Okay, mostly on the TMNT side, but we finally have some action here. I had written the TMNT side of the chapter but changed things a little so that they made sense. The "Meet the Robinsons" side is a filler to reflect the events of the last chapter since there was such a big gap between the two chapters in the original. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT" nor "Meet the Robinsons." I only own Lilianna and Karena. I also do not own Lifehouse's Everything.
September 30, 2038 – North Hampton, New York, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
Both of my parents were well asleep as I read in my bedroom. My dad had me read one of the most beloved book trilogies in the world: The Lord of the Rings. I had very much enjoyed the first volume and had just started the second one. As much as I enjoyed starting this volume, I did not enjoy the pure sound that is quiet. I grabbed my chemistry homework, went out of my room, down the stairs, through the kitchen, and outside to the barn.
I turned on the lights in the barn to reveal my dad's lab. I was in awe every single time I came in here, and it was always with my dad, whom I have only seen wearing his purple mask and welding mask, sitting in his chair working on some sort of experiment. Every time I had come in the lab, I had always watched my dad worked, and I was amazed every time. He enjoyed talking about his experiments, and when it came with a warning, he did not hesitate to yell at me to run. Thankfully, my dad had yet to treat himself for major chemical burns or other kinds of injuries. He always worked with caution, which made my watching him fun.
This time, I was alone, and I took the time to really enjoy everything that was in his lab. Not only did he keep his experiments in the lab, but it looked like he had a collection all around. There was a jar on a shelf that was labeled "THE CREEP." There were also two cannisters of ooze that were locked in airproof containers. One container was a very light blue and was labeled "MUTAGEN." The other was orange and labeled "RETRO-MUTAGEN." I smiled, seeing that next to it was his Nobel Peace Prize that he finally won after everything he and my uncles had gone through. My dad was not just the best mutant turtle in the world, but he was also the best man in the world, and I smiled even bigger at that thought. He had assisted my uncles save New York City and the world so many times and had made scientific breakthroughs no one – not even the world-famous Cornelius Robinson, thought possible.
I continued looking around. His space weapon was on display, and I remembered my dad showing it to me. I don't know which was cooler: the weapon or the fact that my dad actually traveled in space through the universe. There was a head of a robot my dad called Metalhead, and when my dad talked about him, he had talked about Metalhead not just as the perfect assistant, but also as a true friend, sacrificing himself for my dad and his brothers and all the mutants at the time. There were so many cool trinkets that my dad had kept, but my favorites were the pictures he hung.
I smiled at the picture of my dad and his brothers when they were baby turtles, and by baby turtles, I mean baby turtles after mutation. They had looked so much like human babies that it was the most adorable thing. Next to that were my dad and his brothers when they were toddlers, their black eyes turning into their colored pupils. Two of my uncles carried different shades of blue eyes while Uncle Raph had green eyes. The next picture was of my dad and his brothers a little more grown up, posing behind my grandpa Splinter with their chosen ninja weapons. The next picture was of my dad and his brothers as teenagers with Splinter behind them, and it was a photo my mom took when she first came into their lives. The next photo was a fun photo of my parents together when my mom became a full-pledged kunoichi. They had big smiles, and it looked like they had the time of their lives. The next picture was taken the night my dad proposed to my mom for her hand in marriage, and then the next photo was of my mom in her wedding dress next to my dad, simply wearing his purple mask and a white cloak. The photos after that were of the entire Hamato family the days the four brothers each got married.
I was in awe at the next pictures. The first picture was another updated picture of my parents. My mom was wearing a yellow jumpsuit on her first day as a reporter for the Channel 6 News in New York City. My dad was wearing his white lab coat that signified his being a doctor. The next picture was a collage. The top photo was of my mom's baby bump when she carried me. The middle top picture was one of my mom's ultrasounds that examined me. The middle bottom picture was one of my newborn pictures, and the bottom photo was of my parents smiling up at me as my mom lifted me up high. I had smiled back, enjoying it. The photos after that were family photos over the years, and the last picture was of me, which was updated every year on my birthday. I am now fourteen years old, and I had become a woman earlier this year when puberty hit.
I turned around then and saw my dad's laptop. Curiosity kicked in, and I opened it and turned it on. It asked for a password. After trying numerous things, I did a trick of the trade and hacked into it, revealing all of my dad's files. To my disappointment, the only files I found were of my dad's physics and biology lessons to his students and a bucket list of things he wanted to do with my mom. I now wondered if my dad kept a second laptop in New York that listed everything related to his missions when he was a teenager and young adult.
