Ugh… a heads-up would've been nice, Harlequin! Oh well.

Story 101

Somewhere I used to know

Masako stared out at the patisserie. Happy as she had been to have been under the tutelage of Ichika and her fellow bakers, she couldn't shake the feeling that this place was not where she belonged. Yet, the place where the pastry princess belonged remained out of reach. Haunting her in her dreams, it taunted her at every turn, it had gotten even worse as of late. It almost felt like she was going to have to go regardless of whether she had a concrete idea of where she was going.

"Masakosan, nanikāttandesuka? (Masako, is there something wrong?)" Ichika inquired and got a nod from her companion. Meeting her gaze, she was met with a pretty woman. Auburn locks cascaded down to the middle of her back, complimenting a set of gorgeous olive green eyes. Light pink lipstick met a touch of blush, the finishing touch being a set of orange dinosaur earrings.

"Anata to patisurī to no jikan mo owari ni chikadzuite iru to omoimasu. (I think my time with you and the patisserie is coming to an end.)" Masako answered, tears threatening to fall down. Ichika reached out and wiped them away. While Masako appreciated the gesture, it didn't make her feel any better.

"Wakatta. Kore o yōi ni suru tame ni watashi matawa hoka no sutaffu ga dekiru koto wa arimasu ka? (Okay. Is there anything that I or the rest of our staff can do to make this easier?)" Ichika inquired and Masako stared at the ground. Muttering something at it, she got no response. At times like this, she could use the comfort of Lady Fluffears. But she was back at home.

"Hagu ga yoi sutāto ni narudeshou. (A hug would be a good start.)" Masako answered and felt Ichika wrap her arms around her body. Felt amazing. "Thank you. I can only hope that our paths might cross again, someday. (Thank you. I can only hope that our paths might cross again, someday.)"

Ichika nodded, the tears very much coming down now for Masako. Pulling her head back up, that doesn't stop her gaze from falling upon her apron dress. Part of her uniform with the beret, it made her feel so cute. Hopefully, that outfit could come with her on this return journey. A shame the same couldn't be said about her abode. Speaking of which, now was as good of a time as any to head that way and hope for the best. Good of a plan as any here as the pastry princess headed away from her first job. While a part of her wished that there was an easier way to break that news, Ichika had sent in stride. Likely in the process of telling everyone, she was bound to get a bunch of texts from them. The nature of the job in the face of them all going their separate ways. Yet, a part of her wanted it to not be that case. To continue living with each other. Something that could never happen, a fate that she accepted as a fantasy.

"Sore ijōde wa arimasen. (Not much further.)" Masako told herself, feeling the dread grow even heavier on her body. Shoving through those feelings, she made the short distance over to her adobe. Relatively small and quaint, she was met with pale pink walls and a plain brownish orange tile floor. "Tadaima! (I'm home!)"

Looking around, she didn't need to look far for Lady Fluffears. Sitting on a couch, Masako had gone through the trouble of dressing her up in the same patisserie uniform as she was in. Though, that didn't explain the pink figure sitting beside her. Details purposefully obscured, something about them felt familiar to the pastry princess. Trying her hardest to recall why exactly she was getting that idea, no answer came.

"Ā, nanto. Kanari no emono o torimashita ne, redi furafāzu. (Oh my. You've made quite a catch, Lady Fluffears.)" the pink figure announced and Masako reluctantly approached. Had she been paying more attention, perhaps she would've noticed the suitcase already packed to go, or her patisserie giving way to a comfortable orange sundress. A small bag for her Sweets Pact hung at her side, done up rather plainly compared to the dress. Not that her former outfit had simply disappeared. No, it was simply in the suitcase. "Taimukīpā ga watashi no kojin-tekina purojekuto ni te o dashite ita to wa. Kyōmi o sosora reru iro o tsukete kudasai. (To think a timekeeper had gotten her paws on my personal project. Color me intrigued.)"

Masako raised an eyebrow.

"Ē to… gesuto-san, hakkiri sa sete oite mo īdesu ka? (Uh… care to clarify, my guest?)" Masako inquired as she walked over to the duo. So many different emotions flooded her mind, yet she held strong here.

