Inside a large venue…
"Make some noise, people! Party's turning UP!!!"
"YEAH!"
Thousands upon thousands of people cheered and danced in the stadium as music played, complete with a DJ and all. There was even a Jumbotron hanging from the ceiling. In the center was a large stage, with the curtains drawn.
"Now!" the DJ announced. "Let's introduce our musical superstar: Uta Otokura!"
The crowd cheered as Uta emerged from backstage, waving to the audience. "Hey, hey! It's a pleasure, all of you! I know you guys came for some music, so who's ready to ROCK?"
"WE ARE!" the crowd cheered.
In the center of the crowd were Mihina, Zentaruo, and Chiho, who were dancing with the crowd and cheering on Uta. Mihina's friend, Haruta, pushed through the crowd, hugging Mihina. "Great to see you, bestie!"
"Great to see you too, Haruta!" Mihina replied.
Haruta turned her attention to Zentaruo and Chiho. "The Jokester Boys! Should have known I'd find you at something like this."
Zentaruo had a bunch of food in his hands, his mouth full. "Of course! Wouldn't miss it! There's way too many people to prank!"
"Yeah!" Chiho agreed. "Look at their unsuspecting faces!"
Haruta rolled her eyes, and Mihina grabbed her shoulders. "Guess what! Dachii and Marachii are back in town!"
"Wait, really?" she gasped. "You said they found a new home!"
"Yep, but they've come back on a super-important task, and they're coming to the concert too!"
"That's amazing!"
"Did someone call our names?" a voice cut through.
The group turned around and saw Marachii and Dachii pushing through the crowd, wearing dress shirts and pants, along with fancy sneakers. Mihina immediately wrapped them in a hug. "You guys made it!"
Zentaruo and Chiho gave them casual arm punches, and Haruta waved to them. "Long time no see, boys!"
"Haruta?" Marachii recognized. "You've gotten taller!"
She laughed. "And YOU look the exact same!"
She noticed Dachii. "But you don't. Your hair is much longer! And you're walking normally again! Are we sure this is Dachii?"
"I'd hope so," Marachii shrugged.
She lifted his hair. "Same eyes, though. Just a bit more…expressionless."
Dachii remained quiet.
"Where's your…friends?" Mihina asked.
"Probably still trying to figure out how to get through the door," Marachii answered. "Luca's right here, though."
He pointed behind him, where Luca was holding a glass of liquid and wearing a dress suit and pants as well. Haruta immediately took note of him.
"Why is his skin so glowy?"
"Cosmetics," Marachii explained. "Luca, what is that in your hand?"
"The bartender told me it was juice."
Marachii smelled it, gagging. "That is NOT juice. You should throw that out."
"Got it."
He launched the glass across the room, and it hit a guest who screamed. "Ow! What the hell?"
Marachii sighed.
Haruta looked Luca up and down. "What kind of cosmetics do they have where you come from?"
"The kind that turns normal men glowy," Luca replied.
Dachii looked at the stage, noticing Uta strumming away on his guitar. "Yep…that's him…"
"Hmm?" Marachii questioned.
"Nothing…" Dachii shut down. "Nothing."
Uta went towards the middle of the stage, pulling the curtains back to reveal a group of dancers behind him. "Let's get this show on the road! I call this song, 'Need Somebody!' I'm sure most of you have heard it by now!"
"Here it comes!" Mihina cheered. "He's beginning!"
He began to play a tune on his guitar as the DJ blasted his music, with the dancers getting into positions. Flames shot from the cannons nearby as the crowd cheered.
"♪ I know that you want, that you need somebody, I been stuck all in my dreams, I think my life is a party, everything I did to you, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, just give me one more chance, I just wanna feel your body! ♪"
The crowd cheered.
"♪ Ooou, ooou! I wanna feel your body! Ooou, ooou! I wanna feel your body! Ooou, ooou, I wanna feel your body! Ooou, ooou, I wanna feel your body! ♪"
"Why is he actually…good?" Marachii wondered.
