Lance held up the bottle of Modafinil, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Mia, this is a prescription medication meant for narcolepsy or severe sleep disorders. It's not something you just… take for fun! It can be really dangerous!"

I blinked, still not understanding why everyone looked like I’d committed a crime. "But I needed to stay awake! You don’t understand—between training, battling the Elite Four, and trying to find Giovanni, I couldn’t sleep. I just wanted to make it through everything without collapsing."

Gary, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly threw his hands in the air and stormed into the next room, yelling, "WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER?! DOES SHE THINK SHE’S INVINCIBLE?!"

Lorelei exchanged a worried glance with Lance, who leaned against the wall, rubbing his temples. "Mia," she said gently, "we get that you’ve been under a lot of pressure, but self-medicating like this can really hurt you."

Bruno was pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath, while Greta stood with her arms crossed, her expression a mix of concern and frustration. "You’re not invincible, kid," she said flatly. "What would we do if something happened to you? You think this is just about you staying awake? Your body can only take so much."

I tilted my head, confused. "But nothing happened to me. I’m fine. Look!" I stood up and spread my arms wide, only to wobble slightly. "Oops. Maybe a little dizzy, but still fine."

Oak fanned himself with his lab coat, shaking his head. "Mia, what else have you been taking? Be honest."

I hesitated, feeling everyone’s eyes on me. Slowly, I reached into my bag and started pulling out various bottles and packets. There were sleep aids, caffeine pills, energy boosters, and even some strange herbal supplements I couldn’t remember buying.

Lance’s jaw dropped. "Are you kidding me?!"

Lorelei gasped, snatching one of the bottles. "Mia, half of these aren’t even meant for kids! And these—" she pointed at a brightly colored packet, "—are completely unregulated! Where did you even get this stuff?"

"Online?" I offered weakly.

Bruno looked like he was about to explode. "Mia, do you realize what could have happened if you mixed the wrong pills? Your heart could have given out, or you could have passed out mid-battle! This isn’t a joke!"

Gary stormed back into the room, his face red with anger. "Mia, do you ever think about the people who care about you? What if something happened to you and we couldn’t do anything?!"

I shrank back, startled by his intensity. "But… but I didn’t mean to worry anyone! I just wanted to do my best."

Greta sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Kid, your best isn’t worth anything if it lands you in a hospital bed—or worse."

Oak took a deep breath, stepping forward and placing a hand on my shoulder. "Mia, listen to me. We’re not mad at you—we’re scared. Scared that you’ve been pushing yourself too hard and not asking for help. You’re young, and you have so much potential. But if you keep doing this, you’ll burn out before you can truly shine."

I stared at them, finally starting to understand the gravity of the situation. "I… I didn’t realize. I’m sorry."

Lance crouched down to meet my gaze. "We’re here for you, Mia. Next time, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, talk to us. We’ll figure it out together, okay?"

I nodded, feeling tears prick at my eyes. "Okay."

Gary huffed, crossing his arms. "You better mean it. I’m not going through this again."

Pikachu climbed onto my shoulder, nuzzling me comfortingly. "Pika…"

Lorelei smiled softly. "We just want you to be safe, Mia. That’s all."

For the first time, I realized how much the Elite Four—and even Gary—cared about me. They weren’t just powerful trainers; they were people who genuinely wanted to see me succeed without hurting myself in the process.

"Thanks, everyone," I said quietly. "I’ll do better. Promise."

As they all nodded and relaxed slightly, I couldn’t help but add, "But seriously, Lance, you need better jokes. Saying Professor Oak was my opponent? That’s trauma-inducing."

The room burst into laughter, the tension finally easing. Even Lance cracked a smile, shaking his head. "Fair point, Mia. Fair point."