"O tto. Dōyara barete shimatta yōda. (Oops. It appears that we've been found out.)" the pink figure greeted and scooped Lady Fluffears up. Walking over to Masako, they hummed a tune to no one in particular. Setting the plush in Masako's arm, the pastry princess accepted the gift. "Anata no sekai ni modoru toki ga kimashita. Konomu to konomazaru ni kakawarazu, kore wa kesshite kōkyū-tekina pojishonde wa arimasendeshita. Tokutei no dareka ga tadashī koto o dekinakatta tame, sonobashinogi ni sugimasen. (It is time to go back to your world. Like it or not, this was never to be a permanent position. Merely a stop-gap because a certain someone couldn't do the right thing.)"

Tears rolled down Masako's face. Did the forces of the universe have to be so direct? Couldn't they have at least given her a day to process this news. But that wasn't an option here. No, she would have to take this news in stride.

"Sukunakutomo watashi ga dokoheikuno ka ni tsuite oshiete kuremasen ka? (Can you at least fill me in on where I am going?)" Masako inquired and the figure shook her head. So much for that outcome. Oh well.

"Īe. Demo, tomodachi ni wa, Konna koto ga atta to tsutaete kudasai. Tsūjō, koreha setsumei to shite kinō shimasu. (No. But tell your friends that things… happened. That usually works for an explanation.)" the figure answered, shoving an oddly familiar orange and black digivice burst in with Lady Fluffears. A snap of their fingers followed, bringing the suitcase over as well. "Sōdenakereba, anata wa kashikoi on'nanokodesu. Nanika omoitsukudeshou. (If not, you're a smart girl. You'll think of something.)"

Masako raised an eyebrow, managing to grab the suitcase with her foot. Eyelids growing heavy, she hung on tight to Lady Fluffears as it all went dark.

.

On the other side, Masako felt as if she was laying on a bed of stuffed animals. Opening her eyes, the illusion was promptly shattered. While these looked like stuffed animals, they were all slumbering. At least, until she noticed they were all laying on what was likely a platform in the water. Stuck in place,

"U ̄ n... (Ugh…)" Masako muttered and stared down. Her body looked to be the same as it had been before that figure teleported away, that hadn't accounted for the pain in her head. Thankfully, Lady Fluffears, the digivice burst and of course, her suitcase. Couldn't forget about that. Yet, Masako couldn't shake the feeling that this had happened before. Why exactly, and for what reason we're a mystery. Though, the orange dinosaur off to the side felt like it could hold the key to th-

"Koko ni wa nani ga arudeshou ka? (What do we have here?)" a voice called out and Masako's gaze stared upwards. There, she could make out a strangely-dressed woman floating above. Dressed in a burgundy and white top, that was met with a matching belt and shorts set. The finishing touch was that of a set of white boots with a slight blocky heel. "Īe, kore wa mattaku yoku arimasen. Anata ni ninmu o suikō sa seru koto wa dekimasen. (No. This isn't good at all. We can't have you completing your mission.)"

Masako raised an eyebrow. What the heck was this strange woman even talking about here? Better yet, why was she holding up a different colored version of the device that the pink woman had given her? As much as Masako kind of wanted an answer here to all those questions and many more, she reached out to her Sweets Pact. While it was likely not to work, it was still worth a shot here.

"Mazete mimashou! (Let's mix it up!)" Masako announced, feeling herself lifted up into the air. As much as she wanted to bask in the full length of her transformation, the universe decided that she was going too get the short version today. Oh well. Not the end of the world. She had lived through that with ease. Heck, she even helped with the 'rebaking' of said world. I promise that makes sense in context. "Ōdō sunakku, kyuakukkī! (The Royal Snack, Cure Cookie!)"

Letting the cocoon of light around her dissipate, Masako took a moment to look herself over. Her magical girl outfit on full display now, that brought the gaze of the orange dinosaur over to her. Taking a step forward, they decided to stop after that. Whether out of fear of getting hurt or confusion on what was going on, remained to be seen.

