Reverse‐Engineering To Seek Out Evil

The chamber in front presents a most unusual sight: Cogs and pipes turn and twist everywhere, surrounded by honeycomb-themed science equipment and a clear steampunk feel. Three bees in labcoats busily fly from station to station, taking notes in between as they hurry across the room.

They spot the Queen at the entrance, flinch, and immediately position themselves in a neat line before her. The Queen nods approvingly and Beeatrix joins into the row.

Beeatrix: This is our research laboratory, and I am the leading scientist here. As you are probably already aware, the biggest hurdle left to take is finding the foe's territory in another dimension. Of course, we have spared no effort to work on that problem.

Beeatrix fetches a remote control from the nearest table, then presses one of its small buttons. Suddenly, the ceiling opens up, and a platform with a pedestal on top slowly descends from there.

It lands on the floor and Beeatrix flits to the pedestal, picking up a honeycomb-like tablet from it that looks suspiciously familiar.

Evelyn: Wait, isn't that Bee's...?
Beeatrix: Almost. This is a copy we made from the data gathered about the original. We finally managed to reconstruct its ability to open portals to other dimensions. This is the good message I wanted to share. But...

The scientist bee taps on it, triggering a rotating portal of flowing honey with a diameter of about two meters to appear. But just a few seconds later, it simply collapses and disappears.

Beeatrix: As of now, the portals are too unstable to use. We still lack something to keep it open.

Then the Queen turns around toward Evelyn's team, taking over the conversation now.

Queen Bee: This is where you five come into play. Because the Honeycombat has a connection to all the warriors, we were thinking that this copy needs one, too. That is the reason you were brought here, my dear warriors.
Ume: But how do you intend to build the connection? I can't think of anything on a whim right now.
Candy: Hmm... if you want us to connect, why don't we just start by holding it? You could somehow call that a connection too, right?
Beeatrix: Wait! We know nothing about the consequences-!

Unimpressed, Candy just steps to the Honeycombat copy and snags it from the pedestal. A faint glow starts to radiate from both the device and her magical candy cone. Candy simply grins at the others while Beeatrix fights hard to not get a heart attack from that sudden, unscientific approach.

Candy: See? It glows. You come and do the same!
Beeatrix: Hold on! Maybe it's...!

The other heroines gather next to her, and with every additional warrior touching the device, it glows brighter and makes their respective weapon shine along with it. Evelyn closes the last gap around the fake tablet, and a blinding light radiates from there for a split second, then it subsides completely.

Because nothing extraordinary happens anymore, they distance themselves from the tablet copy again while a panicking Beeatrix rapidly flits there.

Beeatrix: Oh no! I hope it's not malfunctioning now!

She briefly inspects the half-magical tablet, and shortly later taps the screen like she did just before, but handling it with the care someone would treat a volcano that's about to erupt. A portal is created anew. However, this time it stays. For over ten seconds. A minute, two minutes, it just remains there, turning in a circular way.

Beeatrix: ...Seriously? It works? Just like that?
Ume: "The Maverick succeeds whenever common sense doesn't get you far.", huh? The prophecy nailed it, it seems. Good job, Candy.

Satisfied with her work, Candy proudly rubs her nose and stretches out her chest.

Candy: Hehe. Watch and learn.
Beeatrix: Uhm... this succeeded much faster than I anticipated. But I won't complain. That was a positive development!
Queen Bee: Wonderful! Our saviors truthfully are astounding!

Bee, apparently having recovered from the previous trigger, is able to interact again at last and speaks up now.

Bee: That doesn't surprise me. Until now, everyone has always done a very decent job.
Beeatrix: Which brings us to the next step: Now it is up to us to locate our target among countless dimensions. We are going to send out drones to check on various different positions until we find them. As soon as we do, we are going to contact you to come over once more.

Bee's sister pulls out a communication device from behind her back and hands it over to him.

Beeatrix: I will contact you using this. Keep it with you all the time.
Bee: Okay. I will.
Queen Bee: Very well. Until the time arrives, please ward off any monster that may attack in the meantime and wait your turn to get to The Dark Kingdom.
Team Evelyn: We will!

Then the Chosen Scout conjures his Honeycombat once more, opening the portal back to the human world again. As the honeyfall appears in front of the Hive Five again, they scrunch up their faces in dismay. Except for Chloe of course, who grins and drools now.

Bee: Ladies, we shall return to your world until everything is set.
Evelyn: We have to go through this AGAIN?!

Candy rushes to Evelyn's side, hiding a bit behind her and grabbing her skirt tightly.

Candy: No! NO!! I DON'T WANT TO BE DIPPED INTO HONEY AGAIN!!
Bee: Easy now, it's not too bad.
Candy: YES IT IS! EEEW!!
Ume: Well, I cannot say I am looking forward to repeat this experience either, but we need to if we want to get back.
Gertrud: Should I punish him with the flyswatter afterwards, ladies?
Evelyn: Erm... I think that would be going too far. Like Ume said, we have to get back somehow.
Chloe: Right! Let's go!

With honest enthusiasm Chloe steps in front of the portal, getting ready.

Queen Bee: Take care, brave warriors of The Hive Five.

They bow toward the Queen, then Chloe eagerly dashes into the honeyfall headfirst. The others reluctantly follow after her, then force themselves through it, too. As before, Bee enters last, and the portal disappears along with them.

--------

As expected, the whole gang is completely covered in honey again, but this time standing at the exact position of Evelyn's garden where they left. While Chloe happily licks off her fingers, the others quickly try to get the honey off by wiping their bodies with their arms.

Candy: Urgh! Why, Bee, why?! This honey portal stuff should really just have been special effect stuff!
Evelyn: I agree that this really is not a nice way to travel.
Gertrud: ...I can still punish him.
Evelyn: Gertrud. No.
Gertrud: I just wanted to mention that.

Bee quickly closes the portal and the Honeycombat returns to its tablet form. He opens his hammer space to stash it along with the walkie-talkie thing Beeatrix had just given to him, even though it's also full of honey.

Bee: Yeah, I wouldn't have decided on this either.
Evelyn: Oh, his slang is back.
Bee: However, this time we can try to get rid of it easily! Dissolve your transformation!
Ume: We have to either way. We cannot have anyone seeing us like this, anyway.

Everyone reverts back to their civilian appearance. Surprisingly, the honey really disappeared together with their fancy dresses of power, Bee being the only one left with honey all over him. This considerably brightens the mood, merely Chloe seems a bit sad now.

Evelyn: Thank goodness, it worked for real. It really feels awful to have all that honey on you.

"...Mom?"

The Hive Five, including Bee, have the colour vanish from their faces as they turn around toward the door leading back inside Evelyn's house. Sarah and Timmy's mouths hang open as the young boy drops his mini lollipop in shock.