After picking up Roll and Mario from the train station, the limo began to zoom toward Zephyr Heights. The pair were stunned, to say the least, that this was where they would be spending their winter break, but this city's many sights and sounds did catch their attention. The citizens of this place were also in the holiday mood as everything was covered in lights and decorations. There wasn't any snow on the ground yet, but the city was looking to celebrate this wonderful holiday even with the chilliness.
"Any word from Mom?" asked Roll as she leaned back with a cup of hot chocolate.
"Your mother is wrapping up some last-minute business before she sends everyone home for the holidays. She'll join us in a few days," assured Isaac as he served some hot chocolate to Juniper before pouring a cup for Mario.
The boy begrudgingly took the cup from his father and returned to looking out the window with his arms crossed. Isaac popped a small smile at seeing his son accept his gesture.
"So, why are we here?" grumbled Mario.
"Right," said Isaac, leaning forward to address his kids. "So, first and foremost, I had something to take care of while we're here. And because of that, the person I'm meeting with was generous enough to let us stay with them. So, I figured we'd spend our vacation as a family in Zephyr Heights."
"Work, should've known," grumbled Mario as he sipped his hot chocolate.
"So, who are we staying with?" asked Roll.
"I believe you might know her. Well, maybe not her specifically, but you might know the people she's related to," said Isaac with a smile as Roll raised an eyebrow while Mario couldn't care less.
The limo driving the family soon arrived at their destination as they came to a closed gate. The driver rolled down his window and pushed the button on the side as he spoke to the security guard on the monitor. Once he was cleared, the gates opened as the limo drove in. The kids looked out of the windows to see that the person they were staying with was filthy rich. They had a lawn the size of a golf course, and a few servants used golf carts to get around the estate. The driveway curved at an angle as it rose to a mansion as big as a castle. Tons of bodyguards were on standby, patrolling the estate for any danger or intruders. A few servants were waiting for the limo as it came to a halt, and one of them opened the door. Isaac stepped out first, followed by Juniper and the kids.
Mario and Roll looked at the estate as they took it all in. The servants grabbed the group's bags and began to take them in, with the group following.
"Welcome, sir," said the front servant as he opened the door with a dignified tone and expression and led the four individuals inside.
The pair removed their winter clothing in the main lobby and wiped their footwear before following the servant.
"Now, remember, kids. We're in a guest's house. So show respect and gratitude for letting us stay with them." said Isaac as he looked back at his children.
"Yes, Dad," assured Roll.
"Mario?" said Isaac as he looked at his son.
"Yeah, yeah," said the boy, sticking his hands into his pocket and turning his head to the side.
They came to the end of the hallway and stood before the massive center of the estate. In front of them was a giant stairway that split at the top into two, going in opposite directions. Several maids and butlers stood off to the side as they stood at attention. The servant leading the group then approached the stairs and turned to face them before clearing his throat. A door opening was heard, and some figures were coming down.
"Please allow me to introduce you to the owner of this estate. A woman of great power and influence. None other than Zephyr Heights's majestic head figure. Mrs. Haven and her two heiress daughters, Zephyrina Storm and Pipp Petals!"
Roll and Mario had surprised expressions when they looked at the stairs to see their friends dressed in formal dresses as they followed their wealthy mother, who was also wearing a dress. The three then stood at the top of the stairs, splitting into two; they all stood with dignified expressions as they kept their heads posed. Haven wore her sunglasses as she was petting her dog in her arms.
"Pleased to meet you again, Your Majesty," joked Isaac as he bowed to Haven.
"The pleasure is all mine," said Haven as she removed her sunglasses to look at the World Champion. She spotted Juniper but was drawn to the two teens beside her as she assumed they were his kids.
"Sup, girls," said Mario as he spoke casually without regard for formalities.
"Hey, Mario," responded Zipp and Pipp as they acknowledged their friend.
The two sisters then did a double take as they blinked to see their friends standing before them. Both girls were surprised to see them as their mother didn't say that their guest staying with them was the World Champion, but that he would bring along his kids, with whom they were friends. Their response didn't go unnoticed by their mother as she looked at her daughters before seeing Mario and Roll.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise, wouldn't you say, Haven?" smiled Isaac as he stood between his kids. "It seems our children already know each other."
"Y-Yes, I'm... shocked that they didn't tell me," said Haven as she glared at her daughters for withholding that the guests staying with them were the children of the man she wanted to sponsor and sign.
Pipp and Zipp looked away nervously, knowing they would get an earful from their mother later for not telling her they knew them.
