Hi, everyone. I thought about taking a hiatus from fanfiction for a year, but then I finished this chapter and there is a new hope for me finishing this story. There is also a new hope for Lily in the most unexpected way possible.

Meanwhile, I watched the Sonic movies and the Knuckles series, and I felt a joy I haven't felt in years. Will I include Team Sonic here? You'll have to find out!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "TMNT," "Meet the Robinsons," "Choices: High School Story," nor "Lord of the Rings," nor do I own Sum 41's "Noots" nor Auli'i Cravalho's "Beyond" (two lines have been modified to fit this story). I only own Lilianna, Little Donnie, Vaia, Diana, and Anna.

January 22, 2061 - New York City, New York, USA

DONATELLO'S POV

I heard my tPhone ring as I worked on an experiment. To my delight, it was my grandson. I smiled as I answered the phone.

"Donatello."

"Hi, Grandpa. Could we talk?"

"Absolutely. I see you have your own phone now."

There was a short silence.

"Actually, it was Dad's phone. Mom thought I should have it."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah! It feels like Dad's with me no matter where I go. I love seeing all the pictures he took of him and Mom over the years. Mom is gorgeous in her white dress."

"Oh, her wedding dress! Yes, their wedding day was absolutely beautiful. Did Mom ever show you the video?"

"She plays it every year, except for last year. On their anniversary, Mom cried and told us she couldn't see the video. So she never played it."

"Well, at least you've seen her."

"Yeah, she looked beautiful. But can we talk about my problems, please?"

I frowned.

"What's going on, D?"

"I discovered that I can turn invisible. But when I tried that a few days ago, my clothes didn't turn invisible like I did. I looked like floating clothes without a head. I want to make clothes that turn invisible with me, but I don't know how to do that. Right now, I've have to be naked to truly be invisible."

"Are things not going well at school?"

"School is... intense, with the school election. The top two candidates are fighting. One candidate withdrew. And the other two don't have strong platforms. I think this is going to turn into a disaster. The other day, I was trying to escape two crowds of opposing sides! Do you have any advice?"

"I think I can answer both your questions. Did you know that when my brothers and I did out evening patrols, we never wore any clothes but our masks and weapons?"

"No. But doesn't it get cold at night?"

"Yes. But you forget, Donnie, we're ninjas. We're already exercising and building up body heat. We get warmed up pretty quickly."

"My mom refused to let me go to school alone because it was too cold."

"That's because your mom loves you. She wants to make sure you are safe and warm. I was the same way when your mom was your age."

"Really? You didn't let her go outside alone?"

"Well, no. But your mom did it anyway. Your mom wanted to know herself more at your age and kept running off into the woods by herself. Anytime I had told her she couldn't do that because she was grounded, she always complained. But enough about that. Let's talk about your problems. If you want to truly be invisible, as in using your powers and not feeling left out, then just be yourself. Sometimes, just being yourself is the best thing you can do, and it will always be the best decision you can make."

"So, I don't need to be ashamed about being naked?"

I laughed.

"No. But please do not go to school naked. You will get a lot of odd looks. When your mom first learned about her powers, she practiced. Sometimes, she practiced by herself. Other times, she'll practice with me or Grandma. Now, your mom has a suit so she can use her powers to her advantage. Otherwise, she's just a normal woman who can read minds. But I think in this case, just be yourself, your wonderful, raw, authentic self."

There was another short silence.

"Thanks, Grandpa."

"Anytime," I replied with a smile. "I hope school gets better for you and this whole election drama will be resolved."

"Me too. Thanks for talking with me, Grandpa."

"You're welcome."

We hung up and I got back to work, thrilled that I had the chance to talk to my grandson today.

January 24, 2061 - Westport, Connecticut, USA

LITTLE DONNIE'S POV

I waited until everyone was asleep. Then, I got dressed for the weather and snuck downstairs. After taking one more glance around me to make sure no one heard me, I went outside to the shore.

I grabbed my tPhone and put on a song that had inspired me lately. I stretched and did some exercises to warm myself up. Then, when the chorus came on, I started to run along the shore.

"No apologies. I never thought you'd be so easily deceived. So I'll just hang my head, while I walk with the dead. I'll just hang my head."

I no longer heard the sand underneath my feet. I glanced down... and I was running on air. I stopped. I screamed. I landed on the soft sand with no pain.

LILIANNA'S POV

I gasped myself awake. I had a nightmare. I was unsure what I was doing before, but I remembered waking up to a gunshot.

Then, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I got out of bed and transformed into Aumanil. I walked out of the bedroom with my hands clenched, and then I saw my son wearing a winter coat!

"Donatello?!"

"Aah!" Little Donnie gasped. "Mom!"

"What are you doing out of bed? You couldn't sleep?"

"Yes! That!"

"But why do you have sand on your coat?"

My son hesitated, trying to come up with a lie. I raised my eyebrow in disbelief.

"Don't answer that," I spoke again. "Just take your coat off in the kitchen and go to bed."

"Yes, Mom."

I stayed where I was until I watched Little Donnie go back into the bedroom. I went back into my own bed and went to sleep for the rest of the night.

January 25, 2061

LITTLE DONNIE'S POV

I snuck out of the house again to practice my powers. I went to the beach again. But this time, I was going to practice over the water. Because I was a mutant turtle, I had the ability to swim.

I put the song on again, did my exercises, and started to run over the sand, concentrating on my powers. I stood, this time while still focusing on my powers, and I grinned with confidence. I looked out over Long Island Sound, and I started to run over the water.

"We're mad with regret, memories that we'll both forget. So far, it's been so hard to cover up these scars. I see this falling apart, it's easy to just let it go. No luck between us both, so why keep waiting?"

I felt a cold breeze. I shivered and then felt myself falling.

"AAH!"

I felt myself landing hard in the water. And it was so cold! I had to hurry before I froze to death. I swam as fast as I could to the surface, but it wasn't enough. I had to swim to shore as well. But my clothes were making it heavy. I ditched my clothes and continued to swim.

LILIANNA'S POV

I gasped myself awake again. This time, there was more to my dream. I was surrounded by a red gas and I had felt weak. Then, someone had pointed a gun at me and pulled the trigger.

"My nightmares have returned," I spoke out loud, feeling horrified.

I glanced at the time. It was only one o'clock in the morning. There was only one person I could talk to about this.

