Racetrack, Mushroom Kingdom, Mushroom World.

Nineteen minutes later, the third race, that of five laps around the Mushroom World, was about to commence.  Steelheart, the Thunder Kittens, and Quiverwing, though sitting together, sat in new positions relative to each other.  From left to right, it was QW, Wilykat, Wilykit, and Steelheart.  QW and Wilykat kept an eye on the Triforce; Wilykit and Steelheart kept an eye on the race.  The race went much like the past two, meaning that the competition was centred between the group of Kevin, Kidd, and Darkwing and the group of Liquidator, Melodia, and MotherBrain.

            In the middle of the race, Steelheart said, "Wilykit, how's it been going in general since our last encounter?"

            "Okay," said Wilykit.  "We haven't had too much trouble from the Mutants, the Luna-tacks, or Mumm-ra.  However, we also found out some terrible news."

            "What?" asked Steelheart.

            "We found out that there were no other Thunderians on New Thundera.  That means that Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, Wilykat, Bengali, Pumyra, Lynx-O, and I are now the only Thunderians left."

            "Well, that is awful.  Have you tried to re-gather the Treasure of Thundera since Mumm-ra re-scattered it?"

            "No, not yet.  We were planning on making a run to New Thundera soon for that purpose."

            "Well, I'm very sorry that you nine Thunder Cats are the only Thunderians left.  I'm sure that everyone would help you to find the Treasure again if you want help."

            "We would be happy for any help you could give us, Steelheart."  Wilykit turned to Wilykat.  "Has there been any trouble yet, Wilykat?"

            "No, Wilykit," said Wilykat.  "Quiverwing and I are keeping our eyes peeled."

            "Good," said Wilykit.  "The race is going well."

            * * *

            For the third through sixth races, the winning order was the same:  Kevin, Liquidator, Copper-Kidd.  At the end of the sixth race (twice around MegaLand), Ludwig asked Eggplant Wizard, "Damn it, has Ganon not gotten that Triforce yet?"

            "No, sir, Ludwig," said Eggplant Wizard.  "Every time he tries, those do-gooding Weapon Hawks stop him."

            "One whole damn race left.  We'd better get this over with."

            * * *

            Racetrack, third-Earth.

            At all the races, the Thunder Kittens, Steelheart, and Quiverwing had sat together.  That did not change in the seventh and final race (twice around the solar system of third-Earth, the Thunder Cats' present home).  What did change, though, was that, this time, Liquidator gave Kevin slightly more trouble.  Ludwig contacted Ganon to tell him to grab the Triforce or else.  Wilykat was the first to notice this, as he saw Ganon via the notepad.

            "Wilykit," said Wilykat, "Ganon is trying to grab the Triforce!"

            "What!" asked Wilykit incredulously.  She looked at the spying device and gasped.  "Steelheart, Ganon is trying to grab the Triforce!"

            "He is, eh?  Well, have Quiverwing go over there and stop him," ordered Steelheart.  Wilykit did so.

            "Okay," said QW.  She fired a smoke arrow at the ground.  It covered her in purple smoke.

            * * *

            At Hyrule Castle, Ganon made his way to the Triforce.  "I've fixed those blasted birds!  Now, to get the Triforce!  Ha, ha, ha!"  Purple smoke appeared.  "What?  What's this?"

            QW's voice was audible.  "I am the point on the arrow of justice.  I am the heroine that gives crooks the shaft."

            "Eww!  Bad pun!" said Ganon.

            Appearing out of the smoke, QW said, "I am Quiverwing Quack!  And I am here to. . ."

            "Out of my way, brat!" screamed Ganon before blasting her with an immobilising ray.

            "Hey!" said QW.  "What have you done?"

            Ganon laughed, "Heh, heh!  I've immobilised you, Sliverwimp Quirk!  Now, for the Triforce!"  He blasted the defence system on the Triforce and grabbed the Triforce.  "At last!  Now, His Extremist, Most Royal Nastiness, Prince Ludwig, will soon have the Triforce!  Ha, ha, ha!"

