Here is the second chapter of the arc regarding Little Donnie and his London trip. Both he and Lily grow here. All I can say is... read this chapter, and then keep an eye out for the next one. Lily takes a huge step there. This chapter actually covers Lily getting closer to taking that step. I hope you'll enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," "TMNT," "Choices: High School story," nor "Sonic the Hedgehog." I only own Lilianna, Little Donnie, Mika, Vaia, Karena, Diana, and Wesley.
May 13, 2061 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
My alarm was very loud when I woke up. I felt very groggy as a result of last night, a night I certainly wanted to forget. I did not want to change clothes at the moment and went downstairs wearing my silky purple nightgown and purple robe. My red hair was currently in a long braid.
I gasped when I reached the kitchen.
"Knuckles! What are you doing here this early? And what are you cooking?"
"I never went home four hours ago. I decided you needed me here after our talk with Donatello and I thought I'd make you breakfast."
"When did you learn how to cook?"
"I had to learn at a very young age in order to survive," Knuckles explained.
"Ah. That makes sense. Well, thank you for doing that. That was very sweet of you."
"Good morning, Mom."
We turned to our right to see Mika coming down the stairs.
"Knuckles? What are you doing here? It's seven o'clock in the morning."
"That seems to be the question of the day," Knuckles said in amusement.
"He stayed the night and is making us breakfast," I explained. "Knuckles, what is breakfast?"
"It is nice and easy. Scrambled eggs..."
I suddenly saw flying toast and the Echidna caught it with ease.
"...And toast."
"Yum!" Mika exclaimed.
"Oh, and one more thing."
Knuckles went to the fridge and retrieved one more item.
"Grapes."
"Why grapes?" Mika asked.
"They are nutritious," Knuckles explained, but Mika gave him a look of confusion.
"They're good for you," I simplified it down for her.
"Oh! Okay."
We heard more footsteps, and my son came down the stairs.
"Good morning," Little Donnie grumbled.
"Good morning, Donatello," Knuckles and I replied at the same time with flat affect.
"Knuckles? You're still here? Why?"
"Because we need to talk about last night," Knuckles explained.
"Okay, I'm going back to my room--"
"Nope," I interrupted him. "That's not an option. Sit down."
"What did I miss?" Mika asked.
"Donatello, why don't you tell your sister what happened from the very beginning?" I sternly suggested.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes," Knuckles answered sternly, fixing him a breakfast plate.
"Well, I really did go to rehearsal yesterday," Little Donnie explained. "And that was when I learned that the Crandalls withdrew their funding. We couldn't go to London anymore. We were debating how we could come up with the money in only four days and that's when Ajay, our student director, came in announcing that he found a scholarship that would just barely cover the costs. But he stayed up all night to write this poorly executed essay. Then, he revealed that the foundation was holding optional in-person interviews and he demanded we go with him."
"So you guys did not have to go, correct?" I asked.
"Correct. Skye and I both tried to convince everyone to not go. But the majority overruled us and we just started heading that way. I already knew I was going to be in trouble. But I felt ashamed to admit it. I knew if I told you two where I was going, you would have told me to come home or you would have followed me."
"Wait, why did you feel shame?" Knuckles asked.
"Mom wouldn't have understood," Little Donnie continued. "That was why I declined her call. But a part of me was hoping you would, Knuckles, and that was why I answered yours. But then you saw right through my lie and I felt scared that you would be angry with me, even though you're not my dad."
"Why wouldn't I understand?" I asked. "Donatello, if you had been honest with us from the beginning, I would have been more understanding. Were you with an adult?"
"Does Maria count?"
"Nope. In this case, a teacher or someone over 21 years of age."
"Then, no. I was with Diana, though."
"I am sure Diana was in as much trouble as you were last night. Diana is not an adult."
Little Donnie sighed.
"What I don't understand is why you lied to Knuckles of all people," I continued. "I thought you two had bonded. I think he deserves to know why you did what you did."
"I thought about it all evening," he explained, turning to Knuckles. "I couldn't go to sleep not just because I lied to you, but also because of what I said in that argument. I was actually scared of you, Knuckles, when you replied to my lie. I didn't want to know what you would look like when you're mad."
The Echidna raised a brow.
"I said that you are not my dad and I am not your son," Little Donnie continued. "Even though I'm done grieving for my dad, I still miss him a lot."
"And you did speak the truth," Knuckles finally replied. "Donatello, I have been lied to and betrayed again and again and again and again. I felt foolish all those times because I should have known better. But when you lied to me last night, it hurt me, because it came from the last person I expected. I had thought you could trust me and I could trust you."
"I know, and I am so sorry. I hope I can gain your trust back."
My son sighed again.
"Knuckles, Mom said that you cared for me like I was your son. Is that true?"
Knuckles and I glanced at each other before he answered.
"Yes, it is true. And that is why I am still here. Even though I am not happy that you lied to me, I still care for you a lot. I will still train you in the ways of the Echidnas. That is a promise I intend to keep."
Little Donnie finally smiled.
"Okay. And I'm going to make a promise to never lie to you or anyone ever again."
"Please promise me you will keep that promise," Knuckles requested.
"I promise. Now, can we talk about my punishment?"
"About how you're not going to London?" I asked.
"Yeah. Did it have to be that?"
"Yes. You were in Pittsburgh when you lied to Knuckles about your whereabouts. Why would I trust you across the pond? Also, your attitude last night was unacceptable. That is not good representation of your country."
"But what if we do end up winning the scholarship?"
"No. And that is final. We're both staying here."
Little Donnie got up and slumped his shoulders as he walked up the stairs to his room.
