Whew! Thank you for being patient the past couple weeks. I have been busy planning my wedding that is just 51 days away! I also want to give a huge THANK YOU to whoever read all of my stories. I don't get a review often, but the views are enough to inspire me to keep going. With that said, I have a lot of ideas for this story, and I have decided that this is part of a three-chapter plot of Lily and Karena's time in New York. The next chapter will be the last before Lily, Karena, and Donnie return to Todayland. I did have writer's block writing this chapter, but I am satisfied with the result. I hope you will be too. Enjoy!
P.S. I just now realized I never wrote anything about the Robinsons in this chapter. I promise I'll involve them next time!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT." I only own Karena, Lily, Ryan, Venus, and Athena.
December 18, 2038 – New York City, New York, USA
KARENA'S POV
Donnie and Lily had enjoyed their nap as April and I caught up again on our way to the lair. According to April, not much had changed since Thanksgiving, except of course for the Christmas season. I was excited to witness how the Hamato Clan celebrated Christmas in New York City.
"What do you guys usually do?" I asked.
"We would all gather in the lair Christmas Eve," April explained. "And then in the morning, we open our presents. In the afternoon, we celebrate our wedding anniversaries. Then, we all work together to make this amazing Christmas feast, and afterwards, we have a sparring tournament."
"I'm sorry, go back. Wedding anniversaries? Is there more than one?"
"All eight of us got married on Christmas Day four consecutive years. Donnie and I were the first. I think we've become trendsetters as a married couple."
"The doctor and the news reporter… makes sense."
April chuckled.
"So, what are we doing today?" I asked.
"I'm not sure. Leo's got the day planned out. We all have jobs, so once I drop you, Donnie, and Lily off, I'll be heading to Channel 6 News."
"When's your shift?"
"I get the usual nine to five shift," April answered. "Which means Donnie and I wake up at the same time Tuesdays-Fridays."
"You drive three hours just to get to work? Yikes."
"You'd be surprised at how I get there. I wear yellow jumpsuits all the time on my shifts. To make it more efficient for me to go to work, Donnie made a motorcycle for me. It was my present for our third wedding anniversary."
"That's quite a gift!" I replied with surprise in my voice. "Did he come up with some sort of nickname for you as a result?"
"Lily's called me a biker chick. Donnie just stuck with 'sexy.'"
I chuckled.
"Has it worked?"
"Oh yeah! I couldn't use the motorcycle while I was pregnant, but I was excited to get back on once Donnie cleared me."
"Has Donnie ever used it?"
"Nah. The only time he'll take a risk at dying is when he and the guys fight some sworn enemy in the universe."
"And yet he experiments with chemicals every day?"
"Pretty much."
We both cracked up laughing as we continued driving. We eventually got to the lair, and Donnie and Lily woke up. The entire family greeted us as we walked through the turnstiles.
"Did you sleep alright, Karena?" Leo asked.
"Donnie and April have the comfiest bed in the world," I answered with a dreamy smile. "So, what's the plan today?"
"The eight of us are going to give you a tour of all the things we do," Leo explained after a chuckle. "We are going to start out in the dojos that Karai and I teach our students in, and that will also be where we will do our sparring sessions, a rare treat for our children."
"Then you all will visit me at Channel 6 News," April chimed in. "You get to meet my makeup team, take a tour of my studio, and so forth."
"I will make a grand meal for all of us at my restaurant," Mikey said with a big smile on his face. "In case you didn't know, Karena, I am a pizza chef and make totally awesome pizzas!"
"Then we're going to go to my office at the New York PD," Raph finished the game plan.
"We're going to take two separate vehicles since there are ten of us going," Leo proposed. "Karai, Ryan, Venus, Mona, and I will take the Shellraiser. Donnie, Lily, Karena, Renet, and Athena will drive in the Party Wagon. Mikey and Raph will take their shell cycles to work while April takes her motorcycle."
"Meet you all at my place, dudes!" Mikey yelled excitedly.
I watched as April, Raph, and Mikey all left for their jobs. So much had changed in New York City, and I felt so happy that the Turtles were able to live meaningful lives.
"Donnie, do you know how to get to my dojo?" Leo asked.
"Sure do, bro!" Donnie replied enthusiastically. "I'll follow you."
I followed my group back into the Party Wagon with Donnie taking the wheel. I decided to take the time to get to know Renet and Athena.
"So, Renet, how did you and Mikey meet?" I asked.
"As I mentioned before, I had originally come from this very year," Renet explained. "The Turtles were already famous for saving the world many times. However, Athena didn't exist at the time. I was training under Lord Simultaneous when we noticed the time stream being affected by Savanti Romero, a rogue time lord. Knowing that only the Turtles would be able to help me, I travelled in time to the year 2015. Mikey immediately had a crush on me and had flirted with me on more than one occasion."
"Mikey was even jealous when I excitedly hugged Renet," Donnie chimed in with a chuckle. "Just like I would break hugs between April and Casey, Mikey broke my hug with Renet."
