Gary blinked, staring at the array of medication, the coffee bottle, and the pile of grey hairs Pikachu had proudly displayed. His jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before he finally managed to say, "Kid, what the heck is going on with you?"

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Look, I’m a ten-year-old girl trying to take on the Elite Four while my annoying rival-slash-boyfriend is always ten steps ahead of me. Who wouldn’t be stressed?!" I flailed my arms dramatically. "Do you think these grey hairs just appeared out of nowhere?! Pikachu has the proof!"

Pikachu held up the grey strands triumphantly, her cheeks sparking slightly for emphasis. The entire room went silent as everyone stared at the hairs, their disbelief palpable.

Professor Oak adjusted his glasses. "I must admit, I didn’t think stress could cause premature greying this early…"

Lorelei folded her arms, giving me a scrutinizing look. "You pulled these out yourself?"

"YES!" I practically shouted. "I had no choice. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have grey hairs at my age?!"

Bulby, my Ivysaur, walked out of its Poké Ball, shaking its head and giving me a look. A look. One that screamed, Really? This is what we’re doing now?

I threw my hands in the air. "What?! You try being in my shoes, Bulby! You think it’s easy facing the Elite Four, Gary, and all this pressure?! I’m just trying to survive!"

Greta, meanwhile, was screaming incoherently, pointing between me and the pile of coffee bottles Pikachu had just fished out of my bag. "You—you’re drinking coffee?! At your age?! This explains so much!"

I grabbed one of the bottles Pikachu handed me and downed it in one gulp, glaring at Greta. "You don’t know my life, okay?!"

Gary pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath before finally stepping forward. "Mia." His voice was calm but firm. "You need to sleep. And stop drinking coffee. And what even is Modafinil?!" He waved the bottle in the air.

"I heard it helps people stay awake!" I replied defensively. "I needed it to keep up with all of this!"

At that, even Bruno, who had been stoic the whole time, gave me a disapproving look. Professor Oak shook his head gravely. "Mia, you can’t put this kind of strain on yourself. You’re going to burn out."

Gary crouched down to my level, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Seriously, kiddo. You need to take care of yourself. No battle is worth this."

I huffed, looking away. "Easy for you to say. You’re always ahead of me, always perfect. I’m just trying to catch up."

Gary’s smirk softened into something kinder. "Hey, you’re already amazing the way you are. You don’t need to beat yourself up to prove anything." He glanced at the grey hairs still in Pikachu’s grasp and sighed. "But seriously, stop with the coffee and the meds. It’s not healthy."

I stared at him for a moment before muttering, "Fine…" Pikachu, however, handed me another coffee bottle, and I instinctively opened it.

Gary’s eye twitched. "How… are you even drinking that? You’re a child."

I shrugged. "It tastes good. Plus, it helps me stay focused."

Then I turned to the old people. "Professor Oak, did you and Greta once like each other? Because you guys sure care a lot for two people who claim to hate each other."

The room went completely silent. Professor Oak choked on his own breath, turning an alarming shade of red, while Greta’s jaw dropped. "W-What?!" she sputtered.

Gary, meanwhile, buried his face in his hands. "This kid is going to be the death of us all."