I suddenly heard the sounds of crickets at night, and I was so in awe. I decided to take a run in the woods. I closed my dad's laptop, closed the barn door, and ran into the woods, using my skills as a full-pledged kunoichi to blend in with the shadows. I enjoyed the breeze that hit my face as I continued to run. The smell of fall had hit me also, giving me the crisp feeling and the crisp scent of the dead leaves and cool air. I even climbed a tree to the top and poked my head out from the leaves to really enjoy my surroundings. I turned to the north to see mountains and then just trees surrounding me.
After deciding that I had enough, I flipped down from the tree, ran back to into the house, up the stairs, and I quickly fell asleep in my comfy bed.
October 1, 2038
DONATELLO'S POV
I woke up bright and early in the morning before the crack of dawn. I gazed down at my beautiful wife of over 20 years and planted a kiss on her forehead. I got out of bed and put on my lab coat. I walked out of our bedroom and into our daughter's room. I smiled as she slept peacefully. I planted a kiss on her forehead also, and then I went down the stairs and into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.
After I started the pot, I noticed a light coming in the window that was not the sun.
"I wonder what's going on?" I asked out loud.
I gazed out the window… to find the barn on fire!
"OH MY GOSH!" I screamed. "APRIL! APRIL!"
I tossed my lab coat aside, ran back up the stairs and woke my wife up.
"Donnie, what's the matter?" April asked sleepily.
"The lab is on fire!" I yelled in a panic.
"What?!" April yelled back, sitting straight up in shock.
She sprinted out of the bed and followed me down the stairs.
"Mom?" I heard Lily yawn. "Dad? What's going on?"
"Lily, you stay right there," April told her sternly. "Do not go outside."
April and I then ran outside to the barn. April had retrieved one fire extinguisher while I retrieved both the water hose and the other fire extinguisher. Thankfully, there was a smoke alarm in my lab, so the sprinklers had already worked by the time we got there. April and I got to work in putting out the rest of the fire. While doing so, I got a quick glimpse at my teenage daughter, who was running toward the fire!
"Lily, get inside!" I yelled. "It's not safe out here!"
"I wanna help!" Lily yelled back.
"No! Go back inside, now!"
"But Dad, I—"
"I will NOT tell you again, Lilianna!" I screamed, pointing to the door to the house. "Get inside, RIGHT NOW!"
I turned back to the fire, not having the patience to argue with my daughter. It did not take me and April too much longer to put out the fire. We both panted and blew sighs of relief when it was all over.
"This was not how I wanted to start the day at all," I said with weariness. "Are you alright?"
"I'm more worried about you, Donnie," April replied. "Your lab is such a mess! And it's your workplace, too."
"Well, hopefully the sprinklers got to everything in time."
"Donnie, look!"
I turned as April picked up some books, books that I did not recognize.
"What are those?" I asked. "I don't remember them being in here when I left."
"It looks like…"
April's eyes widened when she opened one of the books.
"Well, what is it?" I asked with concern in my voice.
"It's Lily's homework," April answered solemnly.
"Lily was in here?" I asked with shock in my voice, which then turned to anger. "April, have Lily come out here to talk to me, please. If Lily messed around in here, I want to know what she did."
After April left, I took a look around my damaged lab and found lots of broken glass beakers and cylinders as a result of the fire. I blew a sigh of relief when my collection of trinkets sustained no damage at all and my picture frames were only damaged by the water. I could replace those if I needed to. I turned toward my desk where my laptop was usually at, and I let out a loud gasp. To my horror, my laptop suffered the most damage, and the charger was destroyed along with the battery.
"You wanted to speak to me, Dad?" I heard Lily ask.
Feeling like I was going to explode like my laptop did, I snapped and turned around to face my teenage daughter.
"Lilianna Mae Hamato, I want you to explain to me what you were doing in my lab alone," I told her sternly. "You know the lab is off-limits when I'm not in here."
Lily bit her lip and hesitated to answer.
"Well?" I asked, keeping my voice firm.
"It was too quiet in the house, so I took my chemistry homework in the barn to work on it. Your experiments inspire me, Dad. But I had never noticed anything else in the lab before, so I took a look at everything. And then I got curious and… looked through your… laptop."
"You looked through MY LAPTOP?!" I screamed furiously. "How did you even get in my laptop in the first place? It's encrypted with a passcode that's impossible to hack into."
