Hi guys! So, this is my first time uploading a chapter from my phone. I really hope this works! With that said, what does Wilbur do? And what happens next? Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT" nor "Meet the Robinsons," nor do I own Edwin McCain's "I'll Be" nor Yaz's "Only You." I only own Karena, Lilianna, Ryan, Venus, Athena, and James.
January 20, 2039 – Todayland, North Montana, USA
WILBUR'S POV
The rest of the week came and went. I attended school, performed well in my classes, and then I attended classes. I attended color guard practice yesterday, and tonight was another performance during the boys' basketball game. But first, I performed with the pep band, proudly blowing on my trumpet. Pep band was a fun thing to do, playing the classic songs to get the basketball players, cheerleaders, and spectators on their feet. We had played classic songs such as Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train or Deep Purple's Smoke on the Water. And, of course, we played the school songs when the game was about to start. While I was playing my trumpet, I noticed Lily happily cheering for her team on the sidelines. A part of me was happy that she was still living her life like nothing had happened. But then I remembered that a smile only paints a picture, and I wondered if Lily really was enjoying herself.
Half-time came, and I performed my flag routine with the rest of the color guard to Paramore's Emergency. Just like the school week, the routine came and went. I did take one glance at the cheerleaders, who were sitting down on the sidelines, and I found Lily still cheering for me. I felt surprised, because our friendship was put on hold, but I still appreciated the gesture. Once I was done, I had to go with the other members backstage. I took a glance out the door to see Lily taking the lead in the cheerleaders' routine, performing Katy Perry's Firework. She performed all kinds of flips and corkscrews, and the audience roared at her talent. I could not smile, however. In fact, I felt guilty. Lily had cheered for me, something I thought she wouldn't do, and I hadn't spoken to her since yesterday morning. I was still mad at her for finding out about my mishaps with my dad's time machines. Perhaps I had overreacted at that meeting Tuesday night. I went back to the stage, put my flags away, and I returned to the bleachers to perform with the pep band for the rest of the night.
After I got home, I called my girlfriend on the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Karr."
"Wilbur, hi! How was the game?"
"Our team won," I replied with a smile. "And that's why I'm calling."
"You called to tell me the Stars won? Wilbur, I could have found that out in tomorrow's newspaper."
"It's not just that, Karr," I said, my smile fading away. "I saw Lily there and she was cheering for me while I was performing. I felt surprised, appreciative, and confused all at the same time."
"Wilbur, Lily still believes in you. I promise you she meant no harm. I haven't spoken to her since that night, but, obviously, I spoke with her father, who isn't butting in."
"Don's not taking sides? I'm surprised."
"Because your grudge with Lily is not his business. That's between you two. Wilbur, April had a grudge on him before because he and his brothers were unintentionally the cause of her father's mutation, and she had regretted that grudge once she realized the situation was beyond their control. Yes, Lily's learned her lesson. Donnie did tell me he's been teaching her to control herself on her powers. But this is up to you, Wilbur. Don't let this grudge stop you two from being friends. You know she didn't mean to use the time machine situation against you. She said she's sorry. Now it's your turn."
"I'll think about it. I love you, Karr."
"I love you too, Wilbur. I'll be home soon."
"I keep forgetting you live here temporarily," I replied with a chuckle.
"I…. umm… drove back to the dorms and forgot I live with you. Oh! There's one more thing: Donnie, April, and Lily are Christians."
My eyes widened in surprise.
"You know this how?"
"Donnie paraphrased First Corinthians to me one night and explained the story of his conversion to Christianity. April believed because of Donnie, and Donnie's taught Lily both the Shinto and Christianity religions. Lily is a devout Christian, even though she's practiced meditation and spoke with Splinter."
"I never thought Don would become a Christian," I replied with laughter. "No wonder he's the nicest Turtle!"
"One more thing: guess who helped converted Donnie? Your father."
"My dad gave Don a Bible?" I asked, scratching my head. "He must have found Don to be someone special."
"He is special, Wilbur. And so is Lily. I gotta hang up. I'll be at your house soon."
"Okay."
The conversation ended with my hanging up. The news of Donatello being a Christian prompted me to take the travel tube to the second floor, and I walked to my parents' room. I knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Mom."
"Come in."
I opened the door and walked in.
"Hey, can we talk?"
"Certainly," Mom replied with a smile on her face. "What's on your mind?"
"I suppose I owe you both an apology," I said as Dad walked out of the bathroom. "What I said that night was out of line."
"You said nothing to us, Wilbur," Dad replied. "But we appreciate the gesture."
"Does this mean you're going to apologize to Lily?" Mom asked.
"Yes, it does. And I owe Don an apology too for doubting him."
"Good man," Dad encouraged me with a smile.
"Dad, Karena revealed that Lily and her family are Christians. Did you really convert Don?"
"All I did was give Donatello a little nudge out of the door," Dad answered, almost quoting Gandalf. "I gave Donatello a Bible when I presented him with his degrees. He was the one who found the answers he was searching for. So he did the work himself. Confessing your sins, Wilbur, is a choice, and so is accepting Jesus' gift of salvation. Donatello made both of those choices in his own time. It must have made an impact on his life if he also taught April and Lily."
