Mario heard a series of thuds overhead as he neared the top of the ladder. Son of a bitch is on the move agAI-
His body sank down as his front foot slipped off the rung. The condensation on the metal was making every step a crapshoot. Fuuuuck...
Every rung seemed to be even colder than the last. Every rung seemed to be even wetter than the last. And every rung seemed to be farther away than the last. And this was getting to be was a long climb. As soon as his back foot pushed off the top rung, he spilled onto the platform. I... feel... exhausted. His fingers twirled the Bit around in his palm. Yo, aren't you supposed to prevent this? I feel like shit. Help me out here.
The Bit didn't seem to react.
Ah, come on. When all this shit is over, I'm figuring out how you work. He got on his hands and knees. Okay, let's see what's next. He stood up to observe his surroundings. Gotta save Pauline, gotta save Pauline...
There were two construction elevators directly in front of him. They seem to be on a single circular track; one elevator was going up, another was coming back down. He could make out several ladders a dozen or so yards away from him. Where's the gorilla?
"Hey Pauline, where are you and the ape?!"
"It sounds like we're somewhere directly above you!"
"Really?" Mario looked up, trying to peer through all the girders. It looked like there was something a way up, gorilla feet? But there was something else...
"I see something pink and white above me? What is that?"
"It's my umbrella! I dropped it while it was carrying me up!"
"You brought your umbrella?!"
"I brought my purse with me, remember?! I lost it all while it was taking me up here. But don't worry about it! It's not an obstacle!"
"Don't worry, I'll get it!"
"You don't have to, it's fine!"
"Nah, I got it!" He started climbing the ladders. "I'm coming this way anyway!"
"Are you seriously going for bonus points right now?!"
"...Yes." Grabbing the umbrella, Mario folded it up and put it in his pocket. "Told ya it wouldn't be a problem, now hang on! I'll be there soon!"
He looked down at the elevator rising up in front of him. Just gotta wait for the easy jump. Don't look too far down. Just the platform. Just the platform. He took a deep breath. The elevator was right below him.
He lept.
As his feet hit the platform, Mario couldn't stabilize himself. He took a couple of extra steps forward...
OH SHIT! He found himself teetering over, looking down at another platform. But if he missed that, that was looking to be a long fall, and with every second, it was getting longer...
I'm still going up! He quickly backpedaled and looked up, seeing the massive metal pulley above him getting closer and closer to his face.
I gotta move! Mario dove off of the lift. A heavy splat echoed through the area as he came down down belly first onto the next platform.
"Mario, are you okay?!"
"Yeah...just, just fine. I'm good." He sniffed the air. "Smoke again? Am I near more fire?"
He looked down. A fireball was coming up the ladder in front of him.
Shit! He crawled backward, looking around. Seeing a ladder underneath him, Mario shifted his body and began to descend. As soon as he gripped the first rung, he pulled his hand back. "FUCK THAT'S HOT!"
He ended up skipping quite a few rungs on his way down.
Okay, where to next.
An elevator going down was right in front of him. That would lead to the ground. Back up to a few wall-mounted platforms. Didn't seem to be any fire near those. Perfect. Speaking of which. Mario looked up to keep track of the fireball. It was still bouncing around the platform above him. Dangerous, but for fire, they don't seem too bright.
As he took his next step, he heard a whoosh of air underneath him, looking down, he realizes his shoe was currently pressing on a nicely-made white hat with a black stripe. He quickly tried wiping the imprint of his shoe off of it, with decent results. "Got your hat!"
"Thanks! But seriously, stay safe!"
"BURN."
Mario whipped his head back to see the fireball scooting down the ladder. Time to go.
Waiting for the current elevator to drop past his knees, Mario hopped off the platform down to the elevator, then down to first mounted girder. He looked back at the fireball. It didn't give chase, never leaving the double ladder platform. Okay, works for me. He looked back to the next platform. The next girder came up to his chest. The one after that seemed similarly placed. Bit should be able to get me up here no problem.
He jumped forward and landed perfectly with ease. There we go. Hey, I'm kinda getting the hang of-
Something flashed in front of his eyes. Falling out of his vision as fast as it came in.
"What the-" He blinked. Did something get in my eye? Walking to the edge of the platform Mario looked down. The fire was consuming the lower level of the building with no sign of slowing down. The fact that a fireball beat him to the second level was troubling, but that would have to be a problem for later-
"MARIO! WATCH OUT!"
Mario cocked his head up.
Something was dropping right on top of him.
Jumping back, Mario caught a better glimpse this time. Blue. White. Square? Ish? "Pauline, what is that?!"
"It found some sort of spring machine, and now the springs are bouncing over the edge! Are they gonna hit you?!"
"Not gonna lie, they're getting pretty close!"
Mario looked up as the next spring came free falling down. Tracing the springs back, he could make out a massive shape in the other corner of the floor. Even between all those girders, the gorilla was still easily visible.
So now I know for sure where you are. And where they're coming from. He turned his attention back to the springs. They fell in an instant, but they weren't coming nearly as fast. They weren't just falling randomly. It was a rhythm. Rhythm...
His thoughts turned to Mac.
