I went a little more daring into this chapter, thanks to some inspiration from "Smallville," so I have to give credit to that show for one of the parts of this chapter. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" nor "TMNT." I only own Karena, Lilianna, and friends.

November 1, 2038 – Todayland, North Montana, USA

WILBUR'S POV

After another successful Halloween bash, I was back in school. I had to be at school early in the morning to watch the freshmen candidates try out for the winter color guard. The seniors of the color guard: Chloe, Jenna, Shelby, Camilla, and Tara, as well as three juniors: Susan, Hannah, and Kim, were the ones deciding who would make the cut to join the junior varsity squad. Us sophomores would be sitting and watching, mentally preparing for our tryouts tomorrow. Mr. Samuels had explained on our meeting last Friday that it was possible to have more than 16 people in the guard, but always wanted the two squads to be of equal numbers. If the freshmen showed talent, then some of the sophomores would be moving up to the varsity squad.

A conversation came to mind from last school year when Mr. Samuels had considered me possibly joining the varsity squad. He called my name at the right time, and I walked over to him before tryouts started for the freshmen.

"I don't think there will be enough room for you to join the varsity squad," Mr. Samuels explained. "However, I would recommend you to try out to be the captain of the junior varsity squad."

"Are you serious?" I asked in a shocked tone, and then I laughed. "Me? Captain of the junior varsity squad?"

"Why not? You show natural talent with the flag. Have you been practicing over the summer?"

"Yes, sir, I have!" I replied, pumping my chest with my fist. "Do you have any kind of routine for me to do?"

"The objective of the captain is to help choreograph the routine," Mr. Samuels explained. "So make one up, Robinson! You can do it."

I walked back to my seat among the other sophomores, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to find Bonnie, a brown-haired girl who was also a cheerleader, sitting next to me and facing me.

"You trying out for captain, Wilbur?"

"Yes, I am," I answered with a straight face. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm trying out for captain, and I'm going to win."

"How do you know?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Did you travel to the future?"

"Oh puh-lease! Time machines don't even exist, Robinson. But you should know I'm the best of all the sophomores."

"Be careful, Bonnie," I replied, giving her a glare. "Too much pride can lead to a fall."

Bonnie returned the glare, and we both watched the freshmen tryouts. Eleven freshmen girls competed, and according to Mr. Samuels, not all of them would make the cut. I watched the last freshman try out, and then the seniors talked them over. The five oldest girls walked to the middle of the gym floor to announce the winners.

"The newly elected color guard of the freshmen class are..."

Chloe paused, opening the envelope.

"Abby Lane."

Abby stood up, and then each girl that was called stood up.

"Lois Abernathy. Arwen Grace. Ruby Smith. Tasha Stone. Annie McKinley. And Michaela Davis."

"Okay, everyone!" Mr. Samuels spoke loudly. "Since seven freshmen made it into the squad, and we already have five sophomores, three juniors, and five seniors, two of the sophomores will have to move on up to the varsity squad."

We all gasped with excitement.

"So not only will we have two tryouts for the captains, but we will also have tryouts for all the sophomores to go to varsity. So, everyone else: practice, practice, practice. Everyone else will be trying out tomorrow. Any questions?"

We all shook our heads.

"You are dismissed until tomorrow morning."

I walked over to my locker and put my backpack in it. Then I went to the cafeteria to get myself some breakfast since I missed the family breakfast this morning.

LILIANNA'S POV

I was extremely nervous this morning. I had never actually gone to school before, and today was my first day. All I could do was stare down at my breakfast.

"Lily, are you alright?" Mildred asked and I shook my head. "What's the matter?"

"I don't belong here, Mildred," I answered. "I feel like such a child!"

"Lily, you have endured so much to be here," Mildred said with a smile on her face. "What would your dad do?"

"He'd hide from everybody, like I plan on doing. Mildred, I'm a freak!"

I paused, realizing what I just said.

"Well, alright, I'm not a total freak—"

"Lilianna Hamato, you are a beautiful girl. The fact that you only have three fingers on each hand does not define you. God made you in His own special way, and He loves you for it. And I know your father loves you too."

"Mildred, I haven't told you much of my dad."

"You haven't, but your idea of sending my picture to your phone worked. Your father called me last night."

I looked up suddenly with shock in my eyes.

"He did?"

"Yes, he did, and he is a very polite man. All your father was worried about is you being safe. And you are safe, Lily. I told him that, and he wanted me to tell you that he loves you."

I read Mildred's mind to see if she was telling the truth.

"Lily is so blessed to have a father like Donatello who never stopped looking for her. I only hope I can show her the love he showed her."

"Thank you, Mildred," I replied with a smile.

"You are going to do well in school, Lily, if you are as smart as your father."

"I am just as smart as my dad," I replied with confidence.

"Good. Now please eat, and I can drop you off."