"Yeah, for real. I never knew Lily was a Christian, and here I am doubting her."
"You know, sweetie, it's not too late to go to Donnie's apartment and apologize to them," Mom suggested.
"I sure will," I replied with confidence. "I'll give them both the best apology I know how."
"Alright, Marcia, hop to it," Dad teased me, and I gave him the weirdest look.
"Marcia?"
"You have used a Brady Bunch quote," Mom said with a chuckle. "Though I won't lie. Ever since you learned your lessons about the time machine, you've become the male version of Marcia."
"Very funny, Mom. Lily's the one who's Marcia! That must make me Greg."
"Get out of here!" Dad yelled teasingly.
DONATELLO'S POV
I was sitting at the kitchen table reading college papers on my laptop when I heard knocking on the door.
"Who is it?" I asked loudly.
"Wilbur."
"Oh!"
I got up, walked to the door, and looked through the peephole to confirm Wilbur's arrival. I opened the door.
"Hey, Wilbur," I greeted him. "Come on in."
"Thanks."
Wilbur took off his coat and hung it up on the coat stand. I smiled, amused that he was still wearing his color guard uniform.
"So what brings you by?" I asked.
Wilbur let out a sigh, walking to the table and sitting down on a chair. He sat up straight and put his clasped hands on the table.
"Don, I came here to apologize. What I said the other night was out of line, and I doubted you. It wasn't right. So, I'm sorry, and will you forgive me?"
"Thank you, and yes, I forgive you."
My smile turned into a frown, and I joined him at the table, closing my laptop when I got there.
"Wilbur, you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders all the time. Please, relax. You are not alone here. We all have our own burdens we must carry throughout our lives. But we can't carry them alone. We ask for help to make our burdens more bearable to carry. You can't do it all, Wilbur Robinson."
I smirked at him, showing the gap in my teeth. Wilbur laughed, leaning against the chair and relaxing his arms.
"There you go. That's better! Now, would you like me to get Lily? Or did you only come to see me?"
"Yes, please," Wilbur answered, laughing softly.
I got up and walked to my daughter's room. I knocked on the door.
"Yeah, Dad?"
"You have company!" I said in a singsong voice.
"At ten o'clock at night?"
My smile faded, and I put on an expression of annoyance.
"Lilianna Mae Hamato—"
"Okay, I'm coming! Sheesh!"
Lily opened the door, wearing a lavender nightgown, and she also looked annoyed.
"Who is it?" she asked.
"Why don't you find out?" I asked with a kind smile.
Lily walked past me toward the table where Wilbur was sitting.
"Oh. Hey, Wilbur."
To my surprise, she sounded disappointed. I frowned.
"Can we talk?" Wilbur asked.
"You picked one heck of a time to come over for a talk," Lily replied with sass in her voice.
"Lilianna Mae!" I snapped angrily. "Either you can be nice to our guest, or you can be grounded for a week."
"It's okay, Don," Wilbur replied, wincing at my tone. "I kind of earned that. I wasn't very nice to Lily at all the past couple days. And that's why I'm here, Lily. I want to say I'm sorry for everything. Things got out of hand that night, and I was only thinking about myself. I thought I was the best person to handle things, and I certainly proved myself wrong. I never should have doubted your dad, and I should never have doubted your abilities. I… hope you can forgive me."
"Of course I can," Lily replied with a warm smile. "And I promise I have not told anyone about your misfortunes with the time machines."
"I believe you."
Lily now had a look of surprise on her face.
"Seriously? Man, I was expecting a different response to that."
"Karena and my parents helped me realize you were only trying to help, and I took it personally."
"And you had every right to, Wilbur. I invaded your privacy, and that wasn't nice of me."
"On the other hand, I'm kind of glad it's you who is reading minds. If I had that ability, I'd be blabbing everything."
Lily laughed, and I smiled at that.
"But in all seriousness, I'm glad you're the one who discovered my mistakes about the time machines. I… don't like to talk about them."
"Would you like to talk to me and Dad about it?" Lily asked.
That was my cue to join them at the table.
"You know, Lily, I was Wilbur's age when I met him," I revealed. "So I kind of understand what this is about."
"Yes," Wilbur confirmed my statement. "Two years ago, there was this scrawny Bowler Hat Guy who stole one of my dad's time machines after I accidentally left the garage door unlocked. My parents taught me at a young age that I needed to fix my mistakes, so that's what I did… or at least I tried. Things had gotten out of hand. I had accidentally knocked down a couple of science projects while traveling my dad's past, and that transformed the timelines. I really did save kids from the lava and these huge robo-ants that showed up because of the alternate timeline of events. I realized my mistake just as the city was exploding. I traveled back to my dad's past, made sure I didn't damage anything again, and then I tried to warn my dad about sabotage. My dad's project was ruined, and he lost his confidence about it. I had to take him to the future to prove that he could do more than he was capable of, but my dad's teenage self was a fool. He wanted to take the time machine back to when he was born so he would never be abandoned."
