Sanrio Dream Linkage Episode 1: The Red Ribboned Kitty
For all the pets out there in this world- Who are the embodiment of cuteness.
Table of contents:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Epilogue
Prologue: A Sweet New World
Ever since the beginning of the very first civilizations, humanity has been blessed with a most otherworldly power called a Linkage. What’s a Linkage, you may ask? Well, it’s certainly not something you’d find in genetics textbooks- more specifically, the way in which two separate genes which are located close to each other on a chromosome are often inherited together! Instead, it’s the power to connect with individuals from other realms and share their powers via a powerful connection with them.
The tools needed for this undertaking are a Dream Crystal or any other Collectible Item, which serves as the evidence of the Partner Character’s connection, and the Dream Smartphone or any other item that allows one to transform, the very key to the Multiverse itself.
In a strawberry themed palace overlooking a beautiful valley, The Strawberry King had gathered Sanrio’s most familiar faces for an emergency meeting- dark forces were threatening the sugar bowls that were the Sanrio Characters’ homes, and something had to be done. “Good morning, everyone. I’m sure you’re aware of the situation we’re all here to talk about today.”, Strawberry King replied.
“Of course we are. Something has to be done.”, replied Kuromi as she sat down in her chair, sketching out a beautiful picture. “Yes. And according to legend, the only ones who can help us now are the ones known as Linkers.”, said Strawberry King as he started a slideshow.
“Linkers? What the heck do you mean?!” Bad-Badtz Maru said as he chugged down his chocolate milk. “Linkers are people who possess an incorruptable heart and have the capacity for great things. You’ll find them on a realm known as Earth- which doesn’t have physical magic in our realms, but Earth has a different kind of magic- the magic that comes from having a loving heart and showing compassion to others.”, explained Strawberry King.
“I’ll go first! And Mimmy, too! After all, to be honest- I think I might be the first one to go, since I may or may not be that popular in that world.” Hello Kitty said as her sister Mimmy got up to follow her. The other Sanrio characters looked on in amazement at this act of true courage.
“Then it’s settled. Good luck, Kitty and Mimmy!”, Strawberry King said as he gave the sisters two objects- a Dream Crystal and a Dream Smartphone for each, then opening up the portal to another realm- that of our own. As the girls crossed over into this unfamiliar world, the journey had just begun.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Sparkleville
Elsewhere, in the Real World, a pair of lively sisters were racing each other down the streets of their home city of Sparkleville- their names were Hanami Tanaka and Kanami Tanaka. Hanami was energetic, spunky, and loved a good adventure every now and then; while Kanami was more patient, a little bit demure, and somewhat mischievous.
Despite the sisters’ personalities being night and day, they shared absolutely everything with each other and all they knew- especially their love of cute things! “Oh, I can’t wait to see what’s gonna be in store for us today!”, Hanami chirped as she did a cartwheel, causing a few youngsters to look on in admiration. “Maybe we might go to the mall later today and stuff like that.”, Kanami replied modestly.
As the girls approached one of their favorite places in town, aka Berry Bliss Bakery, they took their time to take in the smell of freshly baked cakes and cookies. But being new students in the same class at Radiant Heart Middle School with a lot of responsibility, they decided that they’d come back later or in case when the time was right.
As they made their way towards their house, the girls passed by another favorite stop of theirs- An elegant Lolita and kawaii dress store called Ribbons and Ruffles, with the logo of the store being a soft pink and the letters in cursive. As they peeked through the door, they could see the dressmaker, Donna Leveret, making a dress with her twin daughters Tia and Pia.
Finally, they came to the beautiful little house they resided in- an elegant two story abode that was a mix of modern and cottagecore, alongside a beautiful backyard garden that stretched all the way to the front. “I think Okasan’s making apple pie.”, Hanami said excitedly. “Yes! I can’t wait to have some!”, Kanami cheered as she and her sister made their way into their home and opened the door excitedly.
“Mom! We’re home!”, replied Hanami as she and Kanami entered the house. The girls’ kitty, Sakura, bounded over as if to say hello; with her purr being like the sweetest sound you could ever hear. “Hey, girls! Did you enjoy a great first day of school?” Risa Tanaka, the mother of the girls, said as she hugged her daughters.
