Raven holds the anklet out to her.  "Gemma Batignon, I am entrusting you with the Miraculous of the Mongoose, which grants the user the power of Energy Surge.  (Yes, it's a thing.)  When you have finished your mission, you will return it to me.  Can I trust you?"

"Totally!  Let's shake on it!"

Raven eyes the girl's outstretched hand warily.  "I'd rather not.  You have a reputation.  But I'll take your word for it."

Ariadne rolls her eyes at her partner.  "Really, Raven!  If she wants to shake, let her!"  Then the spider heroine screams as she touches the buzzer that's concealed in Gemma's palm.

Raven blinks placidly at her friend.  "I was right, wasn't I?"

"Aargh!  Are you sure about her?!!"

Raven chuckles.  "Oh, yes!  She'll do perfectly!"  She gives the anklet to Gemma.  "Put it on, and your kwami will tell you the rest."

Gemma obeys.  "What's a kwami?"

Bliitz suddenly POOFS into view.  "I'm a kwami!!!  And you're interrupting my 'me time'. so let's make this quick, okay?!!"  He crosses his tiny arms and scowls.

Gemma looks down at the anklet dubiously.  "Wait.  What do you do in there?"

"Sleep, mostly.  But that's not the point!!!"  Bliitz says quickly.

Raven whispers to the girl.  "Tell him he's handsome, or we'll be here all day!"

Gemma nods.  "You are one good-looking mongoose!"

Bliitz stares at her.  "That sounded like a pick-up line."

"Yeah, I've picked up a lot of mongoose with that one."  Gemma answers sarcastically.

Bliitz glares at her for a moment more, and then he suddenly grins.  "I like you just fine!  So, Raven's told you that your power's Energy Surge?  Then just say 'Pad Paw', and we can get this over and done with.  No offense."

https://youtu.be/lClt6qobGEI

"None taken.  Bliitz, PAD PAW!!!"

The kwami yawns as he gets pulled into the anklet, and it lights up.  The girl taps her forehead, and a mask and suede-like ears form.  Her hair becomes wavy and darker.  Her clothes glow, and a little collar sprouts up from her neckline, with a tiny blue spearhead nestling underneath it.  A brown suit materializes on her, accented with a row of tiny triangles about her waist, and a blue-tipped spear appears in her hand.  A tail elongates outwards as she passes her other hand behind her back, and she poses, holding the spear in front of her body diagonally and grinning.

"YAY!!!  I'm a furry, too!!!"

https://youtu.be/3fxq7kqyWO8

Raven raises a hand, then points at her suit.  "Uh...  Technically, I'm a bird, but I love the enthusiasm!"

"-And I'm an arachnid, but whatever!"

Mongolina throws her arms around them.  "Let me live my dream!"

Ariadne raises an eyebrow.  "Really?  You've always wanted to be a mongoose superheroine?"

"Well, either that or a cobra..  Or maybe a scorpion..  Hmm..!"

Raven smiles.  "Welcome to the team, Mongolina!"

Ariadne high-fives the girl.  "You'll do great!"

Mongolina grins.  "Thank you!  Should we, I don't know..  Mark the occasion somehow?"

Raven hums, thinking.   Then she snaps her fingers.  "Got it!  Touch your weapons together."

They all overlap their weapons.  "On this very day, a noble sisterhood was born."  Raven intones.  Then she looks up at them.  "Alright, it's done.  Now can we go and fight the crazed villain?!!"

Ariadne smirks.  "Sure, Birdy!"

Raven whirls around and points a sword at Ariadne, her voice low.  "Don't call me that!"  She narrows her eyes at her for a moment, then she suddenly smiles and walks away.

Ariadne gulps.  "Well, now I'm scared..!"  Then she runs after her elder.  "HEY!!!  WAIT UP!!!  Come on, 'Lina!"

Mongolina snorts.  "Those two are nearly as chaotic as my thoughts!  Pfft-!"  Then she mutters.  "I'm sort of in the mood for cobra hunting right now.  Then I could skin it...  Electrocute it...   Impale it on my spear..  Eat it..  Mmm!..  I wonder if teriyaki sauce goes with cobra meat?.."

Raven looks at her in alarm and quickly grabs 'Lina by the arm, dragging the mongoose furry with her.  "Come with me!"

'Lina struggles futilely in her iron hold for a few moments, but eventually gives up.  "Okay, okay!  I'm coming!  ..OW!  You could crack nutshells with that grip!" 

Raven smiles back at her mysteriously.  "Who says that I don't already?"

'Lina looks impressed.  "Really?"

