Matt, Pat, Verminious Snaptrap, Dr. Rabies, and Madame Catastrophe (c) Butch Hartman
Colette Parfume (c) Me
Snaptrap opened the door to his room and closed it with a slam. After changing back to his rat form, he then threw himself on one of the beds.
"Whew! Man, that was close!"
Snaptrap reached under the bed and pulled out his suitcase. Opening it, he took out Vincent, laid back down on his back, and began to speak to his macabre friend.
"I nearly blew my cover back there, Vincent. I guess I was getting caught up in the emotional moment back there. Anyways, wow, did I have a great time! Bet you'll never guess where I was this whole time."
Vincent just smiled silenty. Snaptrap gave a wide grin.
"I was hanging out with Matt and Pat! Yeah, you heard right! We were out having fun on the ol' yacht. Me and my brother and sister. Can you believe it? I never thought I'd ever actually enjoy being with those two. And you know what else Vincent? I...I liked it. I really liked it. We had fun together. Matt and Pat actually had fun...with me."
Snaptrap's smile then turned into a worried frown. He slowly sat up on the bed.
"But...they didn't have fun with me, at least they didn't know they were. Th-They hought they were having fun with Victor. I bet if they knew it was me, it'd be a totally different story. They like Victor von Marzipan...not their little brother."
Snaptrap bit his lip as he pondered. The realization was hurtful...and yet, in a way, good news for him. One one hand, he was finally not being shoved aside nor put down by his siblings. They liked being with him and having him along. He wasn't seen as a loser by them, or anyone else for that matter. He liked it.
But on the other hand, it was only when he was in his von Marzipan disguise where he was accepted. If Matt and Pat found out that Victor was him...would they feel any different? Or would they just go back to treating him like before? Snaptrap fell back on his bed with a groan. His plan of revenge wasn't exactly going as he had planned. He was suppose to just sneak on the yacht and ruin things for his brother and sister. He never would've guessed that they'd end up liking his Victor persona...or that he would actually enjoy spending time with them. He lay there on the bed, trying to figure it all out. As he did he glanced over into his suitcase and noticed something in there that he had not seen before. Snaptrap's eyes opened wide as he recognized the object. He slowly reached in, pulled it out, and stared at it.
It was the picture he had accidentally taken from Matt's room. He must have shoved it into his suitcase while he was quickly packing for the yacht. Snaptrap peered closely at it. It was a photo of three rat pups at a beach. One was covered in a small mound of sand with only it's head and legs poking out. The small pup looked on happily as the other two, also smiling, were piling more sand on it, obviously in good fun. Snaptrap stared at the picture as if in a trance, his mind going far back. Finally, after some hard thinking, he turned to Vincent who was resting on the bed beside him.
"You know, Vincent," he said decidedly, "It does kinda hurt that it's my Victor persona my siblings like...but so what? For once I'm not being left behind. For once they're not being all smug with me or calling me a loser. I'm finally one of them. I'm finally a star. I...I'm gonna keep my von Marzipan identity. Not all the time. Just for when I'm with Mat and Pat. Course I'll still have to be dumb ol' Snaptrap around them sometimes so they don't get suspicious. If it's Victor von Marzipan they want, then that's what they're gonna get."
As he spoke, he looked into the suitcase again, and for the first time noticed something drastically different about it.
"Hey!" He exclaimed, "My stuff! Where's all my stuff?! All my vial mixtures! I've been robbed! I can't believe this! What's the world coming too where you can't leave something lying around on a yacht full of villains?!" He made a huff of annoyance then turned to Vincent. "Well, at least they didn't take you, Vince."
A knock on the room door snapped Snaptrap out of his rant. He sat up on the bed and quickly changed back into Victor before answering.
"Who is it?"
"Victor? It's us, Matt and Pat. We would like speak with you. It's very important."
Snaptrap froze at the sound of Matt's voice. Very important. Why didn't he like the sound of that? Thinking quickly, he stored Vincent under the bed covers and shoved the suitcase under the bed. Realizing he was still holding the picture, he stuffed it into the pillow case. Then trying to sound calm, he answered his brother.