"After we stopped Savanti Romero in the past, I tried to take the Turtles home," Renet continued. "But he returned and split us apart. The Turtles ended up in Feudal Japan instead. It took me six months to find them! After I found them, and after the Turtles saved Splinter, I took them home. Before I left, I gave Mikey a holographic phone so that we could continue to talk to each other through time and space. We met up again in 2017 when Savanti Romero escaped his prison in the past and tried to create a monster world using monsters throughout history: Frankenstein, Dracula, and ancient mummy, et cetera. We had gone back into the past to stop Savanti, but we made things worse, even after Raph got turned into a vampire. Donnie turned during our assault in that present time. And Mikey was a genius with his comic-book reading. He knew how to finish off Dracula and save everyone. I returned to the future where I had met a future version of Michelangelo. To my pleasant surprise, he gave me a kiss and told me that he and all his brothers were married. Donnie and April were the first to take that step."
"So how did Mikey propose to you?" I asked.
"Mikey proposed at Donnie and April's wedding," Renet answered, her brown eyes full of bliss. "April had both a flower crown and a bouquet. She tossed the flower crown, and Karai caught it. Leo then proposed to Karai in Japanese."
I smiled, thinking Leo's proposal was probably the sweetest from all the Turtles.
"Some time later, April tossed her bouquet," Renet continued. "And I caught that. I turned around, and there Mikey was on one knee. He had said, Renet, I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I know in my heart that you're the one for me. You understand me and you can comprehend my thoughts. You have such a compassion that inspires me to care more for my brothers and for April. So, Renet, what do you say? Shall we get married?"
"I take it you said yes?" I asked.
"Yep! And everyone applauded. Donnie and April had quite the reception, celebrating their marriage and then not one proposal, but two of them. Oh! And it was also Christmas Day. So we all received presents too, not just the married couple. Mikey and I married on Christmas Day the next year at the farmhouse, and then we stayed a week there, thanks to Donnie and April's hospitality."
"Mikey gave April and me a gift of our honeymoon when we married," Donnie chimed in. "What better way to return the favor than to loan the farmhouse out?"
I smiled as we approached the dojo where Leo taught ninjutsu. Donnie parked the party wagon next to the Shellraiser, and we all gathered in the classroom. Leo and Karai both walked to the front of the dojo.
"Karena, Karai teaches girls and women while I teach boys and men," Leo explained. "We'll have co-op classes once in a while, but not often. This is a rare and precious time for that. With that said, let's get into form. Donnie, please join me and Karai. The rest of you form lines facing the four of us. Children will be in the front, and then Karena, Mona, Renet, form windows behind them."
I formed the window behind Lily and Ryan with Mona next to me, and then Renet stood on the opposite end of the line behind Venus and Athena.
"Let's start with our katas," Leo announced.
I raised my hand like I was in a classroom, and Leo let out a chuckle.
"What is it, Karena?" Karai asked with a smile.
"I have no idea what katas are," I answered sheepishly.
"I understand," Karai replied with compassion. "I had to watch the Turtles train before I joined in. Leo, may I suggest Karena turn and face Mona and watch her before doing these katas on her own?"
"Yes, I think that is wise," Leo answered. "Donnie, what do you two think? Do you have any ideas on how Karena could learn?"
"I do have one method that I think would prove more effective," Donnie said. "Karena, I'm going to join you and the other women. You will face me and watch me perform the katas. You may join me when you are ready."
I smiled, liking this idea and the thought of training under Donatello.
"Hajime!" Leo yelled.
I listened to everyone yell out their katas, and I watched Donnie do his in front of me. I realized that everyone was repeating the same thing over and over again after I spent a small time listening to them all. I watched Donnie again. I slowly started to mimic his movements. I started speaking out the katas softly, and I saw Donnie smiling as he continued his. I watched him nod, and I started yelling out the katas and repeating the movements.
"Ya me!" Leo yelled.
We stopped.
"Very good children, and brothers and wives," Leo commended us with a smile. "Donnie, how did Karena do?"
"She's a good learner, Leo," the purple-clad turtle answered. "I think she's going to do just fine."
"Alright then. We're going to have various sparring sessions, called a tournament. All of us are going to participate, including Auntie Karai and myself. If you lose, you sit out on the side of the dojo. The last standing student wins. May Splinter be with us all."
"Here are the matchups, which are by age," Karai announced. "Athena and Venus. Ryan and Lilianna. Karena and Renet. Donatello and Leonardo. And Mona Lisa and myself."
Renet and I first posed, facing each other. Renet had her time scepter in her hands, which I'm sure she treated like Donnie's bo staff.
"Before we quarrel, I have a question: have you actually trained with Leo and the gang before?" I asked.
"Sometimes," Renet answered with a smile. "But I'm not quite up to par. What about you? How long have you trained?"
"One and a half years," I answered with a laugh. "Wilbur and his mom are my teachers back home."
"Who's Wilbur?" Renet asked, swinging a blow with her time scepter, which I blocked with the bo staff Donnie let me borrow.
"My boyfriend back home," I replied, preparing to thrust the bo staff at my opponent.
"So that's why you moved to the future! You know, I have heard of people doing so many crazy things because they're in love."
"Let me guess: moving to the future is one of them?" I asked, blocking another blow of Renet's.
