Lance held the bottle of Modafinil like it was a bomb about to explode. “Mia, this is not candy!”

I tilted my head, genuinely confused. “Okay, but it’s been helping me stay awake. What’s the big deal?”

Gary groaned loudly and slammed his forehead into the nearest wall. “Mia, that’s a stimulant. It’s for people with sleep disorders, not for kids like us!”

“What’s a stimulant?” I asked innocently.

Bruno, pacing furiously, turned to Lorelei. “How did she even get her hands on this stuff?”

Lorelei rubbed her temples. “I don’t know, but we need to get to the bottom of this—quickly.”

“Uh, excuse me,” I interjected, pulling my bag closer. “Can someone explain why everyone’s acting like I just kicked a baby Growlithe? It’s not that big of a deal.”

Professor Oak, who had been fanning himself with a notebook, looked at me like I’d grown two heads. “Mia, consuming medication like this can seriously harm your body. You’re ten years old! Your system isn’t built to handle such chemicals.”

“Wait, what chemicals?” Gary snapped, pointing at my bag. “What else do you have in there?”

I sighed dramatically. “Why is everyone so nosy today?” But when they didn’t back off, I huffed and began pulling bottles out one by one. “Fine. Here. Happy?”

Lance’s eyes widened as the pile grew. “Mia! How many—what even is all this?!”

Greta, now hovering over the pile, picked up a small orange bottle. “This is a muscle relaxant. Why do you have this?”

“For Bruno’s workouts,” I said without missing a beat.

Bruno nearly tripped. “For my workouts?!”

“Yeah,” I replied casually. “You’re always talking about muscle tension, so I thought I’d give it a try.”

Lorelei picked up another bottle. “And this one? Painkillers? Mia, are you in pain?”

“Only when I battle people stronger than me,” I said matter-of-factly.

Gary threw his hands in the air. “You can’t just self-medicate because of battles! This is insane!”

Oak, meanwhile, looked ready to faint. “Mia, have you been reading the labels on these?”

I shrugged. “Not really. They all say they do something helpful, so I figured why not?”

“Why not?!” Gary shrieked, storming into the next room. “I can’t—I just—SHE’S GONNA KILL HERSELF!”

Lance tried to calm him down. “Gary, relax. She’s fine. She’s right here.”

“She’s not fine! Did you see that pile?!” Gary’s muffled yelling continued, even as Lorelei and Greta exchanged worried glances.

“Mia,” Lorelei said softly, kneeling beside me. “Listen, sweetheart. We’re not mad at you. We’re… concerned. Really, really concerned. This could hurt you badly if you keep taking this stuff without a doctor’s guidance.”

I stared at her blankly. “But it helped me beat the Elite Four.”

Bruno groaned, running his hands through his hair. “Kid, there’s more to life than battles! You can’t just… drug yourself to win!”

“They’re not drugs,” I protested, crossing my arms. “They’re tools. Like potions for humans.”

“Tools?” Lance muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re giving me a headache.”

Oak suddenly clapped his hands. “That’s it. We need to confiscate all of this and have a proper discussion with her guardians.”

“My guardians?” I blinked. “You mean my mom? Good luck; she doesn’t even know what these are!”

Lorelei gasped. “Mia, does your mother know you’ve been taking these?”

I gave her a sheepish grin. “Not exactly…”

Gary stormed back into the room, his hair sticking out in every direction. “Mia, you are literally the most chaotic human being I’ve ever met.”

“Thanks,” I said brightly. “I get that a lot.”

“No, it’s not a compliment!” Gary snapped. “You’re lucky you didn’t overdose or something!”

I looked at the adults, who were now pacing, whispering, and generally looking more panicked than I’d ever seen them. “Wow,” I muttered. “The Elite Four actually care about me. Who knew?”

Bruno stopped in his tracks. “Of course we care! What did you think?”

I shrugged. “I dunno. You guys always seemed kinda self-centered.”

Bruno groaned again, and Greta covered her mouth to hide her laugh.

Lorelei sighed deeply, sitting down next to me. “Mia, we’re going to take care of this, okay? No more pills. No more experimenting. Just trust us.”

“Okay, okay,” I said, holding up my hands. “Sheesh, you guys are crazy.”

Lance looked at Oak. “Are you sure she’s not related to Gary? The chaos levels are off the charts.”

Gary groaned. “Why do I have to deal with her?!”

“Because you’re my rival,” I said with a grin.

He threw a pillow at me, and for once, I didn’t dodge. Maybe they cared more than I thought.