July 21.

            "Oh, darn!  It's Koopa-Troopa and Try-Clyde!"

            "I'll fireball them!"  He powered up with a Fire Flower.  "Time to cook your geese, you two Koopa freaks!"

            Koopa-Troopa exclaimed, "Yow!  I'm beating it!"  Mario fried him before he could escape.

            Try-Clyde's left head said, "All right, Mario."  The right head said, "We'll burn you up this time!"  The centre head made a fireball that hit Mario and relieved him of his firepower.

            "Oh, darn.  That pile of scales burnt out my firepower," said Mario.

            Kid Icarus said, "All right, you rotten snake-ious maximus!  I'll give you a taste of my oil arrow!"

            Try-Clyde's centre head said, "Oil arrow?  I'm beating it!"  Kid Icarus fired the oil arrow into the mouth of the centre head before Try-Clyde could leave.  The beast's right head said, "You fool!  He got you!"  The left head continued, "Yeah!  Now you've done it!"  A loud explosion occurred in Try-Clyde's body as a result of the oil arrow and the intense fire created within Try-Clyde's body.  Try-Clyde retreated hastily.

            "Come on, Kid," said Mario.  "We'd better turn off that circuit."  Mario cut off the power switch.  All the Doomships blipped between being cloaked and being uncloaked seven times; they then became and remained dark.  "Wow!  I guess that did it."

            * * *

            In the control room of the ship, Ludwig was extremely dissatisfied with the performance of Koopa-Troopa and Try-Clyde.  "Curse you two idiots!" exclaimed the evil Koopaling after Try-Clyde had reported.  "Koopa-Troopa is lucky that Mario fried him before I got the chance!"

            Try-Clyde said, "Sorry!"

            "Shut up, you idiot!  You let them short out the cloaking devices and deactivate our power!  Eggplant Wizard and King Hippo, I want you two yo-yos to get out there and stop those two fools from escaping!  I also want you to turn the power to the Doomships back on."

            Eggplant Wizard said, "Whatever you say, Prince von Koopa."  Eggplant Wizard and King Hippo left for the power room.

            * * *

            "Well," said Mario, "I guess that'll. . ."

            "Hold it right there Kid Shrimpicus and Mario-the-dimwit!" said Eggplant Wizard.

            Kid Icarus said, "Eggplant Wizard and King Hippo-cus!"

            "How correct you are, you little angel," said King Hippo.  "Ha, ha!  Squash 'em, Wizard!"

            Eggplant Wizard said, "I'll do better than that!  I'll turn them into worthless string beans."

            "My weed-eater arrow will fix that Veggie-wand of yours, Eggplant Wizard!" Kid Icarus said.  He fired his weed-eater arrow at Eggplant Wizard.  The weed-eater arrow devoured Eggplant Wizard's Veggie-wand.

            "Yaah!  My wand!  I hate you, Kid Icarus!"

            King Hippo said, "It should have eaten you, you dumb vegetable!  All right, Mario!  I'm through fooling with you!"

            "Then, you will not mind having a little snack," said Mario.

            King Hippo's eyes widened in delight.  "FOOD!!!"

            "I saved this especially for you, King Hippo."

            "Gimmie!  I want it!"

            Mario handed a large, tasty-looking pretzel to King Hippo.  "Here you go."

            "Yum!"  He ate the whole pretzel in seconds.  It exploded in his stomach.  "-Burp!-  Yum!  Now that is hot and spicy!"  Kid Icarus fired his net arrow, which netted King Hippo and Eggplant Wizard and tossed them into the cockpit.  "Yaah!"

            * * *

            "You two fools!" screamed Ludwig.  "I don't know how you can be so foolish!"

            Koopa's mother asked, "Well, Koopums, what are you waiting for?"

            "Huh?" Koopa asked.

            "Get out there with Mouser and beat those two airheads!"

            "Why me?"

            " 'CAUSE I SAID SO!!!  NOW GET OUT THERE!!!"

            "Okay!  Okay!  I'm going!  Come on, Mouser."

            "Yes, Your Royal Greenness."

            * * *

            Out in the power room, Mario was stuffing some old pasta in the power systems.  "There.  That ought to keep the Doomships inoperative for a while."

