Lots of unplanned stories here. The first part of the chapter was unplanned, but I wanted some more depth into Lily's character. The second part of this chapter was originally going to take place during Christmas, but that's too long of a wait for a family reunion, so it is now taking place during Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons" nor "TMNT," and neither do I own ZoeGirl's "Dismissed" nor Jonatha Brooke's "I'll Try." I only own Karena, Lilianna, Ryan, Venus, Athena, the cheer coach and the cheer squad.
November 18, 2038 – Todayland, North Montana, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
Wilbur and I spent time in the cafeteria as part of our morning routine before classes started for the day. While Wilbur wore a red polo shirt with blue jeans, I wore a purple dress with two pockets at my hips and a yellow sash that I tied into a bow.
"So I've done some thinking," I started our conversation. "Thinking about how to make friends and to blend in with the student body."
"You've done well so far," Wilbur replied. "You've been going to classes, participated, and even worked on some class projects. What do you have in mind?"
I let out a big sigh, and then put on a big smile.
"I'm going to try out for cheerleading."
Wilbur's intrigued expression turned to a look of suspicion, raising an eyebrow at my statement.
"Of all the sports you wanna try out for, it's cheerleading?"
"And what is wrong with that?" I asked, preparing to read his mind.
"I think I'll keep my eyes closed," Wilbur shot back, closing his eyes. "Sure, you're a kunoichi. Sure, you've got skills in aerobics that are far better than mine. But cheerleading? I'd be careful if I were you."
"Wilbur, like you said before, I'm a kunoichi," I replied with a smirk. "I can do this. And besides, ever since officially meeting you and Karena, I have never felt more confident about myself, and I want others to feel the same, no matter what they look like. I want to lift people up. I want to bring their inner spirit out. That's what cheerleading's all about. Now, I've never imagined myself as a cheerleader, especially since I've been homeschooled, but it's something I want to try."
"Well, the winter season is about to get started," Wilbur replied. "You may have to find a way to get in touch with the coach, see if she can give you an impromptu tryout."
Wilbur let out a chuckle.
"Imagine Donatello Hamato finding out his daughter is a cheerleader. He'd flip out!"
"My dad? Nah. If there was a turtle who would freak out at my being a cheerleader, it's Uncle Leo. I know Uncle Mikey would love it. Uncle Raph and my dad would just grin and be proud of me."
I paused, and then I smiled, a thought suddenly coming to mind.
"Wilbur, if I make the cheerleading squad, that means we'll be performing at every game together."
"That is true," Wilbur replied with a grin. "And now that I think about it, it is a great way to keep an eye on you, to keep you safe."
Wilbur put his right hand on top of my let one, and he smiled at me.
"Go for it. Show 'em what you got!"
"Will you come with me?" I asked. "You're the negotiator. And besides, you're fantastic support."
"Sure, if that's what you want."
The next day…
WILBUR'S POV
Lily and I both managed to convince the cheerleading coach to have Lily try out the next day, which did not give Lily a lot of time choreographing a routine. It had worried me, but thanks to my skills in aerobics and karate and her skills as a kunoichi, we were able to come up with a suitable routine.
Lily's tryout occurred after classes were over. I watched on the sidelines as Lily stretched all of her body, doing stretches I never thought were possible in her white t-shirt and purple shorts.
"Lily, aren't you part-turtle?" I asked in astonishment. "How are you able to do all those stretches?"
"By training with master mutantninja turtles for fourteen years," Lily shot back.
"You must have your dad's agility then. Because I don't even think your mom could do those stretches."
Lily gave me a confused look as she finished stretching her quads.
"You do know that to be agile means to move fast, right? I think the word you're looking for is flexibility."
The doors suddenly opened to reveal Angela Cook, the young and active cheerleading coach, with a bright smile on her face. The rest of the squad, which included Bonnie, came in behind her.
"How are you doing, Lily?" Angela asked.
"I'm ready," Lily answered with a grin.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive," Lily answered again, her grin remaining in place as she tightened her ponytail.
"I love your confidence. That will take you far in life. But let's see if it will take you far in your tryout."
Angela turned to the girls.
"This is Lily Hamato, girls. Let's give her a big cheer!"
The cheerleaders cheered their loudest while Bonnie simply clapped. Lily laughed at the enthusiasm.
"What song have you picked out, Lily?" Angela asked.
"Dismissed by ZoeGirl," Lily answered. "Wilbur's got the song downloaded."
"Alright, Wilbur, whenever you and Lily are ready to rock the house!"
Lily let out a big breath as she retrieved her pom-poms and I pushed play on the song. After five seconds of drumbeats on the speakers, she got right into the routine. Her routine started with a high kick with her hands clapping over her head. At first, she had moved her arms and legs a lot, doing moves that looked like she was dancing in front of an audience. The first verse of the song came, and what intrigued me is how she matched her moves to the lyrics.
"How many times have you tried to pull one over on me? Always mess with me and try to get the best of me. Lookin' back, all the pain that you put me through. Why would I fall for a fool like you?"
