Summer Zine 2018

S U M M E R 2 0 1 8

S U M M E R 2 0 1 8

Please do not distribute the images or articles without permission from the authors and artists. Love Nikki content and materials are trademarks and copyrights of their respective publisher and its licensors.

51 Contributors + Sources

23 Artist Spotlight: Zemiki

24 "Memories" by Yasjupe

33 FanPOP + August Styling Contest

36 An Interview with Iri

43 "Don't Linger" by Sophie

49 Wardrobescopes

19 Game Guides (Arena Streak + Hot List)

18 Knit Your Own Red Headband

9 "Ready for the Monsoon" by Megaera

5 Lookbook

Illustration by: Val (@vallustrations)Frame + Typography by: Donsveertje (@donsveertje)

3 First Taste of Summer: CN Server Third Anniversary + LN's 2018 Summer Events!

Table of Contents

Written by: Iri

2018 Summer Events! (LN Server)

I hope you all enjoyed looking at this retrospective of the amazing event that was Miracle Nikki's Third Anniversary. I hope this makes you excited for the future! Let's keep styling together for many more years.

Event

Giveaway

Videos

On May 18th, 2018, NikkiUP2U 3: Miracle Nikki celebrated its Third Anniversary. If you're unfamiliar, that's the original Chinese version of the game!The celebration was huge! A new Story Event with tons of clothes, free outfits, giveaways, promotional videos, and a new title screen was released. It was all pretty hard to miss, and even the players of the North American version took notice of a lot of the amazing new content. I was one of the players lucky enough to take part in the celebration since I play the Chinese version as well, and I'm here to tell you all about it! Hopefully you'll be able to feel like you were a part of it, too.

Written by: Ms. Loki

Promotions + Activities

First Taste of Summer: CN Server's Third Anniversary

Background Illustrated by: Val

How Katie turned hearts toward her bold statement with style

Apple Ahoy!

Summer Days

She dons a cropped sailor fuku top with puffy short sleeves against her will. What makes dreamer Katie stand out amongst her peers, however, is how she’s made the typical look her own. The non-regulation cloud pattern on her skirt invokes this feeling of lightness and freedom, which is continued by white socks and light blue loafers. During classes, you might catch her fidgeting with either her small sailor’s cap or the two white bracelets and simple ring she wears. She likes to doodle things like small sailboats and dolphins on her notebooks when in a boring class, though her most notable sketch is a quickly-coloured blue rubber ring— one she uses when playing in the pool. If only she could be in the water instead of stranded on land.

Katie models a light blue and white colour scheme, going with a preppy, school uniform look for the summer, though not exactly by choice. Stuck in the brig christened “summer school,”

Ayna

Katya

Summer Lookbook

Marza

Sedna

Dahlia

Lydia

Written by: Megaera | Illustrated by: Artistic Armoury + Donsveertje

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Ready for the Monsoon

“That’s it!” Mira shook her head, stood up, and brushed the sand off her hands. Then she looked down at Orange and fixed her with a determined stare. “You’re coming swimming with me. I’m going to get you to loosen up and enjoy this day if it’s the last thing I do!”

“Still concerned about this freak weather? Of course I am, I―”

“Don’t tell me you’re still on that!”

Orange sighed and finally looked up from her book. “It’s not supposed to be so nice out, don’t you see? It’s supposed to be pouring rain right now.”

When Orange didn’t respond, Mira huffed and crossed her arms. “Come on, Orange, why won’t you come play with me? It’s a perfect day out!”

Orange furrowed her brow, but said nothing.

Mira frowned. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“No thank you,” Orange muttered, turning her page. “I’m not going to swim today.”

Mira sighed as she sat up. “Alright, that’s it, I’m getting hot just looking at you; let’s head down to the water and cool off.”

“I’m fine,” Orange said, frowning down at the book propped open on her legs.

When Mira eventually noticed, she rolled over onto her back and groaned. “Orange. Stop it. Just relax, it’s a beautiful day out, and―oh, for Nanari’s sake, why are you still in your rain jacket? You’ve got to be baking in that thing!”

to sunbathe while Orange pulled out a book to read. The light salt spray on the breeze, the calls of the gulls overhead, and the laughter of children playing nearby all combined into a pleasant ambience. However, Orange couldn’t stop herself from glancing up now and then to check for any storm clouds on the horizon.

It was early morning, so when the pair walked through Wintermount and down the cliffs to the beach, there was still plenty of space to spread out. They claimed a prime piece of beachfront and settled in to relax. For a while, Mira was content

Mira looked as if she might continue objecting, but after a moment she sighed and shook her head. “Suit yourself, I guess. Now come on, we’d better hurry or we won’t get a good spot.”

“That’s exactly my point, the weather is being unpredictable right now; I intend to be prepared.”

“Well as far as reality is concerned, we’re in the middle of a freak dry spell! Come on, Orange, it’s perfect beach weather.”

Orange frowned. “I’m not going to be caught unprepared if a storm comes up. It may be sunny right now, but as far as the calendar is concerned, we’re in the middle of monsoon season!”

Mira scoffed. “We’re going to the beach! The whole point is to get wet; why would you wear your raincoat?”

