Gary’s voice was loud and clear as he stormed into the next room, shouting, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! WHO EVEN GAVE HER THIS STUFF?!"

Lorelei leaned down to me, her calm demeanor barely concealing her panic. "Mia, sweetheart, can you please explain where you got all this medication?"

I blinked, still not understanding what the big deal was. "Uh… the Poké Mart? The clerk said it was fine."

Lance groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course, they did. No questions asked, right?"

Meanwhile, Bruno and Greta were pacing back and forth. Greta muttered something under her breath about "kids these days," while Bruno looked like he was about to punch the wall.

"Guys, it’s just medicine," I said, shrugging. "I mean, I wasn’t feeling great, so I got stuff to help. What’s the problem?"

Oak looked pale as he fanned himself with a clipboard. "The problem, my dear girl, is that half of these medications are not meant for someone your age—or anyone who’s not under direct medical supervision!"

Gary stormed back into the room, practically fuming. "Mia, do you even read the labels?!"

I crossed my arms. "Of course, I do! Like this one—" I held up a random bottle. "—it says, ‘Take one to stay awake.’ And guess what? I’m awake!"

Lorelei sighed deeply and took the bottle from my hands. "Mia, this isn’t a joke. Do you know what Modafinil is?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Should I?"

"It’s a prescription medication for narcolepsy!" Lance exclaimed. "It’s not meant to be taken like candy!"

Bruno finally stopped pacing, crossing his arms. "What else do you have in that bag?"

Reluctantly, I dumped the rest of the contents onto the floor. Bottles, packets, and pills of every shape and size spilled out. The adults all froze, staring at the small pharmacy I had apparently been carrying around.

Gary’s jaw dropped. "Mia, what in the name of Arceus—"

"Okay, calm down, people," I said, trying to diffuse the tension. "It’s not that bad. Most of this stuff is just for headaches, tummy aches, or not being able to sleep. Normal stuff."

Oak picked up a bright pink bottle and squinted at the label. "Mia, this is… this is an over-the-counter stimulant. You’ve been mixing this with Modafinil?"

"Uh… maybe?" I said, feeling suddenly very small.

Lorelei knelt beside me, her expression soft but worried. "Mia, how long have you been doing this?"

I hesitated. "Two weeks?"

"Two weeks?!" Greta practically yelled.

"Guys, it’s not a big deal!" I insisted. "I just didn’t want to be tired while battling the Elite Four. I needed to be at my best!"

Lance looked like he was ready to faint. "Mia, you could’ve seriously hurt yourself!"

Gary ran a hand through his hair, pacing again. "Or worse. Do you even realize what could’ve happened if you collapsed during a battle?"

I blinked. "Collapsed? From what? I feel fine!"

Oak shook his head gravely. "You might feel fine now, but this kind of behavior can have long-term consequences. Your heart, your brain, your—"

"Okay, okay!" I interrupted, waving my hands. "I get it. No more pills, all right?"

Lance exchanged a look with Lorelei, who nodded. "We’re holding onto this stuff for now," she said firmly, gathering up the bottles.

"But—" I started.

"No buts," Bruno said, his tone final.

Gary crouched down next to me, his eyes still full of concern. "Mia, promise me you won’t do this again. Seriously."

I hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. I promise."

Gary didn’t look convinced, but he stood up and crossed his arms. "Good. Because if I catch you with this stuff again, you’re battling me and Professor Oak."

I groaned. "Ugh, fine. But next time, can someone please just tell me what’s dangerous instead of freaking out?"

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Mia, if this is how you react to a joke about battling Oak, how do you think we’d tell you something serious?"

I opened my mouth to reply but quickly shut it. Fair point.

"Come on, Mia," Greta said with a sigh. "Let’s get you some actual rest. No pills this time, okay?"

"Fine," I muttered, trudging after her.

As the room settled down, Gary whispered to Lance, "I don’t know whether to laugh or cry with that girl."

"Welcome to the club," Lance replied.