I ate my eggs, bacon, and toast, and then Mildred dropped me off at the high school by the gym. My nervousness came back as I ventured around. I walked around the gym and past the cafeteria, but there was one kid who stood out that prompted me to go into the cafeteria. He had a black cowlick, brown eyes, and a slender figure. It was Wilbur, the kid I saw at the Halloween bash just last night. I took a seat across from him.

"Hey there!" Wilbur greeted me happily. "I don't think I've ever seen you before. Are you new?"

"Can you help me?" I asked.

"Sure! What do you need help with? Do you need me to show you your way around the school?"

I read Wilbur's mind.

"I really want to help this girl out, if I can. I want to help her get settled here in Todayland, and I want her to have the time of her life."

"I'm good at finding my way around, thank you. But I can tell you really want to help me."

"Anything you need, I'll be glad to help. I'm Wilbur Robinson. And you are?"

All I could do was stare. I was talking to Cornelius Robinson's son!

"I… I know who you are, Wilbur. Do you really want to help me?"

"Yes, I do. What is this, 20 questions? I don't want you to be late for your first class. Please let me help you. You clearly need it."

I read Wilbur's mind again.

"If I can help this girl get to her first class, then it would be worth being late to band class."

"And yet you risk yourself being late to band class?" I asked.

Wilbur blinked three times with his jaw open.

"How do you know what my first class is?" Wilbur asked me, now raising an eyebrow. "You haven't been doing research on me, have you?"

"I assure you, I know nothing about you except that you are Cornelius Robinson's son. But trust me when I say that I do not want to be here. Please help me escape this place!"

"Escape? Girl, you are in the most utopian city possible. How could you want to escape?"

"Wilbur, I know you want to help me get to my first class. Not only that, but you also want to help me with my problems. You want to help me adjust to a city that is so strange to me that I am scared of being here. Wilbur, you want to help me love a city I'm not even sure I belong in."

I tried reading Wilbur's mind again, but I only found three words:

"I am speechless."

"I have to go," I said angrily.

I got up and left the cafeteria. My first class supposedly was geometry, but instead, I decided to explore the school.

KARENA'S POV

I had a big break from my college classes, so I was happy to pick up Wilbur from school and head back to his place. When he got out of the school, my smile turned into a frown, as he had a frown on his. I let out a sigh as he got in the car.

"Let me guess: bad day at school?"

Wilbur pondered this question.

"At the start, yes, but it got better."

"So, why the frown?"

It was Wilbur's turn to let out a sigh.

"There was this girl, a new student who sat down across from me in the cafeteria. She asked for my help. I had assumed that she needed help finding her way around the school. But she declined. She had asked for my help to escape Todayland."

"Wait, what?!" I yelled. "Why would she want to do that?"

"I don't know. I have a feeling she just moved here and the move was tough on her."

"Well, what does this girl look like? Maybe I've seen her around."

"Long red hair, blue eyes. She looks to be about my height. And here's kind of the freaky part: she has three fingers on her hands, but it looks like she was born with them. And even more freakier: she knew what my first class was! It was like she was psychic and knew my every thought!"

"Did she give you her name?" I asked, and Wilbur let out another sigh.

"No. I asked, but she wouldn't give it to me. It's like she doesn't trust me, and I hate that feeling."

"Maybe she's an orphan who found her way here, Wilbur. Or maybe—"

"She asked me to help her escape," Wilbur interrupted me. "I'm thinking she could be a runaway. Unfortunately, when I asked the guidance counselor about her, she didn't know who she was. This girl hadn't had her picture taken yet."

An idea suddenly came to mind.

"Hey! Wilbur, you're a Robinson, right?"

"No, I'm a Framagucci," Wilbur sarcastically answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Your family is all about making people feel welcome, right? You did that with Lewis, and you've helped me feel welcome. Why don't you do the same with this girl? Maybe there's more to her story than meets the eye."

"I'd love to, but what if she doesn't want it?"

"Well, Thanksgiving is coming up. Maybe we could introduce her to the family and have her spend Thanksgiving with us?"

Wilbur pondered this idea.

"That's actually a really good idea. I'm sure my family will be okay with having one more person there, especially if it means getting to know her. But how would I go about doing that?"

"What do you know about her so far?" I asked.

"She's stubborn and scared. That is literally it. Oh wait, and she's smart. She figured out that I was Cornelius's son without my even telling her about myself."

"Well, that would explain the psychic theory," I replied, biting my lip.

"I'm gonna try to find her tomorrow at school and see if I can get more information out of her."

