They gather around the first pedestal and Donatello reads the riddle inscribed upon it.
What must take a bow before it can speak?
"A really polite dude!" Michelangelo blurts.
There's a crack and a flash as lightning strikes the rod above the cage. Destiny screams and her eyes shoot open as the electricity rockets through her and the teens whirl around. It stops and Destiny collapses back into a shaking, wounded lump.
Casey looks at the sky, then at the cage. "What the heck was that?"
"Did I not mention that every time you guess the riddle wrong, Destiny gets zapped?" Circa asks, tapping her chin as she flutters her eyelashes. Raphael growls, muscles bulging, and she giggles. "Well, she does. It won't kill her immediately, but who knows how much she can take in this state?"
As she throws her head back laughing, Donatello points to each of them. "Nobody. Say. Anything," he enunciates. He points between Michelangelo and Casey. "Especially you two. Only say it if you're sure of yourself in a good way."
"My bad, dude," Michelangelo says, hands held up in defence.
"Yup. Gotcha," Casey says.
They read the riddle again and Donatello smirks. "Oh, this is easy." He clears his throat. "A violin."
Circa waves her hand. "Correct. Now, go find a violin and you will have your key."
"Who goes and finds it?" Raphael asks.
Leonardo thinks for a moment before nodding. "Donnie, Annalise, you two solve the riddles. Two at a time if you can. Whenever one is solved, one of us—" He motions to himself, Raphael, Casey, and Michelangelo. "—will go and find the item. The island is small so it should be quick."
"Awesome! I'll go get the violin!" Michelangelo volunteers. He turns and races away.
The next few riddles go by faster. Donatello and Annalise together make quick work of them and Circa watches in silence, eyes glinting.
When it comes to me, you go on red and stop on green. What am I?
"Watermelon," Donatello answers. Raphael races away.
Every night I'm told what to do, and each morning I do what I'm told. But I still don't escape your scold.
"An alarm clock," Annalise says. Casey races away.
I am a mother and a father but have never given birth. I'm rarely still, but I never wander. What am I?
"A tree," Donatello says.
Annalise gives Leonardo her onō and he hurries off just as Michelangelo returns with a violin. The orange-masked turtle is slightly out of breath but manages to keep a tiny smile on his face as he rests the instrument on the first pedestal. In a glow of light, it turns into a bronze key.
"Sweet! So glad this town has a music shop," Michelangelo says.
Donatello frowns at the fifth riddle. "Annalise," he says, motioning her over, and she goes to his side.
What flies when it's born, lies when it's alive, and runs when it's dead?
She blinks a few times. "I...have no idea."
"I have a theory. Runs...makes me think of water. So maybe it's ice." He purses his lips. "Only thing is, ice doesn't fly and...lies? Does it mean tells lies or lies down?"
YOU ARE READING
Digital Mutation (Book Five)
FanfictionShe's a YouTuber with a small fanbase and big dreams, but the path she's taken has made her stop and look back. She misses the privacy. She misses the simplicity that being a "nobody" brought. She misses the girl she used to be, but she can't go bac...
