Hi everyone! Welcome to a new chapter, in fact, it's the second one I've uploaded today (see "Never for Nothing")! As you can see, most of this chapter is about Lily's singing debut at the club. So, it was a pretty relaxing chapter to write. It took me longer because I was trying to figure out how to write it. With that said, enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," nor "Toy Story." I only own Lilianna, Ryan, Venus, Athena, and Justine. I have also credited different music artists on the songs Lily has performed throughout the chapter.

P.S. I want to encourage you to watch Shrekardo's video "Carbs" on YouTube. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen!

September 1, 2042 - Todayland, North Montana, USA

LILIANNA'S POV

I completed my classes for the day and walked to my dad's office. I knocked on his door, walked in, and took a seat across from him.

"Hey, Lily!" Dad greeted me happily. "Are you excited for tonight?"

"I'm extremely nervous," I answered with a sheepish laugh. "I'm not just performing one song. I'm performing fourteen. That's pretty much a whole album."

"Would you like some advice?" Dad asked with a kind smile, clasping his hands together on his desk. "Always have water nearby. Be sure you drink a sip or two in between songs. Maybe one of Franny's frogs or even Justine can hold it for you."

"That's a good idea," I replied. "I noticed how dry my throat was getting and actually needed to take water breaks while practicing."

"Do you think the frogs have a good idea of how to perform your songs?"

"Oh yeah! And Franny was having a blast practicing with me..."

FLASHBACK: August 28, 2042

"Got a feeling like I'm uptight," I sang quickly in a low tone. "Tied up like a piece with a bad bite. Yeah, I knew you were wrong but you felt right. Good thing I didn't lay down tonight. 'Cause I wanted to apologize but, boy, you fed me lies. Now I'm thinking that I rolled the dice. And I was too late to gain your trust. Control your list and maybe that's dangerous."

"Whew!" Franny exclaimed before I could sing the next part. "How did you learn to sing so fast? And how did I understand all of that?"

I laughed.

"Trust me, it took me months to get this down. This is the first time tonight I did not look at the lyrics."

"It's a good thing we're practicing this, then. Because if you're singing this on opening night, then you really need to get it down. Are you singing this alone or will Justine be singing with you?"

I took a sip of water.

"Justine's singing it with me. I do sing in a higher octave at some point, so I'll need her to harmonize."

"So you're doing two duets then?" Franny asked. "That makes sense."

"Yes, ma'am," Justine chimed in on the chair. "I've downloaded both this song and Shaken and practiced both in my own time. You know, I've never heard of Christina Grimmie nor Rachael Lampa until Lily introduced me to them. It's sad what happened to Christina, but they are both incredible singers."

"Lily, has Justine introduced you to a new artist?"

"Jennifer Knapp," I answered. "I can sing some songs by her, but I'd have to practice in a low octave quite often."

"Lily, are you ready to get back into it?" Franny asked.

"Yep, let's do this!"

"Justine, honey, why don't you join Lily on the stage? You need to get a feel for it, too."

Justine joined me on the stage.

"Alright, everyone, right where we left off!" Franny announced.

Her frog band played the last notes of the first verse before I took a breath and sang at a normal pace.

"What does it take to find me the man who won't go and break my heart? There's only one and he's got the key, but we are two worlds apart. Someday, my prince will come for me. Save me from this harm that haunts me. When will I be free? Tell me, someday he will come for me."

I took a quick breath, quickly singing the second verse.

"Shoulda told you to run along. Shoulda backed down when I saw you coming on strong. But time is gone, attempt to rewind. You'll pass, you'll find that it can't be done. But I fell for those eyes, they took me by surprise. Shoulda never ever compromised. Now it's too late. You broke in, warning, and now all that I got is that heartbeat."

I took a breath, now singing at a normal pace. I heard Justine joining me as we sang the chorus together.

PRESENT

"We had practiced every day of the week to make sure my show is a success," I finished telling my story to my dad, who looked extremely pleased.

"And you have done your homework, right?"

"Yes, Franny and Justine both encouraged me to do my homework on my breaks. I'm going to do that at the club, too in the two hours I have in between rehearsals."

I frowned.

"It also means I won't be in New York as often as I want to be."

I felt a strong hand on my right shoulder. My brown eyes found my dad's, and he had a smile on his face.

"Don't worry too much about us. We'll be more worried for you than you will be for us. And besides, Venus has been an excellent leader in your stead."