Raven nods sagely.  "Indeed..!"

"Sweet!"

Ariadne points a finger.  "Angry villain is thataway, Cap'n!"

"Hmm..  Then let me just say: Time to play!  REPLICATION!  CYBERBRAT!!!"  Her suit becomes a deep blue, and her wing emblem lights up with a circuitry pattern.

"And what good does a different-colored suit do us?"  Ariadne questions doubtfully.

Raven doesn't reply.  Instead, she closes her eyes and concentrates.  Two tanks appear in front of them, and Ariadne gasps.

"No.  Way."  She squeals with delight.  "I never doubted you for a moment!"

Raven snorts.

"Hey.  Uhh..  There's only two tanks, but three of us."  Mongolina interjects, scratching a suede ear in confusion.

Raven sighs.  "I've got to keep an eye on the young Spiderling here.  But don't worry, you've got autopilot, so you'll be fine...  Ariadne, what are you doing?!!"

Ariadne's hugging one of the tanks lovingly. "Let's call you the Ravaritank!"  She croons.

"Child, please get in the tank before I lose my mind..!"

Ariadne salutes, opens the hatch, and jumps in.  Raven follows suit, mouthing 'Help me!' to Mongolina before she ducks inside.

Mongolina climbs into her own tank and jumps as the comms sputter to life.

"Check-check.  Are you receiving me?"  Then there's a burst of static, some scuffling noises, and a giggle.

"YOOO!!!  HELLOOO!!!  WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

Then Raven is heard.  "Give that back, you freaky little spider!!!"

There's a shrill scream and a smack, and then Raven makes a triumphant noise.  "Thank you..!"

"You know that I heard everything, right?"  Mongolina asks, wide-eyed.

"Oh, good!"  Raven chirps.  "-Then you'll behave yourself, won't you?"  She adds darkly.

"Uh-huh..!"

"Nice to know the comms work so well!"

"So how are we playing this, Raven?"

"You just answered your own question, 'Lina.  The only way to stop this villain is to beat him in his own world.  So we play the game, win, destroy the infected object, then slap some sense into this guy."

"-And what's your plan, Chief?"  Ariadne asks.  "'Cause he did not look very happy to see me.  Maybe it's because I might have jumped on his face during the fight, but I can't be sure of the reason."

"First off, get your feet off of the dash, woman!!!  Second, the standard game rules apply.  You have health, hit points, a cruise function, camouflage, and..."  Here, she pauses excitedly and whispers with great reverence.  "Weapons!"

'Lina fist pumps, and Ariadne is heard to shout 'WHEEEEE!!!' once more.

The grin is clearly heard in Raven's voice as she replies.  "Yes, weapons!"  There's a small pause, and then she continues.  "-And now for the bad news..."

"Oh, come on!!!"  Ariadne huffs.

"YOU PUT THAT COOKIE RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU FOUND IT AND LISTEN TO ME, YOUNG LADY, OR ELSE I'M TURNING THIS TANK AROUND AND GOING STRAIGHT HOME!!!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"-As I was saying, Cyberbrat will no doubt be the Waffentrager, which basically means that he'll be nearly invincible.  Shields, powerful damage, almost impenetrable armor, an EMP burst...  Oh!  And he can teleport, as well.  So, you'd have to be crazy to even attempt such a doomed suicide mission, because we probably won't survive, which is why I have you two whackjobs with me.  So let's go!!!"

'Lina shakes her head.  "I have sooo many problems with what you just said, but I'm just gonna let it go and zap the dude when the time comes."

Raven rubs her hands together.  "Excellent!"

"Waaait..."  Ariadne mutters thoughtfully.  "..How do you know this game?"

"-Aside from the fact that I'm all-knowing, you mean?"

"RAVEN!!!"

"Hehe!  ..Because I recognize the format.  It's from the World of Tanks.  The Return of the Waffentrager, to be precise.  And I know that because a..  Vague relative of mine..  Plays it obsessively.  So there!"

"Oh.  Okay, then."

Raven punches her fist into the air.  "Alright, troops!  ROLL OUT!!!"

*After an epic montage*

Both tank's comms crackle to life as a gravelly voice starts speaking.  "What's going on?  Who are you?"

Ariadne yells into the comm system.  "YOUR DOOM!!!"

The voice laughs.  "You're not worthy of my attention."

Raven's eye twitches.  "What?!  WHAT?!!  Oh, you're going down!!!"  She shrieks furiously.  "Ariadne, MAN THE DEFENSES!!!"