Lily did a backflip right on cue with the word fall, and then she threw a punch at the word you. I heard some cheers from the cheerleaders at the uniqueness of Lily's moves.
"Now you're talkin' like I've never played before. Save your empty words 'cause I don't want to hear no more. Basically you're trying to take control of me, but you're not what I want to be. I know everything about you. Yesterday has come and gone. I'd be better off without you. No lookin' back, I'm moving on!"
At the last line, Lily performed a series of forward flips before the chorus started.
"You'll never steal the song off my lips. I'll never bow down to give you a kiss, no. You'll never steal my innocence. You've been dismissed."
Lily put her ninjutsu skills to work with the word dismissed, doing a spinning jackknife in the air.
"Do your best to try to pull me down. I'm never going back even if I see you around, no. No, I'm never going down like this. You've been dismissed."
Lily performed another spinning jackknife before getting into the second verse. There were more cheers during the transition.
"Let me break it down one more time. No, you're never gonna change my mind. That was then, this is now. Things are different, no. Oh you're not what I'm livin' for. I know everything about you. It's funny how the tables turned. I'd be better off without you. Now you're the one who's getting burned!"
This time, Lily performed a series of backflips that ended in a backwards corkscrew. All I could do was drop my jaw as all the cheerleaders loudly cheered her on. Lily repeated her moves as the chorus came on again, and then came the bridge.
"On a falling star you got to where you are, and to think you've got the right to own my heart. But my affection doesn't lie in your direction. You want to hold me with a lock and key, cover my eyes so I cannot see. But in the end we all know who wins. You are over, over, over!"
With the last line, Lily performed a cartwheel, a round-off, two backwards flips, and a backwards corkscrew, landing perfectly on the mat. The squad roared at her skills. As the music continued to transition back into the chorus, I had silently wished I was videotaping this so I could show her father someday. Before the chorus came back on, Lily performed a series of ninjutsu moves involving lots of kicking and ending with a forward jackknife. As the chorus played twice, Lily did that part of her routine again. When the song was in its conclusion, Lily repeated her ninjutsu routine. At the last second, she did a flip in the air, landed on her feet, and finished her routine with a split. My jaw was still dropped as the squad roared in cheers.
"Lilianna Hamato, that took a lot of guts to come up with a routine like this in a day," Angela complimented her after I paused the song.
"I did have some help," Lily replied. "But I think this displays my skills in a different, totally amazing way."
"Well, squad, what do you think?" Angela asked. "Should we welcome Lily to the squad?"
All the cheerleaders except for Bonnie whistled loudly. The captain of the squad, Bella, walked up to Lily.
"Welcome to the squad, Lily. I'm so excited to see your spirit."
Lily laughed merrily and pumped her fist in the air.
"Go STARS!" Lily yelled proudly.
All the cheerleaders gathered around Lily and tossed her in the air. This was the happiest I had ever seen Lily, and I smiled, proud of her for everything she accomplished today.
"Can you believe Lily made the squad?" I asked, still with surprise in my voice.
"Lily wanted to blend in, she found a way, worked for it, and did it," Karena replied.
"She was INCREDIBLE!" I shouted with excitement. "I just wish I had videotaped it for Don. I think he would have been proud."
"Your wish has been granted," Karena replied happily.
My girlfriend took out her phone, opened her photos app, and handed it to me.
"Here you go!"
The first thing I saw was a video of Lily's routine. I pushed play, reliving the amazing display of the kunoichi's skills and acceptance into the Todayland High cheerleading squad.
"How did you get this?" I asked with shock in my voice.
"I wanted to watch Lily succeed, and I did," Karena explained. "I snuck out of class just to see her. Where is she now, anyway?"
"She's talking with my mom," I answered. "Probably asking for advice."
"Your mom was a cheerleader?"
"Nah, she never was into that kind of thing. That's actually Grandma Lucille's thing. She was a cheerleader back in the glory days. But hey, you need to send this to Don. Do you even have his number?"
"Yes, Wilbur. I saved it after Lily typed it in. You really think I should send this to Donnie?"
"I think so. He'd love to see this."
New York City, New York, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
My T-Phone rang. I put the invention I was working on down and picked it up. I smiled when I saw it was a text message from Karena, because it meant she had an update on my daughter. My jaw dropped when I read the first message:
"Meet your newest Todayland High School cheerleader!"
I saw an attachment, and I opened it. It was a video of Lily. The music started, and she started to dance. I started to watch it alone, noticing how Lily's moves matched the lyrics. Suddenly, she did forward flips and included ninjutsu skills with her routine. I paused it and rewinded the video back to the beginning. I set the phone down.
"Leo!" I yelled, running out of the lab and into the living room.
"What's up, Donnie?"
"Karena just sent me a video of Lily!" I explained excitedly.
"Lily sent you a video message?" Ryan asked. "May we see it?"
"No, Ryan, it's not a video message. Just a video. Guys, Lily tried out for cheerleading and MADE IT!"
Leo gave me a strange look.
