Throne Room, Palace of Power, VideoLand, Milky Way Galaxy, Q-niverse.  Stardate 1 068 054.79; July 20, 3013.

Kevin's daughter was dutifully performing the task that her father had assigned her.  Sitting next to her, Heinrich was helping her, since he still knew a bit more about the computer systems than she did.  They had not done much to express their feelings since that short kiss.  Nevertheless, they were getting more than a little friendly with each other in conversation.  They had been alone together for almost an hour, the longest they had ever been all alone in the same room together.  Heinrich loved Kelly for her mind and personality.  She was a smart and bright girl, and she was instinctively kind and compassionate.  These were qualities that Kelly found and liked in Heinrich, as well.  Of course, it did not hurt their attraction that they found each other extremely good-looking.

            "You know, Kelly," Heinrich said, "you look a lot like a picture my mom has of your mother.  I mean, you dress more like your brother and your father, but. . . well, you bear a striking resemblance.  Actually, you bear one to both your parents.  Your blonde hair, though, definitely seems to mark you as Thomas's sister."

            "I'll be happy to meet her finally," said Kelly.  "Now that you mention it, you look very much like your father, too.  Now that I've been getting to know you, I feel I can safely tell you something.  Heinrich, I love you."

            "I love you, too, Kelly."

            "Oh, gosh.  I'd best watch these controls, Heinrich."

            "One very short little kiss, like before?"

            "It could turn into a very long little kiss."

            "All right, but tell me this:  do you want it?"  Kelly hugged Heinrich.

            "I sure do want to kiss you again, Heinrich, but can't it wait until after someone comes and replaces me?  I don't want to let Daddy down."

            "Well, sure. . . if that's what you really want."  Kelly glanced at the monitor for a moment, then she kissed Heinrich very passionately.  After a moment being stunned, he caught up with her.

            Wilykit and Wilykat arrived in the throne room.  They saw Kelly and Heinrich kissing but did not interrupt them.  Then, Kevin and Steelheart beamed into the room.  Very pleased, Kevin smiled when he saw what his daughter and Heinrich were doing.  He waited until the two had ended their kiss.  "Hey, Kelly!" he said, his smile coming through in his speech.  "Having fun?"

            Kelly and Heinrich quickly pulled away from each other.  Heinrich almost lost his balance and almost fell off his chair, but he did not.  "Father!" exclaimed Kelly, surprised.  "I'm. . . I'm sorry, Daddy!"

            "Oh, that's all right, Kelly."

            "Well, we just. . . we just started a few seconds before you got here.  I thought it would be short, but. . . but. . ."

            "Don't worry, Kelly," said Wilykit.  "Everyone else in this room knows how it is.  You think it'll be short, but sometimes it doesn't stop for half an hour."

            "But I let Father down," Kelly said, very disappointed in herself.  "I could have missed an urgent call.  Daddy. . ."

            "That's enough, Kelly," interrupted Kevin in his kindest tone of voice as he got on his knees in front of her and looked up into her eyes.  "It's okay, kid, really.  Perry Mason's watching communications from his room because I know from experience what love does to people.  Fortunately, I was blessed with powerful control over my emotions."

            "Then why am I here?" Kelly asked, puzzled.

            "Someone should be here all the time, Kelly, and I think you need the experience.  Heinrich knows the Palace's computer system inside out.  Since that's the case, while you two were still under control, I figured he could teach you something about it."

            "So," asked Kelly, "you're not angry, Father?"

            "No, Kelly.  Why should I be?  I actually wanted you two to spend time alone together."

            Thomas and Johanna beamed in.  Thomas was very angry, but he was controlling it well.  However, he was definitely not calm.  "Hello, everyone," Thomas said.  "Golly, what Johanna and I would have done. . . but then that stinking little Larry showed up."

            "Hey, calm down, Thomas," Johanna said.  "I can feel the fury in your mind, though you're not expressing it."

            "I'd really, really like to, Johanna, but not before I tell what he said."

            Kelly asked, "What did he say, little brother?"

            "Well, big sister, he said what MotherBrain planned for. . . ahem!  Ah, Dad, have you told these guys about you-know-whom?"

            "Yes, I've told them about Michael," Kevin said.

            Wilykit asked, "Pardon my bluntness, Thomas, but did Larry verify that MotherBrain wanted Michael and Princess Lana to have sexual relations so she might see Kevin's response?"

            "Yes, Wilykit.  How did you know?"

            "Wilykat and I were in contact with MotherBrain earlier, and she told us about it.  We came to warn Kevin to be reasonable with Michael and Lana.  What else did he tell you?"

            "He said he'd told the Triforce of Power to cancel the physical love-bond placed on all who had made love on Hyrule."

            "MotherBrain told us that delightless piece of information, too."

            "He cancelled it?" demanded Kevin.

            "That's what he said, Dad," Thomas said, now very logically.  "He said something else.  He said. . . he said that you and Wilykit are madly in love with each other."

            "What?" demanded Kelly.  "He must have been lying!"

            Oh, no, Kevin moaned inwardly.  "No, he wasn't," Kevin said.  "Wilykit fell in love with me before she met Wesley Crusher.  We were insanely attracted before I even seriously considered a serious relationship with Lana.  I always felt something for Lana, but I didn't seriously act on it until after I had met Wilykit.  Wilykit never knew she was in love with me until that day when the small group from the N-Team visited us in the Rhineland in the X-iverse.  I didn't know she shared those feelings for me until then, so, like an utter idiot, I never said anything about it."

            Wilykat said, "Wilykit and Kevin did nothing unacceptable.  They cannot be judged for their feelings."

            Kelly asked, "Yeah, but Father, why didn't you tell us?  We would have understood."

            "I have no acceptable explanation.  I should've told you about it.  It's very difficult having similar feelings for two different women if morals govern your actions as they should."

            Wilykit said, "It's just as difficult for me.  So, Kevin, you'll be understanding of Lana and Michael if their emotions run the tracks, so to speak?"

            "Yes.  But that won't happen.  Let me tell you why.  Steelheart, here, came to discuss something with Kid Icarus, but he wasn't in his room when she came, so she came to me.  I entered his room with her and found him and his best quiver missing; I guessed he'd gone to Pernicus's arrow shop on Mount Icarus to replenish his arrow supply, so we went there.  Pernicus reported that Kid Icarus had been there and gotten some arrows and that Queen Palutena had come, requested Kid Icarus's help, and asked Kid Icarus to get some love arrows and antidote arrows.  I grew very suspicious, got these three antidote arrows, and left with Steelheart to Queen Palutena's palace.  I explained matters to Steelheart while we went to the hidden warp that led to the palace.  I suspected that not Palutena but some agent of MotherBrain had been to trick Kid Icarus into shooting Lana and Michael while making him think it was Lana and me.  Palutena confirmed my suspicions that it was not she who had requested Kid Icarus's help.  Then, MotherBrain called us at Palutena's palace.  The brain confirmed that Kid Icarus had shot Michael and Lana with the love arrows, but they resisted even then.  They've freed our friends and are headed out of Metroid, but some of us should go there, including me, or Michael, Lana, and the others might be in mortal peril.  They might not survive a personal appearance by MotherBrain."

            "So," Wilykit asked, "you want a full N-Team meeting tomorrow morning?"

            "Yes, Wilykit.  I have to tell everyone about this.  It is partly my fault, since I covered up Michael and asked the Mason-Team to do the same."

            "I'll get all the Hawks out of their beds," Steelheart said.  "Where shall we meet?"

            "Here," said Wilykit.  "I'll awaken all the Thunder Cats and would-be Thunder Cats.  Steelheart, could you contact Captain Picard and ask him to rouse the Enterprise-Team?"

            "Sure, Wilykit."

            Kevin said, "I'll take care of calling Professor Xavier, Sam Collins, Perry Mason, Mario, and Darkwing so they can get their divisions of the team up.  They and their divisions will be here.  Is seven o'clock in the morning a good time?"

            "Yes, Kevin," Wilykit said.  "Johanna, what are you planning to do this evening?"

