Alright, so I cried some in this chapter. What Lily is going through here is how I normally react when I'm in trouble, and also how I react when a friendship goes awry. With that said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter along with some surprises.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" nor "TMNT." I only own Lily and Karena.
January 18, 2039 – Todayland, North Montana, USA
WILBUR'S POV
Karena dropped me off at school. The first place I went to was my locker to put my backpack away. To my surprise, I found Lily at my locker and not in the cafeteria where we usually met.
"Hey, Lily!" I greeted her excitedly. "You must really want to see me if you're here at my locker."
"Hey, Wilbur, we need to talk."
My smile faded instantly after I opened my locker. I turned to face her and I noticed she had a look of fear in her blue eyes.
"Lily, what's wrong?" I asked. "Are you alright?"
"Can we please go somewhere private?"
"Yeah, sure. Let's go to the pool."
"We can't. Swim practice."
"Oh! I forgot about that. Hmm… the library then?"
"Let's go."
I followed Lily into the library, and she led me into the very back between two bookshelves.
"Lily, what's going on that we are being secretive about this?" I whispered.
"Wilbur, the Magician was at my house," Lily answered, her voice trembling.
"What?! Is your dad okay?"
"My dad?" Lily replied in confusion. "My dad's fine. My mother on the other hand…"
Oops. I winced at my mistake.
"The Magician was in New York?" I asked to clarify.
"Yes. My mom found him in my bedroom when she got home. He threatened me and my dad, Wilbur."
My expression grew serious. I felt angry that the Magician had the balls to threaten Lily after everything she went through.
"What did the Magician say?" I asked angrily.
"He told my mom to tell my dad to bring Karena to Los Angeles, or I'd die."
"He has some nerve bringing you and your dad into this," I replied in an even angrier tone. "And he brought your mom into this too. He's crossed the line."
"So what are we going to do?" Lily asked, clearly panicked. "Mom's already trying to get my uncle Raphael involved."
"Okay, Lily, first you need to calm down. Nothing is happening right now except this conversation. Second, we need to be logical about this. How will your uncle be able to help if the threatened people are here in Todayland and not in New York? Your uncle's a detective for New York City, right?"
Lily nodded.
"So, there's a very good chance he won't be able to do anything to help. He probably can't leave the city unless he asks for paid leave. Now, there are some things I can do. I can convince my dad to either have Karena move in with us or raise security at her dormitory. Maybe I can have him increase security at your apartment too, keep you and your dad safe."
I paused and smiled.
"I wouldn't let this get to you if I were you. If you keep living your life like you normally would, then everything will be fine. If you worry about it too much, then you can't move forward, can you?"
Lily returned her smile.
"I guess not. But Wilbur, you know how I told you I went on a vision quest?"
I nodded.
"Well, my spiritual adversary was the Magician. When I first saw him, I immediately grew terrified, worried that he was going to take me away again."
"What did you do?" I asked. "What there anything else in your mind besides the worry?"
"I was worried about completing the vision quest successfully, so I knew I had to face him. But I had never felt so afraid before. He was charging at me and I kept having to parry his attacks. He was eventually too strong and knocked me down."
"But you didn't give up, did you?"
"No. I remembered what Uncle Leo told me: to be bold like the sun. So I stood up, gathered courage, and fought back."
Lily let out a gasp, and then gave me a bold smile.
"I really did feel bold, and I feel bold right now just from telling you this."
"Then that is how you need to feel if you ever face the Magician for real," I replied. "We all have fears we must face, and you faced yours back in New York. It sounds like you'll have to face it again to save Karena if it comes to that. But we never really conquer our fears. We gain the courage and wisdom to face them every time, and the more we face it, the more courageous we become."
"So, don't worry about it right now?" Lily asked.
"Right. I'll let Dad know what's going on."
"Thanks, Wilbur. Actually, my dad told me to tell you what's going on, but I needed the talk with you anyway."
"I'm glad I'm able to help," I replied. "Shall we go to our usual meeting place?"
"Of course! How could I miss our breakfast routine?"
I helped the girl I call my sister up, and we went down the stairs to the cafeteria before school went in session.
KARENA'S POV
My phone rang while I was working my shift at Denny's. I hid in the bathroom to see that I received at text from Wilbur:
"Family meeting after the game tonight. Please show up at 9:30 sharp."
"Family meeting?" I asked out loud. "I wonder what that's about?"