November 5, 2038

LILIANNA'S POV

For the first time in my life, I did not feel hopeful. Neither Karena nor Wilbur knew who my dad was, and I felt so out of place at Todayland High School. I had not attended a single class. Instead, I had explored all of the school, and when I ran out of places to hide, I hid in the swimming area. When I couldn't hide there because of the gym classes that took place there, I hid myself in the library, reading one novel a day. The only time I was around students was in between classes and during lunch when I went to the cafeteria to get food. I often ate alone because I wanted to be alone. It didn't help that Wilbur caught me sneaking out of the cafeteria that Tuesday and kept trying to follow me around the school. In fact, him following me was starting to annoy me to tears.

After school today, I went back to the orphanage and ate dinner, and then I retreated right to my room. I was thankful to not have a roommate. I was tempted to let my tears fall and cry onto my pillow, but then I remembered Uncle Leo had offered to meditate with me one night when I was upset with Ryan, and it had helped. Deciding to give it a try, even without Uncle Leo's presence, I went into a meditative trance, and for the first time ever, I was in a deep trance.

I smiled, admiring the stars all around me and the feeling of aloneness. But suddenly, I wasn't alone. I closed my eyes to try to read the mind of my new companion, but I could not.

"Lilianna."

I turned around to see the biggest rat I had ever seen. To my surprise, I didn't scream. At the same time, there was something about this rat that was familiar. I widened my eyes when I figured out who he was.

"Grandpa Splinter?" I asked in astonishment. "Impossible!"

"I assure you, my granddaughter, it is not impossible," Grandpa replied with a kind smile with a kind voice to match. "It is nice to finally meet the little girl Donatello speaks so highly of."

I bowed down, and I started bawling.

"This is all my fault," I cried. "I put myself here, and there's no getting out! I don't think anyone can help me, Grandpa. I feel so lost. If I had just listened to Dad, I wouldn't be here. I'd be safe at home."

"The fault is not entirely yours, Lilianna," Grandpa told me, putting a hand on my back. "You and Donatello have both made mistakes, but it is time to put them in the past and look forward to finding a way back to your family."

"How? I don't know what to do."

Grandpa Splinter put a hand under my chin and raised my blue eyes to face his brown ones. He continued to smile.

"You are courageous and resilient like April, and intelligent and resourceful like Donatello. Those qualities brought you here. Now you must use them to adapt. It is not safe for you to go anywhere, Lilianna. The Magician will not stop at anything to try to find you."

"Who is this Magician, Grandpa? What does he want with me?"

"That is for you to find out on your own. I am only a spirit, guiding you in your trials. Trust your new allies, Lilianna. Be resilient like your mother and resourceful like your father. Remember them, and remember me. I love you very much, my granddaughter."

Splinter chuckled, looking at me as if it was the last time he would ever see me.

"Donatello was right about you… about everything. He is proud of you, Lilianna, and so am I. Remember who you are, not what this trial has made you."

"Hai, Splinter."

Splinter lifted me up to my feet, and we bowed to each other. I watched him walk away from me, and then, I woke up. I heard knocking on the door.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Mildred. May I come in?"

"Yes, you may."

The door opened, and in came Mildred.

"Lily, I received a phone call from the principal. You didn't attend any of your classes. Usually, he would have given you a detention, but as you're a new student, he's just concerned. Is everything okay?"

"No, but it will be," I answered honestly.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Mildred asked. "Is it because you're a new student?"

"That's part of it. It's just that… I'm scared, Mildred. I have never been so far away from home before, and I've never been to any school… except for maybe Uncle Leo's dojo in the sewers."

OOPS! I winced when I realized I told the whole truth about my uncle's training me and my cousins.

"In the… sewers? Did I hear that right?"

"No, I apologize. Uncle Leo is my sensei, my teacher. I've been trained all of my life in the art of ninjutsu. I have two other uncles named Raph and Mikey. Donnie is my dad. They've all been trained as ninjas, and now me and my cousins are going through that same training."

"Has your training to be a ninja helped you with your resourcefulness?" Mildred asked with a smile on her face.

"Yes, it has. And I may have used it to not go to class."

I let out a sigh.

"Mildred, I've never been so scared in all my life. Like I said, I'm a freak. I'm afraid no one is going to take me seriously."

"There are no freaks in Todayland, Lily," Mildred assured me. "You've heard of Cornelius Robinson, right?"

"I actually have met his son Wilbur at school."

"Oh, wonderful! A little piece of advice: Wilbur is someone you want as a friend. He will never give up on you, no matter what. But anyway, did you know that Cornelius's wife Franny has a band of genetically enhanced frogs?"

"Yes, I knew that. I saw them perform at the Halloween bash."

"Alright, but did you also know that he has a genetically-enhanced squid named Lefty who is their butler?"

I shook my head as Mildred's smile got bigger.

"Trust me, Lily, you are safe here. And besides, you are a beautiful girl. Your having three fingers do not mean anything. At least not to me."

I smiled at her.

"I've always looked at that with pride, happy that I inherited them from my dad."

"Your dad has three fingers on each hand also, huh?" Mildred asked. "Well, your dad is one special person. I wish I had a dad like him."

