The next morning Sally was finishing preparing for the school lecture for the day when she heard a knock on the door. She comes over to answer it and see that it was Erma.

Erma: I hope I'm not interrupting anything.

Sally: Not at all, Erma, you came in just in time. Fiona's still getting ready!

Erma: Oh good! Oh there was something else I needed to show you.

Sally: *Curiously* What's up?

Erma: Well we came across this. *Shows Sally a container type device.* Larry found it when we got back from the ice cream parlor yesterday. I think those Scorpo Brothers might've dropped it. I thought maybe you might want to take a look at it.

Sally: Perhaps it might provide some clues as to why the Scorpos where here in the first place. *Takes the device from Erma then puts it in her bag.*Thanks Erma, this might help a lot. Where is Larry anyway?

Erma: He's outside with Emily, we decided to walk today if that's okay.

Sally: It's fine, luckily the rehab center is just across the street from the school which is something I just found out on the map.

Fiona steps out of her room all ready for daily session at the rehab center.

Fiona: Okay, I'm ready! *To Erma* Oh hey, Erma!

Erma: Good morning to you too, Fiona.

Sally: Since Larry and I have to work at the school, we won't be able to join you, So Erma is going to help out.

Erma: I hope you don't mind.

Fiona: Well It's fine, I guess, but you don't have to go through all that trouble.

Erma: I want to, the thing is I felt very bad about threatening you with Vilethorn yesterday so I wanted to make it up to you by helping you with your sessions.

Fiona: Erma, I already accepted your apology for that.

Erma: I know, it's just that I felt bad. Plus it could be a great way to get to know each other better. I don't usually spend my time outside of the tundra area so I figured it would be a nice opportunity.

Fiona: Well I think it would be nice to learn more about you as well.

Erma: Thank you.

After the conversation, Hershey entered the room.

Hershey: Mind if I join in too? I need to take a break from my investigation.

Sally: You're more than welcome to join, speaking of which, how is your investigation going?

Hershey: Well I'm starting to make a little progress, not much but every little bit helps.

Sally: That's good! so is everyone ready?

Fiona: Hold on, there's just one thing I need to do.

Fiona rushed out of Sally's apartment and walked over to the one next door and knocks on it. The Door opens to see Danielle answering it.

Danielle: What! You again? I'm not letting you cause any more trouble you hear me!?

Fiona: Look! I'm here to apologize!

Danielle: Oh?

Fiona: Yeah, I'm sorry I trashed your apartment the other day and left you on the wall with the toilet paper, it was very wrong of me.

Danielle: Yes it was! but I'm glad you came over to apologize! Come here! *Danielle proceeds to hug Fiona which catches her off guard* I accept your apology, and I hope you do well at the rehab center, Sally told me about it.

Fiona: Thanks...I appreciate that!

Danielle closed the door and Sally walked up to Fiona with a warm smile.

Sally:That was very nice, Fiona!

Fiona: Thanks, Sal! I know it isn't much but-

Sally: It's always good to start small. Just remember, one step at a time.

Fiona: Right!

And so everyone headed outside the apartment where Larry and Emily were waiting, and started walking.

Fiona: Hey Hershey, I'm sorry for what I did to you a couple days ago with the bathtub and everything.

Hershey: Listen, it's all water under the bridge, all that matters is that you get all the help you need.

Fiona: Thanks!

Larry: So how are you feeling today?

Fiona: Well I'm feeling okay, I guess. There's still a few things that bother me though.

Sally: Like what?

Fiona: Well I'm still trying to figure out how Sonic could've left me behind all those years ago. At first I thought it was because he was just selfish and arrogant but then I realize that there's a few things that don't add up.

Erma: For instance?

Fiona: Well we all know that Sonic is the fastest thing alive! You would think that he would somehow rescue everyone who was imprisoned including me in no time at all.

Hershey: that's true but maybe there was circumstances that was out of his control, like for example, a group of Robots standing in the way as a means to stall until it was too late.