"And that was the mistake that changed everything," Lily replied.
"Well, it would have, yes. But the time machine I was driving was destroyed. We couldn't go back to the past until he could fix it. Things went haywire from there!"
"Oh, I think I remember," I chimed in. "Lewis met your family, his future family, right? And he almost got adopted by them?"
"Exactly. I had to reveal he was from the past or else I wouldn't have existed."
"Wait, I think the pieces are coming together," Lily replied. "Dad, was his how you met Karena?"
"I had already known her when she met Wilbur," I answered. "Karena met Wilbur this way. In fact, I met Karena when she was trying to find her way back to her world with a strange remote, which by coincidence was invented by the Magician, when she stumbled into mine and your mother's world. She helped me defeat Dr. Falco, and I helped her defeat the Magician for the first time. I knew I could trust her when my brothers and I were separated and placed in different worlds, and along the way, we ended up here in Todayland and met Wilbur and his family."
"But yeah, I ended up having to clean the time lab after I destroyed it to retrieve the prototype time machine as punishment," Wilbur finished his story. "And now you fully know my darkest secret, Lily."
"Clearly, it's changed your life and the way you think," Lily replied. "I understand why you'd want to keep that secret."
"Yes, and I'm glad I told you. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did."
"Wilbur, I promise it's okay!" Lily replied with laughter. "You are forgiven. Let's just move forward, shall we?"
"Agreed."
Wilbur and Lily firmly shook hands, and I proudly smiled at them.
"May I ask you a question?" Wilbur asked, and Lily nodded. "What brought you to Christianity? Karena told me you and your family are Christians."
"Mom and Dad have been Christians since I was born," Lily answered. "They called me their miracle from heaven. When I got older, Dad taught me Christianity and the Shinto religion, the latter going along with the ways of the ninja. When I went on my vision quest, I was tested spiritually. I relied on both religions to pass, and when I did pass, I looked at the world in awe and immediately worshipped God for it. Since then, I've learned that it's okay to be both a Christian and a ninja, and I've been praying to God every night since I returned home."
"Does anyone else in your family believe?" Wilbur asked.
"No, it's just the three of us. Mom helped a family friend, Casey, convert to Christianity also. She took him to Jerusalem as her bodyguard, and when he saw the evidence, he believed."
"Words cannot describe how shocked I was that your mom got Casey Jones to believe in God," I said with a chuckle. "He was very much an atheist until April guided him through Jerusalem, Wilbur."
"It just shows that miracles can happen to anybody," Lily replied.
"Okay, who is Casey Jones?" Wilbur asked. "Don, you mentioned him that night. Was he really a vigilante?"
"Yes, at first," I answered. "But then he met Raph. A being who had just as much anger as he did and also liked busting up bad guys. They made one heck of a team. But Casey and I? We didn't get along very well at first because we both had feelings for April."
"I'm guessing this is another one of those miracles?" Wilbur asked.
"Yeah, you can call it that. We bonded over cars."
Wilbur cracked up laughing.
"Really?"
"Yes!" I replied, also with laughter. "There was this maniac driver who almost took me, Casey, and April off the road one day. So we made a car to try to catch him. It turns out… the car was a mutant, and it ate me, merging me with the car."
"Ew!" Wilbur and Lily exclaimed at the same time.
"Yeah," I giggled. "I've had more embarrassing moments than that."
"Donatello having an embarrassing moment?" Wilbur replied with a smirk. "Anything related to April?"
"Actually, no. I was trying to find a cure for a brain worm serum when Mikey was messing around in my lab. Part of the experiment fell on my hand, and I slowly started losing my intelligence. I was doing Mikey-level embarrassing things. Guess who cured me?"
"April?" Wilbur guessed, and I shook my head.
"Uncle Mikey saved your life?" Lily asked with surprise in her voice.
I smirked at my daughter.
"Show-off."
I glanced at my T-Phone.
"I'm sorry to cut this visit short, but Wilbur, you need to go home and get some rest. It's a school night. Lily, you need to go back to bed. Thank you for coming out to see Wilbur."
The three of us got up and hugged each other good night. Once Wilbur left and Lily retreated into her bedroom, I opened my laptop again at the table. I debated whether to finish grading this paper.
"Nah, it can wait."
I shut off the laptop, closed it, and retreated to my own bedroom, taking off my purple mask and falling into slumber.
February 12, 2039
LILIANNA'S POV
I put on my white and lavender eyeshadow as well as black mascara. Then, I put on a light pink lip gloss. It was now time to put on the dress.
"Are you ready, Lily?" Tallulah asked behind me with a smile on her face.
"I sure am," I answered, returning the smile in the mirror.
"The dressing room is all yours," Karena said.
I watched Karena emerge from the dressing room in the mirror. She was wearing a strapless blue dress with blue gloves stretching to her elbows.
"Looking good, Cinderella," I complimented her.
"I think you will truly be the bell of the ball," Karena replied. "Go put your dress on!"
I got into the dressing room where I found my one-sleeved dress hanging for me to put on. I smirked when I saw my white mask hanging in another spot. I put the mask on first, hiding my identity as Lilianna Hamato. Then I put on the white boots, and then the dress. When I felt ready, I opened the door and walked out in a seductive manner.