I put my phone away and put the meeting at ease as I finished my hostess shift. It was proven to be not too busy of a night as Wilbur and Lily were both performing at tonight's game at Todayland High School. I felt happy for both of them. Wilbur is continuing his color guard stint from last year after I encouraged him to try out. Lily, coming out of her shell literally and figuratively, tried out for the cheerleading squad and instantly fell in love with cheering for her team. Lily may have inherited Donatello's intelligence and April's resilience, but she also inherited Michelangelo and Leonardo's spirit as well as Raphael's sassiness. I sent a text to Donnie to send me any pictures or videos he'd take of both of them, and while I was waiting for families to show up at Denny's so I could seat them, I enjoyed watching the videos the mutant turtle sent me.
My shift was finally over at nine o'clock, and I immediately drove to the Robinson Mansion. I parked my car in the garage, and Wilbur was there to greet me.
"Hey, Wilbur."
"Hey, Karr."
We embraced, but there was no kiss this time.
"It must be serious if we didn't share a kiss," I told him.
Wilbur kissed me on the cheek.
"Okay, that works."
"Come on. We're all waiting for you."
"You know you're still wearing your color guard uniform?" I asked as we exited the garage.
"And Lily's still in her cheerleading uniform," Wilbur replied with a flat affect in his voice.
"Lily's here too?"
"And so is Don. Hence the words family meeting."
"That can't be good if Lily and Donnie are involved."
"Just come on, Karr."
I followed Wilbur into the house, and I saw the entire family socializing in the living room.
"Geez, you weren't kidding," I whispered in my boyfriend's ear.
"Nope. We're here!"
The family turned toward us, and we made our way to stand with Lily and Donnie.
"So, what's this about?" I asked, taking a seat next to Donnie on the couch.
"Karena, thank you for stopping by," Cornelius told me. "And you also, Donatello and Lily. We are here because an urgent matter has come up. Wilbur told me that the Magician has threatened Donatello, Lily, and Karena, and the Hamatos backed his statement. After knowing what the Magician can do, I am not willing to take a chance. Karena, we spoke as a family while Wilbur was performing his routine, and we have made the decision to move you in to the house."
"What?!" I asked out loud. "You are aware that I am dating your son, right? I don't believe my moving in with you guys is a good idea."
"Sorry, Karena, but you were the main target in the threat to the Hamatos," Franny explained. "Your life is in the most danger, not Lily's despite the threat of her dying."
"Clearly, the Magician has not given up on finding you," Donatello chimed in with a grim expression. "You very clearly did not ruin his life, but he believes you did. He has already tried finding us back in New York only to learn from April that we weren't there."
Donnie let out a sigh.
"There's a very good chance that he will come here to Todayland after analyzing the internet. Karena, you're in college, which probably means you have information on the internet that the Magician will find. Lily also has information on the web as she is part of the cheering squad and is a straight A student."
"With that said, Donatello and Lily, I will have some sentries stationed at the apartment complex to make sure no one who isn't supposed to get in, gets in. I am also discussing with Chief McDimples about adding security to Todayland University and Todayland High School."
"Now, Wilbur has assured us not to worry about anything right now," Franny said. "And I agree with him. Asides from the additional security, we should all live our lives as we normally would. If any of you see anything suspicious, please let Donnie know. Donnie is a master of ninjutsu and knows how to handle these situations."
"Wait a minute, Donnie?" Wilbur replied, clearly in annoyance. "I know how to handle these things too, you know!"
"Wilbur, please do not be like Casey Jones and recklessly fall into danger," Donnie shot back. "You're not a vigilante, as much as I admire your passion for seeking justice."
"And besides, Wilbur, didn't you damage the timelines on more than one occasion by seeking justice?" Lily chimed in.
Wilbur's face turned red, and boy, was he angry!
"How. DARE. You!"
"Wilbur, please calm down," Lily told him.
"You're accusing me of destroying things and I'm supposed to calm down?" Wilbur yelled in response. "I already have parents who do that. I don't need a so-called kunoichi to remind me of my mistakes!"
"A so-called kunoichi?" Lily shot back, and now she was angry. "I am a kunoichi, Wilbur, and I'm probably more qualified to handle these kinds of things than you are."
"Lilianna, you've never driven in a time machine before. You've never experienced an alternate reality before. You've never seen innocent children in danger of melting in lava! You've never seen an alternate reality where this city was taken over by a mechanical bowler hat and forced people into slavery. And you believe I'm incapable of handling things?"
"Wilbur, you've never been kidnapped," Lily shot back. "You've never travelled miles and miles on an empty stomach—"
"Lily, that has nothing to do with this," Wilbur angrily interrupted her.
"Wilbur, your family has never received a single threat before, not even from the Bowler Hat Guy. I was raised in a family of—"
"Oh, shut up, Lily."
"Shut up? Shut up? Why, you—"
"Okay kids, that's enough," Donnie tried chiming in.
"I don't need you to tell me that you're better than I am just because you can read minds and have apparently mastered the art of ninjutsu," Wilbur yelled, ignoring Donnie.