"Ā, nanto. Mahō shōjo. Masaka namade miru to wa omoimasendeshita. (Oh my. A magical girl. Didn't think I would ever see one in the flesh.)" the woman announced as she made her landing. A dark blue renamon of all digimon followed right behind, not at all expecting this to be their opponent today. "Shikashi, anata wa disutanto hāmonī no keikaku no jama-shadeari, zen'in de haijo suru hitsuyō ga arimasu. (However, you're an obstacle for Distant Harmony's plans and must be eliminated for all.)"

Masako rolled her eyes. While she didn't have a concrete idea of who that group even was, they sounded like the sort that had a hypocritical mission statement. But she let that thought fade from her head. Wasn't worth thinking about right now. No, her focus needed to be on both opponents here.

Letting them approach, they both went for a swing. Masako ducked down, responding with a low kick. Connecting with the women with ease, she leveraged her ballet skills to leap up and kick her opponent's neck. For that attack, the renamon responded with a barrage of arrowhead-shaped leaves. Weathering through surprisingly well, all it accomplished was confusing the magical girl that much more.

"Etto… kono futari wa minasan to isshodesu ka? (Uh… are these two with you all?)" Cure Cookie inquired and was treated to a shrug from her companions.

"Kanojo o mita koto ga arimasen, on'na shujin. (Never seen her before, bo- mistress.)" the dinosaur answered and got a look from Cure Cookie. Then it's back over to her opponents.

"Ja, hai. Tanren no chikara o misete yarou. (Fine then. Let me show the power of my training.)" Cure Cookie announced as she closed her eyes. Focusing her energy in one place, she opened her eyes right after. A ballgown formed around her body, taking on a blueberry cookie-themed appearance. Even more so when a cute orange dinosaur appeared and served as her mount. "Kukkīkuranburuparadaisu! (Cookie Crumble Paradise!)"

Bringing forth a massive plate of cookies, the plate was thrown up into the air. Disappearing right after, the blueberry cookies rained down upon this strange woman and her renamon. While not enough to completely defeat them, it was enough to give them second thought about actually continuing this pointless fight.

"Kono tatakai wa anata ga kachimasu. (You win this fight.)" the woman announced, taking the time to flip off Cure Cookie. Throwing a smoke bomb right after, Cure Cookie did her best to cover her eyes. While she could have continued looking, it felt rude to do so. Instead, it served as the perfect cue to revert back to Masako.

Letting out a sigh, she took a moment to compose herself. Wouldn't want anyone else showing up and attempting to accuse her of things she had very much not done. Even if this whole situation very much looked like something illegal was going on. For now, her gaze shifted to her companions. She would be a bad guide ignoring them here. Especially without finding out what exactly was going on here.

"Ē to... Watashi wa izen ni anatagata no ikimono ni atta koto ga arimasu ka? Yōsei o omoidasa semasuga, sorehodo bukimide wa arimasen. (Uh… have I met you creatures before? You remind me of fairies, but less goopy.)" Masako announced and watched her companion's gaze flick over to each other. Speaking in whispers, it was hard to tell what exactly they were talking about here.

"Sōdesune… anata wa watashitachi no yūjin no yōdesu ne. Kare wa tsuresara rete shimai, watashitachi wa kare o mitsukeru koto ga dekimasendeshita. Demo, anata wa jōshi no yō ni miemasu. Soretomo kokode wa aijin no kata ga tekisetsudeshou ka? (Well… you look like a friend we had. He got whisked away and we haven't been able to find him. Though, you look like boss. Or would mistress be more appropriate here?)" the orange dino creature announced, choosing now to finally close the distance. Masako bent down and met their gaze. They reminded her of someone, but she couldn't exactly put her finger on what or even who exactly. Yet, she scooped Lady Fluffears up. Giving her a hug, it's back over to

"Etto… kokode wa `aijin' tte yonde mo daijōbudeshou ka? (Uh… I guess being called 'mistress' is okay here?)" Masako announced and looked around for something that wasn't endless water. Easier said than done here. Why had that pink figure chosen this place to drop them off? Better yet, where exactly had they gotten the platform they were on? Hopefully it wasn't connected to anyth-

Masako didn't get to finish that thought, mostly on account of the helicopter flying overhead. Staring up, some idiot had decided to hang out from an open door.

