You know, Addie, you have an odd name. I haven't seen a single character on TV who shares it with you. I mean, Ally, sure. Allie is there, too. Then there's Maddie...

It's short for "Adeline." I was named after my great grandmother, if you must know.

Pest, you're really one to talk here. What kind of name is Wendell Pendelton for a monster? I thought you all had menacing names like Rothgar or Agnorok or something. Your middle name is a step in the right direction, but it's still just an ordinary noun with some bad connotations...

Shows what you know about monsters. Sure, monsters gigging on this side use their stage name, but we use our full names when we're off the clock (with the exception of truly conceited monsters like Madonna and Cher). Those one word names are all fine and dandy for scaring people, but they're just not practical for everyday use -- nobody would ever know you came from a respectable family with those silly things.

Anyways, parents usually try to cover that with middle names, but it almost always backfires. My mother thought it was pretty smart to name me after one of the four horsemen -- like no one would dare mess with one of their names, rock stars that they are... it took all of ten minutes on the playground before the other kids had shortened it to "Pest." My mother is still livid about it.

At least she got it right with my brother...

Heh, that was a pretty cute picture of you as a kid, Pest.

I didn't know you had a brother. How come he's not in the picture, too?

Yeah, that portrait was done shortly before the spoiled little brat came into the world and became the absolute center of attention in the Pendelton household... if it's all the same to you, I don't really want to talk about him right now.

Now you've really piqued my curiosity... but I'll let you off the hook this time. I'll find out all about it sooner or later, I'm sure.