"Whoa!" Karena and Tallulah exclaimed at the same time.
"Tallulah, when you're hot, you're hot!" Karena said with enthusiasm.
"Lily, you are a natural!" Tallulah complimented me. "But is there a reason why you wanted me to include the mask?"
"In case the Magician shows up, I don't want him to identify me. I wasn't wearing my mask when I was kidnapped. This time, I want to be prepared."
"And also because you're a kunoichi," Karena chimed in. "Makes sense."
"Well, shall we show Wilbur and Donnie?" Tallulah asked.
"Let's!" Karena and I answered at the same time.
Karena took my hand, and we walked out of the dressing room and out the back door to greet Wilbur, his parents, and my dad. Wilbur and his parents dropped their jaws upon seeing us, but my dad simply gave me a proud smile. Wilbur was wearing a blue polo shirt and black pants with his brown coat on top of them while his parents wore their winter coats on top of their civilian clothes. My dad only wore his purple cloak with the belt he usually wore to store his bo staff. I walked up to him, and we embraced each other.
"You are so beautiful, Lily Mae," Dad said over my shoulder, and I felt a smile on his face.
"I wish Mom was here," I replied.
We broke the hug, and my dad put his hands on my shoulders.
"Me too, honey. Me too. But maybe…"
Dad turned towards the Robinsons.
"Hey Cornelius, could you get a picture of me and Lily with my T-Phone?" Dad asked.
"Sure! I've always wondered how your phone works anyway."
"It works just like your iPhone."
We watched as Cornelius studied my dad's phone.
"This is a fascinating piece of technology, Donatello!"
"Thank you! It was one of my first inventions. I've had this one since I was sixteen."
"And you've fixed it up after all these years?"
"Yep!"
"You truly are ahead of our time. Now, smile!"
I turned toward Cornelius, and my dad and I smiled.
"Perfect!" Cornelius said with a big smile. "Should we get pictures of Lily by herself?"
"Yes, please," Dad answered, stepping away.
I posed as Cornelius took pictures of me.
"Wilbur, Karena, get in there!" Cornelius yelled with a laugh.
Karena was sandwiched between me and Wilbur, and then Wilbur became the middle of the sandwich.
"Wait!" Dad yelled. "There's one more thing."
Dad walked up to me, and I was in awe at what he did next. He took off his purple cloak, and he put it on me.
"Dad, you're a turtle," I said with surprise in my voice. "You're going to freeze!"
"Don't worry, Lily Mae, Franny and Cornelius are going to drive me home," Dad assured me. "Besides, this cloak matches your dress. I'd rather see it on you tonight."
"Oh, Dad…"
The tears coming to my eyes, I hugged my dad tightly, and he hugged me back. I let out a sniff.
"Lily, don't cry. You'll mess up your makeup."
"I'm sorry, Dad. It's just… this is a touching moment. I feel your younger self in my soul just from my wearing this cloak."
Dad gave me the kindest smile that I had always loved, and he kissed me on the forehead.
"You know, my younger self never made it to a school dance, because, well."
My dad motioned to his entire body, and I laughed.
"I did, however, share a dance with your mom in her prom dress after she asked me to dance with her. Have fun for me."
"I will, Dad. I love you."
I kissed my dad on the cheek.
"I love you too, Lily Mae."
"Let's go, Lily!" Wilbur yelled from Karena's car.
"I'm coming!" I yelled back.
I started going to the green car, and then I turned around and blew my dad a kiss. I watched my dad catch it before turning around and finally getting in the car. We were off to, perhaps, the only school dance I would ever attend. Karena drove us to Robinson Industries, the same place the Halloween bash occurred. To my pleasant surprise, there was a red carpet outside with a photographer outside taking pictures like it was prom night.
"Ladies first," Wilbur said, motioning me forward.
I walked forward, pretending that I was on a fashion show, and I did my best pose as the photographer took my picture.
"Loving the mask!" she complimented me. "You are so mysterious, yet beautiful!"
"Thank you!"
I walked inside and waited for Wilbur and Karena to finish their walk on the red carpet.
"So where do we go?" I asked when the couple came inside.
"I imagine it'll be in the ballroom," Wilbur answered. "Follow me."
Karena and I followed Wilbur into the elevator and went up to one of the top floors of the building. When we emerged, the floor was lively.
"Are dances usually this full?" I asked, shouting over the crowd.
"Yeah!" Wilbur answered. "We're in high school, Lily. We're all about having the time of our lives here!"
"The only dance that isn't as populated is prom," Karena chimed in. "Only juniors and seniors can go to prom with their dates, whether the date is an underclassman or someone outside the school."
"Well, I'm only a freshman, so count me out!" I yelled in response.
"I'm a sophomore, so I don't qualify either," Wilbur replied. "But I will next year!"
I tapped Karena on the shoulder.
"Why do I have a feeling Wilbur is the most excited about qualifying to go to prom next year?" I asked.