LITTLE DONNIE'S POV
I sat in my room after school. Rehearsal was cancelled again due to the lack of energy, so I ended up walking home. I had texted Knuckles that I needed to talk to him.
I heard knocking on the door.
"Donatello?"
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing Knuckles. He closed the door and came to sit on the bed with me.
"You said you wanted to talk with me?"
"Yes, I did," I answered. "And I need to talk to you."
"What is wrong?"
"We won the scholarship and the money to get us to London, and I can't even go for being dishonest with you and Mom. I know I should have told you the truth, and I regret lying to you. But please hear me out. At first, I signed up for being part of the crew just so I can go to London. But the more we rehearsed and perfected everything, the more I loved being part of the crew and doing everything I love doing, building things! But now, I can't see all of my hard work come to fruition because of all the wrongs I committed last night."
I put my hands on his shoulders and gazed into his purple eyes.
"Please, Knuckles? Please talk to my mom for me? I am too ashamed to talk to her."
Knuckles let out a deep, contemplated sigh.
"I will tell your mother what you have told me, but I cannot promise the outcome of this talk."
I let out a sigh of relief.
"Hey, you listened. That is more than enough for me. Thank you."
"Donatello."
"Yes?"
"You should never be ashamed to talk to your mother," Knuckles assured me. "She loves you. You messed up last night, but not even that changes the love she has for you... nor mine."
I gasped. Knuckles loves me?
"What about Mom? How do you feel about her?"
He smiled and blushed a little.
"It... may be too early to tell, but I am starting to become certain that I am in love with your mother. But the ultimate decision is up to her. She is still grieving your father."
I grinned.
"I can read my mom's mind. So I know all about your kiss. She can't stop thinking about it."
He really blushed this time, turning as red as his fur.
"Maybe I'll call you my dad one day, Knuckles. If I can overcome my grief, so can she."
"I am sure you are right, Donatello. We need to give her time."
May 14, 2061
LILIANNA'S POV
I knocked on my son's door after we had dinner together. I opened the door and went inside the room.
"Hello, Donatello."
"Hi, Mom. We had our dress rehearsal today and it went really well."
"I'm happy to hear that. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."
I sat down on the bed with him.
"I have done some thinking about your punishment. And I also spoke to a few people about it."
"You didn't start a gossip column, did you?" Little Donnie asked me.
"No. Outside of Knuckles, I only spoke with your grandpa and Wilbur. Though Wilbur was the best one to talk to because he will also punish his daughter. But he will punish her after the trip to London."
He rolled his eyes.
"Lucky her."
"I am also postponing your punishment until your trip to London is over."
He blinked.
"Wait, what did you say?"
"You are going to London. Knuckles, once again, has given me wisdom. But this time, you gave him wisdom to begin with. And from what I saw at rehearsal today, I can see just how much you loved contributing to the drama department."
"You were there?"
"Yes. I decided to stay and watch for a few minutes. You have grown in just this past month alone, and I am proud of you."
"Even after Thursday night?"
"Yes. If I was harsh on you, I am truly sorry. Knuckles and I both assumed you were at rehearsal when Karena called. When she told us rehearsal was canceled, we both became worried that something had happened to you. Donatello, I already lost your father. I don't know how I'd feel if I lost you, too."
"Speaking of which, there's something you should know about Dad."
"Oh? What is that?"
"Spending these last three months with Knuckles helped me realize just how much Dad was really there for us," Little Donnie explained. "Sure, Dad homeschooled me and helped Mika with homework. But once he was done helping us, he just went into the living room, relaxed, and watched TV."
"Really?"
"Yeah. But Knuckles... Knuckles is really involved. He trains me and Mika to be warriors. He helps us both with our homework. He even makes dinner and asks me or Mika to help him."
"Well, now I know who really does all the cooking!" I said with laughter.
"And he also feeds Vaia and has Mika help him change her diaper. We actually were a family, even if he's not officially part of it yet. He doesn't just sit and relax. He's always put us first and made sure we were taken care of."
I let out a sigh. My doubts about my marriage to James came back.
"And Mom, this is probably not my business, but Knuckles is in love with you."
"How do you know this? Did Knuckles say something to you?"
"Yes, he did. I know about your kiss."
I blushed.
"He confessed, though he thought it was happening too soon because he wants to give you the time and space to grieve for Dad."
I felt stunned. I, too, thought it was too soon to consider my feelings for Knuckles. I was once again consumed by questions about James's character.
May 15, 2061
KARENA'S POV
"Thank you for agreeing to talk with me," Lily told me and Wilbur.
"Of course!" Wilbur replied. "You're family. What's going on?"
"Wilbur, you knew James the most. You were best friends. Was there anything off about James?"
"He only acted off when he was around you. I know it's not what you want to hear, but he was always worried that he was going to be too good for you. He knew you had special powers. But he never judged you for it. He was really happy with his life until Mika was born. Then he realized he needed to stay home and take care of Mika and Donnie while you worked a higher-paying job to support the family. He loved his family, but he missed being at work and he missed contributing."
"I wish he had told me these things," Lily replied with shock. "I could have tried to work this out."
"But how?" I asked. "Every single person you knew either works at T.I.M.E., is a teacher, or lives in the lair where there are risks when going there. I don't think you could've done anything different."
Lily sighed.
"This is all my fault. If I had paid more attention to him--"
"Lily, do not blame yourself for any of this!" Wilbur sternly interrupted her. "You seem to do that a lot. Some things are beyond our control. You and James made your choices. Tell me, before James died, have you had any doubts about him?"
"No. He helped me take care of the kids and he was there when I needed him."
