Dancing Competition, Volunteers Welcome

Glass Bead Island, the fashion heart of the East Blue, was a place of amazing new things, from gadgets to clothes.

Imagine sparkling ballrooms, exciting arcades, and fun amusement parks, filled with shops you know and love.

It was almost as modern as the famous Shambordy Islands.

At the "Funky" Dance Competition, dancers from all over the East Blue buzzed with excitement as the start time grew near.

"He's in this crowd somewhere," Fullbody thought, watching the dancers.

Fullbody leaned against the edge of the dance area, a cigarette hanging from his lips. He seemed relaxed, but his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, scanned every dancer.

Roya had told him that Jango, the Black Cat Pirates' second-in-command, was obsessed with dancing. He was one of the best in the world, maybe even better than Fullbody himself.

Roya believed that Jango wouldn't be able to resist coming to the dance competition. His love for dance was too strong.

Fullbody scoffed.

"He's just a pirate!" he thought.

Sure, anyone could learn to dance, but becoming a master took talent, the right teachers, and endless practice.

How could a pirate be better than me?

Roya was probably trying to make him angry, but it didn't matter. If Jango showed up, Fullbody would prove who the real dance king was.

"Hey, who's that?" Fullbody wondered, noticing Dancer Number 18.

The dancer was moving backward in a smooth gliding step. He was hard to miss.

"He's a real pro!" Fullbody realized.

After watching for a few minutes, Fullbody's face turned serious.

Top dancers just knew. Seeing the dancer's moves, Fullbody sensed his powerful dance energy.

Could this be Jango?

"Number 2, you're up!" a voice announced.

Just as Fullbody was about to check out Dancer Number 18, he was called to the stage. There were so many dancers that if he didn't go right away, he'd be out.

"Here I go!" Fullbody said, excited. He forgot about Dancer Number 18. Whether it was Jango or not, he was going to win.

He'd show everyone he was the best dancer!

The rounds flew by...

"Number 18 is amazing!" someone shouted.

"I've never seen a dance style like that! He moves like a robot!" another yelled.

"Number 2 is awesome too! His moves are so graceful!" a third exclaimed.

The competition was heating up, and some amazing dancers were standing out, capturing the audience's attention.

----

Meanwhile, at the fancy Hey Little Panda clothing store...

"Roya, are you sure this is okay?" Kaya asked, worried about her outfit.

"Of course! It looks great on you," Roya said with a smile.

She was wearing a shirt that showed her stomach, a black leather jacket, denim shorts, and shoes that made her taller. She looked like a totally different person, full of energy.

Kaya looked at herself in the mirror, her mind racing. She'd never worn anything like this before.

What would my father say? she wondered.

"Snap!" Roya said, snapping his fingers.

The store manager, who had been watching them, hurried over, smiling widely. "Sir, can I help you with anything?"

"We'll take this outfit!" Roya said, pointing to Kaya's clothes. Then, he pointed to the other outfits she'd tried on. "And we'll take all of those too. Please pack them up and send them to the Syrup family ship at the port."

"Yes, sir!" the manager replied quickly.

Syrup? The store manager was excited. He knew this was a big customer.

He bowed respectfully as they left the store.

Roya felt great. Shopping with a girl and buying whatever she wanted without worrying about the price was a lot of fun.

Even if it wasn't his money.

When they met at the port, Mr. Syrup had given him 2 million Berries. If he ran out, he could ask Butler Merry for more.

So, this is what it's like to be rich, he thought.

"Roya, where are we going next?" Kaya asked.

"Let's go to the amusement park. I remember you wanted to ride the Ferris wheel," Roya replied.

"Okay!" Kaya exclaimed.

Shopping, playing games, going to the amusement park, eating at a fancy restaurant...

Roya was a great companion for Kaya, keeping her safe and acting like the perfect boyfriend.

----

At 3:00 PM, Roya took Kaya to the dance competition to watch the finals.

"Go, Number 2!" people cheered.

"Number 18, you're the best!" others yelled.

"Wow, so cool!" a third added.

Only Number 2 and Number 18 were left on stage, dancing their hearts out for the championship.

The amazing dance moves and the excited crowd created a feeling Kaya had never experienced before.

Caught up in the excitement, Kaya waved a glow stick in her left hand and tugged on Roya's sleeve with her right.

"Roya, look! It's Mr. Fullbody!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I see him," Roya said, smiling.

He pulled a wanted poster from his pocket and compared it to Dancer Number 18.

"Hypnotist" Jango, second-in-command of the Black Cat Pirates, worth 9 million Berries.

His style was a little different, but his face matched. Plus, his dance style and stage presence reminded Roya of Michael Jackson.

No doubt about it, that's Jango.

If he could get Jango to help him, dealing with the Black Cat Pirates would be much easier. But getting him to cooperate would be tricky.

"The champion is Mr. Jango!" the announcer shouted.

Jango held up the trophy as Fullbody stood beside him, the defeated runner-up.

"I actually lost," Fullbody said, tears in his eyes. He was disappointed but knew he'd lost fair and square. Number 18 was just as skilled as him, but he had a better stage presence.

That was the most important thing for a dancer.

After the award ceremony, Jango walked up to Fullbody and offered his hand. "It was an honor to compete against such a great dancer."

"Me too!" Fullbody said, smiling.

They shook hands.

Fullbody was sad he'd lost, but he was also happy to have met such a talented dancer and new friend.

They became friends instantly.

"Let's go celebrate with a drink!" Jango said.

The two walked off, arm in arm, towards a nearby bar, forgetting all about their own missions.

Roya watched them go, his face serious. Now was the perfect time to catch Jango. If he got away, it would be hard to find another chance.

Kaya saw that Roya was focused. She knew that Mr. Fullbody was also on the island and was probably on a mission.

"Roya, I'm tired," she said.

"Okay, I'll take you back to the hotel," Roya replied.

He walked Kaya back to the fancy hotel suite he'd booked. He watched her fall asleep, then quietly left.

Now, it's hunting time! he thought.