//------------------------------// // One // Story: Loop // by Aquaman //------------------------------//         It’d taken years to get it right. Months, maybe. Had it been days? Who had time for time when it no longer held any meaning?         But no matter. He’d found him. He’d gone through the loop countless times, followed it through and explored every corner and figured out where it began and ended and began again. And now he’d found him. The stallion was back, spawned into the loop for the first time. He’d caught him just at the end of the orphanage fire, just in time to save him from being burnt to a crisp. He could’ve let him die there, of course, but that would’ve be no good. He was more special than that. More important than that.         The stallion—ungrateful little whelp—kicked and screamed all the way into the storage closet, where they’d be safe for the time being in this loop. Even when he was inside, he still wouldn’t stop babbling, but Steel Screw’s ears weren’t the best anymore. It wasn’t a danger, wasn’t a problem.         “W... w-wh...” the stallion stammered. “Who are you?”         It was, however, incredibly annoying. “No, I’m not gonna shut up until you tell me who you are and what the... what is this pla–”         “No, nononono, you’re ruining it, you’re ruining it!”         The stallion backpedaled as Sparks came at him, stopping just an inch or two in front of his nose. He could see him well in the moonlight now: brown coat, greasy hair, grungy hospital scrubs. Just like he remembered. Just like he knew it would be.         “Don’t you know?” he said, a giddy grin splitting across his face. “When the stars come out, there’s ghosts about.”         He bounded over to the door again, and bit his tongue in anticipation. Wait for it. Wait for it... “I don’t believe in ghosts,” the stallion said. Bingo.         “Oh, but you do, Doctor Sparks,” he immediately replied. “You most certainly, indubitably do.”