January 26, 2061 - San Diego, California, USA

"The dreams are returning?"

"Yes."

I sat across the table from my half-elven friend in her dining room.

"And Little Donnie's been sneaking out at night, which is not like him. Last night, he walked up the stairs wet and without clothes on!"

"He's a mutant turtle," Anna replied with a perplexed glance. "Isn't he allowed to be nude?"

"Not in winter weather!" I snapped. "He was sneezing this morning and I ended up giving him an herbal tea. I thought..."

I let out a sigh.

"I thought I was raising him to be a model kid. But now..."

Anna got up and sat next to me.

"Donnie's growing up. He's learning who he is."

"But he's only ten! He doesn't know who he is. He's just a kid."

"A kid who is in high school. Donnie may not have the rational decision-making skills yet. But he's just rediscovered his power. Give him time to learn about it. Trust me, Lily. This is just a phase in his life. He will get through it with a newfound confidence. Isn't that what you want for him? For him to grow into his own person?"

I thought back to when I first discovered my powers inside of a car. I realized that I had wanted to be own person as well back then. I let out another sigh.

"You're right. I hope it's just a phase. But what about my dreams?"

Anna simply smiled at me.

"They're just dreams."

LITTLE DONNIE'S POV

I drank herbal tea all day from the moment I started sneezing. But I didn't quit. I still went to school. I still did my homework. I still ate dinner with my family.

And, I still went outside to practice my powers. But this time, I chose not to wear my clothes. They had become a heavy burden. Tonight, despite my obnoxious sneezing, I was determined to master running on air.

I put the song back on before staring down at the water. All of my focus was not just on my powers, but on my emotions as well. I learned that my fear had made me fall. I needed to learn to rely on a different emotion to keep me going.

I ran in the sand as part of my exercises. When I finished, I prepared myself to run on the water, imagining invisible ice. I stared down at Long Island Sound, ignored the feeling of a sneeze coming on, and started to run.

"No apologies. I never thought you'd be so easily deceived. I'll just hang my head, while I walk with the dead. I'll just hang my head."

Feeling a newfound confidence in my abilities, I started to run off the water and up to the stars.

"What's left to show? It's so bad, but I got to know. What's right? Don't know how to find it out on my own."

I stopped running for a moment and saw the New York City skyline in the distance. I stood in the air, feeling proud that I was part of the family that is the Hamato Clan.

"One by one, we both fall down. Who's the first one to hit the ground now? But what's worse, taking a fall or be stuck standing alone? Oh, I'll keep your promises if you take back everything I said. Well, I find it's got so cold now that I've lost my heart and soul."

I felt a cold breeze. I also remembered that I lost my father almost a year ago, and I learned Ashley Faris was the reason why. I felt angry. Someday, I would have vengence.

Then, I realized it was almost midnight. I remembered the Invisible Woman being able to surf in the air with her powers and wondered if I could do the same. I glanced down and imagined myself having a surfboard. An imaginary surfboard formed underneath my feet. I grinned, and I started to descend down to Long Island Sound, heading back east.

"No apologies. I never thought you'd be so easily deceived. I'll just hang my head."

I laughed with joy as I touched the water. I could not help but put my hand in it.

"While I walk with the dead."

"WHOO!" I yelled in excitement.

"I'll just hang my head."

I effortlessly made it home, but to my surprise, I found my mother outside. I had to get to shore very quickly before she spotted me. I turned invisible and crept closer to her. I frowned, for she was frowning, too. I wondered what was wrong. I read her mind and realized I wasn't in her thoughts. Instead, I read this horrifying thought:

"I'm going to die, aren't I?"

LILIANNA'S POV

I had another dream about my death, and this time, I had seen a mutagen bomb in the dream. I wasn't sure what to think this time. Was it really my destiny to die trying to save the world?

"No, I refuse to live with this destiny," I spoke out loud. "Donnie and Mika have already lost their father. I won't let them lose me, too."

I let out a few tears.

"Lily."

I gasped, looked up, and wiped away my tears. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"James? Is that you? But how?"

"You are not dreaming, Lily," my late husband told me. "I come with a message from God."

I laughed out loud.

"What are you, a prophet?"

"No. I am your protector. But one day, I will have to let you go so God can move you. Don't be afraid of the future, Lily of the Valley. Your time will come soon. But please, don't forget to have fun. I love you."

"I love you, too."

James' spirit disappeared. I smiled, and I frowned. Then I thought back to a song I listened to as a kid and I started to sing it, glancing up at the stars.

"I know these stars above the ocean. Now new skies call me by name. And suddenly, nothing feels the same."

I thought back to when I started having these dreams. It was before I even thought about having children. But when Little Donnie was born, the dreams stopped. And now, they have returned. It was clear my trying to stop the mutagen bomb was in my future. I kept singing.

"I know the path that must be chosen. But this is bigger than before. Winds have changed, tides turn me far away from shore. What waits for me forever far from home, from everything and everyone I've ever known?"

I looked out towards Long Island Sound.

"What lies beyond under skies I've never seen?"

I glanced back at my home.

"Will I lose myself between my home and what's unknown if I go beyond? Leaving all I love behind with the future of our people still to find. Can I go beyond?"

As I vocalized, I spun and transformed into Aumanil. Then, I started to walk westward along the shore. As I walked, I saw a vision entering my mind. And the sight wasn't pretty. I saw huge mutant badgers in a barren wasteland, riding not the monorails of Todayland, but railroads of the past.

"There is destiny in motion," I sang as this vision clouded my mind. "And it's only just begun. Now will this life I've worked so hard for become undone?"

"Lily," James called me again.

"Lilianna," Splinter called me.

"They're calling me. I must reply. But if I leave, how could I ever say goodbye?"

I started to run, the fear of my children being orphans entering my mind.

"What lies beyond on the vast, uncharted sea? Will I lose myself between all that we know right here and what's out there beyond? Leaving all I love behind, with the future of our people still to find, can I go beyond?"

I stopped running for a moment, looking back in the direction my children were. There was one more child that I had given birth to who had no father to begin with.

"If I'm not here to hold her hand, will she grow to understand?"

I reached out to her, realizing that one day, I will be out of my baby's reach, should I choose the destiny of sacrifice.

"Lilianna."

I turned back to Long Island Sound, and this time, I saw Splinter's spirit.