"Yeah, about that," Lily replied, scratching her head. "I was able to hack into it. There was nothing on your laptop that was worth being encrypted."
"Did you completely turn it off?" I asked sternly.
"What do you mean by completely?" Lily asked, tears coming to her eyes. "I thought you just close it."
"No!" I screamed again, gesturing to my lab. "No wonder the lab got on fire; you left the power on and the laptop overheated! Lilianna Mae, what were you thinking?! What if there was someone else in here? You could have killed them with your negligence!"
"It was an accident!" Lily cried. "I'm so sorry, Daddy. I'll never come in here alone, ever again."
I let out a sigh.
"I'm going to see that you don't, young lady," I replied angrily. "I don't ever want to see you in my lab again, period."
"You don't mean that, Dad," Lily replied, wiping away her tears.
"What do you expect me to do, Lilianna?" I asked, about ready to scream again. "Just forget the fire happened and let you make the same mistake again? No. And you know what? Your punishment right now is to clean up this lab since the fire was your doing."
"It was an ACCIDENT!" Lily furiously replied. "I did not mean for this to happen, and I am sorry! Do I need to repeat myself?!"
"Lilianna Mae Hamato, you do not ever talk to me like that," I snapped, pointing a finger at her.
"So why are you talking like that to me, Donatello? Doesn't the saying—"
"LILIANNA!" I screamed, not appreciating that she called me by my real name. "First of all, I am your father, and I do not appreciate the tone that you are carrying with me. Second of all, I love you, but I am angry with you for disobeying the rules of the house. You knew not to come in here alone, and yet you did that anyway."
We stared angrily into each other's eyes for a long moment. Lily's anger eventually faded and she started crying.
"You know what, Dad? I'm going to my room. I don't even know how to deal with you right now."
"Lily—"
My daughter ran out of the lab in tears. I let out a long sigh, letting my anger wash away. I looked down and shook my head, unsure of what to think. All I could do was start cleaning up the lab. I eventually felt April's presence.
"Hey, D. Are you alright?"
"No, April, I'm not okay," I snapped.
"Whoa!" April exclaimed in surprise. "I haven't heard you snap like that ever since Lily pulled off that April Fool's prank on you."
"This is not funny, April."
"I wasn't trying to be funny," April replied, and then she let out a sigh. "I caught a glimpse of Lily running through the kitchen in tears. Is everything alright?"
"Why don't you ask her?" I replied with a flat affect.
"Donatello, I'm asking you. You're my husband, and you're important right now. Lily needs to blow off some steam in her bedroom. What's gotten you so tense? Is it the lab? Or is it something that happened with your daughter?"
I slammed the broom down on the floor.
"I'm not angry about the lab burning down. I understand that it was an accident. It's how Lily spoke to me that I'm furious about. She even called me Donatello."
April let out a sigh.
"Oh boy. Did she yell first? I know tensions were high in here."
It was my turn to let out a sigh, and I started to feel guilty.
"Actually, it was me. When Lily revealed that she hacked into my laptop, I just lost it. I lost my temper even more when she told me she didn't shut off the laptop completely."
I shook my head, now feeling ashamed of myself.
"I should have just listened to her and just calmly explained what she should have done instead."
"Donnie, listen to me," April said, putting her hand on my cheek. "I would have yelled at her too. Your lab was on fire. That's not something you can just forget or brush off, and I'm sure Lily won't forget that either."
I let out a long sigh as I melted into April's touch. It felt very comforting and angelic.
"I don't think I've yelled at Lily like that before. And it's rare to see her angry."
"Donnie, you've both made mistakes."
"I realize that, honey, but what I have said will have to stand. I'm putting a lock on my lab when I'm not in it from now on."
"So no one will be in your lab when you're not in it anymore?" April asked.
"Correct. Lily won't be in it, period. She's lost that privilege."
"Okay, Donnie, let's be reasonable. What if Lily needs to talk to you about something and it can't wait?"
"Then I'll get out of my lab and talk to her."
"D, Lily has so much of you in her. She's just as smart as you are and she's just as gifted in science as you are. She loves being in the lab with you. Yes, I think she should be punished, but not banished."
I let out another sigh, knowing April was right.
"Okay, let's finish cleaning the lab and then we'll talk to her."
I knocked on the door to my daughter's room.
"Who's there?" Lily asked.
"It's Dad."
