Gary groaned, pacing back and forth as the adults around me devolved into what I could only describe as organized chaos.

"She's been taking Modafinil, Lorelei!" Lance whispered harshly, running a hand through his hair.

Lorelei looked genuinely alarmed. "That’s not just a sleeping aid—it's a prescription for narcolepsy! She could've seriously hurt herself!"

Meanwhile, Bruno was muttering under his breath as he paced. "Two weeks of this? How is she even upright right now?"

Greta leaned against the wall, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is why kids shouldn't be unsupervised near medicine cabinets. I swear, one of these days—"

"HELLOOOO!" I waved a hand. "I'm right here, you know!"

Gary turned on me, his face scrunched up with what I could only describe as a mix of disbelief and fury. "Mia, do you even realize how insane this is?! You’ve basically been living on overdrive! You’re TEN. What were you thinking?!"

I shrugged, utterly unfazed. "I was thinking I needed to beat the Elite Four. Duh."

Oak groaned, sitting heavily on a nearby chair. "Mia, my dear, this is not how one prepares for a challenge. Proper rest is vital to both your health and performance."

I tilted my head, genuinely confused. "But I am fine. See?" I stood up and stretched my arms, showing no signs of wobbling—although I could tell the adults weren’t convinced. "I mean, it’s not like I fainted or anything."

Gary threw his arms up. "Not yet! You're basically a walking disaster waiting to happen!"

Lorelei knelt down to my level, her tone softer but no less serious. "Mia, sweetie, how much of this have you been taking? And have you… mixed it with anything else?"

I bit my lip, debating whether honesty was the best policy. "Uhhh… define 'mixing.'"

Bruno froze mid-step. "Oh no. She has been mixing."

Greta leaned forward. "What else, Mia? Show us."

Sighing dramatically, I reached into my bag and pulled out a small collection of bottles. One was labeled "Caffeine Supplements," another read "Melatonin," and the third was some herbal blend I’d picked up from a weird shop because the clerk promised it would "unlock my inner strength."

The room collectively gasped as Lance took the bottles, inspecting them like they might explode. "Mia. This isn’t a pharmacy; this is a cocktail of bad decisions."

Gary's jaw dropped. "Is that energy drink powder?!"

I tilted my head. "Maybe."

"WHY?!" Gary screamed, stomping into the next room, where I could hear him yelling incoherent frustrations into a pillow.

Greta stared at me, wide-eyed. "How are you even alive right now?"

"I’m built different?" I offered innocently.

Lorelei slapped a hand to her forehead, while Oak seemed to be fanning himself with a clipboard. "This is why we have age limits on trainers," he muttered.

Lance, holding the bottles like they were evidence in a crime scene, turned to me with a tone that was both exasperated and deeply concerned. "Mia, you can’t just… ingest random things and hope for the best. These pills could’ve done real damage to your body!"

"Yeah," Bruno added. "Do you even know what Modafinil does?"

I shrugged again. "Nope. But it kept me awake, so… mission accomplished?"

Greta smacked her forehead. "Kid, you’re lucky you didn’t end up in the hospital."

Lorelei crouched down again, placing her hands on my shoulders. "Mia, listen to me. You’re an incredible trainer, but you’re still a child. Your health matters more than any battle, no matter how important it feels."

I frowned, finally feeling a twinge of guilt under their collective worry. "I just… I didn’t want to let anyone down," I mumbled. "Everyone expects me to be great, and I was scared I’d mess it all up if I wasn’t perfect."

The room went silent for a moment. Even Gary, who had stormed back in, paused in his ranting.

"Mia," Oak said gently, "being a great trainer isn’t about pushing yourself past your limits. It’s about knowing your limits and taking care of yourself so you can grow stronger over time."

"Yeah," Gary added, surprisingly soft. "You’re not gonna impress anyone by passing out mid-battle. Trust me."

I blinked at him, then at the rest of them. For the first time, I noticed how worried they all looked—not annoyed or angry, but genuinely scared for me.

"Okay," I said quietly, my voice small. "No more pills. I promise."

The tension in the room eased, though the adults still exchanged wary looks. Lance handed the bottles to Oak, who promptly locked them in his bag.

"Good," Lorelei said, giving me a reassuring smile. "Now, let’s get you some proper food and rest before you even think about battling anyone else."

"Does that mean Gary’s off the hook?" I asked hopefully.

Gary smirked. "Nice try. You’re still battling me. But maybe after you’ve had a nap."

I groaned, flopping onto the floor dramatically. "You’re all crazy."

Bruno chuckled. "Kid, we’re not the crazy ones here."

"Debatable," I muttered under my breath, earning a chorus of laughter.