            Johanna sighed.  "I think I'll just come home, Mom," said she.  "That disgusting little Koopaling spoiled my mood.  Thomas, please understand."

            "That's okay by me, Johanna," Thomas said.  "I can help Father call everyone."

            Wilykit said, "Okay.  Now, what happened to Johannes?"

            Heinrich said, "He and my sister are with my parents."

            "Would either one spill the beans about Michael?" Kevin asked.

            "Johannes wouldn't," said Johanna positively.

            "Liselotte most likely would not," Heinrich said.  "She knows it's important to you.  Sometimes, she does let minor things slip, but she I doubt that she would let this slip."

            "I'll trust that, Heinrich," Kevin said.

            Wilykit said, "If you see Johannes, any of you, please ask him to come home when he has finished with Liselotte for the evening. . . that is, if he finishes with her for the evening.  I'd just like to talk with him.  If he wants to be with her all night, I understand, but if he doesn't, I'd like to see him when he leaves her."

            "If I see him," said Heinrich, "I'll tell him, Wilykit."

            "Thank you, Heinrich."

            "Father," Kelly asked, "do you and Thomas need my help?  I was thinking of. . . of being alone with Heinrich tonight, if that's all right by you."

            Kevin said, "Sure, Kelly.  You and Heinrich go do what you wish.  Your brother and I can handle things for tonight."  He smiled.  "Just call if something bigger than you comes after you."

            "Thanks, Father."  She and Heinrich left the throne room in the direction of the warp hall.

            "Well," said Steelheart, "I'll get back to Hawkhaven.  I left Kidd alone on the monitors.  See you all tomorrow morning."

            "See you then, Steelheart," Kevin said.

            Steelheart tapped her communicator.  "N-Team Transporter, transport one to the Hawkhaven Command Centre."  She was beamed there.

            "Kevin," asked Wilykit, "before Johanna, Wilykat, and I leave, may I have a word with you in private?"

            "Sure, Wilykit," Kevin said.  He and she went into the congregation hall.  "What is it, Wilykit?" asked Kevin after the door had closed.

            "Kevin, is there anything else you haven't told anyone about?  Because I don't want MotherBrain digging up any more secrets about you."

            "That's all, I swear, Wilykit.  I don't hide things without thinking."

            "All right, Kevin.  I believe you.  Many others would just cover things up without prior consideration.  You're not the type to do that."

            "No, I'm not.  I admit that, when I was a teenager and felt very guilty about something I did that I should not have done, I did try very feebly to cover it up, like that day when Larry and Ludwig dropped by."

            "Kevin. . . you don't know what I want to do with you right now.  If Michael had been the one to fall head over heels for me, what would he have done?"

            "He would have expressed it immediately.  He exerts less control over his emotional reactions than I do."

            "Well, I think you exerted a little too much control, darn it.  How dare you think I'd be offended!  Curse it, I love you, Kevin!  Why in the world couldn't you let me see that before I met Wesley?"  She tried to fight back tears, but she could not.  "Why?  And why couldn't you have brought Michael out here so he and Lana could be happy together?  Then, we'd all probably have been happier."

            "Wilykit," said Kevin tenderly, "I'm very sorry about my actions.  I wish I would have reacted on my true feelings more in those situations, but I just didn't want to let MotherBrain find out about Michael or offend you by making advances.  If I'd known what I know now, everything would be different.  But we can't change that, Wilykit, so please calm yourself."

            "I'm sorry, Kevin.  I. . . I can't."  Kevin took her warmly in his arms.

            "It's okay," he said quietly.  "Everything will be all right.  When you see Wesley again, you'll forget about your strong feelings to me."

            Wilykit pulled away from him with her superior strength.  "No, I won't, Kevin!  I'm never going to lose these feelings!  We'll never stop loving each other.  But we should just tell all and just move on.  I definitely have feelings for Wesley.  He is my Amoro Eternamente, and my spirit can never forget his.  I have this feeling, though, that my spirit can never forget yours, either."

            "Well, it'll be all right, Wilykit.  I've always loved Lana very much, and I made a sacred commitment to her that I'll never forget.  I love her, and I love you.  Even if it had gone the way you think it should have, Wilykit, I don't think it would have been any easier on us.  You and Wesley could still have had strong feelings for each other, and Lana and I for each other as well."

            "It makes sense.  Nothing is perfect.  We just have to do the best we can."

            Kevin said, "I feel like telling you something that Wesley told me not to tell you.  He told it to me, but he asked me not to tell you.  However, I think that was under the circumstances of the time that he told me and thus I feel I should let you know about it."

            "All right, Kevin.  What is it?"

            "He said he felt that he and Lana might die or be killed soon, and so he asked me, if that happened, to marry you."

            "-Sigh.-  Oh, Jaga.  He knew!"

            "He sure did, Wilykit.  I'm sort of grateful for that, in a way."

            "Thank you for telling me, Kevin, and for waiting until the right time to tell me.  He always wants people to be happy, content."

            "So do I," said Kevin.  "At least we're all capable of thinking logically."

            "Yes.  That probably saved you and me from doing something stupid."

            "Yeah.  Everything will be all right, Wilykit," he said sweetly.

            "That's something I love about you, Kevin," said Wilykit, smiling.  "You've managed to retain your youthful optimism, never losing it.  I've never felt seriously cynical thoughts from you.  My brother and I, on the other hand. . . -sigh.-  I don't think you can ever fully get that back if you ever lose it."

            "I'd help you if I could, Wilykit."

            "Kevin, you made me feel like my old self again that day when you kissed me on the cheek."

            "How so?"

            "You played with me.  It made me feel just wonderful, like before the empire.  Before Ludwig imprisoned Wilykat and me for a thousand years in that blasted cell.  I wish you could keep doing stuff like that to help bring my youthful feelings back to me."

            "Well, last time I saw him, Wes still had it.  You ought to bring it up with him, Wilykit."

            "All right, I suppose.  He's just not quite as spontaneous as you can be, but he may be able to help."

            "I may drop a bug in your brother's ear.  I think it might resurface in him before it does in you."

            "Yeah, probably.  I used to hate it when he acted silly.  Now, I'd actually appreciate it."

            "You two could probably pull yourselves out of anything."

            "Yes.  I'm proud of your control, Kevin.  Many other men - of just about any species - might lose it with the kind of feelings you have."

            "I'm proud of my brother.  He normally demonstrates less emotional control than I, and yet he resisted making love to Lana even under the control of a love arrow.  That's got to take a lot."

            "Yeah.  Well, Kevin, let's go.  I don't want anyone getting the wrong ideas."

            "Right, Wilykit."

            * * *

            Thomas hit a key on the communications console.  "This is Thomas calling Darkwing Duck.  Please respond."

            On the screen popped GizmoDuck.  "This is GizmoDuck.  Wingie is sleeping, Thomas.  What is it?"

            "There will be a full N-Team meeting tomorrow morning, GizmoDuck.  It will be here at the Palace of Power at seven."

            "Very well, Thomas.  We shall all be there to help you right any wrong that needs righting."

            "Thank you, GizmoDuck.  See you then."  He hit the switch to cut transmission.

            "Well, you've called everyone, Thomas," Wilykat said.  "Kevin ought to be proud of you."

            "Thank you, Wilykat."

            Johanna said, "I've got to tell you, Thomas, you really handled that well."  She went over to him.

            "You seem to be letting your feelings influence what you're saying to me."

            "Yeah, well, I love you, Thomas."

            Thomas smiled.  "I thought a certain Koopaling spoiled your mood."

            "I guess moods don't stay spoiled forever."

            Thomas stood.  "All right.  But after Father gets back, agreed?"

            "Sure, Thomas."

            Wilykat said, "I wish my poor sister didn't have to go through this emotional ordeal. . . or Kevin, either.  Of yet, there exist no real rules for the kind of relationship those two share.  Whatever they do, it won't affect your relationship, since neither of you was formed by them together.  You are free to whatever relationship you wish to pursue together."