"I never said I was better than you!" Lily shouted. "You need to stop jumping to conclusions."
"Yes, Mom!" Wilbur shot back.
"Wilbur, that's enough," Franny sternly told him.
"Oh, come on, Wilbur!" Lily continued to shout. "When are you going to grow up?"
"Alright, Lilianna Mae Hamato, that is enough!" Donnie shouted furiously.
"But, Dad—"
"Zip it and sit down, young lady."
"You too, young man," Franny told her son.
"Come on, Mom—"
"Now."
Wilbur and Lily both sat down.
"I don't like what just happened," Cornelius chimed in, crossing his arms. "We are supposed to be fighting this threat together, but we can't if we're fighting each other. You both are in high school. You're supposed to be behaving like young adults, not like little children who fight over a toy."
"Yes, that's exactly right," Donnie replied, also crossing his arms. "Wilbur, Lily, I'm very disappointed in you both. What was a logical plan turned into a competition between who is the best detective when that is not what this is about at all. The goal is to find the best way to keep all of us safe from the Magician. What happens if the Magician were to show up and kidnap one of us, but we didn't see it because we're too busy fighting each other? That absolutely cannot happen."
Donatello turned towards Wilbur with a stern expression on his face.
"And Wilbur, if I hear you talk to my daughter that way again, you will hear it from me. Do you understand me?"
"Don, Lily said—"
"Do you understand me?" Donnie asked again through gritted teeth.
"Yes, sir," Wilbur replied, embarrassingly looking down.
"Now, Lily, you need to watch what you are saying to other people. As I have said many times, words can become weapons, and I've learned just from seeing all of this that Wilbur takes those words to heart just like Ryan. Use your words to taunt an enemy, yes, but never use them to fight with family."
"Dad, I'm sorry," Lily replied. "But in my defense, I never wanted to fight with Wilbur."
"Then you need to keep your psychic powers out of other people's business," Wilbur shot back. "I never told you I accidentally changed the timelines twice. I knew you read my mind, Lily."
I saw Donnie glaring at his daughter.
"Is that true?"
This time, it was Lily's turn to look down, and I saw guilt written on her eyes.
"Yes, Dad, I did read Wilbur's mind. I read his mind on more than one occasion actually."
Donnie let out a long, angry sigh, and so did Wilbur.
"Lily, how can I trust you if you're going to read my mind all the time?" Wilbur asked. "You may be psychic, but you're not always right. Excuse me."
Wilbur got up and started walking to his room.
"Wilbur, wait—" Lily tried calling out to him.
"No, Lily, I'm done."
I let out a gasp. It was not like Wilbur to give up on someone so easily.
"Young lady, we are going to have a discussion about this when we get home," Donnie reprimanded his daughter.
"Dad, I'm sorry—"
"Lilianna Mae, don't say anything."
Donnie turned towards Cornelius, and then he turned towards me.
"I need to see if Wilbur's okay," I finally spoke.
"I'll come with you," Franny replied.
Franny and I got up and walked toward the travel tube to Wilbur's room.
"Who's there?" Wilbur asked from his bed.
"It's me, honey," Franny answered. "And Karena's with me."
"I'm coming down."
"No, no, stay there," I replied. "We'll come to you."
Franny and I both got on the levitation platform, which took us up like an elevator to Wilbur's bed. I found my teenage boyfriend lying on his stomach on the bed with a weary look on his face.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
"No, I'm not okay and right now, I want to seriously hurt the Magician."
"Wilbur, I know you're angry," Franny soothed him. "But that's not the answer. You and Lily just need to talk this out."
"Can you tell her not to use her psychic powers on me?" Wilbur snapped.
"You haven't complained about them until tonight," I replied.
"She used my mistakes against me, Karr. Like she was defending her dad."
"Wilbur, think logically for a minute," Franny told him. "Donatello is an adult and he is also a parent. He's not just a ninjutsu master."
"And he also knows the Magician's weaknesses and strengths," I chimed in. "So if anyone asides me knows the Magician best, it's Donnie. Donnie is the best chance we got. Lily has every right to defend her father and herself."
"Speaking of Lily, she is a kunoichi," Franny continued. "Her uncle held an initiation ceremony on her birthday last year. And a kunoichi's best weapon is deception. And you already know how manipulative and seductive Lily is. But has she ever harmed you?"
"Mom, she played with me in the pool and got me in trouble," Wilbur answered with a flat affect.
"But Wilbur, you forgave her, right?" I asked. "And then you two encouraged each other the past few months. You convinced her to try out for cheerleading!"
Wilbur bit his lip.
"Actually, she did that herself, but I cheered her on."