"Grandpa Splinter."

I flew into his arms, and he held me. It felt like he was real.

"What troubles you, my grandchild?"

"I keep dreaming of my death," I explained. "But this time, it seems unavoidable."

"Sometimes, the right path is not the easiest one," Splinter explained, walking on water. "It takes courage to choose your fate, even if it means sacrificing yourself for the sake of the ones you love. But you are never alone, Lilianna. I am always with you. James will always be with you. You will be with him again one day. But today is not that day. And no one knows when that day will come."

He put a hand on my shoulder.

"Only you can make that choice, Lilianna. The world is in your hands. But you do not have to face it alone. Remember, your strength is in your family and friends, past, present, and future. I cannot see where your story leads, but we will never stop choosing who we are."

I smiled, and I watched Splinter ascend into the sky. I wanted to follow him, and I started to fly.

"I'll go beyond," I sang, now feeling a new confidence in that I'd be taken care of, no matter what. "And although I don't know when, I will reach these sands again 'cause I know who I am."

New York City was in my view as I flew closer to it.

"I am Aumanil!" I sung with pride. "Of the land and of the sky. And I promise that is who I'll always be. I must go. I will go. Then we'll know what lies beyond!"

I closed my eyes and did a telepathic scan. I heard all the millions of voices in New York City. But there were some voices that were missing.

"What?" I asked out loud. "How is the Shredder not in the city? Where did he go?"

I flew around the city. I could not find the Shredder, nor his Foot Clan, nor the Vizioso gang, nor the Purple Dragons.

"Where did everyone go?"

Feeling perplexed, I turned around and headed back home. I'd ask my dad about it at work later. Just when I made it back to Westport, my tPhone rang.

"This is Aumanil."

"Aumanil, it's Alopex!"

"Alopex! Do you know where the Shredder went?"

"No, but I spotted three mutants I have never seen before!"

"Oh, no."

I shook my head.

"What did Stockman do?"

"I don't know if this is Stockman's doing. Each one has a colorized trail. The blue one is faster than me!"

"The blue one? Do you know where they are heading?"

There was a moment of silence.

"They're heading right towards you!"

I suddenly sensed I was not alone. I hung up the phone and focused. Alopex was right. I sensed three beings coming towards me at super speed. I opened my eyes in their direction and tried to read their minds. I prepared to attack, hoping I would hit at least one of them. I did a spinning back kick and landed a hit! I watched the yellow being, a fox with two tails, falling hard into the sand.

"Aw, man!" he groaned.

I focused again. Remembering what Alopex said, I focused on the red one. He seemed to have anger on his side. Wondering if he was anything like Uncle Raphael, I prepared a psychic blast, and I released it towards him. He tried to punch it back to me, but he missed, and my blast hit him square in the head. He, too, fell into the sand. I was not quite sure what species of animal he was, but I noticed the shape of a white crescent moon on his red chest.

Lastly, I turned towards the blue being.

"I don't want to fight you," he told me. "But you're not leaving me much of a choice, Aumanil."

"Wait!" I yelled. "How do you know my name? I don't know any of you!"

He ran towards me. Alopex was right. He was the fastest of the three. I dodged away the first time. Then, I read his moves. I took a deep breath and released a sonic scream from my vocal chords. The blue being screamed. He stopped running and fell to his knees, his hands now on his head.

I stopped screaming and glanced at him. He looked familiar. I walked closer to him and gasped.

"Sonic the Hedgehog?!" I yelled in shock. "How can this be?"

"Ahha!" Sonic exclaimed, pointing a finger at me. "So you have heard of me!"

"It didn't really click until now, but I swear I know you from a long time ago."

"Really? I'm not sure I remember. Tails, Knuckles, do you remember Aumanil from years back?"

"Beats me, Sonic," the yellow fox, whom I correctly assumed was Tails, answered. "But I gotta say, I absolutely loved reading about all of your adventures!"

"I, too, have read of your adventures, Aumanil," Knuckles said in a deep voice. "Or should I call you, Lilianna of the Hamato Clan?"

I gasped in surprise. Somehow, Knuckles knew my true identity.

"How do I know I can trust you?" I asked the group, raising an eyebrow right at Knuckles, whom I immediately distrusted.

"We were found by a woman named Anna Swan," Sonic explained.

"She told us to go to you," Tails chimed in.

"The Elven warrior tells us of your quest to destroy this mutagen bomb," Knuckles said.

"Great," I said out loud, angrily. "Knuckles knows Anna is half-elven. Knuckles knows my dual identity. Does he also know my parents are a mutant turtle and a human-alien mutant hybrid?"

"Yeah, Knuckles does a lot of reading," Sonic explained. "He finds it relaxing."

I tried to read Knuckles' mind to find out how he knew so much about me. To my amazement, I couldn't! I tried entering Sonic's mind. I saw a lot of joy in Sonic's thoughts. Among those thoughts, I found a huge sense of trust in Knuckles. I found the same thing in Tails' mind. I finally started to relax, and I faced the red warrior.

"Knuckles, I cannot believe I am saying this, but I cannot read your mind. You seem to know everything about me, but I know very little about you."

"There will be another time for questions and answers," Knuckles simply replied. "But know this: there is only one other who has bested me in trial by combat until now. I honor you, Aumanil."

"We'll be back soon!" Sonic yelled as he and his friends ran away.

All I could do I was stand there.

"Okay, what just happened?"

January 28, 2061

LITTLE DONNIE'S POV

I was at home doing my homework. By homework, I mean practicing my invisibility without any clothes on. But what I had noticed was that my belts, weapon, and mask were very visible while I turned invisible. I had to come up with a way to use my invisibility as my only weapon.

I frowned, glancing at the jo staff sitting in the corner of my bedroom. My mother had handed down her jo staff to me, and it was my grandpa, her father, that handed it down to her. I was not sure if I would ever use the jo staff ever again, or if I would ever upgrade to the naginata.

"Maybe I can use my invisibility to build a new kind of staff," I suggested out loud.

My phone went off. The cell phone my dad had was an iPhone and not a tPhone like my grandpa had invented almost fifty years ago. Thankfully, the icons on this phone were big enough for my three fingers to touch without causing any issues.

I walked over to my phone and saw that Diana had texted me.