            "Thank you, Uncle Wilykat, though if it did affect us, I'm not sure it would stop us," said Johanna.

            "I just hope Father and Wilykit don't do something foolish," Thomas said.

            "They won't, Thomas," said Wilykat.  "When Lana and Wesley get back, Wilykit and Kevin should be able to neutralise their feelings for each other."

            "I hope so."

            "Don't you know how much control they have, Thomas?  They can control their feelings."

            "Then why did Father almost lose it in front of MotherBrain?"

            "He only loses control of his anger in front of his enemies, and only when they've done something really nasty, to include taking Michael and attempting to use him.  That has not caused him problems, Thomas.  He ordinarily does not lose control easily.  Back on Old Thundera, Wilykit and I learned great control.  We lost some of it when we journeyed to third-Earth, but we've gotten much of it back."  He smiled devilishly.  "I know what's wrong.  I just haven't been the silly little brother lately, like I used to be."

            "Oh, no," said Johanna.  "Please don't do that to Mom, Wilykat.  Johannes really annoys me with that sometimes."

            "If he ever stops, life will get boring for you, Johanna."

            "Very funny."

            "I'm not joking.  It makes life interesting because she never knows when I'll do something silly."

            "Dad says you two argued a bit when you did silly things to her," Thomas said.

            "Well, yes, but she hates being bored more than she hates arguing with me."

            The door to the congregation hall opened, and Kevin and Wilykit came out.  "Well, I'm ready," said Wilykit.  "Let's go, guys."

            "Mom, I've changed my mind," Johanna said.  "Do you mind if I stay with Thomas?"

            "No, I don't, Johanna."  She smiled.  "When I first met Wesley, he was with the Enterprise crew.  That was, of course, when they first came to third-Earth from the Federation.  When we met, we felt very overpowering feelings for each other.  Wilykat and I requested to be the N-Team liaisons on the Enterprise as they headed through the galaxy.  Their next stop, at our suggestion, was Hawkhaven."

            "The verb 'request,' as I recall, puts what you did very mildly," Wilykat said, grinning.  "Before Lion-O even said a word about who was going, you literally begged and pleaded."

            "Oh, all right!  So I let my feelings influence my judgement in that instance.  What's so bad about that?"

            "Absolutely nothing.  After all, you're not Vulcan."

            "Anyway, one day on the Enterprise, I swear Wes and I must have been on the verge of making love several times, and each time we were interrupted.  A couple of days later, we made love twice.  The second time, I was under the influence of a blasted Plundarrian drug that causes a female Thunderian to make love with her Amoro Eternamente {ah-mó-ró áy-tehr-nah-máyn-táy}."

            "Amoro Eternamente?" asked Johanna, unfamiliar with the term.  Her studies had been directed to more academic matters.

            "Amore Eternamente {Ah-mó-ráy áy-tehr-nah-máyn-táy} - technically, it should be Amory Eternamente {ah-mó-rü áy-tehr-nah-máyn-táy}, but the language Thunderian isn't crazy about ending words with the sound y {ü}, so we normally replace that sound with e {áy}.  Anyway, Amore Eternamente is a sacred eternal bond between a male and a female.  The Amoro Eternamente is the male in that relationship, and the Amora Eternamente {ah-mó-rah áy-tehr-nah-máyn-táy} is the female.  That's what Wesley and I have and what Jayna and Wilykat have.  I really believe, too, that it's what you two have and what Johannes and Liselotte have."

            "Father," said Thomas, "I've called everyone we were going to call.  They'll all be here."

            Smiling, Kevin put his right hand on his son's left shoulder.  "Thank you, my prince of a son.  You and Johanna can go do whatever you want to."

            "Thank you."

            "One moment, please," Johanna said.  "Mom, did you want to talk with Johannes and me or just with Johannes?"

            "I think I'll just talk to him tomorrow.  It mainly concerns him, but you may be there if you want to, Johanna."

            "Okay, Mom."

            * * *

            A Tunnel in Brinstar, Metroid, VideoLand.  Stardate 1 068 057.53; July 21, 3013.

            Samus, Tragg, and Gordon were journeying through their assigned path.  They had not run into any major trouble. . . yet.  However, the path they were travelling reminded Samus very much of one that she had taken on Zebes.  It had led to big trouble there.

            Gordon said, "So.  I've read some mysteries that included you, Lt. Tragg."

            "Perry Mason mysteries by Erle Stanley Gardner on your world, perhaps?" Tragg asked.

            "Yes, indeed.  Do you always have the misfortune to pick out the non-guilty party to arrest?"

            "No, and we try not to.  Mason, though, seems to represent many of the non-guilty ones.  A great deal of his clients are innocent.  I've actually gotten so that I enjoy seeing him make the truly guilty parties crack on the stand.  At times, he helps Hamilton Burger prosecute, especially if he is sure that the defendant is guilty and the prosecution needs a lot of help.  Hamilton's a good prosecutor, but even he needs help at times.  Sometimes, Perry also needs Hamilton's help."

            "I can imagine."

            "This passage causes me to have an uneasy feeling," Samus said.  "I can recall it from previous experience.  I think it leads to the Spore Spawn, which frankly threw me for a loop first time I met it.  Arthur, you copied Dr. Wright's map.  Is there a way around the thing?"

            Tragg pressed some buttons on his tricorder.  "This path does lead to a chamber containing the Spore Spawn.  However, I see no way around it."

            "Drat.  I hate that thing.  How far ahead is it?"

            "About fifty metres."

            "Good.  When we get there, you two ought to keep low while I smash that thing with my Super Missiles."

            "Certainly, Samus," said Tragg.  They carefully neared the Spore Spawn's lair.  No enemies appeared before the group reached the door that led to the monster's room.  Samus blew open the door, and the three entered the room.  When they entered, however, no other living thing was in the room.  "Ah, it's not here, Samus."

            "So I see, Arthur."

            MotherBrain's hologram appeared.  "Good evening, people!  Ha, ha!"

            "MotherBrain.  I should have known.  You'd make it easier on yourself by letting us go, you know."

            "Ha!  This is no trouble for me.  You'll get to the surface, guys, but you won't thoroughly like what will happen up there.  I just might get Kevin unbelievably angry with his dear brother and Lana, and if that happens, he just might seriously harm either or both of them."

            "Ha, ha!" laughed Samus.  "You've known him for a thousand years, and you don't know the level of his control?  You're thoroughly wrong!"

            "I said 'might,' Samus.  Anything is possible, you know.  After all, dear Kevin is only human."

            "I concede that there is the remote possibility, MotherBrain, but it is quite unlikely.  Kevin only gets seriously mad at you, and that's only when you do some unjust thing that really annoys him, that really pisses him off, if you'll excuse my language."

            "It's apparent that this conversation will go nowhere.  Have fun playing with Spore Spawn, guys!"  MotherBrain disappeared.  The ceiling opened, and a plant-like creature was lowered into the room.  The stem that moved it vertically was connected to a long neck-like protrusion, which was in turn connected to a giant, impregnable sphere, which contained the Spore Spawn's main control area.  It was only vulnerable when the sphere opened and revealed the core, which was susceptible to missiles and super missiles.  It had to open so that it could breathe, and it could only breathe through the core.  The stem allowed the neck and the sphere to move around in a large sphere of motion.

            "Ugly," Tragg remarked.

            "Your grade is A-plus, Lieutenant," said Samus.  "Now, please get down, you two.  I'll clobber this overgrown plant."  Commissioner Gordon and Lieutenant Tragg got down to the floor in a far corner of the room, outside the Spore Spawn's range of motion.  Samus avoided the Spore Spawn and the spores released from its pods, which were near the ceiling.  After a few seconds, it stopped and opened its sphere to respire.  This action, however, revealed its susceptible core.  Quickly, Samus blew several super missiles at the core.  The creature closed its sphere and turned brown.

            Tragg and Gordon got up.  "It's dormant now?" Tragg asked with certainty.