I grinned.

"I'm glad to hear Venus is doing okay," I told him.

"She is a very active leader. Auntie Mona is loving it. You made a very good call."

"I hope Ryan wasn't hurt by it."

"Ryan still needs to work on his temper. He and Venus have these vigorous duels. Sometimes he wins. Sometimes he loses. And it's the same way when he faces Athena, and also when Athena faces Venus. Uncle Leo's trained all four of your extremely well."

I then felt concern for Ryan and Justine and felt compelled to ask my dad a question.

"I know this is confidential and I know we're not in New York, but why were you concerned about Justine? Did something happen to her?"

"No, nothing major," Dad answered. "She and her dad have had a lot of disagreements the past couple of years, even to the point where he put Justine in the town jail for singing in the saloon."

"WHAT?" I yelled. "He's actually done that?!"

"Now, hold on," Dad sternly replied. "To be fair, Justine technically did break the law entering an adult establishment underage."

"Dad, how many laws have you broken? And how many laws were broken because you did the right thing?"

"None, first of all," Dad answered. "Second of all, the only law broken was murder. Leo committed murder by killing Shredder because he killed Splinter and he could not take care of himself anymore. You also committed murder, but you did it out of self-defense. Lily, a good ninja does not normally leave any evidence behind when a crime has been committed or the ninja tries to stop one."

We both let out a sigh before we continued our conversation.

"I am worried about Justine because she says she doesn't feel heard by her father. She says Woody has been set in his ways and refuses to change for her."

I let out a sigh and then smiled.

"Thank heavens our relationship is not like that," I replied.

"From your lips to God's ears!"

Dad suddenly gasped after glancing at his T-Phone.

"Lily, we both need to go! You gotta get ready for your first show!"

I arrived at Robinson Industries and then took the elevator to the underground club. I found Danny and Benny performing their comedy skit with the audience laughing at their jokes.

"Psst! Lily! Over here!"

I turned around to see Tallulah motioning me to go over to her. She led me into a dressing room with lots of gowns on the rack.

"It's my job to get you ready for your debut," Tallulah explained with a grin. "Are you excited?"

"I'm even more nervous than I was an hour ago!" I answered with a small panic in my mind. "How could I possibly top two experienced entertainers?"

"Hey, if Christina Grimmie did it, so can you. She was probably nervous in her first concert, too."

"She was nervous before all of her concerts," I reminded her. "And I was nervous at every talent show too. Liar Liar my sophomore year. With Love my junior year when I dedicated my performance to my dad. And then Rule the World with my entire family."

"But what happened once you got on stage?" Tallulah asked with an assuring smile.

"I just performed like I always have during practice."

"You got this, Lily. Cornelius wouldn't have hired you if he didn't think you were up for this. And I have the perfect outfit to spark your confidence."

Tallulah got into the rack and pulled out a yellow long-sleeved jumpsuit with lots of pockets on the chest and the thighs. She also took out a pair of white boots. I let out a gasp, immediately thinking it was perfect. But then something looked familiar about that outfit.

"Tallulah, did you... make this outfit?"

All she did at first was smile.

"It was your mother's," she told me.

I gasped again, this time in astonishment as I clasped both my hands over my mouth.

"How did you get this?" I asked in awe.

"Your mom gave it to me, explained the sentimentality behind it, and figured I could freshen it up for your first performance. And besides with your hair, this outfit would be perfect on you! Now go try it on!"

I squealed, hugged Tallulah excitedly, and then took the outfit into a stall to change in. Tallulah was right. My mother's very first jumpsuit with Channel 6 News fit me perfectly. I stepped out of the stall, and Tallulah grinned.

"Now let's do your hair and makeup."

All Tallulah did with my hair was brush it and gave it volume with hairspray, especially on my short layers and my bangs. Then, she applied black eyeliner, black mascara, a little bit of blush, and pink lip gloss on my face. I truly looked like the redhead version of my favorite singer, and I was happy with my appearance.

"Thank you so much for doing this!" I told Tallulah excitedly.

"Are you ready?"

I let out a confident sigh.

"Yes. Yes, I am ready."

APRIL'S POV

I got off work just in time to join my family in the lair, and then I took the portal to Todayland with Leo and Karai, Raph and Mona Lisa, and Mikey and Renet. Ryan, Venus, and Athena were still at Todayland attending to their practices. Donnie was already in Todayland because of his job, and we met him in front of Robinson Industries just a little after five o'clock Central Time. I hugged my husband and kissed him.

