🎧: ✅
🕶️: ✅
💭: I-Manny & I-Dan
😰: 0%

Cody's idea is for them to crawl on all fours around the hotel's ground level, luring Bonnie and Clyde with small pieces of gorgonzola cheese. They have such a distinct shape that some people may mistake them for small chunks of butter.

Cody: *Crawling* Here, Bonnie. Here, Clyde.

Zack: *Stands up on his knees* It's been a whole week. I don't think this cheese is working.

Xander: ... It's only been an hour, though.

Zack: I know, I'm just worried that we won't find them.

I-Dan: Xander, why did you call me here? I'm a Bakugan brawler, not a Pokémon trainer.

I-Manny: *To I-Dan, slightly frowning* Hey, be nice.

Xander: Well, you two are the only ones I can think of that have a good relationship with animals at a moment's notice.

The new hotel manager, Ilsa Schicklgrubermeiger, notices the lined-up cheese from earlier attempts at luring and returns to the lobby, holding one of them, slightly revolted.

Ilsa: Muriel, what is this?

Muriel takes it and eats it.

Muriel: Mmm! Gorgonzola. You want some? There's more under the couch. *Walks away*

Ilsa: Esteban!

Esteban quickly stops what he is doing and stands in a military position, terrified.

Esteban: Yes, sir- ma'am.

Ilsa: What is that nonregulation pin you are wearing on your Tipton uniform?

Muriel walks behind one of the couches alongside the three boys already there.

Esteban: It belonged to my great-grandfather, who died fighting for my country's independence.

Ilsa: How touching. *Points at the pin* Take it off. I'm watching you.

Xander: ... I'm assuming that's her.

Cody: Yep, ugly, isn't she?

Xander: ... Not the word I'd use.

I-Manny: *Trying his hardest to smile* Maybe she's... nice on the inside?

I-Dan: Doubt it. *Puts a hand on his chest* Trust me, I have plenty of experience with people like this.

Zack: *Looking at one of the smaller vases* Man, I never thought I'd miss Moseby.

Muriel: Yeah, she's a real witch. I'd love to vacuum off that mole.

Muriel walks away to the right, while Ilsa talks to Maddie at the candy counter while wiping it down.

Ilsa: You there, candy girl.

Maddie: *Smiling* My name's Maddie.

Ilsa: Ja, candy girl. *Looks back at her small yellow piece of paper* I see you punched in at 4:01. You were supposed to be here at 4:00 to work on London's poochie party.

Maddie: Sorry.

Ilsa: 4:00 means 4:00. *Gets slightly closer to her* I am docking you for that minute.

Maddie: Th-that's a dime.

Ilsa: *Authoritatively, pointing at her* A dime you'll never see!

😰: ⬆️ 20%

She goes away, Maddie turns around, and loses her smile.

Zack: Man, getting Mr. Moseby suspended was the worst thing we've ever done.

Cody: And by "we," you mean you?

Zack: Now, I'm gonna go over there and talk to her. If things don't go well, I want Xander to have my yo-yo.

I-Dan: But why? You know Xander has... questionable dexterity.

I-Manny: *Smiles* Well, maybe it could help him get better.

Zack approaches Ilsa near the special vase in the middle of the lobby.

Zack: Excuse me, Miss Shikel... geiger counter-

Ilsa: Close enough. What?

Zack can't help but unintentionally stare at Ilsa's big black mole.

Ilsa: What are you staring at?

Zack: Nothing. I just wanted to say... that the rat thing was not Mr. Moseby's fault. It was my fault.

Ilsa: *Slightly nods* Well, that changes things.

Zack: Really?

Ilsa: No! *Points upwards* A manager is responsible for *Makes a circle with her finger* everything that happens in a hotel. The buck stops here. Speaking of which, I want the three of you to stop coming in the front entrance willy-nilly.

The other boys head to Zack's location.

Zack: But Mr. Moseby always lets us-

Ilsa: Mr. Moseby doesn't work here anymore.

Cody: But we need-

Ilsa: Dut, dut, dut! End of conversation.

😰: ⬆️ 30%

Ilsa gives Xander a closer look before walking away.

Ilsa: Excuse me, but what is that... stuff around your head?

Xander: ... My-

Ilsa moves extremely close to Xander and pulls off both his sunglasses and headphones, leaving the twins and both I-friends gasping.

Ilsa: There! Now you look more proper! *Looks slightly to the right* Esteban!

Esteban returns, still filled with fear.

Esteban: Y-Yes, ma'am?

She hands him both items while flicking one of her palms with her fingers as if it's unclean.

Ilsa: Take these to the confiscated area.

