SN: Chapter 1 The Journey Begins

The Journey Begins is the first chapter of Shining Nikki and is used as a tutorial for new players. It is the only chapter without side stages.

Plot
Nikki and Momo arrive in Miraland in the year 0, having traveled back in time 680 years to prevent the future destruction of Miraland. They land in Huaying Town, where Nikki starts to learn about styling power and the designer's shadow as her memories of the past begin to resurface...

1-1
The player meets Nikki in the middle of a sea of stars that is the realm of Nikki's mind. Nikki explains that she has summoned the player's consciousness to Miraland to help her prevent the eventual annihilation of Miraland in the year 680. After she asks the player to join her on her journey, a surging tide of water engulfs everything in sight.
 * Story Stage

1-2: Traveling Through Time and Space?!
Nikki wakes up in a hospital room. Momo is shocked when he finds that Nikki has forgotten why they had decided to travel 680 years into the past and why she even wants to change the future of Miraland. Nikki introduces Momo to the player as a talking "cat", although Momo can't see the player. A doctor arrives and asks Nikki to take a photo for their records before they discharge her. He also hands Nikki a suit that she had arrived with, Scatter the Stars.
 * Attribute: Sweet
 * Style Theme: photo for hospital records

Once outside the hospital, Nikki finds that she is in Huaying Town. Inside the hospital, the doctor gives Nikki's records to a mysterious Loen. Loen tells the doctor that he is changing the future of the world.

1-3
Nikki and Momo enter a nearby clothes store to learn more about current news in Miraland. The shop owner Haizhe is astounded when he learns that although Nikki is a stylist, she doesn't even know what styling power is. He mentions that several powerful stylists have come to Huaying Town recently and speculates that Nikki may be able to harness the power of the designer's shadow in the future. Astounded once again when she has no clue what that is, Haizhe asks if she's at least heard of the legendary designer Lierlide. Before Nikki can reply, an angry youth walks into the store, demanding to challenge Nikki after overhearing Haizhe's speculations.
 * Story Stage

1-4: Memories of the Dreamland
With the player's encouragement, Nikki accepts the angry young man's challenge to battle over his preferred street style.
 * Attribute: Pure
 * Opponent: Angry Youth
 * Style Theme: street style

After Nikki wins, the young man apologizes and runs away, leaving Haizhe to wonder if Nikki really is capable of harnessing the power of the designer's shadow. Nikki recalls a dream she had when she was six years old. In the dream, a mysterious figure stands upon a stargazing tower, in the midst of a sea of stars, observing the destined destruction of all worlds. He claims that he is establishing Nikki's fate. Before Nikki can reflect on the dream, a group of people bursts into the store, surrounding Nikki. Their leader, a sexily-dressed woman, recognizes Nikki as the pink-haired stylist with the power of the designer's shadow.

1-5: Designer's Shadow
The sexy woman challenges Nikki to a styling battle at gunpoint. As she enters the battle, she finds herself in a sea of stars. The mysterious voice of Lierlide explains that she is in her mind realm, the true battleground of a styling battle. Nikki faintly recognizes him as her teacher, but Lierlide says that he is merely a projection of a memory. He reminds her that the power of memories can sway the battle.
 * Attribute: Sweet
 * Opponent: Sexy Woman
 * Style Theme: vast sea of stars

After the battle, the starry sea dissipates, but memories begin to surface. A little girl comments on how spectacular Miraland's annihilation is, while Nikki looks upon the destruction of the world once full of friends and memories. She sees Lierlide in the distance as he proclaims the death of Miraland.

1-6
Nikki falls to the ground, sobbing as the memories of Miraland's annihilation come flooding back to her. Seeking Momo's comfort, she suddenly finds that Momo is nowhere to be seen. Haizhe informs her that Momo was kidnapped during her styling battle and hands her a note directing her to meet at a bar.
 * Story Stage

At the bar, a blond young man appears, abruptly challenging her to a styling battle. Despairing at how easily he takes control of her mind, Nikki wishes for the power she needs to save Miraland. She then finds herself in the sea of stars again as Lierlide gifts her his power. Lierlide explains that he is a designer's shadow - a projection of memory. Nikki asks why he chose her, but Lierlide replies that he is merely an observer of fate. When Nikki challenges this claim, as she had seen him at Miraland's destruction, Lierlide invites her to enter into his memories to find the true answers she seeks.

1-7: The Fated Destruction
Loen places Nikki, still deep within a dream, in a hotel room. He reassures Momo that Nikki will wake up and warns that they have been followed, before he leaves to report Momo's kidnappers to the police. In the dream world, Nikki watches as Lierlide illustrates his power over the boundaries of the world. He has foreseen the eventual destruction of all civilization, so he creates an Ark that will bear the memories of all civilization. Lierlide dismisses Nikki as insignificant and too foolish to understand this fated destruction, but Nikki challenges his statements.
 * Attribute: Sexy
 * Suggested Styling Power: 719
 * Opponent: Lierlide
 * Style Theme: inner truth

1-8: Scatter the Stars
Nikki declares to Lierlide that although she may be small and foolish, she refuses to accept the destruction of Miraland and will fight against that future. Lierlide admits that she is an unknown variable, and even he cannot tell whether she will be able to make a difference. He gives her his suit Scatter the Stars, which Nikki uses to exit her mind realm.
 * Attribute: Sweet
 * Suggested Styling Power: 2096
 * Opponent: Lierlide
 * Style Theme: scatter the stars

1-9
Nikki has left the mind realm, but Lierlide and the player remain. Lierlide tells the player that while he chose Nikki to change Miraland's fate, Nikki chose the player to change her own fate. He then disappears, instructing the player to pass through a mirror. Once through, the player finds themselves in the Ark with Nikki, who has returned to find out more about Lierlide and the designer's shadow. Nikki explains that the Ark controls the sea of memories and is the force that allowed her to travel back in time and summon the player. Before she can continue, a familiar little girl's voice interrupts her.
 * Story Stage

1-10: Heart Gate
The little girl hugs Momo, teasing him for being fat. As they argue, Nikki introduces the girl Little Hai and her brother Zhou as the caretakers of the Ark. Zhou tells Nikki that she does indeed have the power to harness designer's shadows and provides her with a song that is a clue to Lierlide. Little Hai and Zhou escort Nikki to the heart gate, through which they can return to Miraland. Before Nikki uses styling power to pass through, she reassures the player that together they will be able to change the future.
 * Attribute: Elegant
 * Suggested Styling Power: 1531
 * Style Theme: pass through the heart gate