"How's Lily doing?" I asked. "Is she nervous?"

"She's very nervous," Donnie answered. "But I think she's gonna be great."

"We all think so, Donnie," Leo chimed in.

"So what's this club all about?" Raph asked. "I didn't know Todayland even had a club!"

"That's because Cornelius had only intended this club to be for his employees," Donnie explained. "Then his employees started inviting their friends once they got wind of how fantastic the comedy skits are."

Donnie let out a sigh.

"I was worried at first for Lily because she's only eighteen. Only adults over 21 years of age can enter."

"If there's anything I've learned about Lily, it's that she is wise and mature for her age," Renet chimed in. "She's been through so much and practically already started her adulthood at seventeen. I know she can handle herself."

Donnie and I glanced at each other and grinned.

"You know, when I was pregnant with Lily, I introduced her to Christina Grimmie in the womb," I explained. "I had no idea how much Lily would grow not only to admire Christina, but also to be like her. She even styled her hair like Christina's. Sure, Lily and Christina's lives took different paths. And Lily is not as gifted in songwriting as Christina was. But the fact that Lily is doing this to help people, to make them smile,... I'm proud of her. Donnie, I do believe she made the right choice."

"Lily has truly learned a lot this past year," Leo chimed in with a smile. "She's learned that her choices affect other people and now she's taking that into consideration. She chose the offer that she thought would best serve herself and the people she's surrounded by. I am very proud of her."

"It means a lot hearing that from you, Leo," Donnie replied.

"And I'm not just talking about her life in Todayland. Lily made an excellent choice choosing Venus to take her place as leader. I have never seen Venus so happy in her life."

"Venus is always asking Leo for advice," Karai chimed in. "And she's always meditating with us and with Ryan."

"Renet, how's Athena doing as cheerleading captain?" Donnie asked.

"Athena's been taking it with pride," Renet answered.

"And she has been amazing!" Mikey chimed in excitedly. "Athena learned a lot from Lily and is a shining star."

I glanced at my T-Phone.

"Shall we go in, take a seat, and order dinner?" I asked.

"Well, it's a club," Donnie replied. "So I'm not sure about dinner. They may have snacks we can order."

"What are we waiting for?" Mona Lisa happily asked.

The eight of us took our seats at a table and ordered our choice of alcohol and a cheese plate. We watched two comedians named Danny and Benny while we waited for Lily's performance. Danny wore a yellow shirt and jeans while Benny wore a blue shirt and jeans. Danny sported red hair and Benny sported blond hair. They were both born to perform comedy, for there was lots of laughter in the room. The eight of us enjoyed it a lot.

All too soon, their comedy hour was over, and everyone stood in applause.

"Now we're sorry to say that Duke Kaboom will not be showing off us skills yet," Danny told us.

"Instead, we have a special little lady who wants to show herself to the world with her big voice," Benny explained happily. "We're going to spend the next hour shrugging off all of our worries and enjoy what she has to give us."

Franny's frogs suddenly started to play the music. I immediately recognized the song as Christina Grimmie's Shrug. I grinned excitedly and my heart was pounding. Lily was going to make her appearance any second.

"Yeah!" Danny sang.

"We shrugging on my," Benny sang as Lily vocalized behind the curtain.

"LILY HAMATOOOOO!" Danny and Benny yelled at the same time.

They pulled the curtain back, revealing Lily, holding the microphone in her left hand, wearing my very first jumpsuit from all those years ago. The look, along with her Christina Grimmie-hairstyle, was absolutely perfect. Lily immediately started to sing with a smile on her face as she walked forward towards the crowd.

"So, you've been hanging with my ex all day, all day. You don't say thanks for taking what I threw away. I ain't fazed."

She pointed her right finger at us, still smiling.

"You play these little games. Such a joke. Ain't even tuned into your show. Oh, you think your claims are made of gold. But deep down everybody knows, knows."

Lily then made hand motions that matched the words to the chorus.

"They be standing 'round trying to one you up. You're sensing every lie on the tip of their tongue. When you had enough, you gotta hit 'em with the shrug like."

Lily repeated the chorus with slightly higher notes.

"Lily looks amazing!" Donnie said excitedly.

"Whoo!" Mikey and Renet yelled at the same time.