"Forgive me, had I known this was a formality, we would have dressed differently," chuckled Isaac as he pointed out that he and his kids were wearing casual street clothes despite being even richer than Haven and her daughters. In contrast, they were all dressed up to impress.
"It was more my mom's idea to dress up," said Zipp.
"Zephyrina! A lady does not speak out of turn!" said Haven to her eldest daughter.
"Yes, Mom," groaned Zipp as she rolled her eyes, and Mario couldn't help but chuckle at seeing the tomboy girl act like a lady.
"Forgive my daughter for..."
"It's okay," smiled Isaac as he winked at Zipp, causing the girl to smile that the World Champion backed her up.
"Now then!" said Haven as she clapped her hands.
The servants on both sides of the stairway all began to move as they left to do their jobs, with a few maids going to prep the guest rooms for their guests.
"Zephryina, Pipp, show our esteemed guests to their rooms!"
"Yes, Mother!" said both girls as they began to walk.
As Zipp left, Haven grabbed her daughter's arm to address her.
"Do not disrespect me or us like that again!" said Haven to her daughter. "While our guests are here, you will be on your best behavior. I do not want to look like a fool in front of the World Champion and his family. Am I understood, Zephyrina?"
"I get it, Mom," said Zipp as she broke free from her mother's grip and walked away with a rebellious demeanor.
"What will I do with that girl?" muttered Haven.
"Go on, kids. Enjoy yourselves with your friends. Haven and I have to discuss some things with Juniper." said Isaac as he encouraged his kids to have fun.
Roll smiled as she walked up the stairs, with Mario following behind. Haven looked at the kids walking past her as she examined them. Upon seeing Roll, her observations told her she was a smart young girl who wouldn't cause too much trouble. When she saw Mario pass by, her first impression was that he was a troublemaker. His rough demeanor and clothing were similar to his father's, as he wore an unzipped hoodie.
If she didn't know he was the son of the World Champion, she'd take him for nothing but a punk kid. However, his facial features did add a certain charm to him. They made him handsome in a way; it was clear he inherited that from his father, and the way he carried himself meant he wasn't one to be trifled with. Plus, he was the son of the World Champion and wealthiest card owner, which meant he had money to brag of his own. Money and wealth, perhaps... a potential suitor for her daughter. In Mario's case, she was willing to overlook that he was "new money" compared to herself and her daughters, as they were the prime example of royalty. While it went against their family ideals of only marrying families of the same wealth status, there were fewer and fewer in this day and age.
Once the kids were out of sight, Haven looked back at Isaac, who was watching his children leave with their friends.
"It seems my daughters failed to inform me that they knew your offspring. My deepest apologies, my champion," said Haven as she walked down the stairs to Isaac and Juniper.
"It's alright. I'm just glad the kids aren't going to be bored during our stay here," said Isaac with a smile.
While Isaac talked with Haven, Pipp, and Zipp led Mario and Roll to their rooms. The two were impressed by the girl's mansion as it was bigger than they expected.
"So, what are you two doing here?" asked Zipp as they walked.
"What do you think? We're here with our father!" said Mario, eying Zipp up and down. "So... what's with the pretty pink princess dress, rich girl?" The boy now switched to teasing Zipp as she turned red.
"It wasn't my idea. It was my mom's!" shouted Zipp as she despised what she was wearing. "She insisted that we dress up to make a good impression on our guests. She didn't tell us it'd be you and your father."
"We had no idea we'd be spending winter break here as well," said Roll.
"Alright, we're here," said Pipp as they came to two doors spaced apart.
Mario took the farthest one as Pipp stood behind him while Zipp accompanied Roll with her room. The brother and sister duo placed their hands on the handles and pulled the doors open, with each sister following them in. Upon entering, Mario looked around the room he'd be staying in as it was decorated nicely. The bed was nicely made, with windows for him to look out into the lawn and a big closet to put any of his clothes in.
"So, what do you think?" asked Pipp as she sat on the edge of the boy's bed.
"It's nice," said Mario as he approached the bed that contained his luggage.
"Hey, what's behind this door?" said Roll as the boy heard his little sister.
He turned to a door near the entrance to the door when it opened; there was a corridor connecting his room with his sister's. Roll stepped through as she was now in her brother's room, with Zipp following behind.
"Oh, great!" said Mario, hoping for some privacy. Now that his room and his sister's were connected, he only imagined she'd enter without his permission.
"So, what do you guys do for fun?" asked Roll.
"So, you'll be pleased to know that our numbers are steadily progressing. I should be able to make the quota," said Haven as she was petting Cloudpuff in her lap.