"Okay, those weren't the words I was expecting to come out of your mouth," Leo said. "Lily's a cheerleader?"
"Yep! I never imagined that would happen either. But I want everyone to see it in my lab. I'll get it set up."
I ran back into the lab and plugged my T-Phone into my laptop, downloading the video. I then set up the projector and plugged my laptop into that, all while plugging in my laptop to charge. It took about three hours before everyone showed up in my lab.
"Donnie, what's this surprise about?" my wife asked, walking into the lab and greeting me with a hug.
"Everyone spread out so you can see," I told my family as we all gathered on the floor. "Now, Karena sent me a text with a video attached to it. I started to watch it, but about halfway in, I've decided to show all of you instead."
"Wait!" Mikey shouted. "You can't have a movie without popcorn!"
We waited until Mikey returned with three bowls of popcorn.
"Remember to share a bowl, kids," Mikey warned his daughter, niece, and nephew as we gathered around… again.
"What's all the excitement?" Athena asked.
"Yeah, what movie is playing, Uncle Donnie?" Venus asked.
"So Karena met Lily and has been helping her get settled around Todayland," I explained. "Today, Karena sent me this."
I pushed play on the video.
"Hey, it's Lily!" Athena said happily, pointing to the projector.
"Alright Wilbur, whenever you and Lily are ready to rock the house!"
We waited anxiously, and we heard music playing. Lily then started to dance with a grin on her face.
"Yeah, that's our girl!" Mikey said excitedly.
"What is she doing, Uncle Donnie?" Venus asked.
"Shh," Raph shushed her. "Just watch."
We all gasped when she performed forward flips.
"Wait, are those pom-poms?" Ryan asked.
"Ryan Leonardo, don't talk during the video," Karai sternly reprimanded him.
We gasped again when she performed a spinning jackknife.
"Dudes, this is amazing!" Athena said excitedly.
We all shushed her. And then we continued watching the video.
"Uncle Donnie?"
I turned toward the whispers from Athena.
"Why can't we talk?" she asked.
"Because we're all watching your cousin trying out for cheerleading," I whispered back with a smile.
"Oh!"
We remained quiet as Lily continued to perform her routine. I grinned, proud of her for combining everything she had learned while creating her own moves. We all gasped with delight every time we saw Lily doing some amazing feat, such as a backwards flip sequence that ended in a corkscrew flip. She had clearly created a routine that utilized her ninjutsu abilities during the chorus, and she seemed to have improvised the rest of the routine to match the lyrics as well as who she is as a person. It was a routine that spanned a little over three minutes, and Lily was met with lots of cheering. We cheered loudly when the video ended.
"Lilianna Hamato, that took a lot of guts to come up with a routine like this in a day," the coach told her.
"I did have some help," Lily replied. "But I think this displays my skills in a different, totally amazing way."
"Well, squad, what do you think? Should we welcome Lily to the squad?"
The video was loud with cheers as Lily laughed merrily to end the video.
"That was a pretty amazing routine Lily did," Ryan was the first to speak when the video ended.
"It just goes to show that you can do anything you put your mind to," April replied.
"And Lily did exactly that," Leo said with a proud smile. "Donnie, I never imagined any of our children being a cheerleader."
"Neither did I," April chimed in. "Renet, if you had told me that Lily would be kidnapped, escaped, and became a cheerleader, I would have laughed right in your face."
"No, you wouldn't April," Renet replied with a laugh. "You would have asked me for advice in how to prevent Lily from being kidnapped."
I winced, and I watched April hang her head down. I walked over to her and hugged her from behind, swaying her until she felt at peace again.
"Oh, April, I'm so sorry," Renet said with sorrow in her voice.
"Maybe this is my fault," April replied.
"No, it's not, April," I said.
I let her go, walked in front of her, and put both my hands on her shoulders.
"April, you did exactly the right thing," I firmly told her. "You gave Lily tips and advice on what to do if she were to be kidnapped. And guess what? Her being kidnapped actually happened, but she listened. She knew exactly what to do because you told her what to do. Lily's kidnapping was beyond our control. We can easily blame ourselves but blaming each other isn't going to solve the problem."
I paused, putting my right hand on her cheek, which put a smile on her face.
"And hey, we'll be seeing Lily next Thursday. Can you believe it? We're finally going to see our daughter again, and it's going to be a bittersweet and emotional reunion. Lily is okay, and she is safe. That is all that matters. Okay?"
April nodded, and then she broke into tears.
"Aww, honey. Shh. It's okay."
I wrapped her in my arms as her tears fell on the tails of my purple mask.
"Donnie, we'll leave you two alone," I heard Leo say. "We'll be in the dojo."
I nodded in response as April continued to cry. I led her to the cot, and we cuddled until slumber took over our bodies.
November 25, 2038
APRIL'S POV
Donnie and I packed light for our weekend trip to Todayland. Donnie had learned that our hotel was paid for and that Lily would be spending the weekend with us, so I was looking forward to that. Donnie and I had driven down to the city and into the lair to greet Leo and Karai, who were going to drive us to LaGuardia Airport. When we reached the lair, Leo and Karai greeted us at the turnstiles, and we hugged each other.