Orange glanced down at her attire. She was wearing her rain jacket over a modest one-piece bathing suit. It was a simple outfit, sure, but it was also practical and appropriate, which was more than could be said for Mira’s elaborate and revealing bikini, entirely visible through her thin cover-up. “Yes, what’s wrong with it?”

The moment Orange swung open her door, Mira’s eyes swept over her figure, lips curling up in distaste. “Are you seriously wearing that?”

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Written by: Megaera | Full body Illustrations + Background by: ArtisticArmoury | Story Illustration by: Donsveertje

Ready for the Monsoon

expression crossing her face. “If that’s how you’re going to be…” she muttered before stomping off. Orange huffed in annoyance before rearranging her towel, smoothing out its edges and brushing off the sand. Then she realized that Mira’s little stunt had gotten sand under the straps of her sandals, so she slid them off and tried to brush her feet clean. As she was about to put them back on, a shadow fell over her towel. She looked up just in time to see Mira hoisting a purple plastic pail over her head. “If Orange won’t go to the ocean, then I shall bring the ocean to Orange!” she declared before tipping the pail over and dumping a rush of seawater onto Orange’s head. Most of it rolled off the rain jacket, but by the time the flow stopped, Orange’s face was dripping and a few strands of hair clung to her forehead while some slipped between her lips. She spit them out, glowering up at her friend. Mira dropped the bucket and took a couple of steps backwards, ready for Orange to leap up and chase after her. Orange did stand up, but she didn’t make a move towards Mira; instead she brushed the hair off her face and said softly, “That was unnecessary, I think.” She then turned around and stalked away towards the public restrooms, leaving spots of darkened sand where the water dripped off in her wake. Mira watched her retreat, a wave of guilt causing her anger to evaporate. She supposed the bucket of water had been uncalled for. But Orange was always like this! Sometimes Mira, who was a go-with-the-flow kind of person, couldn’t understand. Still, that didn’t give her the right to do something so (admittedly) childish, and she now owed Orange an apology. After returning the bucket to the children, she followed after Orange to beg for forgiveness. When she reached the restroom, she pushed the door open and stepped into the

Orange closed her book and gently set it aside before crossing her arms and glaring up at Mira. “I’m enjoying myself just fine right here! I don’t want to swim!” Mira considered Orange for a moment before turning her lips into a fake pout. “Please, Orange? Pretty please? I really want to swim, and I really want to spend time with you. Won’t you do this, for me?” “I’m afraid that plea only works once an outing, and you already used it to get me down here,” Orange said stiffly. “Just let me be!” “Hmph.” Mira turned and walked away, although she didn’t go too far. She circled around so she was standing a few feet behind where their towels were set. As soon as Orange started to relax and reach for her book again, Mira pounced, grasping Orange under her armpits and dragging her backwards with her towel. Orange shrieked and swatted at Mira’s hands. “Mira! What are you doing, let go of me!” “No! You’re coming swimming whether you like it or not! And you’re taking off that stupid rain coat, too!” With a last determined pull, Mira yanked Orange fully off her towel. However, Orange dug her heels into the sand and started to squirm. The slippery material of the raincoat made it difficult for Mira to keep her hold, and after a moment Orange worked her way free. She scooted back onto her towel and glared at Mira, who had crossed her arms and was staring sulkily out at the horizon. “Really, Mira, you’re acting like a child! Perhaps you should see if you can play with those kids over there; they might be more fitting companions!” Mira opened her mouth to give a bitter retort, but then paused, a strange

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Written by: Megaera | Full body Illustrations + Background by: ArtisticArmoury | Story Illustration by: Donsveertje

Ready for the Monsoon

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Written by: Megaera | Full body Illustrations + Background by: ArtisticArmoury | Story Illustration by: Donsveertje

Ready for the Monsoon

room, glancing around. When she saw no sign of Orange, Mira frowned. “Orange? You in here? I came to apologize…” Her words were met with what sounded like sobs coming from the furthest shower stall. Mira rushed over to it and pushed the curtain aside, gasping when she saw Orange huddled against the back wall, her shoulders quaking. “Orange! What’s wrong, did you get hurt?” She reached an arm out and placed it on Orange’s shoulder. “Is this my fault? “I am so, so sor―” The moment she made contact, Orange flipped the shower switch and turned on the water, hitting Mira directly in the face with a sudden icy blast. After letting it run for about thirty seconds Orange switched it off and turned around to take in her dripping friend, her fake sobs morphing into a bout of hysterical laughter that went on for a bit. “Now that was entirely necessary!” she said, grinning once she’d calmed down. “It’s not much fun to be unexpectedly doused in cold water, now is it?” Mira stared at her for a moment before a wide, mischievous grin of her own spread across her face. “Why no, I can’t say that it is. I should really apologize. Why don’t I… hug and make it up to you!” She sprung forward and wrapped her arms around Orange, who shrieked and tried to get away, still laughing. “Mira, stop that! Now I’m all wet―again!” “That’s the point, Fruit Girl,” Mira said. She squeezed Orange tighter for a second before releasing her and stepping back. “I really am sorry, though,” she added, wrapping some of her hair around her fist and wringing it out. “I should have just left you alone.” Orange shrugged. “Well, I could have been more agreeable. It’s a lovely day out, I should let myself enjoy it.” Mira paused her attempts to fix her hair. “Enjoy…the water? You’ll go swimming