"Sore ga watashitachi no norimonoda to omoimasu ka? (I'm guessing that's our ride?)" Masako inquired and pulled her suitcase closer. A far cry from flying in Paris, she wasn't in the mindset to complain. No, she would take the free ride here.

.

Yoshino Fujieda still didn't know how to feel as she stared through the glass of the door. While this girl reminded her a lot of Masaru, there was something else here. Something that one couldn't easily predict.

"Yoshino, hagu ga hitsuyōdesu ka? (Yoshino, do you need a hug?)" Lalamon inquired and Yoshino looked her way. Nodding, she felt the small shrub digimon float forward and give their best hug. Then it's back over to the door. Summoning forth all of her courage she reached out and pushed it open. Inside, the pair was greeted by a relatively plain cubicle converted into an interrogation room. A table with two chairs sat in the middle, Masako sitting on the side closest to the back wall. Agumon was standing beside her, his gaze split between Yoshino and Masako.

Papers had been set upon the desk - unfilled for now. Hopefully by the end of this, some of them could be

"Kon'nichiwa misu... (Hello, Miss…)" Yoshino greeted, looking at Masako. They hadn't gotten a last name from her, had they. Oh well. Best to go with the next best thing and hope for the best. That was all she could possibly

"Kubo." Masako greeted as Yoshino took a seat. Staring at Masako, the officer's gaze fell upon the paperwork. Pulling it over, she took a moment to fill out the details. Then it's right back to looking at her prisoner. Why did she have to look so much like Masaru? Couldn't it have been far easier to have someone who wasn't even close to the person she had fought alongside. "Watashi wa moto kirakirapatisurī no patishiedeari, kirakirapurikyua no menbāde mo arimasu. (I'm formerly a pastry chef at the Kira Kira Patisserie along with an acting member of Kira Kira Precure.)"

Yoshino raised an eyebrow. While she liked to think she was the sort that didn't believe in magical girls, her past work had eased up that disbelief.

"Sate… anata wa seikaku ni naze Yokohama no soto no kaiiki ni arawareta no ka shitte imasu ka? (Okay… do you know why exactly you appeared in the waters outside of Yokohama?)" Yoshino inquired and was met with a confused look from Masako. Not that Agumon was helping matters here. No, his gaze was more on the magical girl than her.

"Ē to… shinji rarenai kotoda to wa omoimasuga, kono pinku no hitokage ga watashinoie ni arawarete, mō iku jikanda to tsugemashita. Sorekara karera wa watashi to watashi no nimotsu o terepōto sa semashita. Sō ieba, redi furafāzu wa doko ni imasu ka? (Uh… I know this is going to be hard to believe, but this pink figure appeared in my home and told me it was time for me to go. Then they teleported me and my stuff away. Speaking of which, where is Lady Fluffears?)" Masako answered as Yoshino scribed the information down. While helpful, it felt like she was missing a major piece of information here. Information that Masako might have on her, but the officer wasn't holding her breath here.

"Watashitachi wa genzai kanojo o kansatsu-chūdesu. Kanojo ga bakudan, arushuno mitsuyu-hin, aruiwa sono ryōhō no kongōmono, matawa mattaku betsu no monode wanai koto ga kakunin dekitara, kanojo o anata ni kaeshimasu. Wakatta? (We are currently looking her over. Once we are certain that she is not a bomb, some kind of smuggling compartment, some mix of the two or something else entirely, we will give her back to you. Okay?)" Yoshino answered and Masako nodded. While there was a distinct possibility that she was being lied too here, there was a chance this strange woman and her float bush thing were telling the truth. Only one way to find out.

"Sore wa watashi ni totte wa umaku ikimasu. (That works with me.)" Masako answered, splitting her focus between Yoshino and her partner. A part of her felt rude asking this, but this was perhaps the best time. "Ē to… korera subete no ikimono to no torihiki ga nandearu ka o setsumei shite itadakemasu ka? Watashi ga minarete iru yōsei yori mo kanari ōkīdesu. (Uh… could you maybe explain what the deal with all these creatures is? They're quite a bit larger than fairies I'm used to seeing.)"

