Windurstian Limbo
By Nidonemo
It is a chilly day, and the members of Hikari No Tsubasa Linkshell are gathered in the den of their new Linkshell House.
"In celebration of our first Linkshell get together as the new HikariNoTsubasa linkshell, and because of the current holidays, I propose we play a very special game!" Nido said, smiling widley.
"Oh? What game did you have in mind?" Agarwaen asked nervously, hoping it wasn't another round of 'Pants! Pants! Happy Dance!'.
Nido went over to the chest that he had pulled out of his room and opened it. He nearly fell in as he pulled out an old rectangular box with some ancient and faded lettering on the top. He blew the dust off and coughed as he opened the box.
Everyone looked and saw two equally-sized poles that looked like they had been made from Yagudo bones, and a wooden pole that had two skulls carved on either end.
"What game is this? Looks like you haven't played it in ages!" Kayti asked.
A dark grin formed on Nido's face, the linkshell members took a step back.
"We're going to play...Windurstian Limbo." Nido replied, his evil smile becoming wider.
Sageth's face dropped and the hume started screaming as he ran from the room.
"Smart boy..." Nido mumbled.
"What in the hell is his problem? It's just a game." Vyvian said, scratching her head confused.
Necroanima started laughing.
"Hah! Baby you're insane! That game was banned before the crystal war! The Star Sybil of that era made sure that every copy of that game was destroyed! That copy shouldn't even exist!" Necroanima explained, crossing his arms.
Nido shook his head
"Well we Tarutaru are good at hiding things, don't you agree?"
Necroanima seemed a bit nervous. Darcia the turned to Mithais and grinned.
"Haha, yeah remember that time Agarwaen couldn't find his armor?" Darcia said, smiling mischieviously.
The two Tarutaru high-fived and chuckled. Agarwaen glared down at them.
"SO! That was YOU two!" He growled.
The two Tarutaru stopped laughing and gave him innocent smiles.
"Anyway, the game is simple," Nido explained as he started setting up the three poles, "the bar is set at the highest point at the start of the game. Then as each turn passes, the bar lowers itself until the game ends. The object of the game is to bend backward beneath the bar and not touch it or knock it off as you pass beneath it. If you touch or knock off the bar, you're out."
Nido looked up and grinned, his eyes shimmering with an evil light.
"Trust me, you do NOT want to hit the bar..." he said, smiling.
Chrias crossed his arms and looked puzzled.
"Why not?" he asked.
Nido simply smiled again and flicked the bar with his finger, a soft giggle emenated from the bar.
"Because, if you do hit the bar, a random curse will be inflicted upon you. A curse that will not be lifted until the game is over." The Tarutaru said with an evil smile.
The members of Hikari No Tsubasa started murmering and whispering amongst themselves until Vyvian stepped forward.
"Then it's simple. I won't play." the female Hume said, smiling triumphantly.
Nido shook his head.
"Sorry, you all have been chosen to play once I set it up. Sageth was smart enough to not be in the room when I did."
Vyvian looked puzzled, but before anyone could protest, Nido clapped his hands.
"LET WINDURSTIAN LIMBO BEGIN!" he shouted.
Suddenly the room was plunged into darkness, then five blue flames sputtered into existance around the room, giving off an eerie light. A Bogy then materialized and gave an evil laugh as it started to play a pair of bongos that had appeared along with it. The bongos gave off a haunting sound as the bogy tapped the surfaces with eerie rythem.
"What the hell?" Mereo said.
Suddenly the limbo bar illuminated and the skulls on either end burst into flame and their eyes glowed red. Nido bowed his head.
"The game has begun, who will be the first to play?" he asked softly.
After a few minutes, Chrias stepped forward.
"Feh, why not. I'm sure it's going to be easy. Oh, it's much to small for my tall Elvaan frame. I guess I can't..." he started.
Suddenly the limbo bar and poles grew until they were fit for an Elvaan's size. Chrias' jaw dropped.
"...play." he finished.
Nido laughed, but Chrias stepped forward and bent backward as he passed under the bar.
"Piece of c-" before Chrias could finish, his chest hit the bar, which then floated in the air and an eerie laugh emenated forth.
"Uh oh, Chrias...what happened?" Nido asked as innocently as he could.
