Tactical Retreat After A Sweet Victory

Her partisan tightly gripped with her hands, Evelyn prepares to deliver the onion ring army's final blow.

Evelyn: I call upon the power of my will! Gather and come to me!

Countless tiny, glittering lights appear around Evelyn, slowly spiraling toward her like in a vortex. They unite at the tip of her golden spear, which now emits a light as bright as dawn. She draws back her spear, steps back and lunges toward the trapped creatures.

Evelyn: BEE STING RUSH!

The shiny spear pierces the ball filled with the tiny monsters, each of them desperately screaming as Evelyn hits them with a rapid-fire series of thrusts.

Onion ring army: AAAAAH! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, ALL OF YOU AND THE QUEEN BEE!!

More and more, the candy ball disappears with each thrust, until finally everything is gone for good. In its place, a grand burst of flames appears and marks the bad onion rings' defeat. The fire dies down, prompting Evelyn and the rest to reassemble, hugging one another as they celebrate their victory.

Bee: Awesome! You did splendidly, like always!
Evelyn: Indeed! You all did a great job trapping them in place!
Candy: Thanks! But you don't have to hide, either! You're so powerful! Can I call you Granny Evelyn from now on?

Evelyn flushes just a bit and slightly grins back at her.

Evelyn: You may. Somehow, you remind me of my grandson.
Gertrud: ...Were you just charmed by cuteness again?!
Candy: And I'll call you Granny G‐
Gertrud: Don't even think of saying that out loud.
Candy: Eeeh? Why though?
Evelyn: You see... she does not wish to be called either "Granny" or "Grandma". And she hates alliterations with such passion that I have never witnessed before in my life.
Candy: Oh, too bad... Can I call you Auntie Gertrud?
Gertrud: If you want to. I don't mind that.
Ume: ...Doesn't that sound even more unfitting for her?
Candy: Yay, thanks! And you... feel more like an auntie, too! Can I call you Auntie Ume?
Ume: Oh well, why not? It's a welcome change compared to the formalities I have to maintain toward my students in the university.
Candy: Wow, such a cozy group of chosen heroines! You three, and also Bee! From today on, I'll be in your care!
Bee: Marvelous! Only one of us is left to be found, and we'll be complete!

Suddenly, Evelyn signals them to be quiet, quickly reassessing her surroundings. A swift glare up to the subway station follows, and a familiar yet very unwelcome shady figure in a black cloak is standing on top.

Evelyn: Look up! It's him again!

The others follow Evelyn's gaze, shifting to a concerned expression the moment they notice him.

Candy: Who on earth is that?! Looks creepy...
Bee: Gah, not that bloody bastard Colonel again!
Ume: You know what that means! Take to your heels and run for it!
Candy: What, run? But we-

Before Candy can even end her protesting phrase, Gertrud has already grabbed her by the hand as they dash off and try to get away from him. He merely grins - the eerie way he always does - and chases after them at an incredible pace. Just two seconds later, he catches up to them, reaching out to snatch a frightened Candy.

Colonel: Dear ladies, why are you so shy this time? I see you have a new comrade there, let me give her a proper welcome...
Candy: Ahhh! No way! Don't touch me, sicko!

As Colonel is just about to reach her, Evelyn steps in, holding him at bay with her spear while the others make their escape.

Colonel: Oh, now look who of all people tries to stop me. It's dear Evelyn.
Evelyn: Save it! I will not let you near the girl!
Colonel: Hohoho. And how exactly are you going to achieve that? You already defeated the onion rings. How much longer will you be able to push me back, I wonder?
Ume: Plum Time Bomb!

A plum bomb suddenly drops right next to Colonel who quickly reacts and sends it flying up with a well-aimed kick, exploding at least thirty meters above him.

Colonel: Nice temptation, but this simple feint doesn't work.
Ume: It's "attempt", not "temptation"!!
Colonel: Oh, that actually got me! Thank you for correcting that one!
Evelyn: Will you stop arguing with him about language?! We have other priorities!
Ume: Never! I cannot let these terrible mistakes go! But this one, I will let go.

Without anyone noticing, Ume, smirking, already has another plum bomb ready, barely one meter behind Colonel and already about to explode as he turns around to it.

Colonel: What?! Where'd that one come-
Ume: ...Gotcha. You fell for it.

The Plum Time Bomb blows up, trapping Colonel in time within its light pink layer. Evelyn and the others continue running, taking a hard turn left into one of several smaller streets nearby. After the third white dot turns black, the soft pink transparent sphere dissolves along with its bomb in a poof, causing Colonel to stumble forward and allowing him to move again. He stops. A glance to the left. Then one to the right. Then he holds his forehead.

Colonel: ...That foxy woman got me good this time. I lost sight of them. On the other hand, I wasn't really trying to fight them seriously today, either. Just a little, amusing game of cat and mouse. After all, watching them is far too entertaining to get rid of them yet... Ahahahaha!

And just like that, he waves his cloak around and dissappears.

Meanwhile, around the corner in a small street, where Evelyn and her partners still hide from him, they take a look at the spot where Colonel had been standing.

Evelyn: ...He is gone. Thank goodness.
Candy: Who was that?! He's such a creep!
Bee: One of our true enemies, Colonel. Do you now get why we have to fight them instead of criminals?
Candy: Hmm... I guess so...
Bee: Fine. At least a hint of prudence is there. I can work with that.
Gertrud: The area is clear again. We can bring the people back now.
Bee: Aye aye, I'm on it!

Bee taps the Honeycombat, making all the missing people reappear as it gleams. The glow subsides, and the dome vanishes as people casually walk around like nothing happened. However, the people in front of the subway station find themselves wondering about where the Cloud Fairy went, for only the tied robbers are left as evidence. They revert to their civillian appearances, and Candy reveals what she really looks like to them for the first time. Still her light blue eyes, but platinum blonde hair, wearing a dark green sailor uniform with a white blouse and a red bow tie. In addition, the CGM attached to her arm returned to a plain white. Being watched by the others so intensely, Candy gets a little fidgety.

Evelyn: Oh my, what do we have here? A cute school girl!
Gertrud: *siiiigh* Here it comes, she already doted on her. Good grief.
Candy: Uhm... yeah. This is what I actually look like.
Ume: That is Amari Town's high school uniform, correct?
Candy: Yup. I've only just transferred to high school.
Bee: I see. But may I ask your connection to diabetes? I thought only older people have it.
Candy: Ah, that! It's simple. Most people develop it over time, it is also known as type 2 diabetes. But some people fall ill earlier in life, like me. We have type 1 diabetes.