I sat cross-legged on the floor, watching everyone run around like their heads were about to pop off. My hands rested in my lap as I tilted my head at the chaos.

Gary, for some inexplicable reason, had sprinted out of the room and was now yelling something incomprehensible to someone I couldn’t see. "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! DO SOMETHING!"

Lorelei and Lance were huddled together in a corner, whispering furiously. Their eyes darted toward me every few seconds like I was some sort of ticking time bomb. Greta was pacing back and forth, muttering something about “irresponsible kids” under her breath, while Bruno looked like he was ready to punch a hole through the nearest wall.

Professor Oak was sitting on a chair, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief like he was about to faint.

“Um…” I began, my voice soft. “Why is everyone freaking out? I feel fine.”

Lorelei spun around, her face pale but her eyes sharp. “Mia, you’ve been taking multiple medications that aren’t meant for kids your age—or anyone without a prescription!”

I shrugged. “So? They worked.”

“They worked?!” Lance exploded, running a hand through his hair. “Mia, Modafinil is a powerful stimulant! It’s not supposed to be used casually! What else have you been taking?”

I blinked, reached into my bag, and began pulling out bottles. “Uh… this one made me focus better. This one kept me from falling asleep when I was tired. Oh, and this one tasted like candy, so I just ate those sometimes.”

Bruno, who had been pacing, froze. “Candy? Mia, that’s melatonin!”

“Yeah, whatever that is,” I replied, waving a hand dismissively. “It made me sleepy, which is weird because I also wasn’t sleeping. So maybe it’s broken?”

Greta smacked her forehead. “Oh my gosh, she doesn’t even know what she’s doing to herself.”

Oak suddenly stood, his hands trembling as he held up a bottle I’d handed him earlier. “Mia, how did you even get these? Who gave them to you?!”

“Uh… I found them,” I admitted, scratching the back of my neck.

“Found them?” Gary reappeared, his face red as he stomped back into the room. “Found them where, Mia? A pharmacy dumpster?!”

“No! At home!” I shot back defensively. “I saw them in the bathroom cabinet, and they looked useful, so I took them. It’s not a big deal.”

“NOT A BIG DEAL?!” everyone yelled at once.

I flinched, then frowned. “Okay, calm down. You’re all acting like I’m dying or something. I’m totally fine. See?” I flexed my arms for emphasis, though it didn’t really help my case since they were shaking slightly.

Lorelei crouched down to my level, her eyes softening. “Mia, sweetie, you don’t understand. These medications can mess with your body in ways you don’t realize. They’re dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” I echoed, tilting my head.

“Yeah,” Gary muttered, sitting cross-legged across from me. He glared at me, but his voice wavered. “Like… dangerous-dangerous. You could’ve hurt yourself. Or worse.”

I blinked at him, confused. “But why do you care?”

Gary groaned, throwing his hands in the air. “Because you’re my rival, duh! If something happens to you, who am I supposed to beat?”

I rolled my eyes. “Wow, so touching, Gary. Really heartfelt.”

“Can we focus, please?” Lance snapped, clearly at his wit’s end. “Mia, what else have you taken? We need to know everything.”

I sighed, pulling out another handful of bottles. “I dunno, there’s this one, and this one, and—”

Lance’s face turned ashen as he grabbed one of the bottles. “This is… caffeine pills?! How much of this have you had?”

“Uh… not that much,” I said quickly.

“Mia…” Lance’s voice was low, almost a growl.

“Fine! A bottle! But I was really tired!”

Oak looked like he was about to faint. Bruno punched a wall, muttering something about “irresponsible adults leaving this stuff lying around,” while Lorelei actually pinched the bridge of her nose and started pacing.

“Mia,” Greta said, stopping in front of me with her hands on her hips. “Do you realize how serious this is?”

I shrugged again. “Not really.”

“That’s it,” Gary muttered, standing up and pointing at me. “We’re getting her to a doctor. Now.”

“Oh, come on!” I groaned, flopping onto my back. “You guys are so dramatic. I’m fine! You’re acting like the world’s ending!”

“You’re ten!” Greta shot back. “You’re not supposed to be popping pills like some kind of mad scientist!”

“Mad scientist?” I repeated, sitting up and grinning. “That sounds kinda cool.”

Lorelei groaned. “She’s hopeless.”

“Hopeless?!” I gasped, putting a hand over my heart. “Rude!”

As everyone continued to panic, I sat there watching them with an amused expression. Honestly, for people who were supposed to be the strongest trainers in the world, they sure were dramatic.