A purple mist shot forth from the skulls and enveloped Chrias' face. He staggered and nearly fell before he regained balance. After a moment he smiled.
"Feh, looks like the curse is a fail...ure...uhnng..." Chrias moaned and clutched his stomach.
Kayti gasped and tried to comfort the Elvaan but Chiras pushed her away. He then gave forth a giant fart.
"OH MY GODDESS! NIDO I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Chrias screamed as he ran towards the bathroom.
Nido chuckled and crossed his arms.
"Heh, the Curse of the Red Fever Runs."
Mereo was shocked and apalled.
"Oh! What a dreadful game! Simply AWFUL! Oh who would EVER want to play such a HORRIBLE and EVIL game?" the Mithra asked, flustered and upset.
"Mereo, you're up." Nido called.
"YAY!" She squealed and ran up to the limbo bar.
As the game went on, the limbo set changed size to accomodate each player. Each member took their turn, begging to Altana not to be hexed by the game. However, one by one, each member hit the bar and was inflicted with a horrible curse.
Mereo was cursed with Summoner's Sneeze. Rakey was given Waterga Warts. Feyona suffered a Broken Glass Boils. Darcia was given an awful rash from Irritant Itch. Vyvian came down with a horrible case of Groaning Gasps. Other members were lucky enough to get milder curses like Yagudo Yawns and Manticore Moans. Before long it was only Necroanima and Nido who were left.
Nido looked at Necroanima and smiled.
"Lover's Lock!" the Tarutaru exclaimed.
The limbo bar started glowing and the flames on the burning skulls changed from red to green. Necroanima looked confused.
"Lover's Lock?" the Elvaan asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
Nido smiled and nodded.
"Lover's Lock is when the last two players of Windurstian Limbo are in love with each other. The rules change to accomodate this, and test the bond between them." Nido explained.
The Bogy stopped playing the slow haunting beat. The bongos that were in front of the spectre transformed into a violin made of bone. The Bogy then began to play a screechy and ghastly tune upon the bone instrument. Nido then motioned toward the limbo bar.
"Now, the curse is reversed. The lover who hits the bar isn't cursed, but curses his or her partner instead. It is truely a test of who cares the most about their sweetheart." Nido explained with a solemn look upon his face.
Necroanima looked worried for a moment.
"What are you saying?" the Elvaan asked, looking very worried.
Nido smiled and snapped his fingers, the limbo bar fell to Tarutaru size and was set at the lowest possible tier.
"It's a display of how much I care..." he said as he stepped up to the limbo bar and bent backward.
Necroanima held his breath as he watched his Tarutaru slowly pass beneath the bar. Nido took his time, and inched slowly under the glowing limbo bar. Everyone who able to watch also held their breaths if they could. The screeching violin was played faster and faster, the air was filled with tension as Nido was nearing the other side. Then Nido seemed to lose balance, and almost fell. Everyone gasped as the Tarutaru seemed to fall, but gave a sigh of relief when he regained balance and passed completly under the bar.
Necroanima let out a sigh or relief as Nido took a bow. The Elvaan then glared at Nido.
"Baby, I love you, and congratulations. However I think I speak for the entire linkshell when I say..." the Elvaan started as he stepped up to the limbo bar.
Nido looked to him and smiled.
"...how DARE you force us to play such an AWFUL GAME!" Necroanima screamed and knocked the bar off the bone poles.
Nido's eyes widened as the bar levitated and gave out an eerie laugh. A blue light shot out of the skulls and into his stomach. A rumble was heard from within the Tarutaru's tummy and he clutched his abdomen, letting out a groan.
"Galkan Gas..." Necroanima said, crossing his arms and smiling.
"OH GODDESS! OH ALTANA!" Nido screamed as he let out fart, after fart, after horrid-smelling fart.
Nido ran from the room screaming, and the limbo bar's fire extinguished. The limbo set then dissasembled itself and went back into its box. The Bogy's violin vanished and he floated toward Necroanima, arms extended.
"What?" Necroanima asked, looking at the Bogy confused.
The Body laughed and gave Necroanima armfulls of candies and treats, then vanished. The room returned to normal and everyone's curses lifted.
"Hmm! I think I like this game!" Necroanima said as he bit into a Bubble Chocolate.
END