"You should?" said Isaac with a stern response.
"I mean, I guarantee that I'll make the quota," responded Haven nervously as she began to pet Cloudpuff a bit harder. The dog whimpered from how hard its master was petting it.
"Remember our deal, Haven," stated Isaac as he reminded the businesswoman of their promise.
"Of course," said the woman.
"Now, onto the event party," said Juniper as they had another piece of business to take care of.
Back with the kids, Mario and Roll were being led by Pipp and Zipp as they decided to give the duo a tour of their mansion. As it turned out, the mansion was part of an old castle that belonged to one of the girl's early ancestors when they were rulers. So, as it turned out, Pipp and Zipp were indeed royalty due to their lineage to their ancestors. The royal sisters were walking past a section of their mansion with several portraits of their ancestors as Mario and Roll looked at them. They soon came to some portraits with Zipp and Pipp standing before their mother as they were very young and smiling. The next portrait showed them being slightly older, Zipp having an unamused look, with Pipp smiling while Haven looked at her eldest sister.
"Let me guess, bad hair day," said Mario.
"Oh, I forgot that was there," mumbled Zipp, as she didn't want to look at that specific portrait.
"That was the last portrait we took before we left for CHS. It was our family portrait," said Pipp as she was a bit more happy about it.
"Oh," said the boy as he looked at Zipp and Haven and could tell there was tension.
"So, how do you guys have a lawn the size of a golf course?" asked Roll as they passed by some windows.
"Oh, it's actually easy. All you need is the most experienced landscaper..." said Pipp as she began to ramble on.
"Alright, that's it! I'm taking this shit off!" said Zipp as she couldn't handle wearing the dress and began to take the thing off.
The teen struggled to reach the back of her dress as she began to roll about on the floor; the others just looked at her, with Pipp rolling her eyes at how her sister was acting. A nearby maid approached the girl as Zipp finally got the dress off and was back in her casual attire. She kicked off her heels as the maid held her large brown boots, which she grabbed and slipped back on.
"There. That's much better," said Zipp as she was finally free from all that tight clothing.
"Ug, drama queen," said Pipp as she pulled out her phone and checked her feed.
"So, what's the deal with your father and my mother, huh, lover boy?" asked Zipp.
"How the hell should I know?" said Mario as he walked past the girl. "You think I'm interested in my father's business. Please, that's the last thing I want to be associated with."
"I was just asking, alright. We don't even know either," said Zipp.
"Well, looks like our parents aren't who we think they are. Welcome to my world, rich girl."
"Come on, bro. I'm sure Dad has a reason. Plus, we're on winter break. We're here to spend time and enjoy ourselves as a family." said Roll. "Mom's gonna be here soon, and I'm sure she's got things planned out for us."
"I doubt it," said the boy.
"Hold on, hold on! Your mother is also gonna be here? As in, Twilight Sparkle?" said Pipp, almost dropping her phone after hearing Roll say their mother would also be staying. "Oh... my... glitter! This is gonna be the biggest Winter Gala of all!"
"What's the Winter Gala?" asked Roll.
"It's a popular social event here in Zephyr Heights. My mom throws a big lavish party not only to celebrate the holidays and end of the year but also to explain her new year plan going forward for the entire city," said Pipp.
"So, if she invited your parents, then she's probably hoping to get some recognition with the press by having someone of their social status appear at her party," said Zipp.
"It's like I said, hermana. We're only here because Dad's working. It's not about spending time with us. He's nothing but a junkie." said Mario as he approached a stairway and began to slide down the railing; he twirled about before jumping at the last second and landing on his feet.
The boy turned to see that Zipp also slid down the railing as Pipp and Roll walked down the stairs.
"The only thing that's been unexpected has been those strange individuals on the train ride."
"Strange individuals?" said Zipp as she was curious about what Mario said, and her detective instincts went off.
"Yeah, on our way here. We ran into some strange people."
"What kind of strange?" asked Zipp as she pulled out her phone.
"I don't know how to describe them fully, but... they gave off a creepy vibe. They wore dark cloaks that covered them, and it felt like they had some magic due to how they changed their surroundings. One minute, I'm on the train, and the next, I'm battling them in a frozen wasteland." stated Roll.
"Fascinating," Zipp wrote down on her mobile device. "Anything else?"
"Oh, come on, Zipp. You can't seriously think this means something?" said Pipp at how her older sister was letting her detective side come out.
"Of course, it does, Pipp. You remember when we heard that news report about something being stolen a while back," said Zipp.