"Honey, now is not the time for you both to quarrel," Franny said. "I mean, no friendship is without quarrels, but not when Lily's life is at stake. You both have said things that have gotten the situation out of hand, and now it's time to make up for it. I'll be back. I'm gonna see if Donnie and Lily are still here."
Franny left the room, and Wilbur let out a sigh.
"I'm mad at Lily for reading my mind and finding out about my mistakes with the time machines," Wilbur told me. "How can I forgive her for that, for using them against me?"
"Forgive her the same way you forgave her for seducing you in the pool," I answered. "Wilbur, you two have bonded like peas in a pod since she fell into our lives in October. You two share so much in common that she really could be your sister. But I don't believe that you were nice to Lily nor to Donnie. You were just thinking about yourself when your dad said to report everything to her father. Donnie really is the best person to handle this situation because he's been through so much more than you know."
Wilbur let out another sigh.
"And I made the promise to start putting others before me. You were right, Karr. I was only thinking about myself, how I thought I was the best person to ensure I wouldn't fail at protecting you, Karr. I love you. I don't want you taken away from me because of a grudge."
I pointed my finger at him when he finished.
"Exactly, Wilbur! Grudges can hurt people, and the Magician has had his grudge against me all this time. And because of that, Lily and her family have gotten hurt, and he's planning to hurt them again just to find me. Do you really want to hold a grudge against Lily for reading your mind? Knowing Lily, she's the smartest kid I've known, even smarter than you. But she's also more understanding because she has that ability to read minds. She loves you like you're her brother. Trust me, Lily wouldn't read your mind to harm you."
"Lily did exactly that, Karr. I'm sorry, but I need to be away from her for a while."
"Oh, Wilbur—"
"The door's downstairs."
I let out a sigh, giving up on making Wilbur change his mind. I took the levitation platform down, glanced back up, and took the travel tube straight to the garage.
LILIANNA'S POV
My dad and I went straight home, not saying a word to each other throughout the drive. I felt guilty the entire time, knowing that I've hurt my best friend in Todayland, the friend who showed me around the school and helped me to be more confident in a new place. Perhaps I had learned an important lesson in my psychic powers tonight, and I knew I was going to get the lecture about it from my dad tonight.
We arrived back at the apartment, and my dad let me in first.
"Lily, I want you to sit down on the couch, please," Dad told me.
I did what I was told. I was already in enough trouble as it is and didn't want to go deeper like I did last time. I watched as Dad took off his lab coat but leaving his purple mask on as he walked over to take a seat next to me. He let out a sigh, and then he put a stern expression on his face.
"Look, I will not excuse what Wilbur said because he was only thinking about himself when you two fought. And you saw the way I spoke to him about you. It does not mean you are in the clear either. You read his mind and discovered he made life-changing mistakes that you used against him to defend me. That was wrong."
"I know, Dad, and I'm sorry."
"Lily, I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, though I am thankful for it. Lily Mae, there are some things, some secrets, that people don't like to share, and Wilbur's adventures with the time machine were probably some of the secrets he wanted to bury deep in his mind. I know you are dedicated to learning more about your powers, but there are some things that absolutely are not your business. You need to learn to control that. You hurt Wilbur because you delved too deep into his mind. If there is one thing I will teach you not to do, it's to hurt people's feelings. The only harm a ninja should be dealing is physical pain to disarm an opponent."
"I know, Dad."
"Okay, fascinating. You keep saying that you know. What is it you know exactly, Lily Mae?"
I looked up to see an intrigued look on my dad's face.
"I know it was wrong to hurt Wilbur with the whole time machine thing."
"Sometimes just knowing is dangerous. You can say, I know, and yet do the opposite of what you know. Did you know that using the time machine thing against him would hurt him at the time?"
"No. I was trying to defend you. I didn't mean to hurt Wilbur's feelings."
"Thank you for trying, but I can take care of myself, Lily. I'm a big boy. Maybe use your powers to feel things instead of reading into minds. Be mindful of what the argument is about and pay attention to the details. Do not ever use your emotions to defend yourself. You and Wilbur both got angry easily, and because of that, things got out of hand. I never thought I'd say this to you, but you need to control your anger, because that is a dangerous weapon."
Dad paused, putting his hands on my shoulders. I looked into his amber eyes with tears in my blue ones.
"Lily, I know you. I've known you since you were born. You were never angry until my lab caught on fire. I am aware that the fire and the kidnapping has changed you, and I understand that. But don't let that become you. It will be part of your life forever, but don't let it affect who you are. The Lily Mae I know is gentle, inspirational, and caring with a pure heart. And she is also courageous, trying new things and being open-minded. I need you to be that girl not just for me, but for you. Okay?"
I nodded my head, and the tears started to fall. I saw a frown on my dad's face.