"I don't wanna talk to you, Dad," Lily shot back.
My heart sank. Her tone of voice reminded me of the time April wouldn't speak to me or my brothers because her dad got mutated on accident.
"Lily, please at least give me a chance to say something. Then I'll let you speak to Mom."
Lily opened the door after a few seconds, but she refused to look at me. I walked in the room while Lily sat on her bed and turned away from me. I sat on the bed with her, letting her know that I was there for her no matter what.
"Lily, I realize you're mad at me for my yelling at you. That was my mistake and I want to apologize. The point I was trying to make was that actions have consequences. And it wasn't just accidentally destroying the lab."
I was met with silence. I was still looking at the back of my daughter's red hair.
"Lily Mae, I need you to look at me, please," I said sternly.
"Why, so you can continue to assume that I destroyed the lab on purpose?" Lily snapped.
I put a hand on her shoulder after letting out another sigh.
"Lily, listen to me. I realize that the lab being on fire was an accident. You didn't know that not shutting down the laptop correctly would leave the power on and cause the fire. I should have accepted that and not exploded at you the way I did."
I paused, putting my stern expression back on my face.
"But what I am not accepting is how you spoke to me and called me by my real name. I am your father, Lily. Not only was it disrespectful when you called me Donatello, but it also hurt my feelings. I did not appreciate that one bit, and I would like an apology among other things."
"I'll apologize under one condition: you allow me in the lab when you're in it."
I grunted, about to lose my patience again.
"April!" I yelled.
Like she was psychic, April came into the room.
"Lily, your dad is right. You need to apologize to him for being disrespectful. There will be no 'conditions.'"
We were met with silence again. April sat on the chair facing our daughter with a stern expression on her face.
"Lilianna Mae, your dad and I have already decided your punishment. We will extend it if you do not apologize to him, right now."
Lily looked at me, then to her mom, and then back to me.
"Lily, I truly am sorry for yelling at you when you said the fire was an accident," I said, not feeling any anger. "Like I said, I should have listened to you instead of losing my temper."
Lily let out a loud sigh, and I prayed that my taking the first step would work.
"Then I'm sorry for yelling at you, Dad," Lily replied, and she let out another long sigh.
"Thank you," I said calmly.
"What's my punishment, Dad?"
"You will not be allowed to enter my lab for two weeks," I told her. "When you are allowed back in again, you are to ask me for permission before I let you in."
"And I'm sorry to say you will not be attending ninja lessons for those two weeks either," April chimed in, crossing her arms. "I've already spoken to Uncle Leo about that."
Lily looked down with shame in her eyes.
"Yes, ma'am."
"One last thing, Lily," I chimed back in, also with my arms crossed. "Because you had gone into the lab after we went to sleep, you broke curfew. And I'm afraid we can't let you go outside alone for those two weeks."
"What?" Lily yelled out with shock. "Dad, that's going to drive me crazy!"
"Then I'd suggest you take those two weeks to think about breaking the rules and messing with other people's personal items, especially your parents' things."
"Dad, take away my ninja lessons. Take away my privileges in the lab. But please do not ground me from going outside. It's what I love doing the most!"
"Sorry, Lily, but our decision is final," I replied. "If you want to go outside, one of us has to be with you."
"I'd rather be transformed into Bigfoot right now," Lily replied angrily.
"Lilianna, stop," April said sternly. "Stay in here. Cool down for a bit. Dad and I will be making breakfast soon and you can join us for that."
April and I walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs into the kitchen to make breakfast together.
"Donnie, were you ever grounded much?" April asked me.
"As a teenager? Only twice, and it was a collective punishment. The first time was because we skateboarded in the lair and we couldn't leave. The second time was because we were exposed on the news. Not only could we not leave the lair, but we also couldn't have entertainment of any kind. I only had my work. What about you?"
"If this is the start of Lily's rebellious streak, then she got it from me."
"Really?" I asked with a grin. "You were the bad girl, huh?"
"Very funny, D," April replied with a chuckle. "Actually, it got better once I met you."
"Once you met me?" I asked with surprise in my voice. "Not all of us?"
"That's right, Donnie. When I met you. You inspired me to be a better person and to show my passions. And I've gotten more disciplined ever since Splinter started training me to be a kunoichi."
April paused, letting out a laugh.
"Trust me, if I was inspired by Raph or Mikey, I'd be grounded more. Even Leo would get me in trouble if I spent too much time with him."
