Rise & Fall

Repo Mantis

(Probably should've mentioned earlier but updates are every Monday if you guys want to keep up with the story!)

POV - Cleo

Day after day passed with no more than a sturdy blink of an eye. Reaching the four week mark of being stuck on a dead end mission. One entire month and the only lead they've made is April having a tendency to come from weirdly darkened alleyways sometimes when they meet up.

Cleo has already learned her lesson about leaving on solo missions to get the turtles seeing how well it went beforehand. Still, he constantly questions the hesitance presented when it comes to the orange one...for now, he's decided to join Frida and April on their outings more often. To blend in and become the silent observer of a trio with two boisterously loud people that talk constantly.

Which just so happens to bring them to none other than a human disposal heap or junk yard as April referred to it. A treasure trove where the humans dispose of meaningless items that they didn't need or didn't want. April mentioned it and while Frida has always been the one individual up for an adventure, Cleo's eye lit up in awe at the description.

This place was crawling with parts and circuits of any and all kinds! The realm of possibility was endless and all she wanted to do was dive into every pile and sink under the crushing weight of long forgotten trophies. Study and prod among the unknown tech and get to know the function of any and all devices big and small. The urge to get lost in shiny metal every second was overwhelming and that was only the tip of the iceberg! Next they study this world's landscape, it's way of life, the animals, insects, germs, everything is unmatched to Cleo's infinite knowledge and will to study more!!

"Don't mind him. He's doing this weird inner monologue thing. Happens a lot. And if you make the mistake of asking him," Frida moved closer, "it becomes an outer monologue and suddenly you're stuck there for hours and your cheese burrito is cold."

Rummaging sounds overlapped Frida's speaking and the noticeable shift of uncomfortable shuffling was heard next as April attempted to get comfortable.

"Right— eh- uh" April paused. Movement ceasing from the older girl.

"Something the matter?" Frida asks.

Both girls shift back and forth in conversation. Hardly noticing Cleo tuning them out and steadily sinking deeper through the scrap metal and wires, he was slowly disappearing, like he'd been dropped in quicksand and was enjoying it.

Geez this place is a fire hazard.

It still doesn't deter the hidden turtle, if they wanted a fire they'd start one. Another red tinted wire found its way in between the crevices of his fingers. Twisting and turning carefully in a practiced motion. Smiling to himself at the thought of potentially making him and his sister small grappling guns. Sturdy enough to hoist their size across the sprawling skyscrapers of either city, but also be small enough to sit under clothing.

'Oh! He could make them psychically connect to their mystic energy and would require no exterior switch to activate! Which would thin down the design he he had the right wires...' Considering they still had yet to fix and reprogram their machine from the last trip to the hidden city. Every mechanical bolt, wire, and piece of machinery counted.

The world faded around her as the task at hand took control of her body and didn't allow attention to anything else.

Especially the commotion of April and Frida exchanging panicked conversation...

POV - Frida

Frida took note of April shifting from foot to foot nervously. Her eye's failed to keep locked onto one thing and instead she was openly looking around herself anxiously.