I smiled, happy that she thought of my father that way.

"I feel a little better. Can you help me out this weekend? I want to get a haircut and some new clothes."

"I sure can, Lily."

The next day…

I received a haircut from the hair stylist downtown, and I was so happy that I got my bangs back! The fresh haircut also felt amazing because I had no more split ends, but still retained my long copper red locks. After that, I went to a dress shop that was just down the street. It was time for me to start being confident about my present, and what better way to do it than with a new wardrobe?

"I'll be right with you!" a woman yelled from the back.

I was already in awe at what was in this shop. There were all kinds of dresses of different styles, including styles from the past century. And it was not only women's clothing in this shop. I discovered that there was men's clothing here also, as well as maternity clothing and clothes for newborn babies. Whoever owned this dress shop had many talents in the fashion world. Suddenly, a woman with short red hair and wearing both a dress and a hat that looked exactly like New York City skated up to me.

"How may I help you, young lady? My name is Tallulah and I own this shop."

"You own this shop?" I asked in awe. "I've been looking around, and everything in here is amazing!"

"Thank you! So, is there anything you like in here?"

"Well, maybe you can guide me to a black shirt and skirt? And possibly something in a different color, too?"

"Certainly. Follow me!"

I followed Tallulah, whom I discovered was also a member of the Robinson family, toward the back until she showed me a sparkling black shirt with the skirt to match.

"Oh, this is pretty!" I told her.

"What is your favorite color?" Tallulah asked me.

"White. Lavender is a very close second."

"I've got just the thing for you! Follow me again!"

I laughed, enjoying Tallulah's enthusiasm as I followed her around the store, trying on a variety of different outfits.

November 8, 2038

WILBUR'S POV

Karena ate breakfast with me and the family before dropping me off at school. I had decided to go to the cafeteria anyway to see if the mysterious girl decided to show up. While I waited, I reflected on the events of this past week. I was named the captain of the junior varsity squad in the color guard after my tryout last Tuesday. Bonnie and Penny were the sophomores who, asides from me, performed the best and were named members of the varsity squad alongside the juniors and seniors. I had passed every test with flying colors, thanks to Karena's tutoring and my family's confidence in me. I had not let my mission of finding this girl get in the way of that.

The bell rang, which meant that it was eight o'clock, and I was alone in the cafeteria.

"Aren't you going to be late for band class?"

I turned to see her standing in the doorway with her left forearm on the doorway and her left leg crossed over her right one. My jaw dropped open. She looked prettier than Karena today, and she actually looked ready to go to school for a change. She had gotten a haircut over the weekend, as she now sported straight bangs over her forehead and had somewhat curled her hair to make waves with it. She was wearing a sparkling black tank top that fit her curves perfectly instead of the purple sweater she always wore, and her black skirt, which she wore instead of her blue jeans, were just as perfect with her black belt with a silver buckle. To finish her look, she wore a pair of black boots instead of her white sneakers. It was clear her three-fingered hands didn't matter to her, and she was not afraid to look amazing. I cleared my throat, finally ready to say something.

"I still have fifteen minutes," I answered.

"What's the matter?" the girl asked, still standing in the doorway.

"You look… different," I answered. "I mean, you look incredible! It's not the Todayland style, but it suits you perfectly."

"I'm not of Todayland," the girl replied with a smile.

I gasped. She had a gap-toothed grin, which complimented her copper-red hair and blue eyes perfectly.

"I'm from New York."

The girl finally walked towards me and twirled around, revealing all of her outfit.

"Do you like it, Wilbur?"

"Uh… I'm speechless. That's for sure."

I grinned.

"Now, you know my name, but you never told me what yours is."

"I'm Lilianna," the girl answered with her gap-toothed smile. "My friends and family call me Lily."

"How did you get all the way here from New York?" I asked, now knowing coming to Todayland was not her choice.

All Lily did was sit down across from me at the table, and placed her left hand on top of my right forearm.

"It's been a rough time for me, being away from New York," Lily answered, still with a smile on her face. "But I have learned… to adapt. To let people be my friends and to let my friends help me adjust. I can't let the rough times get me down. The key… is to let your friends distract you… and to trust them. I trust you, Wilbur Robinson. Do you trust me?"

"I… uh…"

I could not resist Lily and her gap-toothed smile.

"Of… of course I trust you. I'm just thrilled that you trust me, for once."

"Good," Lily replied, her smile turning into a grin as she took my hand. "Then follow me."

I had tried pulling away as she led us away from the cafeteria… and away from my first class. Lily was stronger than she looked. We hid every time a teacher had walked down the hallway, and we eventually walked into… the swimming area.

"Lily, what are we doing in here?" I asked nervously.

"It's quiet," Lily answered, somehow getting a hold of my phone and playing the song Supernatural by By Divine Right.

