Act 67 - Date: 20 December 1992
Section 4: The Extended N-Team
Part 1: The Ultimate Encounter
Ninth Division - The Race and the Triforce
Thirty-ninth Chapter
Characters: Thunder Cats, Silver Hawks, Mario-Team, N-Team Base, Mason-Team, Darkwing's Justice Ducks, N-Team Secret Division, Fearsome Ten
December 20.
Cat's Lair, third-Earth.
T "Then we'll tell that person that he or she will just have to talk to Steelheart," said Wilykit. They went to their room.
"Carefully, Wilykit!" warned Wilykat, uneasy. "Someone might be in there!"
"You worry too much." In reality, she was a bit nervous herself. She opened the door and looked in. "Heh, heh! No one's in here, silly!" They went in and closed the door gently.
When both of them had prepared for bed and had lain on their beds, Wilykat said, "Now can you tell me what she called Dingbat Dope? If you keep me in suspense, I'll die!"
"Heh, heh! Come over here," said Wilykit, "so I can whisper it into your ear."
"Okay," said Wilykat. He got out of bed and went over to Wilykit.
When he was at her bed, she whispered into his ear, "Steelheart called him Half-wit-egotist Dippy-duck."
"Oh, my gosh! Thanks!" said Wilykat with a big smile on his face. He could hardly keep from laughing as he made his way back to his bed. Within a few minutes, the two had dozed off.
* * *
Conference Room, Hawkhaven, Limbo.
Eight hours on 20 December 1992. This was, perhaps, one of the busiest hours ever on Hawkhaven. Every last member of the N-Team, including the Thunder Kittens, made his or her way to the congregation hall, where Steelheart was sitting at the head of the table. After a few minutes, Steelheart said, "Okay, everyone should be here. This may sound rather elementary, but I need a roll call. I would like Kevin to do it." Kevin went up to her and got a sheet of paper with the names of all the members of the N-Team typewritten on it. It took but a few moments to call the roll. Everyone was present. "My friends," said Steelheart, "one of the rules of the race was written obviously so that no one could leave if any criminal did anything. That was the rule about all members being present during all of all of the races. It seems that Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa had been plotting with Ganon and that this, they found, was the perfect opportunity for them to grab the Triforce. Do you normally take precautionary measures when you and Link leave Hyrule, Princess Zelda?"
"Certainly," said Zelda. "The past has proved that many of those measures were not always successful. However, this time, I believe that our safety measures shall not fail. Dr. Wright has installed a brand-new, top-of-the-line security system in the throne room."
"For the sake of the entire Milky Way Galaxy," said Steelheart, "those measures must not fail. If the Triforce were to fall back into Ganon's hands, it would probably go into Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa's hands. Once there, every one of us would be subject to his evil power. But do not worry. I want Quicksilver to go down to the room where we keep the Weapon Hawks and to send the Weapon Hawks to Hyrule in order to help in thwarting Ganon's plot to commandeer the Triforce once more."
Quicksilver turned to Steelheart. "May I go to do so now, ma'am?" asked he.
"Yes, you may, Quicksilver," answered Steelheart. "I'll tell you later what I have to tell the others." Quicksilver left to do his task. "All right, the fifteen who shall race. I want to see you following the rules to the last letter and punctuation mark. Otherwise, you'll be likely to put me in a bad mood. No one has ever seen me mad yet."
"Oh, yeah?" asked Steelwill. "I thought. . ."
"Well," rectified Steelheart, "no one here but my brother has seen me angry. If you ask him, I think he would comply that it is - if you will - a rather unpleasant experience."
"Now, Steelheart, is there something you love about understatements?"
