Blue raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "You’ve got a whole mess of Pokémon up there, Mia. They’re not exactly being quiet either."

I rubbed my eyes, still groggy. "I didn’t know they were up there... Pikachu’s the only one who usually gets on the fan. The others just... follow her."

Squirtle giggled, hanging off the fan blade with a cheeky grin. Charmander was trying to spin it faster while Pikachu was darting around, clearly enjoying the chaos.

"Charmander, stop!" I groaned, sitting up. "You’re going to break something."

Charmander stopped for a second and grinned at me mischievously before resuming his antics.

"Great. Now I have to babysit them," Blue muttered, clearly amused but also trying to stay composed. "And what exactly do you think you’re doing, sleeping in my gym chair?"

I glanced around the room. It had taken me a moment to fully wake up, but now I noticed the gym had a more formal setup, complete with a training area. I blinked, realizing the chair wasn’t mine at all.

"I... uh... might’ve been really tired?" I offered weakly.

Blue raised his hands in mock surrender. "Yeah, I noticed. But seriously, Mia, you can’t just make yourself at home wherever you please. You’ve gotta learn some discipline."

I pouted, rubbing my head. "Come on, Blue, I didn’t even get a chance to do anything yet! I’ve been busy training, battling, and you know—fighting bad guys."

Blue snorted. "Always an excuse with you, huh?"

"Blue, I was literally in the middle of a battle when I knocked out from exhaustion," I said defensively. "But you're right. I didn’t mean to fall asleep here. My bad."

Pikachu gave a little pika of agreement, hopping off the fan and sitting by my feet, looking up at me like she was ready to get back to business.

Blue shook his head with a half-smile. "Just... try to make sure you don't turn my gym into your personal napping spot next time."

I nodded, looking around. "I’ll, uh... try. But no promises. My Pokémon are a bit... well... chaotic."

"You and your Pokémon are one and the same," Blue said, the teasing tone never leaving his voice. "Alright, now get up. I’ve got things to do and it seems like you're already making yourself comfortable here."

I groaned but stood up, wiping the sleep from my eyes. "Okay, okay, I'm up... but I still need my breakfast!"

"You want breakfast?" Blue asked, smirking. "I’ll let you have one—if you can beat me in a battle."

I blinked. "What? Right now?"

He grinned. "Right now. Get your Pokémon ready, Mia."

Squirtle stopped spinning the fan and hopped off, landing with a soft thud on the floor. Charmander immediately stood up straighter, his eyes glowing with excitement.

"I’m gonna beat you, Blue!" I declared, a little more awake now.

"Bring it on," Blue challenged.

" Bulby!" I called. " Use vine whip!"

" Saur, Ivysaur!"

Tauros dodged and used Earthquake.

" JUMP IVYSAUR JUMP!!"

Ivysaur managed to dodge, and I sighed.

Then I realized my stomach did not feel good.

My eyes darted to the nearest window, and I ran to it. " Keep it up Bulby!* I exclaimed as I threw the window.

" Are you oka-"

He didn't get to finish.

Because I tumbled out and threw up.

Blue just stood there.

" Pika pi."

Blue looked down as Pikachu handed him the Modafinil bottle from my bag.

I gasped for air as I rolled back in through the window.

" Kiddo, we need to talk."

I looked up and saw the bottle in his hand. " Where did you get that from?!"

" The question is, where did YOU get it from? Kid, you're too young."

I froze. " O... Oh, that? That's.... Nothing."

Blue gave me a serious look before he sighed and walked over to me, gently picking me up and laying me down on his chair.

" Blue, what are y-"

" Stay here." He said sternly as he disappeared into the back.

I looked at my Pokemon. " So.... How's it going?"

They gave me a look.

Blue walked back with a blanket, water, orange juice and a bowl of yummy grapes.

" Oh, look. Blue broght you food." I told my Pokemon.

" No, I brought it for you."

I blinked. " I don't need it."

Blue set the tray down. " Kid, I've known you since you were little. And though I'm a gym leader, I know the signs."

He took the blanket off the tray and wrapped it around me. " Drink the juice. It'll help with your blood pressure."