            "Uh, oh!  More troubl-icus:  King Koopa and Mouser!"

            Mouser said, "I shall fix the two of you."

            Koopa drew his sceptre.  "Save your worthless Bob-ombs, you foolish idiot!  Let a pro handle this."

            "Come on, Bowser Koopa," said Mario.  "What's the big deal?"

            "I'm rocking you to sleep.  In the case of the 'rocking,' it is quite literal."

            Mario grabbed Koopa's sceptre.  "Oh, no you will not, you big green cretin!"

            "Hey!  What the heck are you doing, faucet freak?"

            Mario broke Koopa's sceptre over his knee.  "Oh!  Did I break your little toy?"

            "WHY, YOU FAUCET-FACED, PLUNGER-PUSHING PASTA FREAK!!!  THAT WAS MY SCEPTRE!!!"

            Mouser said, "Calm down, King Koopa.  My Bob-ombs will blow him into oblivion!"

            "My arrows will de-fuse those Bob-ombs of yours!" said Kid Icarus.  He fired an arrow at Mouser.

            "Yow!  Hey!  I cannot produce Bob-ombs anymore!"

            "Want to stick around for 24 hours waiting for it to wear off?"

            Mario said, "Yeah.  In the meantime, I can have fun squashing you to death."

            "-Gulp!-  King Koopa. . ."

            "Let's beat it, mouse!" said King Koopa.

            "My sentiments precisely, Your Royal Wickedness!"  Mouser and Koopa ran back into the control room.

            * * *

            When Bowser and Mouser arrived at the control room, Bowser's mother bashed Bowser's head with her purse.  "Why, you miserable excuse for a son!  You never do anything correctly!"

            "Ouch!" said Koopa.

            Ludwig said, "ENOUGH, YOU TWO!!!  YOUR FIGHTING HAS GONE ON FOR LONG ENOUGH!!!  I THINK THAT YOU TWO CAN DO SOMETHING BETTER THAN FIGHT ALL THE TIME!!!"

            Koopa said, "You heard him, Mother."

            Koopa's mother replied, "No, he told you!"

            Ludwig screamed, "I TOLD BOTH OF YOU!!!  NOW SHUT UP!!!"

            Koopa's mother and Koopa said, "Yes, Ludwig."

            Ludwig and MotherBrain cried, "WE'LL HAVE TO LEAD THE NEXT ATTACK OURSELVES!!!  RIDLEY, WILY, AND PROTOMAN, COME WITH US!!!"

            * * *

            Out in the power room, Mario was just about finished stuffing pasta into the power systems.  "There, Mario!" said Kid Icarus.  "Stuff it in there!  That'll mess up their cloaking devices!"

            Mario crammed old spaghetti in the power box.  "Boy, that hard spaghetti will put pasta sauce in their plans."

            MotherBrain said, "And we shall squeeze the spaghetti out of the two of you!"

            "Oh, no!" said Kid Icarus.  "MotherBrain, Ludwig, Dr. Wily, ProtoMan, and Ridley!"

            "You were expecting, maybe, Ludwig van Beethoven?" asked Ludwig.

            Dr. Wily said, "Let's see you handle this, Kid Idiot!"

            "My arrows will give you the point, Dr. Wily."  Kid Icarus fired an arrow at Dr. Wily.  The arrow passed right through him without stopping or without causing any harm.  "They're holograms!"

            MotherBrain said, "We're behind you!"

            "Or are we to your right?" Ludwig asked.

            "Or to your left?" asked Wily.

            "Or in front of you?" Ridley asked.

            MotherBrain, Ludwig, Ridley, ProtoMan, and Dr. Wily said, "We could be anywhere!"

            "My plunger-blaster will fix you five," said Mario.  The plumber shot his plunger-blaster in all directions.

            Kid Icarus said, "Hey!  Watch where you're shooting it."

            Dr. Wily cried, "Yaaaah!"

            "Right there!" said Mario.  He fired again in that direction.  This time, the villains came to light.

            MotherBrain said, "So, you found us."