"It's also completely—"

I was interrupted by Lily setting my phone down on a stool and putting her right foot on the diving board.

"Off-limits," I finished my sentence as she started taking her right boot and sock off. "Uh, Lily, I don't think I'm up to this."

I watched Lily finish taking off her left boot and sock, revealing her three-toed feet. To my surprise, she did a forward flip onto the diving board, and she treaded gracefully with her bare feet. She did all of this… with her gap-toothed smile.

"You think too much, Wilbur," Lily said.

Flabbergasted that she may have read my mind again, she took off her black belt and tossed it aside. I chuckled, now fully aware that Lily was hitting on me.

"Right now, I'm thinking that you are not yourself," I replied. "Where did that shy girl go?"

"Just maybe…"

Lily paused, unzipping her black skirt.

"I'm more me than ever. The shy daughter of Donatello Hamato is gone and the confident daughter of April O'Neil-Hamato is here."

Her black skirt fell onto the diving board, revealing the edge of her lavender laced panties, and then she kicked it in my direction. I caught it with ease, but then sheepishly tossed it aside.

"Lily, this is crazy!" I said with an awkward chuckle.

"That's the point," Lily replied flirtatiously with her gap-toothed grin. "If life doesn't make you crazy, then why bother living it? I know that's how I want it."

Just when the song got to the best part, Lily took off her black shirt, revealing all of her lavender lingerie. My eyes widened at the sight. Lily had the most muscular, lean body I had ever seen. Her abs, glutes, legs, and arms were all toned and defined, and they brought out her curves perfectly. She walked back to the diving board steps, admiring her body while doing so, and then she gave me a wink.

"The question is… do you want what I want?" Lily asked.

I was speechless… again. All I could do was watch as Lily did a backwards cartwheel on the diving board. I wouldn't lie to Karena right now: Lily was looking very sexy. She gave me another wink and a flirty smile as she did a backflip off the diving board and into the water. I had to let out a laugh… because I was pretty sure I had met my match. I watched as Lily emerged from the water, still carrying her flirty smile.

"Don't you want to come in, Wilbur?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so," I answered, surprised that I hadn't given in yet.

Lily swam towards me and climbed up the ladder to get out of the water. She walked up to me and put her three-fingered right hand on my left shoulder.

"I know you want to help me, Wilbur," Lily told me as she traced my cheek with her fingers. "And right now, you want me. Just stop holding back. Come on! You're not made of steel."

She paused, playing with my cowlick.

"Or are you?" Lily purred flirtatiously.

The best part of the song came again, and to my shock, Lily pushed her lips against mine. I couldn't help but kiss her back. She tasted like cherries, and her kisses were full of pleasure. I had prayed she wasn't reading my mind right now, as Karena immediately came to mind. I knew at that moment what I was doing was wrong, and I broke off the kiss.

"Wait."

"Aren't you tired of waiting for all the answers?" Lily asked, her smile never disappearing.

I started to lose my balance. I looked down to realize that I was on the edge of the pool!

"You just need a little help warming up," Lily said with a giggle.

She did the tiniest push possible, and I felt myself falling into the water. By the time I emerged from underwater, I was face-to-face with Principal Jameson. Lily was no longer in my sight, and the room was deathly quiet. My phone was not in my sight either. This was a very awkward situation.

LILIANNA'S POV

After playfully pushing Wilbur into the water, I heard the door unlocking. I had to quickly gather my clothes and Wilbur's phone, and I had to stealthily run into the women's room to put my clothes back on and to turn off the music. I heard the conversation going on back out by the pool. I took a peek out to see a sharp-dressed man hovering over Wilbur.

"What are you doing in here, Robinson?" the man, whom I correctly assumed was the principal, asked.

"That… is an excellent question," Wilbur answered sheepishly. "This… this isn't what it looks like, I promise."

"Yes, I see. Going into the swimming area that is off-limits and jumping into the pool with your clothes on."

"Like I said, sir… not what it looks like."

"Get out of there, Robinson. I'll bring you a clean set of clothes and then we can talk in my office."

"I'm looking forward to seeing him in Saturday detention," the principal thought regarding Wilbur.

Feeling a little guilty about getting Wilbur into Saturday detention, I proceeded to read his mind.

"This is what I get for being distracted. Karena is so going to kill me when I talk to her about this."

I winced. I had kissed Karena's boyfriend. I thought about what was going on through Wilbur's mind as we kissed. He had felt pleasure and didn't want to stop. But then he had thought of Karena and stopped. To me, the entire experience was worth it. My first kiss with a boy was worth it, as Wilbur was an excellent kisser. Karena was very lucky to have him. But the best part of it all was that Wilbur was so distracted by my beauty that he never realized I spilled out my parents' names. I knew he was smart, probably the smartest boy in the school, but even he could be swayed by my perfect, but imperfect beauty.