"Actually, no. My going to the past to marry Mikey is way crazier than that. But it was so worth it! Mikey gave me a baby girl, and I'd give everything for her. I actually gave up working for Lord Simultaneous and got a job at the TIME agency to support my family. I'm a teacher there. I teach all the new recruits at the agency the advantages and disadvantages of time travel. I don't usually work on the weekends, like April, so I'm able to spend time with family here."
"Is TIME here in the city?" I asked, trying again to thrust the bo staff at her.
"Yes, by Times Square. It's actually very close to Channel 6 News where April works. I'd offer to take you on a tour, but you're actually the only person other than Mikey and Athena to know where I work."
"Wait, seriously?" I asked, taken aback. "No one else knows?"
"Knowing Donatello and his thing for time travel, he'd flip if he found out I work at an agency that specializes in time travel."
"Ah. Wait, not even April knows?"
"April is Donatello's wife. She'd tell him in a heartbeat. And besides, she is an investigative reporter. This is one secret I'd like to stay between us."
"Done! And so are you!"
I swung the bo staff by Renet's feet, making her fall on her back.
"Not bad," Renet said with a smirk. "Wilbur sounds like a fantastic teacher if you can do that after one and a half years."
I held out my hand, and Renet gladly took it. I helped her up, and then Renet sat on the side. Eventually, Athena, Ryan, Donnie, and Karai joined her.
"Well Karai, who are the next matchups?" Leo asked.
"Venus and Lily, Leonardo and Karena… and Mona is going to be alone."
"No, I'll sit out. Mona, you're facing Karena. I'll determine who I'll face, and the rest of you will help me."
I positioned myself to face Mona Lisa.
"Hajime!" Leo yelled.
Mona Lisa was far more skilled than Renet and I combined. In fact, most of my session was spent trying to dodge her kicks and punches. I easily understood why Karai lost her match. Mona eventually took out some sort of weapon that I had never recognized before and sliced my bo staff to pieces.
"Oh… my… gosh… Mona—WHOA!"
I tried to dodge her roundhouse kick, but it wasn't enough. I was knocked down to the floor, and my left shoulder was in extreme pain. I heard Mona Lisa gasp. She immediately put her hands on my left arm.
"Karena, I am so sorry! Are you alright?"
"You really do fight like a girl," I answered with a painful chuckle.
"Karena, are you hurt?" I heard Donnie asking me.
I felt Donnie's fingers trying to massage my shoulder, but it hurt like fire. I screamed.
"Oh, Karena, I am so sorry," Mona apologized again.
"Don't worry about it, Mona," I replied with a moan. "I'll be fine."
"Let's go back to the lair, Karena," Donnie suggested. "I can treat your shoulder there."
LILIANNA'S POV
"Alright Lily, put down the staff, and no one gets hurt," Venus sweet-talked to me.
"Venus, I can read your mind," I replied with a smirk. "You truly are Raphael's daughter. You just want to win the fight, but deep down, you know I'm the stronger kunoichi, which means you have to prove that you are worthy of being the strongest."
Venus screamed and charged at me. My younger cousin had been on the offensive the majority of the fight, using her sais to try to trap me, just like Uncle Raph had done to Uncle Leo before. I remembered all of my training combined from my uncles, my aunts, and my parents. When Venus had tried to trap me again, my bo staff got in between the tongs. I used this to my advantage and knocked the sai off of my cousin's right hand. Venus only had her left sai and her right fist. We brawled until I performed a roundhouse kick and hit her square in the stomach. As Venus fell to the ground and let out her breath, I heard a scream. I turned to see my dad tending to Karena, who fell by Auntie Mona's hand.
"Oh my gosh!" I yelled, running over to my dad and my friend. "Karena, are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, Lily," Karena replied painfully.
"Auntie Mona got you that hard, huh?"
"Lily, now I know where Venus got her ninja skills. She didn't get them from her dad. She got them from her mother."
"Come on, let's get you back to the lair," Donnie told her. "Leo, we'll be right back."
I watched Karena and my dad leaving the dojo, and I put a frown on my face.
"Okay, so who are the winners here?" Uncle Leo asked.
"I won my match," I answered. "Clearly, Auntie Mona won hers."
"Athena, who do you think was the better ninja?" Uncle Leo asked my cousin.
"Lily. She knew exactly what to do and when to do it. Plus, she never harmed Venus… except for in the stomach, but Venus didn't go down in pain like Karena did, right?"
"Yeah, right," Venus replied with a flat affect.
"Ryan?" Leo asked his son.
"Auntie Mona. Lily is good, but Mona is the stronger opponent."
I read Ryan's mind, and I was disgusted at what he was thinking of me. But now wasn't the time to confront him.
"Why do you believe Auntie Mona is a stronger opponent than Lily?" Uncle Leo asked him. "Remember to keep an open mind, Ryan. Not everything is as it seems."
"For one, Auntie Mona has been around longer than any of us. Second, she's seasoned in combat, and she's honorable in all things."
"Thank you, Ryan. Karai?"