Fiona: That is a possibility, there were a lot of robots guarding the area.

Emily: Or what if someone set up a trap for Sonic to keep him from rescuing you?

Fiona: Well Robotnik has been known to be sneaky so setting a few traps wouldn't be too far off.

Larry: is there anything you remember during that time?

Fiona: Well most of the time, I felt sleepy in my cell so it was mostly a blur but I do remember seeing Sonic leaving with Mighty and not coming back after that.

Sally: Well Hopefully once we get Sonic's side of the story, we can get a new perspective about that incident.

Fiona: I hope so.

Sally: Well here we are at the school, Larry and I will see you later.

Hershey: Erma and I can walk you to the center.

Sally: And I will come by to pick you up when School is done for the day.

Fiona: Well...okay

Erma: Have a good day at school, Emily.

Emily: I will, thank you! *Hugs Erma then runs off to the school joining Larry and Sally*

A few minutes later the class was awaiting for Sally to begin her lecture when Nicole emerged in her Lynx Form.

Nicole: Good Morning Class, I hope everyone is ready! We have a special lecture prepared for you today.

The students begin the chatter some showing excitement while others show confusion, as Sally walked into the room.

Sally: That's right, today we will be discussing about how to defend yourself against an enemy. Whether it's Eggman's robots or a some rouge villain, knowing how to protect yourself is very crucial.

Herman: This should be very useful!

Nicole: Defending yourself requires a combination of strategy, reflexes, and knowing your opponent's weaknesses. I will provide some visuals to give you a better idea.

Nicole projects an image of a battlefield surrounded by rocks and trees.

Sally: Let's start with the basics, awareness. When it comes to battling the environment is just as important as your opponent.

Herman raises his hand.

Sally: Yes Herman?

Herman: I get it, because knowing your surroundings can provide an advantage.

Sally: That's right! but it's also important to take cover but have clear visibility. Standing out on the field is risky, especially when you're up against Eggman's Robots. Now another basic factor is reflexes. This can help anticipate an opponent's attack and how to dodge it.

Herman: This is very noteworthy indeed!

Emily: You're right, I better write this down!

Sally: And above all, one of the most important factors is teamwork! one of the many battle defenses is knowing when to rely on your teammate. No one wins a battle alone.

Nicole: This all comes from the popular expression, "There's no I in team"

Nicole shows a projection of three mobian soldiers combining their skills to take down a group of robots.

Sally: Another factor is mental preparation! staying calm and focused even in the heat of the battle is the key to making smart decisions. Panic can only lead to mistakes.

Nicole shows a projection of two mobian soldiers, one getting caught off guard, while another one successfully counters an incoming attack.

Nicole: Your mind is just as powerful as any weapon, Analyzing situations and adapting to your surroundings is vital key to survival.

Misty raises her hand

Nicole: Yes Misty?

Misty: But what if you get cornered with no means to escape?

Sally: Excellent question, Misty! In those situations, the best thing to do is to use your surroundings to your advantage. for example, if you find something that you can knock over or a place that you can hide, then do so. If all else fails remember this, the best defense is a quick offense. Take the enemy by surprise.

Nicole shows a projection of a rockslide crushing two robots

Sally: So to Recap, stay aware of your environment, hone your reflexes, rely on your team, and keep a calm head.

Stan: This will really come in handy!

Rex: Whatever...

Meanwhile at the Rehab center, Fiona was heading out to the tranquility garden with Hershey and Erma following her. and when they got there, Nova was standing by the tree waiting for her. He flew over and jumped into Fiona's arms.

Fiona: It's good to see you Nova! Erma, Hershey, this is Nova! He came by here yesterday.

Hershey: Aww he's so adorable, Fiona!

Erma: Indeed! I hope you take really good care of him! Nova like any other chao needs lots of attention.

Hershey: And they need to be fed regularly too.

Fiona: Believe me, he's already growing on me. I wish I had a chao like nova when I was a kid. *Fiona gives Nova some fruit for him to eat* I hope you enjoy, Nova.