“You bet we did, mom. Everyone we know is in our class!”, replied Hanami as she and Kanami began to help put the clean dishes away into the cabinets. “Oh, you girls are absolute sweethearts. By the way, there’s some fresh apple pie being made in the oven for you two. Maybe you can deliver some slices to grandma and grandpa!”, Risa said as she wrote down a note that read: HARVEST BACKYARD ORCHARD LATER.
Chapter 2: Apple Pie Surprise
As the girls snuck upstairs to their bedroom, it was a paradise any girl could dream of. There were plush toys of all kinds, the bunk beds were decked out in pastel and girly colors, and various styles of outfits- from childish Lolita and Decora Kei to energetic hardcore punk, lined the girls’ closet. But if there was anything the girls loved more than anything, it was Sanrio. The cuteness of the brand radiated Kawaii; and it was apparent they were obsessed with it.
“You know, Hanami, I think that we could maybe hang out with our friends this afternoon after helping mom with the chores and such.”, Kanami said as she colored in a coloring book. Hanami was nearby sketching out her idea for a lolita dress. Both girls were just having fun, when downstairs, the kitchen timer rang out.
“Girls! The apple pie is done! Just make sure to let it cool before you can take a bite!”, replied Goro Tanaka, the father of the sisters as he got off a work call. “Oh, the pie is ready!”, replied Hanami as she leapt to her feet and ran downstairs. “Can’t wait to share it with our buddies!”, Kanami replied as she too hurried downstairs, with her leaping from the bottom bunk of the bed she and her sister shared.
When the girls reached the kitchen, they saw something amazing: A freshly baked apple pie cooling on the kitchen counter. Risa had already melted some soft caramels and was brushing the sauce all over the top of the pie, making it even sweeter than before. “There we go, girls! Now all I have to do is cut slices for grandma and grandpa.”, she said as she took a sharp knife and cleaved through the treat, making perfect slices.
The girls were amazed. “That looks so good!”, said Hanami as she gazed longingly at the fruit filled delicacy. “Can we have slices to take to our friends, too?”, Kanami replied, her mouth and eyes watering at the sight. “Of course, you two- there’s more than enough for everyone.”, Goro replied as he took a slice of pie as well.
Chapter 3: Twinning It
The sisters smiled as they began to get ready for their afternoon outing. Hanami was wearing a cherry red t shirt with seafoam green shorts, as well as stylish sneakers that were blinged out by herself. Kanami donned a similar ensemble; but she was wearing a yellow t shirt with soft magenta shorts. “You girls look amazing.”, Risa replied as she gave the girls some boxes filled with pie pieces; and in a few moments were off.
The first spot they stopped by was the house of their own grandparents- Mizuha and Ichiro Tanaka, who had an elegant garden behind and outside their house. When the girls knocked on the door, Mizuha opened it, only to find her granddaughters with slices of pie for her and Ichiro. “Oh, you girls are the sweetest!”, she said with a smile on her face. “Say, weren’t you going to go hang out with your friends? Because we want you youngsters to take it all in. After all, friends and memories are as precious as gold and jewels!”, Ichiro said.
After the girls waved goodbye to their grandparents, they made their way to their favorite gathering- Pink Prism Plaza, a hangout spot for anyone in Sparkleville; complete with a fountain that spouted crystal clear water and beautiful pink cherry trees, with their petals dancing in the wind every spring. Sitting on the edge of the fountain waiting for the girls were sisters Tia and Pia Leveret, space loving twins Luke and Luna Andromedus, animal lover Rana DeSun, local cafe owners’ kid Tony Morison, fitness junkie Quinn Ferraro; dog kid Dexter Williams, and a few others.
“Hey, Hana and Kana!”, Tia replied as she ran over, with her favorite pink bunny dress bouncing around her figure. Her sister Pia also approached them, her gothic Lolita inspired dress contrasting with the pink of her sister’s. “Are you ready to hit the mall?”, she asked with a wink and a smile. The other kids gave thumbs up, and soon they had made their way to Luster Center, the city’s biggest shopping mall.