"Hi, Donnie! My friends and I are gonna go see The Show Must Go On and we wanted to invite you to come along. Wanna go?"

I smiled, wanting to say yes right away. But I remembered getting in trouble with my mom for going out after hours. It was still early enough in the evening.

I walked over to my mom's room and knocked.

"Mom, it's Donnie."

"Come in."

I opened the door and saw my mom changing Vaia's diaper. She looked over at me with a smile.

"Here," I said, walking over to her. "Let me help you."

I grabbed Vaia's dirty diaper and threw it in the trash, the fire immediately dissolving it. After the smell started to stench the room, the aromatherapy essential oils ignited, and the room started to smell of lavender.

"Thank you, Donnie!" Mom said enthusiastically. "Two sets of hands are certainly better than one. What's up?"

"Diana invited me to go see a movie. Can I go?"

"Which movie?"

"The Show Must Go On."

Mom stopped mid-change and grabbed her tPhone. She scrolled to look up the movie.

"Donatello, you are aware that this is opening night, right? The movie's at midnight."

My stomach sunk.

"Oh. So, no?"

"I'm sorry, Donatello. I have to say no. But thank you for asking me first."

Vaia cried and my mom gasped.

"Oh, Vaia! Let's finish cleaning you up."

"Do you need any more help?" I asked.

"I think I can handle the rest. Thank you for offering."

I took out my phone and texted Diana.

"Sorry, Diana. My mom said no. But thank you for inviting me."

I walked back to my bedroom and I felt my phone go off again. Diana replied.

"No worries! Maybe you can have some ice cream with me before we go? My friends are gonna meet me at the diner. I promise to get you home by ten."

I smiled again. Ice cream sounded good. I walked back to the master bedroom to ask my mom.

"Here to help?" Mom asked, showing her gap-toothed.

"Sure. But Diana is now inviting me to eat ice cream with her at the diner and she promises to get me back home by ten."

"Let me call her. Meanwhile, can you put Vaia to bed?"

"Sure."

Mom handed the baby to me. Vaia had calmed down after her diaper change, and she was quiet as I walked her to the nursery. But I decided to walk slowly and try to hear my mom's conversation with Diana. But I found it hard to focus while doing something else. I moved forward with putting Vaia to bed. But I found myself at an impasse. I was just too short to put Vaia in her crib.

I walked Vaia back to my mom's room and knocked.

"Thank you, Diana. I appreciate you looking out for him. COME IN!"

I opened the door.

"Donnie! Why is Vaia not in bed?"

"Because I'm not tall enough to reach Vaia over the bars," I explained.

"Oh, shoot!" Mom exclaimed. "I overlooked it. Alright, hand her to me."

I handed the baby to my mom.

"Yes, you may go to the diner," Mom continued. "Diana's going to come on over and walk you there."

"Thank you!"

"But then Caleb is going to drop you off at ten as Diana is not a licensed driver yet."

"That sounds good to me. I'll go put on some clothes."

I put on clothes and waited downstairs for Diana to come get me. I waited for what seemed like forever until Diana came by on her bicycle.

"Hi, Donnie!" Diana waved.

"Hi! I'm amazed you rode your bike in this. Isn't it icy?"

"It is. You just gotta be careful of where you're driving."

I gasped, realizing that I could fix this.

"I think I have an idea, actually. Is the bike a two-seater?"

"It can be! Hold on."

Diana took out a remote, transforming her bike into a two-seater.

"Nice! Is this something your grandpa invented?"

"My dad, actually! He made a bike for himself and my mom, and then he made one for me and Wesley."

"I had no idea your dad is just as talented as your grandpa," I replied in awe.

"Well, maybe not as talented. My dad's talents are in an entirely different ball field. Well, hop on and share your idea!"

"Okay, did Caleb tell you about the basketball game I played with him?"

"Yes. Caleb explained that you somehow dunked the ball. But you're too short!"

"Let me show you."

I concentrated, focusing on my invisibility. I stretched my hand out to the ground, imagining the wheels on the bicycle turning into skates.

"Okay, Diana, start pedaling."

Diana and I started to pedal together, and on the entirety of the ride, we had no issues sliding on the ice. We made it to the diner with great timing.

"Donnie, what did you do?" Diana asked with a raised eyebrow. "How did you make the bike not slide all over the place?"

"This stays between us," I whispered sternly. "Got it?"

"Your secret is safe with me."

"I can turn invisible and I can use my invisibility to build objects and shields."

"Holy cow!" Diana whispered.

"I've been spending this week practicing. I learned that I can walk, run, and skate on air. I just have to imagine myself doing those things, and it works most of the time. I still need to practice."

"Well, you did good tonight. Let's go inside. It's cold."

We walked inside. There were only two tables occupied. One table had a family with a waitress taking their order. And at the other... was the girl who supported both Adam and Rory. But her head was down. She turned around and looked towards us as we walked in.

"Oh, hey, Amy!" Diana greeted her with a grin. "Mind if we sit with you? I'm waiting for some friends."

Amy nodded, wiping her nose on a napkin. I sensed something was wrong as Diana and I sat across from her.

"Amy, I'm Donatello, Donnie for short," I introduced myself. "Are you okay? You look really upset."

"I've been better," Amy answered.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Diana asked as we ordered our ice cream.

"Well, the winter carnival is coming up," Amy explained. "And Adam and Rory had to come up with a booth to support their campaigns. I've been supporting both of them because I love both of them. But then they told me they're both setting up at two o'clock tomorrow, so I could only choose one. I was in front of Adam when I found out, so I said yes to Adam. Apparently, I butt-dialed Rory and he heard everything."

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed with sadness. "So what happened?"

"We had a fight. He was upset because he thinks I lied to him. And I'm most worried about how nobody can see the big picture!"

Amy suddenly slammed her fist on the table.

"They're both so focused on the election! Nobody can see how it's ripping our group apart."

"I get it," Diana replied. "Trust me, I've been there. But Amy, you can't stretch yourself too thin there. You can't make everybody happy."

"And there is no way you are able to be in two places at once," I chimed in. "You made your choice to help Adam and Rory needs to accept that."

"But Donnie, Diana, if I don't try to make everybody happy, everyone will think I betrayed them or something," Amy replied. "I can't win!"

"Donnie's right, Amy," Diana said. "If they think you betrayed them, then that's not cool of them. You need to do what you think is right. Whatever that ends up being."

