#alittledetermined

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."

It was one of their first nights since moving to the Mushroom Kingdom and the town was peaceful and quiet. It was quite the difference to the busy streets of Brooklyn with cars whizzing by all night. However, not everyone was sleeping soundly.

'Trust me, I could've eaten hundreds of those things as a kid and it wouldn't change a thing.' He's not going to go through the whole 'I was born this way' explanation. He'd done that a hundred times over when people questioned or mocked his height. Honestly people just need to lay off.

'I'm short, I get it. Just get over it, fluff boy.'

"Like you know that. You could be like - eight foot five right now. Just for chokin' down the shrooms." He laughs, twirling the tip of his hair's curl around his finger unconsciously, taking great pleasure in annoying Mario - his favorite hobby!

The other's nick-name for him is not without notice though. "Hey!" Scooting in to get nose to nose with the punk, he growls. "You and Bowser are freaking idiots. Do you not SEE this fur?" Cue hand up and down in front of him like he's testing the plumber's eyesight. "I'm shiny-sleek! Go on and feel if you don't believe me!!"

"Do you mind?"

‘To?’ He asks with a tilt of his head. ‘Talk?’ Well if it will make DK feel better… Well to be honest… it will make Mario feel a bit better too. ‘Okay.’ Mario says softly. Shuffling a little closer to his friend and looking at him attentively. ‘What is it you would like to talk about?’ The plumber considers patting the other’s back, but refrains, unsure if DK will allow it. His hand hovering there.

His teeth are a force behind the wall his mouth makes once firmly shut. Trapped, they're forced to grind around ideas and uncomfortable thoughts...that he'd rather smash monkey his way through if he was being honest.

Not noticing his company's closing the distance just yet, he growls low in his throat - a mixture of gator and ape swallowed bellows. After a moment - and after realizing the other was humoring him, DK shifted to consider his company with a flat but welling indifference.

Somewhere in the commotion, Mario had lost his footing, hearing an awful snapping sound, but no time to focus on the swelling pain in his ankle. The rhino is hot on their tail and if he doesn't move, there will be more to worry about than an injured foot. Mario pushes through the pain. Managing to just about keep up with DK and keep a good distance from the oncoming rhino...that is until DK gives the order to jump.

Mario rarely feels a sense of panic. But right here and right now, above a rivine with a charging rhino and a possibly broken ankle; sweat begins to pour down his face. The sound of the heavy-footed creature forces him to do a jump he knows he can't make.

The weight he gives to his ankle in an attempt to hop the ravine has him falling short.

He plummets!

Life flashing before his eyes!

The shriek that escapes him as he falls. Never to see Luigi again,  never to see Peach or Toad or DK. Suddenly he finds himself held against chestnut fur, soaring through the air. Safe.

He collapses the moment they reach solid ground. His hands cradling his ankle.

A firey glare is shot his way. 'Sorry, I guess it must have slipped my mind, what with an angry rhino on our hides!' He barks, with the burning pain; his words carry a lot of venom.

He takes in a deep breath, trying to breath through the pain. A moment passes and he braces himself, attempting to stand. He's much too stubborn to accept any help.

'Porca miseria!'

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His fur flinches against his skin slightly against the agitated look Mario shoots him. More amused than threatened, he snorted at the display. "OK...you sound pissed off. But just think...it all could have been avoided if you didn't piss me off to start with." Satisfied with his reasoning, DK observed the other's obvious agony that he quite poorly tried to play off.

A sigh and an eyeroll led him to pinch the back of Mario's collar and hold him just millimeters above the ground so there wasn't any pressure on his ankle. "Look...you're not walking out of here without crying and attracting something worse than a rhino. Take a seat." Lifting his company up onto his shoulder to sit, DK swings around and starts padding towards civilization again where Mario could get a nice cast or at least some pain regulating herbs.