"But were you there when he needed you?"
Lily looked like she was on the brink of tears.
"I tried to be. And when I really did try to be there for him, the Shredder killed him!"
She sniffed.
"I took my husband for granted. I didn't realize it until Donnie and I talked."
"It sounds like James took you all for granted, too," I spoke. "But James made his choice and it was an honorable one."
"And he really did love you," Wilbur chimed in. "All he wanted was for you to be happy, even if it cost him his own."
Lily glanced up at us.
"Is it possible that I married James because he was the first boy to actually look at me?"
"That could be. But James listened to you. He gave up his dreams so you could follow yours."
"It's funny. When he first asked me to marry him, I told him not to give up his dreams for me. And now..."
She sighed.
"But then Knuckles came along and it's opened my eyes to how things were with James. And Wilbur, what Donnie told me matches what you said about James."
Wilbur and I glanced at each other.
"And how do you feel about Knuckles?" I asked.
She smiled and wiped away her tears.
"Donnie told me Knuckles is in love with me. And the scary part is... I think I'm in love with him, too. He's absolutely wonderful with the children and he always makes sure they are taken care of first. He actually spends time with them, something I try to do when I'm home."
"Lily, has the thought occurred to you that God took James to heaven because he found someone better for you?" Wilbur asked.
"No."
"Come with me."
Lily and I followed Wilbur to our room. He opened a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper.
"James wrote this before you got married," he explained. "He made me promise to give it to you if anything happened to him. Even though it's been over a year, I think you should know what he has to say."
North Hampton, New York, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
I transformed into Aumanil and flew to my husband's grave. I wanted to read the letter there. I did not change back, and I sat down. I pulled the letter open and I read it word-for-word.
My dearest Lily of the Valley,
If you are reading this, then I am not coming home to you. God has brought me to my forever home. But I want you to know that you have brought a different kind of sunshine into my life, and I am forever thankful for that.
My death may be the end of my journey, but your journey will continue. Our journey together was not long enough. But please know that I do not regret my decision to drop my dreams to watch you soar. You are a very special person, Lily. Any man would be lucky to have you.
Please promise me you will open your heart up to love again. You deserve everything, and I pray that your new love will give you more than I ever could. You have a genuine heart and an even bigger soul, and I know without a doubt you will give him everything he desires.
Thank you for all the love you have given me. Even though I am now gone, I will always be the biggest fan of your life.
I love you forever,
James.
I held the letter to my heart and cried. Then, I decided to speak.
"James, thank you for loving me and being there for me. If I did anything wrong in our fifteen years of marriage, please forgive me. I did not know any better. Thanks to you, I feel wiser than ever before. I do not regret anything we have done in our marriage together. But now I'm ready to move forward."
I smiled.
"You would love Knuckles, James. He's different, like I am. But he is absolutely wonderful with the children and with me. I think you can rest in peace, knowing that I am taken care of. I am scared of taking the next step forward, but after kissing him for the first time, I felt a new energy, a new confidence. But now I know you will back me up every step of the way. Sometimes the scariest thing can be the best thing to ever happen to you."
I let out a sigh. I glanced at my wedding ring. I suddenly thought it was silly holding on to something that did not exist anymore. But at the same time, I was thankful this marriage happened, even if it wasn't perfect. I took off my wedding ring and put it on his grave. I got up and left, putting a strand of hair behind my ear.
May 16, 2061 - Westport, Connecticut, USA
Little Donnie and I got up at an ungodly hour this morning and we were treated to breakfast by Knuckles, who ended up staying up the entirety of the night so far.
"To think it hasn't been that long since I was awake at three in the morning," I spoke with fatigue. "Thank you so much for doing this, Knuckles."
"You are welcome. I hope you two will have a safe flight to London."
"We're gonna have a blast!" Little Donnie said excitedly. "May I have some coffee?"
"Absolutely not!" Knuckles and I answered at the same time.
"Whoa! Okay."
Suddenly, we heard knocking.
"Who could that be at three o'clock in the morning?" Knuckles asked.
"A Jehovah's Witness with a caffeine problem?" I asked with sarcasm.
Knuckles walked over to the door and opened it.
"May I help you?" he asked.
"You must be Knuckles! I'm Karena. This is my husband Wilbur and our two children Diana and Wesley."
"Oh, come on in, guys!" I yelled. "Knuckles, Karena and Diana are also going to London. Wilbur's our ride."
"Ah!" Knuckles exclaimed with enthusiasm. "So you're the Wilbur that Lily speaks so highly of."
Wilbur and Knuckles shook hands as the former laughed.
"Yep! That's me. I hope she's said all good things about me. Meanwhile, Lily has spoken about you quite often. It's an honor to finally put a name to the face! I take it you're here to watch Mika and Vaia?"
"Yes. Yes, I am."
"May I ask a favor from you, Knuckles?"
"Of course."
"There's going to be five of us going to the airport and that's all the room I have. Would you mind watching Wesley until I get back? He's very well-behaved."
"Of course, I will. Is there anything I should know about him?"
"Donnie, may I sleep in your bed?" Wesley asked sleepily. "I'm so tired."
"Sure!"
"Have fun in London."
Wesley and Little Donnie hugged before Wesley went up the stairs.
"I have a feeling he's going to be staying here for the rest of the night," Wilbur spoke.
"Wilbur, once you are done, why don't you come here for the rest of the morning?" Knuckles suggested. "I would be honored to make you and Wesley breakfast."
"One, I am amazed that you cook," Wilbur replied with surprise. "And two... I would absolutely love that. I am terrible at cooking."