"And so you think that's related to the strangers that Roll and Mario encountered?" asked the pop teen.
"Exactly!" said Zipp with a snap of her finger.
"I think you've been reading too many detective novels," said Pipp as she walked past her sister.
"I can prove it!" stated Zipp as she turned to Mario. "Come on, Mario. You believe me, right? It can't be a coincidence."
"I mean... I... can't say it's not," said the boy as he was on the fence about this.
"Really?" said Zipp as she looked at him.
"Look, rich girl. I'm not saying that I don't believe you. But there's just not a lot of evidence to support your theory." said Mario. "Even the small mysteries we solved with Hitch, we needed concrete evidence before we came to a conclusion."
"Alright, fair point. But I ain't done with this just yet," said Zipp to the boy.
"Anyways, besides mysterious powers and whatnot, do you guys have anything to eat in this place?" asked Mario.
A small bell was heard as a servant brought a plate with a silver covering and placed it on the table. Mario and Roll were seated next to each other as the lid was removed, and there were some grilled cheese sandwiches and two bowls of tomato soup. The boy and girl licked their lips as their stomachs growled to add to how good the food looked.
"Dig in," said Zipp as she sat at the head of the table with a smile.
"Say less," stated Mario as he began to grab as many grilled cheeses as he could.
The two siblings were filling their appetites as cooking from Pipp, and Zipp's chef was one of their best experiences. The two royal sisters couldn't help but smile at seeing their friends enjoying their meal.
"So, how good is it?" asked Pipp as she had a salad in front of her.
"One of the best," said Roll as she sipped her tomato soup and found it delicious. "Compliments to the chef."
"Yeah, we got some pretty good staff to serve us," said Zipp as she just played with her food with a fork. "So, how does this cooking compare to the ones your chefs make?"
"We... don't have any chefs," said Roll.
"What?!" said Zipp and Pipp as they were confused about how Mario and Roll, richer than them, didn't have any private chefs serve them.
"We make our own meals," stated the girl.
"But... how don't you have chefs? Don't you two live in a big mansion like this one?" asked Pipp.
"Well... I... wouldn't say our house is a mansion. It's just... a really big house," said Roll.
"So you two don't live in a mansion with all your money?" said Zipp.
"We just have a big house. Ask our dad why we don't live in a mansion!" said Mario, wanting to eat his meal without any interruptions.
"Even with all our money, we still do things ourselves. Our parents always preached that if you want something, you get it. They taught us to care for ourselves if they weren't there."
Zipp and Pipp processed what was said by their friend as they exchanged looks with one another. A servant came to each of the sisters as they poured them a glass of water; both looked at the water being served to them as they lifted it. They then looked at Mario and Roll, who grabbed the pitcher from the servants themselves and poured their own glass of water. The sisters clearly saw the same thing their mother saw when she examined Mario and Roll, along with their father. They were rich based on their hard work and sweat, and... they were rich because they were rich. They didn't have to work hard for anything; they were given whatever they could with just a snap of their fingers. Mario and Roll worked hard for their wealth and status. They... were born with it.
Following a rather quiet lunch, the two sisters continued their tour of their estate. They soon came to a set of doors with a sign that read: Zephyr Heights, Royal Archives Authorized Individuals Only.
"Whose's more authorized than an heiress?" snorted Zipp after reading the sign to the two siblings. She quickly looked around to ensure it was just them before pressing her hand to the scanner. It accepted the girl's print and opened as the others followed her inside.
"Woah!" said Mario and Roll as they saw the many books and shelves littering the room.
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! All of these books!" said Roll as she showed her side of loving books. She could only imagine the many stories that were there.
"Your sister is really into books, huh?" said Pipp.
"She gets that from my mom," said Mario, as it was clear Roll inherited their mother's love for books and knowledge.
As Zipp pulled out a book, some dust came off and got in the faces of the others as they coughed, with Pipp letting out a cute sneeze.
"Geeze Zipp, when was the last time these books were dusted? Because I don't think nobody has ever been in here, especially your mom." She pointed out while touching some dust on some books.
Zipp looked closely at the book she was holding as she saw the dust as well. "Huh. You're right. These have never been used." She commented in surprise.
"What?! Who would not read these books? This is a victim of crime!" Roll exclaimed in rage that these books were never read.
Zipp flinched as she gave a nervous chuckle. "I-I'll ask Mom to clean the library once I tell her." She quickly said.
"Make sure she does!" Roll firmly said.