            "Yes," Samus said.  "It must have learned from the first time I encountered it.  It knows better than to let me inflict enough damage to destroy it.  Let's go."  They leapt onto the top of the Spore Spawn's sphere and jumped through the hole in the ceiling that had formed.  They ascended a shaft to a passage that led up.  "Check the map, please, Lieutenant."

            "Certainly," said Tragg.  He took his tricorder and looked at the map.  "We're heading the right way.  We are not heading for a big drop like the one that was there when you first found the super missiles around here."

            "Thank you, Arthur.  That's just what I wanted to hear."

            * * *

            Control Room, Tourian, Metroid.

            MotherBrain viewed the good guys' progress as they moved to the tunnel to the surface.  As she had predicted, they were going to converge at the tunnel to the surface at about the same time.  She wanted this.  She knew they'd stop the assault from the Luna-tacks, Dr. Wily, and ProtoMan and reach the surface.  At the surface, she would force the truth out of Lana at the time Kevin arrived. . . the truth that she loved Michael.  She knew Kevin would most likely control himself, but then again he might react with violent anger.  If he did and then denied legal action, then he would be ruined.  MotherBrain hoped that this was what would happen but would not be very disappointed if it did not.

            Bowser, the Koopa King and her evil spouse, entered the room.  "How is your wicked plot advancing, MotherBrain?" he asked.

            "It's going pretty well, Bowser.  They'll reach the tunnel to the surface around seven this morning."

            "If it works out as you desire, then Kevin will be ruined.  Few will trust him.  This is very desirable, my dear."

            "Indeed it is, my repulsive husband.  The N-Team just might lose one of its best members. . . just because he demonstrated a human flaw.  To boot, it may make things very uncomfortable for his successor."

            "On the other hand, what if he doesn't react violently?  What if he understands?"

            "That'll be all right, Bowser.  Whatever happens, we'll eventually come out on top."

            Bowser smiled wickedly.  "Yes, we certainly will.  Ludwig still has the Triforces and the Ring of the Nibelung.  With them, he'll conquer Wesley Crusher's home universe in one swift stroke."

            "Yes, he will.  And, one day, the Brain-Team will rule undisputedly over all physical creation!  Ha, ha, ha!"

            "Ha, ha!  We sure will.  Well, what other secrets do you know, my dear?"

            "Quite a few.  Here's one I believe to be pertinent at present.  Princess Lana's mother, Queen Mariana, didn't die in the accident in which Lana and her father thought she had died."

            "Oh?"

            "I sent her to the Mirror World, where I later sent King Charles.  After the destruction of the mirror, Charles and Mariana found each other and unintentionally conceived another girl, Princess Carmina."

            "Aha!"

            "Mariana died in childbirth, and Charles reared Carmina very well.  I shot them with Ludwig's super-longevity beam."

            "I see.  So, now, we have someone else to use."

            "Indeed, we do.  Her composure is Vulcan at the necessary times.  However, she has a very strong sense of justice and opposes the evil doubles of our enemies, the evil doubles being in the Mirror World and oppressively ruling it."

            "I dislike her already.  She sounds a bit like Captain N or Perry Mason."

            "From what I know, she is."

            "So, not only Captain N but also Princess Lana has a younger sibling.  Do you have any ideas?"

            "Oh, a few.  We'll see what happens first with Captain N and his brother."

            Luna and Amok entered the room.  "We're ready, MotherBrain.  The other Luna-tacks are waiting at the door."

            "Thank you, Luna."

            "I understand that we're supposed to let them pass, however?"

            "Yes, but you are free to inflict any injuries you desire before leaving."

            "Very well."  S-s-slithe entered the room.  "Ah, S-s-slithe."

            "Hello, my dear," said S-s-slithe.  "Where are your underlings?"

            "They're here, at a door in a tunnel that leads to the surface.  The N-Team prisoners, in heading for the surface, will break open that door and be ambushed.  They will be allowed to escape, but not before we manage to grant them some injuries."

            "Ah, I s-s-see."

            MotherBrain said, "It's about six now.  Those do-gooders will get to the tunnel at about seven, which means they'll be at the door at about seven thirty-five.  I want your Luna-tacks to be ready, Luna."

            "They will be, MotherBrain," Luna said.

            "What about us Mutants?" asked S-s-slithe.

            "You four can show up there if you want to and help the Luna-tacks," MotherBrain said.  "By the way, I heard that your wicked group will have a new addition."

            "Yes!" Luna said.  "S-s-slithe and I have conceived.  Our embryo is in the best artificial womb on Plundarr.  Only nobodies actually carry children to term on Plundarr."

            "Tortoisians don't have to worry about that," said Bowser.  "Our children are born live from eggs like mighty eagles and alligators."

            "Yes, indeed.  We find it revolting to carry young.  What in the world do other species think is to be gained from having to carry babies in women's wombs?  It's dangerous both for the mother and for the child.  The unborn is a parasite, feeding off its mother.  On the other hand, a mother can't take a good drink of Thunderian wine, the only thing for which we admire the Thunderians, without harming the baby."

            "That's reasonable," said MotherBrain.  "All right.  We can ask a mother about this."

            * * *

            A Cavern in Brinstar, Metroid.

            Lana, Michael, Kid Icarus, and Duke were journeying still upwards.  "Could we rest a while?" asked Kid Icarus.  "I'm a bit tired-icus."

            "Good idea," Michael said.  "We need to conserve energy."  They found a spot where they could sit down for a few moments.  Michael, Lana, and Duke sat down.  However, the rocky ground was uncomfortable.  "Ooh.  Maybe actually sitting wasn't a good idea.  This is a very rocky area of this section of Metroid."

            "We'll soon be in Crateria," said Lana.  "That's where the paths will converge to the tunnel to the surface."

            "So I gathered."  He sighed and closed his eyes.  "God, please, no.  I can just feel that blasted love serum trying to grab control of me."

            "Blast that Medusa," Kid Icarus said.  "I have nothing that can even relieve your urges temporarily, short of stunning you."

            "Don't even think of it.  We're not out of the woods yet.  I can resist this."

            "Just keep doing it."

            Lana sighed and closed her eyes.  "Michael. . . I'm so sorry we kissed earlier."

            "No, you're not," Michael said.  "You're just trying to relieve my tension.  But lying won't help."

            "I hate that you're right this time.  I feel something. . . I think MotherBrain knows yet more that she's not telling us."

            "Hm.  Well, if we had snacks, I'd agree to stay for a while, but I think we ought to continue."  Lana looked at him as he got up.  The agility in his limbs brought up some very physical desires in her, but she suppressed them. . . despite the love arrow's venom.  She feared it was only a matter of time before her control collapsed and she lunged madly for him.  "Oh, no.  Don't look at me like that, Lana."

            "I'm sorry, Michael."  She got up.  Michael tried to ignore how her muscles continually reshaped her legs - but subtly - as she got up, but it was very difficult.  "Michael. . ."

            "I know.  I should burn in hell for what I want to do with you."

            "I wasn't going to say that, Michael Keene!"

            "No, you weren't.  I'm saying it.  You're my brother's wife, and what I want to do is probably what he does with you that one should only do with one's spouse."

            "Michael, one does not burn for eternity because of what one desires.  They have to be mean and nasty like the Brain-Team for that.  At least, that is what I believe.  Now, let's go."

            "Yes."

            MotherBrain's hologram appeared.  "Going so soon, guys?  Let me chat with you a moment."

            "You don't chat," Lana countered.  "You torture."

            Amused, MotherBrain laughed, "Ha, ha!  You should be a comedian, Lana!  Now, what do you know about how Plundarrians care for their unborn children?"

            "As far as I'm concerned," said Lana, "what they do is not caring in the least.  They remove the embryos and put them in so-called 'external wombs.'  Those are nothing more than unfeeling, mechanical tanks to hold children until birth so the mothers don't have to worry or think about them."

            "You are repulsed by this idea."

            "You're correct!  Mothers are supposed to take care of their children from the time they're conceived until the time they're mature enough to leave their parents.  And I'm furious at you and Ludwig for taking me away from my own children so I couldn't satisfy my duty!"

