A Magic Beyond - Karri Justina Shea

12 Days.

12 Challenges.

12 Winners.

(Okay, more than 12 winners, but it’s all about flow.)

Starting Monday, December 12th, I will issue a Starship or LtD-related challenge each day until the 23rd of December. The challenges might appeal to those of you with artistic talents, writing talents, musical talents, dramatic talents, or just general goofiness. You’ll have approximately 23 hours to post your entry before our unbiased, impartial judge -

(this guy!)

- makes his decision and the winner is announced, along with the next challenge.

Don’t push it too late - timing may be everything. I will make sure to let you know when each day’s challenge is officially closed.

HOW DO YOU ENTER?

• IF YOU HAVE A TUMBLR: please reblog the original challenge post for that day - not anyone else’s reblog of it - with your entry added, either embedded or clearly linked. This is the only way to ensure I will see the entry - I am rather suspicious of Tumblr’s tagging system. Don’t just make a new post, I may not see it and then your fabulous entry will be overlooked!
• IF YOU DON’T HAVE A TUMBLR: please submit your entry via my submissions page. Make sure to include an identifier of some sort so that your potential prize doesn’t go to “anonymous!” I will post all submissions I receive by default, so if you would prefer that I keep yours a secret, just ask. :)

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

• Each challenge’s winner will receive a handwritten letter from me, as well as a choice of either a handwritten ficlet (by request) or a handwritten passage from Learning to Dance (choose your favourite!). I will ask that you send me your details privately after each day’s winner is announced, and I intend to get these in the mail soon after the Christmas holidays! These prizes are small, I admit, but heartfelt. (And hey, I couldn’t exactly give away signed copies of a free ebook, could I?)
• No matter who wins each challenge, every single entry gets put into the final draw for the prize of an item of your choice (worth up to $25) from Team Starkid’s Ann Arbor T-shirt Company store. They’ve got some great stuff on there, so check it out and start thinking about what you would choose should you get lucky! The draw for this prize will be held on December 24th, the day of the official LtD ebook release (as if you won’t be checking your Tumblrs on Christmas, you silly geese!).
• And I’m excited to announce three additional prizes courtesy of some of our very own Pedro’s Army members: a personalized piece of LtD or Starship art by Ree, a personalized video for the song and fandom of your choice by Carlie, and a personalized recording of a song of your choice by Liz. This just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?

You can enter the contest once, twice, seven or twelve times - choose whichever challenges suit your fancy! The more times you enter, the more chances you’ll have to win both the daily and Starkid prizes.

Still have questions? Send them my way!

Day One Challenge - Complete

Your first challenge is to write a haiku poem about any event or character from LtD. A haiku is a Japanese poem that consists of three lines: the first has 5 syllables, the second has 7, and the last has 5. Syllables, not words.

For example:

Heels sli-cing the air (5)

Three and a quar-ter in-ches (7)

To-ta-lly dead-ly. (5)

Day One Winner: borderlandsofsanity.tumblr.com

After everything

I always end up on this

Moonlit beach with you.

Day Two Challenge - Complete

Your second challenge is to create an illustration for any scene from Learning to Dance - but there’s a catch. You must use a computer program such as Paint or something similar to create your illustration - see the video for my (simply masterful) example. Creativity will balance artistic ability here, as, well, it is Paint - so don’t be afraid to give it a shot!

Day Two Winner: iamaprincessallgirlsare.tumblr.com

Day Three Challenge: Complete

Your third challenge is to choose a song that, to you, captures the very essence of Tup and/or LtD and tell us why. You do not have to perform the song (THOUGH YOU ARE WELCOME TO), but you must at least link to a YouTube video or other version of the song for us to listen to, along with your comments!

Day Three Winner: obscureculturalreference.tumblr.com

I Have Seen The Rain - James T. Moore feat. P!nk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYr5ImcsTCc .

“Okay, I feel a bit disrespectful whenever I use this song but it fits so well. I think of this more in the context of my own stories than yours I’m sorry. ^^;
As for why I like it for TUp, JUST LOOK AT IT! Replace Vietnam with Robot & your set.
I imagine them both singing it together, with the entire crew from Starship as their audience.

I have seen the rain
I have felt the pain
I don’t know where I’ll be tomorrow
I don’t know where I’m going
I don’t even know where I’ve been
But I know I’d like to see them again.
(Both Up & Taz at the time of Starship are a bit lost, neither knowing really where they stand after the war, & have lost people in their lives who they wish they could see again but can’t)

Spend my days just searching
Spend my nights in dreams
Stop looking over my shoulder baby
I’ve stopped wonderin’ what it means
Drop out, burn out, soldier ho-oh they’ve said I should’ve been more
Probably so if I hadn’t of been in that crazy damn Vietnam war.
(As Taz was in the war by fifteen I can imagine her wondering what her life would’ve been like otherwise, & Up’s guilt at having her enlisted at such a young age.)