"I can actually see that. Leo was so cocky back in the day he kept mimicking Captain Ryan on that Space Heroes show."
"I still can't believe he named his son after Captain Ryan," April replied, cracking up laughing.
"Karai liked the name. You can't really blame them."
We laughed some more and we finished breakfast in a hurry. As we set up the table, we frowned at each other.
"Donnie, I really hope this will just be a phase for Lily," April said. "What happened up there is not like her."
"April, everything will be alright," I replied. "We love her and she loves us. The day will get better and these two weeks will fly by for her."
We held each other in our arms for a long time before calling Lily down to breakfast.
LILIANNA'S POV
I didn't stay around after breakfast. After eating with my parents, I went up the stairs to grab my T-Pod, my T-Phone, my bo staff, and other weapons in case something were to happen to me. I opened the window, appreciating the sun shining in my red hair and the breeze that came with it. A part of me felt guilty for everything, especially the way I spoke to my dad. Sure, he can lose his temper sometimes, but it was never as bad as Uncle Raphael losing it. I had felt safer around my dad than any of my uncles. But right now, I was also mad at my dad, and I flipped out of the window.
I landed safely, thanks to my training from my dad as well as Uncle Leo, my sensei. I started to run but then stopped when I saw the barn, which contained my dad's lab that I had accidentally set on fire. Not wanting to think about what happened afterwards, I kept on running. I thought of Uncle Raphael the entire time, knowing that if he was angry he would blow off some steam above the sewers. However, the more I ran, the more guilty I felt about how I treated my dad. Donatello, my father, the smartest person I had ever known and one of the people who took care of me ever since I was born, had never yelled at me the way he did. Perhaps I earned him yelling at me, as he had a lot of valuables in his lab, but he did not deserve to be yelled at by his own daughter.
I stopped running, started to play a sad song on my T-Pod, and I knelt down and started to cry my heart out.
"Daddy, I'm so sorry!" I cried, gazing up at the sky. "I'll never yell at you again, I promise!"
I continued to cry until I heard a branch break.
"Daddy? Is that you?" I asked.
No answer.
"Mom?"
The thing that bothered me the most right now was that I could not smell the scent of either parent. I was immediately prompted to run again, and I started to run back to the house. I kept going until I was stopped by some strange men. Remembering my ninja training, I armed myself with my naginata.
"You don't know who you're messing with!" I yelled boldly. "I am the daughter of one of the Mutant Ninja Turtles!"
"Then the prize got even better," one of the men said. "The Magician will be most pleased."
"The Magician?" I asked with confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Get her!" another man yelled.
I saw them all with weapons of some sort and rope. When one of them charged, I defended myself with my naginata and even threw a few strikes of my own. For the first time, I was truly thankful that I was just as smart as my dad, for I knew how to attack them with the naginata.
"She wasn't kidding!" one of the men yelled as I struck him down. "She really is one of the Turtles' kids! Get the stun gun ready!"
"Stun gun?" I asked in fear.
I immediately got out my T-Phone and called my father.
DONATELLO'S POV
I cleaned up more of my lab when I heard my T-Phone ringing on the desk. I was surprised when I found my daughter calling me, and I immediately picked up the phone.
"Hey, Lily Mae, are you doing okay?" I asked with concern in my voice.
"Daddy, you need to come in the woods, like now!" Lily said on the other line.
My eyes widened in fear.
"What's happening?" I asked. "I'll track your location."
"Daddy, whatever happens, please know that I love you and I always will."
"Lily, don't talk like that!" I exclaimed, worried something was happening to her. "I'm coming!"
I hung up, grabbed my bo staff, and went into the woods. I did not hesitate to call April and let her know what was going on. I continued running, hoping to find her scent or some sort of clue that told me of her whereabouts. After not being able to find her, I took out my T-Phone to track her location. I discovered that I was closer than I thought. Unfortunately, when I reached the phone's location, all I found was the phone. I knelt down and held the phone to my heart. I started bawling. My princess had been kidnapped.
"Donnie?"
I continued to cry as I felt my wife's arms around me.
"I am so sorry."
"April, this is my fault," I replied tearfully. "I shouldn't have yelled at her at all. If I hadn't, she'd still be here."
I felt April putting her hand on my chin and bringing it up for me to look into her blue eyes.
"We will find her, Donnie," April assured me. "That, or Lily will find her own way. She's smart enough to figure everything out."