As Roll talked with Zipp, Mario felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to look at Pipp as the girl quickly grabbed his hand and began to drag him out of the library. Before the boy could say anything, he was being led throughout the mansion by the girl; they came to a set of doors with the same musical symbol on Pipp's skirt. Mario had his suspicions about what it meant, as it was confirmed when the girl opened the door. It was none other than Pipp's room, decorated from top to bottom in the most lavish decorations.
The boy looked about as he saw her bed and the streaming setup in one part of the room, which also had musical stuff. A portrait of the girl hung above her bed as Pipp leaned against her door to allow Mario to explore her room.
"So, what do you think?" asked Pipp nervously, wanting to impress her crush with her room.
"A lot cleaner than mine," joked Mario as he approached a piano in the girl's room and played a few keys.
He then went to her monitor; he saw the many tabs she had open, her streaming overlay, and her music program for when she recorded her song. Mario touched a link, and it pulled up a music sheet with some lyrics on it, as it was one of Pipp's unfinished projects.
"All this?"
"Yup," said Pipp as she came behind the boy and looked over his shoulder. "Thousand of hours from when I was younger."
"Mmm. Nice," said Mario, giving a small smile as he walked away.
The boy was passing by some more instruments when he noticed a guitar lying against a wall; he grabbed it by the neck and sat on Pipp's bed. The girl sat at her desk and looked at the boy, who began to play around with the instrument. Mario was picking and plucking at the strings as he used his ears to adjust the instrument. Once he got the thing tuned up, he did a quick strum.
"Mmm. Solid," said Mario, evaluating the sound it produced.
He made a few more minor adjustments before doing another strum. He then slowly picked at the different strings to produce a sound before playing some practice scales. Pipp just sat back and listened to the boy making such melodies as she was drawn into his playing; Mario was now getting lost in his own world as he began to play a gentle and soft melody as the boy concentrated on his playing. For Pipp, the melody made her imagine a warm summer's day with a gentle, cool breeze blowing in one's face. Birds chirped and flew among the trees and the sky as the sun's rays beamed down onto the plants below.
Mario reached the end of his little made-up rhythm as he did one final strum. Pipp gave a small applause as the boy just smiled at the praise he got.
"Why didn't you tell me about your little musical gift?" asked Pipp as she sat sideways to her crush while turning her head to look at him.
"Never came up," answered Mario as he did another strum.
The girl couldn't take her eyes off her crush as she stared at him. Before Pipp could say anything, the sound of a door creaking open caught her attention as she looked to see Zipp and Roll enter her room.
"I was wondering where you two went off," said Roll as she looked at Pipp's room. "Nice."
"Mario, Roll!"
The two siblings heard their father's voice as he was calling out to them.
"Looks like Dad's calling us," said the girl as the boy sighed.
Isaac was waiting in the main hall as he looked at his watch. He soon heard footsteps and looked up to see his kids as Pipp and Zipp accompanied them.
"You two been behaving?" asked Isaac.
"Yes, Dad," answered Roll as Mario just stood with his hands in his pocket and didn't look at his father fully.
"Good. Now then... let's go eat!" said Isaac.
"Yes!" said Roll as she fist-pumped and went to fetch her coat, as did Mario.
"You too, girls. Your mother is waiting for us," said Isaac to Zipp and Pipp as he left with his kids.
"Huh?" said Pipp and Zipp as they were confused by what the World Champion said.
A honk was heard as both approached the front door to see the limo Haven had requested parked out front as it awaited the woman and her guests. Isaac and his kids walked past the two as they approached the limo that opened up to reveal their mother already inside with their dog.
"Girls, hurry up. We need to get moving," said Haven as Zipp and Pipp just looked at each other.
Once everybody was ready, the limo began to drive out of the estate.
"So, where are we going?" asked Zipp.
"I've made reservations at the most exquisite restaurant," said Haven.
"Don't tell me it's..."
"Indeed. Zephyr Heights de la Crusine," said Haven as she emphasized the last word. "I have someone you'd like to meet, Zephyrina."
"Great," Zipp groaned as she slumped in her seat, seeing that this was another business.
"Are we going with them, Dad?" asked Roll.
"I have something better planned for us," said Isaac as he smiled at his kids, who couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
The limo then stopped at its destination; the doors swung open, and the kids got out to see the fancy restaurant Haven spoke about. Many wealthy people in fancy outfits were shown entering the high-class establishment.
"This way, kids!" said Isaac to his children.
Pipp and Zipp turned to look at their friends as it seemed their father was taking them across the street where a Pizzaplex was stationed. The lights and logo on the place flowed with colors and fun as many other kids and teens entered with their families.
