Date: [20XX]

  Title: “What a day”

  Dear Magikarp Diaries,

  I don’t know why I keep calling this a diary. It’s not like I actually believe a Magikarp is out there somewhere reading this. Though, if there was a Magikarp with literacy skills, I’d like to imagine it’d be the kind that evolves into a super buff Gyarados and then goes on to write best-selling memoirs about its humble pond origins.

  Anyway, today was… a lot. Like, a lot.

  Let’s start with the good stuff. I cooked a killer Chicken Fricassée tonight. Even Dad said so, and he’s basically a walking encyclopedia of "honest opinions nobody asked for." Azzy was my tiny sous-chef, obviously. I think she’s gunning for a spot on Lumora’s Next Top Chef, the way she was rolling those napkins like it was her life’s mission. Honestly, it felt good to just do something I’m confident in for once. Cooking doesn’t ask me why I’m not good enough. It doesn’t tell me I need to get stronger or braver or smarter. It just lets me... be.

  But then there’s everything else.

  Meeting Professor Ardene was... intense. She’s so composed and sharp, like she sees straight through you. I felt like one of those half-baked soufflés Mom used to rant about—collapsing under the pressure before I even got to rise. She asked me what I wanted out of this whole League Circuit thing, and honestly? I had no idea what to say. I mean, I want to be good at this. I want to make Azzy proud. But do I really have what it takes to make it past a single Gym? Let alone a whole Circuit?

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  Ardene said something, though, that kind of stuck with me. “You don’t have to know all the answers right now. The journey itself will shape you.” Like, what does that even mean? I thought journeys were just about catching Pokémon, winning battles, and trying not to embarrass yourself too badly in front of crowds. But maybe it’s more than that. Maybe it’s about figuring out who you are along the way.

  Also… the encrypted file.

  I didn’t expect her to react so seriously. When I told her about the weirdo (let’s be real, 10/10 would not recommend running into one of those again), her whole vibe shifted. She said the file had something to do with the Forces of Nature—Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus—and that it could be dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. She told me to stay away from Team Eclipse, like, at all costs. Which, duh, I wasn’t exactly planning on inviting them over for tea and biscuits, but still… it feels bigger than anything I ever wanted to be involved in.

  So now I’m sitting here, staring at the glow of the city through the window, trying to convince myself that signing up for the League Circuit isn’t the dumbest idea I’ve ever had. What if I’m not good enough? What if I fail? What if I’m just... pretending to be a Trainer while everyone else actually is one?

  Azzy’s snoozing next to me, her little tail twitching like she’s dreaming about adventures already. I think she believes in me more than I do. Maybe that’s what I need to focus on—being the Trainer she thinks I can be.

  Okay, that’s enough overthinking for one night. Time to wrap this up before I turn into a Snorlax of anxiety. Tomorrow’s a new day, and whether I’m ready or not, it’s waiting for me.

  Note to self: Add "avoid existential crises at bedtime" to tomorrow’s to-do list. And maybe learn to make those Lum Berry pastries Vivi mentioned in her stream last week.

  Goodnight, Magikarp.

  P.S. If you’re an actual Magikarp reading this, please send help. Or snacks.

  -Izzy