[ SACRIFICE ]
Settling Dust Prompts
[ SACRIFICE ]: knowing that the circumstances only allow one of them to survive, the sender sacrifices their life in order to guarantee the receiver’s survival and safety.
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It was apparent to both Mario and DK that Bowser decorated with too much lava. The two of them were like kids playing floor is lava - but for real this time, hopping between blocks and powerups to proceed. Despite the danger, there was a relatively jovial mood between them as one could not pass up the opportunity to 1UP one another with each display of parkour growing ever fancier.
He had been laughing moments earlier before they reached what looked like a fun maze of sorts built of blocks that didn't even require you to jump between them. Seemed like the dungeon decorator ran out of ideas or something.
"Bet I pick the right path first ~ "Mario boasted, getting into a starting position.
"Uh-huh ~ BET YOU DON'T!" And with that DK stole the right path right away, galloping along it quickly with a grin as Mario complained behind him and took the other route.
Interestingly enough...the blocks began to explode one by one some time after they'd been touched. DK didn't notice it quite at first because he'd been racing along full speed ahead, but when he slowed down to check over his shoulder and see how the competition was going, he noticed all the blocks behind him were gone. Well...no going back now!
The routes criss-crossed each other a number of times - some with Mario overhead, and some with him below. Each time they passed one another, each had something snarky to impart about the other's progress so far.
DK could see the edge of the lava pit ahead of him, but the sudden drop-off from his route was abrupt. He had to grab the side of the block and hoist himself back up when he almost ran full force into the air. A quick glance around the now single block showed he was just above a small stretch of block road that connected to exit platform. One hop down and he'd be good! Just then Mario zoomed around the corner of the path, and laughed as he noticed DK wiggling in place to get ready and hop down to his level. Guess he'd gotten the right path all along...
As DK joined him on the lower level, the block they were both on decided it didn't want to wait to crumble and instead - under the weight of two, disintegrated instantly. "Ack!" DK was quick to grab the side of the unbroken road and pull himself up and was relieved to see that Mario had done the same to the other side. Seemed the blocks had a timer for singles only. "Hey!" He gestured for Mario to jump over to him. "Hurry up, you already touched that one and-"
Why was Mario just...standing there? His gaze was pinned to the little bit of road left that would lead them onto stable land, but...if the first block they touched together instantly sent them down, then the one DK wanted Mario to jump to would as well, and without the luxury of the yet to split block behind them...only one of them would have the chance of pulling themselves up to the other block. Only one of them could, actually. If they held on together, they'd both drop into the pit.
"Mario!?" DK yelled louder this time, kneading his knuckles against the block anxiously as the one beneath Mario splintered and cracked. "C'mon, you can make that jump!"
"No..." Mario sighed, giving DK a smile. They'd had a fun run-through, but. "I picked the wrong side of the block to climb. It's game-over for me."
"We can make it work-cmon! I'll...I'll get you up on the side here and you can run it instead. It was your path! Mine was the dead-end!" He doesn't want to move, but his instincts tell him to back up as he feels the block under him rumbling.
"You're gonna do fine. Go and get'im- for me."
The block breaks. Player 2 becomes Player 1.
