Merry Christmas! This is super short since I wrote it on Christmas day in between caring for my parents and making Christmas dinner. Hope you are all well. Wishing you all the best.

Rex vs. Santa

I do not own.

As Rex and Circe looked at the outside Christmas window displays at the major shopping center, they heard a woman scream. Spinning around they saw a man in a Santa costume sprinting away with a handbag.

"I'll go get him. You check on the lady." Rex told Circe as he took off.

The fake Santa rounded the corner as Rex followed before he stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at the sight before him. There were dozens of Santas walking around. Looking up at the banner hung on the side of the building, it said "World's Largest Santa Convention".

"Seriously?" Rex gawked. He quickly scanned the crowd. No wonder the crook had dressed as Santa. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But he didn't give up. He pushed through the crowd looking for a Santa holding a purse. He hoped that the thief had not ditched it yet. Luckily, after a few minutes he spotted him rummaging through the purse.

"Hey you! Stop!" Rex yelled at the startled man.

The man bolted. However, Rex was quicker. He grabbed the man's fluffy collar and yanked him to the floor.

"Hey, that guy is attacking Santa!"

Rex looked up. "Hey, no you don't understand…" Before he could explain, he got hit in the face by a large satchel. Other Santas started pummeling him with their bags. "Oww, oww, hey what did you put in that thing?" Rex formed his Smack Hands to stop the barrage.

"Ahhh! He's an EVO!" Someone yelled before scattering.

Rex rescinded his build and looked around as people backed off. Then he spotted a Santa running with a purse.

"Stop!" Rex ran after him. He managed to catch up and tackle him. They wrestled around on the ground until…

"Mom, why is that man fighting with Santa?" A little boy asked.

Both of them froze. They looked at each other.

"We're not fighting." Rex pulled the man onto his feet.

"Yeah, this young man is just showing me some… wrestling moves." The fake Santa said.

The little boy looked back and forth. Rex and the fake Santa fidgeted.

"Can you show me too?" He asked innocently.

"Uh… Santa is really busy and needs to get to work." The fake Santa said.

"Oh, ok." The boy looked crestfallen.

"Well, why don't you tell Santa what you want for Christmas?" Rex tightened his grip around the Santa's arm.

"Um, can you help me find my mom?" He asked.

"You're lost?" Rex asked.

"Yeah." He said sadly.

"Well, let's go find your mom." The fake Santa said.

With a firm grip on the fake Santa's arm, Rex took the little boy to look for his mom. The little boy chatted to Santa incessantly.

"My name is Jake. My dad isn't around anymore. It's just me and my mom. She works a lot and I stay with my grandma but she's sick…"

"Jake!" A woman yelled.

"Mom?"

Rex and fake Santa turned to see Circe with a woman frantically running towards them. The fake Santa's face went pale. It was the woman who he took the purse from.

"Oh Jake! I was so scared. Don't you ever wander away again." She crouched to hug him tightly.

The fake Santa tried to hide behind Rex.

"Here's your purse ma'am." Rex handed the lady her bag.

The woman gaped at Rex before noticing the shrinking Santa behind him. She stood up

"Mommy, Santa and that guy helped me find you." Jake tugged at her sleeve.

She looked from her son to the increasingly embarrassed Santa.

"Well, thank you Santa. I guess it was a good thing you were around." She said hesitantly.

"No problem." Santa muttered looking at his feet.

"I guess since my purse has been returned and I found my son I guess I won't need to file a police report." She said pulling her son to her.

"What?" Rex blinked.

"I think she means that we don't have to bother Santa now." Circe said to Rex.

"But he…" Rex started but stopped after seeing the boy's face. "He needs to deliver presents. Yeah, let's take him to his sled."

"Bye Santa. Thanks!" The little boy waved.

Rex dragged the Santa away. Once they were out of sight. Rex glared at the fake Santa.

"The nice lady gave you a reprieve. If I ever catch you stealing again, I'll…" Rex threatened.

"I won't." The thief said repentantly. "I promise to turn over a new leaf."

Rex watched as he walked away.

"Christmas can make people do strange thing." Circe observed.

"Both good and bad." Rex added. "But I hope more good than bad."

"Yeah. Merry Christmas, Rex." Circe said.

"Merry Christmas" Rex smiled.

Rex: 1 Santa: 0

Merry Christmas everybody!