Dr. Willow came outside

Dr. Willow: Fiona, can you come to my office for a minute?

Fiona: *nervously* Sure...I will be right there.

Hershey: Don't worry, we'll keep Nova entertained for you.

Fiona followed Dr. Willow into her office feeling nervous about why she wanted to see her.

Dr. Willow: alright, Fiona. Take a seat!

Fiona sits on her seat and does her best to remain calm.

Fiona: *Nervously* Did I do something wrong?

Dr. Willow: No need to worry, you didn't do anything wrong. I brought you here so we can start a private session. I'm going to ask you a few questions, and I want you to give me your best answer. And you don't have to explain if you're not ready or if it feels painful to you, a Simple yes or no or a short answer will do.

Fiona: Okay...

Dr. Willow: Now then, as I understand it, on your first day here, you explained to my assistant Kimi on how you were imprisoned by Dr. Robotnik when you were a child, is this true?

Fiona: Well...unfortunately...yes

Dr. Willow: I see, and how did that make you feel?

Fiona: Well at the time I felt that I was abandoned, like no one cared enough to break me out. I was scared and alone.

Dr. Willow: That's an understandable feeling, now Kimi has brought to my attention that Sonic tried to rescue you but for some reason he didn't.

Fiona: That's right! At the time, it made me feel angry. I was angry at him for a long time.

Dr. Willow: Uh huh...so you had some sort of grudge?

Fiona: Well I guess you can say that! I've been burned, betrayed, and pushed away by a lot of people after I escaped.

Dr. Willow: My goodness...you certainly have been through a lot...but May I offer you some words of advice?

Fiona: I guess, but I don't know what good it would do in my position.

Dr. Willow: Well for starters, holding on to that anger and grudge can weigh you down. it's like carrying a sack of rocks over an icy mountain.

Fiona: So what? You expect me to just forgive and forget? You expect me to pretend it never happened?

Dr. Willow: No, not forget! What happened to you is important. It shaped who you are today, however it doesn't define who you are.

Fiona: But still, it hurts...

Dr. Willow: I know...but holding on to that pain can only make things worse. And Forgiveness isn't about letting someone off the hook so easily. It's about freeing yourself from the burden off all the pain you've endured.

Fiona: But what if the people that hurt me don't care? It's like they move on while I'm here picking up their mess!

Dr. Willow: They might not care but your happiness shouldn't be depended on them. Letting go of your anger is a sign that you can be strong enough to choose your own path to find peace.

Fiona: I don't know Doctor...it just really hard.

Dr. Willow: This sort of thing is always a challenge. It takes time. But you're not alone, you have me and Kimi, Sally, and Larry and your other friends to help you.

Fiona: I guess you're right...

Dr. Willow: I just have one last question, Imagine if the roles were reversed.

Fiona: You mean if Sonic was the imprisoned and I'm the one doing the rescue?

Dr. Willow: Exactly! Now then, if You and Sonic switched roles, would you have been able to rescue Sonic?

Fiona: Well Yes...maybe...I don't know, I didn't have much know how as a fighter back then, plus we were kids. I guess I probably would've made the same mistake mostly due to fear and the stress of pulling off a successful rescue mission.

Dr. Willow: And that's another point, sometimes you don't understand another person's actions until you imagine yourself in their shoes.

Fiona: Gee I never thought if it that way. It's kinda like walking a mile in their shoes.

Dr. Willow: Right! Now I hope this gives you something to think about.

Fiona: It does, Dr Willow!

Dr. Willow: *Smiling* Good. you may go now!

Fiona: Thank you!

As Fiona left the room she had a few thoughts in her mind.

Fiona: *Thinking* That was a bit intense! Dr. Willow seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to help me...she did help set some things in perspective for me, but still, I wish I could get some answers about Sonic leaving me behind. I just feel as if there's some unanswered questions.