I have seen the rain
I’ve survived the pain
Oh I’ve been home 30 years or so
And I’m just stepping off of the plane
(No matter how long it’s been, they can never really leave it behind)

Spend my days just searching
Spend my nights in dreams
Stop looking over my shoulder baby
I’ve stopped wonderin’ what it means
Drop out, burn out, soldier ho-oh they’ve said I should’ve been more
Probably so if I hadn’t of been in that crazy damn Vietnam war.

We have seen the rain, together
We have survived the pain, forever
Oh it’s good to home again
It’s good to be with my friends
Oh it’s good to be home again
It’s good to feel that rain
(This is the really Tup-py bit. They survived it TOGETHER, they understand each other more than anyone else ever will, & it will always be that way. :) )

Day Four Challenge: Complete

Your fourth challenge is an impromptu cosplay - using whatever you can find around the house, post a picture of yourself dressed as any character from Starship or LtD.

Day Four Winner: amy—face.tumblr.com

(as Quinceanera Taz)

Day Five Challenge: Complete

Your fifth challenge is to write Alejandro’s newsfeed fashion column for the Christmas season, all about this year’s must-have items. Get into character - have fun and be fabulous!

Day Five Winner: chocolatebearturk.tumblr.com!

Feliz Navidad, darlings! Whether you’re reading in from Farm Planet, Planet Eunice, or Planet Eunaughty, the universal statement this holiday season is COLOR. Querida, I’m talking loud splashes of red and bright sprays of green. We’re blowing out the dead winter air with screams and shouts as our eyes struggle to focus. (So maybe you should invest in Alejandro’s Top Picks for the citizen on a budget: Junior’s Classic Shades in holly red and true tree green, 2.99 galactic credits at carrying retail outlets) Be careful not to clash (as in, don’t wear more than one over-the-top color at once), and be tasteful! Also take care to remember that LCD strobe shirts in red, white, or black may cause seizures in those around you and the Space Police fine heavily for injuries caused by this effect. Also in this year are stripes. Wide or narrow, diagonal or not, you can do no wrong if you do it in a striped sweater (like Alejandro’s Top Pick, the Jumping John Jumper by twelvedaysofdancing.com, only 24.95gc!). You’ll soak up attention like a sponge, darling. I would warn, as always, not to overdo. None of us want to end up in Perezi Spacehill’s blog again, so pick one item and stripe up the town! Or farming community—I’m not here to judge. Just remember that stripes and patterns mix about as well as deadly neurotoxin and human lungs and you’ll do fine. I want to talk to you all about LAYERS for a moment. As we’re all aware, our day and age is all about a smooth, unfettered silhouette, aerodynamic angles, and geometric shapes. In keeping with this trend, I would recommend investing in the most recent developments in thermal underwear. Coats and vests are out, out, out. (Though a Reverend Ferris Poncho, 14.00gc, from galacticurbanoutfitters.com would certainly be in as one of Alejandro’s Top Picks!) Now, last year there were a few complaints that I didn’t talk enough about BLING. I’m not quite sure how serious they were, considering the three page article I did on the pros and cons of Christmas-themed earrings alone, but who am I to disappoint a fan? Escuchame, and I will tell you all you need to know. To ring in the holiday season, I would suggest some stylish rings from spacecloth.com. They have all the hottest vintage fashions from Old Earth, going back to the early 2400s and beyond. (Maybe you should try Alejandro’s Top Pick, Oriental Ornamental Ring at 4.50gc!) Of course, Free Bird Studios are also producing some wonderful holiday charm bracelets that include, but are not limited to, rare diamonds from the mines of Mine Planet, the finest enamel charms crafted on Craft Planet, and the most delicate gold filigree imported from Planet Eunice. The pieces are pricey but well worth the credits, especially when everyone at the Christmas Eve ball is begging to know how you got your hands on one. Now I would like to wish all of you a merry holiday and a happy new year, as I will be on holiday with my lovely lover on Planet Eunaughty, which is celebrating its summer solstice at this very moment. I will be back in January to assist you all in looking your best for Zombie President’s Day! Stay fabulous, darlings!
Alejandro

Day Six Challenge: Complete

For your sixth challenge, your job is to create a graphic for Learning to Dance - any scene, using any characters. Your graphic should include a quote from LtD or Starship combined with images and any fancy graphic design stuff you can muster. If you’re not sure what I mean by “graphic,” you can see some examples (NOT MINE) here and here, or take a look at deumbridgeway’s LtD graphic here.

