PokéRangers: New World

King's Gambit (Part 2)

*20 minutes earlier*

As the Rangers split up, the Houndoom and Mandibuzz Ranger immediately headed off towards the stairwell they saw Tyrannox disappear into a few moments earlier. As they entered, they heard the scurried footsteps of someone numerous flights above them.

He wasn't necessarily hard to follow – the weight of his armor gave away his location at all times. The problem was the stairs themselves. 15, 20, 25, 30. With both Rangers progressing at full speed, each passing flight began to feel harder than the last.

"I swear to God", the Mandibuzz Ranger began. "After this is over, I don't want to see stairs for at least week!"

"And if we do", he added a flight or two above her, "we'll just have Greninja and Bewear carry us up them!"

"Please" she begged as she stopped to catch her breath. "Don't make me laugh right now."

About five minutes had passed since they'd started and they'd already climbed over 38 flights of stairs.

"Hey, you okay?" the Houndoom Ranger asked as he paused to look over the railing.

"Yeah", she assured with a thumbs-up, still out of breath - "but I'm holding you back. Go on ahead and I'll catch up!"

"Not a chance" he replied as he leapt down to her level, grabbing onto the railing and pulling himself back up.

"Don't be silly! You're by far the fastest of all of us; and we don't –"

Though before she could finish, he scooped her up in his arms.

"To bad! Because I'm not leaving you behind", he replied in a strong tone. "Whatever's up ahead, we'll face it together – like always!"

The Mandibuzz Ranger couldn't help but blush in reply. "Fine, you win" she replied softly. "But I get dibs on the next heroic act."

"Deal" he smiled back

"Ugh. No matter the universe, must you two always be so sickening?" Tyrannox scoffed as he peered over the railing about 10 floors above them.

The two Ranger stared up at him in disgust as the stairwell fell quiet and a small muffled voice could be heard coming from his bag.

"When you two decide to stop flirting, we'll be on Floor 50" he grinned as he lifted the bag over the edge. "Better hurry!"

Tyrannox then disappeared, the sound of a door slamming quickly taking his place.

"Also", the Mandibuzz Ranger added, "dibs on being the first to bash his face in."

"Oh, I think we might have to draw straws for that one" he joked as they looked back at each other and nodded. "Now hold on tight!"

With the Mandibuzz Ranger safely in his arms, the Houndoom Ranger quickly raced up the remaining flights of stairs. 39, 40, 41. They were beginning to close the gap; but just as they passed the 45th Floor, they heard something click.

"What was that?" she asked as the Houndoom Ranger paused to look at the landing he had just raced past.

There in the corner, was a small blinking black box with a 20 second timer that had just begun clicking away.

"You've got to be kidding me..." the Houndoom Ranger sighed.

"I don't think he is" the Mandibuzz Ranger added frantically as she pointed upward.

There above them, adhered underneath each set of stairs, were more visible blinking lights – the entire stairwell now rigged to detonate in mere seconds.