"Hola, hola, hola!" Lily belted out. "I see you lookin' at me! Take a picture, and don't be jelly. Girl, we ain't even friends, you just imaginary. This is getting old. Let it go. You play these little games. Such a joke. Ain't even tuned into your show. Oh, you think your claims are made of gold. But deep down everybody knows, knows."

Lily repeated the chorus the exact same way as the first time. Mikey and Renet were having so much fun they started clapping to the beat. Everyone else eventually joined in. The music quieted down for a little bit.

"So, you think your claims are made of gold," Lily sang softly before belting out. "But deep down everybody... KNOWS!"

We all cheered at Lily's talent as the music returned to being an upbeat song, and we started clapping again to the beat. Lily did some vocalizing while waiting for her next lines, and she hit her high notes perfectly. When the time came for her to sing the chorus two more times, she sang with such enthusiasm that she reminded me so much of Christina.

"They be standing 'round trying to one you up! You're sensing every lie on the tip of their tongue! When you've had enough you gotta hit 'em with the shrug like, yeah! Yeah, yeah!"

Lily then sang quietly into the microphone, still carrying her smile and using her right hand to emphasize her excitement.

"Hit 'em with the shrug, hit 'em with the shrug. If they don't give their word, go on, throw your hands up. Go on, hit 'em with the shrug, hit 'em with the shrug. If they don't give their word, go on, hit 'em with the shrug like! Hit 'em with the shrug, hit 'em with the shrug. Oh, we don't give a fly, oh! Hit 'em with the shrug, hit 'em with the shrug."

Lily excitedly finished the song off.

"If they don't give their word, go on, hit 'em with the shrug like!"

We cheered wildly as Lily laughed and bowed.

"I got it on video!" Donnie said excitedly.

"Thank you!" Lily said as we continued to cheer. "Thank you! Wow! There's so many in here! For those who don't know me, my name is Lily Hamato and I love to sing. That song was Shrug by the late Christina Grimmie. I pray this the rest of this set list will give you a glimpse into who I am and how these songs have shaped my life. I am here today to try something new, and with your help, I am so excited to Try Everything by Shakira."

We all laughed and cheered at Lily's pun.

"Which one of us is good at puns?" I asked.

Raph raised his hand with a smirk on his face. We laughed as Lily started to sing, her voice style matching Shakira's perfectly. After she sang the chorus the first time, she had pointed her finger at us. The eight of us vocalized, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"Try everything!" Lily sang, excitedly showing off her gap-toothed smile.

This time, a few more people joined us in vocalizing back to her.

"Try everything!"

Everyone vocalized this time.

"Try everything! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"

Lily sang the rest of the song with ease, sometimes putting her own spin in the song. At the very end of the song we assisted her again by vocalizing with her. We cheered at the end of the song.

"Thank you!" Lily said into the microphone. "To get into the next song, I'm going to tell a little story about a life-changing moment. I was born and raised in a very small town in New York. When I was fourteen, my dad and I had a fight that resulted in me being grounded. I took a run outside to calm down, but I ended up being kidnapped. Thankfully, I remembered my mom's advice and escaped in central Oklahoma. I had travelled on foot, having so many doubts about what would happen to me, whether my parents would find me or not, what I would eat, where I would sleep, and so on. To reflect on that part of my life, here is the late Christina Grimmie's I Bet You Don't Curse God."

We clapped as somber music started to play. Lily, with both hands on the microphone, sang about the various situations that people perceived as scary or traumatizing: bad news from a doctor, a plane in turbulence, a missing child, all of one's credit cards being declined, and a loved one dying. Lily sang somberly but beautifully, as only two frogs behind her instruments: the piano and the violin.

"There's pain," Lily sang. "Life hurts. There's a thousand things we think we don't deserve! Oh, all hope is lost when we spend it all and we just can't beat the odds. I bet you don't curse God!"

Lily belted out God while going down to her knees. She repeated that line with such compassion in her voice that she looked like she was actually praying to God. She repeated the line one more time but in a softer voice to end the song.

We clapped as the song ended, and another song immediately started to play. As the frog played the piano, Lily stayed on her knees, bringing the microphone up to her lips with both hands.

"There are days when I feel the best of me is ready to begin. Then there are days when I feel I'm letting go and soaring on the wind. 'Cause I've learned in laughter or in pain how to survive. I get on my knees. I get on my knees. There I am before the love that changes me. See, I don't know how but there's power when I'm on my knees."

Renet cheered as Lily stood up. Another frog started to play the drums. She stretched her right hand out as she started singing the next verse.