Yoshino looked away. While a part of her wanted to just assume that fairies were just strange-looking digimon, but there wasn't enough information to corroborate such a theory. All the more reason to get more information out of Masako.

"Korera no yōsei wa, arushuno henshin shīkensu o tsūjite yori ōkina yōsei ni henshin suru koto ga dekimasu ka? (Are these fairies capable of turning into bigger fairies through some kind of transformation sequence?)" Yoshino asked and watched Masako freeze. Following it up with a nod, she leaned forward over the desk.

"Dō yatte shitta no? ! Anata no yōsei mo chō gūpīdesu ka? (How did you know?! Are your kind of fairy super goopy too?)" Masako blurted out, catching Yoshino by complete surprise. What kind of evolution process were these fairies going through in the first place? Couldn't be any good if they were turning all goopy.

"Ē to… īe. Watashitachi no shurui no yōsei wa, shinka shite mo okashiku narimasen. Watashitachi no sekaide wa dejimon-tomo yoba rete imasu. (Uh… no. Our kinds of fairies don't get goopy when they evolve. They're also called digimon in our world.)" Yoshino explained, getting a raised eyebrow from Masako. Was this somehow a new concept to her? Or was this something else?

Before Yoshino could ask for clarification, the sound of something exploding rocked the building. Yoshino stood up, Lalamon deciding to float beside her. Looking over to Masako, the magical girl

"Kore wa, sakihodo watashi o osoou to shita josei to nanika kankei ga aru nodeshou ka? (Does this have something to do with the woman who tried to attack me earlier?)" Masako inquired and reached for her Sweets Pact. Pulling it out from its pocket, her other hand lifted the digivice burst up. She wasn't completely certain why that strange device came to mind here. Perhaps activating her transformation sequence would be enough to activate it? "Wait. Why do I know that it would work? Better yet, how do I know that this device could even take kirakira?"

Getting a look from Yoshino, that was enough to stop the magical girl in her tracks. Because of course it did.

"Koko ni ite kudasai, Kubo-san. (You're going to need to stay here, Miss Kubo.)" Lalamon announced and got a look from Agumon. Whispering something to him, a nod followed. By no means the words that she wished to put out here, it was a necessary evil. Especially as she and Yoshino exited the room, leaving Masako and Agumon to their own devices.

"Gomen'nasai. Kanojo wa osoraku tsukarete ite, onaka ga suite ite, konran shite iru dakedeshou, ojōsama. (Sorry about that. She's probably tired, hungry and just confused, mistress.)" Agumon announced, waiting a moment for Masako's gaze to flick over. Bending down to meet his gaze, care was taken in doing so.

"Shitte oite son wa arimasen ka? (Good to know?)" Masako answered and stared down at the digivice burst. For something that at least looked functional, it would help if she could actually see if any of the buttons worked. Or at the very least, a power switch. They had to have included that… right. "Sate, nani o kakushite iru nodesu ka, dengen suitchi? (Now, what are you hiding, power switch?)"

Putting her hand over the device, a couple sparkles of kirakira come forth from her hands. Landing on the digivice burst, it floated over to Masako's Sweet Pact. Getting absorbed within the transformation device, nothing seemed to have changed.

"Ē to… sore wa benridesu yo, ojōsama? (Uh… that's handy, mistress?)" Agumon announced, watching Masako bend down to meet his gaze. So many different questions swirled about her mind.

"Watashi wa suisoku suru? Shōjiki ni iu to, sore ga nani o shita no ka kanzen ni wa wakarimasen. (I guess? I'm not entirely certain what that did, if I'm being honest with you.)" Masako answered and shifted her attention to the Sweets Pact. The sound of fighting pierced through under the door crack, shockingly close to the interrogation room. Just how much firepower was being thrown down here? A considerable amount. All the more reason to disobey the clear orders she was given and fight whatever it was intent on destroying this place. Simple as that.

Standing up, Masako headed for the door. Waiting a moment to see if Agumon would follow, he very much did.

