I do not own The Nightmare Before Christmas. We were driving back from town before I started working on this chapter and saw a house with a snowman and evergreen garland on the house. Needless to say, if we had more, that house would so be getting egged tonight. Let it be November before you do that!

"You need MY help, Nicholas?" Krampus said as he looked at Santa. "I thought you said I was too old fashioned?"

"Well, I was wrong. The new ways have taken over Christmas and it is harming so many!" Santa pleaded.

"Wait, didn't he call you Nicholas?" Sam asked looking at Santa and Krampus.

"Yes, my old name was Saint Nicholas, and Krampus keeps to the old and more proper strict ways more than I did apparently." Santa explained.

"Well, that makes as much sense as anything else I guess." Sam sighed. "But Krampus, goat dude, we need your help as Santa will explain. Apparently you can handle Robber Barons better than I can."

"Huh?" Krampus said looking at Uncle Sam confused.

"What Uncle Sam means that CEOs have made people want things Santa couldn't make and made him make a deal with him, he starts sending his magic out sooner so they make more money." Bunny said simply. "He's referring to a time in his history where people worked long hours, in dangerous conditions while factory workers made so much money it wasn't funny and they lived in horrible conditions because of it."

"Oh." Krampus said understanding Sam. "Well, is what the Easter Bunny meaning about you and CEOs and people wanting stuff you can't make?" Krampus asked as he turned to Santa.

"Over the past 18 years people wanted things like iPads, computers, MP3 players, stuff like that. The best my elves could do in that department was a Playstation 1 or N64 and even then some of them came out poorly! But those were rare we gave them to children back then! It was more something parents bought for the whole family to use. Now the children demand these things and they stop believing if they do not get it! These CEOs send messages to the children the other 364 days they need these things, messages to the parents they are horrible and abusive if they do not get them! I made a mistake in feeding that cycle Krampus. I need your help to set things back to how they were before!" Santa pleaded.

"Please." Tom looked up at the goat demon man with sad eyes. "You are the only one fearsome enough to put an end to what caused this in the first place.

Krampus looked at the other holidays and knew that holiday fatigue from the months of Christmas Creep was hurting them. Tom was feeling it more than anyone else. He poured himself a glass of schnapps and sipped it deeply. Swirling it around, tasting it on his tounge, he pondered what to do. Honestly, Nicholas deserves what he got, but he seems genuinely sorry and in over his head. He had good intentions at the start, even if he couldn't stick to his guns like he did that kid who wanted the Uranium 238 in the 60's...Krampus thought. Looking at the other holidays with Santa and Jack, he knew that they would not ask him unless he was really, really needed. He sighed and laughed to himself slightly.

"What's so funny goathead?" Seamus said looking at Krampus, ready to fight.

"We come here pouring out our hearts and you just laugh at us?" Sam said, holding his fists up like a boxer.

"No, nothing like that." Krampus said. "I do wish to help you. You all have your times to shine and make the people and children of the world happy and you all have real punishments if someone does something bad." He said looking to Sam and Seamus. "You have holidays where people get too rowdy. And what happens Seamus if people have too much fun by drinking too much on your holiday?"

"A nasty hangover, being sick all night, DUIs... no fun." Seamus replied.

"And Sam, what happens if people get careless with your fireworks?" Krampus said.

"That's a good way to lose a finger or get kicked out of a 7-11 by bleeding all over the place." Sam said.

"Yes, punishment for your actions. Cupid, if someone is rude and inconsiderate, they usually get rejected, Bunny, unfound eggs stink, and Tom, how many times have families gotten into fights because someone was rude and picked on others?" The other lesser holidays nodded. "You see I am a fair and giving member of the Christmas season, but what Nicholas and I represented was the fact there can be two sides to the most wonderful time of the year. If you are an, and forgive me for saying it so crudely, ungrateful bastard, then you will not get the new toy but something lousy and maybe a beating if you were bad enough. This was important to making great people. Now, not so much." Krampus said. "But it is not the people's fault. They are susceptible to suggestion and these CEOs have enslaved one of the most innocent holidays intended to spread love and happiness into a commercialized misbegotten of what it was."

Jack looked at Krampus and sighed. "So, does this mean you will help us out Krampus?" He asked. "If you do, I will not ask you to help scare the children for the purposes of Halloween ever again. I know you don't like doing it unless you have to."

"If Jack, the embodiment of the second biggest holiday of the year is getting forgotten, I guess I have no choice." Krampus said. "I will help you fight the CEOs Nicholas. Just let me get the right branches together. I think birch may not be enough of a punishment for these worthless maggot excuses for human beings."

"What could be worse than getting beaten with birch?" Cupid asked in fear.

"Willow, hickory, oak," Krampus suggested.

"Hickory and oak are hard woods but willow is very free flowing." Bunny noted. "Why willow?"

"You ever use it like a whip? It really stings. Nicholas, call a meeting with your Faustian masters." Krampus said. "It must be in person and we will handle them. Jack, you ask me to help, but as the Pumpkin King, I know the fear power you have. I will have to ask you to help me."

"It would be my pleasure Krampus to help you." Jack said bowing.

"You've always been a nightmare I could talk with." Krampus said happily.

"But what about us Mr. Krampus sir?" Tom said looking down at Krampus's feet with humility.

Krampus could see the lesser holidays wanted their chance to fight for their honor and their place. At first he was thinking of having Sam and Seamus help him as they could easily handle a brawl if one broke out, but wasn't sure about Bunny, Cupid and Tom. They seemed more innocent and if there was one thing he knew from physical punishment, it never went down easy. They didn't see how they were wrong. He simply didn't want them hurt.

"We can handle what will happen. We just want to fight for our right to be recognized and bring happiness in our own ways." Bunny said as Krampus found an egg in his beard.

"Yeah, that happens with Bunny." Sam smiled. "See, he put one in my hat again."

"If you're sure you can handle it." Krampus said.

"You even been flogged by a turkey?" Tom said with a smile.

"A rooster once. But you're bigger and I can see you have spurs like that rooster did, but only bigger." Krampus said as Tom gobbled in joy.

"And rabbits can thump pretty hard." Bunny said.

"And I can be incredibly accurate with this thing." Cupid said.

"Good." Krampus said. "Nicholas, get a meeting with the CEOs tomorrow, we will join you and handle this the Krampus way."

"I could not even begin to repay you for this!" Santa said.

"Just keep it so I don't have to save you again." Krampus said.

"Will do. I may need you to come with me like the old days for a little while after this." Santa said.

"I'd be pleased." Krampus smiled as he poured himself some schnapps. "Now rest up all of you! I need you at your best tomorrow."

So how was that? Good? Bad? Long? Short? Let me know in a review. With Krampus along for the plan, things may get restored soon. I got a few more chapters after this but I want to wrap this up before Thanksgiving. Let Tom have his day and all. But I am glad you like this. So remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,

otherrealmwriter

aka

Realm