"Are you two spiritually ready?" Leo asked.
"Donnie and I both prayed for a good hour last night," I answered.
"I think we're as ready as we can be," Donnie replied.
"Let's go then," Karai said.
We made our way to the Shellraiser and it did not take us long to get to the airport thanks to all the flying cars in the sky. Leo and Karai accompanied me and Donnie to the gate, and they offered to wait with us for our plane.
"Donatello, April, I had the kids make cards for Lily," Karai explained, taking out a folder from her satchel.
"And Raph, Mikey, and I made cards too," Leo chimed in. "They're all in that folder."
I held the folder against my heart and let out a contented sigh with my eyes closed.
"That is the sweetest thing you guys have done for her," I told them with a big smile. "Thank you."
"Happy Thanksgiving, you two," Leo said, hugging the both of us.
"Happy Thanksgiving, bro," Donnie responded, returning the hug with me.
"We'll miss you guys," I replied.
"Don't worry about us," Karai said with a smile. "Just give Lily lots of love. It's been two months since she's been kidnapped. This is the day you both have been waiting for. Don't waste a single moment."
"Two months is a longer time than three days," Leo chimed in, wrapping his arm around his wife. "And then you'll have to wait one more month before you see her again. Use the time you have with Lily to your advantage. Don't think about the past. Focus on the present. We love you both."
"We love you too, Leo," Donnie replied.
"Flight 2012 now boarding for Todayland, North Montana."
"That's our cue," I said.
"Have a safe flight, you two," Karai told us with a smile.
"Be safe driving home," Donnie replied.
Donnie and I walked through the gate and onto the plane, ready for our very first flight together.
"Have you ever been on a plane before, April?" Donnie asked.
"Not since Jerusalem with Casey."
"Then let's hope this flight will be worth it."
I put a hand on Donnie's cheek.
"It will be, D."
Todayland, North Montana, USA
DONATELLO'S POV
It wasn't a bad flight from New York to Todayland. In fact, April and I enjoyed ourselves. We watched a monster movie and then we took a nap on each other. We were woken up by the captain of the plane.
"Attention passengers, we are now approaching the city of the future, Todayland. Please turn your cell phones and cameras off as we start our descent."
"April, look!"
We turned toward our window to see the most beautiful city I had ever seen… again.
"I remember this like it was yesterday," April said with a smile. "How amazing it is to see it from a plane! You know, this hasn't been a bad flight!"
"No, it went smoothly!"
I took out my T-Phone.
"And supposedly only an hour passed."
"How is that possible?" April asked. "The movie was an hour and a half long."
"We must have changed time zones. We are in what used to be Saskatchewan, Canada, which is in the Mountain Time zone. Which means we gained two extra hours."
"And two extra hours with Lily," April said.
"Possibly. Cornelius said he wanted to see us first."
The plane made its descent, and we had arrived at Todayland Airport. I retrieved April's emergency bag and backpack from above us before we boarded off. As that was the only luggage we had, we simply had to exit the terminal and to the front of the airport. I carried April's bag while she had her backpack on her back. When we got close to the door, I saw a man holding a sign: "DR & MRS HAMATO." I grinned and walked over to the man.
"Cornelius, is that you?" I asked.
"Hello, Donatello," Cornelius replied.
We laughed and shook hands.
"It has been too long since I saw you last," Cornelius told us.
"It's been twenty years," I replied. "You look good!"
"You don't look like you've aged a day!" Cornelius said happily before hugging my wife. "Hello, April."
"Hi, Cornelius," April replied, returning the hug. "Long time no see. It's wonderful to see you again."
"Where's the rest of your luggage?" Cornelius asked.
"This is it," April answered with a laugh. "Donnie travels light."
"Though I had to leave my bo staff at home," I chimed in. "So, where are we headed?"
"I thought we'd get you settled at the Hilton for the next three days," Cornelius explained. "And then we can head on over to my place so you can be reunited with your daughter. Your daughter, wow! The last time I saw you, Donatello, you and April had just gotten married."
"It's amazing how much has changed in twenty years," I replied.
"You weren't kidding. This was Saskatchewan twenty years ago. It become North Montana shortly after Wilbur was born."
"Yeah, around the time Lily was born," April chimed in.
We got onto a train, which took off away from the airport and into the heart of the city. It was a short ride to the Hilton.
"I'll meet you both back down here," Cornelius told us as we entered the hotel.
"Donnie, that is a robot," April whispered to me as we walked up to the reception desk.
"And you're surprised?" I asked in a surprising voice. "You've met thousands of them throughout your life!"
"True."
"Good afternoon, and welcome to the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel of Todayland. My name is Callie. How may I help you?"
"Good afternoon, Callie," I greeted the robot. "We have a reservation under Hamato."
"I will need to see identification, please."
April and I both took our licenses and presented them to the robot receptionist. She scanned them, and then handed us our keys.