"Osoraku kore wa watashi no pātonā no yōsei no monodesu. Sekai de mottomo kimyōna kotode wanaideshou. (Perhaps this is my partner fairy thing. Wouldn't be the oddest thing in the world.)" Masako thought as she pushed the door open. Outside, the station being used as her prison cell looked to be torn apart. Boxes and tables strewn about, little rhythm or reason to their placement. Nor does this explain the large blob creature that was throwing said stuff around. "Kukkī! (Hey!)"

Waiting a moment for the slime to look her way, Masako sighed. Never a dull moment from the sound of it and all the more reason to deal with this mess.

"Kyuaramōdo, dekorēshon! (Cure a la Mode, Decoration!)" Masako announced and her Sweets Pact opened up. A cocoon formed around her body, a smile proudly on her face. "Cookie!"

Watching the Pact open up, Maskao set her tiny figurine within. Then came time for some whisking.

"Roiyarugurēsu! (Royal Grace!)" she announced as she tapped the two star-shaped buttons. Mixing up the resulting combination, orange and yellow lights shot forth. "Mazete mimashou! (Let's mix it up!)"

With that, the magical girl launched herself up into the air. Once more, her magical girl outfit appeared over her regular clothes. Yet, the feeling of needing to go and punch someone echoed forth. Perhaps that was how she needed to activate the other part of her Pact. that made total sense in this context.

"Ōdō sunakku, kyuakukkī! (The Royal Snack, Cure Cookie!)" Cure Cookie announced and the cocoon dissipated. Looking over to Agumon, she was met with an enraptured gaze from the orange dino pokemon. Trying to hold in her chuckling, her gaze swiveled over to the blob. Clearly noticing her, Cure Cookie rolled her eyes. Waiting a moment for her opponent to throw something her way, she didn't need to wait long. Watching a sofa get thrown her way, the magical girl smashed her fist into it. Watching orange kirakira particles form around it, she put said hand over her Pact. By no means the most intuitive system she had worked with, Masako managed to the best of her abilities.

"Junbi wa dekite imasu, ojōsama! (I'm ready to do this, mistress!)" Agumon announced and Cure Cookie nodded. Closing her eyes for just a moment, she calmed her nerves. This was not a time for anger and/or frustration. No, this was a time to fight on until the battle was over. Or something along those lines.

"Dīenuē no shinka! (DNA Evolution!)" Cure Cookie announced, watching the kirakira collected shoot forth from the Pact and over to Agumon. Absorbing it into his body, a cocoon formed around him. Unlike the one that had appeared around Masako, there was a much different feeling to it. Rather than getting cuter, Agumon was going to grow bigger and more powerful. In a good way, rather than that of a mean, destructive way she had grown used too. Hopefully not involving fusion in some capacity.

Agumon Burst Warp Evolve too… Shine Greymon Burst Mode!

The now rather cocoon shattered, bringing with it a massive armored knight. Holding what can be only described as one of those double-bladed swords with the hilt in the middle. How he was supposed to avoid accidentally destroying the building is beyond me. Good thing I don't need to deal with that problem in the slightest.

"Kore wa dōiu imidesu ka? ! Mega o aite ni shinakereba naranai nante dare mo oshiete kuremasendeshita! (What is the meaning of this?! No one told me that I would have to be dealing with a mega!)" the blob announced as Cure Cookie approached. Sighing, she put her Pact away. There was likely nothing else that she needed for that. Instead, she would just use her other special attacks for this mess. Those were bound to help here. At least, the magical girl hoped they would. If not, she just had to come up with a new plan.

"Masakosan, to iu koto wa Masaru-san wa katsute watashi no pātonādatta to iu kotodesu ka? (Masako, does that mean you were once my partner, Masaru?)" Shine Greymon Burst Mode inquired and Cure Cookie stared down at the ground. Could she even answer that question? She had no clue where her memories of this place ended and speculation began. Even if she did know, would her possible digimon partner want to know this answer. She had lived what one would no doubt consider a fulfilling life in Ichigozaka. Yet, had there been something she had left behind. Not intentionally, but by chance? Possible, but there were still pieces of the puzzle missing. Pieces that she probably couldn't ever retrieve, even if she gave it her best shot. All the more reason to fight on.