"A Pizzaplex? Yes! Thanks, Dad!" said Roll as she hugged her father for taking them to some cool place.
"Well, come on. Let's hurry," said Isaac as his kids followed him.
"Girls, follow me!" said Haven, as they had some elite business to handle.
"Actually, Mom... is it cool if I go hang out with my friends instead?" smiled Zipp nervously.
"Zephyrina!" exclaimed Haven as she turned to her eldest daughter.
"Please," pleaded Zipp, as she didn't want to attend another boring business dinner.
"Absolutely not! You are a lady! An heiress to the richest business in all of Zephyr Heights. You don't have time to associate yourselves with establishments like that when you have other priorities that require your attention." said Haven as she wasn't budging on the matter.
Zipp had an unhappy look on her face as she hoped to have fun for change instead of responsibility.
"You know, Haven," spoke Isaac as he cleared his throat to get the family's attention. "If it makes you feel better, I don't mind taking the girls off your hands and watching them for a few hours?"
"Oh, no, no, no. I couldn't possible. You're my guest, my champion. And despite one's objections to her duties," said Haven while glaring at her eldest daughter, "I couldn't possibly burden you any more trouble than needed."
"It's not a burden; I'd be happy to look after the kids while you attend your business dinner," said Isaac.
"Sweet!" said Zipp as she took her opening and ran.
"Zephyrina! Zephyrina! Zipp!" shouted Haven to get her daughter to return, but she ignored her and ran toward the pizzaplex. "Young lady, you get back here this instinct!"
Despite Haven's objections, Zipp chose to go against it as she wanted to have some fun tonight. Seeing the girl join his kids made Isaac smile as he looked at Haven's other daughter.
"Ms. Petals?"
"Sorry, Mom," chuckled Pipp nervously while looking at her mother before she ran to join the others.
"Unbelievable!" gasped Haven at how her two daughters disobeyed her. The way they acted and ignored her, they weren't acting like ladies; they were... acting like... kids. Teenagers.
"I'll make sure nothing bad happens to them," said Isaac as he tipped his cap to Haven before heading to the kids.
"Unbelievable!" huffed Haven as she turned with Cloudpuff in her arms to enter the restaurant. While she didn't see it, the dog had its tiny paws out as if reaching for Isaac and the others with a small whimper, wanting to go with them as well.
"So, how many?" asked the woman working the counter.
"Give me five premium passes," said Isaac.
The woman rang up the total as the World Champion reached into his wallet and slammed a big wad of cash on the counter.
"Keep the change," smiled the World Champion as he reached over to grab a gift card and pulled out a marker. He signed it before handing the card over to the woman. "A little gift for you."
The World Champion winked and flashed a smile at the woman as she just turned red and grabbed the autograph from Isaac before giving him his passes. Isaac then turned around as he handed each of the kids their passes.
"Sweet!" said Zipp as she put her pass around her neck.
"Go wild!" said Isaac as the girls all ran past the counter.
Mario soon followed as he stopped.
"Mario," said Isaac as he got his son's attention. "Keep an eye on your sister, okay."
"Sure," said the boy as he walked forward.
Isaac then returned to the counter as he spoke with the woman. "Excuse me, Ms. One thing..."
"Alright, what do we do first?" said Zipp.
The kids began indulging in all the pizzaplex had to offer. The four teens enjoyed themselves, from laser tag to a parkour obstacle to a trampoline zone. Just about anything was accessible to them due to the passes that Isaac paid for; as for the World Champion, he sat at one of the dinner tables as he watched the kids. Some people and other kids noticed him as they approached him for pictures and autographs. Mario peeked over to see his father taking a picture with two little kids, the smiles on their faces hard to describe.
"Got you!" said Zipp as she threw a dodgeball at Mario's arm; the boy didn't flinch nor look away. "You're out, lover boy!" laughed the girl before moving to her next target.
Mario just stepped out of the play zone and leaned against the rope surrounding the arena as he continued to look at his father.
"Hey, big fan, big fan," said someone as he approached Isaac with a photo to sign.
"Appreciate it, bud," smiled Isaac as he signed the thing before handing it back to the person. "Happy holidays."
The person smiled as he left, allowing the next person to meet the World Champion. A mother and her two sons approached the pro duelist as he signed some stuff before bending on a knee and putting his arms around the two kids as their mother took a picture.
"Thank you for all you do," said the mother.
"Anytime," said Isaac as he tipped his hat to the family of three as they left with smiles.