"Your reservation has already been paid. Thank you very much for your business, Dr. Hamato. Here are your keys. Enjoy your stay."
"Thank you, Callie."
I followed April to the elevator which took us to the thirtieth floor. We walked until we got to our room, and we entered. The room was absolutely beautiful and modern with red and gold accents. I actually felt like I was in a hotel room from the 1950s. I noticed a bag of chocolates sitting on the table with a note underneath it.
"Donatello and April,
Welcome to Todayland! On behalf of the Robinson family, I hope that you will have a pleasant stay. Please call me if you have any questions.
Cornelius."
"He didn't have to do that," I said out loud with a smile on my face.
"Donnie, look at this view!"
I walked toward April and hugged her from behind, while admiring the view.
"Cornelius was right: the hotel is in the middle of the city. What a view!"
"We get to see bubbles all day!" April giggled.
I suddenly realized that I had promised Raph that I'd give him a call.
"Excuse me, April. I need to call Raph."
I took out my T-Phone and dialed my detective brother.
"Sup?"
"Well hello to you too, Raphael," I answered with a flat expression.
"I take it you're safe in Todayland?" Raph asked.
"Yes, we're safe and checked in at the hotel."
"How's Lily doing?"
"We haven't seen her yet, but hopefully soon."
"Well, call again when you see her, okay?"
I laughed.
"Alright Raph, we'll call. Bye-bye."
I hung up as April turned to look at me.
"We should go downstairs and meet Cornelius again," April suggested.
I let out a sigh.
"Agreed. Let's go."
LILIANNA'S POV
"Do you sing, Lily?"
I turned in surprise to Franny as we made the dressing together.
"I've never sang in front of someone before, but yes, I do sing. Why do you ask?"
"Aunt Billie suggested that you sing your troubles out," Franny explained. "And I'll bet that you have a beautiful voice to go with your looks."
I looked down. I was already feeling nervous enough about seeing my parents for the first time since September.
"Lily, I know there more than meets the eye," Franny said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "There's gotta be more to your story than just you being kidnapped."
"I think there's a part of your conscious that still feels guilty," Wilbur chimed in. "Like you did something that your parents didn't like and you never got the chance to tell them how you feel."
"Well…"
I hesitated, and then took a deep breath.
"I was grounded from running in the woods. I was mad at my dad that day because he yelled at me, and I… kind of… yelled back at him. I had never seen my dad so angry before. Anyway, running in the woods is something I like to do. It's peaceful, and quiet, and it gives me something to think about. I had planned to come back at some point, but I got kidnapped instead. There is a part of me that wondered if I really did deserve to be kidnapped after everything I've done."
"No, Lily, don't ever think like that," Franny assured me sweetly. "No one deserves to be kidnapped. No one ever deserves to be apart from their family."
"And I'm standing here nervously because I'm afraid my parents are never going to look at me the same again."
"Lily, knowing your dad, he's going to love you no matter what," Wilbur assured me with a smile. "You will never be the same. You weren't the same person you were two months ago. And you certainly were not the same person when your dad met you for the first time."
I let out a giggle.
"Wilbur, I was a baby back then."
"Exactly. And look: your dad still loves you. Everything is going to be alright."
I let out a sigh, and I turned to Franny.
"You really want me to sing a song, don't you?"
"I have learned that over the years, singing can lessen stress and worry," Franny told me. "It will also let your feelings go free in ways you've never imagined."
"And you really want to know what happened that day that caused me to run?" I asked.
"If you want, you can talk to me only, and then sing in front of the rest of the family. We really do want to get to know you as a person."
"Could we?"
"Wilbur, could you finish the cranberries, please?" Franny asked her son.
"Yeah, Mom," Wilbur answered with willingness.
Franny led me out of the kitchen and into her room.
"So what led you to be mad at your dad and to run away?" Franny asked.
"My dad has a lab out in the barn back home, and all the things he keeps in there are amazing! I got too curious and hacked into his laptop to see if there was anything worth reading, but there wasn't, so I closed the laptop. Just when I was about to do my chemistry homework, there were crickets chirping away in the night sky, so I took a run, climbed a tree, and admired everything. But then the barn got on fire the next morning, and I learned a valuable lesson: shut down the laptop completely before closing it."
"The laptop caused the fire?"
"Yep, and Dad was not happy at all. He screamed at me. After we all calmed down a little, he and Mom revealed that I was grounded from the lab, my ninja lessons, and from going outside. I was mad at my dad for not being able to go outside."
"So you got defiant and ran," Franny said in realization.
"Yep, and I thought it proved that it was the biggest mistake of my life. I think the bigger mistake was yelling at my dad in the first place. I should have just accepted the punishment and moved forward with it."
"It looks like you've learned the hard way."
"And I've also learned how much my parents really love me. There was a thought at the back of my mind that told me they didn't, but now I know they do."
"Lily, don't ever doubt your parents' love for you," Franny said, smiling and putting a hand on my shoulder. "Wilbur doubted us for the longest time."
"He did?" I asked with surprise in my voice. "Wilbur loves you guys."