"Oh, Lily, come here."
I sobbed as my dad pulled me into his arms, and my tears fell onto his plastron.
"Shh, it's okay, Lily," Dad soothed me. "I'm not mad at you, I promise. I love you with all my heart. I love you not just for the things that are perfect about you, but also for the things that are imperfect. You are my daughter, my brave girl."
I sobbed even harder, but I smiled at the same time, knowing how much my dad really loved me.
"Shh, you are okay, Lily Mae. You are loved. It is not the end of the world. Tomorrow is a new day. You'll apologize to Wilbur, and hopefully, he'll forgive you and you two can put that argument behind you. I can tell you've learned from this. I hope Wilbur has too."
I continued to cry into his plastron as my dad rubbed his hands on my back, continuing to soothe me.
"Lavender's green, dilly, dilly, lavender's blue," Dad sang sweetly. "When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen. Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so? 'Twas mine own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so."
I sniffed and wiped away my tears, loving the way my dad was singing.
"Call up your men, dilly, dilly, send them to work. Some to the plough, dilly, dilly, some to the fork. Some to make hay, dilly, dilly, some to reap corn. While you and I, dilly, dilly, keep ourselves warm."
I yawned, suddenly getting tired, and my tears stopped falling. I put a smile on my face, and then I felt myself being carried by my daddy's strong arms.
"Roses are red, dilly, dilly, violets are blue," Dad continued to sing. "Because you love me, dilly, dilly, I will love you. Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly, and the lambs play. We shall be safe, dilly, dilly, out of harm's way."
Dad carried me into my room, and he laid me down on my bed.
"You love to dance, dilly, dilly, you love to sing. When you are queen, dilly, dilly, I'll be your king. Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so? I told you so, dilly, dilly, I told you so."
I felt my dad kissing me on the forehead as I finally drifted off to sleep.
DONATELLO'S POV
I smiled at my daughter as she fell asleep, and I kissed her on her forehead. Right now, I was so happy that I was her dad to do stuff like singing her to sleep, holding her in arms to help her feel safe, and just share my life with her.
My smile immediately went away when I heard knocking on the door. I went out of the bedroom and then around the living room to head to the door.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"It's Karena."
I peeked through the peephole to see that it was Karena, and I opened the door for her.
"Hey, Karena," I greeted her, putting the smile back on her face. "Come on in."
"Thanks," Karena replied, walking through the door into the apartment.
"Well, it looks like it's just you and me tonight," I said, noticing Wilbur was not with her. "Lily just went to sleep."
"Is she okay?"
"She'll be fine. She knew what she did was wrong and is ready to move forward tomorrow. How's Wilbur doing?"
"I wish I could say the same," Karena answered, hanging her head down.
"Uh-oh. What happened?"
"Well, at first I thought Franny and I were getting through to him on how the things he said to Lily weren't nice and that he was only thinking about himself. And he's realized that. Then, I explained that the Magician had a grudge on me for so long that he was willing to hurt other people to get his revenge on me, and I told Wilbur to not let a grudge affect his friendship with Lily. I was trying to defend Lily to him, and I told him that Lily would read his mind to understand what he is thinking about, and—"
"Wilbur's still mad at Lily?" I asked with worry.
"Yeah. I'm sorry, Donnie. I thought for sure he was going to take the step to apologize to her. Wilbur's not one to give up on someone so easily, and here he is giving up on her."
"Well, to be fair, Lily has a fault in this also. Maybe Lily needs to take the first step to convince Wilbur to do the same. I know I did when Lily was mad at me, and it worked."
I smiled at Karena.
"I won't tell her what you told me, though. This is between Lily and Wilbur. I'll be behind my daughter no matter what, but they need to do the work to resolve their friendship."
I led Karena to the couch, and we both sat down.
"Are you doing okay?" I asked her.
"I thought my chapter with the Magician was over when you put him back behind bars, Donnie," Karena answered with a long, weary sigh. "But how does he know that I'm alive here?"
"Keep in mind, Karena, that all worlds merged together when you moved to Wilbur's world. Your world merged with his, and my world is now part of his world too. Chances are, if you've seen the movies or read the books, they are probably real here too. Who knows?"
"So because the Magician was arrested in your world and your world merged with Wilbur's—"
"Then the Magician is in this world, yes. And April has seen him in person."
"I can't imagine how April must be feeling right now," Karena said, shaking her head. "Will she be okay?"
"Yeah, she will be. But it doesn't mean I won't worry. She's staying in the lair until it's all over. I have three brothers who will be watching her. Who knows? Raph may accompany her to Channel 6 News. They sometimes work together, and they've really bonded since Raph got his job."
