Lance stared at the label on the bottle in his hand, his face tight with worry. "Mia, this is a prescription medication used to treat narcolepsy or severe sleep disorders. It’s not something you should be taking casually!"

I tilted my head, utterly confused. "But it kept me awake. Isn’t that a good thing? I mean, you can’t beat the Elite Four if you’re half-asleep, right?"

Gary ran his hands through his hair, clearly trying to keep his composure. "Mia, you can’t just... pop random pills because you’re tired! What else have you been taking?"

I shrugged, opening my bag and dumping the contents onto the floor. Bottles of all shapes and sizes rolled out, along with loose capsules, packets of herbal teas, and a few candy wrappers.

The room went silent.

Lorelei knelt down, picking up a bottle with a trembling hand. "Mia… do you even know what these are for?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I just grabbed whatever looked like it would help me focus or stay awake. I mean, look!" I picked up a pink bottle and showed it to her. "This one has a cute label, so it can’t be bad, right?"

Lorelei exchanged a horrified look with Lance.

Bruno was pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. Greta, meanwhile, crouched beside me, examining the pile with wide eyes. "Mia… this isn’t safe. Half of these could have serious side effects if you’re not taking them properly."

Professor Oak fanned himself, looking pale. "My dear girl, how on earth did you even get access to all this?"

I blinked. "Oh, I just… you know… borrowed some from people I know."

Gary exploded. "Borrowed?! Mia, that’s not how medication works! You don’t borrow pills like they’re a cup of sugar!"

I frowned. "Okay, geez. No need to yell, Gary. It’s not like I’m dead or anything."

"MIA!" Gary shouted, his voice echoing into the next room.

"PIKA!" Pikachu chimed in, glaring at me.

Lance pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to remain calm. "Mia, listen carefully. Mixing medications—especially ones like these—can cause serious harm to your body. You’re lucky nothing terrible has happened so far."

I blinked, genuinely surprised. "Wait… you mean this stuff is actually dangerous?"

Greta nodded, her voice gentle but firm. "Very. And the fact that you’ve been doing this for two weeks… Mia, you could have seriously hurt yourself."

Gary, now pacing in the hallway, yelled, "I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS! WHO EVEN LET HER GET AWAY WITH THIS?!"

I flinched at his volume. "Why is he so dramatic?"

Lorelei crouched in front of me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Because he cares about you, Mia. We all do. That’s why we’re worried."

I blinked at her, genuinely taken aback. "You… care about me?"

Bruno stopped pacing, folding his arms. "Of course we do. Just because we’re the Elite Four doesn’t mean we’re heartless."

"Speak for yourself, Mr. Workout," I muttered under my breath, earning a light chuckle from Greta.

Lance sat down across from me, his expression softening. "Mia, we’re not angry. We’re scared. You’re important to a lot of people—Gary, Ash, Professor Oak… us. We want to make sure you’re okay."

I looked down at the mess of bottles, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt. "I… I didn’t realize it was such a big deal. I just wanted to stay strong and focused for the battles."

Professor Oak sighed, his tone gentle. "Mia, strength isn’t just about winning battles. It’s about knowing your limits and taking care of yourself. That’s how you truly succeed."

I nodded slowly, finally understanding their concern. "Okay… I’ll stop taking the pills. I promise."

Gary stormed back into the room, pointing a finger at me. "And if I catch you doing something like this again, I’m locking you in a room with Professor Oak’s lectures for a week!"

I couldn’t help but grin at that. "Yikes. Now that’s scary."

The room finally relaxed, though everyone still looked a little on edge. As they began gathering up the medication, I glanced at Pikachu, who gave me a stern but supportive look.

"Thanks, buddy," I whispered, scratching her behind the ears.

I might’ve messed up, but at least I knew I had people who cared enough to set me straight. And maybe, just maybe, I’d be a little more careful in the future.