I watched Wilbur getting out of the water and grabbing a towel so he could dry off. The principal walked back in the pool area with a grey shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants to match. While Wilbur and the principal were discussing things in the men's room, I snuck out of the women's room and out of the swimming area. Then, I found a way to sneak out of the school and onto the track and field. I felt something vibrate in my pocket. I still had Wilbur's phone!

"Thank you, Jesus!" I cried happily.

I took out Wilbur's phone to see he got a text from someone named Franny:

"Can you clean your room when you get home, please?"

"Ah, his mother," I said out loud, remembering Mildred mentioning her name.

I did not hesitate to dial my dad's number from the phone.

North Hampton, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

I sat dejectedly in my lab. There had been no word from my daughter since I called Mildred a week ago. The entire family had tried to meditate into Lily's mind to try to help her, but all we could do was talk to Splinter's spirit. Raph and Mona had taken a road trip of their own all the way out to California to find more clues about Lily's kidnappers. Renet offered to go to the future to see when Lily would return to us, and while the offer was tempting, I declined the offer, explaining that it's up to Lily to get in touch with us. I had tried to reach out to both Cornelius and Mildred to see if I could get an update on Lily.

All I could do, in the meantime, was to continue taping my lessons for my students at Todayland University. Thanks to Splinter's guidance and the news that Lily was safe in Todayland, I was able to mess around with my inventions. At some point after April and I returned from Oklahoma, I had taken a look at Lily's room. I cleaned it, and then I was inspired to give the room a fresh coat of paint.

April was at work today covering for another reporter at Channel 6 News, so it was my duty to clean the house. I had finished repainting Lily's room, so I was moving all of her furniture back into her room. Suddenly, my T-Phone started to ring. I glanced at my phone to see an unknown number. I took the risk and answered it.

"Donatello."

"Daddy? Is that you?"

My heart skipped a beat and I gasped. Could it be?

"Lily? Is—is that really you?"

"I love you, Daddy."

I started to laugh and cry at the same time, just like I did the day Lily was born.

"I've been trying to find you for weeks!" I cried. "We only found your T-Phone and the only contact I had was Mildred at the orphanage!"

"I'm calling from a friend's phone," Lily explained on the other side. "Dad, I was in the car trunk when I woke up. I remembered everything: Uncle Leo's ninja lessons, Mom's lessons on following your instincts, I even remembered your lessons on scavenging for food. I used my skills as a kunoichi to try to find my way back to you, but I ended up here in Todayland instead. Someone found me outside the city, took me to the orphanage, and then Mildred enrolled me in school."

My daughter was one of the smartest people I had ever known, and words could not describe how proud I was of her.

"I'll go tell the others that you called. Lily Mae, I'm just… I'm so happy you're actually alive, and that I'm hearing your voice to confirm that!"

"Me too, Dad. Me too."

"You need to get back to class, okay? Just because you're not at home doesn't mean you're off the hook from going to school."

"Dad, that's the thing. I'm scared. I haven't been going to classes because I'm terrified about fitting in. I don't think I belong here."

I chuckled. I knew the feeling all too well.

"Lily, sweetheart, listen. When I first laid eyes on your mom, I was worried she wouldn't like me back because I'm a mutant. I looked like a freak. But she looked past that, and we became quick friends. We actually became best friends right away, and it eventually grew into us marrying each other after five adventurous years. And look at you! You may have inherited most of my mutant genes, you were also blessed with your mom's beauty. Knowing you, I know you'll quickly find friends."

"There's another thing, Dad. I somehow made contact with Grandpa Splinter while in meditation, and he said it's not safe to go anywhere. Something about a magician?"

"The Magician's back?!" I asked, suddenly furious. "Lily, the Magician may have been behind your kidnapping!"

"Is he dangerous?"

"He's a fake, but he is dangerous. Listen, once Uncle Raph and Auntie Mona return from California, we'll discuss how to handle seeing you and bringing you home, okay? For right now, Splinter's right. You need to stay. As a matter of fact, you need to head on back to class. I'm not sure how the teacher let you out of class to make a phone call, as thrilled as I am that you finally called."

"Yeah, okay."

"Lily, promise me you will remember your ninja training, and make good choices. Okay?"

"I promise, Dad."

"Also, if the Magician somehow finds you, you call me immediately, okay? He has short red hair like you and he's dressed like a magician. His real name is Carl Jackson."

"Got it, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, Lily Mae. Talk to you next time."

"Bye, Daddy."

We hung up, and I silently praised God for keeping Lily safe. I did not hesitate to send April a text to meet me in the lair when she got off work. I immediately got into the Party Wagon and drove down to Manhattan.

Todayland, North Montana, USA

KARENA'S POV

I sat outside waiting for Wilbur to be dismissed. Half an hour later than usual, he showed up. However, something else wasn't right: he was wearing grey clothes and white sneakers instead of his usual black shirt, blue jeans, and Converse shoes.