"Oh, uh, sure, come on in."
The door opened and Matt entered in, followed by Pat. Judging by their expressions, he knew they weren't just stopping by to say hi. Snaptrap(Victor) gave what he hoped was a casual grin. "Uh, hey guys! What's up?"
"Actually, we were hoping you could tell us," Matt responded, folding his arms resolutely.
Snaptrap(Victor) could fell his heartbeat starting to quicken. "W-what do you mean?" He asked.
Matt adjusted his monocle casually, his voice not betraying anything. "Well, Victor, Pat and I were just talking and we just made an interesting discovery. Originally we had both assumed that you were the other's friend, from what you told us. But it turns out...neither Pat nor I have ever even met you until today."
Snaptrap(Victor) began to sweat a bit as Matt continued. "And another thing, those 'crimes' you told me about earlier that you supposedly committed. I just remembered that those were crimes committed in the past by our younger brother, Verminious."
Snaptrap(Victor) tugged restlessly on his collar. The room started to feel a lot warmer than before. He had to think of a good explanation and he had to think of one fast. Matt stared at Victor, with a serious expression.
"Well?" He asked, indicating he was expecting an answer.
Snaptrap(Victor) gulped. "Uh, okay, okay, the truth is...I...I'm...
"You'rrrrre..." Pat urged expectantly.
Snaptrap(Victor) sighed. "Okay, the thing is I'm...not a major criminal, like I said before. Not even mediocre. I'm not rich like you guys or anyone here. I don't even own a yacht. I'm uh, kind of a no-name. I am Victor Marzipan...but there's no 'von' in the title. I...I just stuck that in to sound high class."
"Mmm-hm, " Matt replied, not sounding entirely convinced.
"See, I heard about your party," Snaptrap(Victor) continued, "And I decided to try to sneak aboard. I climbed aboard when they were busy loading stuff into the yacht. And uh, about those crimes, I got those from some past articles I read from the paper. I-I didn't know that the guy who did them was your brother. I thought maybe if I hung around real professional villains, I could learn a thing or two from them...that and I wanted to be in with the in crowd." Snaptrap(Victor) rubbed the back of his neck. "So um,...yeah."
Matt and Pat looked at each other than back at Victor who just looked at them sheepishly. Matt stared at him intently, going over the whole "explanation" in his mind. Snaptrap began to shift uncomfortably. He never felt so nervous in his life.
Matt narrowed his eyes. "Victor..if that is who you are...you wouldn't perchance be the one responsible for what happened at lunch are you?"
"Huh?" Snaptrap(Victor) squeaked.
"Everyone that had eaten from the buffet became sick," Matt stated, "Including me and Pat. You ate the food yourself, yet you were perfectly fine. And then there that mishap with the pool. I had personally made sure myself that the water in there was clean and ready before we set sail. So someone had to have put something in the water sometime after that. Both incidents happened at the exact same time, that couldn't have been a coincidence. And Pat's makeup...after all that happened I can't help but feel that wasn't an accident either."
Snaptrap(Victor) gulped loudly. "N-No! Why would I have anything to do with that?! Sure I snuck aboard, but that's all!"
Matt and Pat stared skeptically at Snaptrap(Victor) as if deciding whether to believe him or not. Snaptrap(Victor) jumped up from the bed in desperation. "H-Honest! I just wanted to hang out!"
A small thump was heard from the floor. Pat went to see what it was. It turned out Snaptrap's(Victor's) sudden leap off the bed had caused the pillow to slip off and fall on the floor. As Pat bent down to pick it up, she noticed something sticking halfway out of it.
"Hey," she spoke curiously while taking the item out, "I think there's something in-"
She froze as she saw what it was. Snaptrap(Victor) turned pale when he recognized the picture he had stashed in the pillow case.
Pat turned to Snaptrap(Victor). "What are you doing with this?" She whispered in a frightened tone.
Matt came over and inspected the picture. The change in his countenance was frightening. He snatched the picture out of Pat's hands and stared at it. "Th-This is mine," he whispered in disbelief, "I recognize the frame." He turn to Snaptrap(Victor) with accusation in his eyes.