Always somewhere in the apartment. Practicing his punches. Bobbing and weaving imaginary opponents. Stepping around, working on his footwork. He used to do it in his shoes until he left scuff marks on the carpet. Mario quickly made sure Mac would only wear socks around the apartment. Something like this would probably be right in Mac's wheelhouse...
A rather strong waft of smoke woke him from his thoughts. Where's that-
As black air started permeating around him, Mario hesitantly looked down. The fire had consumed the first floor. And as the flames grew ever larger, more smoke was being churned out of the inferno. The sprinkler system was now in full effect, though it probably wouldn't hold back the flames for long.
I gotta get going! He looked back up. Another spring was falling. Mario walked to the edge and set his feet.
A spring went bouncing along the top girder, and as it plummeted down, it flashed through Mario's vision.
GO!
As soon as it left his vision, he jumped. Landing on the next platform, Mario took a few swift steps and lept from there. As his feet hit the mounted girder next to the wall, he heard another spring drop behind him.
Nice try ape, but it's gonna take more than that.
A quick climb up the small ladder and Mario was facing the springs again. This time there was a ladder on the platform were the spring was falling. Shit, can't climb that. How am I- He spotted a platform past it. Got it.
As the next spring came down Mario lept for-
"BURN."
A fireball was on the platform waiting for him.
SHIT!
As Mario's front foot landed, he pushed back off it, and he fell down to the platform he just climbed up.
"I heard a thud Mario!" Pauline shouted out. "Are you okay?!"
"Just fine!" He quickly scrambled back to his feet, checking himself for any damage. A fall like that onto this metal probably shoulda given me a fractured arm. But with this Bit, I barely felt it. Lucky me.
He re-ascended the ladder and scanned the platform again. The fireball bounced up and down, moving around the platform, before opting to climb back up the ladder again.
Just gotta find an opening and time it. Just like Mac would.
With the fireball gone, Mario saw his chance. He jumped forward and landed on the platform in stride, sprinting across and leaping onto the next. He could hear the spring fall behind him. I think that's the last time I have to do that. He jumped to the next mounted girder and climbed the ladder. I think the ladder to get to the gorilla is on this side. Let me check.
He turned his head. Past the falling spring was the fireball on a platform. Above it was a ladder and a...purse?
Mario peered closer. Yep. Pink purse. Pauline's. Must have fell out with everything else. Ehh, I'll get it. Getting kinda hard to move carrying this umbrella and hat.
At the top of the ladder, Mario paused to look around. He could make out the gorilla's body better than before. It was on the girder above him. The ladder on the next platform in front of him would get him up there. Past that ladder was the spring obstacle and the fireball. But also Pauline's purse.
I could get it later...
BOOM!
An explosion resounded through the construction site. Mario looked down to see a bright flow flare up. The smell of smoke was getting stronger.
Shit! Was that an oil drum?!
He shook his head and looked back at the purse. If I don't get it now, I ain't getting a second chance.
Jumping to the next girder, Mario took the umbrella and hat out of his pockets and laid them down. I'll be back for ya soon. Just need to unload for a sec.
With another spring bouncing off the girder, Mario left the platform onto the middle girder. Jumping onto the next platform, Mario scooped up the purse in one hand and-
"BURN."
The fireball was coming up the ladder.
SHIT! Gotta move! Mario looked back. The next spring was bouncing along the girder.
Hopping down to the middle platform, Mario landed on just the edge of the mounted girder.
A rush of air hit Mario as the spring came straight down. As soon as it passed him, he was on the move. He jumped down, put Pauline's items in her purse, and climbed up.
"Hey there." He waved to the gorilla. "Fancy meeting you again."
The gorilla howled in surprise. Mario took a few steps forward, but as another spring bounced toward him, he paused. Tracking it with his eyes, Mario took two steps back. The spring landed right in front of him, then bounced right over his head.
With the gorilla's jaw dropping, Mario climbed up the ladder to Pauline. "Got something for ya." He tossed her purse.
"When did you get my purse?! You didn't tell me you found this, did you?"
"Oh, I barely had to go out of my way for-" Mario looked past her.
The gorilla was picking up a spring.
"GET DOWN!" Mario stepped forward as the ape hurled the spring.
Mario swung his foot and kicked it back, clocking the beast in the face.
"Not working twice you piece of shit! You're through!"
The gorilla held his mouth for a few seconds before looking back at Mario. It's eyes going a deep red from the bloodshot. With a roar, he grabbed the mounted girder and heaved it into the air.
"MARIOOOO!" Pauline fell into the gorilla's hands, and it quickly climbed up the ladders.
Mario was hanging on the edge of the girder. He looked down and saw the inferno underneath him grow, swallowing more and more of the building.
There's no way I can get Pauline back down this place. I'm gonna have to teleport us out with the Bit or something. But how can I do that when I can't get the gorilla away from her?
He pulled himself up. I celebrated too early. I should have rushed him while he was stunned. I'M A FUCKING MORON! I HAD A PRIME OPPORTUNITY, AND I WASTED IT!
He avoided the oncoming spring and climbed up the ladder after the gorilla.
When is this gonna end...
50 m
25 m
HOW HIGH CAN YOU GET ?
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