I stared at Blue, still feeling disoriented and embarrassed. "But I’m fine! I—"

"No, you’re not," Blue interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. "I’ve seen this before. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard, Mia. You’re not invincible."

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking in.

He was right.

I had been going nonstop lately—training, battling, and everything else. I hadn’t noticed how much it had been taking out of me.

"Please, Blue, I don’t need to be babied," I muttered, trying to sit up but feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me.

Blue raised an eyebrow, placing a hand gently on my shoulder to keep me from moving too much. "This isn’t about babying you, kiddo. This is about you being smart. Rest. You’ve earned it... even if you don’t want to admit it."

I looked over at Pikachu, who was sitting next to me with a concerned expression. She chirped softly, rubbing against my side as if offering comfort.

I sighed, leaning back into the chair reluctantly. "Fine. But only for a little while."

Blue gave me a stern look. "You’re not getting up until I say so. That’s final."

I groaned but didn’t argue. My stomach still churned a little, but the juice was helping, and the blanket felt warm and comforting.

"Where did you even get that medicine from?" Blue asked again, his voice quieter now, though still filled with concern.

I glanced down at the bottle of Modafinil in his hand. "It’s... it’s nothing," I muttered, not wanting to explain. "I just... I thought it would help me stay awake and focused. I didn’t know it was a big deal."

Blue sighed, rubbing his temple. "Mia, that’s a prescription drug. It’s not something you just take without proper guidance. It messes with your system if you aren’t careful, especially at your age."

I felt the sting of his words, but it wasn’t the first time someone had scolded me about my choices. I didn’t like being told I was too young for something, but I knew Blue was only looking out for me.

"Sorry," I mumbled, fiddling with the blanket. "I wasn’t thinking."

"You never are," Blue said with a chuckle, his tone softening. "You’ve got a good heart, but sometimes you forget your limits, Mia."

I smiled weakly. "I guess so. But I don’t want to be weak. I want to be strong... like you."

Blue froze, his expression softening as he met my gaze. "You already are strong. But even the strongest need to rest sometimes. Don’t burn yourself out trying to prove something."

The weight of his words settled in my chest, and I felt a lump form in my throat. "I just... I don’t want to disappoint anyone, you know? I want to be helpful... I want to be good at what I do."

Blue’s expression softened further. He pulled up a chair next to me, sitting down with a sigh. "Mia, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. You’ve already shown what you’re capable of, and we all believe in you. You just need to take care of yourself, too."

I nodded slowly, the tears threatening to spill as I felt a rush of emotion. "I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to... take a break."

Blue offered me a small, reassuring smile. "It’s hard for everyone. But sometimes, the best way to be strong is to know when you need a break."

I looked up at him, wiping my eyes. "Thanks, Blue."

He ruffled my hair gently. "No problem. Now, drink your juice, and let’s take it easy for the rest of the day. I’ll make sure you don’t overdo it again."

Pikachu hopped onto my lap, her tiny paws pressing against my chest as she gave me a soft " Pika."

It was like she was offering her own form of reassurance.

I chuckled and sipped the juice, feeling its coolness settle my stomach. "Alright, alright... I'll rest. But only for a bit."

Blue chuckled as he stood up, checking over my Pokémon to make sure they weren’t getting into trouble. "You’re a tough one, Mia. But even the toughest need a little TLC now and then."

I watched as he walked over to keep an eye on Squirtle, who was now attempting to climb up a shelf and knocking things down in the process.

"You know," I said, finally feeling a bit better. "Maybe you’re right about taking breaks... I’ll try to be smarter about it."

Blue turned around and smirked. "That’s all I’m asking. Now, let’s get your Pokémon under control before I have to step in again."

I chuckled and shook my head, finally feeling more at ease. "Deal."

As I leaned back into the chair, feeling the warmth of the blanket and the comforting presence of my Pokémon, I realized that sometimes, it wasn’t about being the strongest fighter or the most skilled trainer. It was about knowing when to stop and take care of yourself. And maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t such a bad thing to listen to those who cared about me.

"I’ll rest... but only for a little while," I muttered to myself, already feeling the pull of sleep again.

Blue glanced over, a slight grin tugging at his lips. "That’s what I like to hear, Mia. Now relax. You’ve earned it."