"Ryan and Athena have brought up many advantages about Lilianna and Mona Lisa. But being a ninja is always about honor and never presenting real harm to another. With that said, Lilianna has proven to be the better ninja."
"And lastly, Renet?"
"I can't decide. Mona and Lily are both great warriors. Mona has her history of combat at her side and is an honorable warrior. Lily is just as honorable in a short amount of time."
"Then it is decided: I will face Mona Lisa, and the winner will face Lilianna."
I sat down outside of Athena as I watched Uncle Leo and Auntie Mona square off.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Athena," I whispered to her.
"What are cousins for?" Athena whispered back with a smile.
"Tell Ryan that," I whispered in anger as I watched my aunt and uncle fight.
"Ryan opinionated based on what he saw. That's all that is. Don't feel hurt about it. But Lily,… can you really read minds?"
"Yes. And I read Ryan's mind just now. I swear he hates me."
"That's not true, Lily. Ryan loves you. He just has trouble showing it."
Athena paused, biting her lip.
"What did you see in Ryan's mind?" she asked in a low whisper.
"He's angry that he has never defeated me in combat," I answered. "I know he loves me, but I have this feeling he hates me too… like a love-hate relationship."
"Sibling rivalry. Gotta love it, right?"
"We're cousins, Athena. We're all an only child. But maybe this is a kind of rivalry. I mean, we've always been the top two students, and we've always sparred against each other."
"And you've won every single time, right? Maybe Ryan resents you for that. Maybe you should just let him win for a change."
I scoffed.
"That's not very honorable, Athena. What if you had said that about, say, Xever? Would you just let him win?"
Athena bit her lip again.
"Terrible example, but good point. He'd probably kill us."
"Well, from what Dad told me, not anymore. New York has been at peace for 25 years. I don't think anything could change that."
"Our family was at peace until you were taken away," Athena reminded me. "Now we have to make sure we are one step ahead of the Magician. Speaking of which… do you really have to go back?"
"Yes, otherwise the Magician will find me again. And besides, I have a life there. I'm a cheerleader for Todayland High School."
"I watched your tryout," Athena replied with a smile. "I'm happy for you. Do you like cheerleading?"
"I love it, actually," I answered, finally putting a smile on my face. "Putting a smile on my face all the time and cheering on the guys and girls of the sports teams… And it's kind of something to do with Wilbur. He's in the color guard, so we support each other. He's the brother I never had."
I heard a thump on the ground, and Uncle Leo was able to throw Auntie Mona down.
"I often wonder why Raphael holds you in such high regard, Leonardo," Auntie Mona said as he helped her up. "You have just proved him right."
"Well, Lilianna, are you ready?" Uncle Leo asked me with a smirk on his face.
"Yep," I answered with determination. "Ready to wipe that smirk off your face."
"Don't show too much cockiness, Lilianna," Uncle Leo told me. "You're turning into your father."
"I'm sorry, my dad?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "If anyone was cocky when he was a teenager, it was you. Dad told me all about your adventures on the Space Heroes show."
I watched the smirk on Uncle Leo's face fading away, and he angrily charged at me.
"Leo, wait!" I heard Auntie Karai yell.
Uncle Leo tried to land a blow with his katanas. Easily knowing that his katana blades could easily break a bo staff into pieces, I could only dodge out of his way. While dodging all of my uncle's moves, I twirled my bo staff around and around, waiting for the right moment to strike. When Uncle Leo tried to deliver a blow again, I moved out of the way and struck him in his vulnerable spot: his left side underneath the arm. After I struck him, I brought him down using my left leg, bringing it up in front of me and grabbing Uncle Leo in the neck with it.
"Whoa!" I heard Athena yell in shock. "Lily just knocked down Sensei!"
"And naturally, neither Aunt April nor Uncle Donnie are here to see it," Venus replied.
"Are you okay, Uncle Leo?" I asked.
All my blue-clad sensei could do was give me a giant smile.
"I will be fine, Lily," he answered. "Well done. Perhaps I was wrong when I told you that you were turning into your father. You are Donatello and April's daughter, and you turned the skills and traits of them both into your own ninja style. You were able to defeat me because I got angry. Even the teacher learns a lesson from his student, and his niece, once in a while."
"Arigatou, Sensei."
"Let's all gather around while I try to make a call to Uncle Donnie."
I was joined by my cousins and aunts while Uncle Leo walked out of the classroom to make a phone call on his T-Phone.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," I heard Ryan behind me. "You are such a teacher's pet."
"Ryan, what is with you?" I asked, turning around. "You act like this every single time I defeat you. It's just a practice session. It's not a battle to the death."
"So why all the mean things you say, Lilianna?" Ryan barked.
"Excuse me?" I barked back. "I have never said a single mean thing to you! And if I did, I am sorry! Like I said, it is just a practice session. My words are weapons too, you know."
"Oh, sure they are—"
"Ryan, Lily, stop it!" I heard Auntie Karai yell before Ryan continued.
"You make me angry every single time, Lily! And I am sick and tired of it."
"Then maybe you need to let the anger wash over you, like your father said," I shot back. "Anger will not win a battle for you. You need to do it yourself."
"How am I supposed to win a battle if you never let me?" Ryan asked angrily.