For about twenty minutes, Isaac was signing stuff and taking pictures. Watching all of it was Mario as he saw his father doing his job of taking time to meet some fans and putting smiles on their faces. The teen sighed as he had a disheartening expression. He just turned and left the dodgeball area, not waiting for the girls to finish their game, as he wanted to do something else to distract his mind.
A tray of pizza exited the kitchen as its aroma traveled behind it. It soon arrived at a table before the teens and Isaac.
"Oh, man, that looks good!" said Zipp as she licked her lips, hardly able to contain her hunger.
"Dig in," smiled Isaac as pitchers of soda were brought.
The teens began to stuff their plates with as many slices as possible; once they bit into it, their taste buds were sent on a journey as it was some of the best pizzas they had ever tasted.
"You kids having fun?" asked Isaac as he took a bite himself.
"Definitely! Thank you so much, Mr. Isaac," said Pipp as she thanked the World Champion for paying for this meal and everything else.
"Thanks, Dad," said Roll.
"Anytime, my little cinnamon Roll," responded Isaac as he hugged his daughter with his right arm and kissed her cheek.
Mario was sipping his glass of soda when he crossed his eyes with his father. The World Champion raised his fist to his son with a smile. The boy just sighed as he lightly gave a fist bump to his father.
"Thanks... Dad," mumbled Mario, showing his gratitude to his father for all he'd done tonight.
"I'll take it," spoke Isaac softly as he considered this a win with his son.
After about five plates of pizzas, the group had stuffed themselves full of delicious food. The teens then returned to try some more games, leaving Isaac to watch them. At that moment, an employee approached him and spoke into his ear. Isaac listened as he raised a pass between his fingers, which the employee took. Moments later, the sound of heels clicking against the floor was heard as a dog bark followed. The World Champion turned as he saw Haven entering the Pizzaplex and making her way to him. He smiled as she approached the table and sat across from him.
"So... how'd the meeting go?" asked Isaac nonchalantly with a smirk.
"Business as usual. Investors were asking for more profits than they put in." groaned Haven as the business dinner she was at was more stressful than anything. The woman looked around and saw many families having fun with their kids. She then spotted her daughters playing ga-ga ball with Isaac's kids in a group of other teens. The businesswoman saw her kids getting into the game as Zipp used her athletic skills and evaded the ball from all directions; even Pipp was holding her own.
"The kids are enjoying themselves," said Isaac.
Haven made an intense scowl as she turned to look at the World Champion; Isaac saw the expression on the woman as she was anything but happy.
"Listen, Isaac. I don't appreciate what you did with my daughters. You disrespected and embarrassed me in front of them."
"My apologies, Haven. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted the kids to have a good time."
"Listen... you raise your kids your way. And I raise mine my way. And how I raise them is neither you nor anybody's business. Unlike you and your carefree attitude regarding being a parent, I have expectations for my children." stated the businesswoman as she looked at the pro duelist. "I don't care if you're the World Champion of Duel Monsters. I have a reputation to uphold. My children will not turn out like yours."
"And what do you mean by that?" said Isaac as he made his face slightly stern.
"You and your family. You're what we call "new money." You may have the same socioeconomic status as people like us. But no matter how much money you throw around lavishly, you'll never be looked in the same light as us."
"I never asked to be looked in the same light as rich snobs," said Isaac. "I paid my dues. I worked hard for my wealth."
"And that's the problem with "new wealth." You have to flaunt your worth to prove to others that you're in the same category because, without that, everyone abandons you, just like it is being World Champion. Everyone wants to associate with you because you're the World Champion, but what happens when you're not the World Champion anymore? People will start to abandon and forget you. That's how it works." Haven said as she looked at the pass Isaac bought for her, proving her example of how he spent his money lavishly.
"So... would you abandon me if I wasn't World Champion anymore?" asked Isaac.
"That remains to be seen, doesn't it," responded Haven.
"You're the one that came to me and begged me to sign with you," retorted Isaac.
"Sometimes you make some desperate plays in the business world. Just like in a duel, right?" said the woman as she and Isaac kept looking at each other; the woman could tell she was right even with Isaac hiding his emotions.
Haven stood up as she began to leave, but not before stopping by Isaac.
"I appreciate you taking care of my daughters. But from now on, unless I say otherwise, do not get them involved with your family." stated the woman as she walked away with Cloudpuff.
Isaac just sighed heavily as he took in what Haven said. The World Champion looked at his kids as Mario knocked out Zipp to be declared the winner. The boy fist-pumped the ground as Roll hugged her older brother in celebration; the duelist smiled at seeing his kids enjoying themselves.