"Let's not drift off to that topic, Will. Okay, Kevin, Kidd, Darkwing, Bluegrass, Ludwig (Spike), Larry (Spike), Will, Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, Panthro, Perry Mason, Della Street, and Tragg, I want you to do your best out there. The rest of you are to be sitting near me on the west wing of the Bedlama Race Stadium in the seats that have been reserved. A viewscreen will show everyone watching the race what is going on. If someone from the N-Team crosses the finish line first, then the N-Team wins the race. If someone from the Brain-Team crosses the finish line first, then the Brain-Team wins. I only wish that I were certain about whether the Brain-Team racers are going to follow the rules or not." Quicksilver returned. "Have the Weapon Hawks been 'deployed'?"
"Yes, Commander."
"Good work. Now, those that are not in the race can, for now, goof off or do whatever they want to do. Those that are racing should follow me when I leave. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you." Everyone but Steelheart and the fifteen that were to race left. "Well, everyone, I would like that you follow me." She led them out of the Congregation Hall down to the hangar.
In the hangar, she told them, "Okay, guys. I need you to make doubly sure that your vehicles are fully operational. Got that?"
The fifteen racers said, "Yes, Steelheart."
"While I go to tell Quicksilver what I told the others," mumbled Steelheart to herself while going over to Quicksilver.
Quicksilver was 'tidying up' the Sprint Hawk. "Hello, Commander," said Quicksilver.
"I'm going to tell you now what I told the others, Quicksilver. I want you guys to give the rest of the N-Team and me a good, clean race out there. I want you to go by the rules, even if the team of the evil Ludwig does not. If the first one to cross the finish line is a member of our team, our team wins. If the first one to cross the finish line is a member of the Brain-Team, the Brain-Team wins."
Quicksilver nodded, then said, "That's fair enough, Steelheart. I only hope that the Weapon Hawks can keep Ganon busy."
"Yes, that pig-face!" exclaimed Steelheart.
"Well, now I know what you think of that slime-ball," replied Quicksilver. "By the way, how did you learn that Ganon will attempt to steal the Triforce?"
"Oh, I sent out three to see what the Brain-Team was doing. Those three were Darkwing Duck and the Thunder Kittens."
"You mean Doltwaddle Dimwit?"
"Yeah, I mean Half-wit-egotist Dippy-duck."
Quicksilver used great self-control to keep from laughing, but the smile was unavoidable. "Oh, my gosh! Where did you ever dream up a name like that?"
"When I was talking to Wilykit about him. She burst out laughing, and I could not keep from following suit."
"Commander!" said Darkwing. He stormed over to Steelheart. "So, you call me nicknames, do you?"
"Well, you do it to everyone else. It was probably you who thought up the name 'Sparkie.' "
"Yes, it was I. So sue me if I can't take it! Well, ah, I mean, don't sue me literally."
"Okay. So, why don't you get ready, Darkwing?"
"Because I heard you call me 'Half-wit-egotist Dippy-duck.' I'll get ready." He went to continue preparing his motorcycle, the Rat-Catcher.
"He sure takes such stuff hard," said Quicksilver.
"I think that, basically, he's a good sport," said Steelheart. "He's just a little rough around the edges. Later, Quick." She went over to where her brother was inspecting his racing vehicle. "Hi, Will."
"Hi, Steelheart," said Steelwill. "How's it going?"
"Okay with me, brother. How about with you?"
"Oh, I'm great, sis. 'Course, it isn't every day I inspect a vehicle."
"Heh, heh! That is true. Have fun, Will."
"You too, Steelheart. I'll see you later."
As she walked toward the elevator door, she thought to herself, He sounds cheerier now than in the last few days. I wonder why. Well, at least we didn't argue. And I wonder what is keeping the Thunder Kittens; they were going to meet me down here, as I asked them to before the meeting. I'll find out. . . at Cat's Lair.
* * *
Cat's Lair, third-Earth.
In Cat's Lair, Steelheart went down the corridor to the Thunder Kittens' room. She had a map given to her by Lion-O. She was on guard when she reached the door to their room, as something might have happened to them and might still be in there. In a moment or two, she knocked. She was greeted by Magica's voice, which said, "Who's out there?"
"Steelheart," said Steelheart. "More importantly, who's in there?"