"Let you?" I yelled.
"Athena, Venus, Renet, let's go out to the vans," Auntie Mona suggested. "We should not be here."
"But I wanna watch them fight!" Venus whined.
"Go!"
I let out a sigh.
"Good job, Ryan. We may have frightened Venus and Athena with our bickering."
"Oh, I am so sorry. I will try my best to be more sensitive."
"The sarcasm wasn't necessary, Ryan Leonardo," I replied angrily.
"You're not my mother, Lilianna Mae!" Ryan shouted.
"Ryan, that is enough!" I heard Auntie Karai yell.
"No, but I am the oldest," I shot back, ignoring my aunt.
"Being the oldest doesn't make you a parent," Ryan shouted again. "And neither does it make you a leader. Heck, this clan doesn't need one! New York hasn't had crime in years!"
I pointed a finger at my cousin, feeling very angry at this point.
"First of all, buddy, being the son of a sensei does not make you leader either. Second of all, just because New York has been supposedly crime-free doesn't mean that our family does not have to do nightly patrols. And three—"
"All you ever do is talk, just like your dad!" Ryan interrupted me. "Do you have to teach me a lecture every single time?"
I scoffed.
"You're impossible!"
I started to walk away.
"We're not done, Lily!" Ryan shouted.
"Ryan, you need to let your cousin go," Auntie Karai told him.
I turned around.
"I don't want to fight you, Ryan!" I shouted. "Quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of it. So why don't you just accept the fact that I beat you and just learn what you did wrong?"
"I'm not the one in the wrong here!" Ryan snapped.
"What is all the yelling in here?" I heard my dad ask while walking into the dojo.
"You're always taunting me when you should have just charged," Ryan continued.
"Ryan—" Uncle Leo started to say.
"Probably because you're too afraid to face a girl!" I yelled.
"I do it all the time!" Ryan shouted furiously. "I always have to fight three girls!"
"Oh, so maybe you're just chicken because you don't want to ever harm a lady."
"Lilianna Mae—" Dad angrily started to say.
"Is that a way of telling me you wanna rematch?" Ryan asked.
"If it's the only way to make you shut up, then yes!" I shouted.
"Okay, that is enough!" Uncle Leo shouted.
Ryan froze at his dad's tone. I glanced over at my dad, who also had a furious look on his face.
"What is going on?" Uncle Leo asked sternly.
"Lily never fights fair," Ryan answered, and I dropped my jaw in anger.
"That's not true and you know it!" I shot back, pointing a finger at him.
"Liar!"
"Troublemaker!"
"HEY!" Dad shouted. "Uncle Leo said that is enough, so that. Is. Enough. How are you both going to be a part of a team if you fight each other?"
"Because Lily—"
"Ryan Leonardo Hamato, stop it," Uncle Leo sternly reprimanded him. "Now sit down."
"Lilianna Mae Hamato, you too," Dad told me sternly.
"But Dad—"
"Sit. Down."
Ryan and I sat down at a far distance from each other.
"Come on, guys, we can do better than this," Auntie Karai said with disbelief. "Skootch closer to each other."
"No," Ryan replied sternly.
"Would you object to a little randori, Ryan?" Uncle Leo sternly asked.
My cousin flinched at the idea.
"I thought so. Now do as your mother says and sit next to your cousin."
Ryan and I got up and sat back down, sitting right next to each other this time. Both our dads had angry looks on their faces as they sat down on the floor with us.
"Okay, now can one of you please explain what happened one at a time?" Uncle Leo asked us.
"Dad, how can you praise someone who always taunts and teases me?" Ryan asked. "Lily always makes me angry when we spar together."
"Ryan, I'm sorry, but you make yourself angry by being offended at everything I say," I snapped back.
"So, you're saying this is my fault?" Ryan shouted.
"Hey!" Uncle Leo yelled. "Inside voice, please. Lily is right, Ryan. You need to learn how to control your anger. What if your enemy had told you the things Lily told you? Would you treat Lily and your enemy the same?"
"Well, that's different! The enemy is my enemy, but Lily is my cousin."
"Exactly, Ryan, Lily is your cousin," Dad chimed in. "She's your family. Your enemy will use your anger to take you down and possibly kill you. You train with your family to prepare yourself for stuff like this. Granted, New York has been at peace the last twenty years, but anything can happen in a second. Take Lily's kidnapping. She ran off into the woods because we got angry at each other and we let our anger fuel us. As a result, Lily was taken away from me. We cannot let anger control us, or else we lose ourselves and become someone we never want to see again."
"Your uncle is right, Ryan," Uncle Leo said. "But there's something I want to know. You get along great with Venus and Athena. Why do you often quarrel with Lily?"
Ryan let out a sigh.
"Because I keep letting my anger take control of me. I kept thinking that Lily is some sort of leader I'm supposed to look up to. But I keep denying it because you, Dad, were the leader of your brothers. I… I feel unworthy because I'm not the oldest."
It was Uncle Leo's turn to let out a sigh.
"Ryan, listen, Grandpa Splinter did not make me a leader because I was the oldest. Uncle Donnie is just as effective as I am at being a leader. Do you wanna know why Grandpa made me the leader?"
