A/N: I'm back! I need to learn not to jinx myself on things lmao. Although I actually had a draft finished for once, I wanted to make the story a little more chaotic than what I had. I just didn't have the time or the muse to actually do it until recently. Anyway, enjoy!

The rest of the morning went great. Wendy found an unexpected surge of energy. The thought of her upcoming trip electrified her spirit, and she darted around the room, sharing her excitement with her family. Each corner of the castle hummed with festivity; it felt as if the very atmosphere had conspired to join in her celebration.

"Hey, can we play some games before dinner?" she asked, bouncing on her heels. "I need to beat you guys before I leave!"

Larry raised an eyebrow, but his slight grin told her he was game. "What about Smash? I completed the logs a few weeks ago."

"Let's do it."

"Then you're on! Just don't cry when I win," he teased, stretching his fingers dramatically before heading toward the console.

"Ooh! It's been a long time since we all played!" Lemmy said, "I'm in!"

Roy chuckled. "Alright then, let's see if your skills can keep up with me," he challenged, walking over and grabbing a controller.

Iggy smirked, adjusting his spectacles. "You lot are going down. My new strategy will leave you all in the dust."

Even Ludwig and Morton, who were initially hesitant to join in, were eventually coaxed into playing.

"I hope you've been practicing, Wendy!" Iggy called out, choosing ROB with exaggerated flair. "Because you're going to need it!"

Wendy smirked, her competitive spirit igniting as she chose Palutena. "Oh please, I could take you all down in my sleep!"

As the match began, the screen exploded with action. Seven characters leaped, dodged, and launched attacks against each other. Wendy found herself locked in a duel with Larry, their characters trading blows while the rest of them focused on outmaneuvering Ludwig's Ness.

The room was filled with playful banter as they hurled insults and jeers at each other. Wendy deftly sidestepped Larry's attack, retaliating with a well-timed combo that sent his Cloud flying off the stage.

"Ha! First one out, Larry!" she exclaimed triumphantly, a cheeky grin plastered on her face.

"That was just a warm-up!" Larry shot back.

Meanwhile, Roy and Iggy were locked in their own fierce rivalry. Iggy's ROB was an unrelenting force as it pursued Roy's Donkey Kong with mechanical precision.

"You thought you could sneak past me?" Iggy taunted, launching a flurry of projectiles that sent Roy scrambling for cover.

"Don't get too cocky, nerd! I've got a surprise waiting for you!" With a fierce swing of Donkey Kong's fist, he sent Iggy's ROB flying across the stage.

"No!" Iggy cried dramatically, his character spinning off into the void, while everyone burst into laughter.

The match raged on, each player fully immersed in the chaotic battle unfolding on the screen. Wendy's laughter spilled over as she watched her brothers engage in their antics. She narrowly dodged an attack from Roy and countered with a swift strike of her own, sending his character tumbling off the stage, resulting in him cursing.

"Two down from me!" Wendy cried, raising her arms in victory. "Who's next?"

Ludwig, finally gaining some ground with his strategic gameplay, shot her a glare. "You may be winning now, but don't get too comfortable! My Ness is just warming up!" He executed a perfect PK Thunder maneuver that sent Lemmy's unsuspecting Ice Climbers flying to oblivion.

"No fair! I was about to heal!" Lemmy cried.

The round pressed on with Wendy and Ludwig locked in a fierce back-and-forth. Their characters flew across the screen, one moment dodging attacks, the next retaliating with a barrage of blows. Wendy's Palutena shimmered with divine power, trailing ethereal light as she soared above Ludwig's Ness, who was desperately trying to ground her.

"Your divine grace can't save you forever!" Ludwig shouted, his focus unwavering as he unleashed Ness's signature moves in rapid succession. With a flick of his thumb, he launched a powerful PK Fire attack.

Wendy gasped, barely managing to twist Palutena out of the way just in time. "Nice try, but you'll have to do better than that, Luddy!"

With a determination that matched the fervor in her voice, Wendy pivoted and retaliated with Palutena's heavenly light, sending a radiant beam toward Ludwig's character.

But just before one of them could knock the other out, Morton's K. Rool barreled towards them, his heavy frame knocking both Ludwig and Wendy into oblivion.

"Morton!" Wendy cried as the final results declared Morton the winner. "You were hiding again, you cheater!"