"I can be in a crowd or by myself in almost anywhere when I feel there's a need to talk with God. He is Emmanuel. When I close my eyes, no darkness there. There's only light!"

Lily sang the chorus again.

"She is so amazing," Donnie told me with his gap-toothed smile.

"See, I don't know how but there's power in the blue skies, in the midnight, when I'm on my... knees."

Lily put her own spin in the word knees, holding it out and vocalizing. She sang the chorus one more time, softly at first with only the piano playing. She became passionate again once the drum player resumed playing, belting out the word changes.

"See, I don't know how but there's power when I'm on my... oh, when I'm on my... when I'm on my..."

Lily took a deep breath, singing the word knees softly and holding it out one more time. We cheered wildly while Lily simply smiled out at her audience.

"Thank you very much. That was Jaci Velasquez's On My Knees. Now the next song is very special, and not because it is another song by Christina Grimmie. My mom sang this song and realized she was in love with my dad. They started their relationship after she sang this song and they have been happily married since."

Lily turned and looked directly at us with a smile on her face.

"I would like to invite my mother April O'Neil to come on up to the stage to perform the late Christina Grimmie's Without Him with me because we can't live without my dad."

I let out a gasp as Donnie and I both stood up. The audience cheered wildly. Donnie encouraged me to join Lily on the stage. I could not help but smile fondly at my daughter. Then, she started to sing. Knowing fully well how the song went, I sang the chorus with her and vocalized whenever I needed to. I also vocalized with her in the second half of the first verse regarding the girl getting out of a maze she had made. After I sang and vocalized the chorus with her, Lily sang the next verse with such skill. I lovingly stared at Donnie the entire verse.

"I'm not one to really talk at all. Speak up only when the time is right and when it calls for the big guns. Problem is, where to speak from? I hear it's your heart that does all the talking. Hurry up, you've got no time to waste 'cause this is the man I'm loving for always. And be honest to God, truth of the matter, I just can't see my life going on without..."

Lily took a deep breath and belted out the word you in the highest notes possible. I sang the chorus as Lily belted out the last of her part of the song in harmony. The audience cheered wildly as Lily and I hugged each other. I returned to my seat as she prepared to speak again.

"Let's give another applause to my mom April for joining me!" Lily enthusiastically said into the microphone and the audience cheered again. "This next song is special to me because I have often thought about running away from my problems, whether it's fighting my dad because we disagree or being the leader in my family and trying to solve a problem between family members. This song is a reminder that God is always with me, that He loves me, and I will always have a home to go back to when I'm afraid. Here is Rachael Lampa's Always Be My Home."

We clapped when the piano and violin started playing. Lily sang the first verse softly and openly. When she started singing the chorus, the way she sang stuck with me.

"But still, I wanna run away and go it all alone. Will I ever learn from my mistakes? And I can't live without your love 'cause your eyes have seen beyond the things I'm guilty of. I won't be afraid to turn back down the road. 'Cause your heart will always be my home."

I tapped my husband's shoulder.

"Do you remember when we both fought with Lily because we thought she injured someone on purpose?" I whispered, and he nodded. "I wonder if this was what was on her mind."

Donnie smiled at me as Lily sang the next verse and chorus.

"I only remember us reconciling in my office. We both felt guilty, and we apologized to each other and forgave each other. We've always made up. I know Lily knows that if she's doubting herself, we'll be here for her."

"Your hands are always open to catch me when I fall," Lily belted out with a proud smile on her face. "I feel a million miles away. But that's no... distance... at all!"

There was a small interlude before Lily sang the chorus one more time with her own flair. We applauded.

"Thank you very much," Lily spoke to us. "Now this song is one I am excited to sing to you. It is a very hard song to sing by myself, so I have enlisted the help of my dear roommate Justine Pride. Come on up, Justine!"

We applauded as Justine, sporting a blonde braid and wearing a yellow dress and white cowgirl boots, walked up to the stage and stood next to Lily.

"This is Shaken by Rachael Lampa."

The arrangement Franny had made for this song was very interesting. There was a jazzy feel to the song instead of the normal pop sound that Rachael Lampa had created. Lily and Justine both vocalized when their cues came. The trumpet and guitar players played, and then Lily started to sing quickly with every note and word on point.