Ryan and I looked at Uncle Leo with curiosity.
"I asked."
"That's it?" Ryan asked with surprise in his voice.
"Yes," Uncle Leo replied with a chuckle. "But as time went on, as I continued to lead your uncles in and out of battle, Grandpa Splinter was convinced that he made the right choice. Uncle Donnie and Uncle Raph have had turns at being the leader also. Ryan, you are strong, passionate, and loyal to a fault, and these are qualities of a great leader, but only when tempered with compassion and humility. I see a lot of your mother in you, but I see myself in you too, my son. You already are worthy, because you're my son and Mom and I love you for who you are, not because you're the second-oldest cousin and not because you lose to Lily every time. You are a warrior, Ryan, and you already make me proud."
There was a pause. I glanced over at Ryan as he smiled at his parents.
"Now, Lily, let's hear your side of the story," Dad spoke up. "What happened?"
I let out a sigh.
"I guess I let my anger get the best of me too. I had read Ryan's mind while I watched Uncle Leo and Auntie Mona duel, and I felt a lot of hate in his thoughts. Ryan out of the blue called me a teacher's pet because he thinks Uncle Leo praises me. Frankly, I'm tired of being treated like I'm the enemy. I come, I train, then I want to relax and reflect. Besides, Ryan is family. I'm tired of fighting with him when we should be fighting together. Ryan, if I offended you, I'm truly sorry. I just… do what I was trained to do. I don't know what else to say."
"So how do you feel when Ryan calls you a teacher's pet?" Dad asked with compassion in his voice.
"I feel annoyed… angry. Sometimes I want to punch him, but I hold back because I know it's wrong. But then Ryan wouldn't back down, and… I let the anger get the best of me too."
"Ryan, listen, you heard Lily talk just now," Uncle Leo chimed in. "You often say that Lily taunts and teases you in training, and you felt angered, right?"
Ryan nodded.
"After hearing Lily talk about her feelings, we are realizing that you are doing the same thing to her. Right?"
Ryan let out a very long and weary sigh.
"Ryan, do you remember the sparring lesson a few years ago where I had told Lily to not use her words to harm you?" Dad asked, and he nodded. "If you are not careful, those words can go straight to your head and affect your emotions, weakening your train of thought and mindfulness. Lily won all these times because you always took those words to heart. Not all words are kind, but I promise you that not all words are evil either. Decide which words are going to destroy you, and which words will keep you going."
"Whoa, Dad, that's deep," I replied with a look of awe on my face.
"Yeah, Uncle Donnie, that sounds like something my dad would say," Ryan chimed in, and I noticed a smile on his face.
"Yes, and with that said, Ryan, Lily, what choice will you two make today?" Dad asked.
I turned to face Ryan, and he faced me.
"I'm sorry—"
We both chuckled after saying the same words.
"Ladies first," Ryan said.
"Are you saying that to be nice or—"
"Lilianna."
I turned to my right to see a raised eyebrow on my dad's face, and I let out a sigh, not exactly being thrilled for being the first to apologize, given the circumstances.
"I'm sorry."
"Me too," Ryan apologized. "I think I pay more attention to Uncle Raph's fighting style than my own."
"Ryan, I know I sometimes act high and mighty because I'm the oldest and the smartest, but if you want my advice, here it is: look up to your mother. Your mom is the one who trained you in the yari. Who better to be a role model to you than your own mother? Uncle Raph, while his anger has gotten much better, still needs to work on it, just like you do."
"I have some advice for you too, son," Uncle Leo chimed in with a smile. "Listen to your cousin. Combined with Uncle Donnie's intellect and Aunt April's insight and her experiences with being kidnapped and surviving in a different element, she has a lot to say. Speaking of which, Lily, may I see you for a moment?"
I glanced at Ryan, who gave me a shrug. I got up and followed Uncle Leo out of the dojo and outside.
"I was talking to your father while you and Ryan were fighting," Uncle Leo explained. "And we both agreed that you are ready to go on a vision quest."
"A… vision quest?" I asked with confusion. "What is that?"
"Your test will come on December 27 after you and your family return to the farmhouse. You will spend three days in the forest meditating, concentrating on practiced awareness, and eating only what you can forage. A true ninja, or kunoichi, must become one with nature to master himself or herself."
"Will Mom or Dad be with me?" I asked.
"No, this is a journey you must take alone. And while you are on this journey, you must reflect on your fears and weaknesses and face your spiritual adversary."
I got even more confused.
"Spiritual adversary? But Uncle Leo, I've never faced anyone in battle."
"No? Then how did you manage to escape your kidnappers?"
I pointed my index finger up and prepared to speak but closed my mouth and put my hand down when I realized my sensei was right.
"I do not know who your spiritual adversary is either," Uncle Leo assured me with a smile. "None of us knew when we went on this journey. You could be facing an old foe, or you could be facing someone new."
"Uncle Leo, are you sure that I am up for this?" I asked with uncertainty.
"You are gifted with the ability to read thoughts. Peer into my mind, and you'll find the answers."