Morton shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Only because you let us do all the hard work!" Wendy shot back, laughter spilling from her as she leaned back in her chair.

"Okay, okay! Enough with the banter!" Larry declared, waving his arms. "Let's rematch and see who the real champion is!"

They continued playing for hours, the room filled with the sounds of button mashing, cheering, and the occasional frustrated groans as characters fell off stages or were knocked out by rogue attacks. After multiple second place finishes (which she insisted were rigged), Wendy finally won.

"Hah! I told you I could take you all down!" Wendy shouted in triumph, throwing her arms up in victory as the in-game confetti fell across the screen. At this time, her phone rang. It was a text from Kylie. "There's my cue to leave while I'm the winner!"

Wendy quickly grabbed her phone, glancing at the screen as her heart raced with excitement. The text read: Hey Wendy! Just wanted to let you know that the vacation details are finalized! We're leaving on Thursday, and we'll be staying at the resort at Sirena Beach!

"Thursday?!" Wendy's heart skipped a beat as the implications of that text crashed over her like an unexpected wave. Two days. Just two days to pack for a vacation she hadn't even begun to prepare for! Panic surged through her, hot and suffocating, as she stood up, her chair scraping against the floor with a screech.

"What's wrong?" Ludwig asked, brow furrowed in concern as he paused the game mid-match.

"I— I have to pack! I have no idea what I'm bringing!" Wendy exclaimed, her voice rising in tempo as she rushed towards the stairs. The hall's vibrant colors blurred around her as thoughts raced through her mind like a whirlwind. Swimsuits? Sunscreen? Oh goodness, what about sandals? She couldn't remember if she still had those flip-flops still or if they'd disintegrated after last summer's trip to Water Land.

She rushed to her room then to her closet, throwing clothes aside as if they were nothing more than paper scraps. "Swimwear, swimwear…" she muttered under her breath, pulling out a brightly patterned bikini that shimmered in the light. "Check!"

Wendy yanked open her dresser drawers, pulling out sundresses, sandals, and accessories with frantic determination. The pile on her bed grew larger and messier by the second. She wasn't just packing—she was preparing for the perfect vacation.

"Okay… Sunglasses, check. Cute beach cover-ups, check," she muttered under her breath, mentally tallying off each item. "What else?"

Her gaze landed on the pink journal Larry had gifted her. It sat untouched on her nightstand, its heart-patterned cover catching the dim light of her room. She hesitated for a moment before picking it up.

"I guess I'll bring you along, too," she mused, flipping it open. The crisp blank pages stared back at her, waiting to be filled.

With a shrug, she tossed it into her bag. For a split second, the journal's cover seemed to shimmer—but when Wendy glanced back at it, nothing had changed.

She blinked, then shook her head. "Must be the lighting."

A knock sounded at her door.

"Wendy?"

Her eldest brother stood in the doorway, arms crossed, one skeptical eyebrow raised.

"Oh, hey Ludwig!"

"Are you actually planning or just throwing your entire wardrobe into that suitcase?"

Wendy scoffed. "Please. I'm a professional. Packing is an art, and I—" She turned back to her suitcase, only to realize she had indeed stuffed it to the brim with half her closet. "…might need to downsize."

Ludwig smirked. "Thought so."

"Ugh, whatever." Wendy shoved a few unnecessary items back into her drawers, then turned back to him. "Did you just come to judge me, or did you actually have something important to say?"

Ludwig sighed. "Just making sure you're not forgetting anything crucial. You have everything?"

Wendy snickered. "Yes, Ludwig. I can handle myself, thanks."

"Well, don't forget your sunscreen this time. I'd rather not hear you whine about sunburns for a week."

Wendy gasped, offended. "Excuse you, I have perfect skin-care habits! Unlike you, who burns if he so much as thinks about direct sunlight."

Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just… don't overpack, alright?"

He turned to leave, and Wendy flopped onto her bed with a groan. "Ugh. He worries too much."

She grabbed the journal from her suitcase, flipping it open to the first blank page. Twirling a pen between her fingers, she smirked.

Can't wait for the best vacation ever! she wrote in bold, confident strokes.

The ink settled into the page, smooth and unremarkable.

With a satisfied nod, Wendy snapped the journal shut and tossed it back into her suitcase.

She didn't notice the way the letters faintly shimmered before vanishing into the paper.