            "Easy, Lana," said Michael gently.  He put his hands on her shoulders.  "Take it easy."

            "For your information, Lana, their father did an excellent job doing that," said MotherBrain.  "He reared them with love and kindness that probably few fathers or mothers could parallel. . . except you, perhaps."

            "There's something else you know that you haven't told us about, isn't there?" Lana asked.

            "Sure is.  The only difference is, my dear, that you don't know about your secret, while Kevin knew very well about his."

            "What is that ridiculous riddle supposed to mean?"

            "I'll leave the decoding to you until the time at which I intend to tell you.  Later!"  MotherBrain disappeared.

            "What secret?" asked Lana, confused.

            "Kevin's secret was his brother, me," Michael said.  "She may be implying that you have a sibling."

            "How can I?  My mom died in an accident, Daddy probably died in the Mirror World, and my brother Lyle, whom everyone knew about, certainly died of old age long ago.  He wouldn't marry anyone else.  Mother was his greatest love."

            "What if your mother did not die in the accident?" asked Kid Icarus.  "Her body was never found, just her signature emerald earring.  Couldn't MotherBrain have sent her, as well, to the Mirror World-icus?"

            "I don't want to believe this," Lana said, "but I must think rationally.  It's certainly possible.  If Father met her there. . . oh, God.  I have a terrible feeling I may have had a sibling no one ever told me about."

            "Or the person may still be alive, Princess-icus.  MotherBrain may have used Ludwig's super-longevity device."

            "-Sigh.-  Great.  I hate MotherBrain!"

            "Calm down, Lana," Michael said gently.  "When we get out of here, maybe the team will go to this Mirror World and investigate this."

            "Michael, we don't know how to get in the Mirror World now that the mirror bordering this universe and the Mirror World has been destroyed."

            Kid Icarus said, "Well, maybe a Q-cubed can help, Princess.  After all, they can create portals where none exist in an instant, while it could take us as much as five thousand years.  We may have that long, but I doubt you want to wait quite that long."

            "Thank you for the idea, Kid Icarus.  Well, we have a bit more territory to cover before we reach Crateria, so let's cover it."

            "Sure," said Michael, getting his Zapper.  "You're going to have to get me a different belt.  It feels awkward for me to have to reach over with my left hand to get my Zapper.  I should have the holster on my left."

            "Well, Michael, we'll take care of that."  She smiled.  "I told you earlier that, if I had a sister, I'd tell her about you."

            "I remember.  That is, if I really like her and if she really likes me."

            "I wish I'd known about all this stuff, but that evil brain seems to enjoy annoying people."

            "Evidently.  I despise her already."

            "Well," said Kid Icarus, "it seems to me that you're a little more receptive to being drawn into VideoLand than Kevin was when he was first brought here."

            "He tends to use his logic almost too much.  I mean, he didn't exactly have a rational reason for believing this was real or that he was dreaming, did he?"

            "Oh, he felt we were real maximus.  He just didn't see what possible responsibility he had to us.  I guess Kevin-icus came to his senses when Simon was arguing with MegaMan and me.  He tried to take charge, but Simon wouldn't let him.  We probably should have let Kevin lead us, since he knew how to reach Metroid better than Simon did.  Simon's okay, I guess, but he's quite egotistical.  Though he isn't nearly as bad as he used to be."

            "Hm," Michael said.  "Why didn't you and MegaMan decide to trust Kevin?"

            "Well, Kevin-icus and Simon did agree to a coin-toss.  We didn't have very warm feelings to Kevin then, because he had all but refused to help us and the princess."

            "You seem a very loyal person, Kid Icarus."

            "Thank you.  MegaMan and I are.  We wouldn't oppose Kevin or Princess Lana without good reason."

            Lana said, "So, what's happened during my absence, Kid Icarus?"

            "Quite a lot, Princess!  After you and Wesley were captured, Kevin and the Wilytwins remained on the X-iverse Hyrule to foil Luna's plot.  This plot was that, when Brünnhilde threw the Ring of the Nibelung out to the Rhinemaidens, Mumm-ra, disguised as Ganon, would take the Ring before it fell into their hands.  Kevin and the Wilytwins desired to stop this plot by stopping Mumm-ra from getting the Ring, but the dirty mummy popped onto the scene and grabbed it.  Johanna and Johannes, Wilykit's children, were there at the time.  Johanna had re-forged the Sword of Omens, but she didn't know the best way to use it against Mumm-ra."

            "How comes it that Johanna re-forged the sword?" Lana asked.

            "That they might keep an eye on the developing Siegfried, Wilykit turned Johanna and Johannes over to Mime's care.  They're very nice, I should tell you, despite living almost all their lives with that evil dwarf-icus.  Also, Johanna was to learn to forge and, thus, make the sword whole.  Johannes tells me the heat produced when Johanna pumped those bellows to melt the sword was very powerful.

            "Later that day was when Mime took Siegfried to the dragon to learn fear.  Johanna and Johannes went with them.  Johanna recalled that Wilykit had told her, many years earlier, to look through the Eye of Thundera and command that the sword give her sight-beyond-sight.  When she did this, she saw Lion-O hold the sword high and make the Thunder Cat Signal.  So, as she and Johannes followed Siegfried and Mime, she made the signal.  Wilykit and Wilykat saw this, so they, Kevin, Thomas, and Kelly went out towards Fafner's cave-icus.

            "What one would expect to happen between Siegfried, Fafner, Mime, and Alberich did happen that day.  After the slaying of Fafner and Mime, however, Johanna and Johannes explained their role to Siegfried.  He believed them and liked them even more.  He trusted them, though he had not trusted Mime.  Then, the woodbird directed Siegfried to the mountain.  Johanna and Johannes knew just where he was going, so they waited for everyone.  Wilykit and Wilykat first greeted them.  They all recognised each other when they met.  Having looked on, Kevin says the reunion was accompanied by very powerful feelings of joy and love.  When Kevin, Thomas, and Kelly greeted Johanna and Johannes, Johanna and Thomas immediately. . . well, you know what happens.  Elevated blood pressure and all."

            "And Kelly and Johannes?" asked Lana.

            "They have very strong feelings of friendship, but they don't feel for each other what Johanna and Thomas feel for one another.  Anyway, Wilykit warped them all to the mountain.  Johanna and Johannes waited in hiding for Siegfried.  Where they waited, they overheard Wotan's conversation with Erda, the primeval earth spirit.  Then, after Erda had left Wotan, Siegfried, led by the woodbird, arrived.  The bird then flew away.  Johanna and Johannes ran up behind Siegfried-icus and said they would accompany him.  He agreed.  Wotan then came over to Siegfried.  They had the conversation Wagner had written, up to the breaking of the spear-shaft.  Having no fear of the spear or the fire, Siegfried and the younger Wilytwins crossed through the magical fire with no burns at all.

            "Siegfried led the way to the sleeping Brünnhilde and her horse, Grane {grah-nuh}.  He cut off her armour, discovered she was a woman, and kissed her.  She awoke, and they said the same things you would hear in Wagner's version.  Then, Johanna and Johannes introduced themselves to her.  After they all became friends, the junior Wilytwins left the area to leave the new pair alone for the night.  Johanna and Johannes went home with Wilykit, Wilykat, Kevin, and your kids, where they all spent the night.  Wilykit re-forged that Hyrule's Master Sword, which she had used in a mock-attempt to get the X-iverse Triforce from the Q-niverse Ganon earlier, when they first arrived on that Hyrule.

            "Wilykit let Johanna keep the Sword of Omens for some time.  Johanna and Johannes went back to greet Brünnhilde and Siegfried.  Siegfried and Brünnhilde had exchanged marital vows, and Siegfried, having given the Ring to Brünnhilde, was going off to find the Gibichungen, whose residence was down the Rhine.  Johanna and Johannes accompanied him on the boat-voyage down the river.  Thomas and Kelly decided to follow secretly to make sure that Johanna and Johannes did nothing to interrupt the chain of events.