As the dancers breakdanced to the music, Uta continued, the beat becoming louder and louder as the crowd followed along.
"♪ I wanna feel your body in the nighttime, I wanna marry you when it's the right time, I know you're a dime, baby, I will let you shine, baby, don't start all that crying, baby, I'mma make you mine, baby!"
Mihina and Haruta began cheering loudly as Uta continued, with Mihina even grabbing and shaking Dachii, to his chagrin.
"♪I know that I only got, one more time, but, if you have a problem you can hit my line, and if you need a hand girl, you know that I will find you, I know you like the water so I'll take you to the bayouuuu! ♪"
"♪ I know that you want, that you need somebody, I been stuck all in my dreams, I think my life is a party, everything I did to you, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, just give me one more chance, I just wanna feel your body! ♪"
The crowd cheered as loudly as it ever did.
"♪ Ooou, ooou! I wanna feel your body! Ooou, ooou! I wanna feel your body! Ooou, ooou, I wanna feel your body! Ooou, ooou, I wanna feel your body! ♪"
Then the music ended with a loud bang and fire spitting everyone as everyone clapped and Uta held up his guitar. "Make some noise, everybody!"
Mihina stepped closer to Dachii, leaning into him. "What'd you think of that? Did you like the song?"
"It was…alright…" Dachii remarked.
As the dancers stopped dancing, Uta got up and made an announcement. "Listen up, fans! Since you've all been so loyal, I've decided to host a music show! I'll be picking one SUPER talented group to represent me and take the stage at my next concert in a few days, so don't be shy and make sure you apply!"
The crowd cheered excitedly.
"See? See?" Mihina stated, shaking Dachii. "We can be on stage, with HIM!"
"Yay…" Dachii responded.
"Sounds like something Saori would enjoy," Luca pointed out. "That's her specialty."
Saori rolled through the crowd, wearing a pink dress. "Did someone say music? I love music!"
"Speak of the devil," Luca scoffed.
"Why is that little girl glowing too?" Haruta asked.
"That's what I said!" Zentaruo exclaimed.
"She wears cosmetics too," Marachii claimed. "She's from the same group as Luca."
"The glowy skin group?" Haruta wondered.
Luca nodded. "The glowy skin group."
Luca lifted Saori so she could see the stage. "There. See, he's planning to host a music show with a fan group of his choice. Sounds perfect for investigating him and completing this mission."
"And dancing!" Saori cheered. "Do we get to dance?"
"Probably."
Uta strummed his guitar. "Now, let's start with my special challenge for today, Mini-Dance!"
In front of the stage, a disco ball appeared, lighting up the disco floor below it. "This competition requires two people! Dancer A and Dancer B! Once the music starts playing, Dancer A will begin to dance, but once it stops and the beat switches, then Dancer B will go! Be prepared, I'll be judging the best dancer! Win, and you'll get a free backstage ticket to my next show! Behind the scenes and all! So don't be shy, dancers! Two volunteers, step up!"
"Huh," Marachii noted. "That could be useful. But who would—?"
Without warning, Saori jumped out of Luca's arms and rolled over to the disco floor, maneuvering past confused fans. "Me! Me! Pick me!"
As she stood in the middle of the dance floor, Uta looked down at her, a look of surprise flashing across his face for a moment.
"A Voltian?" he thought. "How did she get here? And a kid, at that! Is she here for me?"
He noticed the genuine excitement on her face. "She doesn't seem to have any hidden motives, but she is a Voltian. Ahh, fine. I guess it'll look suspicious if I don't pick her, anyway."
He cleared his throat. "Well, sure thing, Glowing Skin girl! What's your name?"
She raised her hand. "It's Saori! Saori Nakamura!"
"So much for discretion," Marachii sighed.
"Your little friend must really love the art of dance," Haruta said. "No one else even managed to hit the disco floor yet!"