"Can you not tell by my Italian accent and gravelly alto voice, darling? The great Magica DeSpell! Ha, ha, ha!"
"DeSpell! Are you in cahoots with the Fiendish Organisation for World Larceny?"
"I shall never be in cahoots with that organisation! I am an independent villain. However, at times like this, I do perform services. . . for a price."
Steelheart burst open the door, with Magica on the other side. "What have you done with the Thunder Kittens?"
"That is for me to know," said Magica, "and for you to find out! One thing is for certain: they won't be able to help you! Ha, ha, ha! If you really want them back, the ransom price is McDuck's first dime!"
"We cannot give it to you. It was stolen by Liquidator, along with the rest of the fortune."
"Well, ol' Waterhead is not my problem at the moment, Steeldope! Ha, ha, ha! See you around, darling! Hee, hee, hee! Ha, ha, ha!" Magica magically transported away.
"Oh, my God!" said Steelheart. "That evil witch has the Thunder Kittens. The rules state clearly that every member of both teams must be present, and those two are officially members of the N-Team. But where is her hiding place? I'll go find Scrooge. Maybe he can shed some light on the situation. First, I should probably tell the Thunder Cats." She made tracks in going back to the hangar of Hawkhaven. When she was there, she shouted, "Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro, please come over here!" Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro responded by going over to her as she asked.
"You look worried, Steelheart," said Tygra. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes, something is terribly wrong. The Thunder Kittens have just been kidnapped by Magica DeSpell, one of Scrooge McDuck's arch-enemies."
"Heh, heh, well," Tygra laughed uneasily, "I guess that that accounts for your being worried."
"I'd be more worried about them than the race," said Panthro. "So would I," said Steelheart. "I wouldn't know what that witch would do to them. She just asked for Scrooge McDuck's first dime in exchange for them."
"Scrooge McDuck would not part with it easily," said Lion-O, "and, besides, it is in Liquidator's clutches along with the rest of McDuck's fortune."
Steelheart said, "This would make perfect sense if she were affiliated with the Brain-Team in any way, but she is not."
"She's probably willing to part with them with the ransom of that dime," said Cheetara.
"I know that," said Steelheart. "And, as we have observed, Scrooge would not be willing to part with that dime even if he had it. I'll talk to Scrooge about her. I'm going to ask Darkwing where Scrooge is." Steelheart went over to Darkwing.
"Hello, Steelheart," said Darkwing. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry to bother you, Darkwing," said Steelheart, "but do you know where Scrooge McDuck is?"
"He's in the guest quarters at the Palace, Steelheart."
"Thank you very much."
"Not that it is any of my business, but why did you ask?"
"I asked because he is likely to know the whereabouts of a certain witch named Magica DeSpell. She has captured the Thunder Kittens."
"Don't worry, Steelheart. When she gets a load of Wilykat, she'll be sorry that she ever kidnapped them!"
"Even so, we must save the Thunder Kittens before the race begins. They are, after all, official members of the N-Team. . . and they are Thunder Cats. And they are my friends."
"Well, you'd better hurry, my dear Steelheart. It is about 8.45 right now. And the race begins at noon."
"I know that very well, thank you, DW. Good-bye."
"Good-bye, Steelheart."
Steelheart went back over to the four Thunder Cats. "Well, guys, I have a general idea where Scrooge is."
"Just how general?" asked Lion-O.
"General enough to know that he is staying in the guest quarters area of the Palace of Power. -Sigh.- I'll have to talk to Kevin to get any further." She went over to Kevin, who was checking the controls of his car.
"Ah, good day, Steelheart!" greeted Kevin cheerily.
"I wish it were one, Kevin," said Steelheart, sorry that she was going to have to spoil his mood. "Something has happened."
"Something is always happening," pointed out Kevin.
"It is not every day that Magica DeSpell abducts the Thunder Kittens!"
"THAT WITCH WITH A B INSTEAD OF A W DID WHAT?!?" Kevin almost screamed.
"I said that she abducted the Thunder Kittens."