April removed my soaked purple mask and then wiped away my tears. She smiled at me, telling me that there is hope. Her blue eyes had a sparkle of that hope, and it made me smile through the tears that threatened to fall.
"Okay, April. Where do we start?"
"Let's go to the city and talk to Leo. We're going to need his guidance."
"What about your job?" I asked.
"I'm going to give my boss a call and let him know I'm going to take personal leave. You should do the same."
April and I went down into the sewers and walked until we got to the lair. Nothing much had changed, which I was thankful for.
"Donnie!"
We watched as Mikey came up the stairs and gave me a hug, and then he gave a hug to April.
"I'm sorry about Lily," Mikey said with an empathetic smile. "But don't worry, D. We'll find her."
"Thanks, Mikey," I replied, putting a small smile on my face. "Where's Leo?"
"Leo, Karai, and Ryan are meditating in the dojo."
"I wonder how Leo got Ryan to meditate," April said.
"Ryan's his son," I replied. "That's how."
The three of us walked toward the dojo and walked in. We joined the small family on the ground. But before we could close our eyes, they opened their eyes.
"Hello, Leo," April greeted him.
"Hey guys," Leo greeted us with concern in his blue eyes. "Don, I'm sorry about Lily."
"I can only blame myself," I replied, looking down. "If I hadn't—"
"Donatello, you did all you could do," Karai interrupted me. "Lily's kidnapping was beyond your control. Now, Raphael drove up to the farmhouse to find clues about Lily's disappearance. Mona Lisa is with him. Renet is babysitting Venus for the time being."
"Did Lily give you any clues?" Leo asked.
"No, the only thing I found was her T-Phone," I answered sadly. "I won't rest until we find her, Leo. I love her! She's my moon and stars!"
"Donnie, sometimes the only thing to do is wait," April said, trying to soothe me with her calm voice.
"For now, I suggest we meditate together to try to find Lily," Leo suggested.
We gathered around together and started to clear our minds to go into a deep meditation trance.
October 2, 2038 – Somewhere in the USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I came to and I could not see anything. I felt that my arms and legs were bound by ropes. I tried to roll around and I discovered that my space was very limited. I figured out that I was in a car trunk and that we were on the ground. The entire country had adapted to flying cars, but this was a vintage car, and by vintage, I mean a car from the 2010s.
Suddenly, I heard voices. But the voices… were really thoughts! I remembered my mom's advice on following my instincts, and I tried to read the thoughts of my kidnappers.
"I can't believe we have to drive all the way to California."
"California used to be that girl's home. Boy, will Carl be pleased to see we got a Turtle's kid."
"Maybe this will lure Karena out of hiding. It's about time he gets revenge on her and those blasted Turtles."
"It's a good thing Route 66 was saved. This is a useful road. We can't get caught here."
I breathed long enough to remove the bandana from over my mouth. Remembering my mom's advice, I used my legs to kick the back of the car, hoping to break the lights on the left side. Once I knew I was successful, I struggled to get to the other side and kick those lights out. Suddenly, the voices came in my head again.
"The prisoner's awake. Let's see what she's doing."
"If she ruins my car, she's going to regret this. Good thing I took her stick away from her."
"Blast!" I exclaimed quietly. "Okay, think, Lily Mae. What would Mom or Dad do?"
"A kunoichi's best weapon is deception," I remember Uncle Leo telling me.
I rolled to the back of the trunk so that my captors wouldn't see me. I used this to my advantage to break free of the ropes. I took a knife I had taken with me to unbind my hands. Then I sat up the best I could and freed my legs. The trunk opened then, and I made sure I was not seen. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I found spray paint.
"Where'd she go?" one of the captors asked.
"Come out, little girl," another captor taunted me. "I know you're in there, and I know you can't get out."
Saying nothing, I took action. I took the spray paint and sprayed my captors' eyes with it. While they screamed, I made my move to get out of the trunk, and I quickly grabbed my bo staff from the back of the car. I quickly knocked my kidnappers out with my staff and then I started to run. I used the night sky to my advantage and ran as much as I could. All I could do was run. I had no phone to call my parents to tell them I was okay. Because it was so dark outside, I had no idea where I was. But from what I could see, I was certainly not in New York. Instead, all I saw were plains and rolling hills. I was not seen the rest of the night. Once the sky started to lighten up to prepare for a new dawn, I took the opportunity to take a nap.
