Matt, Pat, and Verminous Snaptrap belong to Butch Hartman.

Matt walked down the stairs and into the front room where his brother and sister were waiting. He smiled and greeted Snaptrap, a hint of smugness in his voice.

"Well, well, if it isn't my younger brother, Verminious. Taking a day off from your nefarious "criminal" activities I see. What brings you all the way to my humble abode?"

"Cut the wisecracks, Matt," Snaptrap replied, "I'm only here to give you this package from, Mom." He read the card that was attached to it in a mocking tone:

"'To my dear little 'Matti.' *snicker* I baked you a dozen of your favorite cookies. Happy Birthday, Sweetie. Love, Mom.' Ha! 'Matti.'"

Frowning in annoyance, Matt accepted the gift. He hated being called "Matti." He opened the box and gave it an appreciative sniff.

"Oh, these smell delightful, they...wait...what the...," Matt peered closer into the box, "Some of these have bite marks on them!

"You don't say," Snaptrap replied dully.

"And it looks like some are missing!"

"How 'bout that?"

Matt glared at Snaptrap."You little snip! You ate some of my cookies!"

"Okay, so I ate one or four," Snaptrap said with a shrug, "Sheesh, I didn't think you'd mind sharing with your brother, Mr. Greedy!"

"First of all, you never asked for permission," Matt said irritably, "And second, I do mind! And I'm not going to eat these after your disgusting mouth has touched them!"

Snaptrap folded his arms indignantly. "Fine! If that's gonna be your 'tude then you can just forget about getting my gift!"

"Your gift! Matt exclaimed with a laugh, then he paused. "Wait...You bought me a present?"

Snaptrap reached into his lab coat and pulled out a small, messily wrapped box. "Mom said I should get you something too. Here, you might as well have it."

Matt just stared at the gift suspiciously. Snaptrap sighed in exasperation. "It's not a trick! Yeesh! Why is it when I give you or Pat something you act like I'm gonna give you something weird?"

"Because you're all about weird," Pat muttered.

Matt curiously accepted the gift and read the card: "To my snobby brother. Happy Birthday, Stinkbrain." Matt looked at his little brother, totally unamused. "You shouldn't have," he said in a deadpan voice.

"Well...it is your birthday," Snaptrap replied, oblivious to the sarcasm.

Matt rolled his eyes and carefully opened the box. Then dropped it with a shout. "Gaaaaah! You said it wasn't a trick!"

"It's not!" Snaptrap argued.

"There's a skull in that box!" Matt cried, pointing at the gift.

"A what?!" Pat exclaimed. She picked up the box and peeked in. Then it was her turn to freak as she dropped it. "Verm, what the heck?!"

Snaptrap smiled, looking pleased, "Wow, I didn't think you'd be this surprised." He bent down and picked up the box taking the skull out for them to see. "Pretty awesome, huh?"

Matt and Pat just backed away silently, looking greatly disturbed. "W-Where on earth did you get a skull?" Matt stuttered.

Snaptrap patted the skull lovingly. "This isn't just any skull, Bro. I picked this little guy out from my personal collection."

"Collection?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, my skull collection."

"Skull...co..."

Matt and Pat exchanged shocked glances. "You mean you really do have a skull collection?" Pat asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I've told you guys hundreds of times," Snaptrap replied.

"We thought you were makin' it up!" Pat squeaked.

Snaptrap stared at his siblings like they had gone crazy. "Why would I make it up? And look, this one even has a snobby smile like the one you always have, Matt. That's why I picked this one. Now you can both smile at the misfortune of others together."

He pushed the skull into his brother's hands with a smile. "You're welcome."

Matt and Pat stared at the skull then back at Snaptrap who was grinning proudly. It then dawned on them that he wasn't playing a twisted prank...Snaptrap actually thought he had picked out a great gift for Matt. Which disturbed them even more.

"Um, Verminious, just how exactly did you obtain this skull?" Matt asked suspiciously.