I looked into Uncle Leo's ocean-blue eyes and attempted to read his thoughts. I was in amazement at what I found.
"Donnie, what do you think about Lily going on a vision quest? Do you think she's ready?"
"Leo! She's only fourteen! And she JUST came home to us. You want her to be alone again?"
"Donnie, listen. Lily living with you and April in the wilderness has given her advantages we never thought possible. Lily not only can advance in her training, but she can be initiated into the Hamato Clan as a full-pledged kunoichi. After everything that has happened and everything she has overcome, I believe she's ready."
"I don't like the idea of a teenage girl being alone in the woods, but I understand what you are saying. Would April or I be able to be with her?"
"No, your presence would only interfere with what she must do. And I promise you, Donnie, she will not be alone. Splinter's spirit will be with her. Master Splinter is quite fond of Lily, even in the spiritual world."
"Well, Lily DOES enjoy running into the woods by herself. Maybe this vision quest has been her calling."
I heard my dad sighing in Uncle Leo's mind.
"Okay, she may go. But it doesn't mean I won't worry."
"I understand, Donnie. I'd be worrying also if I sent Ryan on the quest. But if Lily passes her quest, she will open a door full of potential. This potential does not just lie in her present, but also in her future. Lilianna will do amazing things, Donnie."
"I know. I've been proud of her from her first breath, and I will always be proud of her until my last breath."
I started crying, ceasing to read any more into Uncle Leo's mind.
"Lily, what is it?" Uncle Leo asked, wiping away my tears. "Are you alright?"
"Yes. It's just… you all have faith in me, even in times I never had faith myself."
"When your parents announced they were pregnant with you, we were all excited to meet you," Uncle Leo said with a smile on his face. "April and Donnie literally gave birth to our next generation, which started with you. We all knew from that day that you were going to be full of potential and do amazing things. Look at all you have accomplished in your short life! You are only fourteen years old and I am already sending you on a vision quest. Me and my brothers didn't pursue ours until after we turned seventeen. You were able to get an education from your parents that most teachers are not able to give. You had the adventure of your life when you got kidnapped, and you overcame every obstacle to come home. You even made a new life in a new city. None of us would have ever been that daring. You've even inspired me, and I am so proud to have been your sensei."
I hugged my uncle. He hesitated as it was sudden, but he hugged me back.
"Remember this, Lilianna: you are an innocent soul who is scared often. Be bold like the sun. While on our journey, you will create a new weapon and don yourself with new gear."
I let out a sigh, gave my uncle a smile, and nodded.
"It looks like everyone joined the party," Uncle Leo said, returning the smile. "Let's continue on with our day, shall we?"
KARENA'S POV
Thanks to Donatello doing some chiropractic work on my shoulder and then massaging it, I was feeling much better and was able to spend the rest of the day with him and his expanded family. Our next stop was a tour of Channel 6 News, hosted by April herself. April looked absolutely amazing in a yellow jumpsuit, so much more toned than the April O'Neil in the 1987 universe, and I could tell that April had carried a baby, as she had slightly wider hips than she did as a teenager. Her wavy red hair with bangs completed the look. April gave us the tour of all the factions in the building – meteorology, social events, worldwide news, and we got an even deeper glance of April doing her job. April mostly reported on the crimes that had occurred around the city and sometimes, she was on the phone with the chief of the New York Police Department.
After April's tour of Channel 6 News, we ventured over to Raph's workplace, and we received a guided tour from New York's best detective. Raph had showed us the main room, the lounge, and the cantina before going deeper into the building. The red-clad turtle showed us his office, which were mostly full of photos of his family and his two pet turtles: Spike and Chompy. We also toured the armory and all the forensics labs. Donnie shared the story of working in the lab himself, because sometimes he was the only scientist available late at night.
Then, we gathered at Mikey's restaurant, who came up with the best name for it: Ninja Pizza. We walked in, greeted the hostess, and took our seats. Our pizzas came right away, as Mikey had prepared them well ahead of time. The children shared a pepperoni pizza. Donnie and I enjoyed our meat galore pizza while Renet and Mona Lisa shared a vegetable pizza. Leo and Karai, to my surprise, had a five-cheese pizza they really delighted in. But the best part of this part of the trip was the decorations. Mikey had collected old ninja weapons and displayed them, making the restaurant look like a museum. There were even displays of him and his brothers, as well as Karai, Splinter, and Shredder.
We returned to the lair after that. I tried to evenly spread out my time with each member of the family. I got to know each of Lily's cousins. Ryan, personality-wise, was much like his mother Karai, but he loves the same things as his father Leonardo. I always saw Ryan watching Space Heroes or practicing his ninjutsu. Whenever Venus saw Ryan practicing, they dueled. Ryan and Venus seemed to enjoy each other's company. After Venus finished practicing with Ryan, she led me into Donnie's lab and to a section that was obviously built in. It looked like a greenhouse with some modern technological lighting to provide life for all of the plants. I had smiled at Venus's talent for gardening. Just like her father, Venus had a deep affection for life. Athena had painted her room by herself, and she was quite the artist. Her room was astronomy-themed, and her room was covered in history books. Mikey and Renet had given their daughter the perfect name.