"Where did you get this?" He asked darkly. "In fact, how did you get this?"
Snaptrap(Victor) took a step back. He had no idea how to worm his way out of this. Matt took a few threatening paces towards him, gritting his teeth. "Tell me the truth!" He ordered. "Are you..."
Matt was cut short as a sudden commotion heard in the hallway. One of the servers was running back and forth, calling for him.
"Mr. Snaptrap! Mr. Snaptrap! Where are you?! You have to come to the dining hall right away! It's a disaster!"
Matt placed the picture on the desk and opened the room door. He called to the server. "Yes! What is it?!"
The server raced over to him, almost out of breath from his search. "Sir...there's trouble. The guests...they've...they've gotten sick again!"
"What?!" Matt exclaimed. "No! T-That's impossible!"
"I'm afraid it's so, Sir," the server replied. "You'd better come right away."
Matt was about to dash off when he paused as if just remembering something. He went back into the room and seized Snaptrap(Victor) by the collar. "You're coming along too!" He growled.
Snaptrap(Victor) whimpered as Matt yanked him down the hall with Pat following them. He had a hard time keeping up with Matt, which was only an indicator of how angry his brother was feeling at the moment. Snaptrap had a feeling that the jig was going to be up. They soon came to the dining hall, where they were met with an unpleasant scene. All the guests were acting as they had at lunch, groaning and holding their stomachs, some even vomiting into nearby planters.
Matt turned to the nearest server. "How did this happen?" He demanded.
The server shrugged feebly. "W-were not sure , Sir," he answered lamely, "They all started acting like this after eating the food. Maybe it's bad food poisoning?"
Snaptrap(Victor) couldn't believe it. The whole scene was a repeat of lunch. But, he never even touched the food for dinner. What was going on? Matt wanted to know the same thing. He pulled Snaptrap(Victor) close to him, staring him right in the face. "You have something to do with this, don't you?" He growled intensely. "Answer me right now!"
"An answer you want, Matt? Very well, I shall give you one."
Matt and Snaptrap(Victor) both turned to see Dr. Rabies smiling smugly...with a blaster pointed right at them.
Matt's eyes widened. Releasing,"Victor" he reached into his coat to draw his own blaster when Dr. Rabies stopped him.
"I woudn't do that if I were you, Matt," he warned. "Because as you will see, you are vastly outnumbered." At his signal, all the servers drew out their own blasters, aiming them at Matt, "Victor" and Pat. Everyone turned as the doors all around the dining hall opened. Many of the yacht hands and others that were serving aboard the yacht, had a blaster drawn and aimed at the sick guests. Matt glanced all around in complete shock. Realizing he was outgunned, he withdrew his hand from his coat. Dr. Rabies nodded approvingly.
"A wise choice, my friend," he said. Matt turned as he noticed Madame Catastrophe walking in, with Colette in front of her. The evil cat had a blaster against the poor skunk's back.
"Colette!," Matt cried in alarm.
"Matthew, what is going on?" Colette asked as she was pushed to his side.
"I will explain everything, My Pretty One," Dr. Rabies answered. Colette shot him a dirty look as she took hold of Matt's arm. Dr. Rabies smiled evilly at Matt and his companions as he explained.
"You see, Matt, Madame Catastrophe and I recently heard of an outside source that would pay a fortune for any spy agencies' top secret high tech gadgets and secrets: computer disks, diagrams, schematics, that sort of thing. I needed the money, so I was able to..."acquire" the goods and arrange a meeting spot. Everything was ready and in order...except for one little thing: a good way to deliver the gadgets. I pondered endlessly over this, trying to figure out the perfect way to deliver them without causing suspicion. Then I received the invitation to your party. When I saw where it was to be held on your grand yacht, it all came to me. Your yacht, the Phantom, it was the perfect size to smuggle and hide the goods. And if we were caught, you would take all the blame. So I began to plot how I would take over your boat."