"You're in good hands, Uncle Wilbur," Little Donnie spoke. "Knuckles is a better cook than my mom."
"Well, that is saying something. Knuckles, I would love to stay. Thank you. In fact, why don't we make a deal: if I get the groceries, would you make dinner for you, the girls, me, and Wesley this week?"
"That is a wonderful idea," the Echidna answered enthusiastically.
"I will set up the living room for you," I spoke.
"I will take care of that," Knuckles chimed in. "You need to go."
I looked over at him, walked over to him, and then we embraced each other.
"Be safe, Starlight," he whispered. "Please tell me when you get there."
"I will, Knuckles. Please get some sleep at some point."
We broke the embrace and we kissed each other on the cheek. After Knuckles and Little Donnie said their goodbyes, Wilbur drove the four of us to the airport.
London, England, United Kingdom
"Look outside!"
Little Donnie, Karena, and I stirred ourselves awake and glanced out the window.
"Is that London?" Little Donnie asked excitedly.
"It is!" I answered, feeling excited. "That Ferris wheel is called the London Eye. And then there's that big clock called Big Ben."
We felt ourselves descending and then the plane rattled as it came to a stop.
"TOUCHDOWN!" Caleb yelled excitedly. "London, here we come!"
We got off the plane, collected our luggage, and then we took a subway called the Underground into the city. When we emerged to the surface, we all gasped in awe.
"It's so... beautiful!" Little Donnie exclaimed excitedly. "I gotta take my camera out."
I laughed as he took the digital camera that he got for his birthday out from his coat pocket. He took pictures of the Underground signs as well as everything in his surroundings.
"British things are everywhere!" Amy, Donnie's friend, said excitedly. "Look, a phone booth! And there's a pub!"
"How often do you see those things anymore?" Karena asked.
"Never," I answered as we shared a laugh.
"Moreover, Big Ben is right there!" Ajay shouted, pointing to the big clock. "A cultural icon is right before our eyes."
"Wot's up, mate?" Adam asked in a British accent. "Cheerio! Pip pip!"
"Everyone, follow me!" Mr. Olson yelled. "We're stopping by the hotel to drop our luggage off before our first tour."
"Thank goodness!" Rory exclaimed. "My arms are about to fall off."
"Donatello!" I yelled. "Let's go!"
As everyone discussed what they brought with them, we made our way to the hotel.
"Kids, our hotel's right along the corner!" a chaperone named Jim yelled. "Let's walk in single file so we don't block the other patrons off."
"What are we, five?" Little Donnie asked in annoyance.
"Let's just go," I sternly replied.
We made it into the lobby. Most of us stood around while Mr. Olsen checked all of us in.
"Don't tell me we're staying at the same hotel as you talentless scrubs!" a male voice suddenly rang out.
Little Donnie and I turned towards the voices and he suddenly started clinging to me.
"What is wrong, Donatello?" I asked him.
"He's one of the kids from Fairfield."
"Really?"
"That can't be!" another Fairfield student gawked. "You peons are just acting unfazed!"
"May the best school win," Ajay shot back. "We'll see how you fare in a fair fight."
"Ooh, that was a good line!" I whispered.
"It'll be more a massacre than a fight, darling," the first kid spoke. "We eat babies like you for breakfast."
"Keep telling yourself that, you lowlifes!" Rory shot back.
"Clearly, they are terrified of losing their pride," I told my son. "Do not ever get down to their level."
"Calling Amy, Erin, Emma, and Maria!" another chaperone, Ms. Maddox, yelled. "You're in room 614!"
"What's happening, Karena?" I asked.
"It looks like Donnie is with Caleb, Adam, and Michael," she answered. "But hey! We are roommates!"
"Sweet! When was the last time we bunked together?"
"Our weekend trip to Todayland in 2047."
"Oh, we're long overdue!"
"And the best part: no children! We get a little break from them."
I frowned, suddenly worried about mine.
"That reminds me, Knuckles told me to call him when I made it to London. Let's go to our room so I can do that."
We got into our room with quite the view of the city. While admiring the view, I made the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Knucklehead," I greeted him teasingly "You sound like I just woke you up."
"Me and Vaia both," Knuckles grumbled. "My phone was right next to me and it was so loud it woke Vaia up."
I winced, hearing my baby's cries on the other side.
"I am so sorry!"
"Vaia, shh, it is all right," I heard Knuckles soothing her. "Here, hold on to this. I am sorry, Lily. I am trying to calm her down. Vaia's grabbing onto my dreadlock now, so it should help. How do you do this everyday?"
"Lots of practice and patience, Knuckles. Welcome to temporary fatherhood."
We both laughed.
"So you two were sleeping?"
"Yes. Since you were gone, I wanted Vaia to know she was safe, so I set up a little sleeping area in the living room for us to sleep so I am near her. I got her up at six-thirty and fed her a bottle of milk. Then Mika, Wesley, and Wilbur all woke up and we had breakfast together. Wilbur took Mika and Wesley to school before he went to work. Then Vaia and I just played together and bonded before we went to sleep at nine o'clock."
"Sounds like you have this all planned out. I'm impressed! Speaking of which, what time is it there?"
"Lily, we gotta go!" Karena yelled.
"It is one o'clock here. What time is it there?"
I yawned.
"Already later than it should be. It's seven o'clock and we're about to go to dinner."
"I should let you go then. I might as well stay up and make some lunch for the two of us."
"Knuckles, if you are going to feed Vaia any kind of food, please crush it first. Babies don't have teeth. There should be some baby food in the pantry."
"Noted. Thank you. Please go enjoy the tour and be safe."
"I'll call you again before I go to sleep. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Knuckles."