Diana reached out and held Amy's hand.

"What do you want here, Amy? Really, deep down?"

"I want..."

Amy sighed.

"I want Rory to stop taking this so personally. We've known each other forever. I thought now that we were close again in high school, we could get through anything."

"That's a totally reasonable thing to want," I replied. "And I get it. This is my first time going through an election, I'm only ten, and I am already tired of the drama that's come out of it. But Amy, like Diana said, you need to do the right thing. If you think Adam is the right choice, then, chances are, you are right. If not, then you'll know. And so will Rory. I am sorry you are going through this."

The bell rang and the rest of Diana's posse came through the door.

"Hey, Diana!" Caleb greeted his girlfriend. "Ready to share a giant popcorn?"

"Wow!" Diana exclaimed. "I guess everyone's on time for movie night! That's new."

"Excuse you!" Maria exclaimed. "I'm always on time..."

She paused when she saw Amy and me.

"Oh, Amy and Donnie are here!"

"Are they coming to The Show Must Go On?" Emma asked excitedly.

"Um, I-"

"I wish I could," I answered honestly. "But my mom said no."

"What is this about?" Amy asked.

"We're all going to this new comedy, starring Josh Morello," Diana explained. "It's supposed to make you cry laughing. Donnie, I'm sorry you can't go, but Amy, you are invited if you wanna come. A few laughs might be just the trick to take your mind off things."

Amy smiled.

"That sounds perfect. I don't think I've ever cry-laughed before. I wanna know what it's like!"

"Fantastic!"

"Let's see how many people I can squeeze into my car," Caleb said with laughter.

"Caleb, you gotta take Donnie home, remember?"

"No, it's okay," I chimed in. "I can find my way home."

"Donnie, it's freezing outside and you're too young to be by yourself in the dark. Please, let us take you home."

"Come on!" Emma said excitedly. "We'd better hurry!"

"Wait, but I wanted fries," Michael whined. "We have a whole hour before it starts."

"Technically, but it's opening night," Maria explained. "We need to get there now if we want seats."

"All right!" Amy exclaimed. "Going!"

I held Amy's hand to stop her for a moment. She turned back to look at me.

"Rory will understand. Trust me. All friendships have obstacles once in a while. Just give Rory the time he needs to understand your position."

"You know, for a ten-year-old, you're pretty wise. Thanks, Donnie."

"Anytime."

January 31, 2061

Today was going to be very different at school. The entire morning was going to be spent at the winter festival the students were hosting at Westport High School, so I did not have to attend classes. But in the afternoon after lunch, classes would resume. I was already looking forward to the latter where I can get back to my books.

My mother dropped me off this morning as Caleb and Diana were busy with their booths.

"I love you, sweetheart," Mom told me, putting a hand on my cheek.

"I love you too, Mom."

I got out of the car and made my way to the courtyard.

"Whoa!"

The courtyard looked a lot better than I had anticipated.

"That's the understatement of the century," I heard Amy say next to me.

"Oh, hi, Amy!" I greeted her. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes, actually. I'm determined to have fun today, no matter what."

"That's great!"

I glanced around. All of my friends were busy with their booths.

"Do you want some company?" I asked.

"Yes, please," Amy answered, blowing a sigh of relief. "My friends are busy, too- OH! Whoa! Careful!"

I glanced over and saw the taller girl who supported Adam dropping a tube and trying to fix her hair.

"Sorry, Amy! Ugh, these things are static central. Everyone at our booth's been zapping each other all morning."

"Oh no, is the booth in trouble?"

She smiled.

"Nope! We've had tons of people stop by. I'd say it's a knockout success!"

"That's great!" Amy replied. "It's no shock to me that it's going well."

The girl cracked up laughing.

"Oh my god! That was terrible."

"What's your booth about?" I asked.

"It's an inner tube obstacle course! You should try it sometime. I'm Erin, by the way."

She held out her hand, and I shook it.

"Donnie."

"You're Donnie? Adam's told me about you. Are you related to Dr. Donatello Hamato, by any chance?"

"He's my grandpa! I'm, uh, actually named after him."

"You look almost exactly like him," Erin complimented me. "I'm glad to meet you, Donnie."

She let out an excited sigh.

"Okay, no more stalling. Time to haul this the rest of the way."

"You can do it!" Amy yelled with confidence.

I noticed Rory glancing over at us from his booth with a frown on his face.

"Amy, look."

I pointed her towards Rory, whose eyes landed on hers. He bit his lip and started to twist his hands.

"I think he wants to talk to you," I told her, reading his mind. "Why don't you go on over and say hello?"

"Rory..." Amy whispered, the sadness creeping into her voice.

Suddenly, Rory got on his feet and jogged across the lawn. Amy ran towards him and I watched them talk. After some time, Rory pulled Amy into his arms and let out a long sigh. Then, they pulled apart and smiled at each other. I smiled, now knowing they were going to be okay.

"Hey, Rory?" another girl called out. "Can I get you to help me with these buckets?"

Rory and Amy hugged again, and then Amy and I regrouped to explore the courtyard.

"How did it go?" I asked.

"We're okay," Amy answered with a smile. "Rory said he was sorry for taking the election personally and promised he wouldn't put the election between us."

"Good."

"Amy!"

"Huh?" we both gasped.

"Mohit?" Amy asked, glancing down at a boy who was a little shorter than me.

To my amusement, the boy Mohit hugged Amy as Ajay came into view, his hands full of crafts and snacks. I could not help but chuckle at the sight.

"Mohit, you can't just hug random people!" Ajay breathlessly scolded him.

"Amy isn't random! You're friends with her!"

"Pack mule is a nice look on you, Ajay," Amy teased him.

"It's all Mohit's. As soon as he had one thing to eat, he saw another that he wanted more. And the following sugar rush made him want to do all of the crafts and activities."

"SUGAR!" Mohit yelled excitedly.

Then he saw other kids his age and bounced around excitedly.

"Bhai, can I go with them over to that booth? Please, please, please, please please?"

"Sure. Go on."

It clicked. Mohit and Ajay were of Indian descent. I watched Mohit run after the other kids.

"Hey, Ajay, there's a bench over here," I suggested. "Let's sit on it."

"Thank you, strange person."

"It's Donnie."

Ajay collapsed on the bench before his eyes widened.