"Oh, right!"  The spider heroine smirks, slaps her hand down onto a large button conveniently marked 'Fire', and happily watches as a large projectile slams into the Waffentrager's side.  "That ought to leave a mark!"

Armor not penetrated.

Raven pales.  "Oops, I got ticked off.  Did I mention that he's got nearly impenetrable armor?"

Ariadne screams as the enemy tank begins to turn towards them.  "Sweet cheese and crackers, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!!"

Raven shouts over her.  "ENGAGE SHIELDS!!!  EVASIVE MANEUVERS!!!  DEPLOY WEAPONS!!!  COME ON, MOVEMOVEMOVE!!!"  Then she suddenly says calmly.  "Oh yeah,.  We've got camouflage, as well."  She presses a button on the control panel, and the heroine's tanks fade from view.  "..I'd still advise moving, mind you.  You know, before he obliterates us and all that."

Cyberbrat yells.  "You're not getting away!"

Mongolina quickly fires back.  "Yeah?!!  This is us, getting away!!!  Watch us, why don't you?!!  Oh wait, you can't!!!  HA!!!"

"Will all of you children please be quiet?!!  We're trying to have an epic showdown here!!!"  Raven shouts out irritably.

Ariadne's cries of 'Pew-pew!  Pew-pew!' die down as her co-pilot glares at her, and the spider heroine immediately chastises the others.  "So juvenile..!"

Raven sighs and speaks into the hilt of her sword.  "I have a plan."

Ariadne rolls her eyes.  "Of course you do..."

Raven hisses at her, then continues.  "The best chance we'll have to stop him is to take out his generators.  That way, he can neither teleport, nor have that ridiculously OP shield."

"Yeah, who the heck came up with that?"  'Lina grumbles.

"A sick, sad, horrible person, I'm sure."  Raven answers grumpily.  "Some middle-aged man living in his mother's basement, no doubt."

Her teammates snicker loudly, and Cyberbrat spins his tank around in circles, ranting.

"Now, let's go before he remembers that he's got an EMP burst."

They drive away epically at tank speed, leaving the villain behind.

"Where are the generators, anyway?"  'Lina questions.

"I have no idea."

"Excuse me..  WHAAAT?!!"

"I DIDN'T EVER PLAY A WEIRD LIFE-SIZED REPLICA OF THIS STUPID GAME BEFORE, SO I'M SOOO SORRY!!!"

"WHY NOT?!!"

Raven utters a strange curse in Hungarian, something about 'Lina getting trampled by native cattle, then slams a fist onto her control panel.  Ariadne flinches.

"I think she's mad."

"I'M NOT MAD, I'M JUST WORKING UP SOME RAGE!  THERE'S A DIFFERENCE!!!"  Raven snarls, then smiles.  "Ohh, yeah!  There it is..!"

"Why?!!"

"BECAUSE I CAN ACCESS MORE POWER THIS WAY!!!"  Raven bellows.  "DOES THAT ANSWER ALL OF YOUR POINTLESS QUESTIONS?!!"

"Yep!"

"GOOD!  I APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU LADIES' SUPPORT!  THANK YOU!!!"  Raven shouts out aggressively.  "IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU TWO ON THE TEAM!!!"

"I've got trauma, yes I do!  I've got trauma, how 'bout you?!!"  'Lina sings.

Ariadne snorts and giggles maniacally.  "Heeheehee!"

"I'VE GOT A FIX ON THE GENERATORS!!!"

"How?!!"

"WHILE YOU'VE BEEN MESSING AROUND, I'VE CHECKED...  THE FREAKING MAP!!!"

"Where'd they hide-?!  Oh.  It's that big thing right in front of me, isn't it..?"

"YES!!!  SERIOUSLY, YOU HAD ONE JOB!!!  WHAT DO THEY PAY YOU FOR?!!"

"Uh..  I'm not paid for-  WAITAMINUTE!  They pay you?!!"

"Um..  Maybe..?"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!!!"

"YES, IT IS!!!  I'M THE ONLY SANE ONE HERE!!!"

The other two nod their heads sagely.  "True..!"

"It hurts me that you're not even bothering to deny that allegation."  Raven mutters.

"ONWARD TO GLORY!!!"  Ariadne yells, punching one spandex-clad, gloved hand into the air in imitation of her elder earlier.

*After another dramatic montage*

"We're here, children!"  Raven warbles.

"Now what?"

"GET OUT OF YOUR TANK AND OVERLOAD THIS GENERATOR SO THAT I MAY GO HOME!!!  With any luck, we can take out all three at once this way."

"Roger that!"  Mongolina climbs out of her tank and surveys the generator, her tail flicking languidly as she studies the apparatus in front of her.