After arriving at Luster Center, the kids were amazed. For being Middle Schoolers in the same class, a shopping mall such as Luster Center was paradise to them. There were stores as far as the eye can see- some of them selling clothes like trendy shoes and fancy dresses, while others specialized in stuffed toys and collectible items for those looking for a surprise. There were even shops that had makeup as their star attraction.
“Where do you think we should go first?”, Hanami asked as she gazed around. To her and Kanami, Luster Center was, without a doubt, one of the best places they knew. From the food court that spanned the globe in terms of culinary treats to the fountains that lit up in a rainbow of colors at night, they knew their way around. “How about we explore at our own pace?”, Tony replied as he sipped from his water bottle.
Chapter 4: Encounter at The Mall
“I like that idea, Tony.”, Rana said as she tied back her long black hair, with the green of her casual outfit complementing her gorgeous dark skin. Everyone else seemed to agree with the idea, with them going in pairs to explore the mall, and meeting back up at the central fountain, which had motifs of graceful water nymphs.
Tia and Pia went straight for an accessories shop called Inner Bling Bling, which specialized in jewelry and accessories of all kinds, from dazzling earrings to sparkling necklaces and even tiaras fit for a princess. “Oh, this gold tiara with pink diamond bows suits me so well!”, Tia cheered, looking at herself in the mirror. “I am so liking this silver belt chain with the obsidian crosses and the amethyst diamonds. It could pair well with a dress, ya know!”, Pia replied as she twirled around like a ballerina.
With Luke and Luna, they were busy looking at gorgeous stationery at Notable Station, a go to stop for stationery and craft supplies of all kinds, from girly and dreamy pom poms to boyish and rocking paper cutouts. “Man, we could probably use some of these for our room!”, said Luna as she analyzed some DIY project books. “I’m going with the chains of fairy lights!”, said Luke as he placed a box of the strands in a basket.
Meanwhile, Rana and Tony were at a sweets store, that being Sugarplum Confectionery; with candies as far as the eye could see. There were gummy bears, chocolates, lollipops, and who knows how many other sweets in massive yet intricate containers, and a cotton candy machine spun fluffy clouds of fairy floss nearby. “I think I’ll gladly take a gummy bear mix.”, Rana said as she scooped the gummy bears into a sealable treat bag. “Oh, and these cinnamon bun chocolate truffles!”, Tony replied as he scooped up the tiny truffles, with the two of them making treat bags for the rest of the gang.
Quinn and Dexter were at Fur, Feathers, and Scales- a pet store + animal shelter in which animals of all kinds waited for the right owners to take them home. “Man, I’m so happy all of these pups are going to new homes.”, replied Quinn as he saw a friendly Pomeranian run up to him, barking repeatedy. “I really want to adopt one, but my family already runs an animal shelter; so there’s that.”, Dexter replied as a cute Lab approached as well.
As for Hanami and Kanami, they had just finished shopping at Uniqlo, a clothing store that catered to everyone, including fans of Sanrio. The sisters’ shopping bags were filled to the brim- and all of the contents were from money they had in their trust funds. “This is probably the best afternoon activity ever!”, Kanami said. “You bet, sis. Now all we have to do is meet up with-!”, Hanami began, but before she could finish her sentence, she heard someone’s voice.
“Help! She’s going to get us!”, replied the voice. “Hurry! That woman is after us!”, replied the other voice. Thinking quickly, Hanami and Kanami put down their shopping bags, and rushed to the scene. Before their eyes were- sentient dolls of Hello Kitty and Mimmy?! That can’t be. Toys aren’t supposed to be alive!, thought the sisters. But something had to be done, and without hesitation, the sisters dove down, saving Hello Kitty and Mimmy before they could even be captured.
Chapter 5: Only Making Things Worsener
As the sisters made their way towards their shopping bags, Kitty and Mimmy looked up at their two rescuers and smiled. “Thanks for saving me and Mimmy. That crazy lady was after something we had with us!”, Hello Kitty cheered as she hopped into Hanami’s shopping bag. “And you came in the nick of time. We were looking for you two!”, Mimmy said. Hanami and Kanami were puzzled. “What do you mean looking for us?”, Hanami said as she and her sister sat down at the central fountain, where the others were just arriving to.