My last stop was Donnie's lab, where I found him reading a book with Lily.
"Hey, guys."
Donnie and Lily looked up and smiled.
"Hey, Karena," Donnie replied with a kind smile on his face. "I'm just teaching Lily some physics. She wants to become a master at throwing shuriken."
"Learning another trick of the trade, Lily?" I asked with a smirk.
"Yep!"
"Did you need something, Karena?" Donnie asked.
"Actually, I do need to talk to you alone," I answered.
"Oh!"
Donatello's smile faded away. He looked down at his physics book, and then he turned to his daughter.
"We can continue this another time," Lily told her father, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll leave you two alone."
I watched Lily leaving the lab, and I took her seat next to the purple-clad turtle.
"What did you want to talk about, Karena?" Donnie asked.
I let out a sigh.
"Leo asked me to talk to you regarding time travel. I know it's a touchy subject with you. I know that you hate time travel, but after everything we've gone through together, I have to wonder what went wrong for you to hate it so much."
It was Donnie's turn to let out a sigh, but it was a weary one.
"Where do I begin? We went back in time to the Third Age of Middle-Earth, taking Idrial and Morwen's place when they got captured by the Magician. You had died while fighting for Morwen. April died too, because she had also taken Morwen's place, and that scared me."
"Well, you ended up saving April's life, right?" I asked. "And you saved my life too. Everything turned out alright in the end?"
"That's not all. Me and my brothers did not travel in time again until Renet showed up for the first time. Because of her, me and my brothers were stranded in Feudal Japan. The more we stayed there, the more our present changed. April had disappeared from a picture I carried on my phone. While I tried to remain calm when I told my brothers we had to get Tang Shen and Hamato Yoshi together, I was furious with Renet for bringing us with her in the first place."
"I think I understand where this talk is going, Donnie," I replied. "You despise time travel because you had lost April on more than one occasion."
"Three times, Karena!" Donnie snapped. "She became a vampire, which transpired our fourth trip through time to try to undo the damage Savanti Romero had done."
"Donnie, please take deep breaths," I soothed him. "That is all in the past. April is alive and well, and she is doing a terrific job at Channel 6 News."
I watched Donnie breathe in and out to calm down.
"Thank you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"So when you said that you would never work for anyone or anything that specializes in time travel because innocent lives can be lost, you were saying that you were afraid of losing April again, right?" I asked.
"Yes, that's exactly right," Donnie answered, putting a small smile on his face. "You read me like a book!"
"Donnie, you were fifteen and crushing on April when I met you, and you were crushing hard on her. And I saw the way you looked at April when she had a weak pulse back in L.A. And I saw the way you and April embraced and how you reacted when she kissed you on the forehead. April is not just your wife, Donnie. She's been your soulmate from the very beginning. I understand how almost losing her again can cause you to hate time travel so much."
"I never thought I would hate anything scientific so much," Donnie replied, shaking his head.
"Because your love for April and Lily are stronger than your love for science," I said with a smile. "But I don't believe blaming Cornelius and Renet for bad memories is the answer to defend yourself in an argument."
"I apologized to Cornelius right afterwards and explained to him why I felt angry. And he was understanding about it. Thankfully, the topic of time travel hasn't come up with us since. Though I should apologize to Renet. Yelling at her wasn't very nice. In fact, I'll go apologize right now."
"Good job, Donnie."
We both stood up. To my surprise, Donnie gave me a hug, and I pleasantly returned it.
"Thank you for listening, Karena."
"It's my pleasure, Donnie. By the way, what was your favorite adventure as a teenager?"
Donatello pondered for a moment, his amber eyes pointing at the ceiling.
"It will always be the second adventure I've ever had. April and her dad had been kidnapped by the Kraang after our first unofficial meeting. My brothers and I found them in a detention cell, but the Kraang had other plans for them. April and her dad were taken to a helicopter. While my brothers battled with a mutant plant named Snakeweed, I hurried to try to rescue them. I pole-vaulted onto the helicopter. I managed to save April's life after she fell out of the helicopter, but I couldn't save her dad. I promised her we'd find him, and I finally saved his life months later. April had given me a hug."
We smiled at each other.
"I should go find Lily and continue our little physics lesson. Thank you again, Karena."
I continued to smile as Donnie walked out of the lab. I decided to take the time and explore his lab alone. When I first saw it, there wasn't much there. I chuckled when I found Donnie's "Hang with April" plan hanging on a wall. There were also trinkets from the various mutants he and his brothers battled. The most intriguing thing I saw was a frozen jar full of human organs. But I could tell there was a feeling of sadness in this being's eyes. I felt sad myself, knowing that Donnie had to sacrifice at least one belief to freeze this being to prevent harm to a loved one. I looked on his walls and saw all sorts of diagrams: diagrams of all the systems of life inside a human, a turtle, a rat, and a salamander. There were more machines here as well, which were probably very complicated for me to explain. The cot that Donnie had twenty-five years ago remained in its spot, ready for a patient to venture his way. Satisfied with everything I saw, I walked to the dojo to join Leonardo in meditation.