BRIM Using long tail method, CO 64 (72, 80) sts. Place marker to join, being careful not to twist. Row 1: [K 2, P 2] around. Repeat Row 1 [9] more times. You should have a total of 10 rows of ribbing.HAT BODY Row 1: K all sts. Repeat Row 1 until hat measures 7” (8”, 9”) from CO edge. SHAPE CROWN (switch to DPNs when necessary) Row 1: (K6, K2tog) repeat to markerRow 2: K all sts Row 3: (K5, K2tog) repeat to markerRow 4: K all sts Row 5: (K4, K2tog) repeat to markerRow 6: K all sts Row 7: (K3, K2tog) repeat to markerRow 8: K all sts Row 9: (K2, k2tog) repeat to markerRow 10: K all sts Row 11: (K1, K2tog) repeat to markerRow 12: K all sts Row 13: (K2tog) repeat to markerFINISHING Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Use darning needle to thread yarn through remaining sts. Pull yarn tight and secure. Weave in all ends.

MATERIALS NEEDED + One skein worsted weight yarn (100% acrylic works best) + US 8 / 5 mm 16" circular needle + Size US 8 / 5 mm double-pointed needles + Darning needle for weaving in ends SIZESsmall (medium, large) = 16” (18”, 20”) circumference ABBREVIATIONSCO = Cast OnK = KnitK2TOG = K two stitches togetherP = PurlSTS = stitchesDPNs= double-pointed needles

When I first thought about what kind of physical crafting project I wanted to make for POPNikki’s first issue, I really wanted pick something that was a good project for a beginner to intermediate knitter. I’ve always liked the Red Headband as an accessory and I thought it was just perfect for the last bits of summer, with nights that cool way down, plus it’s handy to have heading into fall! And, of course, never be constrained by the yarn colors. I made mine in purple just because I wanted to!

Pattern + Guide by: Lilly | Beanie Illustration by: Kira

KNIT YOUR OWNRED HEADBAND

with me?” Orange smiled. “We’re both already soaking, I suppose we might as well.” “You don’t have to just for me,” Mira said quickly. “I understand if you want to go back to your book. And even if you want to keep wearing the rain coat, I swear I don’t mind―” Orange interrupted her with a shake of her head. “No, really. I think I want to.” Mira smiled. “Well then. If you want to.” The pair left the bathroom and reemerged into the bright sunshine. They made their way down to the water, although they stopped by their towels so that Orange could carefully fold up her rain jacket and leave it by her book. The water was the perfect temperature for swimming, and the two of them floated leisurely for a while before Mira accidentally splashed Orange. Her friend retaliated, and their water battle erupted again, turning into an all-out war. After they’d been thoroughly exhausted, they returned to the beach and laid out to dry. “Do you still wish we were having our regularly scheduled monsoon season?” Mira asked, smirking. Orange grinned. “Oh, but we did! And what did I tell you—we both got caught in it!”

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Written by: Megaera | Full body Illustrations + Background by: ArtisticArmoury | Story Illustration by: Donsveertje

Ready for the Monsoon

Si habla español

Now obviously there are a lot of chance elements here so unfortunately I can't guarantee you're gonna be the next Overlord of The Arena. Still, this should get you those achievements and those shiny Starlight Coins. Plus, it can be a fun way to challenge yourself and impress your friends. Now, go forth and conquer! Good luck, Stylists!

Ah the Stylist's Arena. A source of endless frustration and yet one of the most important places in the game. At least, it's pretty important if you actually want to progress as a player and expand your collection, since its Exchange Store is the place holding all the recipes and dyes hostage. Most of you are probably familiar with the format. Search for an opponent, have a styling battle, and win the currency of The Arena, Starlight Coins. You’ll get less Starlight Coins for losing than you will for winning, so you obviously want to win. Five coins for a win versus three for a loss adds up over time, especially for more expensive recipes. Plus, every win gets your Arena Rank closer to the coveted 5-Star Queen of Stylist Rank, earning you the most prize coins at the end of the week (with the exception of the prizes for ranking in the Top 20 of all players, of course). If you are aiming for that Achievement, then you'll definitely want to keep up a winning streak. Certain Arena streaks can also get you prizes of gold, diamonds, and even exclusive clothing. That brings us to our exciting topic today: how do you keep up a winning streak in The Arena? Momo's predicted scores can be outright lies, the themes are weird, and you can't manually use your skills, so how are you supposed to keep up those victories? Well don't worry, because I'm here to help you. Once you understand these surprisingly simple tricks, it's super easy to keep up a huge winning streak. I got my own streak to hit 1473 using these strategies before my own complacency lost me my match. So let's dive in!