“Thing is, we were asked by our friend Strawberry King to find the legendary warriors known as Linkers- they’re our only hope at stopping these mean people called The Ribbon Raiders!”, Hello Kitty explained. “The Ribbon Raiders?”, Kanami replied. “They’re a bunch of mean people who want to twist all good things into their selfish playthings!”, Mimmy informed just as everyone else sat down next to the Tanaka Sisters.
“Oh, man, that sounds pretty scary.”, replied Tia as she clutched Pia’s hand tightly. “What do you think we should do, talking Hello Kitty doll?”, PIa questioned. “Well, how about you use these, Hanami and Kanami?”, Hello Kitty asked as she and Mimmy presented the Dream Smartphones and the Dream Crystals to the sisters. Intrigued by these little trinkets, the sisters took them without hesitation.
Just before Hello Kitty and Mimmy could explain what to do next, a woman dressed in clothes that looked like she walked off the filming set of an adult movie appeared. Her white hair glowed like a bonfire at night, her outfit radiated immodesty and sinful desires, and her heart was as cold as her demeanor. “Well, well, well. I’ve finally found you. Surrender the Dream Crystals or else.”, she said, a cold smile crossing her face.
“Never!”, shouted Hello Kitty as she looked at the tempting woman. “Snarebell, you won’t get away with this!”, Mimmy said defiantly. “Snarebell?!”, replied the human kids. “Hahahaha! That’s my name! I’m the strategist of the ones known as The Ribbon Raiders, and happiness will be a distant memory!”, she said as she eyed a gachapon machine. “I don’t think this is gonna end well!”, Rana said as she looked on in horror.
“Come forth, Worsener! Taint all that is good!”, Snarebell replied as she summoned dark ribbons that intertwined around the gacha machine- and in a burst of dark energy, it had become a monster that radiated bad feelings and more. “What the heck is that?!”, Luke and Luna said as they looked at the foe. Meanwhile, everyone who wasn’t the gang ran for shelter, knowing they weren’t used to such a foe.
“Whatever it is, we’ve gotta do the right thing!”, replied Hanami as she and her sister took the Dream Crystals and Dream Smartphones. Hanami’s Dream Crystal was a Red Hello Kitty bow, while Kanami’s was a Yellow Mimmy Bow. Hanami’s Dream Smartphone was blue with red apples and bows on it, while Kanami’s Dream Smartphone was white with yellow flowers and bows on it. The twins immediately knew that they had to do something. “Good call, you two!”, Hello Kitty replied. “Now just say ‘Dream Linkage, Awaken!’, and let the rest happen!”, Mimmy said; followed by the Tanaka sisters nodding.
Chapter 6: Making it Shine
“Dream Linkage, Awaken!”, the sisters said in unison. A bright, sparkling, light filled the entire mall, with the kids blocking out the flash via covering their eyes. When the light faded, Hanami and Kanami stood, with their dark hair being bunched up into girly pigtails, halfway dyed white, and with gorgeous hair bows encrusted with a heart in the middle- Red for Hanami and Yellow for Kanami. Both were wearing striped t shirts and cute overalls with apple and bee patches (Red stripes and blue overalls for Hanami, and yellow stripes and yellow overalls for Kanami), and their sneakers were white with red bows for Hanami, and white with yellow bows for Kanami.
“No way! They’re actually here!”, said Hello Kitty. “The legendary heroes known as Linkers!”, cheered Mimmy. “I knew they’d show up. Get them, Worsener!”, commanded Snarebell as the Worsener shot gigantic gacha capsules at the girls. Thinking fast, the girls leapt high into the air towards one of the higher levels. Realistically, the girls were shocked at how high they had gone. “Whoaaaaaaa!! How are we so high up?!”, Hanami said. “We need to get down somehow!”, Kanami added.
“It’s alright. The first leap is sometimes the hardest one.”, Hello Kitty said. “How about you aim for the Worsener?”, Mimmy asked as the girls eyed the threat. “Can do!”, both the girls replied, doing a flying kick towards the enemy, causing it to stumble a bit. And after doing a quick backflip towards the ground, they bravely stood in front of the foe.