"What did you do?" I asked. "Join a bad boys club? Spill some food on yourself?"

"Nope," Wilbur replied with a grim look.

Something really was wrong this time. Wilbur usually was quick to defend himself. All he did this time was look down at his feet.

"Wilbur? What's wrong? You're not your usual self."

Wilbur took a deep breath in, and then he let it out after five seconds.

"I have good news and bad news."

"Okay, since you have that look on your face, let's start with the bad news."

"I'm not sure how accurate that bad boys club is, Karr, but… I'm spending my Saturday morning in detention."

"Wait, WHAT?!" I yelled with shock. "Wilbur James Cornelius Robinson, what did you do?"

"Geez, I can't decide whom I'd rather have yell at me: you or my parents," Wilbur mumbled, and then let out a sigh. "That's where the good news come in. I finally figured out the identity of that girl that keeps on evading me at school. Her name is Lilianna, Lily for short. She's from New York. She, uh…"

Wilbur hesitated.

"She, uh… took me to the pool,… hit on me,… stripped in front of me,… and uh… kissed me."

"What the fudge?" I asked in confusion. "This girl kissed you? Are we talking like a peck on the cheek—"

"Nope, on the lips. She kissed me. I won't lie: she's a good kisser."

I pounded a fist in my left hand.

"Wilbur, please tell me what this Lilianna looks like so I can hit her like a girl!"

"You may want to be careful," Wilbur warned me. "She's just as good as I am. She's physically strong. She did flips and cartwheels on the diving board, and she gave me the tiniest push possible into the pool."

Well, the push into the pool explained why he was wearing the grey clothes and white sneakers, I thought.

"So maybe it was Lilianna's way of rejecting you?"

"Actually… I rejected her first. I broke the kiss. But she was playful about the push."

Wilbur sighed.

"Look, I know this puts me in the red zone, and the truth is, Lily did look very sexy. I mean toned abs, toned glutes, she's toned everywhere. Physically, asides from her three-fingered hands and three-toed feet, she's perfect. Even the gap in her teeth added to her beauty. I won't blame you if you—"

I put a finger on his lips.

"Wilbur, relax, I'm not mad."

Wilbur looked at me with astonishment.

"You're not?"

"No. I think Lily was playing with you. Why? I don't know, but I want to ask her."

Wilbur blew a huge sigh of relief.

"What did I do to deserve you, Karr?"

"I don't even deserve you, Wil."

Wilbur's eyes widened again.

"Karena, she has my phone! I totally forgot about it!"

"Are you kidding me?" I asked angrily. "Is Lily some sort of ninja or something?"

"Shoot! I have been so engrossed in the thought of Saturday detention that I—"

"I get it. I'll try to see if I can get the phone back. Did Lily tell you where she was staying? Does she have family nearby?"

"All she said was that she had a rough time and that she needed to adapt and trust her friends," Wilbur explained. "Though she was extremely scared, even paranoid, before today. I'm probably her only friend… that is, if she sees me that way. I just wish I knew what happened for her to suddenly go Lana Lang soft-core on me."

I laughed out loud, understanding Wilbur's reference. Then I gasped when I realized something.

"Wilbur, wouldn't the admissions counselor know where Lily lives?"

Wilbur clapped his hands in excitement.

"I'll be right back!"

The phone rang suddenly, and I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Karena, it's Franny. Is everything all right at school? You and Wilbur have been gone longer than normal."

"I'll leave all the explanations to Wilbur," I answered. "He's been played and we're trying to find answers as to why."

"Do you have his phone, by any chance?" Franny asked. "I sent him a text, but he never replied. He always replies!"

"No, he doesn't. Someone took it."

"Oh Lord," Franny mumbled. "That's why he didn't reply."

"Wilbur thinks he knows who took it. I'm going to drop him off at your place and then find the person who took his phone. Though, I'll give you a little warning: Wilbur's clothes got soaked, so he's wearing school-issued clothing."

"I wonder what he did this time."

"Whatever it is, I promise you it is not Wilbur's fault… at least not entirely. I'll leave all the details to him."

"Okay. Well, I'm glad to hear you both are okay. I was getting worried."

"We're fine, Franny. We'll see you soon."

"I love you, Karena."

"I love you too, Franny."

I hung up, and I only had to wait five more minutes before Wilbur reappeared and got back in the car.

"Lily currently lives at the Sixth Street Orphanage," he announced with a big smile.

"I'll drop you off at your house and then I'll head there myself."

I knocked on the door to the orphanage, and a kind African woman opened the door.

"Yes, may I help you?"

"I'm Karena Edwards, and I believe you have a friend of mine here? Her name is Lily."

"Would you like to speak to her?"

"Yes, please."

"Come in, Miss Edwards."