Written By: Ms. Loki

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4 Tips to Keep Your Winning Streak

Si habla español

NOTE: The example Starry Corridor looks were contributed by the writer, Roulette, from her personal gallery + experiences

Good luck, Stylists! It might take a few tries, but with practice you’ll be able to make it to the Hot List. In the meantime, you can share your creations with me on Tumblr or on Instagram @poproulette. And remember, don’t “steal” other people’s Nikkis, or you won’t get any grilled fish.

Even though Love Nikki has several game modes, we are often slowed down by the mandatory requirements of stages and chapters, or even by Competitions where our creativity is limited when only certain items reach the top 1%. Fortunately, we have Starry Corridor, the only place in the game that allows us to share our unique creations with other players.The Starry Corridor offers us even more freedom without big amounts of pressure because we do not compete there to win diamonds, or some other currency, every week. Sure, for some players that makes it less appealing, but don't forget the event we had at Easter and during the Mermaid Hell Event! On those special occasions we had the opportunity to receive rewards for appearing in the Hot List. So whether you just want to feel proud for getting thousands of views with your creativity or you want to prepare for the opportunity to earn rewards in a future Starry Corridor event, here I present to you 8 tips to increase your chances of reaching the Hot List.

Written By: Roulette

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SUMMER HEAT AND THE HOT LIST

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Q: First off, tell us a little about yourself! A: I am a graphic design college student, Canadian, I like anime, video games, and art. I do anime and realism, sometimes I merge those two styles together a bit. I’m 30 years old and have the attention span of a tiny energetic puppy. I bounce between different anime genres, so I can get in all the art styles and stories I can, as well as different game genres. Q: When did you start drawing? A: According to my dad, as long as I could hold a pencil. But the earliest I can remember is 7 years old. Q: Generally speaking, how long does it take you to finish a piece of artwork? A: I can finish a piece in a day if my ADD doesn't distract me...which it does easily/often...If not distracted I'd say, depending on style and detail, 2-9 hours. Q: Has playing Love Nikki influenced your motivation to draw or your style of art in any way? If so, how? A: Playing Love Nikki hasn’t influenced my motivation to draw, because a lot of the art is intimidating to even think about drawing. But it has helped with coming up with clothing ideas for characters I draw and fanart for other stuff I am working on. Q: When did you start playing Love Nikki? A: I have been playing for over a year now. I can’t remember when exactly I started, but I do know it was shortly after the nurse and doctor suits. Q: Do you have any favorite styles or characters within the game? A: I do like Henry, what was his new name now? Nidhogg? Idk. I’m still going to call him Henry. I like his character design. I also bounce between steampunk, to a Persephone/earth mother look, to punk and goth. Q: Is there anything you’d like to say to aspiring artists? A: Well, I can suggest this to aspiring artists. Always draw. Even if it’s little doodles on small scraps of paper. Also try to do a comic. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Comics are a good way to progress your style, because it can force you to do things you are not comfortable drawing. Angles are also good. Practice angles. Even if it looks not great at first, eventually you’ll get better.

Written by: Astie

Zemiki

Written by: Yasjupe | Illustrated by: Zemiki

Artist Spotlight

Memories

The audience gasped at the shrill voice. Nikki froze dead in her tracks, eyes comically wide, smile dropping instantly. She turned around to see a truly bizarre image in front of her. There, at the end of the aisle, was Momo, standing on his hind legs and wearing a cape for some reason. He was pointing at her feet, a smug, mocking look gracing his features. She slowly looked down at her own outfit. Her face grew hotter by the

It happened eight summers ago at her aunt’s wedding. The church was small but beautifully decorated. Pale fairy lights were woven through flowers to make them glow. Petals fluttered gracefully throughout the ceremony. The seats filled rapidly thanks to the many relatives attending, and soft, orchestral music was playing as they settled.

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Nikki stood near the back, the petals in her hand shaking. It was her first time being a flower girl, after all, so she really didn’t want to mess it up. Yoyo was by her side, trying to calm her down. “Nikki, breathe.” She moved her hand, as if conducting an orchestra. “In and out… in and out…” Nikki tried to concentrate on her big sister’s voice, taking deep breaths until she heard the music change. Her ears prickled at the soundz, and she nearly forgot to breathe. But Yoyo smiled and she took a final, shaky breath. She began to walk, leaving coral petals in her wake. The bride was only a few feet behind her, following her trail. She could vaguely hear the clicking of Dad’s camera. Nikki finally felt she could actually do this. She reminded herself to smile, but based on the expressions on the faces of her family, she knew she could make it. I can do this, she thought proudly. Then halfway down the aisle, disaster struck. “What on earth are you wearing Nikki?!”

Dusk is fast approaching in Wintermount. A soft breeze blows through the beach. The sky, painted in rose, blue and lilac, remains clear, save for a few clouds on the edge of the horizon. Gulls fly ahead, cawing and chirping without a care. Waves sweep in and out, crashing gently against the sand, masking the sound of Nikki’s footsteps. It’s strange being on her own. Usually she has Momo and Bobo accompanying her. Without the two of them bickering or Momo criticising her outfit every five seconds, the beach feels quieter. Lonelier even. She sits near the water, letting the sea wash over her feet. Now that she thinks about it, Nikki can’t recall the last time she’s ever truly been alone. Before she had come to Miraland she had Yoyo, her sister. Her dad was there too, before he’d left for his photography trip. And of course, there was Momo. Because when had that darned cat not been there with her? She still remembers the day Momo first spoke to her. He had been in their family for three years and had acted just like a regular house cat up until the grand reveal.