"Goodbye."
I hung up and joined the group down in the lobby.
May 18, 2061 - Paris, France
We ended up going on a tour for three hours last night until we finally passed out from exhaustion, and then we toured London all day the next day. Little Donnie and I were in awe at everything we had explored in London. The tour also gave me some ideas on how I would confess my feelings for Knuckles soon.
Perhaps I could confess at the Tower of London, one of the oldest structures in history. Perhaps we would have a view of the Thames River from the Tower Bridge. Or we could be all alone on the London Eye and confess our love for each other at the top. I had already known Buckingham Palace was out of the question.
Needless to say, it felt amazing to actually explore London for fun and not for an investigation back in time. Little Donnie had lots of questions and wrote everything down on a journal Knuckles gave him for his birthday. All I could muster at the end of the day was a good night text to Knuckles... at four-thirty Eastern Time. I woke up this morning with a good morning text that Knuckles sent before he went to bed at ten o'clock Eastern Time.
This morning, we all took a monorail to Paris.
"How did Knuckles do with the girls last night?" Karena asked.
"He said everything went really well!" I answered. "They're probably asleep right now though. It's two in the morning in Connecticut!"
"Wilbur said the dinner Knuckles made was the best meatloaf he's ever had! I might have some competition."
"Knuckles had to learn to cook in order to survive for all those years he searched the galaxy for the Master Emerald. And, apparently, he's a master chef. I thought it was Mika with a gift!"
We laughed as Little Donnie took pictures of the scenery.
"Donnie seems to be enjoying himself," Karena spoke. "I know what he did to you and Knuckles was wrong, but I'm so glad you changed your mind. You don't get many opportunities in life to go to London and Paris."
"I rather enjoy visiting London as a tourist," I replied with a smile. "I'm excited for what Paris has to offer."
"I can just see you confessing your love to Knuckles on the Eiffel Tower--"
"Karena, stop it!" I interrupted her while blushing. "I'm still thinking about it. You know, I've actually been on the Eiffel Tower before with Mareena. It was the last thing we did before I got married."
"Maybe this will become a tradition. But this time, it would be the start of an entirely new journey into love."
"Karena, please stop being the romantic one for the rest of the morning and let's just enjoy our day in Paris."
"Okay, okay. But you better tell me what you plan on doing with Knuckles later!"
We eventually made it to Paris and we disembarked.
"Ah, the Paris air!" Amy exclaimed excitedly. "It smells like baguettes and wonder!"
"Mr. Olson said we can do whatever we want to until three. Paris is our oyster!"
"Mom, we have to go into the Starbucks by the Eiffel Tower!" Diana suggested.
"Coffee sounds absolutely wonderful!" I replied.
"Can I have some?" Little Donnie asked.
"No," I sternly answered.
"You do know they have coffee-free Frappuccinos, right?" Diana asked. "I'll pay for Donnie's if that's okay."
"That's sweet of you!"
"What kind of flavors do you like, Donnie?"
"Uhm, coffee, chocolate and caramel."
"I know exactly what to get!"
We ordered our drinks and pastries and sat down at a table with quite the view of the Eiffel Tower. Diana ended up ordering herself a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappucino while Little Donnie got his without the coffee in it. I ordered a french vanilla macchiato while Karena ordered a white chocolate mocha. Then we took the lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
"Lily, can I go back to being the romantic one yet?" Karena asked.
"Oh, gosh..."
"Wait, Lily, are you and Knuckles a thing?" Diana asked. "And what kind of creature is Knuckles? I've never seen anyone like him!"
"He's an Echidna," Little Donnie explained. "And he's the most dangerous warrior in all of the galaxy."
"Try telling Lord Dregg that!" I joked. "But thank goodness he's gone now."
"Is Knuckles as dangerous as you, Lily?" Diana asked.
"Very likely. And no, I'm not going to confess to Knuckles here. It's too popular."
"Confess what to Knuckles?" Little Donnie asked. "Are you finally gonna do it? Are you finally gonna tell him you love him?"
I blushed heavily.
"I'd say that's a yes," Karena answered with a smirk as she looked down. "Hey! Where's your wedding ring?"
"James has it now," I answered. "It felt right to move on considering the circumstances. But so far, I'm leaning on confessing to him on the Tower Bridge."
"I think you should do it either here or on the London Eye," Diana suggested. "You two would be totally alone with the view of the Thames behind you."
"Diana's got something there," Karena chimed in, doing the research on her phone. "It looks like you can book a pod ahead of time for just the two of you for a thousand pound, or twelve hundred dollars."
"Just to tell Knuckles how I feel?" I asked, feeling floored. "Thanks for the help, but I want to figure this out on my own."
I admired the view one more time from the top of the Eiffel Tower. This time, I was plain old Lilianna Hamato, spending time with her son and her friends. And this time, I enjoyed myself.
New York City, New York, USA
WILBUR'S POV
My office phone rang just before I prepared to clock out for the day."
"Robinson here."
"Hey, Wilbur."
"Hey, yourself," I replied, grinning at my wife's voice. "How's Paris treating you?"
"Wonderfully. We got back to London about an hour ago. I told Lily, Donnie, and Diana to relax at the pool because I have an idea I wanna run by you."
"What's up?"
"You know how Lily was planning on surprising Donnie by bringing Knuckles to see the show?"
"Yeah. Oh, that reminds me. Wesley and I are taking the flight to London tonight. We wouldn't miss seeing Diana for the world!"
"Good to know. But Lily wants to confess her feelings to Knuckles while they're in London and she wants to do it after the show, probably the day after."
"But who's going to watch Lily's daughters?"