"Prom is the biggest dance in high school," Karena answered. "And to some, if you are crowned king or queen, it is the most accomplishing thing in one's high school career."
"Really? That's the most accomplishing thing?"
"Amen to that, sister," Karena replied.
We followed Wilbur into the ballroom, and I was met with loud music coming from a DJ. I immediately grew frightened and shy as the rest of the student body danced the night away.
"This wasn't how I imagined it to be at all!" I yelled.
"Let me guess: you watch Hallmark movies?" Wilbur asked.
"What? No! We don't have cable!"
"So, Disney movies, then?"
I paused, pondering in thought.
"I guess so. I'd like to think of myself as a warrior, like Mulan and Merida, but sometimes I imagine myself on the dance floor, like Cinderella or Aurora. This is a little scary to me."
"Just stay with us," Wilbur assured me. "You will be just fine."
An hour had passed since the three of us arrived. I spent most of my time watching the other kids dancing, and I enjoyed watching Wilbur and Karena dance to where I was taking pictures of them on my T-Phone. But otherwise, the winter ball was not what I imagined it to be. Robinson Industries was very crowded with the majority of the student body from Todayland High School in attendance. I was thankful for Wilbur and Karena for allowing me to go with them. However, any time a slow, gentle song came on, I felt very awkward, even while taking pictures of Wilbur and Karena. I saw lots of couples dancing on the floor while I was alone. Then again, who was I kidding? Despite people telling me otherwise, I was still a freak. I was half-human, quarter-Kraang, and quarter-mutant-turtle. Athena was the normal child out of all my cousins, inheriting her mother's physiology and her father's skills and personality. For the first time in my life, I was jealous of my youngest cousin for having five fingers on her hands and five fingers on her toes. I also wondered for the first time how my dad ended up with a woman like my mom.
Feeling weary and on the verge of tears, I walked away from the crowd, grabbed my dad's cloak, and went outside to the balcony overlooking the city. This was possibly the most beautiful view of the city. Robinson Industries was smack dab in the middle of the city, and everything about the city this time of night was beautiful. I took a deep breath, and I let it out, content with the crisp cold air that winter brought. For a moment, I felt like I was back in North Hampton.
"Getting away from the crowd?"
I jumped and turned around to see a boy with combed brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a purple shirt and black pants. I immediately felt awkward, as we were strangers.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," the boy told me.
"I-it's okay," I spoke after some hesitance.
I turned back around to the balcony, putting my arms on the rail.
"Get it together, Lily," I spoke to myself in a hushed tone.
"Wow!" the boy exclaimed, putting his arms on the railing with me. "I've never seen a view like this. You must be one of those girls who look for the beauty within, within small and large sights and things like that."
I turned toward him in shock, surprised that this boy read me like a book.
"But at the same time, you feel out of place, like you belong some place else in the world. I can tell with your mask."
I let out a sigh and shook my head.
"I'm from upper New York state," I explained. "I was kidnapped from my family and I tried to find my way back. But I found myself here instead. The Robinsons helped me adjust, and they helped me reunite with my family back home. But I came back…"
I paused, turning back to the view.
"I came back because right now my life is here… and so is my dad's."
"What about your mom?"
"She's staying in New York to do her job. Dad and I both miss her very much."
I let out a chuckle, smiling for the first time since I took pictures of Wilbur and Karena.
"My life is very complicated."
"Who doesn't have a complicated life?" the boy asked.
"That is a very good point," I replied, letting out a chuckle.
"Wow, if a chuckle like that is so gentle, I'd want to hear the beauty of your laugh."
My eyes opened wide, fully aware that this boy just flirted with me. Then, I relaxed them, turning towards the boy. I looked into his brown eyes and read his mind.
"Come on, James. Introduce yourself already! Don't make this any more awkward than it already is."
I laughed, and my smile returned.
"Everything is okay, James. I'm not going anywhere. My name is Lilianna Hamato. Everyone calls me Lily."
It was the boy's turn to look surprised.
"How do you know my name?"
"Wilbur's talked about you a few times," I answered, hiding the fact that I have psychic powers. "And besides, I have a sixth sense… feelings about things."
"Come to think of it, Wilbur has spoken highly of you too, Lily. He told me your father is one of the mutant turtles in New York?"
"Donatello, yes."
I paused, hearing the most beautiful song start to play.
"Miss Hamato, would you care to dance?" James asked me, bowing to me.
I giggled, reading his mind again to figure out his last name.
"The honor is all mine, Master Anderson," I replied, smiling and curtsying in response.
James held out his hand, and with a smile, I took it. I put my left hand on his right arm while he put his right hand around my waist. We started swaying once we heard a man start to sing.
"The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful stop me, and steal my breath. And emeralds from mountains, the thrust towards the sky never revealing their depth."
James twirled me around and away from him. I twirled back into his arms, and then we continued to sway.
"And tell me that we belong together. Dress it up with the trappings of love. I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above."
To my sudden delight, James dipped me, and then he rose me back, my blue eyes meeting his brown ones.
"I'll be your crying shoulder. I'll be love's suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life."
"I know we just met," James spoke. "But I'm dancing with the prettiest girl at the ball."