"Oh, no! Not them! According to Tygra, they're barely teenagers." He dared not admit his feelings for Wilykit. If word of those feelings ever reached Lana and he were not the one to tell her, he would be dead meat with her. That could not happen now, now that she was seriously attracted to him.
"I was trying to find out where Scrooge McDuck is."
"He is in the Palace of Power. He is on floor 105, room 19."
"Thanks!" said a suddenly satisfied Steelheart.
When she turned to leave, Kevin got out of his car and said, "Oh, no! I'm coming with you. I'll teach that witch to pick on the Wilytwins."
"Well, aren't we angry today."
"I cannot help it, Steelheart. She probably knew that Liquidator had made off with McDuck's fortune and abducted them for a member of the Brain-Team in exchange for. . ."
* * *
Scrooge's Room, Palace of Power, VideoLand.
In Scrooge's room, Scrooge exclaimed, "My first dime?!?"
"Yes, your first dime," said Steelheart. Also in the room were Kevin and Lion-O. Directly outside the room were the other three Thunder Cats. "She said to me that she wanted it in exchange for the Thunder Kittens, but I suspect that someone on the Brain-Team is offering the dime for the Kittens."
"Well, I do not plan on letting that witch get away with kidnapping! I don't care if it does involve my dime!"
"Well," said Kevin, "now we know Mr. McDuck's opinion on the issue."
"True, it is hard for me to part with that dime, but it's even more impossible for me to part with my nephews. I imagine, Lion-O, that it would be hard to part with the Thunder Kittens?"
"Yes," said Lion-O. "Tygra would agree, even if they do get into trouble half of the time."
"Aye, I know what that can be like. Well," said Scrooge, getting his cane, "I know where the witch has her hideout. It's on my world, and it is in a place just off of the coast of Italy. . . a mountain in the shape of her face. She calls it Mount Vesuvius."
* * *
Mt. Vesuvius, Italy, Darkwing's Earth.
At Mt. Vesuvius, in DeSpell's main chamber, Magica was conferring with Liquidator. "Liquidator, have you the dime?" asked DeSpell.
Showing the dime to her, Liquidator said, "I have it. Have you those Thunder Kittens?" Magica fired a magic ray at the wall. It turned around and showed the Thunder Kittens, dormant, tied to it.
"There they are," Magica said.
The Kittens awakened. Wilykat exclaimed, "Liquidator! We might have known that the Brain-Team had something in accordance with this!"
"Ah, yes, Thunder Kitten!" laughed Liquidator. "Ha, ha, ha! I doubt, though, if the others on your team know of this."
"It was an easy matter to capture these kits," said Magica. "My sleeping spell was ready!"
Liquidator said, "Yes! With the trouble into which the Mutants tell me those two get, it's a wonder that they are not grounded for a year! Ha, ha!"
Wilykat began, "Shut up, you liquidy little. . ."
"Can it before you get us into trouble, Wilykat!" interrupted Wilykit.
"Hmm! Well, Liquie, the deal still stands: two Thunder Kittens for one McDuck first dime."
Liquidator took it out of the glass case into which McDuck had put it and was ready to hand it into Magica's hand. "Here, Magica." Before he placed it into Magica's hand, a laser knocked it out of his. "What the. . . Steelheart!"
"You were expecting, maybe, the gulping gourmet?" asked Steelheart.
"I knew the Brain-Team had something to do with this!" said Kevin.
"We thought you had too much respect for the rules of the race to abduct the Thunder Kittens, Liquidator," said Lion-O.
"If you will closely examine the rules, Lion-O," said Liquidator, smiling, "you will find out that the race is off only when something is done to the racers. The Thunder Kittens are not racers. However, there is a rule applying to all members of both teams being present."
"I thought," said Magica, "that I could disrupt your little race by making an agreement with Liquidator. He suggested that I capture these two Thunder Brats instead of taking on someone else. Since he also offered me McDuck's First Dime, I decided to assist him. But to make it more equitable, I only agreed that the party who gave me the dime would get the Thunder Kittens."