"Lily already has Sonic and Tails doing that for all of this."
"Okay, proceed."
"I gave Lily the option to do it in a pod on the London Eye, but it's twelve hundred dollars. Lily wasn't willing to spend that kind of money just to confess her love to him. But I still want to help out in some way. This is important to her, especially since she said Knuckles has been in London before."
"Are you thinking that we should pay for the experience?"
"Yes!"
"Hold on a moment."
I looked up the forecast for London.
"Uh-oh."
"What uh-oh?" Karena asked.
"There's supposed to be a storm coming in for the next three days over there. You may want to be careful. I'll go ahead and pay for a reservation tomorrow. Do you know when the show is?"
"Three o'clock London time. And then the awards is at nine o'clock."
"I think I know exactly what to do."
May 19, 2061 - London, England, United Kingdom
LITTLE DONNIE'S POV
Rory, Ajay, and I hurried to Amy's hotel room and knocked on the door. Amy went to answer.
"Wuuhhh... it's hours before call time! Don't you dare make us have a ten o'clock run-through!"
"It's not that," Ajay replied. "Prospero's staff has been stolen!"
"What makes you so sure?"
"When Donnie and I checked our props at the Spotlite venue earlier this morning, we realized someone else had gone through then first," Skye explained.
"It looked like they turned the place upside down searching for it," I chimed in.
Suddenly, all of our cell phones went off in a cacophony of different ringtones.
"What the shell?!" I freaked out.
"Hey, dweebs! Just got to Spotlite and saw you guys weren't there."
"I heard a prop of yours went missing. How tragic."
Feeling angered and determined, I decided to use my gadgets to figure out who these phone numbers belonged to.
"What is Donnie doing?" Amy asked.
"Donatello is just as gifted as his grandpa," Diana explained on my behalf. "I think he's tracking these texts!"
"I got it!" I shouted. "The first text came from someone named Kitty and the other came from a Cory."
"Fairfield!" we all shouted at the same time.
Amy rapidly texted back.
"Wait, it was you? What the heck? What happened to a fair fight? Didn't you guys wanna beat us fair and square?"
"I can't believe you stooped this low!" Ajay texted.
"Congrats on your limited imagination?" Cory texted with a laugh.
"RETURN OUR STAFF OR ELSE!" Rory shouted through his text.
"No idea what you're talking about," Kitty replied, also with a laugh.
"This isn't a matter to 'laugh out loud' at," Ajay texted back. "If you fail to comply, we're reporting this to the authorities!"
"With no proof?" Kitty asked. "For the record, we were checking on you because we were worried."
I rolled my eyes.
"I bet it's a great hotel room decoration for whoever took it," Cory texted back. "Totally not speaking from experience. Bye, losers."
"The staff must be in Cory's room," Maria angrily spoke. "If they're all at Spotlite, it should be unattended."
I closed my eyes and tried to do a telepathic scan in the hotel.
"It'd be suspicious if the entire drama department went up to their room," Emma spoke through my concentration. "Our task force should be pretty small."
"Rory, Amy, you're with me," Ajay spoke. "I have a hunch your acting abilities will prove invaluable."
"I'm at your service!" Amy replied.
I opened my eyes.
"I'm coming with you," Skye said with determination. "As head tech, I'm responsible for that staff!"
"Me too," I spoke up. "I have... abilities that we'll need for us to be discreet."
"Good, the five of us will do," Ajay replied. "The rest of you, head to Spotlite and prepare to perform."
"We'll be entrusting the staff to you, then," Erin spoke.
"By the power vested in us, we'll bring her back safe and sound," Rory said with determination.
Everyone else left, leaving the five of us alone in the room.
"First, we need to figure out which room Cory is staying in," Ajay suggested. "The hotel staff ought to have that information."
"I sensed his presence on the very top floor," I spoke. "He and his buddies have to have booked a penthouse of some kind."
"What are you, psychic?" Amy asked in bewilderment. "Let's go down to the front desk and see what we can find out."
The five of us took the elevator down to the lobby.
"There's a concierge!" Rory spoke. "Let's get him to spill the beans with our improv skills."
"Here goes nothing," Amy replied.
I stayed hidden with Ajay and Skye as Rory and Amy went to the desk. While they improvised, I read the concierge's mind and got the room number. It didn't take them long after that to come strutting back at us with a keycard.
"The concierge didn't suspect a thing!" Amy whispered excitedly. "I can add 'con artist' to my credentials now."
"Not that it's something you want to add," Ajay whispered back.
I frowned, remembering how my dad died.
"It's a valuable skill if you want to use it for good," Skye replied. "Now, come on. Let's move."
We went back up the elevator to the top floor. Unfortunately, I still sensed Cory's presence. But he wasn't alone.
"This looks different from our level," Amy spoke. "Was Donnie right? Is this a penthouse floor?"
I covered up Amy's mouth so she didn't say anymore.
"I... I can sense Cory coming this way!" I whispered.
"You think the Westport kids really bought that we're at Spotlite?" Cory asked. "None of the other performances were worth watching last year. It was such a snooze."
"Why wouldn't they believe it?" Kitty asked. "They're a bunch of starry-eyed first-timers."
We snuck around until we got to Cory's room... only to find the two students right in front of the door.
"What do we do now?" Amy whispered.
"There's got to be a method to sneak past them without arousing suspicion," Ajay suggested.
"Wait, my invisibility!" I exclaimed quietly.
"Your what?" Rory asked.
"I can turn invisible! Just um... don't look."
I turned invisible and took off my clothes.
"Take these clothes with you to Spotlite. I'll put them back on when we get there."