"Stop staring at it and zap it!"  Ariadne whines.  "I wanna eat a cookie right now!"

"I've got to figure out the best place to do it first."  Mongolina grins.  "..Like right here!  ENERGY SURGE!!!"

She raises her spear, holding the tip flat against her palm for a moment, then yells and stabs the point directly into the circuitry.  Lightning bolts crackle and run down the length of her arm and spear, then blast inside the panel, frying it and sending sparks flying.

'Lina smirks at Ariadne.  "You were saying?"

Ariadne claps.  "YAY!!!  Pretty lights!"

"Indeed.  They are rather magnificent, I must agree."  Raven adds.

"Now what?"  Ariadne asks blankly.

"Now?"  Raven answers, a small bloodthirsty smile playing on her lips.  "Now, we attack."

-2 minutes later-

"I'm going to give that vile little weasel a piece of my mind."  Raven grumbles.  "Stupid frick-fracking cyber monster and his dang technology, I'll rip it all to bits, just you wait and see..!"  Then she gasps quietly.  "Uh-oh..."

"There he is!!!"  'Lina shouts.

"GET HIM!!!"  Ariadne replies loudly.

"YAAAH!!!"  'Lina's tank inches forwards, then suddenly shudders to a stop.  "Hey!  What gives?!!"

Raven groans and shivers violently, her teeth clacking together, a bead of perspiration on her brow.

Ariadne screams and scrabbles away from her.  "OH MY CHEESES, I THINK SHE'S GOT COVID!!!"

Raven turns her shockingly pale face towards her tankmate.  "NOT COVID!!!  Cannot maintain...  Tanks..  Any longer."  She coughs and heaves an exhausted sigh.  "Dang youth..."  She then passes out on top of the control panel.

Ariadne shrieks again.  "NOT GOOD!!!  NOT GOOD!!!"

Their tanks disappear, leaving all three of them exposed.

Ariadne falls to the ground, catching an unconscious Raven.  "WAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUUUUUUUUUP!!!"  The spider furry cries out, panic-stricken.  "RAVEN, WE NEED YOU!!!"  She slaps the corvid-themed superheroine's face repeatedly, but to no effect.

"That only works in TV shows, not real life."  Mongolina snorts dismissively.  "Noob."

The Waffentrager slowly turns towards them, its gun ominously lowering their way.

Ariadne's jaw drops in a silent scream of terror.  A strangled, high-pitched squeak escapes from her throat.  "OH MY GRAHAM CRACKER!!!  I DON'T WANNA LOSE TO THIS FASHION DISASTER!!!"

Raven's eyes immediately snap open.  "Lose?  LOSE?!!"  She roars out powerfully.  "I NEVER LOSE!!!"  She bellows, attempting to stand.  She stumbles and clicks her tongue, glaring murderously at her legs.  "Tsk!"

'Lina gapes at her.

"What?"  Raven draws her swords.  "Come closer, my children."

Ariadne shakes her head.  "Nuh-uh.  I'm not falling for that again."

"GET OVER HERE!!!"

"Coming!"

Raven hands them each a blade.  "Avenge me, my fellow warriors.  My journey ends here, but yours is just beginning."  She wisely shushes Ariadne.  "Hush, no one wants to hear it.  ..Just stab the affected object with a sword, and things will return to normal.  Maybe.  Possibly.  I hope.  ..Anyways, whomever does so will become the chosen one-"

"Do we get cookies?"

"Yes, Ariadne.  The winner gets a weeks worth of cookies."

"ALRIGHT!!!  I'm motivated now!"

"-And I've spontaneously decided to haunt the loser as a ghost when or if I ever die-"

"-If?"  Ariadne questions lowly.

"..Just like my dear departed grandfather."  Raven sniffs.  "My, what a prankster he is!  Drives me crazy."

"Hey, my friend recently lost her grandfather!"  Ariadne exclaims.

"What a co-inky-dink!  Mine, too!"  'Lina adds.

"Like you said: Sheer coincidence.  Completely unrelated.  You don't know me, and you never will if I can help it."  Raven answers hastily.

Cyberbrat fires a shell, and the ground explodes dramatically around them.

Raven grabs the two by the scruffs of their necks.  "Now, go forth and wreak havoc, my minions!"  She lets them go and falls back with a thud.

Ariadne and Mongolina burst forth from the dust, yelling:  COOOOOOOKIEEEEEEEEEES!!!!!"

Cyberbrat emits a piercing digital scream as two brown furries land on his machine with a heavy thump, both hollering a strange war cry.