Just as she started to head towards the activity room, Nova comes flying up to her.

Fiona: Oh you want to join me? Okay, follow me.

Nova followed Fiona into the activity room to see Hershey and Erma having a conversation.

Hershey: Glad you're back, Fiona! What did Dr. Willow want to talk to you about?

Fiona: Well she just wanted a private session is all.

Hershey: I see, so how do you like being here?

Fiona: Well it's okay, the place feels so calm.

Erma: I see they provided plenty to do here.

Fiona: Yeah, it does have some great stuff.

Nova headed over to where the musical instruments were, and picked up a tambourine and started playing with it. catching the attention of Lucy and Izzy who were playing the console.

Lucy: That is so cute!

Izzy: Yeah, Nova should have his own band!

Erma: He seems to love that tambourine!

Fiona just kept watching Nova playing that instrument to his heart's content and smiling at him.

Fiona: *Thinking* Nova kinda reminds me of me when I was a kid. I use to have fun like that all the time.

Meanwhile back at Freedom U, after the lecture was over Sally and Nicole took the opportunity to analyze the crystal and the container.

Sally: I have honestly never seen anything like this, we know it's not a chaos emerald due to the size. And I'm not quite sure what this container is for.

Nicole: I'll prepare an analysis!

Nicole begins to scan the crystal thoroughly and slowly, after a few minutes a fews results came up.

Nicole: It would appear that there's very little information on this crystal, Sally. However, it seems that they contain some sort of energy.

Sally: That is very peculiar.

Just then a knock on the door was heard.

Sally: Oh Come in!

The door opens and Professor Von Schlemmer enters the room.

Prof. von Schlemmer: I hope I'm not interrupting anything!

Sally: Not at all, Professor! In fact, maybe you can help me. Yesterday we found this Crystal, and we have no idea what it does.

Nicole: and just this morning our friend Erma has found this container.

Nicole: We've never seen anything like these on Mobius, so maybe you can take a look at it.

Prof. von Schlemmer: Alright Let me have a look.

Sally hands over the crystal and the container device to Prof. von Schlemmer, who takes out a microscope and begins to analyze the crystal with it. there he sees energy coursing through the crystal itself.

Prof. von Schlemmer: Well it does seem that there's some traces of energy.

Sally: But what about this device? Is there some sort of connection to this crystal?

Prof. von Schlemmer takes the container device and presses a green button that was on the side. Then a small compartment opens up to reveal a slot that's the same shape as the crystal. He takes the crystal then puts it inside the slot. the device then closes and begins lighting up. Sally and Nicole watch in amazement as the device was glowing while producing an electrical current.

Prof. von Schlemmer: It would appear that this crystal serves as some sort of power supply, and this device is what contains it. *After a while the device powers down* This is indeed a great discovery.

Sally: It sure is! Something tells me we better put it somewhere safe. It can cause a great disaster if it falls into the wrong hands.

Nicole: That's a good idea, Sally! Where do we put it.

Prof. von Schlemmer: Not to worry, Ladies! I have a safe in my classroom that I can use.

Sally: Thank you Professor! That would be a huge help!

Prof. von Schlemmer: You're welcome!

Sally: However if you don't mind my asking, why did you come here in the first place?

Prof. von Schlemmer: Oh Right! I came by to give you this. *Hands Sally a flier*

Sally: *Reads the flier that says "Open House Next Friday"* An Open house? That's really great!

Prof. von Schlemmer: Oh yes, it's a great way for the parents to see the Students progress. Well I will see you later.

Sally: See you later, and thanks again!

Nicole: Yes, thank you!

Prof. von Schlemmer: It's no problem! *Prof. von Schlemmer leaves the room taking the container and crystal with him so he can lock it up for safekeeping*

Nicole: An Open house does sound interesting!

Sally: Yeah, I hope we can make a good impression on their parents.

Nicole: I know we will, because when we work together, we can accomplish anything.

Sally: Well, Said Nicole!

TO BE CONTINUED