            "They sailed slowly down the river for a few days before finding the Gibichung palace and had to pass by Mumm-ra's oppressive pyramid there.  As in the Ring cycle, Gutrune gave Siegfried the draught that had the potion that made him forget his past and present loves and made him love her.  Johanna and Johannes knew what was going on, but they didn't interrupt the events that were unfolding.  Then, Gunther and Siegfried declared blood-brotherhood, and they sailed off so Siegfried, the fearless hero, could get Brünnhilde for Gunther, a man who knew fear on a daily basis.  Since the potion covered up Siegfried's previous knowledge of her, it was too easy for Gunther to get him to do this.  Johannes went with the two men while Johanna stayed behind.

            "It took Johannes, Siegfried, and Gunther about half a day of quick sailing to get to the mountain by boat, since they knew exactly where their goal was this time.  Siegfried donned the Tarnhelm - which he had gotten from the dragon along with the Ring - and disguised himself with it as Gunther before going up to get Brünnhilde.  Johannes quickly went home to Wilykit and the others' cave.  Wilykit reminded him not to disrupt the chain of events, since they were going as they were supposed to, and the result had to be Siegfried's death.  Johannes did not like this, but he agreed to it and promised to explain things to Johanna.  He left to the mountain and arrived in time to see Siegfried, in Gunther's form, wrest the Ring back from Brünnhilde.  He had, of course, given it to her as a wedding ring.  Johannes stayed out of their view and saw Siegfried take Brünnhilde into a cave, and he saw Siegfried lay Nothung, the sword, in between himself and Brünnhilde.  Johannes kept watch on them all night.

            "Very early the next morning, a couple of hours before dawn, Siegfried led Brünnhilde out through the fire and to Gunther.  He used the Tarnhelm to warp himself and Johannes to the Gibichung palace so they could bring news of Gunther and Brünnhilde's arrival to everyone.

            "At the palace, late at night, as Hagen was keeping watch, Johanna neared him to watch him, because she was rightfully suspicious of him.  She kept hidden.  She saw a figure much like Mime approach Hagen, but she recognised it as Alberich.  Alberich had his chat with Hagen, his son, and Johanna learned that Hagen was, indeed, working to Siegfried's demise, as Wagner's storyline told.  She nearly lost it then, but Thomas and Kelly stopped her and explained that she could not.  At daybreak, Johannes and Siegfried arrived.  Siegfried told Hagen that Gunther and Brünnhilde were coming.  Gutrune came out, and she learned this, too.  Hagen went into the palace, and Johannes told Johanna what Wilykit had told him.  She was not happy about this, but she agreed.  Then, Hagen came out of the palace and called the vassals together.  He gave them their orders to slaughter animals for the light-spirits.

            "Everything proceeded as in Wagner's version when Gunther and Brünnhilde arrived.  Johanna and Johannes successfully fought the uncontrollable urge to reveal Hagen's dirty scam.  Gunther did not have the guts to do that himself, though he felt terrible about everything.  After seeing the Ring on Siegfried's finger, Brünnhilde accused Siegfried of infidelity, and Siegfried then denied the accusations.  Siegfried swore on Hagen's spear-shaft that he was right, then Brünnhilde swore that she was right.  After declaring that Brünnhilde was ill, Siegfried brought almost everyone back to high spirits in announcing that he and Gutrune were going to get married.  Everyone but Brünnhilde, Gunther, Hagen, and the younger Wilytwins entered the palace in elation.  The Wilytwins fought the urge to tell Brünnhilde what they knew, even when Hagen declared that the only way to resolve the matter was to kill Siegfried when all knew of his betrayal.

            "The next day, all the men, including Johannes, Siegfried, Hagen, and Gunther went out hunting.  Everything happened as in Act 3, Scenes 1 and 2 of Wagner's Götterdämmerung {geuht-tehr-dehm-muh-rúng}, and even when Hagen plunged his spear into Siegfried's back, Johannes refused the urge to speak out against Hagen.  Siegfried made his death-soliloquy and died.  The men carried him back to the palace.

            "At the palace, Johanna fought the urge to tell the angry Brünnhilde what was happening.  The men appeared with the dead Siegfried.  Johannes went to get Johanna and Brünnhilde as Hagen, Gunther, and Gutrune spoke.  Gunther turned on Hagen and sword-fought him, but he failed mortally.  Meanwhile, Johanna and Johannes revealed to Brünnhilde what was happening, and they went to the main hall to stop Hagen.  They arrived too late for Gunther, but they got there before Hagen took the Ring.  Brünnhilde said what she had in Götterdämmerung.  She took the Ring and had Siegfried's funeral pyre made ready.  The events in the Immolation Scene occurred exactly as Wagner had written, up until the Rhinemaidens taking the Ring.

            "Then, however, he who appeared to be Ganon showed up and swiped the Ring before the maidens left.  Brünnhilde, Grane, Siegfried, and the Light-Spirits had burned, for Brünnhilde had ordered Loge to incinerate Valhalla, and the maidens had drowned Hagen.  Johanna and Johannes reacted, but Johanna missed Ganon when she fired the Sword of Omens.  Thomas and Kelly then appeared.  Thomas shot Ganon with his Zapper, but this Ganon merely transformed into the evil Mumm-ra, who gloated and then teleported himself away.  They called Wilykit, who told them to run to Mumm-ra's pyramid and then summon her with the Sword of Omens.  They did that, and she and Wilykat came running.  The six of them entered Mumm-ra's pyramid and attempted to apprehend Mumm-ra, but unfortunately, MotherBrain teleported the mummy back to the Q-niverse just in time.

            "They then came back to the Q-niverse and reported all that had happened.  Kevin-icus had come back earlier to neutralise a Brain-Team threat that had arisen, but that is not integral to this story.  Later, at the Palace of Power, Kevin officially took the throne.  Then, Ludwig, Larry, MotherBrain, Bowser, and Luna appeared and shamelessly flaunted, practically in front of the entire universe, that they had two Triforces and the Ring of the Nibelung.  Luna announced what her wicked plan had been, for it was truly hers, and it had ended in success, since it was to get those three items and to expose the real Ganon's treachery against Ludwig.  Now, Ludwig intends to use those items to get control of at least three universes."

            "He will not get away with it if Kevin and I have anything to say about it," Michael said.  "I do not exactly react kindly to anyone who makes this sort of action."

            "Those villains will fall," Lana said with certainty.  "Everyone on the team will see to it.  So, Michael, who's your favourite composer?"

            "Beethoven, most likely.  He didn't write any concerti for brass or woodwind instruments, but that's beside the point.  I like the way he constructed his music.  Next to him, probably either Wagner, Richard Strauss, or Mahler. . . or maybe even John Williams of my time."

            "That's just what Kevin has told me.  Well, Michael, Ludwig resurrected Ludwig van Beethoven in 2994."

            "Hm.  I see.  What has he composed since?"

            "A tenth symphony and a few works for a group of eleven players of which he and Kevin are a part."

            "I've joined," said Kid Icarus.  "I officially play the harp now. . . not the amateur stuff I used to do.  And Beethoven has very nearly completed his five-opera music drama cycle in English about that Thunderian legend!  All the sketches have been written, and he's down to the last act of the last music drama in the cycle.  The music and all the orchestration for all the rest of the cycle have been completed, unless he makes any post-performance modifications.  He will première that work soon, and Kevin will play the hero role, a superb if demanding heldentenor role.  Kevin-icus says that Beethoven's voice-writing is much better than it was earlier and that the orchestration is much more evenly-balanced, though it is still Beethovenian in essence.  Zelda will play the heroine, with just as demanding a soprano role.  She has to go up to a D in certain spots."

            "I can hit a D, but it's hard," Lana said.  "It must be very difficult for her."

            "Fortunately, every time she has to go that high, the music is building up, which exercises her muscles and enables them, at the critical moment, to really shove out the air and just force out that note.  Every time she goes up that high, she's on an 'ah,' which is the easiest singing vowel for women."

            "Those two factors do help.  What about Kevin's weekly series?"

