Looping Over Feeling

Krampus was a monster.

He was pony-like. The same general shape, but several times bigger. Two massive curved horns coming out of just above slit red eyes. Covered in writhing coarse black fur that ungulated and pulsed. Bells were collared around its body like some perverse version of a reindeer’s harness. Every step he took would cause those bells to tinkle, but it sounded off. Like the bells were somehow out of key. Normally an impossibility, but this was Krampus and he had more than proven his abilities.

Krampus stalked toward her, back arched, and a sharp toothed grin on his face. He moved with deliberate, careful movement. Every motion made to keep her uneasy and off her game.

“We have reached the end of the loop.” Krampus announced.

He circled her, a predator measuring up its prey.

“...We have,” Sunset admitted.

“Are you ready to apologize?” Krampus said.

She glared.

“I have nothing to apologize for.”

His face was in hers. A wide grin with narrowed eyes. Equal bemusement and utter loathing.

“Such utter disrespect,” Krampus spat out. “Your pride is insufferable.”

“I was wronged,” Sunset declared. “I should get an apology, not you.”

“Delusional as always. How disappointing.” He stood up, looming over her and blocking out the moon from her vision. The snow blew harder, obscuring his face. “Then we play another round?”

“Until I win,” Sunset tersely replied.

“Yes. You save the ponies you ‘totally’ don’t care about and then I apologize to you for doing this.” He didn’t roll his eyes, but Sunset could hear it in his voice.

“You better keep your word.”

“I plan to, even though I know you will never succeed.”

Krampus shook his head causing a cascade of sound from the bells on his body. An offkey symphony. Sunset’s vision began to fade in the blizzard as it approached whiteout conditions. Only a faint outline of Krampus could be seen.

“I will get that apology from you, Sunset.” A flash of malice in his eyes. “Whether it be sooner or much, much later.”

Sunset had no chance to reply before she was whisked off to the beginning again.