Written by: Yasjupe | Illustrated by: Zemiki

Memories

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Mom had finally come home after a long business trip, so with Dad, they all decided to go to the local beach. Nikki and Yoyo were excited as it was their first time going to one. Yoyo spent at least an hour trying to decide which swimsuit to wear and ended up wearing a purple one piece with matching flip-flops. Nikki wore an indigo one piece with a bow at the side, an orange sun hat and lime green crocs (because at six, she hadn’t developed a fashion sense or found Momo just yet). The beach was an hour’s drive so they stopped for ice-cream on the way. This was where Yoyo had the bright idea of eating grilled fish ice cream with squid sauce. That went great, if one considers contracting food poisoning the next day to be fun. Once they got to the beach, though, the two girls didn’t hesitate to start searching for materials they could use to build and decorate their sandcastles. Yoyo’s castle fell apart almost immediately because she didn’t wet the sand enough. When she saw Nikki’s perfectly intact masterpiece, she got annoyed and destroyed it when her sister wasn’t looking. Both of them burst into tears and Nikki ran to her parents. “Daddy! Yoyo ruined my castle!” “Did not!”

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Nikki laughs at the memory. In Momo’s defence, wearing crocs at a wedding was a bad idea. Unfortunately, Dad had that specific picture framed not long after, forever immortalized above their fireplace. She honestly doesn’t know where she’d be without Momo. Under his (usually) helpful guidance, her styling skills have flourished. He’s been with her basically all her life and stuck with her throughout all of her crazy adventures. A true ride or die, for better or for worse. Reminiscing on the past makes the beach feel less lonely, Nikki finds. It’s nice to think about times gone by as she watches the sun set. The sky takes on more of a reddish hue now. Makes the sun itself look more like an egg yolk. It’s nice to know that no matter what country (or dimension) you’re in, the sun

stays the same.The image takes her back to a simpler time. A time where she didn’t really think about what she wore. A time where her biggest concerns were creating the best sandcastle and getting ice-cream. A time where she could be with all of her family.

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second. She was wearing a pale pink dress with a magenta ribbon around the waist with matching gloves and socks. And crocs. Bright, neon pink crocs. “Trying to match your face I see,” Momo continued, as if he didn’t just ruin her aunt’s big day. “Here’s your first styling tip: never, ever, wear crocs at a wedding!” Suddenly there was a thud. Everyone looked behind the cat to see Yoyo on the ground, hand on her forehead. Her flower crown had fallen off. Silence. Tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Then... Click!

Written by: Yasjupe | Illustrated by: Zemiki

Memories

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minute they reached the cliffs, Momo fell flat on his face, crying out for grilled fish until it was time to leave. "It’s beautiful,” Yoyo had said, an expression of wonder on her face. Then her face softened. Her eyes gained a faraway look. “I wish Dad could see this.” Nikki remained silent. Hesitantly, she took her sister’s trembling hand. She felt it tighten around her own, much like her heart as she thought of sharing this sight with her family.

While this was going on, Mom was relaxing on a beach chair. Long, pink hair sprawled around her. She was holding a silver reflector, presumably to get a tan. She lowered her oversized sunglasses to watch her kids play and smiled. After swimming in the ocean and getting thoroughly soaked, they took a picture in front of the setting sun. All smiling, all happy, all peaceful. Soon after, Mom announced that she had to leave. “Gone to visit a friend far away,” Dad had said. “Should be back any day now.” That day never came.

It’s raining. The sky is darker and cloudier. The air is colder. The tide is coming farther and farther in. Nikki knows that she should be heading home soon; that whatever thinking she needs to do can be done on the way back to Bobo’s house. But she can’t bring herself to. The sand is damp and squishy beneath her feet. Her hair darkens. Starts sticking to her face. She can barely feel the hot rain rolling down her cheeks. She should’ve listened to Orange’s advice and brought rain-proof clothing, or at the very least an umbrella. Does it have to rain so much in Wintermount? This city almost makes Ireland look like a desert in heat. And that place was practically underwater it was so wet. It was a beautiful country, though. She, Yoyo and Momo went to visit the Cliffs of Moher last summer while looking for their father, and the view was spectacular. Tall, green cliffs surrounding a vast, blue ocean stretched as far as the eye could see. The sun melted into the horizon, leaving golden hues in its wake. It was truly worth the effort to get there in Nikki's opinion, but the

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“Did too!” The squabble escalated to a full on sand fight with Nikki chasing Yoyo all across the beach and into the ocean. It wasn’t until Dad suggested they bury him in the sand that they calmed down. “Mommy, look! Look!” Nikki cried, a bright, gummy smile on her face. “Dad’s stuck in the sand!” “Nikki!” Yoyo covered her mouth in an attempt to shush her, but ended up getting sand in her mouth. “Hey!”