“If you wanna hurt our friends…”, began Hanami. “You’ll have to go through us, plastic for brains!”, finished Kanami. The Worsener shot capsule after capsule after the girls, but with every capsule fired, they were knocked back at it. “How can this be?!”, Snarebell said in disbelief. But the girls weren’t finished just yet. They proceeded to grab the Worsener by its hand, jump up together, and slam it back down into the ground. The others cheered.
“Now’s your chance!”, Hello Kitty said. “Use your finisher and end the fight!”, Mimmy followed up. Hanami and Kanami nodded, and began to charge up their Link Moves. “Activate Link Move!”, the sisters said in unison. “Red Ribbon… Shower!!”, replied Hanami and Hello Kitty, with Hanami blasting a red bow themed energy wave from her hands.
“Yellow Ribbon… Thunder!!”, said Kanami and Mimmy, summoning a yellow bow themed lightning strike with just a wave of her hand. With the power of the girls’ Link Moves, the Worsener was purified once and for all. “Such happiness…!”, it said before turning back into a normal gachapon machine.
Chapter 7: Glittering New Beginnings
As soon as the enemy was taken down, the damage that had been done reverted back to normal almost immediately, as if nothing had ever happened. “Aw, yeah!” “That was awesome!” “You actually kicked his butt!”, cheered the girls’ friends as they celebrated their victory. “Thanks, guys.”, Hanami said as she and Kanami returned to Civilian form.
Snarebell was furious. “This is only the beginning, you improper ones! For we Ribbon Raiders have more tricks up our sleeves than you can think!”, she said before disappearing in a puff of purple smoke. “That was so much fun!”, said Hanami as she dusted off her shirt. “I can’t wait to do it again!”, Kanami replied as she straightened out her long dark hair.
“Don’t worry, you surely will!”, Hello Kitty said as she and Mimmy made their way to a little door that appeared not far from the fountain. “Because this is just the start of something bigger! There are more Linkers out there- you just gotta know where to look.”, Mimmy finished. “Thanks, Kitty and Mimmy!”, Hanami called out. “Can’t wait to fight alongside you two again!”, Kanami finished.
When Kitty and Mimmy were out of sight, Rana spoke up. “Say… Do you wanna hit up Hai Di Lao Hot Pot for dinner tonight?”, she asked. “After all, I did ask our moms and dads for permission ahead of time, and they said yes.”, Tony said. “I don’t see why not. We’ve definitely earned it!”, Quinn said. Everyone shared a laugh as they headed towards the world famous hot pot chain.
Meanwhile, with Snarebell, she was standing in a dark castle that served as the base for The Ribbon Raiders. On a throne in front of her, was her boss- the leader of The Ribbon Raiders himself. “Can you believe two little girls actually managed to kick the butt of a Worsener I summoned?!”, she said, knowing full well that she was humiliated by two children.
“Oh, yes. But this is only just beginning. We’ll show those Linkers what true strength means! And bring an end to happiness and make it a distant memory.”, replied the voice, followed by a villainous laugh. Hanami and Kanami’s day may have started off normal, but they had only just begun a journey unlike any other.
Epilogue: Bunny Business
Back in the Strawberry Kingdom, Hello Kitty and Mimmy had returned. “We’re back!”, Hello Kitty replied. “And thing is, our Linkers found us!”, Mimmy finished. Their friends immediaetly bombarded them with questions of all sorts, but Strawberry King was just trying to access the database to find the next Linker.
“Hmmmm… I think this might just be for you two, My Melody and Kuromi!”, he replied as he pulled up two pictures of young girls who appeared to be in middle school. “Who might these be?”, My Melody asked. “They look super cool.”, Kuromi finished. “Well, those are Tia and Pia Leveret, your future Linkers!”, Strawberry King explained.
“But what are they like?”, My Melody asked. “Are they kinda like us- as in like one being this girly fashionista and the other being a gothic loli?”, Kuromi questioned. “Well, of course! Their mother is a fashion designer, and they own many rabbits back home- dozens of them!”, Strawberry King explained.
“They sound so kind and creative.”, said My Melody. “I so cannot wait to see them in person!”, Kuromi said, a smile forming on her face. “Well, I’m sure you can’t wait- But I think we should rest up for tomorrow. You have more than earned it!”, Strawberry King said with a smile. As the Sanrio cast went to bed, Strawberry King knew things would get even more sparklier.