"While Donnie went nude, I found a spare room service outfit we can use as a disguise," Skye chimed in. "It looks like a perfect fit on you, Amy."
"Wait, did you just break in to a staff room?" Amy asked.
"If walking through an open door qualifies as 'breaking in,' yeah."
"Amy, you and Donnie could waltz right into Cory's room wearing that!" Rory whispered in support. "He won't suspect a thing."
"It's our only hope," Ajay replied. "Otherwise, there's no telling how long they'll be out there."
"But please hurry!" I pleaded with her. "I can't stay invisible for long."
"Donnie's right," Amy spoke. "This cannot wait."
I turned visible again as we waited for half an hour listening to Cory and Kitty boast about their talents.
"I'm getting bored," Kitty spoke. "Want to rehearse some more downstairs?"
"Yeah! Let's scram."
I turned invisible again as they turned the corner.
"What are you losers doing up here?" Cory asked.
I used them being away from the door to my advantage. I took the keycard from Amy's pocket and snuck to the room myself. I used the keycard to quietly open the door and close it. After feeling amazed at what the room looked like, I turned visible and searched the room. Before I could look any further, I sensed Amy coming. I quickly slid the keycard underneath the door, and she used it to unlock it.
"What on earth?" Amy exclaimed. "There's a tree in here!"
"I didn't know the Rainforest Cafe did hotel rooms," Rory joked. "I'm half expecting gorilla sound effects to start playing from hidden speakers."
"We don't have time!" I whispered sharply. "Kitty and Cory just turned around. We need to move quickly!"
"Donnie, look in the tree!" Amy suggested.
"Good thinking! Graham and I built the staff with the bark I found in upstate New York. It must be blended in with the branches."
"Can Donnie even climb that high?" Skye asked.
"I might not need to."
I concentrated and used my psychic powers to find the staff and my invisible force field to bring it down without making any noise.
"Amy, catch it!" I yelled.
"Way to go, Donnie!"
"I have so many questions about this," Rory said in awe.
SLAM!
We all gasped as I turned invisible again.
"I knew something was up when I saw you in the hall!" Cory yelled at us.
"We just pretended to leave so we could see what you were up to," Kitty angrily revealed. "You're busted!"
"They took the prop!" Cory exclaimed.
I turned visible again and smirked as they gasped in shock.
"Because it was ours to begin with!" I yelled with confidence. "Now you see us, and..."
I formed a force field all around us and turned us all invisible.
"Now see ya later! RUN!"
I got us out of the room and I accidentally ran into the other Fairfield students.
"Donnie, watch it!" Ajay yelled.
"Sorry!"
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, YOU INCOMPETENT TWERPS!" Kitty screamed. "GET THEM!"
"Get who?" Martin asked. "There's no one here."
"One of those Westport kids has invisible superpowers!" Cory yelled. "We need to block them off!"
"On it!" Yves yelled.
"We don't have time to take the elevator!" Rory yelled. "Take the stairs!"
We made record time getting to the lobby and I was still invisible along with everyone else.
"PICKPOCKETS!" Marvin suddenly yelled from the elevator. "STOP THEM!"
I continued to run forward, but suddenly, a woman in a wheelchair rammed into my force field!
"AHH!" I screamed, clutching my head.
"Donnie!" Skye yelled.
"JUSTICE FOR ALL!" the woman yelled, preparing to hit me with her purse.
"Wait!" Amy exclaimed. "We can explain! They're the thieves, not us! I'm an upstanding rule-following person, I swear!"
"Help, she's lying!" Kitty yelled with crocodile tears. "My dead brother gave me that wallet!"
The woman suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Let me go!" I yelled.
"I'll pry it from his hands or die trying!"
"Do I look like I have anything on me?"
"Shoot!" Rory exclaimed. "Maybe it's not a great idea to pit ourselves against renowned actors right now."
Rory helped free my hand and helped me out of the hotel. I blushed in embarrassment for not wearing any clothes in front of all those people.
"I owe you one!" I told him.
"Ajay, why is the entire hotel chasing after you?" Jim suddenly asked us at the door. "And Donnie, why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
"No!" Ajay exclaimed. "He's defintiely going to stop us. We look so suspicious!"
But Jim ran past us, grabbing a luggage cart and jamming it across the hall!
"Let's see you get past this!" Jim angrily yelled.
"Let's move!" I yelled.
We started running and Jim eventually rejoined us, running away from the hotel and into the streets of London. We reached the Underground and stopped to catch our breaths.
"We did it!" Amy exclaimed breathlessly. "Prospero's staff is back in one piece!"
"Sweet victory!" Rory exclaimed.
"Jim, why did you help us?" Ajay asked. "Anyone would have looked at the situation and assumed we were in the wrong."
"But I'm not just anyone," Jim explained. "I know you're a good kid. Someone as great as Shruti would definitely have raised you to know right from wrong. I trust you, Ajay. And, Donatello, is it? Your mother sensed you were in trouble and told me to go find you and your group while she went and got help."
Ajay and I both gasped.
"I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while," Ajay spoke. "You're not completely worthless after all."
"What am I missing here?" I asked with confusion.
"Ajay, you're seriously still being a butt to him after this?" Rory asked. "I think you owe him an apology."
"I... suppose I do," Ajay said, rubbing his neck and sighing before he met Jim's eyes. "Jim, perhaps I've been too harsh. I've come to realize I misjudged you. You're actually slightly cool, and I don't genuinely dislike you as a person."
"Ah, shucks!" Jim replied with laughter. "Someday I hope to achieve full coolness in your eyes, but I'll take it."