"April is one heck of a woman, Donnie," Karena replied with a proud smile. "You are lucky. And Lily? She is an amazing person. You're not just smart, Donnie. You are wiser."
My worried expression turned into a big smile.
"Thank you for the confidence boost. It means a lot to hear you say that about me and my family."
"Donnie, you have fought for April's love, and now you're fighting for your family. If that isn't true love, then I don't know what is."
"Karena, true love isn't just fighting for a woman's heart. True love is patient and kind. True love doesn't boast, and it is never proud. True love rejoices with the truth and doesn't keep a record of wrongs. True love, Karena, perseveres, and it never fails."
"Did you just paraphrase First Corinthians to me?" Karena asked with a smirk. "I didn't know you read the Bible!"
"I never thought I would, actually," I replied. "But after my adventures in space, after Splinter died, and after almost killing someone, I questioned my beliefs. Cornelius gave me a Bible, and now I incorporate the ways of both the Shinto religion and Christianity into my life, and I've taught Lily both ways also."
"Good for you, Donnie. You've always been open-minded scientifically and learning all kinds of knowledge, and it sounds like you found what you're looking for."
"Lily being born pretty much sealed my fate for me," I said with a smile. "April and I being able to conceive Lily was the biggest blessing, and her being born was our biggest miracle."
"Now I gotta know: what is the Shinto religion?" Karena asked. "I take it Master Splinter raised you and your brothers in it? And maybe April was taught that also?"
"You are correct about me and my brothers being taught by Master Splinter about the Shinto religion. April was actually an atheist until, yes, Splinter taught her. After we discussed Christianity together, April converted to that religion, but still practices the ways of the ninja. But anyway, in the Shinto religion, there are kami, or gods, that we would worship. It was believed that the world started with the separation of light and pure elements, like heaven, from the heavy elements, like the earth. Three kami appeared, and then a brother-and-sister duo of kami were instructed to create the land and seas on the planet. They were named Izanagi and Izanami. Izanami birthed other kami—"
"Donnie, as fascinated as I am with this story, what do the Shinto believe in general?"
"I'm talking too much?" I asked, and I chuckled when Karena nodded her head. "Sorry. And I agree with you. It does sound confusing to those raised in a different religion. It even confused me when Splinter first taught me! So I guess you want to know what my family believes about the afterlife, huh?"
Karena nodded again.
"I can actually give you a perfect example: Master Splinter. When he died, he kept on appearing to Leo in spirit form, but he looked like he was actually there in the flesh. He told Leo that the Shredder, his killer, needed to be finished. Leo finished him off after a long, tiring duel. Tiger Claw, one of Shredder's allies, found a disciple of Shredder's and found a way to summon a demon from the Nether World called Kavaxas, who raised Shredder from the dead."
Karena winced.
"Ew!"
"Yeah, I know. Once Shredder, and Rahzar, were resurrected, all of these spirits of the dead were summoned by Kavaxas to destroy the earth. Splinter assisted us. Thankfully, Mikey figured out how to put the seal that controlled Kavaxas back together, and all the spirits, except for Splinter, were summoned back to the Nether World. We said our good-byes to him, and he ascended. Now, if you were following the Shinto religion, Splinter would have remained with us in spirit form for 33 years, and then he would become a kami, a god. In Christianity, however, once you die, your spirit either ascends to heaven or is tortured in the lake of fire. When I first followed the ways of Christianity, I had liked to believe that Splinter found his way to heaven. I'd like to think I'd meet him again, but he had been a Shinto follower all his life. So I may never get the chance again. The others might, but not me."
"That must be rough," Karena replied with a frown on her face. "So why did you convert to Christianity? Wait, did you fully convert to Christianity?"
"Yes, I did. I converted because when I read the Bible, everything made sense to me. The way the earth was made all those years ago, how evil came into the world, how to be moral, et cetera. Everything, while there are some chapters that are stories of imagery, was just straightforward. It is a guide on how to live your life and how to show others to do the same. I say show because I've learned that just talking is not the best way to teach someone. In fact, trying to talk about Jesus to someone does not end well."
"Let me guess: you spoke to your brothers?"
I bit my lip.
"Actually, no. It was my father-in-law. We had this big debate and, with my knowledge, he ended up being speechless. He respects me for my views, but he told me he had to be convinced to believe. April even flew all the way to Jerusalem to try to convince him and me both, and that was how she converted. We taught Lily both religions, because we are teaching her to be open-minded and we are allowing her to be her own person, though I won't lie, I felt a little odd teaching her the Shinto religion. I laughed at myself for not paying much attention to Splinter's teachings. If I did, perhaps I might not have converted to Christianity."