Ariadne smirks and stomps her foot down onto the top paneling.  "SPIDER-SHOCK!!!"  She sticks her tongue out at 'Lina and punches through the turret's armor.  "FOR COOKIES!!!"  She draws back her blade, preparing to strike.

'Lina gasps.  "You won't beat me, jerk!"  She hurls her sword in slow motion and severs Cyberbrat's weapon from his arm, reverting it back to a harmless computer mouse.  A tiny worm emerges from it and burrows underground as Cyberbrat's costume shimmers off.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"  Mat and Ariadne both scream, falling to their knees as all of the tanks and destruction city-wide disappear without a trace.

"Oh!  Hey, Ma-  My dude!"  Ariadne says, recognizing the boy, then quickly correcting herself before he realizes that she knows him.

'Lina jumps neatly to the ground and gasps when Raven's sword also vanishes.  "What in tarnation..?"

Ariadne looks down.  "Where's the bird?"

"Huh?"

"Raven isn't where we left her!!!"

-Meanwhile-

Kat leans silently against a nearby building and smiles calmly, watching the heroines panic as she feeds Tokka.  "Another successful mission, wouldn't you say, little one?"

The kwami swallows and nods, beaming.  "A job well done!"

"Indeed!  And another thorn in our secretive supervillain's side."

Tokka's head swivels around at a scream from Ariadne.  "I think that they're fighting with each other..."

Kat shrugs casually.  "Oh, well.  At least they're bonding."

'Lina screeches 'OW!', and the two young heroines begin a fistfight with each other.

Kat leaps up excitedly.  "A fistfight?!!  Count me in!!!"

Tokka nips her arm.  "Not now!  Just take Mongolina's Miraculous back to Master Yu before the idiot's time runs out!!!"

"That's a little bit harsh for you."  Kat replies, rubbing her arm and wincing.

"Do it right now, or I'll destroy your entire stash of special teas.  Well, after I recover from all of my extremely strenuous magical activity-!!!"

"I understand, slave driver."  Kat mutters under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing.  Let's get the anklet back before they poke each other's eyes out.  Tokka, LET THE FEATHERS FLY!!!"

-Back with the furries-

"I KNOW WHERE YOU SLEEP!!!"  Ariadne wails.

"HA!  Doubt it!  It's on the floor in my closet, if you must know!"

"I should've won!!!"

"Well, you didn't, so there!"

"RAAAH!!!"  Ariadne freezes in the midst of stabbing 'Lina in the eye with her boomerang.  "Oh.  Hey, Raven."

'Lina twists around to look at the elder.  "Yo!  We were just talking..."  Raven frowns, and 'Lina trails off.  "Never mind..."

Raven grunts, unconvinced, and holds out her hand.  "I do apologize, but I'll be needing that anklet back now."

"Aaaw..!  Okay."  'Lina sighs and removes it.

"Your prize will await you when you return home today.  Thank you for your service, it was much appreciated."

Gemma looks happy, then disappointed.  "And..  Is that it, then?"

Raven pats her on the shoulder stiffly.  "Don't worry.  I was very pleased with your performance, so expect to be called into action again soon."

Gemma grins.  "Okay!"

Ariadne stares at Raven.

"What did I do now?"  Raven sighs.

"You're so weird."  Ariadne guffaws and mysteriously pulls a cookie out from her suit.  "Chow time!"

"Your circlet, Spiderling!!!  Your time's nearly up!"

"DARN IT!!!"

-Back at the Midway-

Kat perks up when she spies Mat sheepishly walking over to her.  "Brother!  You've joined us after all!"

He shrugs.  "Yeah, whatever."

"..And the English language carries on."  Kat mutters.  "Good for you!"  She punches him in the arm, nearly knocking him over.  "Now, are we playing this new game or not?  I was waiting to try it out with you."

His eyes momentarily light up.  "Really?"

Kat narrows her eyes at him.  "Yes, you sussy baka.  Now stop giving mom a hard time and behave, dummy."

"Meanie!"  He complains.  As usual, not being able to think of a better retort than that of a three year old.

"I love you too, bro.  ..Now that that's settled, let's wipe the floor with these guys!"

They high-five each other and cackle at their would-be adversaries, who are both grown adults with suddenly terrified expressions.

"Oh, no!  They're siblings?!!"  One screams in horror.

"Well, sh-!"  

A.N: Well, it's about time that I'm finally updating this!!!  I hope that you enjoyed it, and as always, your comments, votes, and criticisms are very much appreciated!  Thank you all ever so much for your support!  🤗😸💗

Word count: 3180