"Trust me," Luca agreed. "She does. We should probably go after her."
As Dachii, Marachii, and Luca made their way towards the front of the stage, Akari, Hikari, and Aoki interrupted them.
"There you guys are!" Hikari shouted. "We've been looking all over for you! Toru thought you guys got kidnapped! He was ready to beat US for it!"
"What are you all doing?" Akari asked. "And where's Saori?"
Dachii pointed to the front, where Uta was. "About to dance…"
"Dance?" Aoki repeated. "Doesn't that foolish little girl understand that if she goes up there and shows off, she'll blow our cover?"
"Yeah, well," Marachii nervously laughed. "That's Saori for you."
"On the bright side, if she wins she gets to go backstage at his next concert," Luca explained. "Which could be a help."
Aoki scoffed. "Please. She'll just fawn over him like an obsessed fangirl. Let's go. She needs to be monitored."
They pushed through the crowd where Saori was, and Uta gave her a pat on the head. "Well, Saori, you can be the first dancer! Anyone wanna take on Saori?"
A bunch of fans raised their hands, and Uta noticed one of them, a young boy. "Sho! Come on up here and show her what you've got!"
Sho pushed past the crowd and hit the dance floor. "Will do, Mr. Uta!"
Uta stepped back, and both sides of the disco floor lit up. "Sho, you'll be Dancer A. Saori, you'll be Dancer B. Sho, once the music starts, you'll dance first, okay?"
Sho nodded. "I understand!"
"Once it stops, it's your turn, Saori!"
Saori clapped. "Yippee!"
Uta brought his hand to his guitar, strumming a tune. "Let the music begin!"
A beat started playing, and Sho began dancing to the music, dropping low and hitting a floor sweep before moving into a six-step, getting cheers from the crowd. He finished off with a backflip just as the beat stopped, and the crowd, and Uta, gave him a round of applause.
"Nice!" Uta complimented. "Start the music up again, it's Saori's turn!"
Saori jumped up and down, smiling as she prepared herself. Sho sized her up and down. "What can a weird little girl like you do?"
Saori gasped. "Weird? I'll show you WEIRD!"
Her face suddenly turned deadly serious. "Play it."
Uta motioned to the DJ, who began the music. As soon as he did, her eyes glowed rainbow as Uta gave the single. "Begin!"
Saori casually swayed from side to side, before suddenly dropping to the ground and doing an air twist into a windmill, and from a windmill into a backspin, spinning so fast that a rainbow glow covered her body.
"Rainbow Spin!"
She spun around Sho, who stared in shock. Everyone in the crowd watched on as well, speechless. The rainbow spinner that was Saori leaped over Sho's head before landing on the other side just as the music ended, finishing off her dance with a backrock before kicking up.
The entire crowd gasped and gossiped.
"Whoa, that little girl is on fire!"
"How did she do that? Was that some trick?"
"Why's she glowing?"
"Who cares, did you see what she just did?"
The entire crowd began to clap and cheer for her, and Marachii slapped his forehead. "Like I said, so much for discretion."
"Nice moves, Saori!" Hikari cheered. "You were great!"
Uta stared in awe, a million thoughts racing in his mind.
"I didn't know a Voltian could dance like THAT!" he thought. "Her skills, and my songs, it's a must! I must add her to my entourage, even if she is of that devil race!"
He looked her up and down. "After all, she is just a kid. What harm could she truly cause?"
Uta clapped his hands, pointing at Saori. "That was quite a display, young lady! I'm impressed!"
Sho stomped his feet. "Damn it! Outdone by a girl!"
"You did well, Sho!" Uta assured. "Now then, Saori, come!"
Saori got closer to the stage. "Yes, Mister?"
"I think I'll pick you to be at my next show!" he announced. "Bring a group, bring a friend, bring whoever you want, but make sure you first bring yourself, girl, because you…"
He played a tune on his guitar as flames gushed out from the cannons. "You are a star!"
—-