            Ludwig said, "The question is, 'Can you escape us?'  Ha, ha, ha!"  The five blasted at the good guys with electric energy from their respective weapons.

            "Ungh!  Their electric bolts are too hard to dodge," Mario said.

            "Ha, ha!" laughed ProtoMan.  "That's the point, you radial-belted fatso!"

            Kid Icarus said, "Radial-belted?  That's it!  My rubber arrow!"  Kid Icarus shot Mario with a rubber arrow and coated him in rubber.  Kid Icarus then shot himself with a rubber arrow and coated himself in rubber.  "Rubber and electricity don't mix."

            "Not so fast!" cried Ridley.

            "Sorry, but we have an appointment with the beautiful Princess Lana," said Mario.  Mario and Kid Icarus warped home to the Palace of Power.

            "Not again!" said Ludwig.  "Fortunately, they did not do anything the red-alert strategic withdrawal switch."

            "Strategic withdrawal sounds like a good idea at the moment," MotherBrain concurred.

            Ridley activated his radio.  "Ridley to all six Koopalings:  RED-ALERT!!!  IMMEDIATELY EFFECT A STRATEGIC WITHDRAWAL!!!"  He flipped the switch.  All six Doomships retreated into a warp zone to Metroid.

            * * *

            Throne Room, Palace of Power.

            Kevin cheered, "Hooray!  The N-Team did it again!"

            "Yes, Kevin," said Lana.  "They probably won because of your game tips."

            "Oh, it was nothing."

            Mario and Kid Icarus arrived.  "Well, Your Highness, how did we do?" asked Mario.

            Zelda said, "Excellently."

            Kid Icarus said, "Thank you, Princess Zelda."  In warped Peach, Luigi, and Samus, all back to normal.

            "What a makeover, dudes!" said Toad.

            Peach said, "Looks like the Doomships have been frightened off."

            "Thanks to Kid Icarus, Captain N's tips, and yours truly, those Koopas decided to warp home to Metroid," Mario said.  "To tell the truth, we could've used Kevin's help up there, especially with Ridley, MotherBrain, Ludwig, ProtoMan, and Dr. W."

            "Speaking of Metroid, Lana, did we not view on that tape the Koopas hypnotising Simon, GameBoy, MegaMan, and Dr. Wright?" Kevin asked.

            Lana said, "Oh, you're right, Kevin.  Someone had better go over to Metroid and de-hypnotise them before the Koopas make them do something terrible."

            "I would rather get the trial over with first," said Mason.

            "Court will begin tomorrow at eight on appeal," Lana said.

            Burger said, "Good.  I am glad that this case will be coming to a close soon."

            * * *

            July 22.

            Palace Courtroom, Palace of Power.

            At 8.00 next morning, court began for Kevin's appeal.  "All rise for the honourable Judge Lana," said Bailiff Simon.  As Judge Lana stepped up to the bench, everyone in the courtroom rose.  When she sat, she banged down her gavel.

            Judge Lana said, "Court shall come to order."

            Burger stood.  "In view of current evidence, Thine Honour, my esteemed colleague, Mr. Mason, has called for an appeal on the case of Kevin Keene, or Captain N.  Now, according to Mr. Mason, this tape that was confiscated legally from the Planet of SR388 by Kid Icarus will prove that, without a doubt, Kevin did not commit the robbery of the Sacred Square.  However, before I show it, I would first like to call to the stand Kid Icarus."  Kid Icarus got up and went up to the stand.

            Bailiff Simon asked, "Dost thou swear that the testimony thou art about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help thee God?"

            "I do."

            "Please state thy name."

            "Kid Pit Icarus, leader of the Icarus Army of the Kingdom of Mount Icarus."

            "Thou mayest be seated."  Kid Icarus sat down.

            Burger asked, "Now, Kid Icarus, exactly where didst thou find this revealing tape?"

            "I found it on a table in MotherBrain's control room of the Planet of SR388."

            "Now, where wast thou at the lunch hour on the date of Kevin's preliminary hearing?"

            Kid Icarus said, "I was working my way up Mount Icarus to get a truth arrow for suspected witnesses - suspected by Mr. Mason - so that they might tell the whole truth, regardless of what the witness wanted to say."