Todayland, North Montana, USA
WILBUR'S POV
Most of my day on this glorious fall Saturday was decorating the high school gym for our homecoming dance. Our team had won last night's game against the Tomorrowland Rockets on a close call, and this dance was our way of celebrating that.
The student council had decided that a Victorian Ball was going to be the theme, and Venetian masks would be provided to every student who showed up for the dance. When I told Tallulah of the idea, she was the most ecstatic I had ever seen her. Tallulah, Karena, and my mom had all worked together to make the masks at the dress shop at night while the student council and I worked to make the rest of the decorations at the high school during our classes. The hardest part was finding a DJ to provide the music at the dance. Thankfully, my family had connections and we were able to find a DJ with no problem. The easiest part was the photographer. We had hired Samantha Woods after getting to know her over the summer.
After all the decorating was over at the high school, Karena picked me up and took me home. I had the pleasure of having a homecooked meal by my girlfriend for lunch.
"So, what is it?" I asked with a smile.
"Taste it and find out," Karena replied with a wink.
I examined the food first. It was certainly mac and cheese with some meat and vegetables in it. The vegetables were easy to figure out. Karena had added red onion, tomatoes, and green peas. It was the kind of meat and the kind of cheese that puzzled me, but I was very intrigued to try it. I took a bite. The cheese was absolutely delicious, but I couldn't put a finger on what kind of cheese it was. I immediately figured out that Karena used ground beef in the meal, and I could taste the onions, tomatoes, and peas.
"This is absolutely amazing!" I said with excitement. "What kind of cheese is this?"
"Gouda cheese," Karena answered. "I'm glad you like it. I've been trying something new every time I cook. You look like a mac and cheese person, so why not?"
"I'm a kid at heart, remember?"
I cleared my throat and prepared myself to speak with the best Italian accent possible.
"This is a gouda cheese and pasta dish, Signorina Edwards."
"You did not just make a pun with an Italian accent, Wilbur!" Karena shot back.
She made the most hilarious face possible and I cracked up laughing.
"You should see your face right now!" I cried tears of laughter.
"Wilbur, you should stop," Karena said, joining in on the laughter. "You're going to make your lunch even saltier."
"I'm just amazed I was able to pull it off!"
"Are you actually Italian?" Karena asked.
"I actually am Italian! Most of my mom's side is Italian, hence the maiden name: Framagucci."
"Have you ever imagined yourself with a different name?"
"Nope!" I answered while eating my lunch. "But if anyone ever suggests they change my name to Wilbur Framagucci, I'm going to tell them to put a sock in it."
"Put a sock in what?" Karena asked, not understanding the idiom.
"To put a sock in it means to stop talking."
"I think I prefer the mouthwashing."
"Mouthwashing? What are you talking about?"
"Washing your mouth off," Karena explained. "It's a scene in Roger Rabbit where these toons are hunting Roger down and the detective disguises Roger as a load of laundry. The detective tells one of these toons to stop talking or he'll wash his mouth off. The detective actually puts a bar of soap in the toons mouth."
"I actually haven't seen—wait a minute. My mom was asking me who would be the best candidate to dress up as Jessica Rabbit. Is that related to Roger Rabbit?"
"Jessica Rabbit is Roger's wife," Karena answered. "You've seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"
"No, but my mom was talking about it and I guess practicing a song from that movie."
"Who did you suggest would pull off the costume?"
I gave Karena a grin, and her grin faded away.
"No. Oh, no! I am not going to be a sex symbol for Halloween!"
"Don't think of Jessica Rabbit as a sex symbol, Karena," I pleaded with her. "What's Jessica like in the movie?"
"Actually, the total opposite of a sex symbol. She is a femme fatale, but she stands for the truth."
"Then come on, Karr. What are you waiting for?"
"Wilbur, I'm going as Wonder Woman, okay?"
"Karena, Jessica Rabbit is a better fit for you, okay?" I replied with a smile. "You both have green eyes. You both have amazing voices. You both have an amazing build. And I'll bet you that you would look pretty sexy in a red wig."
"Wilbur, I don't know…"
"Pleeeeease? For me?"
I gave Karena the puppy dog pout. My girlfriend looked away at first, and then she sighed.
"I don't like you right now," Karena teased. "Fine, I'll do it."
"Yes!" I pumped my fist in the air. "Now here, you can have the last bite of my lunch."
"Thank you, but there's plenty left in the pot. I'll grab my own bowl."
I puckered my lips for her to kiss me, but she didn't. I pouted when I didn't get my kiss. But then I shrugged and finished my lunch.