Esteban looks at Xander, as he's nearly frozen in place.

Esteban: Oh no, ma'am, you don't understand, he needs-

Ilsa: Don't care! End of conversation. *Points at him* Do it if you want to keep your job. *Walks away*

Esteban: Oh, I am really sorry, Big Boy.

Esteban flees, and the other four stare at Xander. Xander's eyes darted left and right, up and down, taking in around ten sources of sound and four separate light sources. With an instant migraine and the feeling that he's about to puke, he makes a mad rush for the elevator door, at quarterback speed.

😰: ⬆️ 90%

Zack: Xander!

Cody: Wait!

Inside the Martin suite, Xander dashes into the twins' bedroom, passing Carey right by. He slams the door and vomits the contents of his dinner onto the floor. Moments later, he collapses into it with a splat!

Zack, Cody, I-Manny, and I-Dan all run up the stairs as quickly as they can.

Zack: Hold that door!

Carey looks back between the twins and into the bedroom, perplexed as to what is going on. She decides to put an end to it.

Carey: *Holding her hand at them* Hold it!

The twins and the I-friends pause, still jittery.

Carey: *Puts her hands on her hips* Now, can someone please explain to me what's going on?

Cody: Ilsa yanked off Xander's headphones and sunglasses in the lobby!

Carey gets wide-eyed and sprints into the twin's bedroom with them. Seeing Xander faceplanted on the floor.

Carey: Xander?!

As Cody squats and monitors his pulse with two of his fingers, I-Manny frowns, removes his hat, and looks slightly down. I-Dan collapses to his knees, then all fours, as they both automatically fade back into Xander's chest. Cody can still detect a pulse.

Cody: His pulse is still beating.

Carey: *Relieved* Ok, that's good, but we need to find some help.

A few minutes later... After the three of them flipped Xander over.

Muriel: *Down on the ground* Yep, I know what's going on here.

Carey: *Slightly anxious* What?

Muriel: He's just passed out from a sensory overload. *Waves one of her hands* This happens all the time with each boyfriend that I have had. *Stands up*

Carey: Well, is there anything we can do?

Muriel: With my experience, I say let him rest and let him wake up on his own; that usually works. *Leaves*

Carey stares at Xander again, seeing him sleeping peacefully with his face and clothes smeared in mac and cheese.

Carey: He looks so exhausted.

Cody: *Crosses his arms, to Zack* And to think that you wanted to take them off on day one.

Zack: I-I didn't know that he'd do that!

They take a moment to glance at Xander again. Zack rests his hands on his hips, looks slightly down, and sighs.

Zack: If I didn't confront Ilsa, Xander wouldn't be lying here right now. *Bends down to look at him* I'm sorry, Xander.

Carey: Well, what's done is done, and I'm glad you're being mature about something for once.

Cody: Surprisingly.

Zack: I'm going after Moseby. We need him back.

But before Carey and Cody could intervene, he had fled the suite.

Carey: Ugh, your brother never sits still, does he?

Cody: Nope.

Later that night around 11:00pm, Henry arrives and immediately comes into contact with Ilsa. Before entering however, Henry turned on a voice recorder from his phone.

Ilsa: And who are you supposed to be? Are you a guest?

Henry: No, I'm just here to pick up my son.

Ilsa: What are you talking about? We don't own a daycare here.

Henry: *Smiles, slightly giggling* Oh, no, he's not that young. Um... he's wearing headphones and sunglasses.

Ilsa: *Smiles and waves at him with one of her hands* Oh, that kid! I took them off of him; he looked so improper. Can you believe that?

Henry: *Tense* You did what?! Where's Marion?

Carey leaves the elevator, prepared to talk to Henry about what happened to his son, but sees the two conversing.

Ilsa: Fired! I now own this establishment-

Carey: *Nervously smiles* I'm sorry, he's with me. We'll get out of your hair now.

Carey and Henry make their way toward the elevator.

Ilsa: Very well, *Turns around and points at her* but I expect you to be singing soon, young lady!

Carey: Yes, yes, I will.

Henry: What the fuck happened around here?

Carey told Henry what happened but left out any mention of Xander, except for him working on his science project while the twins were at the baseball game.

Henry: But what does all of this have to do with Xander, though?

As they enter the suite, he notices Xander lying on the couch, still passed out. With the help of the twins, Carey had transferred Xander to the couch earlier and cleaned up the mac & cheese mess to help prepare for Henry's arrival. Henry rushes to the couch and sits down, holding Xander.

Henry: What the HELL happened to my kid?!

Carey: I... was about to talk to you about that next.

Carey walks over and sits in the chair to the right of the couch.