"Take a ride back in history. Let's review the facts of eternity to the children of Israel in the burning sands and the desert heat. Bitter hearts in the wilderness, God saw that they would not confess. With a velvet touch and an iron hand, He dragged them to the promised land. Everything that can be will be. Everything that can be will be!"

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken," Justine sang alone as Lily finished her verse.

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken," Lily joined Justine. "Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken."

"God is going to shake the whole thing down," Lily sang, finishing the chorus.

There was a small interlude with the trumpet and guitar players, and Lily jumped right back in with the fast second verse, raising her hand in the air as if she was praising God.

"Raise your hands, children, lift them high. Let's join our hearts, walk in the light. There's a desert, there's a wilderness separating us from the better life. See, together we can walk through fire, we can face the flame."

"We can reach the higher ground that waits in the promised land," Lily and Justine sang in harmony. "'Cause only faith and love will stand."

"And everything that can be will be," Lily sang. "Everything that can be will be!"

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken."

"Some things last forever."

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken."

"Some things fade away!" Lily belted out.

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken."

"God is going to shake the whole thing down!"

Lily vocalized the word down as another interlude went on. Then, she took a deep breath and sang the highest note she could sing, which was in a very high octave, and I heard cheering all around the room.

"Shake the whole thing down!" Lily belted out before singing softly. "Everything that can be will be. Everything that can be will be. Everything that can be will be."

Lily took a breath, preparing to belt her next line.

"Everything that can be will be!"

Justine started the chorus as Lily sang the highest note again.

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken."

"Some things fade away!"

"Shaken, shaken, shaken, shaken."

"This hope and love will live eternally!"

Lily vocalized before the girls sang the chorus one last time. Lily repeated the last line twice, and she finished the song while shouting the word down. Lily and Justine were met with wild applause as they hugged each other with huge smiles on their faces.

"Let's give another applause to Justine!" Lily said excitedly as we gave Justine more applause. "She's amazing, isn't she? Now this next song is one I hold very dear to my heart. I performed this song at my very first talent show in 2040 as a high school sophomore and it was also at a time when my relationship with my boyfriend was in limbo. This song will forever hold more meaning for Christina Grimmie than it will for me, but I am happy to present my own spin of her song, Liar Liar."

The eight of us immediately cheered, knowing Lily was going to nail this performance. What impressed me the most was that the frog player playing the keyboards lent them to Lily. Lily played the song on the keyboards by herself all while making the song her own. This performance was even better than her performance at the talent show two and a half years ago. She explored her voice with the keyboards and no other instruments in the background, which made this performance more special.

A thought dawned on me when Lily started to sing the bridge. Lily was her generation's Christina Grimmie, and she was not afraid to shine and be herself.

"Liar, liar, don't cry on my shoulder," Lily sang softly before belting out the next line. "You played with fire and smiled when you told her! Liar, liar, don't cry on my shoulder! You played with fire and smiled when you told her. Oh, oh, thought you were someone. Oh, oh, goodbye to no one! Oh, oh, thought you were someone!"

Lily explored her voice one more time, hitting her head notes with all her strength.

"Goodbye to no one," Lily sang slowly and sweetly, ending the song and being greeted with thunderous applause. "Alright, thank you! Now I had trouble figuring out where to put this next song. You see, Shrug, the first one I did tonight, talks about not believing the lies, shrugging them off, and just being yourself. This next one talks about not giving in to rumors, knowing the truth, and keeping secrets if needed. This one went more with Liar Liar than Shrug because Liar Liar was about keeping lies a secret. In Christina's case, her ex-boyfriend had dated her and another girl and kept it from both girls. But anyway, without further ado, this is Hilary and Haylie Duff's Our Lips Are Sealed."

Lily returned the keyboards to the frog, and since it wasn't needed, the song immediately began. I immediately recognized this song because I had very much enjoyed watching A Cinderella Story when I was a little girl. I learned that Lily enjoyed that movie as well. The song was originally a duet between two sisters, but Lily nailed both parts alone, and again made the song her own. Lily sounded very excited to sing this song, which revealed another key part of her: she was willing to defend the small person while putting a smile on their face, saving their world one day at a time. She finished the song, and there was a lot of applause.

"Thank you very much," Lily spoke happily. "And I'm please most of you recognized that as a song from A Cinderella Story. It was one of my favorite movies to watch with my cousins Athena and Venus when we were kids. And speaking of princesses, I have another delightful and hard song to perform tonight. This one took me months to learn, but I'm happy to sing the late Christina Grimmie's Snow White."