"I know that, and he knows that. But he was defiant, just like you were. He always took the time machine despite being told not to."
I blinked.
"Wait a minute, back up. Did you say, time machine?"
"Yes, Cornelius invented two time machines in the last six years," Franny confirmed.
"My dad would flip the heck out," I replied. "But, back to Wilbur?"
"Wilbur's mind would always be on using the time machine and having the adventures of his life that could alter our existence or his own. He didn't realize how much we loved him until he fixed his mistakes. He believed we didn't listen to him, and Neil and I realized that he was right. We all get caught up in our own lives, especially since we're always the talk of the town, that sometimes we need a reminder to simply listen to our kids, especially Wilbur as he's our only child."
"I'm an only child, so I understand his pain. But I remember my dad always promising me that he would listen to me no matter what. He didn't when the fire happened, but he realized his mistake and even apologized for it. And I didn't listen! I was such a fool."
"You are never a fool for learning from your mistakes, Lily," Franny assured me. "Donnie's a good dad. You talk about him a lot, and that's how I know how much you love him and how much he loves you."
"I will never take my family for granted ever again," I promised myself out loud.
"Wilbur, Neil, and I all made that same promise that day. And our lives have been so much better because we kept that promise."
"I think Wilbur and I have more in common than I thought," I replied. "The thought of him being an only child never came to my mind until just now."
"You're both also skilled in martial arts, you're both stubborn, and you're both brave people."
"Wilbur's never left my side ever since I started opening up to him. He's like the brother I never had."
"Wilbur says the same thing about you, Lily. Despite the awkward start to your friendship, you two found a way to make it work."
I laughed out loud.
"I think I'm ready to share my story with the family."
"What song did you have in mind?" Franny asked, and I whispered the answer to her. "That is a beautiful song, Lily!"
"It's actually the same song I played just before I was kidnapped."
"I can move the microphone into the dining room if you'd like, or we can all gather in the music room. There's plenty of chairs for everyone on both floors. I can have Carl and Lefty set up the table while this is going on."
"Let's do that, then."
Franny had paged the entire family to meet in the music room, and then I followed her there. To my amusement, I found Wilbur setting up his phone to possibly take pictures of me using a tripod, and Karena was sitting next to him. Franny led me to the podium, where I saw six frogs.
"Lily, I'd like to formally introduce you to my genetically-enhanced frogs: Freddy, Fabian, Ferdinand, Francis, Floyd, and last but not least, Frankie. Frankie, this is Lily, and she's going to sing a song for us."
"Aww, strawberries," Frankie pouted, and I giggled.
"Alright men," Franny whispered. "We're going to play I'll Try. Just follow my cue. Lily's got a story to share with us."
Franny then turned to the family as she walked up to the microphone.
"Thank you for gathering in here, everyone. Cornelius is out getting Lily's parents, so they will join us later. I have encouraged Lily to share her story with you, and she will share with a song. Lily?"
Franny handed the microphone to me. She walked to her music stand, picked up her baton, and pointed it at Ferdinand, who started playing the piano, hitting each note precisely. I put the microphone up to my mouth and started to speak as Ferdinand kept on playing the same verses.
"I'm from a farmhouse in upper New York State. My dad is Donatello, one of the Mutant Ninja Turtles who is also a doctor and a professor. My mom, April, is a news reporter for Channel 6. They both love me very much, and I love them also. But a couple of months ago, I made a huge mistake. I had burned down my dad's lab on accident, and we screamed at each other. I ran away, ashamed to face my dad again, and I kept running until I couldn't do it anymore. I listened to this song, which I will sing now, feeling guilty for what I have done."
No cue was needed, and I listened for Ferdinand to hit just the right notes before I took a breath to start singing.
"I am not a child now. I can take care of myself. Mustn't let them down now. Mustn't let them see me cry. I'm fine. I'm fine."
I took another breath with a tear coming to my right eye as I remembered the fight I had with my dad.
"I'm too tired to listen. I'm too old to believe all these childish stories. There is no such thing as faith… and trust… and pixie dust."
I took a breath as a tear now came to my left eye.
"I try, but it's so hard to believe. I try, but I can't see what you see. I try, I try. I try."
I signaled to Franny to let the frogs continue playing.
"A group of bandits found me in the woods alone, so I tried to run back to the house. I was engaged in a battle. Once they pulled out a stun gun, I called my dad and told him how much I loved him. They took me away and put me in the trunk of a vintage car. When I came to, I remembered my mom's advice and knocked the taillights out. I also remembered everything I had learned about being a kunoichi and escaped, running away from them, not knowing where I was running to."
I listened for the right notes, and then I continued to sing.
"My whole world is changing. I don't know where to turn. I can't leave you waiting, but I can't stay and watch the city burn. Mmm, watch it burn."
DONATELLO'S POV
The train pulled right into the house and it stopped. Cornelius led me and April out, and we found ourselves in the middle of the living room.
"Well, this is a first," April said with a grin. "A train stop in the house."
