Gabby Jingles Santa's Bells

Mall Santa offers Gabriella a present. It... goes as you might expect.

The joyous time of year is for everyone. All across the world, through whatever beliefs one may have - and by and large most people accept it.

Sure, it's a highly commercialized affair like damn near everything else today. But it's not hard to see the sincerity that many have with it, how much it really does mean to people, the way it brings them together.

But there's always some who feel nothing in the winter but the stinging cold. Such was the case with Gabriella Green...

A bit of a grouch in the best of circumstances, she got very grumpy the more Christmassy her environment became. All the colors, seemed so garish. The good tidings, so saccharine and forced. And the songs, dear God the songs... she HATED them.

And right now she was listening to nothing else on a loop as she stood there for one of her awkward public appearances that someone in her line of work was forced to do. For max recognizability she showed up in her gear, looking every bit like the demon of the ring she was.

Many did recognize her, and many quite liked to admire her... from afar. She preferred it that way. She sat at the signing table, powerful legs propped up, trying to block out the noise. Gabby always found herself thankful that she gave off such a menacing aura, keeping most people from bugging her even in this crowded mall.

But the song... it bugged her to no end, and she wanted a break from it. So without a word she stood from her table and waltzed off, just wandering...

That's when she heard an odd jolly voice from behind her.

"Heyy there, little missy! Why so dour?" he asked.

She glanced around, bewildered to see a man dressed as Santa Claus, hoisting a heavy bag of goodies over his shoulder.

"...The hell you want, creeper?" she grumbled, "Back off."

"Now now... I was just going to offer you a present!" he remarked, reaching into his bag and pulling out a box, covered in snowflake patterns with a shiny red ribbon wrapped around it.

She raised an eyebrow as she slowly turned towards him. "...In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a little kid. You seriously trying to hand me a toy train or some shit?"

Undeterred he wriggled his nose and gave a little wink, "Ho ho, you'd be surprised the things I have in here! I bet there's plenty you'd love, but it's all a surprise. Go on and take it~"

Santa held the box out towards her. She eyed it suspiciously. "...What, for free? You're just giving it to me?"

"Of course, 'tis the season~" he replied. "Better to give than receive."

She contemplated this for a moment. "...Even though I've been nothing but mean to you?"

He waved this off. "Ahh, I don't hold it against you; I just don't want to see anyone being so morose. None are left out if you ask me!"

Her eyes hit the floor for a moment, as she thought about how miserly Christmas used to be for her. A problem child for problem parents, it was rarely much to celebrate... one year she legitimately got a piece of coal in her stocking, to try and teach her a lesson.

But, alas... she wasn't one to learn lessons...

Her muscular leg soared up, a blur as her knee slammed furiously between the mall Santa's legs. It was fiercely accurate as always - no layer of clothing, nor fat suit could stop her from jingling those bells.

"Here - my gift to you, chump!" she gleefully declared as she dropped Jolly 'ol St. Nick to his knees.

The heavy sack of gifts fell to the marble floor as he clutched at his own heavy sack. Santa was packing, if you didn't know...

He was wheezing, the wind knocked out of him, unable to even ask why. Gabriella grinned as she kicked at his chest and flattened him onto his back.

"You know what, you're right! Better to give than receive," she gloated, arms crossed as she glared down at him with a smirk. "I'd definitely prefer giving a crotch shot than taking one, haha~"

Her eyes drifted over to the bag of goodies, and her wicked grin grew all the wider. She grabbed them and picked it right up, slinging it over her shoulder. It was hefty, filled to the brim with presents meant to be spread around...

Gabby planted her boot across the chest of the fallen mall Santa, gazing down at him.

"Poor shmuck. You had no idea who you were talking to." she bragged, flashing him a middle finger. "I've never seen a Christmas I wouldn't steal!"

Indeed, the green coloring was apropos for her - she had some serious Grinch energy. But it seemed like her heart wasn't growing any time soon.

And just like that, she made her way out of the mall with her ill-gotten gifts, a permanent and proud member of the naughty list.