"Oh, you're that Donnie! I never imagined I'd actually meet you, with my being a junior and all."

"It's cool."

Ajay then started staring at Amy for some reason. I read his mind and found that Ajay liked Amy's outfit: a long-sleeved grey Westport High shirt over a pair of black shorts, knee-high grey and red socks, and black tennis shoes. I decided I'd leave them alone and I continued to explore the booths. I took Erin up on her offer and went to Adam's booth to try the obstacle course. Needless to say, I had so much fun I wanted to do it over and over again. I even practiced with my invisibility powers to see what all I could do with them. Then, I went to Diana's booth.

"Hi, Donnie!" Diana greeted me. "How are you enjoying the festival?"

"I needed a break from the inner tube obstacle course. It's way too much fun."

Diana and Maria laughed.

"I'd probably do it too if I could. Do you want some hot cocoa?"

"That sounds amazing. Actually, may I join you?"

"Of course!" Maria answered excitedly. "We could always use an extra pair of hands."

I suddenly started hearing excited requests from the smaller children asking someone to curse them.

"Wait, what is happening?" I asked.

"Oh my gosh, Skye!" Amy yelled. "You can't go around threatening to curse kids!"

"I can if they won't stop following me everywhere," Skye snapped.

Amy and Skye continued to try to have the kids leave them alone. I thought about helping, but I decided against it. I had developed a game plan with Diana and Maria. They would be the faces of the booth while I made the hot cocoa. Somehow I had made better hot cocoa than either of them, and we started getting more customers.

"Lorenzo! Put that out at once!"

We all turned to see Mr. Olson running towards Lorenzo's booth.

"OH MY GOSH!" I screamed.

Lorenzo was holding a hula hoop on fire!

"Ah-ha!" Lorenzo exclaimed excitedly. "The flaming ring of fire is finally ready!"

But Mr. Olson snatched the hoop away and threw it in the snow.

"Whew!" I exclaimed. "That could have been a disaster."

"I hear that," Maria replied with worry.

"Maria, you're the current president, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yes."

"What exactly does the class president do?"

"Well, Donnie, the class president plans all the school dances," Maria explained with a smile. "Not only that, but the president also represents the student body. If the students, as a whole, ask for changes, I approach Principal Hughs with a suggestion. Most of the time, my ideas work. Other times, they don't and most often than not, it is better off that way. Being class president is a huge responsibility, Donnie, and it is a responsibility I have gladly handled the last three years. I am saddened this is my last year, but I'm happy to pass the torch down to someone who has earned the presidency."

"You can't encourage the candidates, can you?"

"I could, but it would be showing bias."

"Got it."

"Hey, Diana!"

The three of us turned to see Wilbur and my mom approaching our booth.

"Dad!" Diana exclaimed happily. "Hi! What are you doing here?"

"I told Renet I'd be coming in late so I could support you."

"I told her the same thing," Mom chimed in.

I ran out of the booth and hugged her.

"I'm so glad you're here," I told her.

"You look like you're having a lot of fun."

"I am! I did this inner tube obstacle which was so fun! And then I've been helping Diana and Maria make hot chocolate. I think I'm having more fun this way."

My mom chuckled.

"You always were happy when you helped someone else. I'm proud of you, Donnie. May I have a cup of hot chocolate please?"

"Make that two cups?" Wilbur asked.

"Yes, of course!"

I went around behind Maria and Diana to prepare two cups of hot chocolate.

"Ready to warm up with the best hot chocolate in town?" Diana yelled to potential customers.

"Or at least the best hot chocolate that can be made from a box mix and some mini mallows," Maria quietly corrected her.

"Here you go!" I announced, giving the cups to Wilbur and my mom.

Wilbur took one look and gave us a look.

"The service here is terrible!"

"What?!" I exclaimed as Wilbur waved at Amy.

"Uh... Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson," Amy greeted them.

My mother blushed a bright red.

"Oh!" Mom exclaimed in embarrassment. "No, I'm not Diana's mother. I'm actually Donnie's mother, Lily Hamato."

"Oh!" Amy exclaimed, now blushing. "Mrs. Hamato, I am so sorry!"

"Just Lily, please. Hamato is my born name."

"So, Amy, your parents own the diner, right?" Wilbur asked. "Maybe you can teach my little princess here how to run a restaurant."

"Dad!" Diana exclaimed, now blushing herself with high-pitched giggles. "This is not a restaurant."

"Excuse me! I want to speak to a manager."

"Did someone spit in your cocoa?" Skye asked.

"Worse!" Wilbur explained teasingly. "I specifically asked for my marshmallows to look like tiny snowmen doing the tango and all I got was... this! Look!"

I rolled my eyes as Wilbur showed Amy the hot chocolate I prepared.

"Do you see this? No snowmen! No tango!"

"They kind of look like snowmen," Skye said with a smirk. "If you squint."

"Not good enough. I want tiny top hats and carrot noses. Diana, where's your manager?"

"Excuse me," Amy replied. "Can Diana make them look like dancing snowmen?"

"No, she can't," Maria answered.

"You doubt my skills?" Diana asked in bewilderment. "Give me that cocoa."

Wilbur gave his daughter the cup. Diana looked around the booth and found some toothpicks. After some time, she constructed... some kind of snowman.

"Still needs a hat," Skye chimed in.

Maria then ripped off a corner of a napkin, pinched it in half, and balanced it on the marshmallow man's head.

"Beautiful!" Amy exclaimed. "A work of art!"

"Now that's more like it!" Wilbur said in agreement.

We laughed before I said goodbye to Wilbur and my mom and went back to making more hot chocolate. Suddenly, I heard a cheer coming from one corner of the festival.

"What's going on there?" I asked.

"The igloo is open!" Diana explained excitedly. "Aiden put together a small jazz band and they're performing inside this igloo. It's perfect for two people to snuggle up together and listen to some jazz."

"Oh, no thanks. I'll pass."

"Well, I'm gonna go find Caleb and take advantage of it. Can you two handle things here?"

"Absolutely," Maria answered with confidence.

Unfortunately, I could not hear the jazz music. But I still had my fun in making hot chocolate. Before we knew it, Diana had returned from the igloo.

"How was it?" I asked.

"They were amazing!" Diana exclaimed. "I had forgotten just how much Caleb and I love jazz! It felt like it was just us in the room.