"I wonder where everyone is," Cornelius said, cupping his chin with his right hand.
"Wait, is that music?" I asked, hearing something that wasn't quiet.
The three of us stood still and listened.
"Hey, you're right," April replied. "It is music."
"It's coming from the music room," Cornelius said.
I followed Cornelius and April around the corner
"So I try, but it's so hard to believe. I try, but I can't see what you see. I try, I try. I try and try to understand the distance in between the love I feel and the things I fear, and every single dream."
"Who is that?" I asked. "She has a pretty voice."
Cornelius opened the door and led us into the music room. The music had stopped.
"I discovered that I have these psychic powers, giving me the ability to read people's thoughts."
I let out a small gasp when I recognized the voice ahead of me: it was Lily!
"After I somehow found my way to Todayland, I read Wilbur's mind. While I was feeling guilty for seducing him and taking his phone to call my dad, Wilbur and Karena got to know me and introduced me to you all. I have a renewed hope that I'll return to New York and reunite with my family someday."
I dropped my jaw in awe just as Lily looked straight at me with her blue eyes. I continued to walk forward with April at my side as Lily started to cry.
"I hope my parents and family know how much I love them and how hard I am trying to be with them again after everything I have done. I hope they can forgive me."
I smiled through the tears coming through my eyes and soaking my purple mask. The music resumed.
"I can finally see it," Lily sang sweetly. "Now I have to believe all those precious stories, how the world is made of faith… and trust… and pixie dust."
I held April close to me as we watched our daughter singing, smiling, and crying all at the same time.
"So I'll try, because I finally believe. I'll try, because I can see what you see. I'll try, I'll try. I will try! I'll try…"
Lily paused as the music faded away, locking her blues eyes with my amber ones.
"… to fly."
At that point, Lily ran off the stage and into my arms. My tears started falling from my eyes down to her red hair. April had joined in on the embrace, hugging me and Lily together.
"Oh, my sweet baby girl!" I cried with a smile.
"Daddy, I'm so sorry for everything!" Lily wailed, her tears falling on the tails of my purple mask.
We broke the hug, and I placed my right hand under my daughter's chin. I brought her eyes to look into mine, and I was still smiling, assuring her that all was forgiven. All that mattered at that moment… was Lily being here. I felt relieved that she was okay, and I loved her more than I did when she was born.
"I'm sorry too," I replied.
My smile faded, feeling guilty of yelling at my daughter in the first place when the barn caught on fire.
"Dad, I forgive you," Lily said with a smile.
I blinked my eyes and felt surprised.
"How did you know what I was going to ask?" I asked.
Lily pointed to her mind.
"Psychic ability, remember? Speaking of which, what are we going to do about the Magician?"
"Hey, Lily Mae, I'm just so happy to see you again. We'll deal with the Magician sooner or later. Right now, Mom and I want to hear everything. How you managed to get here by yourself, how school's going, et cetera."
"So you're not mad?" Lily asked, biting her lip.
"Not anymore," I answered.
I hugged my daughter, and she returned it. Then I kissed her on the forehead.
"You are my daughter, Lily Mae," I said, looking into her blue eyes and caressing her left cheek. "I am beyond proud of you for being resourceful and for adapting to everything. But do you know what I am the proudest of?"
"Me being myself?"
Lily gave me a smirk, and I grinned at her in return.
"Show-off," I teased, rubbing her hair. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, Dad," Lily replied, and then she turned to her mom. "And I love you, Mom."
"Oh, Lily," April cried as they hugged each other. "I've missed you so much."
I looked up to see Wilbur and Karena walking up to me. Wilbur and I bowed to each other, and then we hugged.
"You don't look like you've aged a bit," Wilbur complimented me.
"I second that," Karena said, hugging me. "You still look like you're fifteen!"
"Well, forty-one is the new fifteen," I replied with a laugh.
"So you're not just Donnie anymore," Karena said. "You're Dr. Donatello Hamato now. You've come far!"
"Yes, ma'am!" I affirmed enthusiastically. "Cornelius paid me and April a visit in North Hampton shortly after we got married and offered me to take an exam to test out of college. I am a doctor of medicine, biology, and physics. Boy, will my students be in for a surprise this winter!"
"I remember Dad telling me you teach kids at Todayland University," Wilbur chimed in. "What brought that on?"
"After passing the exam and earning my doctorate degree in biology, Cornelius offered me a remote job from Todayland University to teach biology. With the money, I was able to earn my other two doctorate degrees and help April finish her degree in investigative journalism. I even have a practice back in New York for mutants and humans to monitor their health. But, starting in January until Lily's school year is over here, I'll be teaching my students here in Todayland."
"And you're not nervous at all?" Wilbur asked.
"Nope!"
I hesitated, my grin fading away.
"Well, I am nervous about leaving April alone in New York. We're here for the weekend. Lily's going to fly home to New York to spend Christmas with us, and then I'll be flying back here with her. April has an important job in New York City that she cannot leave for very long. But as for meeting my students in person? Nah. I can handle this."