            * * *

            Back on third-Earth, Wilykat said, "Wilykit, I have a little bad news."

            "What, Wilykat?" asked Wilykit.

            Wilykat gulped uneasily.  "Ganon has the Triforce."

            "-Gulp!-  That is bad news."  She turned to Steelheart.  "Steelheart, what would you do if I said that Ganon has the Triforce?"

            "I do not know," said Steelheart.  "Let's find out."

            "Okay.  Ganon has the Triforce."

            "HE WHAT?!?"

            "For the third time, he has the Triforce."

            "Ahem.  You would not happen to be joking, would you?"

            "No, ma'am," said Wilykit gravely.  "I wish that I were, but I am not."

            "Well," said Steelheart, "I am extremely upset about that, my friend.  WHAT IN THE HELL HAPPENED TO QUIVERWING QUACK?!?"

            "Ganon immobilised her," said Wilykat.

            "Well, this is terrific!  Ganon has that Triforce, and Quiverwing has to fail in stopping him!  I can't send you, because you are officially N-Team members."  Kevin, Liquidator, and Kidd (in that order) crossed the finish line at that point.  "Darn that Ludwig!  He probably just used this race as a diversion!  Let's get down there."

            * * *

            "My God!" exclaimed Kevin.  "You're certain that you aren't mistaken, Thunder Kittens?"

            "Not unless something's wrong with this thing," said Wilykit, indicating the monitor.  The evil Ludwig approached them.

            "Well, my friends, you won," said Ludwig.

            Ganon warped next to Ludwig.  "Ganon!" Kevin exclaimed.

            "I just came to make a small delivery, Captain N!" said Ganon.  He removed the complete Triforce from his outer coat.  "One complete Triforce, free-of-charge, to the exalted Prince Ludwig 'Kooky' von(Bowser)Koopa!"  He handed the Triforce to Ludwig.

            "Thank you, my dear Ganon!" said Ludwig.  "The Triforce, however, has no effect on our deal."  The Thunder Kittens, hiding from the Brain-Team's view, readied their ropes.  "One million, five hundred thousand Limbo-Dollars are coming up. . . in fifteen easy-to-carry bags, and each bag of money in the proper currency!  Ain't I sweet?"  A flash of light from the Triforce delivered fifteen sacks, each of which contained the equivalent of one hundred thousand Limbo-Dollars, which equalled one hundred thousand VideoLand Pounds.  The names were marked clearly, and the currency form was appropriate for the recipient.  "Now, which area or areas don't you want us to terrorise, my dear N-Team?"

            As the Thunder Kittens finished the preparation on their ropes, Eggplant Wizard noticed them and said, "Uh, boss, the Thunder Kittens. . ."

            "Shut up, fool!" ordered Ludwig.

            Eggplant said, "But, Prince L., they're. . ."

            Ludwig yelled, "I said, 'Shut up!'  And I suggest that you do it unless you want to be fertiliser, you imbecile!  Got it?"

            "Yes," said Eggplant Wizard.

            "Now," said Ludwig, "I beg forgiveness for my idiot's impudence.  What is your answer?"

            Steelheart answered, "We don't want you to attack any areas, my dear Ludwig.  That means that we have to do something."

            "Oh?  Like what?" said Ludwig.  The Thunder Kittens' ropes grabbed the Triforce, and the Kittens yanked it out of his hands.  "Yaah!  Hey!  Ganon stole that fairly and squarely!"

            Wilykit began, "That's what you. . ."

            ". . .think, reptile-face!" finished Wilykat.

            "DAMN YOU THUNDER BRATS!!!" screamed Ludwig.

            Steelheart said, "I am shocked, Ludwig!  You directed profanity to a couple of kids!"

            The Thunder Kittens simultaneously exclaimed, "Steelheart!"