He gestured at the workers that were aiming their blasters at the guests. "I had some of my men and hired help to disguise themselves as dockhands to load the cargo. The goods were all stored in crates that were loaded onto the yacht along with the food and supplies. Then I had the rest of my help disguise themselves as the servers that were to work aboard the yacht, which are the ones you see all around you. You're 'servers' were working for me and Madame Catastrophe the whole time!"
Both he and Madame Catastrophe laughed aloud in wicked delight. Matt glared angrily at them. "Then it was you who caused all that trouble at lunch!" He accused.
Dr. Rabies shook his head. "Sadly, no," he replied, "But I think I know who did. And I thank them for it. You see, it was because of them that I was able to incapacitate your guests."
He drew out a small vial from his pocket. Snaptrap(Victor) gasped. It was one of the vials that was missing from his suitcase. Dr. Rabies twirled it around expertly with his fingers. "Who knew that just a few small drops, would cause such a big commotion," he said in amusement.
Madame Catastrophe bared her sharp fangs in a demented grin. "And you'll never guess who we have to thank for this," she purred wickedly, "Our own Victor von Marzipan. It was in his room, where we found these vials, all conveniently hidden inside his suitcase."
Matt, Pat, Colette, and the guests all turned to "Victor," staring at him in disbelief and anger. The german shephered gulped nervously. "I-I can explain..." he started.
"Don't bother!" Madame Catastrophe snapped. "I'm glad you're to blame for this. I've been wanting to get back at you for making fools of me and Dr. Rabies!"
"Like that was hard to do," Snaptrap(Victor) spoke without thinking. He clapped his hand to his mouth when he realized what he had just said. Madame C hissed and pushed her blaster right against Snaptrap's(Victor's) chest.
"You are treading on thin ice, Marzipan!" She growled. "Anything else you wish to say with that big mouth of yours?"
Snaptrap(Victor) stared at her for a moment, then opened his mouth as if he were going to say something. Everyone gave a cry of shock when he suddenly started to change before their eyes. Victor von Marzipan's form quickly went from a well dressed german shepherd to a wild seagull. With a cry, the gull shot up into the air and glided towards the doors that led out to the deck.
"Stop him!" Dr. Rabies shouted. "Stop that seagull! Blast him!"
Cries of confusion rang out through the dining hall as half of Rabies' henchman started to fire nonstop at the seagull. Snaptrap flew back and forth willy nilly as he desperately tried to avoid the energy blasts while trying to escape outside . Miraculously, he made it out the door and was soaring above the deck.
Yes! I'm home free! He thought triumphantly.
But his victory turned out to be short lived. All of a sudden, a huge blast struck him from below. He gave out a cry of pain as he plummeted down towards the deck...and right into the pool. Dr. Rabies and Madame Catastrophe came dashing out the doors, with Matt, Pat and Colette behind them. They all stared at the ripples in the pool where the "Marzipan" seagull had fallen. Sparks of electricity suddenly shot forth from the pool as a light from beneath began to glow. The seagull's head burst from the water and began floundering about, shrieking in fear and pain as the crackling of electricity could be heard all around it. The transmolecular suit that Snaptrap had been wearing was short circuiting from the water. He could no longer hold his seagull form. Everyone stared dumbly as the seagull morphed into a shapeless blob and then back into...the DOOM leader, Verminious Snaptrap.
A great gasp was heard throughout the crowd. Snaptrap coughed and gagged, spitting out water. As he floated, he stared back at all the confused guests then at Matt and Pat who's jaws hung open in utter disbelief. Snaptrap shrugged while giving a sheepish grin.
"Um...surprise?"
Oh snap...trap. Snappy's finally found out.
PLOT TWIST! Dr. Rabies and Madame Catastrophe were being jerks before, but I bet you weren't expecting this from them, were ya? Some birthday this is turning out to be for Matt. First his yacht is taken over, and now he finds out his new friend was his little brother the whole time.
Snaptrap's gonna have a heck of a time explaining all this to his siblings...if they don't kill him first.
So what's in store for our crazy rat and his sibs? Keep reading...