            "They've gone into post-Siegfried fiction.  A new hero has emerged, and he finds Siegfried's sword and helps people.  It's great, even if it may be a bit autobiographical, both for the writer and for the tenor playing the hero.  Kevin pulls brilliant surprises every week.  Link plays the hero, and his voice is about as awesome as Kevin's."

            Michael asked, "What are these series?"

            "He began writing two music drama series several years ago," said Lana.  "One was based on Wotan and Alberich, the other on Siegfried and Mime."

            "He sent Link more music for those series in 2997," said Kid Icarus.  "Kevin wrote about fifteen years' worth of two hours of music once a week in less than a year.  That is quite a lot, and its quality is even more surprising.  He is truly a genius maximus, though he'd never admit it.  His orchestration skills, whether for a solo instrument, for a moderately sized orchestra, or for an enormous orchestra, are literally unparalleled, according to Beethoven himself, and Beethoven is comparing Kevin with orchestration masters such as Rimsky-Korsakov and Richard Strauss.  The same goes for his writing for voices, solo, ensemble, and both.  In his music, voices and instruments combined form just the most beautiful sound you can ever hear.  His use of style is superb, as is his enormous capacity for creating melodies with absolutely any harmony.  He can easily create anything from a simple melodic line with simple harmony to a huge, chromatic, ten-voice canon with complex harmony, and it's all beautiful, even at the most dissonant moments.  Some can be a lot more dissonant than atonal music, but Kevin manages to make it all logically appropriate and very beautiful.  According to Beethoven, Kevin handles chromaticism and key modulations so skilfully that, despite the constant tonal shifting in some sections of his work, there is no danger of atonality."

            "I see.  What has happened with Melodia?" Lana asked.

            "She's proved herself, Princess-icus.  She's definitely on our side."

            "Is this the same Melodia who blasted Bluegrass down a mine-shaft on Automata?" Michael asked sceptically.

            "Now, she'd rather blast Mon*Star down a mine-shaft, or into the eternal fire-pit," Kid Icarus said.  "She and Bluegrass love each other.  She is an honorary Silver Hawk."

            "What has happened to change her so radically?"

            "As a child, she did not have good parents," Lana said.  "They didn't teach her right from wrong.  Mon*Star capitalised on that.  He seduced her to evil, getting her to fight freely against those who enforced law.  However, he did not count on her developing a slight attraction with a certain country musician whom she originally reviled.  Bluegrass discovered what she lacked readily enough when she finally spoke to him without animosity.  He taught her the lessons her parents should have taught her, and she absorbed them like an eager child.  She concocted a clever plan for defecting from the Mob once the N-Team had officially re-formed.  Kid Icarus, how did she prove herself?"

            "She helped to free some trapped N-Team members from Mumm-ra's pyramid on Plundarr," said Kid Icarus.

            "That would be an excellent opportunity for betrayal against us if that had been her intent.  Even with her mild telepathy, Steelheart must have known that Melodia was trustworthy before she considered letting her go.  Steelheart is very careful about these things."

            "You've told how Steelheart got to be Commander of the Silver Hawks. . . and how Wilykit got to be Lord of the Thunder Cats," Michael said.  "Weird to some extent, but then just about everything has its strange aspects.  This place is a lot more realistic in person than on my TV screen."

            "I bet you'd rather see some of it on your screen than up close," Lana remarked.

            "Your chances of winning that bet are getting greater all the time, Lana.  I dislike this place.  Yet, I feel intrigued.  That this whole planet is one large brain is a bit bizarre."

            "I don't expect MotherBrain will let us get far once we reach the surface.  She is neither kind nor benevolent to us unless she wants something.  I know that evil brain in a bottle."

            "Hasn't Kevin tried to fry her yet?"

            "That's not possible.  Even if she were mortal, we'd have to destroy every Metroid in the universe and then this planet before we could destroy her or the Koopalings.  And if we destroyed them all, there's a good chance the whole galaxy would be destroyed in a massive explosion."

            "I see.  Tell me, what is it you really like about Kevin, Lana?"

            "That he expresses his feelings for me in a manner that comes very naturally to him.  He never forces anything.  In fact, he's one of the most romantic guys I've ever met.  Also, his manner of expressing his feelings is not overbearing."

            "Unlike Simon."

            "Oh, Simon's in love with himself.  He needs someone who can help him decrease his excessive egotism, and I can't.  He was worse than Han Solo was to Princess Leia in the first half of the whole of your Star Wars Trilogy."

            "Well, they had genuine feelings for one another."

            "Yes, they did.  When Link and Zelda first met, they, too, didn't get along excellently.  Link was utterly infatuated and kept trying to get her to kiss him.  She didn't realise her true feelings for him, and she kept getting angry.  When he finally expressed his musical abilities and expressed his feelings through music, however, she was the infatuated one, though she controlled it.  Now, they're married and have two young ones who are the age of my children and Wilykit's children."

            "Heinrich and Liselotte," said Kid Icarus.  "Liselotte has her mother's super soprano voice, and Heinrich has his father's keyboard skill and his own woodwind skill.  In addition, he is a percussionist.  Your daughter likes him, and Johannes likes Liselotte, both in. . . in a certain manner conducive to a more united relationship between the central Kingdom of VideoLand, the Empire of Hyrule, and the Thunderian Kingdom.  All six of them are good friends."

            "I see," said Lana.  "I'm glad to hear that.  What. . . what about Kevin and Wilykit?"

            "As far as I can tell, they're good friends, too," Kid Icarus replied.  "They get along like always.  Why?"

            "He wouldn't cheat on me, but I know they have certain feelings for one another."

            "Certain feelings as in. . . certain feelings?  Those two?  You're kidding-us maximus, right?"

            "No, I am not, Kid Icarus.  You may not sense it, but I do."

            "They sure haven't shown any sign of it.  You're not in some sort of guilt complex, are you?"

            "No, I'm not, Kid Icarus.  He admitted it to me freely.  Wesley probably knows about it, too."

            "Oh, I see.  I'm sorry.  I just had no reason to believe it."

            "That's good.  He's usually pretty good at self-control.  That is one of those things he knows he shouldn't talk about in public.  Sometimes, people take things exactly the wrong way."

            "Despite my overpowering feelings," Michael said, "I honestly think you and Kevin should stay together, Lana.  After all, you love him, you did marry him, and. . ."  Suddenly, he heard something in the distance.  "Hold it.  I hear something," he said quietly.  They all stopped.  He lifted his Zapper while Kid Icarus took out his bow.

            "I didn't hear anything," Lana said quietly.

            "Trust me.  I have very sharp ears.  That is not to say, however, that I play my instruments too flat.  Anyway, I definitely heard something.  Let us continue cautiously."  They did so.

            When they neared a right turn, Michael shushed Lana and Kid Icarus and put his back against the right wall.  He turned his head around and cautiously glanced into the next tunnel.  "There're some nasty critters around the bend," Michael said quietly.

            "I'm ready-us maximus," Kid Icarus whispered, an arrow in his bow.

            "Be careful, both of you," Lana said.  "You saw what a Rio did to Samus's helmet."

            Michael smiled and kissed her on the cheek.  "Certainly, Princess."  He then became serious again.  "Let's go, Kid Icarus."  They put themselves against the right wall exactly where it ended.  "On three.  One. . . two. . . three!"  On three, they zipped into the new corridor and blasted all the monsters in sight.  However, one lucky little monster stung Michael's right index finger.  "Ow!  Lucky me.  You go the wrong hand, hotshot!"  He zapped the little monster.  When he and Kid Icarus had finished off the monsters, he shouted, "All right!  It won't be long now!"

            Lana and Duke came and surveyed the area.  "Looks good, Michael and Kid Icarus," she said.  "I. . . -gasp!-"  She saw the scratch on Michael's right index finger.  "You've been hurt!"  She took his hand and examined it.

            "Come on, it's okay," Michael insisted.  "It's just a little scratch."

            "This crimson stuff is called blood, Michael!  You could be infected!"  She took her non-doctor medical tricorder and examined his finger.  "-Sigh.-  Nothing toxic in your system.  You poor kid."