"Why you conniving serpents!" Steelheart snapped.
"Ha, ha!" laughed Liquidator. "Now, see you later, guys!" Liquidator washed away the ones that are there: Steelheart, Kevin, Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro. He went over to pick up Scrooge's dime. "I believe," said Liquidator, "that the one who gives you the dime gets the brats. True?"
"WE AREN'T BRATS!!!" exclaimed the Thunder Kittens in unison.
"True, Liquidator," said Magica. Scrooge stepped in out of a main hallway. "Scrooge!"
"Aye, it's Scrooge McDuck," said Scrooge. "Give me that dime, liquid-head, so I can give it to the witch and save the Thunder Kittens."
"Oh, dry up, Scroogie!" said Liquidator. He did unto Scrooge as he had done unto the other N-Team members that were in there. A red smoke appeared in another corner of the room. "Well, if it isn't. . . it isn't! It cannot be Darkwing Duck; his smoke is purple-slash-blue."
From the smoke came the voice of Gosalyn, Darkwing's daughter. "I am the point on the arrow of justice. I am the wand that ceases to function one day after the warranty expires." She appeared in her Quiverwing Quack outfit, not very different from Darkwing's outfit. "I am Quiverwing Quack, the heroine that gives criminals the shaft!"
"Say," whispered Wilykat to Wilykit, "isn't that Gosalyn?"
"Yes, you're right," Wilykit whispered back.
"Well, if it isn't a girl!" said Liquidator, especially stressing the italicised word. "I'll take her out, Magica!"
"Not after I turn you into pudding, Waterhead!" said Quiverwing.
"Ooh, don't call me 'Waterhead'!!" said Liquidator. Before he could react, Quiverwing shot him with an arrow filled with pudding mix. "Eww! I'm pudding!"
Quiverwing grabbed Scrooge's dime. "And, since I'm not a member of the N-Team officially, this has no bearing on their race rules!" She looked at the dime. "Trying to cheat Magica DeSpell, Liquidator? This coin has the wrong year on it!" Magica took the coin.
"Let me see that!" Magica examined the coin. "-Gasp!- You are right! You tried to cheat me, you crook!! Thank you, Quiverwing."
"I did not come here to point out Waterhead's trying to cheat you. I came to rescue the Thunder Kittens!"
"So! That is why you came! I'll fix you, little girl!" Before she acted, purple-blue smoke appeared in the room. "Oh, no. It's that dumb duck again."
Darkwing's voice came from the blue smoke. "I am the terror that flaps in the night. I am the nonrefundable and nonworking wand that you buy at the five and dime. I am Darkwing Duck, and you are finita {fé-né-tah} [Italian] (finished), DeSpell!" He saw Gosalyn. "Why, Quiverwing Quack. A pleasure to see you here."
"The dime Liquidator tried to give her was a fake, Darkwing!" said Quiverwing.
"Thanks, Quiverwing. I'll take it from here." Darkwing pointed his Gas Gun at Magica. "Suck Magic-Nevermore Gas, DeSpell!" Darkwing fired the mentioned gas at Magica and temporarily ended her magic.
"Yah! You rotten do-gooder!" screamed DeSpell.
"I see you've taken care of Liquidator, QW!" said Darkwing.
"Just so you wouldn't have to, DW. Since I'm not officially an N-Team member, it won't hurt your race. And, because you did something to one who is not officially a Brain-Team member, that won't hurt it, either."
"Do you mind if you got us down now, Darkwing?" asked Wilykat.
"Yes, but I'll do it anyway." Darkwing freed the Thunder Kittens from the wall by crumbling it with a heavy gas. "Now, let's beat it before Magica gets back her magic and before Waterhead gets out of Quiverwing's pudding!"
"DO NOT CALL ME 'WATERHEAD'!!!" screamed Liquidator. "THE LIQUIDATOR WILL GET YOU FOR THIS!!!" Darkwing, Quiverwing, and the Thunder Kittens ran out of the room.