I followed the woman inside. She gestured me to have a seat in what looks like an interview room. It only took the woman five minutes before walking in the room with Lily… the same girl I saw the week before!

"Lily, this is Miss Karena Edwards. She would like to talk to you."

"I briefly met her at the Halloween bash," Lily replied. "I'll be glad to talk to her. Thank you."

I studied the girl. She did not wear green make-up this time. Her skin was just as white as mine. She clearly got a haircut since last week, for she now had bangs to go with her long copper-red hair, and she had the blue eyes to match. Today, she was wearing a sparkling black tank top with a black skirt to match.

"So you remember me, huh?" I asked. "Lily, is it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lily replied. "You look different without the red wig."

I looked down at my brown wavy hair.

"Yes, well, we're not here to talk about me. We're here to talk about you. I'm Wilbur Robinson's girlfriend, and he told me what happened between you two."

"I am so sorry about that!" Lily said in a panicked tone. "I had to seduce Wilbur to decide whether to trust him or not."

"That is one heck of a test. I'm not sure I would have used a kiss to find the answer to that—"

"Okay, look. I had never done something like this before. I'm not from here. I'm from North Hampton, New York. I was kidnapped and taken away from my family."

I let out a small gasp.

"So that's why you were scared," I replied, suddenly feeling sorry for her. "Why didn't you just tell Wilbur directly? He would have been willing to help you no matter the cost."

"I know that now."

Lily paused, glancing around the room and suddenly closing the door.

"Are you good with secrets?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I wasn't ready to tell Wilbur this, but I'm willing to tell you. While I was kidnapped, I discovered that I have psychic powers. I can read thoughts."

"And that's how you know Wilbur was Cornelius's son," I replied.

"Yes, and I have this gut feeling that you both know my father. Wilbur was too… distracted to realize what I said at the pool."

"What is your father's name?" I asked, putting a smile on my face.

"Donatello Hamato."

"DONNIE?!" I asked in a louder tone than I wanted to. "Donnie is here in this world? Are you absolutely sure?"

Lily let out a laugh at my reaction.

"Yes, I'm sure! Donnie married my mother April on Christmas Day in 2017. Wilbur's father stopped by sometime afterwards to give my dad an exam to test out of college, and boy, did my dad do that! He's a medical doctor as well as a doctor in biology and physics. Not only does my dad operate his own practice back in New York, but he also teaches college students remotely from New York for Todayland University."

"I'll be doggone," I gasped. "Donnie was right. His world did merge with Wilbur's once I moved here."

"Excuse me?"

"Okay, you've told me a secret. Now I'm going to tell you one. I moved to the future from the year 2013. But I wasn't originally from this world. Your dad and your uncles were part of a TV show called the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This man named Carl Jackson invented this magic remote that I somehow got my hands on, and I got teleported to your dad's universe. That was how I met Wilbur."

"Wait, did you say Carl Jackson?" Lily asked.

"Yes, I did."

"I called my dad on Wilbur's phone," Lily explained angrily, putting my boyfriend's phone on the table. "Together we discovered that Carl Jackson, the Magician, was responsible for my being kidnapped."

"Are you serious?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought he was put away for good."

"Clearly, he isn't," Lily furiously replied. "Both Mildred and my dad believe it's not safe for me to go anywhere. Now, I have a little more hope, thanks to you. But what do we do in the meantime?"

"Well, I can explain your situation to Wilbur and his family. Maybe we can arrange for you to move into their house for the time being."

"Will Wilbur be okay with it?" Lily asked, biting her lip, but also revealing her gapped teeth.

"Hey, you got your dad's teeth!" I remarked.

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Of course Wilbur will be okay with it! He was the one who made me feel welcome here. Maybe he can do the same for you. Just promise me one thing."

"Sure."

"Don't ever strip in front of him or kiss him ever again," I said with a smirk. "That's my job."

"That I can promise," Lily replied with confidence. "He's not my type of guy anyway. By the way, you're lucky to have Wilbur in your life. He is an excellent kisser."

"Wilbur was your first kiss, wasn't he?"

"Yes, he is."

"Well, we both have something in common: Wilbur was my first kiss, too. Now, can you tell me what I'm thinking right now?"

Lily stared deeply into my green eyes, and then she smiled.

"I'm honored that you like me as a friend, Karena. And I know you have thought fondly of my dad."

"Donnie is a dear friend of mine. I'm very glad to hear he's doing well. Meanwhile, I'll talk to the Robinsons and see what they say. I'll be back soon."

"Thank you, Karena."

I started to leave the room, but turned around.

"One more question: you had dressed up as your dad for Halloween, only you were wearing white instead of purple. Do you actually fight like him?"

"Yes, if not better than him," Lily replied with her gap-toothed grin. "I was initiated as a kunoichi on my birthday this past May."

I gave her a fond smile.

"You truly are Donatello's daughter. I'll bet he misses you very much."