"This is what you've always wanted, Donnie," Karena replied with a smile. "I bet you're proud of yourself for coming this far."
"Believe it or not, Lily's kidnapping actually opened doors for me. After Lily reached out to me on Wilbur's phone, I gave Cornelius a call. He was the one who gave me the idea to teach my students in person. This is going to be one experience none of us will forget. Speaking of which…"
I reached into my lab coat pocket and took out my daughter's T-Phone. I handed it to her, who suddenly grinned ear-to-ear.
"You're the best, Dad!"
Lily's grin then faded away as quickly as it did when I gave her the phone.
"Let me get this straight: you're coming back here with me in January? I thought we were going to be home for good."
I put a hand on her left shoulder.
"Lily, you have adapted so well here after our first phone call. I don't want to take your experience here away from you and make you transition again. I think you've had enough of that for a while. Besides, you have just become Todayland High School's newest cheerleader! You can't leave after only two months of being in the squad. But anyway, after you spend your Christmas break with us, we'll come back and you'll live with me until your school year is over. That way you won't be alone anymore."
"I haven't been alone, thanks to Wilbur and Karena," Lily replied, her smile coming back. "They found me."
"Actually, she found me," Wilbur chimed in. "Our first official meeting was… a little awkward. Once Lily explained everything, I couldn't turn my back on her. She's like the sister I never had."
"What do you mean by, a little awkward?" April asked.
Lily giggled sheepishly.
"Mom, Dad, may I talk to you alone?"
"We'll wait for you in the dining room," Wilbur told us before leaving the room.
"I didn't want to embarrass Wilbur again," Lily explained. "When I first met Wilbur in person, I asked if he could help me escape. I was scared and I didn't know who to trust. I left and hid in the school. Wilbur kept on following me, and so I tested him in the pool using my skills as a kunoichi."
"In the pool?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm guessing the skills you used weren't martial arts?"
"No… seduction. I… umm… undressed in front of him, flirted with him, and kissed him."
April let out a loud gasp as Lily let out a chuckle.
"I even spilled out your names to him, but he was too distracted by my beauty to notice!"
Lily laughed out loud, but I wasn't amused. I crossed my arms and put a serious look on my face.
"Lilianna, take it from me. There was a time in my life that I couldn't trust your dad because he and your uncles were responsible for your grandpa turning into a mutant. But I never tested him to gain his trust again. I never played with him as a test of trust. If I had seduced your father to see if I could trust him, I would have lost his trust instead, and we would never have been friends again."
I let out a sigh.
"Your mother's right, Lilianna Mae. What you did to Wilbur was not very nice. You led him to believe you liked him when all you wanted were answers."
"Oh, Karena made that very clear when she met me at the orphanage. I didn't feel guilty at the pool, but after Karena explained what Wilbur was feeling, I really felt guilty. But I won't lie… my first kiss with a boy was nice."
I put my hand on my forehead and shook it.
"I really don't need to know about you and boys right now. Lily Mae, you need to think things through next time. You did apologize to Wilbur and Karena, right?"
"Yes, Dad, I did."
"While your dad and I are proud that you were resourceful in every situation you were stuck in, what you did with Wilbur should have been handled in a less… seductive way," April chimed in.
"I know. Karena helped me see that."
I smiled and chuckled, realizing just how much Lily had grown up in just the last couple of months.
"It was love at first sight for me when I met your mom," I explained. "I was about your age. But I never knew what to expect. I had always wanted to see your mom the way Wilbur saw you, but I held back, because one, it was wrong, and two, I was afraid of wrecking my friendship with your mom. When I finally saw your mom that way on our wedding night, it was the best night of my life, because I finally got to know your mom in all ways possible. And you will too once you meet your future husband, God-willing."
I paused, my smile fading again.
"Did Mom give you that talk?"
"Yes, D, I did," April answered.
"Don't worry, Dad," Lily chimed in. "I was most certainly not thinking of going that way with Wilbur. Besides, I see him as the brother I never had."
I grinned, showing the gap in my teeth.
"Good. I'm glad you and Wilbur have become good friends."
Lily returned her gap-toothed grin, and then she hugged me again. The amount of hugs I would ever receive from my daughter were limitless, and I cherished every one of them.
"I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, Lily Mae."
"So where are you staying?" Lily asked.
"We are staying at the Hilton in downtown Todayland," I answered. "And then you'll return here on Monday afternoon. When we come back to Todayland in January, Cornelius has rented out an apartment for the two of us to stay in. I'll be teaching my students at the university, then I'll work with Cornelius at Robinson Industries for a couple of hours."
"But you'll be home every night, right?" Lily asked nervously.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," I assured her. "I'll be home every night. My work may be important, but you and Mom are my world. I'd never lose the opportunity to spend time with you, and I promise to grab every opportunity I can from now on."
"That makes two of us, Lily," April chimed in. "Meanwhile, I'm hungry. What do you say we join the Robinsons for Thanksgiving?"
"What do you say, Dad?" Lily asked with her grin.
"Let's go!"