"Donnie, you were being your own person. At least you found refuge for what you believe in, and I'm thrilled for you. In fact, you seem so much happier now than you were when I first met you. You seemed… lost, trying to find some sort of meaning to your life other than inventing things and chasing April."
"You could tell, huh?" I asked with a smile.
"I have a sixth sense about things."
"No wonder you and April got along so well. So how did you end up believing?"
"My mom taught me when I was young and before she died, so I've been a believer all my life."
"I wish I had that kind of life, to know sooner."
Karena frowned again.
"My mom died when I was seven, and it was just about after she taught me about Jesus. At first I was mad at him for taking her away from me. In fact, I was mad for eleven years. But then Wilbur showed me the way and he taught me how to forgive. Now I'm done grieving and I'm ready to live."
I frowned with her.
"Karena, I'm so sorry for your loss. I had no idea. Were you in mourning when we met?"
"Yes. It was just me and my dad, and on the day I met you, I had just moved into my own apartment."
"I take it April told you about her mom?"
"That was how we got close, and it was a start to my healing, because I wasn't alone in that."
"We actually almost met April's mom two and a half years after we met April," I explained, going into another story. "We were taking refuge at the farmhouse after the Kraang invasion, and we discovered a Kraang stealth ship under the house. We found what we thought was April's mom, but Mikey got suspicious of her and even attacked her."
I paused and laughed.
"Boy, I was so angry! I screamed at him, but he insisted something was wrong. After Mikey left, I had returned to the Kraang ship and discovered what April's mom truly was: a Kraang creature that was deemed too dangerous and left in a deep freeze inside the ship. This creature happened to have all of April's mom's memories. I would assume she had died when April was only six years old, but we never found out. At least April was able to move forward."
I took out my T-Phone and my eyes widened at first glance: it was midnight!
"Karena, you need to get back to the dorms! You're out past curfew!"
"Donnie, relax, I'm with the Robinsons, remember?"
I facepalmed myself.
"I totally forgot about that with everything that happened tonight."
Karena and I both stood up from the couch, and I walked her to the door.
"Karena, thank you for stopping by, and thank you for being comfortable while I spoke about my beliefs. Religion is a touchy subject nowadays."
"I will admit, I was surprised to hear of your conversion to Christianity, Donnie," Karena replied.
"Oh? How come?"
"You and your brothers seemed to be dead set on the Shinto religion and following their traditions."
"Experiences can change people, you know. And besides, April and I did not do a Shinto wedding. I think that was the start of my conversion. With the Shinto religion, and really any other religion, salvation is earned from doing good works. But with Christianity, you accept the gift of salvation and then the good works are pouring out from your soul. When you become a Christian, your life focus changes, and now you're there to serve those who are less fortunate. In my case, I'm serving my family and I serve the mutants and humans I call my patients, and I also teach science to my students. My spiritual gift is knowledge and healing."
"And how long have you believed?" Karena asked.
"I've been reading about Christianity for over twenty years, but I've been a believer for about fifteen of those years. I was fully convinced when I discovered April was pregnant with Lily. That news alone told me that it was God's doing, that it was his gift to us. Just…"
I leaned down to whisper to her.
"Please don't tell my brothers that I'm a Christian, okay? Mikey might believe some day, but Leo and Raph would laugh at me to the point where I'm kicked out of the Hamato Clan."
"Oh, Donnie, I wouldn't worry too much about that," Karena replied. "Leo and Raph love you too much to kick you out. Who cares about what their religion is? You're brothers, and you love each other, and you've been through so much together. Why throw away all of that because of a change in beliefs? A belief system is the core of who you are as a person. No one can change that except yourself."
I smiled.
"Perhaps you're right. Well, have a good night, Karena."
"Good night, Donatello."
LILIANNA'S POV
I was embarrassed to wake up in my cheerleading uniform. Then I remembered what happened last night, and I groaned when I realized my friendship with Wilbur was in question. After I changed into a yellow shirt and black pants, I put my cheerleading uniform in the washing machine. My dad dropped me off at school, and then I went to the cafeteria to wait for Wilbur. I was concerned when he never showed up for our breakfast routine. I grabbed breakfast by myself, ate at the table, and then I walked up the stairs to Wilbur's locker, hoping that he was just late. I waited for some time, but Wilbur finally showed up. He gave me a glare as he approached me at his locker.
"Hello to you too, Wilbur," I said, looking down. "Are you feeling better today?"
"Why don't you read my mind and find out yourself?" Wilbur asked angrily. "Why don't you read my mind and try to find all of my secrets?"
"Because my dad and I agreed it was wrong and I want to apologize for it," I answered. "I may have had my powers for three months, but I'm still learning how to use them, and I learned a lesson last night. I just… wish you weren't so quick to succumb to anger like you were last night and apparently this morning. I hope you can forgive me for using your mistakes against you. That was not called for. I promise to practice using my powers to control them, and I promise to never keep a record of wrongs again."