            "What happened?  Why didst thou not return with the arrows the same day?"

            "I was abducted by Larry and Roy Koopa and taken hostage in Metroid, whose official name is the Planet of SR388."

            "When you took this tape, what wast thou thinking?"

            "I was thinking that it might clear the defendant.  When I saw its contents, I knew I was correct in my assumption.  If you view it in this courtroom, it will prove what happened.  What happened was that, first, King Hippo and Eggplant Wizard, under order of Wendy Koopa, stole the Sacred Square and the key to the Chamber of Tetris.  Wendy had a fake Sacred Square put in its place.  Larry put the key outside the Chamber, so when Captain N and Princess Lana went to search Metroid, Ludwig led them to the Chamber and fooled them.  Then, the Brain-Team, as it has come to call itself, devised a plan that could have put Captain N out of commission for good.  King Hippo swallowed one of Ludwig's invisibility pills and planted the Sacred Square in Captain N's bedroom, leaving behind a fortune cookie fortune.  Then, when Princess Lana discovered Captain N fainted on the floor and the Sacred Square in Captain N's bedroom, Prince Lyle of the Kingdom of VideoLand, a Keeper of the Sacred Square, called and told us that the Sacred Square in the vault had been discovered as fake."

            "Thank you very much, Kid Icarus.  Let me introduce into evidence this fortune cookie fortune, found in Captain N's bedroom by my colleague.  I should like this introduced into evidence as Exhibit F."

            "Let me see that, please," said Mason.

            Burger said, "Certainly."  Hamilton Burger handed the fortune cookie fortune to Perry Mason, who examined it for a moment.

            "Yes, this is exactly what we found.  We do not object to this being introduced into evidence."

            "I shall read this out loud to the court.  'Your days will be full of banana milkshakes, beating up Kid Icarus, and being found guilty on the witness stand.'  I shall like this marked Exhibit F."

            Judge Lana ordered, "It shall be so marked."  Bailiff Simon marked the fortune cookie fortune as Exhibit F.  "Continue."

            "I am finished with direct examination," said Burger.

            Mason said, "No questions."

            "I would like to recall King Hippo to the stand."

            "The present witness may be excused," said Lana.  "King Hippo shall take the stand.  I remind thee, King Hippo, that thou art still under oath."  King Hippo took the stand.

            "Now, King Hippo," began Burger, "I ask thee. . ."

            "Yes, it's all true!" interrupted the fat slob.  "I did it!  I framed Captain N!  Watch the tape!"

            Judge Lana said, "The witness will refrain from making any more such outbursts."

            "I admit my guilt!"

            Ludwig stood.  "Pardon me, Thine Honour, but if I might be recalled to the stand, I could clarify a few matters in a more dignified fashion."  Once he was on the stand, Ludwig said, "No, I shall commit perjury no longer, since one can disprove it with that tape.  I did frame Captain N."

            Burger asked, "Is there any specific reason?"

            "Yes, Mr. Burger.  As a member of the N-Team, Captain N threatens the very existence of the Brain-Team, of which I am considered head in dual capacity with MotherBrain.  I do admit my evilness.  I may even be extremely unkind, but the only thing that I would not do is to commit murder without cause.  I may kill in self-defence, and I might commit any degree of murder, but I need some sort of reason.  Fortunately, I saw no reason to destroy Captain N's life."

            "I see," said Burger.  "So thou just wantedest Captain N 'out of the way' so that thou and thy colleagues might rule VideoLand?"

            "Exactly.  Believe me, it would have ruined our plan to get Captain N off the N-Team if Kid Icarus had gotten that truth-arrow.  It has ruined my plan that he brought the N-Team that tape."

            "I see.  Thy witness, Mr. Mason."

            Mason said, "No questions."

            "The witness may step down," Lana said.  Ludwig went over to his seat.

            "Now, Thine Honour, I require the use of the tape projector," said Burger.  Bailiff Simon pressed a button that brought out the hologram projector that had just been installed.  Hamilton Burger put the tape into the tape machine.  The whole courtroom was shown the actual crime. . . that this frame-up had been set up by the infamous Ludwig!  "That proves that the defendant is not guilty.  I move that the charges be dropped, Thine Honour."