Snaptrap shrugged still grinning. "I dunno."

Matt and Pat just stared at him. This was one of those rare moments where they found their little brother...somewhat frightening. Matt placed the skull in the box with a weary sigh. "Verminious, why on earth would you give me a skull for my birthday?"

Snaptrap bit his lip, as if hesitant to make a reply. Then he stared at the ground, looking a bit embarrassed.

Matt asked again. "Well?"

Snaptrap sighed. "Okay, okay. I admit it. Even though I wasn't looking forward to coming here, I thought I'd try to get on your good side, Matt."

The slender rat raised an eyebrow. "Get on my good side?"

"Yeah," said Snaptrap, "I thought if I got ya a great gift, you'd let me go."

"Go where?"

"To your birthday party on your new yacht, duh."

Matt and Pat's eyes nearly popped out of their heads as they spoke in unison. "YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!"

Snaptrap jumped at their vocal response. "Yeah, I heard it from Mom when she was gossiping with her friends. Guess that's one upside to taking her to those foot bunion scrapings." He looked somewhat hopefully at his brother and sister. "So can I go? I promise I won't poison the food."

Matt and Pat exchanged panic glances. They had to do something or else the party would be a complete disaster. "Er, yes, about that," Matt stuttered, trying to come up with a good lie, "I was going to have a party but...er...I'm afraid I had to cancel it. You see, the yacht...is being fixed right now. Yes, um, there were some problems with the engine and it has to be repaired. In fact, Pat was just going to call the guests and tell them the disappointing news. Weren't you Pat?"

"Wha? Oh right! Yeah, that's exactly what I was going to do," Pat said, trying to put on a convincing act, "I'll just go into the next room and call each of the guests on my cell phone and tell them that there is no party. Cause it's been cancelled. Seriously." With a nervous grin, Pat ran into the next room.

Snaptrap raised one eyebrow skeptically. "Didn't you just buy that boat?"

"Er, yes, I did," Matt replied, trying to look casual, "But I'm afraid the salesman sold me a faulty yacht. I may have to have them take it back. Oh, I'll get back every cent I paid, but still, I'm greatly upset about this. I was so looking forward to my party."

Snaptrap just stared at his brother, a bit unsure. Then he folded his arms and shook his head. "Boy did you get suckered, Matt. You really need to have an eye for this sort of stuff, like me. That's why no one pulls the rug out from under my eye."

"Yyyyes," Matt replied, not bothering to correct him, "I'll be much more careful next time. I suppose I can at least have a belated birthday party at the Country Club."

"Bummer, I was looking forward to getting on that fancy boat," Snaptrap said, sounding a bit disappointed. He looked at the skull in his brother's hands. "Well, I guess, you can still keep the skull. Besides, they make great comfort objects." He gave the skull a loving pat before finishing. "That's cause they're always smiling."

Matt shuddered as he remembered he was still holding the macabre object. "T-Thank you," he said.

Snaptrap then started to smile as an idea formed in his head, "Okay, look, I know we're not always on the best terms but uh, as long I'm here, maybe we can do something together for your b-day. Me you and Pat. We could do something fun like plan a diabolical crime together."

Matt closed his eyes and sighed, "Verminious..."

"Or we could get back at those yahoos who sold you that cheap yacht..." Snaptrap continued.

"Verminious..."

"Or we could just hang out at the boardwalk and go on some rides, look in the shops, steal an ice cream cone from a little kid...then at the end we can go to the edge of the pier and spit in the water! Oh yeah! I am a baaad boy..."

"Verminious!" Matt shouted.

Snaptrap snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his brother casually."Yes?"

Matt sighed. "As fun as all that sounds, I'm really not in the mood to do anything today. "

"Oh, that's cool." Snaptrap replied. "We can just hang out here instead. Watch a movie, make some prank calls, TP the neighbor's house..."

Matt stared upward, seeking patience. "No, you misunderstood. I don't want to do anything with you today. I just want to spend a quiet evening at home...by myself."