"What did they do with the others, Wilykit?" asked Darkwing.
"He washed them out," said Wilykit.
"Then, they'll probably be at the bottom of the mountain."
Wilykat began, "Don't you know that Quiverwing is really. . ."
"-Sh!-" said Wilykit.
"Really my daughter," said Darkwing. "I know, Wilykat, but I won't complain any more, since it does no good."
"Thanks, Darkwing!" said Quiverwing. In a few minutes, they were at the mountain's bottom, where everyone had just climbed out of the water.
"Oh, that Liquidator!" said Kevin, climbing out of the water. "He sure knows how to get someone waterlogged." He took his Zapper and pulled the trigger. Water shot out. "When I get my hands on that wet mutt after this race, I'll whomp his tail!"
"Well, fear for the Thunder Kittens' safety no more, my friends, because they are here," announced Darkwing.
"Darkwing," said Steelheart. "I should have known that you would come and. . ."
"Just one second, my dear Steelheart," said Darkwing. "Everyone here knows my secret identity, right?" Everyone nodded. "Well, you owe part of the Thunder Kittens' safety to Quiverwing Quack, who is really. . ."
"Gosalyn?" said Kevin.
"How did you know?" asked Darkwing.
"I've seen your show," said Kevin.
"Oh. Well, since Quiverwing Quack under that name is not part of the N-Team, it has no bearing on the rules of the race. Quiverwing shot Liquidator with a pudding arrow, turning him into a blob of pudding. Then, she saw that Liquidator was trying to cheat DeSpell with a fake dime."
"That," said Quiverwing, "is where DW comes in. He came in and blasted DeSpell with a gas that steals magic temporarily. Since DeSpell is no Brain-Team member, that has no bearing on the rules, either. DW blasted the Thunder Kittens free, and we came down to see if you were all right."
"Well," said Lion-O, "we all are. We thank the two of you for saving them."
"No thanks are necessary, Lion-O," said Darkwing. "All in a day's work for Darkwing Duck and his co-heroine, Quiverwing Quack!" DW and QW disappeared in a mountain of smoke.
"Are you two okay?" asked Tygra.
"Yes, we are," said Wilykit.
"What happened?" asked Lion-O.
"Magica suddenly appeared and blasted us with a spell that put us to sleep," said Wilykat.
"After that, she warped us to this crazy place," said Wilykit. "We were surprised when we woke up and saw Liquidator standing there. . . with what appeared to be Mr. McDuck's first dime. Then you showed up, and Liquidator washed you away. Then came Mr. McDuck."
Scrooge sat up. "Ach, yes. I came to save you."
"Well, anyway," said Wilykat, "Liquidator washed him away. Then, Quiverwing showed up, shot Liquidator with a pudding arrow, grabbed the dime, and saw that that dime was not Mr. McDuck's first one."
"Magica was rather angry at Liquidator," said Wilykit, "and she got even angrier, this time at Quiverwing, when Quiverwing told her that she was there not to point out Liquidator's fraud but to free us. DW appeared after chanting his nonsense, blasted Magica with a magic-draining gas, and freed us. We came down here."
"We'll be more careful if we hear that witch zip up behind us again," said Wilykat.
"Well, it's not your fault," said Lion-O. In fact, he would have crushed Magica's skull if she had harmed either of the Wilytwins. "From our conclusion, she would do anything to get Scrooge's first dime."
"That Liquidator must still have it, along with the rest of my fortune," said Scrooge. "When this race is over, I'll deal with him."
Kevin looked at his watch and saw that the time was almost 9.30. "Well, time flies when one's trying to rescue two kittens from a despicable witch. It's already thirty minutes after nine. We should be getting back to Hawkhaven now." He pulled a warp potion out of his pocket and poured it onto the ground, forming a warp to Hawkhaven. (In that particular order) Kevin, Scrooge, Lion-O, Tygra, Cheetara, Panthro, Wilykat, Wilykit, and Steelheart entered the warp.