Please do not use anyone else’s art for this challenge UNLESS you have their permission to do so!

Day 6 Winner: carliefromcatering.tumblr.com!

Day 7 Challenge: Complete

Your seventh challenge is to give a dramatic reading of a passage of your choice from Learning to Dance (think “dramatic reading of a YouTube comment” style - the funnier, the better). You can submit your reading through either audio or video.

Day 7 winner: the-strength-in-my-scars!

Day 8 Challenge - Complete.

Your eighth challenge is a musical one - your job is to perform a Starkid song of your choice from any musical - it’s not just limited to Starship. You can sing, play an instrument, or both, and submit your entry as a video or audio clip. Good luck!

Day 8 Winner: chasingaspirations-chasingdreams!

Click here for her fabulous audio version of “Kick it Up a Notch” - complete with double piano and harmonies!

Day 9 Challenge - Complete.

Your ninth challenge is to write a ficlet - under 500 words - based on one of the following prompts (one happy, one sad!): a) Starship Secret Santa or b) the return of Pedro OR Tripp. Good luck!

Day 9 Winner - riseuplikeangels!

pedro closed his eyes. 

he whispered his name to himself again and again; it was the only way that he could keep holding onto the identity that had been slipping away so easily. It was raining, and it was strange to watch the drops of water slide straight through his skin as though he were not there at all.

And in fact, pedro wasn’t really there in the first place.

The only thing present now in his mind was the wanderlust; to trek and travel all over until he found her. Her. Her with Her name still capitalized because of him.

he wondered if She had mourned him.

Every time he could feel that he was getting close to Her, and perhaps Him as well, he would be forced to slip away. So many times he had nearly caught glimpses of Her…he had even heard Her once or twice, Her laugh permeating his ghostly ears and making him shiver as if he were still alive.

he had tried to move on. he had tried, really he had, but it just was not to be done. It seemed that the universe had something against him, making him stay here for Her but making sure that he could never quite reach Her.

Then again, the universe had always had something against him, or so it seemed.

pedro remembered how Her skin had felt under his own and then he cried tears that were not able to fall because he was never going to be able to do that again. Not with anyone. But especially not with Her.

he was a tortured soul, with no way to reconcile.

Day 10 Challenge - Complete.

Your tenth challenge is to create a comic strip depicting a scene from Learning to Dance. It can be in the style of a graphic novel, or a rage comic - anything you’d like, using any medium. Good luck!

Day 10 Winner - geofferythedalek!

Day 11 Challenge: Complete.

Your eleventh challenge is a tricky one - now that we’re getting closer to the end. Your job is to reenact any scene from Learning to Dance OR Starship using anything you might have available: dolls, My Little Ponies, cats, siblings - any willing participant is fine. Get creative - it’s your second last chance to enter!

Day 11 winner: luminousgreentardis

Day 12 Challenge: Complete.

Your final challenge is to create a parody of the Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” called “The Twelve Days of Starship.” To make things interesting, you can submit your parody in any format you’d like: you can sing it, draw it, act it, write it - whatever suits your strength. Get creative, and good luck!

Day 12 winner: the-oncoming-river!

12 Drummers Drumming:
Up took Taz’s sweaty hand in his own as they marched into combat. This was the first battle that Up had fought in since his famous injury and he was terrified. Their feet fell in step with the ominous drum beat, being drummed by 12 drummers in the back of the group.
Ba-boom.
Ba-boom.
Ba-boom.
The beat perfectly matched that of Up’s heart.

11 Pipers Piping:

“Why do we have 11 people named Piper and why do they all play flutes?” February asked. 

“Jour an IDIOT.” Taz grumbled. “They’re not all named Piper. They are called Pipers because they play pipes.”

“So…They aren’t all named Piper?”

“No, February. They aren’t.”

10 Lords a Leaping:

There were 10 men in the ballet recital, which made Taz giggle. Gigging was not something that she often did in public, but when 10 male Rangers were jumping around in tights, it was hard not to. 
Tootsie tripped over his own feet, dancing all over the stage. 
Bug tapped his feet to the beat, his face bright red from embarrassment.
This was their punishment for that late-night party that they threw a month ago; Up had forced them to join ballet. Krayonder shot Taz and Up a glare and Taz started laughing so hard that she had to bury her head in Up’s shoulder, to save her dignity. 

