expression as he used the back of his hand to wipe his cheek while continuing to watch Pipp disappear back into the building. He sighed before looking up at the moon.
It was now later as Mane Melody was closed. However, a single light was left on as Ms. Hemline was shown in her office. The woman was sitting in her chair as she was on a call with someone.
"And how has it been going?" asked the person she spoke to.
"Business as usual. Though, I'd thought it best you knew I recently hired someone."
"Is that so?" said the person on the phone.
"She reminds me of you, in a way. Talent and potential are there; it just needs a bit of polishing. And some room to grow. I'll definitely keep an eye on her. She's lucky to have friends who care."
"I can relate to that," said the person as they were shown smiling. "Speaking of which, I had my team send in the new outfits I've created. They should arrive by the end of the week. Once they do, begin selling them."
"Of course," said Ms. Hemsline to her boss.
"It was nice to speak with you again."
"Likewise... Ms. Belle. Take care."
The call ended as a hand was shown. It panned out to show a business suit and skirt as the person adjusted the skirt to cover her thighs when crossing her legs. The person was shown riding in the back of a car as they held a hand mirror. The woman opened the mirror's top, saw her reflection, and adjusted her makeup.
"We're here, Ms. Belle," said the driver as he exited the car to open her door.
"Splendid," said the woman as she did a hair flip. Showing off her signature curly, indigo hair as she stepped out of the car and walked forward.
Author's Note: It seems Pipp was able to impress Ms. Hemline, just in a different way than she expected. And to think that despite the issues he has and having to deal with Pipp's crush on him, he was still willing to put that aside to help. Though... the question of whether or not he'll show up for his tag duel with his sister still remains unclear. Only time will tell. And of course, the biggest hint at the tail end of who was on the phone which I'm sure you know who that is. So, we've reached the end of all the pre-written chapters I had planned for this story. I hope you've all enjoyed what I was able to set up with these first 15 chapters and hope it's gets you excited for more. Till the next chapter, take care.