Written by: Yasjupe | Illustrated by: Zemiki

Memories

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-fin-

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Good ol’ Momo, she thought. Straight to the point as always. “Just thinking,” she replies. Her smile turns sheepish. “Sorry for staying out so long.” Momo sighs and crosses his arms. “Well. Make sure to tell us before you pull another stunt like that, young lady.” Nikki chuckles at the comment. “Roger that.”

“Nikki! There you are!” Momo’s voice breaks her trance. Nikki’s suddenly aware of the harsh wind blowing against her face. She hears a roar of thunder in the distance. Her vision is blurry. Her throat is unusually tight. She blinks quickly. She places her hand against her chest and clenches the material of her dress, taking a few breaths to steady herself. She puts on her usual smile and turns around to see Momo running towards her. Bobo is close behind with an umbrella in one hand and a towel in another. “My goodness, Nikki,” Momo exclaims. “We were worried sick! What were you doing out here?”

Momo huffs before letting out a big yawn and climbing onto Bobo’s shoulder. He curls up and not even a few seconds later, he begins to snore. Bobo rolls her eyes at the cat before turning to Nikki. “Ah, thank you,” Nikki says, giving her a grateful smile as she tries to take the towel from her. Bobo grasps her hand and pushes it down. “Here. Let me.” Bobo stands on her toes and rubs the towel against Nikki’s hair to dry it. They stand in silence for the next few minutes. It feels nice, having Bobo dry her hair. She has such a gentle, caring way of doing it. She likes it. Suddenly she feels a hand caress her face through the towel. She looks at Bobo, confused. Her face feels warm all of a sudden. “Your face was wet,” she explains. Her blue eyes are filled with concern. Ah. “Just... the rain,” she says, a sheepish grin on her face. “Yeah.” Bobo looks like she doesn’t believe her but doesn’t press on the issue. She strokes Nikki’s cheek one last time before turning. “Let's go home,” she states. “Momo looks like he needs a bed.” She begins to walk away. Then she pauses and looks back. She smiles at Nikki and reaches out a hand. “You do, too.” Nikki nods and takes her hand. Together, the three of them begin to head back to Wheat Field. Her dad always told her that home was where memories are made. She wonders if, one day, she can call Miraland home too.

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Written by: Yasjupe | Illustrated by: Zemiki

Memories

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Ice-cream Background by: Donsveertje

Styling Challenge

Personality Quiz

Bonus Coloring Pages

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FanPOP!

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ROULETTE: Iri, hello! Thank you for agreeing to this interview. First, how about you tell us a little bit more about yourself?IRI: Hi, this is Iri! I am your fellow Nikki addict, I mean player on both the English (LN) and the Chinese server (CN). I like to chat about both current and future suits, events, and game features on my channel and hype about what’s happening and what could come to LN. Now you've made just a few videos, but it seems you started playing a long time ago. When did you find out about the game, and why did you start playing it? Yes, since the Chinese server is the oldest server and came out three years ago as opposed to just one like the English server, I started playing there when I was still getting my Master’s. The game clocks me at exactly at having played 1,122 days as of today, on and off. I started playing it because I was pretty busy with projects and interviews, and dressing up in a game just sounded relaxing. I thought I’d be too old for it, yet ended up having so much fun that I didn’t care. I did take breaks in the middle, but overall it has been a fantastic ride.

In only four months and with already 30 videos at the time of this interview, Iri has been gaining popularity at a considerable pace. Her wardrobe is almost at 100% in Love Nikki and in the ‘Miracle Nikki’ Chinese server, they accredit her as a true veteran in the game. This makes her videos a great help to our server’s players as she knows how to prepare for a new event or update based on what she’s learned from the CN server. Her channel is also attractive because of her helpful and friendly personality which makes her content pleasant and interesting to watch. She has been with us for a short time, so in this interview we will get to know more about her and what she has to share.

Written By: Roulette

An Interview with Iri

Do you follow any strategies for events, and/or have tips on how to save diamonds?Before I started making money and made myself v15, I followed all diamond saving strategies possible for all content, especially the very helpful one where we only get parts from an event that cost more diamonds to craft upon their return. Nowadays, I have some leeway but am still careful with diamonds since I have a tracker of all future events and they’re hovering at about at least 150k diamonds. As many players already know, in addition to the usual daily diamond saving routines, the key to saving diamonds is to plan for everything that could come our way and set a goal for what we want now vs. later. Also, continuously judge in Competition and the Starry Corridor because the diamonds we get from those boxes are true, free diamonds. I try to keep my competition boxes always above 9,999 on both servers. Are there any major differences between the Chinese fans and the people from our server? Or do you think we share the same feelings towards the content? Great question and there are differences for sure, simply because the players are, in general, are from different parts of the world. The Chinese fans tend to bargain about the prices of the suits more. For example, when the Sweet Spell recharge suit came out on CN for about $20 (it was 128 yuan), there were much more intense criticisms for its price tag.I especially remember how one player posted a picture of an actual, beautiful cake with the captions, “Real cake I bought with that money.” My guess is that the development team there understands this tendency well, which is why CN does recharge suits much less frequently than LN.