"And rain falls, angry on the tin roof as we lie awake in my bed."
"You're just saying that to be nice," I replied.
"And you're my survival, you're my living proof my love is alive and not dead. And tell me that we belong together. Dress it up with the trappings of love. I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above."
"It is a nice thing to say," James said. "But I was being sincere. You're not just pretty, Lily. You're beautiful."
"And I'll be your crying shoulder. I'll be love's suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life."
I blushed. James pulled me closer. I put my head on his shoulder as we continued to sway to the music, and I felt his head on top of mine.
"Well, I've dropped out. I've burned up. I've fought my way back from the dead. Tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said."
There was something about James that felt different. When I was playing and seducing Wilbur, I had felt pleasure just from kissing him. But right now, dancing in James' arms, it wasn't pleasure I felt. Instead, I felt security and safety, and it felt beautiful.
"And I'll be your crying shoulder. I'll be love's suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your—"
"So why the mask?" James asked.
I looked up at him and smiled.
"A ninja hides in the shadows," I answered.
"But this ninja is hiding her blue eyes," James replied with a kind smile. "May I?"
"And I'll be your crying shoulder. I'll be love's suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life."
James placed his hands at the back of my head, and I was immediately prompted to put my hands on his to push him away. But then I read his mind.
"This would be the most perfect night if I saw her face. Why is she hesitating? Whatever secrets she is hiding, they are safe with me."
"Do you trust me?" James asked.
"The greatest fan of your life."
"What if I told you that I only have three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot?" I asked. "Would you trust me?"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked you to dance with me."
"You're not scared at all?" I asked with surprise in my voice, the song fading away.
"My parents have always taught me not to judge a book by its cover," James said, still smiling. "You're the daughter of a humanoid turtle and an ordinary human. What defines you, Lily, is how your parents raised you. I can tell just from looking at you that you have compassion and a pure heart."
"It feels like I'm in a dream," I replied, another song coming on.
"Looking from a window above, it's like a story of love. Can you hear me? Came back only yesterday. I'm moving farther away. Want you near me. All I needed was the love you gave. All I needed for another day. And all I ever knew… only you."
I hung my head down. Then, I felt fingers under my chin. My blue eyes met his brown ones again.
"Then let me wake you up," James' soft voice said, his lips forming a smile. "May I?"
"Sometimes when I think of her name when it's only a game, and I need you. Listen to the words that you say. It's getting harder to say when I see you. All I needed was the love you gave. All I needed for another day. And all I ever knew… only you."
I nodded. I felt James' fingers untie the mask. He pulled off my white mask to reveal all of my face. His right fingers caressed my left cheek, and he traced my cheek and my chin. We pulled closer, and I realized that I had been in this position before. The difference was, I was the initiator last time. This time, I was the one lured. I took my right hand and put a finger on his lips.
"All I needed was the love you gave. All I needed for another day. And all I ever knew… only you."
"I don't kiss a guy I meet on the same day," I told James with a gap-toothed smile. "I've made that mistake before."
"I understand. Did he hurt you?"
"This is gonna take a long time, and I wonder what's mine. Can't take no more! Wonder if you'll understand. It's just the touch of your hand behind a closed door. All I needed was the love you gave. All I needed for another day. And all I ever knew… only you."
I bit my lip.
"Actually, I hurt him. But, you've made a good first impression on me. Do you have your phone on you?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You'll see," I replied with a wink.
James handed me his iPhone, and I made a new contact for myself. I handed the phone back to him. Then, I took out my T-Phone.
"Hey James, smile!"
I held my T-Phone far from us and snapped a selfie. This was one night I wanted to remember. Then, I put away my T-Phone and took my white mask from James' hands.
"I should get back to Wilbur and Karena. Thank you for the dance."
"Thank you for dancing with me," James replied with a smile. "Maybe I'll see you around?"
"Maybe."
I walked back into the ballroom. Thankfully, it did not take me long to find Karena.
"Hey, Lily!" Karena greeted me with a smile. "We were wondering where you went. You missed the coronation."
"That's okay," I replied, feeling myself blush.
"Hey, your mask is off," Karena noticed. "Tired of hiding?"
"James Anderson is possibly the most handsome guy I've ever met," I said dreamily as I put my mask back on. "Those brown eyes, his brown hair, oh! And that smile."
"You met Wilbur's best friend? And you danced with him?"
"Uh-huh," I replied, still daydreaming.
"Your dad is gonna give you one heck of a lecture," Karena jokingly said.
I suddenly screamed, and I fell on the floor. I grasped at my head, feeling a massive migraine and hearing loud ringing.
"Lily? Are you alright?"
I felt Karena's hands on my shoulders. I was still in pain. Then, images started to play in my mind. I saw the apartment. I saw my dad working on his laptop. Suddenly, my dad had dashed out of his chair and grabbed his naginata. He was being attacked! I watched my dad defending himself, the apartment being destroyed as he fought the intruder, whose point of view I was watching from. My dad was suddenly knocked out with a cane.
I gasped loudly, recognizing the cane as the Magician's staff from my vision quest.