            Mason said, "I second this motion, Thine Honour.  For once, Mr. Burger has agreed in helping me to clear my client.  I thank Mr. Burger for his co-operation.  However, I should like that he bring charges against the ones who created this Case of the Tetris Puzzler, all of the members of the Brain-Team, who have, in their short time in existence as the entity 'the Brain-Team,' harassed the entire Kingdom of VideoLand and Kingdom of the Mushroom World."

            "I do agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Mason, Thine Honour.  I request that Lieutenant Arthur Tragg be allowed to take them into custody at once."

            "Your request is granted," Lana said.

            "Lt. Tragg?" said Burger.

            Tragg said, "Yes, Mr. Burger."

            Ludwig said, "You'll never take us alive!"  The whole Brain-Team ran into a warp to Metroid.  The warp closed before Tragg could get them.

            Judge Lana said, "I gladly rule that the defendant is not guilty."  She brought down her gavel.  "Court is adjourned."  Everyone arose as she exited.

            Captain N said, "I knew you could do it, Mr. Mason!"

            "Thank you, Kevin," said Mason.  "It helped that Mr. Burger did not try to make it look worse for you."

            Burger said, "Oh, Perry, I did not want our friend to be 'out of the N-Team' forever.  It may have been my job to prosecute, but I shall not prosecute if I know with extreme proof that the defendant is not guilty.  It is my job, though, to protect the interests of the state, and what I did was that.  Take care, Kevin."

            "I shall try, Mr. Burger."

            MegaMan said, "Mega-good for you, Captain N!  I knew that you were not guilty."  Princess Lana stepped into the room in her regular state of dress.  She had Kevin's Power Pad and Zapper.

            "Kevin, here are your Power Pad and Zapper back," said Lana.  She put the Power Pad and Zapper Belt around Kevin's waist.

            Captain N said, "Thank you, everyone. . . especially Mr. Burger's uncommon co-operation."

            "Although I am a prosecutor, being convinced is being convinced.  Since you and your parents are friends of mine, I could not stand to see you punished for a crime you did not commit."

            Kid Icarus said, "That tape showed the fact that Ludwig hypnotised Simon, GameBoy, MegaMan, and Dr. Wright.  What shall we do?"

            Kevin said, "Only one thing to do:  burst into the Planet of SR388 - I mean, ah, Metroid - and destroy their hypnosis machine."

            Mason said, "An admirable thought, Kevin, but Hamilton confiscated it as evidence."

            Burger said, "Ah!  This looks like the hypnosis machine."

            "Let me see it," said Kevin.

            Dr. Wright said, "Yes, this is a hypnosis machine.  It can hypnotise anyone within one billion quintillion light-years within seconds.  Press the first four buttons to release the hypnosis from MegaMan, Simon, GameBoy, and me."  Burger did so.  After a couple of seconds of crazy stuff happening, MegaMan, Simon, GameBoy, and Dr. Wright were free of the hypnosis.

            MegaMan said, "These things are too mega-dangerous.  Let's destroy them before Ludwig gets his hands on them."

            Ludwig's voice filled the room.  "You will not destroy all of my inventions!  Ha, ha, ha!"  All of Ludwig's inventions, except the hypnosis inducer, were warped to Metroid.

            Simon said, "Let Simon Belmont handle this device."  Simon put the device on a table in front of him and smashed it with his whip.

            Captain N praised, "Way to go, Simon!"

            "Simon Belmont shall not shirk his duty as a hero."

            Lana said, "Let's get back to the throne room."

            * * *

            Throne Room, Palace of Power, VideoLand.

            Captain N asked Mason, "Are you sure that you must go back, Mr. Mason?"

            "For a short while, Kevin," Perry Mason replied.  "I shall see about retiring and moving here."

            Burger said, "I've already retired from the Los Angeles D.A. office once, and this coming time, it will be permanent.  With your permission, Princess Lana, I shall move out here."

            Lana said, "Of course.  You don't need my permission; however, I would appreciate you moving out here.  If any such case comes about again, we shall require lawmen of your skill.  Any or all of you can move out here to VideoLand if you like."