After a full night of fun, it was time to head home. The teens left the pizzaplex as Haven and Isaac walked behind them. The limousine was waiting for the group. The driver opened the door, and they all got in.
"Now that was a fun night," said Zipp as she couldn't remember the last time she had this much excitement.
"Yes, it was enjoyable," said Haven as she dusted her suit and adjusted her golden earrings. "Now then, it's quite late. And I think it'd be best if we returned."
"Actually, I promised my kids that I'd get them ice cream," said Isaac.
"Huh?" said Mario and Roll as they looked at their father with raised eyebrows.
The two didn't recall their father saying that to which Isaac smiled while looking at Haven before leaning in secretly and flashing a wink. The two registered what their father was doing, as they weren't the only ones enticed by that offer.
"That sounds like a great idea!" said Zipp as she could go for some ice cream.
"Can we, Mom?" asked Pipp as she looked at her mother.
"Well... I..." stuttered Haven as Zipp and Pipp looked at her like Cloudpuff would whenever he wanted doggy treats.
The woman chuckled nervously in front of her kids, but behind that, she was growling at Isaac for getting involved with her business and her daughters again.
"I... suppose we can make a quick stop," said Haven while keeping her eyes on Isaac.
"Yes! You're the best, Mom!" said Zipp.
"That's... what I'm here for," spoke Haven, grinding her teeth at the World Champion, who merely whistled while lowering his cap to hide his eyes.
After stopping by a local ice cream parlor, the group arrived at the mansion with their treats, apart from Haven, who didn't want to give in and let Isaac have the final laugh.
"Thanks, Mom," said Pipp as she took another spoonful of her ice cream.
"Anything for my daughters," said Haven, putting on an act before the others. "Now, girls. What do you say to Mr. Isaac?"
"Thank you," said Pipp as she turned to look at Roll and Mario's father.
"Yeah, thanks, Champ," responded Zipp.
"It's my pleasure, girls," said Isaac with a tip of his cap.
Haven then grabbed her daughters by their shoulders and led them inside the estate. She turned to give one last glare at the World Champion as she was not pleased. Thankfully, he kept his word on looking out for them, but she reminded him not to get in her business regarding how she raised her kids. Isaac merely kept a compassionate look as they entered their home.
Mario was heading to his room as he looked to turn in for the night. However, just as he was about to enter his room, he heard a sound.
"Pss. Pss."
"Hmm."
The teen looked about, trying to determine who or where the sound was coming from.
"Pss. Lover boy, over here."
Mario knew who the voice was from that nickname alone as he tried to locate the rich girl. He noticed a curtain moving about as he approached it and was about to pull it back when Zipp's hair poked out, and she revealed her face.
"How long have you been hiding behind there?" asked Mario.
"Shush. Come on," said Zipp as she gestured for the boy to follow her.
Mario just shrugged as he followed her. Zipp was watching for anybody as they arrived at a door. The symbol on the door matched the symbol on her jeans, which meant they arrived at the girl's room. Zipp opened the door, and Mario followed her inside as he closed the door. Compared to Pipp's room, Zipp's was totally different. Tons of computer monitors, along with different sports and Duel Monsters posters.
As Mario admired the girl's room, Zipp went to her desk and booted up her PC. She logged in and opened a tab, and a video game sound effect went off. She smiled before grabbing her headphones and putting them on before turning around in her chair.
"Catch," said Zipp as she tossed a controller to Mario. "You up for a little nighttime gaming?"
"Heh. You know, I never pegged you to be a video game type of girl," chuckled Mario as he approached Zipp.
"Well, like in a duel, I don't show my full hand all at once," said Zipp with a hint of flirtiness in her tone.
"So, what about your mother? If she catches us in your room..."
"As we don't make noise, we're good. Now... are you gonna keep stalling to avoid the humiliation of a girl kicking your ass in video games? Or... do you got some skills to impress someone like me, lover boy?" taunted Zipp with a tad bit of flirtiness.
"Rich girl," smiled Mario with the same tone as her.
He got close to Zipp and merely pushed a button on her keyboard before putting on his own headset.
"I got skills that are sure to impress you," said the boy.
Zipp smiled at Mario's challenge as the two settled in and began a few hours of late-night gaming.
Author's Note: It seems the holidays in Zephyr Heights is gonna to be an interesting time. Like in the novel, The Great Gatsby, the idea of new money v. old money is prominent when it comes to the two different families and the different lifestyles each has grown up with. And on the other hand, the relationship between Isaac and Mario seems to be going okay, though time will tell. And time will tell if Isaac will avoid upsetting Haven and her kids with his ways.