"DAD!" I screamed. "I gotta go!"
"Lily, wait!" I heard Karena yell.
I ignored her pleas and hurried out of Robinson Industries. I flipped down the stairs and sprinted out, running all the way to the apartment building. I used my ninja skills to scale the building, and I climbed into our apartment.
"DAD?!" I yelled in a panicked voice. "Dad, are you here?"
"Lily? What's wrong?"
I turned toward the bedrooms to see my dad coming out, wearing only his purple mask and in no harm at all. I ran over to him and hugged him tightly. He felt surprised, but then returned the hug.
"Lily, are you alright?" Dad asked in a startled voice. "You look like you just saw a ghost!"
"I saw you, Dad," I answered, trying to fight the tears. "The Magician had found a way to get to this apartment. You saw him and defended yourself. And then you were knocked out. But I'm here, seeing you, and you're okay."
"Clearly, I'm here," Dad replied. "And I haven't seen the Magician at all. I've been here the entire time grading papers. I was in the bathroom when I heard your voice."
I paused, taking deep breaths as I took it all in. My dad was okay, and words could not describe how relieved I was that my vision did not come true.
"So this vision I saw… in the Magician's eyes… it may not be real?"
"That is possible. But be careful, Lily Mae. Visions can be deceitful, distracting you from the real thing."
Dad paused, his worried look turning into a startled one.
"Dad, what's wrong?"
"Did you say you saw this vision in the Magician's eyes?"
"Yes."
"Oh, that's not good."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my worry coming back.
"When your mom saw through the eyes of another being, it was in close proximity. She felt everything this creature felt."
Dad suddenly smirked to my confusion.
"Are you ready for a psychic exercise?"
"Uh… sure?"
Dad put his hands on my shoulders, and I looked into his amber eyes.
"Concentrate. Concentrate really hard. Think for a moment that you're the Magician. Try to get into his mind like you were before you come here."
"But Dad, that was sudden! I had a massive headache and I suddenly saw you in my mind. I wasn't thinking at all."
"So don't think. Just clear your mind of all thoughts. Think of this as meditation. Close your eyes."
I took a deep breath in… and I let it out.
"Okay. Well, here goes."
I put my fingers on my temples and started to meditate, letting my thoughts leave me. I envisioned myself as the Magician, and suddenly, I saw images of the city in my mind. I felt successful in gaining access into the Magician's mind. I smirked, giving my dad a sign that I was in.
"Okay, now what do you see?" Dad asked.
"I see… dark leaves right in front of me. I look up, and there's a big R. He's at Robinson Industries."
I started to feel fear, and I tried really hard not to let my fears take control. I continued to concentrate on the Magician's mind.
"I'm… looking through the leaves. The Magician is hiding behind the bushes."
"Lily?"
"Wait, I hear a feminine voice. I see… my victim."
"Lily, are you alright?" Dad asked in alarm.
"Lily, where are you?" Karena had asked. "Wilbur and I are worried about you!"
"Yes, Karena Edwards is finally in my grasp!" I had said, unaware that I was using the Magician's voice. "My plan for getting that girl away was a success!"
"The Magician played you!" I heard Dad yell. "Lily, wake up!"
"Wait, now I'm coming out of hiding. I'm heading toward Karena, who doesn't suspect a thing! I take out my cane… and I strike her in the head, knocking her out!"
"WAKE UP!" Dad screamed.
I suddenly felt shaking, and I woke up. I was staring into my dad's amber eyes. I let out a loud gasp when I realized what had just happened… or what will happen.
"Karena! Dad, we need to go back to Robinson Industries."
Suddenly, my dad's T-Phone went off.
"Donatello."
I concentrated again, this time on the person calling my dad.
"Don, it's Wilbur. I can't find Karena anywhere! And Lily seems to have disappeared!"
"Lily is safe with me," Dad replied.
"Did Karena go with her?"
"No. It's just me and Lily here. Lily rushed home after seeing a vision, thinking I was being attacked, but we're both fine."
"Attacked? Oh no."
There was a pause.
"Wilbur? Are you alright?" Dad asked.
"Don, you and Lily need to come to Robinson Industries right away. I just found Karena's phone next to a small puddle of blood."
I let out a loud gasp and put my hands on my face in horror.
"Wilbur, call Chief McDimples," Dad instructed him. "Tell her to secure Robinson Industries. No one is to leave until I have analyzed everything."
"Okay."
"Meanwhile, I'll call your dad and have him meet us there."
New York City, New York, USA
APRIL'S POV
I was sitting in the lair watching Super Robo Mecha Force Five with my in-laws, nieces, and nephew when I heard my phone going off. I let out a happy gasp, running into my husband's old room to answer the phone.
"Hey, Donnie!" I said happily, like I was still a teenage girl.
"Hey, April. Are you guys safe at the lair?"
My smile turned into a frown at Donnie's tone. I let out a gasp.
"Donnie, please tell me Lily hasn't been kidnapped again!"
"Relax, April. Lily's fine. She's with me. Actually, Karena's the one who's been kidnapped."
"Oh no!"