            "Okay, Your Highness," said Tragg.  "We shall see all of you later."  Perry, Della, Paul, Hamilton, and Lt. Tragg went into a warp that had recently been opened to Perry's office.

            * * *

            Once they were back in front of Mason's office building in California, Tragg said, "Well.  I must get down to the station.  I'd better not tell them the precise truth, or they may think that I have gone bonkers."

            "I am calling up Kevin's parents," Mason said.  "Whether they think that I am bonkers or not, I feel that it is my duty to tell them the truth.  If they do not believe me, they can come to VideoLand with me and see for themselves."

            Della said, "You know, Perry, Kev's parents may want him to come back to Earth with them."

            "Oh, I have an instinct about these things."

            "And what does your instinct tell you about this?" Drake asked.

            "I think that they will leave it up to Kevin to decide.  If not, then that's that.  They will either tell him to stay in VideoLand or to come back to down to Earth."

            "Down to Earth. . . very funny, Perry!  Well, I'd better get to my office and break the news.  Paul should know about this."  Drake was referring to his son, who was also named Paul.

            "Good thinking, Paul.  I'll call Kevin's parents."

            Burger said, "I'm going to move to VideoLand.  What about you, Perry?"

            "I shall, too.  Let's get packing."  Everyone left.  Perry drove over to Kevin's home.

            * * *

            At Kevin's parents' home, Perry told the absolute truth to Kevin's parents.  Both of the Keenes were of average height and build.  "Is that true, Perry?" Kevin's brown-haired mother, Cheryl, asked rather sceptically.  "Did he ask you to tell us this as a prank, or is it really true?"

            "It is true.  You can come to VideoLand with me yourself."

            Ned, Kevin's black-haired father, said, "That is the most convincing explanation I've ever heard, dear.  Let's go with Perry and see for ourselves."

            "Fine.  I had nothing to do today, anyway."

            "Good," said Mason.  "I think that you will like Her Highness."  The doorbell rang.

            "Who's there?" asked Ned.

            Burger's voice replied, "It is Hamilton and Paul."

            "Come in."

            Entering with Burger, Drake greeted, "Good afternoon."

            Cheryl greeted, "Hello, Paul.  Hello, Hamilton."

            Burger said, "Hello."  MotherBrain's hologram appeared.

            "Hello!" said the brain.

            Mason ordered, "MotherBrain, get your hologram out of here before I call Kevin and ask him to remove it himself."

            "I just called to give Mr. and Mrs. Keene my regards.  Yes, I am the delightfully disgusting, evil MotherBrain against whom your son fights valiantly.  If you proceed permanently to remove him from VideoLand, my extremely evil stepson and I shall take over the whole universe!"

            Burger asked, "Is your marriage to King Koopa legal?"

            MotherBrain said, "Why, it is indeed, Ham Burger!  Paul Drake, why do you not consider a career as a duck?  Perry Mason, tell your secretary to rename herself Della Avenue!  And Perry, start working with stone instead of the law!  Hee, hee, hee!"  Ludwig's hologram then appeared next to MotherBrain's.

            "While you are at it, Perry Mason, tell Arthur Tragg that I said that he is a real drag!" said Ludwig.  "You idiots had better not come out to VideoLand.  If you do, MotherBrain and I shall see to it that your heads get a proper removal."

            Mason said, "Kevin and his friends will see that you do not do so, Ludwig von Koopa."

            "Call me Prince Ludwig von Koopa, Perry Mason!  I am legally a prince, you know."

            "In VideoLand, maybe.  Technically, America has no royalty of any kind."

            "Why do you not take a long walk off a short pier, Perry Mason?" MotherBrain asked.

            Mason said, "If you are prosecuted, MotherBrain, I shall see to it that I do not defend you."

            "Enough!  Stay down to Earth or face the consequences, vile do-gooders!"  MotherBrain's and Ludwig's holograms disappeared at the same time.

            Cheryl said, "Brrr!  Those two give me the creeps!"

            Mason said, "Do not worry.  Her Highness, Princess Lana, knows how to handle MotherBrain."

            "That huge cerebrum looks somewhat like the one in Metroid."  They all left.