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You understand and play on the Chinese server but not only that, like so many other people you're also very committed to our server, Love Nikki. I think that speaks favorably about the game. Tell me what would you say is your favorite thing about the game? Thank you for noticing and yes, the game itself is well-designed— every aspect of it relates to something else, and it all ties to the ultimate goal of letting you create the outfit you dream of. To be more specific, however, I think the best thing about the game is actually the community. Because if we think about it, we are limited by our stamina / gold / diamonds / our own energy, so there is only a certain number of actions we can do in the game each day, and all together they still take a relatively short amount of time compared to, say, an MMORPG where you can get a party of 5 and spam a dungeon three billion times (…I totally didn’t do that at any point in time by the way). So the community comes in when we hit that dry spot, when we can do absolutely nothing else in the game that day. Whether it’s Discord, Reddit, Facebook, or the CN forums, meshing with other players who enjoy the game makes the game itself more enjoyable by reminding us things that piqued our interests in the first place and more exciting things that may come tomorrow. If we really want to point out a game feature that I like though, it would be Dreamweaver— a feature that may drop, hopefully soon? Maybe even right after this interview is published? One can dream. It is my favorite because it combines many of the game’s outstanding points seamlessly. You get the deep dives on characters you didn’t know you’d grow to love, crafting challenges... the items you eventually make are glorious and add to your scores!

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Written By: Roulette

An Interview with Iri

If we’re just talking about a dress though, Grice recolor shall forever be my favorite. It’s been 2.5 years since it first debuted on CN, and I’m still not tired of looking at it. Is there any specific suit you wish for the game? Like a character from a movie or anime you love. I would be so happy if we ever get a Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia) or Houseki no Kuni (Land of the Lustrous) collaboration. The costume designs for both are not the most ideal for Nikki’s type of outfits though. In general, more suits with well made parts, such as special poses that are localized to one part of Nikki’s body (e.g. just legs) would be fantastic and add much more styling diversity. You created a YouTube channel not so long ago. What or who motivated you to do it? Are you happy with how things are going with it? It’s a funny story because as an introvert, I never thought I’d create a YouTube channel. What happened was that earlier this year, while I was on a plane for a business trip, the 8th hell event for the Chinese server started. I knew I was going to be stuck in meetings so I racked my brain on the plane about how I can possibly do my job and still get to play. Along the way I thought that I need to memorialize this endeavor and so I ended up recording that event on my cell phone in my hotel room after working for 15 hours. That small piece became the first ever content and eventually grew into the channel thanks to everyone’s kindness and encouragements.

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That being said, the fans from both servers definitely share their love for dressing up and creating beautiful art in general. In LN who's your fave and least fave character(s) and why? My favorite character is someone who hasn’t appeared in the main story on LN yet as of today. His name is Louis / Louie and we should be meeting him in Chapter 15! My least favorite character…honestly there is none (cliché, I know), but that is because the writing grows tremendously later in the game, and we discover surprising sides to even the minor characters, making almost everyone multi-faceted and fascinating. So rather than having a least favorite character, it’s more that there are characters who might not be as memorable as others yet, though I bet the writers will continue to throw us “aha!” moments that give them the proper spotlight too. And what's your favorite suit? My favorite suit would be the second newest lifetime suit on CN, “White Sakura Love Song.” It has everything – versatile, spammable parts, high scoring parts, and a background that is essentially two backgrounds in one, complete with CG effects. The honorable mention would be the newest suits on CN, “Minstrel of Time / Psalm of White Night,” specifically the recolor. This lifetime suit is not only gorgeous in detail, but the way it introduced a new category of accessories, namely, accessories that look like another person, opened up much styling potentials for the game. And this bobble head suit is #ForeverBae.

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Written By: Roulette

An Interview with Iri

Are there any big plans you have for your channel (ike doing giveaways etc) or do you just want to keep it casual and take it easy at least for now? I have typically stayed away from giveaways up until now because I wanted the channel to help people through its contents rather than temporary attractions. There are definitely milestones worth celebrating though so I have been meaning to do one, and just want to find a good, meaningful occasion :). What videos have you prepared for the near future? Let's start some hype! Thank you! I am working diligently on a Dreamweaver guide. It is so far the guide I have spent the longest amount of time making ever, so please look forward to it! There are also more future suits videos that I want to share in between now and Dreamweaver’s arrival on our server and after. Do you play other dress up games? What other games do you play? I don’t play any other dress up game mostly due to having a limited amount of time. I used to be a healer in MMOs and dabbled in a card game called Shadowverse. I still play the latter casually with my fiancé today, and we take turns acting out the voiceover lines of the cards.Some final words you want to share with us? Something you want to say to all the newbies out there or just some words of encouragement for the people that are crafting Grice right now! A personal recommendation would be to not exchange association coins for dyes. Blasphemous, yes. But we’ll need so many of it in the future, 9k for the newest association shop suit and recolors alone on CN. Our star

And there you have it, Stylists. Hope you enjoyed getting to know the lovely Iri and that this interview added a whole new layer to your game experience at LN, because as you can see, we all still have big updates/features to look forward to! Finally, a huge thank you to Iri for her time; don’t forget to check her out at her YouTube channel!