"Yeah, Lily and I are heading back to Robinson Industries to analyze the crime scene. Cornelius and Wilbur will join us."
"Should I send Raph over to you guys?" I asked. "You might need his help."
"Actually, can you put Raph on the phone, please?"
"Oh Donnie, Raph's at work!"
"On a Saturday night? Hmm. Okay. Here's what I want you to do. Tell Raph to hop on the next fight to LAX in Los Angeles. I have a feeling the Magician will be heading there with Karena. Raph said he found the Magician's hideout there. So it's possible that's where he's taking Karena. I want you to use your connection and try to find Karena. Wait, no, don't find Karena. We're going to need all the sources possible to find out everywhere the Magician has been and possibly intercept him."
"I'll talk to the family and discuss this. Please stay safe, D. I love you."
"I love you too, A. Be safe."
I hung up, and with a frown, I called Raphael.
"Hamato."
"Hey Raph, it's April. We need you to come to the lair as soon as you can. Karena's been kidnapped."
"Are you kidding me?" Raph asked angrily.
"I tell you that someone has been kidnapped, and the only response you can come up with is ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" I yelled angrily into the phone.
"Careful, April. You're turning into your husband. I'm on my way."
I grunted in frustration after Raph hung up.
"April, is everything alright?" I heard Leo ask.
I turned around to see the blue-clad turtle walking into the bedroom.
"Leo, we need to gather everyone in the dojo. There's been an emergency."
"Understood."
It only took five minutes to get everyone into the dojo, and Raphael showed up five minutes after that.
"I want to thank everyone for being so prompt to be here," I addressed everyone. "Donnie called. He is doing fine. Lily is doing fine. But the reason Donnie called is to let you all know that Karena has been kidnapped in Todayland."
Everyone else gasp and talk amongst themselves.
"Aunt April, is the Magician behind this?" Venus asked.
"Yes, Venus, he is," Raph answered. "I called and spoke to Lily on the phone on the way here. Lily said that she could see through the Magician's mind and witnessed Karena's kidnapping. Now, Mona and I have found the Magician's hideout in Los Angeles. We will fly out there on the next flight and try to intercept him. Venus, you'll be staying here with Ryan and Athena."
"Donnie has told me to contact my connections and have them find any trace of where the Magician has been before coming to Todayland," I explained.
Athena raised her hand.
"Wasn't the Magician in New York?" she asked.
"Wait, I think you have something there," Raph replied with a grin, pointing his finger at our niece. "April, you found the Magician at your home in North Hampton. Do you think he would have come here to the city?"
"I don't know," I answered. "But maybe if we find out where his car has been… there's gotta be a GPS lock on it, right?"
"And also if the car could make the drive all the way to Todayland," Leo chimed in. "Is it strictly flying cars going into Todayland?"
"That is a good point, Leo," I replied. "The Magician would not have used his 2017 Focus to get there."
"April, you used your psychic abilities to track Lily to Oklahoma," Karai said. "Could you do the same with the Magician?"
"That's possible, but Lily may be the better candidate for it."
"Lily inherited her powers from you," Leo replied with a confident smile. "If anyone else can tap into the Magician's mind, it's you, April. Right now, Lily will be safer if she stays with Donnie. We don't need to lose her, too."
"Dad, we need to be in Todayland," Ryan chimed in. "That is clearly where all the action is happening."
"Ryan, we would be putting Lily and Uncle Donnie at risk if we try to help them in Todayland. The Magician was only after Karena. When Lily was kidnapped, it was a ploy to draw Karena out. It is possible that the Magician found Karena after doing some digging."
"Wait, Donnie taught me how to hack into a laptop," I chimed in after a realization. "If we find an account of the Magician's, or even his laptop, then I can figure out his steps!"
"There's a problem," Raph replied. "What if the laptop is at his hideout in LA? The last thing I want to do is get in trouble with the law by sending his laptop to you across the country."
"Then I'll fly out to you when you find it. I want to help in any way I can to bring Karena back to Todayland safely."
"Me too," Ryan chimed in. "I want to help."
"Ryan, no," Leo replied sternly. "We are staying here unless Uncle Raph and Uncle Donnie need us to do something."
"Dad, I'm not going to sit here while innocent people, like my cousin, are in danger!" Ryan shouted.
"Look Ryan, if there's something you want to get off your shell, now's the time," Leo said icily. "But I'm not going to stand here and debate Donnie's direct orders with you!"
Most of us just sat around, awkwardly looking at each other while Ryan glared at his father.
"Ryan Leonardo Hamato, you will wait here and do what Mom and I say while Uncle Raph and Auntie Mona are flying out to California," Leo sternly told his son. "And I do not want to hear another word about it from you. Is that clear?"
"Hai, Father," Ryan angrily answered.
I watched Ryan stand up and grunt out loud, storming out of the dojo.
"I'd better go with him," Venus volunteered. "Just to make sure he doesn't break anything."
Venus got up and followed her cousin out of the dojo.
"Well, that just happened," Mikey finally chimed in, hugging Renet and Athena. "We're all going to be okay. Uncle Raph and Uncle Donnie will find Karena, and everything will be alright."