9 Ladies Dancing: 

This time, Taz was onstage in a frilly pink tutu, while Krayonder laughed from the audience. He had gotten his revenge all right; he’d been waiting for the girls to mess something up. He had caught them having a sleepover one night and had turned all 9 of them in.
Taz swore that February had drug her there and that she wasn’t at fault and please don’t put me in a tutu please I have a reputation. 
Up was in the audience, watching Taz a bit too carefully in the wrong places. She turned beet red.
Krayonder felt victorious.

8 Maids a Milking:

“What are these…” Taz paused in disgust, “things?” 

“Cows. Ain’t they purty?” Tootsie asked, patting one on the back. 
Taz couldn’t even bring herself to reply; the cows looked and smelled disgusting. The creature shuffled its feet and looked around, completely uninterested in anything. The 8 Rangers, Taz Tootsie, Up, Megagirl, February, Bug, Specs, and Krayonder, were sent to Tootsie’s home: Farm Planet. “Team Building”, it was called. 
“Wanna milk it?” Tootsie asked her.
“No, joo can do it…” She replied, unsure of what milking was. She didn’t particularly want to find out. 
“Ya just squeeze here on this…thing.”
“UCK. WHY WOULD JOO WANT TO YANK ON THAT THINK, IDIOTA?!”

7 Swans a swimming:

Up was sitting on the edge of the pond, his feet dangling in the water. Taz came out of their hotel on some planet that she had forgotten the name of. They had only been there a few hours, but they already realized that their surroundings were a bit too luxurious for this dirt-poor planet. That’s why they were here; they were undercover to find out if the owner of this hotel was a intergalactic crook, the arch-enemy of the G.L.E.E.
She sat beside Up and looked out over the pond. On the glistening surface were 7 beautiful, white swans. 
“I think this guy is a crook, what do jou think?” Taz laughed as the swans bathed in the sunlight. 
“Yup. Who has swans anyway?” 
“Crooks, obviously.” Up laughed and shook his head gently. They had no idea that the swans were actually robots. They had no idea of what was to come.

6 geese a laying: 
They had just turned their back on the swans, when Taz and Up saw a flock of strangely metallic-looking geese. 
“Up, I don’t think those are real geese…” Taz pointed at them. They were approaching quickly and laying eggs every other step. The geese surrounded them and Taz heard a strange ticking noise that sounded almost like a…


5 Golden Rings:

Something had exploded. Taz laid on the charred grass, her head swimming. She looked up at this planet’s equivalent of the sun. It made those funny imprints on her vision and she saw 5 golden rings swim in the purple sky before she blacked out. 

4 Calling birds:

Taz came to for a brief second. She heard the geese squawking loudly above her before she lost consciousness once again. 

3 French Hens: 

It had been only a week since Taz and Up had gotten attacked by robo-swans and geese. They finally ventured outside of the ship and were walking hand in hand outside. They heard a loud clucking noise and jumped. Taz fell over, but quickly brought herself to her feet and pulled out her ever-present gun. Behind them stood Krayonder, holding a perfectly harmless French hen. 
Krayonder knew that French hens were harmless, but had forgotten that an angry Taz wasn’t so peaceful.

2 Turtle Doves: 

Taz really wanted to know why there were two birds in front of her that looked suspiciously like she and Up. The one that looked like her, complete with a mini red bandanna, squawked at her, mocking her. The one that looked like Up was grey and wore miniature black harness vest. 
“I do believe those are lovebirds.” Krayonder elbowed her, winking.
“Actually,” Specs cleared her throat, “those are turtle doves. They are a rare breed of bird that usually weighs…” 
“Shut up, Specs. You ruined the prank.” Krayonder glared at her.

And a partridge in a pear tree:

“Why is there a pear tree in the lobby?” Up asked Taz, who had just stopped short I’m the doorway. The pear tree was huge: nearly 12 feet tall. She reached up and grabbed a pear. A bird chirped loudly and caused her to drop the fruit. Up pushed her out of the room, since neither of them were completely comfortable around birds since the “geese incident”. 
They looked back in the doorway and saw an adorable partridge chirping happily at them. Up reached out his finger warily and the bird jumped on it. Taz cracked a small smile. 
Up transferred it to her shaking hand. It hopped cheerfully onto her finger and chirped at her.
She set it back on the branch and it hopped away. 
“That was so brave.” Up said and bent down to catch her lips in an all-too-brief kiss. 
“Not really, idiota.” Taz mumbled, cheeks turning bright red. Up kissed her longer this time as the partridge chirped happily in the background.