The room descended into chaos.

Lance was pacing back and forth, gripping the bottle of Modafinil like it was a live grenade. Lorelei and Greta were whispering furiously in the corner, their expressions a mix of panic and exasperation. Bruno, who normally looked unshakable, was running a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath about "kids these days."

Meanwhile, Professor Oak was fanning himself with a notebook, looking like he might keel over at any moment.

Gary, however, had decided to take a more direct approach. He stormed out of the room and could be heard yelling into the hallway, "SHE'S BEEN TAKING WHAT?! SOMEBODY GET A DOCTOR!"

I blinked, completely unfazed. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, I tilted my head as I watched the Elite Four and Gary act like a bunch of crazy people. "Why is everyone freaking out?" I asked, genuinely curious. "I’m fine! See?" I waved my arms dramatically. "Totally fine. Awake. Alive. Healthy-ish."

Lance spun around, pointing an accusatory finger at me. "Mia, do you even know what Modafinil is?!"

I shrugged. "Nope. But it kept me awake, so that’s a win in my book."

Lorelei clapped a hand over her mouth, clearly suppressing a scream. "Mia, Modafinil is a prescription medication for people with serious sleep disorders! It’s not candy!"

"Well, I didn’t treat it like candy," I said defensively. "More like... survival pills. You know, to survive the Elite Four challenge."

Greta groaned and plopped onto the nearest chair, burying her face in her hands. "Mia, you’re ten! Your body can’t handle that kind of medication without proper supervision!"

I rolled my eyes. "I’m not dead, am I? Clearly, I’m handling it perfectly."

At that moment, Oak stepped forward, holding the bottle up like it was evidence in a courtroom. "Mia," he said gravely, "what other medications have you been taking?"

I sighed dramatically. "Ugh, fine. If it’ll make you all calm down..." I reached into my bag and began pulling out various bottles and packets. One by one, I lined them up on the floor like trophies.

Bruno froze mid-pace, staring at the growing collection. "Mia," he said slowly, "what... is all of this?"

"Uh, let’s see." I picked up a bottle and squinted at the label. "This one’s for headaches. This one’s for energy. Oh, and this one is a sleep aid—ironic, right?—and this one’s... I don’t actually know what this one does, but it tastes like mint!"

Gary re-entered the room just in time to hear that. He looked at the array of medications, then at me, then back at the bottles. "You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered. Then, louder, "Mia, ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF?!"

"Of course not!" I replied indignantly. "I was trying to not pass out in the middle of a battle. Big difference!"

Lance pinched the bridge of his nose, looking like he was on the verge of a breakdown. "Mia, this isn’t a joke. Mixing medications like this can have serious side effects."

"Like what?" I asked innocently.

"Like organ failure, seizures, or worse!" Greta snapped, her voice trembling. "Mia, this is not okay. We need to get you checked out by a doctor."

I tilted my head. "Why? I feel fine." I gestured around the room. "You guys are the ones acting like lunatics."

Oak groaned and leaned heavily on the desk. "Mia, the fact that you feel fine doesn’t mean you are fine. We’re worried about you!"

That made me pause. I glanced around the room, taking in their genuinely worried expressions. Even Gary, who was usually the first to tease me, looked genuinely scared.

"Huh," I said thoughtfully. "You guys actually care about me."

Lorelei sighed, her shoulders sagging. "Of course we care about you, Mia. You’re a child. A reckless child, but still a child."

Bruno nodded. "We may be the Elite Four, but that doesn’t mean we’re heartless."

Gary crossed his arms. "Don’t think this means I’m going easy on you in our battle, though."

I smiled, feeling oddly touched despite the chaos. "Aw, you guys are sweet. Crazy, but sweet."

Lance threw his hands up in exasperation. "Mia, you’re impossible."

"Thank you," I said cheerfully, completely unbothered.

As the adults continued to pace, argue, and make plans to get me medically checked out, I sat back and watched, utterly calm in the middle of the storm.

The Elite Four might’ve been some of the strongest trainers in the world, but right now, they were a bunch of overprotective babysitters—and I was perfectly fine with that.