            "I was kidding, guys."  Picking up the Triforce, Steelheart said, "Go back to Metroid. . . now!"  The Triforce, in a blinding flash of light, transported all the Brain-Team and all the Brain-Team's vehicles to Metroid and sent Metroid back where it belonged.  While she was at it, she got rid of Liquidator's evil storm cloud.  "Well, thanks to the Thunder Kittens, the Triforce is safe, Zelda."

            Link came up, and Steelheart gave him the Triforce.  "That still does not do anything about my fortune!" Scrooge half-screamed.

            "Don't worry about it!" said Link.  The Triforce brightened for a second.  "There.  Now, it is back where it belongs."

            "Whew!  Thank you," said Scrooge.

            "And, now," said Link, "it is time for all of us to leave."  A flash of the Triforce engulfed all of them.

            * * *

            Conference Room, Palace of Power, VideoLand.

            And, the next thing they knew, they were in the Palace of Power's congregation hall.  "Well," said Kevin, "everyone can now have a merry Christmas, now that the Brain-Team is taken care of."

            "Right," said Steelheart.  QW appeared.

            "Whoa!" said Quiverwing.  "What happened?"

            "Ganon froze you and stole the Triforce, which the Thunder Kittens got back from Ludwig," said Steelheart.

            "Don't take it too bad," said Darkwing.  "They ruffle my feathers, too."

            Quiverwing said, "What?  Oh, right, like I didn't need help anyway!"

            "I guess that we can all take it easy, now that that race is over and the Triforce is safe," said Lion-O.

            * * *

            Drake's Office, Legal Complex, Palace of Power.

            "That quickly?" asked Drake.

            Steelwill replied, "Yes, that quickly, Drake.  She got to the root of my problem and yanked it out."

            "I merely made a guess as to your condition, Steelwill," said Cheetara.  "It was just a case of slight depression, no doubt due to Liquidator's storm."

            "Being empathic doesn't hurt, either," said Steelwill.

            "No, it doesn't," said Cheetara.  "The test was a little easy, actually."

            "Well, anyway, you passed it," said Drake.  "That's all that matters.  I'll get your licence to practise ready, Cheetara."  He left to do so.  The door signal beeped.

            "Come in," said Steelwill.  The door glided open silently.  In came Quicksilver.  "Hi, Quick."

            "Lion-O told me I'd find you here," said Quicksilver.  "Well, guys, I did it.  I aced the computerised refresher, and I got my medical license."

            "Ooh!  Not bad!" said Steelwill.

            "Right.  I am now Colonel Quicksilver, M.D.  Lion-O told me, Cheetara," said Quicksilver, "that you are becoming a psychological counsellor."

            "Whatever they call it," said Cheetara.  Quicksilver chuckled for a second.

            "Where," asked Quicksilver, "can I find the Kittens?"

            Cheetara replied, "In room 6 on floor 103.  Kevin is trying to teach them French."

            * * *

            Room 6, Floor 103.

            "Very, very, very good," said Kevin.  His attempt to teach French to the Thunder Kittens was quite successful.  "You two learn very quickly.  We've only been here for an hour and a half, and you've already learned very much."  He wrote something down on a data-padd.

            Wilykat asked, "Pardon me, sir?"

            "It's not necessary to refer to me so formally," said Kevin.  "You may use my name, Wilykat."

            "Thank you, Kevin.  What will Ludwig do now that we defeated him and his cloaking device doesn't work anymore?" inquired Wilykat.

            After thinking for a moment, Kevin said, "Probably, he will study his defeat thoroughly, and he will return in order to re-try to defeat us. . . and he will try to repair his cloaking device.  That is what he has always done in the past."

            "Heh!" said Wilykit.  "That sounds very familiar."  The door signal sounded.

            "Enter!" Kevin said to the person at the door.  The door opened, and Quicksilver entered.  "Ah!  Hello, Quicksilver!"

            "Hello," said Quicksilver.  "I hope that I am not intruding on you."

            "Oh, of course not!" said Kevin.

            "Correct.  He is teaching us French," said Wilykit.

            Quicksilver said, "Cheetara said that he was trying to do that.  How are they doing, Kevin?"