I read her mind. Diana and Caleb got very cozy in the igloo. I could not help but smirk.

"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" the head cheerleader suddenly announced. "THE CARRIAGE RIDES ARE NOW OPEN!"

"This carnival is full of surprises," I told Maria.

"The carriage rides were the most profitable last year," Maria explained. "It makes sense Mia decided to bring it back."

"So what was the purpose of this carnival in the first place?" I asked.

"Have you heard about what happened last year?"

"No. My mind was elsewhere. My father died almost a year ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Maria replied with a frown. "Well, I guess I can tell you then. Principal Hughs had resigned and Principal Isa took over. But things went downhill very quickly. Band and cheerleading had lost their funding and I also lost my leadership position. So we all pitched in to create this winter festival to raise that funding."

"Wait, if Principal Hughs resigned, why is she here?"

"Because it turned out that Principal Isa was really a con-woman named Ashley Faris. We discovered her identity and helped put her behind bars. If it wasn't for Diana, I'm not sure what all we would have done."

"Wait, Ashley Faris?"

I gasped, and then I got angry.

"She's why my father died!"

I ran out of the booth and out of the festival, hoping to calm myself down and not let the tears fall from my face. I did not realize that I had turned invisible and that I had formed a force field around myself, blocking everything out. And then the tears fell.

"WATCH OUT!"

My head shot up. The force field surrounding me was gone and I was fully visible. I heard horses frantically neighing. I wiped my tears and ran to the commotion. Thankfully, it was not far.

"No!" Mia shouted in fear.

"I got it!" Lorenzo yelled.

I could not believe my eyes. Lorenzo darted in front of the horse and retrieved something before rolling away into the snow.

"Lorenzo, that was incredible!" Mia exclaimed.

"Is everyone alright?" I asked.

"I can't believe I got it all on video!" Amber suddenly exclaimed, pointing her phone at Lorenzo... and a baby kitten.

"Is everyone okay?" Amy asked.

"The kitty is fine!" Amber answered happily. "All whiskers accounted for."

"All good," Lorenzo answered with a smile.

I raised my eyebrow as Mia hopped down to soothe her horse. Something about this was not right. How did Amber know the kitten was okay? And was Amber there from the very beginning?

"I think we're okay, too," Mia answered.

To my disbelief, we were now surrounded by other students, pulling out their phones to take pictures of the spectacle. I turned invisible and slowly crept away from the crowd, heading inside the school to think.

I was in my room scrolling through YouTube when my attention came upon a video that already had over one hundred thousand views. I clicked on it, and my eyes widened: it was Amber's video! The video had started with the horse carriage riding on the road. Then, the camera widened, showing a kitten just wandering around. The horse neighed upon seeing the kitten, and then Lorenzo darted in to save the kitten.

"I can't believe I got it all on video!" Amber said.

Then, a huge sticker popped up, saying "VOTE FOR LORENZO!" The video ended. All of the comments I saw spoke of how brave Lorenzo was saving the kitten.

I replayed the video and paid closer attention to the cat. When the video first started, the cat had looked around as if it had just been tossed there. Then, the kitten had glanced over at the horse and tried to run, but then Lorenzo ran in to save the kitten... from Amber's side.

I texted Caleb and Diana the video and then I was prompted to go to my mom's room. I knocked.

"Just a minute!"

I heard Vaia making sounds, so I assumed my mom was changing her diaper again. Then, my mom opened the door.

"Hey, Donnie. What's up?"

"Have you seen this video?"

"What video?"

"Here."

I handed my mom the phone and she watched the video.

"Wow! That's bold. Lorenzo... why does that name sound familiar?"

"Because Lorenzo is one of the candidates for class president," I explained.

"This is at school?" Mom asked with surprise.

"Yep. And I think this has been set up."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Think about it, Mom. Lorenzo's not the best candidate in the world. Myra does not have a strong platform either. But what could he possibly do to even the playing ground between the two strongest candidates, Rory and Adam? Perform a heroic deed."

"I hope you can find proof," Mom replied, shaking her head. "Proving that someone is up to no good is no easy task."

"Oh, believe me, Mom," I sternly replied, turning my fist invisible. "I aim to do just that."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. We quickly turned our heads toward the door.

"Who could that be?" I asked.

"I do not know. Can you find out for me? I need to put Vaia to bed."

I gave her a firm nod and went down the stairs. But words could not describe how I felt when I answered the door. I glanced up and down at our strange visitor. I thought it was someone wearing a red echidna costume.

"Wilbur? Is that you?"

"Wilbur?! How dare you! I am Knuckles the Echidna, the last of my tribe, the Echidnas."

"Sorry, sorry!" I cried, before it all clicked. "Wait a minute. Did you say your name is Knuckles? That's a weird name."

"How dare you insult me--"

"And how dare you talk that way to my son!" Mom suddenly yelled in anger. "I suggest you leave before I kick you out, and I do mean that in all seriousness."

There was an awkward silence. Knuckles, to my surprise, bowed down to us.

"Mom, what's going on?" I asked.

"Donatello, can you read his mind?"

I tried to read his mind.

"No, I can't. Is that weird?"

"No. I cannot read his mind either."

"Donatello?" Knuckles asked, standing back up. "I thought Donatello was your father, Lilianna Hamato."

Mom sighed.

"I named my son after my father. Can I help you, Knuckles?"

"Knuckles, I'm so sorry," I cried. "I've never seen anyone like you before. That's why I thought you were my friend's dad in a costume."

Knuckles softened his gaze.

"Donatello, why don't you get ready for bed?" Mom suggested. "I need to speak with Knuckles alone."

LILIANNA'S POV

"Please, come in, Knuckles."

I led him inside the house and into the kitchen.

"May I offer you a drink?" I asked.

"Do you have any grapes?" Knuckles asked.

I was quite surprised at his request.

"Uh, yes, of course. Let me get you some water as well."

"You have a wonderful home, Lilianna Hamato."

"Please call me Lily. And thank you. What should I call you?"

"Knuckles, please."

"Knuckles, it is. I am curious, why did you come alone? Where are Sonic and Tails?"

"The fox and the hedgehog are at home in Green Hills. I felt a need to speak with you, Lily Hamato."

I gave the water and grapes to my guest and sat down across the table from him.

"About what? What is troubling you?"