At first, the song was soft and quiet with only the piano playing in the background. Lily explored the lower octave as she sang of Snow White's dreams and woes. Then Lily sang the first verse quickly but right on point with the drums, guitar, and bass joining her.

"How does Lily sing so fast and yet understand what she is singing?" Donnie asked me in awe.

"It takes a lot of practice to get it down," I replied in a whisper as Lily got back into the low-toned chorus. "Like she said, it took her months to get it right."

Lily sang the second verse quickly and perfectly, and from that moment on, she made it her own. She changed her tone in the chorus, singing just a tad higher in her range.

"What does it take to find me the man who won't go breaking my heart?" Lily sang, preparing to belt out the last part of the song. "There's only one and he's got the key, but we are two worlds apart! Someday, my prince will come for me! Save me from this harm that haunts. Oh, when will I be free? Tell me, someday he will come, oh, for me."

Lily vocalized, her voice traveling back down to her lower octave. Only the piano was playing at this point.

"For me."

We cheered as the song ended.

"Thank you! Whew! I hope you all are having fun being here tonight!"

We cheered again.

"We only have a few minutes left, so I will sing two more for you. This next one I am singing talks about following your gut and choosing a direction you would take in the moment. If it turns out it was the wrong decision, tomorrow is a brand new day. Here is Sixpence None the Richer's Tonight."

The drums played a little beat to get the music going, and the guitar and bass players joined in. It was a very simple song for Lily to sing, and she sang it sweetly. I especially loved the bridge and the chorus she sang after.

"Tonight, I'm gonna let it go and try to let it be because I know you'll see that's hard to know where I'm supposed to go."

Lily took a breath, making the song her own as she hit her highest head notes.

"But there is a way."

Lily went back down to her middle octave notes.

"And tomorrow is a brand new day."

Lily went back and forth from her middle octave to her high octave notes as she sang this chorus again, finishing the song in her middle notes. The band did their part in finishing the song after Lily stopped singing, and we applauded.

"Thank you so much for being here tonight!" Lily said. "Before I sing the last song tonight, I want to give some special thanks. Thank you to Cornelius Robinson for believing in me and helping me make this happen tonight. To Franny, his wife, for lending me your frog band and for practicing with me. To Justine for singing a song with me tonight. To my parents, April and Donatello, for always been there for me and for supporting me all these years. To my uncles Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo for being here tonight, and I also want to thank my aunts Karai, Mona Lisa, and Renet for accompanying them and supporting me. And lastly, even though they aren't here tonight, I want to thank my cousins Ryan, Venus, and Athena for backing me up and encouraging me to sing my heart out for all of you. And now, here is Sixpence None the Richer's Waiting on the Sun."

We cheered as the guitar started to play. To my delight, I heard a flute as well, possibly the same flute I heard in Lily's first song.

"I'm going nowhere and I'm going to take my time," Lily sang sweetly. "All the questions in the world, I can leave in my mind. I'm waiting on the sunshine, the sunshine."

The drums and bass started to play.

"I'm waiting for answers. I'm waiting to figure it out. I trip on my chances. I slip through my doubts. I'm going nowhere and I am going to take my time. All the questions in the world I can leave in my mind. I'm waiting for the sunshine, the sunshine, the sunshine. Well it seems that my weakness is sometimes my only strength."

Lily took a breath, and she surprised us with her next line: she sang her highest notes.

"And in my incompleteness, you get your way!"

We cheered, so proud that she pulled it off. She repeated the chorus in her normal octave and then sang the bridge in her high notes.

"I'll be around and I will find my way back down. And I'll sing the sound of the sun!"

Lily sang the chorus one more time to close out the song, and we stood up and cheered wildly as Lily ducked behind the curtain. The eight of us got up and met Tallulah in the dressing room. And then, Lily showed up, screamed excitedly, and hugged all of us.

"You were amazing up there!" I told her excitedly.

"Your very first show!" Leo said happily. "We've never been so proud of you."

"How do you feel?" Raph asked with a kind smile.

"Oh my goodness!" Lily exclaimed with laughter. "I'm still trying to catch my breath and realize I just did all that!"

We laughed with her.

"And I gotta do it again in two hours!"

"Will this be a permanent thing, Lily?" Renet asked.

"Nah, Auntie Renet, I'm just doing this to get through college. I know for a fact God has bigger plans for me than this. But right now, I'm in it for the ride and I'm gonna see it through."