Carey: When he tried to find the rats along with my boys, Zack... confronted her, with Cody and Xander supporting him.

Henry growls.

Carey: Ilsa took off his headphones and sunglasses, and he rushed in here before vomiting all over the bedroom floor, passing out into some mac & cheese.

Henry growls some more, then sheds a single tear, hoping she won't notice.

Henry: What can we do?

Carey: Mu- uh... Someone came up here to check him out, and they say that we should let him rest, and he'll wake up when he's ready.

Henry contemplates this for a few moments before deciding what to do next.

Henry: He doesn't deserve this. He hasn't done anything wrong. He deserves the world.

Carey: Oh, I believe that 100%.

Henry: *Sigh* I tried my absolute hardest to not let anyone harm him, and only a couple weeks here, and now look what happens.

Carey: Well, look, you shouldn't blame yourself; I mean, no one saw this coming.

Henry: Exactly my point. I let Xander explore and make some friends, and now he's here, unconscious because of that bitch!

Carey: *Gasp* Language!

Henry: Why not? I swear in front of Xander all the time.

Carey: Well, here we have rules against that, and unless you want to have soap in your mouth, I suggest you stop!

Henry shuts up and considers what to say next. Carey does the same.

Henry: I just wanted my one and only son to have a normal life. Is that too much to ask?

Carey: *Calming down, clearing her throat* I can tell that you care for your son very much, but no parent is flawless.

Henry: I just don't want him to have the same childhood that I had; he already had a neglectful mother. Addicted to her computer games... Always leaving the house in an abysmal state...

Carey: I'm sorry to hear that.

Henry: Well, I didn't have a mother like that, but my father... well...

Carey waits for him to finish responding. He looks away from her.

Henry: I don't want to talk about it.

Carey: You don't have to discuss it with me if you don't want to.

He looks back at her.

Henry: Thank you.

Henry stares at Xander's face for a few more moments before rising up and putting him aside.

Henry: This place... It's not safe for Xander.

Carey also stands up.

Carey: What are you talking about? I know this place isn't perfect, but we're accommodating for Xander the best we can.

Henry: Carey, you won't change my decision.

Henry approaches the front door, and before she can persuade him differently, Henry has already spoken over her.

Henry: The next time Xander wakes up, I'll need to tell him he's not allowed to come here or talk to anyone from this hotel anymore. It'll just be to school and back home from now on, unless I say otherwise. I know he'll hate me for this, but at least I know he's safe.

As Henry closes the door, Carey, once again, is trying to understand what just happened, which occurred so suddenly. Henry stopped the recording after he gets on the other side of the front door, after a couple of minutes, the twins both come out of their bedroom in their pajamas.

Cody: Is it true?

Zack: Is Xander not going to be allowed to come here after he wakes up?

Carey: *Puts one hand on her hip* I'm afraid so.

Zack looks down at the ground, bummed. Cody becomes devastated, tears streaming down his face as he hugs Carey's leg.

Cody: Please don't make him go!

Carey: Well, I'm sorry, honey, but I'm afraid we may have no choice here.

Carey consoled Cody for a few minutes before returning them to their room. She even allowed Xander to lie on the floor in their room in between them.

Zack: I don't understand. I also went and apologized to Mr. Moseby earlier today, but things still aren't any better.

Carey: *Combs the back of Zack's hair with her hand* Well, it's good that you apologized to him, but that doesn't always fix everything.

Zack: And now we're losing Xander tomorrow too. This stinks.

Carey: That's life. Sometimes things don't always go as you want them to. Try to get some sleep, ok?

Zack gets under his military-themed blanket.

Zack: Ok.

Carey: *Kisses his forehead and leaves* I love you.

Zack: Love you, too.

As Carey leaves the room and closes the door, Zack considers sleeping on the floor next to Xander for the night, considering this will be their only sleepover that they'll ever get. Then Zack hears a few faint squeaks, and two massive wriggling lumps emerge from beneath Xander's blue shirt. He leaps out of bed and examines it more closely, revealing Bonnie and Clyde sniffing and licking away any remnants of mac and cheese.

Zack: Alright! Unconscious Xander found Bonnie and Clyde! Cody, wake up.

Cody: ... Are we moving again?

Zack: No, look who came back. Bonnie and Clyde. They were just hanging out under Xander's shirt for some reason.

Cody: Yes! Oh, thank goodness we found them before the dog party. That would have been a disaster.

Zack: Yeah, the kind that'll get a manager fired...

Zack then gets an idea.

Zack: Cody, it's a brilliant plan!

Cody: Thanks. What's my plan again?

Zack: *Looks at Xander* Don't worry, Xander, we'll avenge you.