All Friends Check-In (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody)

7. Footloser

A huge competition known as Go Dance USA was arriving at the hotel. When Max heard that, she was eager to get on the show. Cody encouraged her to give it a shot. Max asked Zack to be her partner when she read that the show required couples to be on it. It turned out Cody was a clumsy dancer. I felt bad he didn't get picked to be on the show with her.

"Marley, do you wanna perform on the show with me?" Cody turned to me as Zack and Max went to sign up.

"You know I have stage fright," I replied, dreading the thought of standing on a platform with a sea of eyes watching my every move. The idea was terrifying. "Perhaps you can find something you're better at than Zack."

"Good idea."

Later, Cody attempted ventriloquism after obtaining a puppet but had difficulty keeping his lips still when moving the puppet's mouth. I found the puppet terrifying as it reminded me of a horror movie involving a creepy talking puppet. Cody left the puppet with Uncle Marion when he realized he wasn't good at ventriloquism. My uncle could pull off being a ventriloquist if he weren't in the hotel business. 

I went into the ballroom to watch the contestants practice for the show. I learned London gave Maddie money to help chip in for the latter's parents' anniversary trip to Paris. And Maddie ended up doing too many favors for London in order to pay her back. I found it wrong. If I gave a friend money who needed funds for something huge, I wouldn't ask for anything in return. I'd be happy knowing I helped fund an incredible vacation. 

Cody showed me some magic tricks, which could use some work and more practice. I told him to watch some videos of stage magicians demonstrating how they perform their tricks step by step. 

Zack and Max performed their dance moves at the contest. I could they practiced well as they moved in sync. Both of them ended up making it to the finals. Max tended to be pushy for the right reasons while Zack tended to slack off a bit.

Later, the twins called me up to the suite telling me it was an emergency. Arriving in the twins' room, I saw Zack was on his bed holding his leg up.

"What happened?" I wondered.

"Zack jumped on the bed and sprained his ankle," Cody informed me.

"Guys, don't tell Max this," Zack begged us.

"You're gonna have to tell her sometime."

"He's right. Max needs to know what's going on."

I was ready to pull out my cell phone and call her.

"No. She'll beat my insides out, and I like my insides in," Zack remarked.

"Well, she kinda might figure it out when she's dancing alone," Cody pointed out.

Zack showed an expression which told me he had another one of his insane ideas. "But she won't be dancing alone."

"What are you talking about? There are no substitutions. You'll be disqualified."

"Not if the substitute looks exactly like the original."

"But I can't dance. I can't do anything."

"That's not true. You're my brother. You have my DNA. You have my face, my arms, my legs, my shirt... which by the way, I want back. You can do anything I can do."

"Yeah. I can. And better." Cody sounded confident once he was convinced.

"Let's not get carried away," Zack suggested. "Just be good enough to win the contest."

"I'll do it."

"See Cody? You finally found your talent. It's looking like me."

"It's a bad idea," I shook my head. "It's basically cheating. You and Max will end up disqualified either way."

I didn't want to be further involved. So, I left the suite. 

When Cody met with Max in Zack's place, she figured out what happened. I couldn't bear to watch that I left the ballroom. I got used to seeing Uncle Marion with the puppet despite it creeping me out. 

As the final dance contest went on, Cody who posed as Zack mistakenly performed his magic tricks during his and Max's performance. The former ended up dancing saying he felt the rhythm within and fell off the platform, knocking over the trophy set. Both of them ended up disqualified once the host learned the truth.

Once the contest was over, Max vented her anger at the twins. She was upset of losing and being booted off the show. 

I overheard Carey telling Cody not to compare himself to Zack saying that even though the twins were alike in appearance but were different on the inside.

Later, Uncle Marion, Esteban, and a few staff members chipped in together to help Maddie pay London the money she needed to get out of the debt. Maddie explained to London when she's nice to other people, they'd want to be friends with her. London had no problem with being nice to me when I first met her. It would take time for her to be extra nice to Maddie and others.