"That is a very mature way of looking at it, Lily," Donnie replied with a proud smile.

"Unfortunately, we do have to go back to the lair to greet your cousins and do our training," Leo said.

"Tell them I said hi!" Lily excitedly replied.

"Certainly," Karai replied with a smile.

September 7, 2042 - New York City, New York, USA

VENUS'S POV

I woke up at six o'clock in the morning after a very exciting week. Last Monday was Lily's singing debut at the Robinson Industries underground club, and from what my family told me, it was such a hit with the city. Uncle Donnie had videotaped every single song that Lily performed at her debut show so that Athena, Ryan, and I could watch whenever we could. I absolutely loved that Lily wore her mother's first jumpsuit that night to pay homage to her.

Lily returned the favor this past Friday and watched as much of Ryan's first home football game as possible. She was able to watch Athena's debut as captain of the cheerleading squad as well as my debut as the captain of the varsity color guard. It all went extremely well as the Todayland Stars had a blowout victory in their game.

Yesterday, Athena and I had a little sleepover in my room as we did our nails and makeup and talked about the gossip going around Todayland High School. We both also expressed concern for Lily, as she was performing twelve shows in one week in Todayland on top of doing homework for college. While Wilbur was not able to make it to Lily's shows because he was only nineteen, he was still able to meet up with Lily for lunch to check up on her. Athena and I talked about how happy we were that Lily had someone to watch over her other than her dad and her boyfriend. We concluded our night watching silly videos about the movie Cars on YouTube.

I woke with a smile, pleased that I have had the most fun in a while. I suddenly felt inspired to play Evanescence's Bring Me to Life on my T-Phone. And before I could even think about it, I heard my own voice following along with the woman singer. I sang every single word without looking the lyrics up as if I had known this song my entire life. I belted the chorus out every single time without wavering. When I finished singing, I felt free. In fact, I had never felt so free in my life.

"Venus!"

I suddenly jumped in my bed. Athena and Ryan had appeared in the doorway with smiles on their faces.

"Did we just hear you sing?" Ryan asked with sincerity.

"No!" I lied. "No, that wasn't me. You know I can't carry a tune!"

"Venus, you're just like your dad, you know that?" Athena asked with frustration.

"And you can't deny that you sang," Ryan said with a smirk. "Everyone heard you. Your father was just telling us how happy you've been lately. My father's thinking you're finally coming out of your shell."

"Ryan, may I speak to Athena alone?" I asked. "Please?"

Athena and Ryan glanced at each other and nodded. Ryan left the room. Athena sat on the bed with me.

"Are you alright?" Athena asked with a smile.

"This is all very strange," I answered, shaking my head. "Ever since Lily made me leader, I've been feeling more positive about myself and I've been wanting to try new things besides color guard. But at the same time, I'm depressed because Lily's not here for me to talk to her."

Tears suddenly came to my eyes and I felt lost. I had never felt so happy before, nor have I felt so depressed because someone I loved wasn't here.

"Lily did say she was a phone call away," Athena assured me. "Why don't you call her? It's Sunday. I'm sure she's having a good time just relaxing. I bet she'll be excited to hear your voice."

I took out my T-Phone, debating on whether to make the call. I slowly got on my phone app and found Lily's contact information. A picture of Lily appeared, looking free with her short red layers and bangs and her gap-toothed smile. After a few moments, I pushed the button to make the call. I put the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Lily, it's Venus," I said hesitantly.

"Venus! Oh my gosh, hi! How are you?"

"I'm great!" I said, forcing a smile. "I'm doing just... great."

"Are you sure?" Lily asked with a sad tone. "You sound hesitant. Is there something you'd like to talk about?"

"Could we talk somewhere alone? I feel like I really need to talk to you."

"Why don't you come here? Since you'd be using the portal to come into my dorm, the cameras can't spot you walking in."

"Hey! That's true! Yeah! I'll definitely do that. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon!"

I hung up and turned to Athena.

"Lily's inviting me to her dorm."

I let out a sigh.

"Should I really be doing this?"

"Hey, if there's one person who can truly help you understand yourself, it's Lily," Athena assured me. "She's the most understanding person I know."

I suddenly hugged my cousin, and she hugged me back. Something truly was wrong with me. I was singing. I was happy. I was willingly hugging people. Athena was right. If anyone would understand, it was Lily. After we released each other, I opened the portal and made my way to Todayland.