            Kevin said, "They are doing extremely well.  They know all the forms of the verb.  They quickly learned many irregular verbs.  Also, they know all the forms of nouns, adjectives, and articles.  Without problems, they mastered the object pronouns.  They have no problems with usage."

            "I understand," said Quicksilver.  "Thunder Kittens, please tell me what is wrong with the following statement:  �s'il y ait du gâteau, je le mangerai {sél y'áy dü gah-tó, zhuh'l mahⁿhzh-ráy} [French] (if there be any cake, I will eat it)�."

            Almost immediately, both Thunder Kittens said, "You used. . ."

            "Wilykat, you go," said Wilykit.

            "All right.  Quicksilver, you used the present subjunctive in the subordinate clause when you used the future in the main clause.  The indicative should have been used instead of the subjunctive."

            "That's what I was going to say," said Wilykit truthfully.

            "Excellent," remarked Quicksilver.  "It is said that great minds often think alike.  I'm sorry, but I must leave.  I have to keep an eye on Ludwig."

            "All right," said Kevin.  "Good-bye."

            "Good-bye, Kevin and Kittens."  Quicksilver left.  The Thunder Kittens looked at one another.

            "Great minds?" Wilykit asked.

            "Us?" asked Wilykat.  Kevin smiled.  He completely agreed with Quicksilver's idea that the Thunder Kittens had great minds; but the Thunder Kittens' Thunderian modesty prevented them from completely agreeing with this assessment.

            Wilykit asked, "Kevin, in the map room, we noticed how pretty VideoLand was.  Lion-O or Tygra or both might object if we begged to explore on our own.  I know he trusts you.  Would you consider showing us around?"

            "Why, sure, Wilykit," said Kevin.  "Just. . ."

            "Yes, we'll tell them."

            * * *

            Control Room, Metroid, VideoLand.

            "That blasted N-Team," announced Mega Volt, "really fries my damned amperes!  If I ever get my hands on those Thunder Twerps, THEY'LL REGRET GRABBING THAT DAMNED TRIFORCE OUT OF PRINCE LUDWIG'S HANDS!!!"

            Liquidator said, "I know what you mean, Mega Volt."

            "Well," said Melodia, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to abuse some idiots some more."  Liquidator and Mega Volt smiled wickedly as she readied her Sound Smasher.

            Ludwig got the hint.  He held a button on the planetwide intercom system and said, "Eggplant!  Hippo!  Get in here right now!!!"  Before he had a chance to release the button, Eggplant Wizard and King Hippo had run into the room.  "You idiots are a half-second late!!  Melodia, you may have your fun."

            "Uh, oh," said Eggplant Wizard.  "I think we're about to get it again, King Hippo."

            Aiming the laser-blaster of her Sound Smasher at Eggplant Wizard and King Hippo, Melodia said, "All right, idiots!  You are going to pay for letting those Thunder Kittens grab the Triforce out of Ludwig's hands!"  She fried them with her lethal music.  The two were screaming.

            "Just for that ungodly screaming," said Mega Volt, "I'm going to join in the fun!  Heh, heh, heh!"  He blasted the two idiots with his wicked wattage as Melodia still tuned them out.

            Liquidator said, "I'll have some fun, too. . . like conducting Mega Volt's evil electricity!  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"  He jumped on King Hippo and Eggplant Wizard.  Mega Volt's electricity was distributed more evenly and fried the two buffoons even more.  Ludwig got out his sceptre.

            "You two idiots," said Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa, "let the Thunder Kittens grab the Triforce from my hands.  You let the cloaking device fail.  You let the N-Team use the Triforce to restore Scrooge McDuck's fortune to him.  You let the N-Team win the race.  You let the N-Team get rid of Liquidator's storm cloud.  You are the ones who let the N-Team beat us at every turn!!  Now, prepare to be mutilated!!"  He fried Eggplant Wizard and King Hippo with a wicked ray from his sceptre.  The two unfortunate idiots continued to scream.