            "Oh, no.  Resist that stupid love arrow!"

            "This isn't the arrow!  This is genuine, you fool!  I feel like kissing you."

            "Lana. . ."  He saw the sincerity in her eyes; she was truly in charge of herself, and the love arrow wasn't.  They closed their eyes and kissed each other for a moment.

            Kid Icarus took the medical tricorder and re-examined the data.  "Wait," he said.  Michael and Lana stopped kissing and turned to him.  "The creature's venom is in you.  Its venom is not toxic, but the small quantity it poured into your system has thoroughly counteracted the love arrow's juice!"

            "Wow!" exclaimed Michael.  "That's great."  He then smacked himself in the head.  "And then I vaporised the stupid creature.  Boy, am I one stupid straight-A student."

            "Oh, that's okay, Michael," said Lana, her arms still around him, that glazed look back in her eyes.  "You don't need it."

            "Oh, God.  Lana, snap out of it," he said, his arms on her shoulders.  He jiggled her slightly.

            "Are you playing hard-to-get?" she asked slyly.

            "Oh, great," Kid Icarus said.  "Nice going, Michael.  That kiss allowed the love arrow's juice to conquer her control, and now it'll be harder for her to regain it."

            "Great," Michael said.  "I'm being exceptionally stupid today, but I guess it's no surprise."  Lana hugged him closer and began to kiss him on the right cheek.  "Hey!  Cut it out!"

            "Doesn't it feel good?" she asked.  When he released her, she put her left hand on his left shoulder and began caressing his chest with her right hand.

            "Stop it," he said weakly, his physical response now trying to control him.  If that love arrow's juice were still in him, he would have been utterly defenceless by now.

            "But it feels great, doesn't it?"

            "Oh, God, it does.  I. . . no!"  He took her right hand gently with his left and held it off his chest.  "-Sigh.-  That is completely unfair.  I'm only fifteen.  You're not supposed to try to seduce me.  I'm too young for this, I just know it."

            She smiled very sweetly.  "But it feels great.  You want it."

            "I can't do it!  I'm not my brother!  I'm not your husband!  I am not Kevin, so I refuse to do it!"

            "I. . . ugh."  She closed her eyes and shook her head.  "Guh.  What happened?  Michael?"

            Michael released her.  "The love juice in you kicked in again," he told her.  "However, that little creature had venom that. . ."

            "I heard.  It neutralised the love-juice in you.  Curse it.  I wish it had scratched me and left me with some venom, too."

            "How did you regain control?"

            "It happened at the mention of Kevin.  It must have jolted my mind back into control."

            "You lost it when you kissed him, Princess-icus," Kid Icarus said.

            "Michael, what is it about you?  I waited years to kiss Kevin like that even once, and yet I've done it with you twice already.  It's something about you, some little thing that Kevin doesn't have.  Maybe I'm just going crazy."

            "Don't worry about it," Michael said with a friendly smile.  "Let's go."  They continued on their way.

            "Hang on a sec," said Kid Icarus.  "I've got an idea-cus.  Might I take a sample of your blood, Michael?"

            "Sure, Kid Icarus," said Michael.  He offered his right hand.  Kid Icarus took a small device off his belt and extracted a small sample from Michael's index finger.  Then, he put the container on the tricorder and performed some analysis.

            "Ah!  It's just as I thought-icus.  There's enough of the venom left in this sample of Michael's blood to get rid of the love serum left in you, Lana.  You two have the same blood-type - type O - so I don't even have to extract the venom from the blood."

            "All right, Kid Icarus," Lana said.  Kid Icarus loaded the sample of Michael's blood into a hypo-injector and injected it into Lana's right index finger.  With the medical tricorder, Kid Icarus kept watch on the action in Lana's circulatory system for a short time.

            After they had continued for some time, Kid Icarus said, "You're all right now, Princess-icus."  He gave the tricorder back to Lana.

            "Yes, I feel it," Lana said, relaxing.  "Thank you, both of you."

            "Well, believe me, I much prefer you like this than when that love potion gripped you," said Michael.

            "I'm sorry, Michael.  It must have made you very uncomfortable."

            "Indeed.  My body loved the sensation, but my mind knew it was wrong."

            "Don't worry.  Thanks to you and Kid Icarus, I will never humiliate either of us like that again."  Curiously, she looked deep in his eyes. . . and unintentionally kept looking.

            "Yes?"

            "Something. . . weird, that's all.  I'm probably just going crazy, but there's. . . there's something I recognise, but it's not in Kevin's eyes."

            "But. . . how?  You never even saw me before today."

            "I know.  Oh, dear."

            "Oh, God, now I feel the same way," Michael said.  "For now, why don't we concentrate on getting out of here?  We'll figure it out later."

            "Sure, Michael."  The three continued towards the surface.

            Michael smiled.  "You know, I'm not always the one who makes the sensible suggestions."

            "What sorts of games do you prefer, Michael?"

            "Like Kevin, I tend to prefer the action, adventure, and puzzle games. . . out of which, of course, many other types arise.  I particularly like those that cause me to feel something in addition to aggression.  Of course, I do like games to be exciting, as do many people, but it is also a little more entertaining if I can feel some emotion caused by the interaction of the characters other than violence.  Final Fantasy II is probably one of my favourites so far because of its involved storyline."

            "Kevin feels the same way.  I know how he feels when he's playing a good game, so I wouldn't dream of denying him that."

            "Yeah.  My brother can be too logical for his own good at times, but he can also be the sweetest, most caring person in the world."

            "Yes, he sure can."

            "I would never have to ask you what you see in him, Lana.  He's a very good person."

            "He's also very smart and quite cunning."

            "What about his looks?"

            "Why are you asking me about that?"

            "I just want to know.  Don't you think he's handsome?"

            "Yes, I do, but that's not the primary reason I like him."

            "I know.  Lana, a lot of girls find me handsome, but I often find that that's the main reason they're interested.  I can't stand the extremes some girls want to go to in order to attract me.  I like great looks, and I even verbalise it quite a lot around Kevin, but the truth is I'm not truly moved by that.  I simply found that it's a great way to bug him."

            "What about the reason you kissed me to wake me up?"

            "I don't know.  I think I was trying to find something about you that I would like, and I could only find that if you were awake."

            "Do you want to suppose what would have happened if, that evening, you were playing the game instead of he?"

            "No, I don't.  I would have been twelve and probably more unprepared than Kevin to handle MotherBrain, but at the same time, I would probably have been more willing to help, because I wouldn't have let logic get in my way.  I'd also probably not have been able to control my physical reaction just then."

            "Would you have brought Kevin out here?"

            "I certainly would have, Lana.  I can understand his motives for wanting to protect me, and I would probably have felt those feelings, but I wouldn't have let my feelings get in my way.  It would have been logical for me to bring him out here, because I know I would have been too young to handle MotherBrain solo."

            "Would you have considered going back home?"

            "I would have thought about it, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have done it.  Despite all the activities I'm involved in, playing video games is still my favourite pastime, and it would take me an eternity to find a real reason to stay home when I could instead save people by doing one of the things I enjoy the most."

            "I think Kevin feels that way, too, Michael."

            Kid Icarus said, "Kevin has sure been a good friend to us, the protagonists in the video games.  Simon was a bit abrasive to him at first because of his big ego, but Kevin and he have pretty much become friends.  Kevin and Link are quite good friends. . . which is quite good, considering Link's son and Kevin's daughter are romantically involved!"

            "Yes, that is good," Michael said.

            "Heinrich isn't as annoying as Zelda once complained that Link was, is he?" asked Lana.

            "Not at all, Your High-nicus," Kid Icarus responded.  "From what I've seen, he's been quite sincere in expressing his affection."

            "What kind of a princess is Kelly?"

            "Quite like you, Lana, she's very good and kind to the people of VideoLand.  Concerning the Brain-Team, she always manages to act in a logical manner.  I think she's a good princess, and I believe Kevin-icus trained her well."

            "I'm glad."  They talked as they continued towards the surface.