"Tabun? Sono ten ni tsuite wa watashiniha kanzen ni wa wakarimasen. (Maybe? I'm not entirely certain on that front.)" Cure Cookie announced as she got around behind the blob creature. Landing a flurry of kicks, that was enough to get their attention. Just in time for Shine Greymon Burst Mode to begin beating up the creature. In perfect sync, that was all they needed to do here. At least until a digi-egg took the place of this particular combatant. "Motto ōku no hito ga yattekuru to kangaeru no wa machigaideshou ka? (Would it be wrong of me to assume that there are more coming our way?)"

Shine Greymon Burst Mode nodded. That pretty much summed up the mess that they found themselves in. A part of him would've thought that things would be different now that he and everyone else had returned, that was sadly not the case. No, they were very much the same. Just with the pieces rearranged and the roles rewritten.

"Gotcha." Cure Cookie announced, slowly heading in the direction of the trail of destruction caused by the former slime. If she was lucky, then there was a chance she would run into Yoshino and that bush. Or perhaps someone else who could maybe clue her into what was going on here. Yeah. That would very much be the best here. Even as what looked to be more debris echoed forth. Picking up their pace, care was taken to not accidentally destroy even more of the place than what had already been done. Easier said than done, but the pair did their best.

"Masako?" Yoshino called out, a tall woman dressed like she was late to an S&M club. Not that this explained why giant light pink rose petals covered her head.

"Gomen. Kainyū shinakereba naranakatta. Gozonji no yō ni, hīrō mono. (Sorry. Had to intervene. You know, hero stuff.)" Cure Cookie announced as she shifted her attention ahead. There, a massive clay doll that wouldn't look out of place in a museum was throwing a tantrum… for some reason. Throwing boxes about, there was also the added trouble of the discs they occasionally threw about. "Subete no hako wa nanidesu ka? (What's with all the boxes?)"

Yoshino stared down at the floor. Muttering something to herself, her gaze returned back to Cure Cookie.

"Nanrakano riyū de dejimon ga modotte kuru kanōsei ga aru tame, furui sōbi o subete kakusu tame ni tairyō no hako ga hitsuyōdeshita. (We needed a whole bunch of boxes to hide all the old equipment on the off-chance that the digimon were to return for one reason or another.)" Yoshino explained and Cure Cookie raised an eyebrow. Old equipment? Implied former employer? Digimon returning? While these felt like pieces coming together in a larger puzzle, she still felt like she didn't have the entire picture and/or the number of pieces required. Made for quite a frustrating time trying to solve it. If she could even say it was possible. For now, the magical girl shoved that thought away and focused on her opponent. Not even waiting to see if Shine Greymon Burst Mode was following behind (he was), her fist connected with that of the clay doll's side. Knocking them back ever so slightly, she just managed to get out of the missile barrage that followed. Looking over to Shine Greymon Burst Mode, a chuckle escaped the dinosaur knight digimon's lips.

"Gomen. Teikō dekimasendeshita, ojōsama. (Sorry. I couldn't resist, mistress.)" Shine Greymon Burst Mode announced and Cure Cookie rolled her eyes. While that happened, Rosemon Burst Mode took the opportunity to lash out with her whips. Grabbing one of the legs, it was a cinch to throw the doll off balance and have them tumble over. With that, it then came a matter of a simple beatdown. Nothing too special, not that it needed to be in the slightest. Better to save one's strength for the trials and tribulations ahead. Like a good fighter would.

"Daijōbu. (It's okay.)" Cure Cookie announced and looked ahead. Just making out a large hole of sorts, she cautiously approached. Shine Greymon Burst Mode and company followed right behind, taking care to give the magical girl some distance. Not because they thought she was dangerous, more so she could do her work without having to worry about anything in the way of collateral damage. Definitely for the best here.