"I suspect what I have truly been struggling with is feeling like my dad is replaced. It's just a strange situation. I still don't know how to act or feel."
I gasped realizing I wasn't alone. I, too, had struggled with the idea of my dad being replaced, especially after lying to Knuckles. But if my mom was ready to move forward in her relationship with Knuckles, then I decided I would be ready, too. While Ajay continued to talk to his friends, I took out my phone from my pants pocket in Amy's arms and started texting.
"Hey, Knuckles, I need to talk to you when you get this."
To my surprise, my phone buzzed right away. Knuckles had texted me right back.
"Do not worry, Donatello. I am closer than you believe. Is everything all right?"
Feeling confused, I texted him.
"Yeah. It's just that I'm about to head to Spotlite with my friends when one of them shared his feelings about his dad feeling replaced. It hit me and it got me thinking about you."
We started taking the Underground to head to the venue when my phone buzzed again.
"No one can replace your dad," Knuckles texted me. "Not me, and not anyone. Your father loved you and he always will love you, even if he is not here anymore. I should let you go so you can get ready for the show. Good luck."
I smiled and took my clothes from Amy. I managed to put them on just as we reached the venue. We showed the personnel our badges and we made it inside.
Westport, Connecticut, USA
LILIANNA'S POV
After all of us except for Little Donnie, Amy, Rory, Ajay, and Skye left to head to Spotlite, I decided now was the time for my surprise. I transformed into Aumanil. I took out my interdimensional portal, and I went in to head back home.
I appeared in a dark living room. I took out my phone and shown a flashlight on the floor. It was very clean. In fact, my house was cleaner than it was before I left for London. I smiled, knowing Knuckles was doing an amazing job looking after Mika and Vaia. I glanced on the couch and saw Sonic and Tails already there, fast asleep. I went up to the bedrooms. First, I kissed Mika on the forehead. Then, I went into the nursery and kissed Vaia.
Lastly, I went into the master bedroom where I found Knuckles the Echidna, peacefully asleep in my bed. I smiled at the sight. I slightly felt bad for waking him up at four-thirty in the morning, but I knew it was for a good cause. I shook my friend awake.
"Knuckles," I whispered. "Knuckles, wake up."
He stirred himself and turned towards me.
"Mika, what is the matter?" he sleepily asked. "Did you have another nightmare?"
I frowned.
"I'm not Mika. It's me."
His eyes widened.
"Lily? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"
"I am sorry to wake you up so early, but I wanted to surprise you and Donnie."
"Surprise us?" Knuckles grumbled. "With what?"
"I want to take you back to London with me so that you can see the show there."
He gasped with delight, suddenly awake.
"That's why you had me stay home on Sunday! And that's why Sonic and Tails showed up last night! Well, what are we waiting for? Let us go!"
Knuckles put on his shoes and gloves, and then we used my portal to return to London.
London, England, United Kingdom
LITTLE DONNIE'S POV
We got inside the venue and found all sorts of guests dresses formally. But I was in awe at my surroundings.
"There's distinguished looking peoole everywhere!" Amy exclaimed.
"Don't get distracted!" Ajay yelled. "We need to meet up with everyone and get set up."
"We're on Stage A," Skye said. "Follow me."
I followed the group to the backstage and everyone lit up when they saw the staff.
"Is that Thunderfury?" Graham asked. "Please tell me you found Thunderfury!"
"Behold!" I yelled in excitement, holding up the staff with a grin. "Prospero's staff, safe and sound!"
"Thank goodness!" Diana exclaimed with relief. "My magic will be at full power tonight!"
"I went ahead and picked up lunches for everyone," Maria announced. "Vegetarian options are over here..."
We ate our lunches as we heard the play before ours booming on the other side. Amy and Rory took a peek from behind the curtain. After I ate, I assisted Skye, Graham, and Trevor with putting the sets together. All too quickly, it was almost three o'clock and the play before ours had just ended. We heard uproarious applause from the front of the stage, and the entire cast was ready to go.
"That must be the other play's curtain call," Emma spoke. "We're up soon."
"Ajay, care to share a few words of encouragement?" Mr. Olson asked.
"Here we are--"
"Wait, you mean I didn't dream our flight to London?" Michael teasingly asked, interrupting Ajay.
"Silence in the peanut gallery. As I was saying... Here we are at the most prestigious theatre competition in the world. We couldn't have gotten here without the hard work of every one of you."
"Hear, hear!" Amy shouted with joy.
"After tonight, every theatre critic worth their salt will know Westport High's name. Now, let's show these judges what we're made of! This better be the best performance of your lives!"
LILIANNA'S POV
After I enjoyed lunch with Knuckles, Karena, Wilbur, and Wesley, we made it back to Spotlite. When the doors opened for the next show, we hurried to our seats on the front row. I watched Little Donnie set up the stage with his friends and I couldn't help but smile.
"How are you doing?" Knuckles asked me.
"I'm a little anxious. Sunday was no big deal. It was a preview of what's to come. But now that everyone is performing in front of judges..."
I sighed.
"Granted, Donatello is not an actor. But he has worked just as hard building everything. I hope the judges will appreciate it."
"I think they will."
I gazed over at him.
"What about you? Are you excited?"
"I am very excited!" Knuckles answered with a grin. "I read the book in my spare time so I will know exactly what to expect."
My mouth gapped open in awe.
"Wow! Sonic wasn't kidding when he said you read a lot."
"I had never heard of this tale before. I could not put it down. I mean, asides from when I need to help the girls. I am excited to see Donatello's talents being brought to life."
The lights dimmed down.
"It's time!" I whispered excitedly.
"Here..."
"We..."
"Go."