"I know you do not trust me."

"And you are correct," I answered, immediately being blunt with him. "How could you possibly know that I am also Aumanil?"

"Like the hedgehog said, I did a lot of reading. I can understand why it would seem odd that a warrior like me would relax with a good book. A warrior never stops learning. And you, Lily Hamato, are certainly a warrior."

"I have been trained in the ancient art of ninjutsu my entire life," I explained.

"But there is something I must know," Knuckles chimed in before I continued. "Why do you also call yourself Aumanil? And how did you knock me out with nothing?"

I leaned back with exasperation, not believing I was about to explain my life to...

"I'm sorry, what are you?"

"I never did properly introduce myself to you. I am Knuckles the Echidna, the last of my tribe--"

"The Echidnas?" I asked with a gap-toothed grin. "And how do I know I can trust you?"

"I will offer my alliance."

Knuckles took off his glove and held out his hand. I got out of my chair and walked over to him. Even though I could not read his mind, I saw sincerity in his purple eyes and in his smile. I shook his bare hand, and then I took a seat next to him.

"You know, for an Echidna warrior and for someone whom I just met the other night, you seem to be open with me. Why?"

"I do not know," Knuckles answered, putting his glove back on. "Usually, I would be just as skeptical as you are now. Perhaps it is because it is rare another warrior knocks me out, as you did five nights ago."

"So you respect me, just like that?"

I scoffed.

"Knuckles, I'm just a human being. I may be a warrior, but at the same time, I am someone who needs to ask for help sometimes. I used to believe I could do everything until I learned recently I cannot do it all."

I glanced into his purple eyes. I saw sympathy in them.

"You had to learn that too, didn't you?"

"Yes, yes I did. What happened, Lily Hamato?"

I felt tears coming to my eyes. I tried so hard to hide them from a perfect stranger.

"I lost my husband eleven months ago. He was murdered in our home."

"What is a husband?" Knuckles asked.

I was thankful for the surprise distraction.

"I am amazed you don't know what that is. When a woman falls in love with a man, and the man falls in love with her, he asks her to marry him. The man becomes a husband and the woman becomes a wife. Sometimes, they have children. Other times, they just spend the rest of their lives together, just the two of them."

The distraction was short-lived. The tears started to fall.

"James and I were married for almost fifteen years and we have three children together. But before we could celebrate our fifteen-year anniversary, our enemy the Shredder killed him and took him away from me. Excuse me."

I got up and walked to the couch. I curled into a ball and cried into my knees. I had no idea why I spilled my feelings of grief to an anthropomorphic echidna. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my back, and I felt myself pulled into his arms. I wanted to tell him to get off me. But to my surprise, it felt comforting.

"I, too, lost someone important to me," Knuckles softly spoke. "I was only a child when I lost my father and the rest of the tribe to a group of giant owls. I spent the next ten years searching the entirety of the galaxy for the master emerald. When my quest was completed here on Earth, I did not know where to go next. I had made a pact with the fox and the hedgehog to protect this planet from evil. There are the days when I feel alone, not knowing where to go. But I also have the good days. I have the love from my new family, my new order. And you have the love as well, Lily Hamato."

A part of me wanted to laugh. But I felt too vulnerable.

I let out a gasp. Vulnerability. To overcome grief, I needed to be vulnerable, even if it meant being vulnerable to a complete stranger. The only people who knew of my loss were my family, Anna, and the Robinsons. My father had understood my pain, because Splinter was his father. Anna had also helped me, grieving for her father for a hundred years.

But Knuckles had lost someone at a young age and spent many years wondering where life would take him, similar to my trials now. He understood grief. Perhaps I needed someone who did not know me.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Both Knuckles and I were startled at my son's voice. He released me and I stood up. Little Donnie was wearing his purple bathrobe. I wiped my tears away.

"Yes, I'm alright. Go ahead and get into bed. I'll join you in a moment."

Little Donnie went up the stairs. I turned back towards Knuckles and looked at him. To my amazement, we were the same height.

"I am sorry, Knuckles. You had asked me a question about my powers and I totally spilled my feelings about my late husband out to you. I'm not usually this vulnerable."

"Neither am I, Lily Hamato."

I chuckled, putting a strand of my red hair behind my ear.

"Please, just call me Lily. The only time I am called by my last name is at work. I'm a profiler."

"Lily?"

I smiled, gazing into his purple eyes, but still unable to read his mind. Honestly, it was satisfying to me.

"Lily."

"What other names do they call you?"

I shrugged.

"My husband has always called me Lily of the Valley, after the flower. My father called me Lily Mae because Mae is my middle name. But Knuckles, please, do not overthink this. Unless I am in my red and orange dress, my name is Lily. Come, let me show you out."

"Is this what you mean by kicking me out?"

I shook my head.

"No. When someone says they are kicking you out, it means they are forcing you out of the house. But that is not what I am doing. Tonight, I am wishing you well on your journey home."

I paused before opening the door.

"Where is home, Knuckles?"

"Green Hills, Montana."

"Montana?!"

I cracked up laughing.

"No wonder Anna found you guys. She's a lawyer in San Diego, California. I used to live in California myself, actually."

I let out a sigh, walking outside with him.

"Why do you remain here where your husband has died?" Knuckles asked me.

I smiled.

"Because this has been home ever since I was born."

I gasped, a memory coming back to me.

"I remember where I met Sonic! He had somehow stumbled into the woods where I lived as a child. I waved hi to him and he waved back to me. And then, he ran back to where he came from. Goodness, that must have been about... gee, I think it was the year I was born: 2024. I was just a baby."

I glanced over and saw a smile on his face.

"I will tell the hedgehog you said, hi."

"Please do."

"Mom!"

"In a minute, Donatello!" I yelled back.

"I should go," Knuckles spoke. "We will meet again, Starlight."

I gave him a weird glance.

"Starlight? What brought this on?"

"I have seen many things throughout the galaxy, but nothing as breathtaking as you."

The echidna sped off. I thought about what he said just now and I laughed. He was very likely around Sonic's age, which meant he was about fifteen to twenty years older than I was. He'd be more of a big brother than anything. I went back inside and read my son a story before going to bed myself.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Sonic the Hedgehog." I wrote parts of this chapter based on what I learned from the movies and from the Knuckles series. I hope I did these characters justice 40 years into the future.