Wilbur paused, his glare softening.
"Maybe you can help me?" I suggested. "Tell me when I'm going too far like you angrily told me last night. Encourage me to not use my emotions in a fight. Guide me to mastering my powers. Please, Wilbur. The Magician may be on his way here to harm one of us. I need you. Please forgive me, and then let's move forward from this, starting to work together instead focusing on the past."
Wilbur let out a sigh, and then he finally turned to look at me.
"I'm still mad at what you've done, but I forgive you."
I looked down.
"Oh. Thanks."
The warning bell rang, which meant we had five minutes to get to our first class.
"Lily, I'm not ready to spend time with you right now. I need some time to bring myself together. What I had done in the time machine… I got into a lot of trouble for what I had done, and I'd like to move forward from that and never to speak of it again. When you used that against me—"
"You were angry, worried that I had betrayed you somehow," I finished for him, reading his thought. "I did not mean to do that. I really am sorry. When you're ready to help me, you know where to find me."
I turned around and walked back down the stairs to my first class, the tears falling from my blue eyes. I felt alone the rest of the day, refusing to answer questions in class nor to sit with anyone at lunch. I could not wait until school got out for the day. While I sat in class, I felt somewhat relieved that I did not share a class with Wilbur. In fact, I did not see him for the rest of the day. After my last class, I got to my locker, grabbed my belongings, put on my winter coat, and walked down the stairs and outside to wait for my dad.
I turned to my left in the direction my dad would eventually come from, and I spotted Wilbur, also waiting for his ride. I started crying again, and I got down to the ground and buried my head in my arms and knees. Perhaps I was mistaken about the son of Cornelius Robinson. I tried to be curious about his past, but as I had invaded his privacy, all I could do was feel miserable and cry. I wasn't sure how long I had cried, because I suddenly felt myself being carried away.
"LET GO OF ME!" I screamed, preparing myself to kick and punch this intruder.
"Lily, calm down!" I heard a familiar voice yell. "It's me!"
I gasped as loud as I could through my tears. I looked up to see a frantic voice on my dad's face, which was currently covered in a purple knit hat, a purple mask, and a purple scarf.
"Are you okay?" Dad asked with worry in his voice.
I shook my head with tears still falling on my face.
"Let's get in the car where it's warm, okay?"
I nodded, and my dad carried me into the car. I immediately felt myself warming up, which I was thankful for.
"I take it you had a bad day at school?" Dad asked me, and I nodded in response. "What happened?"
"Wilbur's still mad at me," I answered through sniffles. "He forgave me, but when I tried to be sincere, he told me he couldn't be with me. It hurt me harder than I thought it would."
"I'm so sorry, Lily," Dad replied with sadness in his voice. "But you did all you could. It's beyond your control now. It's up to Wilbur to mend his friendship with you."
"Can't you talk to him?" I asked with hope in my voice.
"I wish I could, but it's really not my business. Wilbur would distrust you more if I went in your place. However, if Wilbur wants to talk to me, then I'll say some things."
Dad paused.
"Actually, I'd be telling him the same things I'm telling you. But trust me, I've been the one who has been the victim of a grudge, and it's not fun worrying about the person you love and wondering when she'll be back in your life."
I looked into my dad's brown eyes briefly and found he was talking about my mom's grudge against him for Grandpa O'Neil's mutation.
"Lily, I guess you know what I'm talking about, so I'm gonna give you the same advice Master Splinter gave me: do not give up hope. Wilbur will talk to you when he is ready. Meanwhile, I will give you advice of my own: keep cheering Wilbur on at the games. He may be mad at you right now, but if he sees that you are still supporting him, maybe it will help him change his mind about you. I mean, you and Wilbur participate in the same games, I imagine, so you both have to be there. There's no possible way you two will ever be apart."
"That's true, I guess. But Dad, may I ask a favor?"
"Anything, princess."
I let out a giggle at a name my dad had not called me since I was quite young.
"Could you help me learn to control my powers? I'd ask Mom if she was here, but—"
"I'd be honored to."
I glanced at my dad with surprise written on my face.
"Wait, seriously?"
Dad laughed.
"Yes, of course! I'm no psychic, but it doesn't mean I cannot help you. And besides, I owe you some lessons on throwing shuriken. I've been so busy kickstarting my classes at the university that I haven't really had time for anything else besides being with you and cheering you on at the games."
I wanted to hug my dad right there in that moment, but after remembering what happened last time, I settled for a big gap-toothed grin.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
I kissed my dad on the cheek.
"You're welcome," Dad replied with a laugh. "I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, Dad."