Snaptrap stared at Matt, as what he just said sank in. "So...you don't wanna hang out?" He asked.

"No." Matt answered.

"Not even a little?"

"No. I must look over the papers for my yacht. Besides I'm sure you have better things to do than hang out with me and Pat."

Snaptrap was strangely quiet for a second. Matt was a bit taken aback by his brother's expression. For a brief second, he almost looked...disappointed. Then Snaptrap rolled his eyes and replied: "Okay, Mr. No-Fun. Whatever sinks your ship."

"You mean 'floats your boat," Matt corrected.

"Yeah, that too."

Matt smiled, relieved that his brother had fallen for the lie. He put an arm around Snaptrap and began to lead him towards the door. "I'm glad you understand. Well, I don't want to keep you from...whatever it is you do. I'll just see you out."

"Uh okay," Snaptrap said, "Oh, and be sure you take good care of that skull, Matt. Ya gotta keep 'em clean or they won't look as menacing. Maybe I should explain proper skull care..."

"No! No...that's fine," Matt replied, eager to get his brother out, "I'll just look it up online. Good bye, for now, Verminious."

"Bye, Ma-"

Matt shut the door before Snaptrap could finish. He leaned against the door as relief swept over him. "Well, that went rather well," he said with a smile, "Now to..." He was silenced as a knock sounded. He opened the door to find Snaptrap still standing there.

"What...is it?!" Matt asked in frustration.

Snaptrap blinked. "I have to go to the bathroom."

Matt rubbed his forehead wearily. "Fine, come on back in and attend to your business."

"I don't own a business," Snaptrap said, puzzled.

"The bathroom, you simpleton!" Matt snapped.

"Can't you talk normal like other people?!" Snaptrap exclaimed. He rushed past his brother and down the hall. "Thanks, Matt!"

"It's on the left!" Matt called back, "And don't break anything!"

CRASH!

"I didn't do it!" Snaptrap shouted from down the hall.

Matt gave a growling sigh and started to walk down the hall when he ran into Pat.

"Is he gone?" She asked, "Did it wor-mmmph!"

Matt covered Pat's mouth and quickly pulled her into the closest room. Pat pulled his hand off her mouth. "What the heck's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Shhh!" Matt hissed, "Verminious is using the bathroom. He'll be gone soon. But to answer your question, yes. He fell for our ruse completely."

Pat laughed. "Figures, Verm would fall for a dumb lie like that."

Matt chuckled. "I must admit, it is rather pathetic how easily he fell for it. And hear this, when I told him my party was cancelled, he actually suggested that the three of us "hang out" together instead."

Pat covered her mouth as she snickered. "Pfffft! Yeah right! Hang out and do what? Stick gum in someone's hair?"

Matt grinned in amusement. "Actually, he suggested something more tasteful like spitting in the water."

"Ha! He would wanna do that!" Pat laughed.

"And a skull of all things!" Matt exclaimed with amused disbelief, "Who on earth gives someone a skull for their birthday?"

"A total freak?" Pat replied.

"Well," Matt said happily, "At least now we can look forward to spending a pleasant time on my new yacht."

"Yeah," Pat agreed, "Especially without Captain Zero to mess things up."

"Ha! "Captain Zero!" Matt laughed. "Good one, Sister!"

As Matt and Pat continued to laugh, they overlooked one thing. The air vent on the wall above their heads. The vent that easily carried their voices over into the nearby rooms...including the bathroom. The vent that enabled their little brother to hear every word of their conversation. Snaptrap heard it all. He was hurt.

And angry.

Yeeeah, Snappy doesn't get along too well with his siblings. Who would with how highbrow they act?

Heh, yeah, Snaptrap gave Matt a skull, and from his own collection. Considering how Snaptrap feels about his skulls, that's actually quite an honor. It's the thought that counts, Matt.

Now how's Snaptrap gonna react to all this? We shall see...