Karena and I both wore orange to the dance tonight. Karena was given an orange mask to match while I was given a black one to match my hair. While I wore a simple orange polo shirt with black pants, Karena wore a one-sleeved orange dress with sparkles on it.
"Karena, forget purple," I yelled over the music. "Orange is your color."
"I think I have to agree with you," Karena yelled in reply. "Wait, are you saying that because you're biased? Orange is your favorite color isn't it?"
"No, I swear I'm not biased! You really do look amazing in orange! And I'm not saying it because it's my favorite color!"
"Just don't compare me to a pumpkin!"
"Why would I?" I asked. "You're beautiful!"
"What should we do?" Karena asked.
"Shall we play look-out?" I asked in reply.
"What does that mean?"
"I mean look out for anyone who may be stalking me!"
"You really haven't healed from your traumatic freshman year, have you?" Karena asked.
"Look, I know Rachel is in prison for trying to kill you and me, but you do realize you're dating the son of the richest man in the world, right?"
"Okay, I see your point. Let's go!"
Karena and I made our way around the crowd within the first hour of the dance. We admired all the decorations that were put up earlier today, but we admired each other more. We also grabbed some punch while looking around and enjoyed that. Fortunately for us, there was no stalker to be found.
"Are you happy now, Wilbur?" Karena asked me.
"Yep! Now what do you wanna do?"
"Maybe watch the coronation that's coming up?"
"Nah, let's make a break for it," I suggested with a grin.
"Ooh, do we dare?" Karena asked, returning the grin.
"Yes, let's do it!"
It did not take very long for the music to fade away.
"How are we doing tonight, Stars?" Principal Jameson asked into the microphone, and everyone erupted in cheers. "It is time for the coronation of our Todayland High School homecoming king and queen."
"That's our cue," I whispered to her. "Follow me."
I took my girlfriend's hand and led her to another door. We waited for the announcement of the homecoming queen before attempting to open the door. We opened the door at just the right time. The crowd erupted in cheers, and we made our escape.
"Whew!" I exclaimed. "We made it!"
"Now the question is, did anyone spot you leave?" Karena asked.
We looked around to make sure no one followed us outside.
"Whew! We're safe."
"So now what do you suggest, Mr. Robinson?" Karena asked with a flirty smile.
"Let's go to Futureburgers. Milkshakes sound amazing right now."
"Okay, but let's just get the milkshakes and then head back to your place."
"I'll do you one better," I replied. "I know a really good place in the city we can dance to."
We drove off in my dad's flying car to the bubble transportation in the middle of the city.
"I thought we were getting milkshakes?" Karena asked as I parked the car.
"We could, but I really want to dance with you first," I replied.
I took out my phone and plugged it into the car so that the speakers would play Lifehouse's Everything. I saw a smile on Karena's face as I walked up to her. I returned the smile as the words came to life.
"Find me here, and stay to me. I want to feel you. I need to hear you. You are the light that's leading me to the place where I find peace again."
Karena and I prepared ourselves to do a partial waltz and a partial sway, and we started to dance to the lyrics.
"You are the strength that keeps me walking," Karena softly sang along. "You are the hope that keeps me trusting. You are the light to my soul. You are my purpose. You're everything."
"You know the song?" I asked with surprise in my voice as the bridge came.
"I discovered it while watching Smallville back in Los Angeles," Karena explained. "I fell in love with it right away, praying that if I got married, this would be the first song I'd dance to with my husband."
"Is that a sign that we are meant to be, Miss Edwards?" I asked.
"Moving here to Todayland was the best decision I've made," Karena answered. "And so was dating you, Mr. Robinson."
The bridge finished and there was only music. I took a breath and prepared to sing along.
"You calm the storms and you give me rest," I sang. "You hold me in your hands. You won't let me fall. You steal my heart and you take my breath away. Would you take me in? Take me deeper now."
"Smallville?" Karena asked.
"I guess we're both fans of Superman," I answered. "We should do a Smallville marathon some time."
"Sure! I take it Clark was your favorite character?"
"Jonathan, actually," I answered. "I just love the fact that he would sacrifice everything, even his life, to keep Clark's abilities a secret away from the dangerous people like the Luthors. What about you?"
"Lois. She makes me laugh."
We pulled each other closer and swayed to the rest of the song.
"Cause you're all I want. You're all I need. You're everything, everything. How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?"