coins, on the other hand, will sit at a comfortable 10k with nothing for us to spend them on.Also, don’t feel like you have to finish the Pavilion of Mystery in one day either. There are only three known individuals who have all items and all recolors of all items on CN even after three years. It took them 240k pulls, 170k pulls, and 220k pulls to accomplish that, respectively, so it’s meant to be a marathon. And last but not least, one day we’ll look back at Grice and not want to scream at the time it took to craft it. Our wardrobe % can only go up with the time too so please don’t fret if it looks like you’re stuck, because it can only get better from here on now! :)

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Written By: Roulette

An Interview with Iri

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Written by: Sophie Illustrated by: Fishbone + Inky

Don't Linger

Nearly home... Emmy sighed, brushing her bangs off her forehead. The trip out of town had been nice, but only for the short time her boyfriend, Vane, had been there for company. He had been called home by a family emergency, and so the trip had been cut short for him. He had told her not to let this separation spoil the trip since she liked Moonlit City, but as much as she enjoyed strolling through the bustling streets… She felt lonely, and so she started to return home a few days after Vane’s departure. Besides, with the Harvest Festival coming up, it was better she returned soon. All part of being the clan leader's daughter, right?

Feeling she needed to rest her legs a little while on her way into town, she chose to stop near an old monument of the Ancient Pavilion Designer—or at least, the statue depicted what people thought the reclusive designer looked like. Her father had once taken her to this monument as a child, telling her he used it as a place for thinking over important decisions. He had told her that not everything would be easy, taking her hand and pointing at the old master's bowed head, as if to show her the spirit of the designer agreed. “Just don’t linger too long, Emmy. This place has a magic of its own, and it can entrap you if you let your thoughts wander too far. I don’t want to lose my daughter to this place.” Yet she found herself drawn to the peacefulness of the area surrounding the old statue. It felt like it would be wrong if she didn't stop by, even briefly. That was why she took the time to pause for a minute, staring up at the weathered stone of her famous friend. She couldn't help but wonder if Vane was doing okay and what the nature of his family emergency was. Had something happened to a family member? Please be okay, Vane. I pray that your family's okay, too. She started to go down memory lane, wanting to remember happier times, remembering her first meeting with a younger Vane—a quiet, shy child in comparison to her rambunctious nature all those years ago. Oh, she must have scared him the first time they were introduced... How they'd changed since then. Vane was more confident but still quiet, while she had mellowed out a bit. Who knew how life would turn out for them in future? Her younger self probably wouldn’t believe she would actually be dating the quiet rich boy she'd doted on for years by this point! And that was when the wind, only a fine breeze before, started to pick up. Emmy felt not just a physical chill, but an emotional chill settle deep in her heart even as it pricked her skin and sent shivers down her spine. She missed her beloved, that was oh so true...

Written by: Sophie | Illustrated by: Fishbone + Inky

Don't Linger

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Her thoughts were distracted by a sudden voice, floating on the wind towards her. Emmy... Clutching the sleeve of her dress with one hand, Emmy wanted to turn around. She recognised the calm tone of Vane's voice, and yet...how was he here? As far as she knew, his family weren’t the type to let a high-ranking heir go so easily. Eyes widened, heart racing, she could feel someone approach her. "Emmy?” His voice was strong. “It's me, Vane. I'm sorry to have left you alone. Are you okay?" Emmy turned around to face her boyfriend; or at least what she thought was him. He had sounded so near, yet his figure seemed so far away from her. She rushed over, wanting to touch him, to make sure tragedy hadn't befallen his family. "I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed, stretching her arms out, ready to hug him...and meeting thin air. "Vane...?" her voice wavered. Collapsing in the sea of flowers, she wanted to reach out again. Yet… With one last glance at the old designer’s statue, Emmy could have sworn his head seemed to lower. I can’t chase after the easy path, can I, Father?

Written by: Sophie | Illustrated by: Fishbone + Inky

Don't Linger

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Written By: Lilly | Illustrations by: Val | Constellations by: Kira

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Wardrobescopes

Editor-in-Chief: Librarian POPNikki Team ArtisticArmoury . Astie . Brittany . Clarko . Clow . Dayan . Donsveertje . Haley . Inky . Iri . Joltik . Kira . Legs . Lilly . LIttle Avalonia . Meg . Ms. Loki . Openly Witchy . Red . Rev . Roulette . Royce . Sea . Sophie . Val . YasJupe . Yoko . Zemiki Sources Translations from @poproulettee and @cosmos-tide Miraland Info from @nikkiandmomo Special thanks to Sweet Cupcake from "Nikki's Info" for allowing permissions to use item icon art on POPNikki Site this season

CONTRIBUTORS + SOURCES

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Front cover contributed by: Donsveertje (concept, sketch, + typography) Val (line art + layers) Joltik (coloring + touch-up) Back cover contributed by: Fishbone

Please do not distribute the images or articles without permission from the authors and artists. Love Nikki content and materials are trademarks and copyrights of their respective publisher and its licensors.All rights reserved. POPNikki is not affiliated with Elex Technology or SuZhou Nikki Co., Ltd.© 2018 | POPNIKKI