"Masakosama ni tsuite dōomoimasuka? (What do you think of Masako?)" Rosemon Burst Mode inquired and Yoshino looked away. Muttering something to the floor, she forced her gaze back to her partner. So many different questions remained unanswered here and would very likely remain that way for the foreseeable future. Even if they could be answered, would these be things that the officer and her companions would wish to hear? They had just been betrayed, after all. What if there was someone else within that wished to commit even worse acts?

"Shinkokyū, Yoshino. (Deep breaths, Yoshino.)" she told herself as the next target came into view. Taking the form of a massive set of twisted construction equipment, Ikuto, Thoma and their digimon were doing their best to deal with it. No sign of their boss, though. Hopefully he hadn't gotten hurt and/or killed. Not worth thinking about right now. Instead, Yoshino found a place near the action to watch and direct her partner. By no means ideal, it was good enough here in this strange situation.

"Masaru?" Ikuto announced as Cure Cookie passed by him. Giving him a look, her attention returned to her target. Once that was dealt with, maybe she could talk to this b-

Before Masako could finish that thought, she was lifted up into the air by a large, armored claw.

"Oi! Ōkina aidea to wa nanidesu ka?! (Hey! What's the big idea?!)" Cure Cookie shouted, craning her neck to see the face of the creature who was dumb enough to grab her. Taking for a blue wolfman, the magical girl rolled her eyes. "Watashi wa anata no soba ni imasu. (I'm on your side.)"

For that remark, she got an eye roll. Tempted as Cure Cookie was to continue engaging in this childish tomfoolery, she decided against it.

"Kanojo wa wareware no mikatada, mirājugaogamonbāsutomōdo. (She's on our side, Mirage Gaogamon Burst Mode.)" Shine Greymon Burst Mode announced, only to be met with a look from his companion. Rubbing his hand in front of his free hand, Mirage Gaogamon Burst Mode's gaze shifted over to Cure Cookie. Lifting her up to his face, care was taken in the examination. Then he set the magical girl down.

"Etto… arigatō? (Uh… thanks?)" Cure Cookie announced and focused on the twisted construction equipment creature. Having somehow not noticed her (yet), that was all the more reason to get in a sneak attack. Or at least, attempt one. Hopefully, the large crow tengu creature wouldn't do anything that would give her position away. Though, her companions might do that for her. Oh well.

Slowing her pace down, Cure Cookie took the opportunity to get on her opponent. What followed was a very careful jog up to the head. At least, what looked like the head of the beast.

"Kukkīkuranburu! (Cookie Crumble!"

Conjuring a cookie from thin air, she brought down on her opponent. Jumping off before the collision, that brought with the destruction of this particular creature. Creating with it a digi-egg, Cure Cookie managed to grab it with ease. Setting it down upon landing, her gaze turned to the group. Giving a wave, Thoma made his approach. Doing a small circle around the magical girl, he stopped in front of her.

"Etto… soreha dekinakatta nodesu ka? Yūjin ga watashi no kokoro o nusunda nochi, watashi ni sono yōna koto o shita no o mita koto ga arimasu. (Uh… could you not do that? I've seen a friend do that to me after he stole my friend's heart.)" Cure Cookie explained and got a look from her possible friend. Waiting a moment for the obvious question to be blurted out, she was instead met with silence. "Zōkide wa naku, hiyu-tekina shinzō. (Metaphorical heart, not the organ.)"

Thoma raised an eyebrow. A part of him wanted to push further here, but it was probably best to leave sleeping dogs lying here until this situation had been resolved. Yeah. Definitely for the best here.

"Shitte oite son wa arimasen ka? (Good to know?)" Thoma answered and headed back over to the group. Cure Cookie followed right behind, lost in thought. There couldn't be that many more creatures that were intent on destroying this place. Had to be something here that was worth stealing. What exactly, she couldn't say. Probably had something to do with computers, if a guess needed to be made. Technology was the way of the future, after all. "Hoka ni nanika tsutaetaikoto wa arimasu ka? (Anything else that you need to tell us?)"

Breaking Cure Cookie out from her thoughts, she forced her gaze back over to the surgeon. Where to even begin with a question like that? It would absolutely help if she knew what Thoma knew. But considering he wasn't willing to give that information out… yet.

"Amari? (Not really?)" Cure Cookie answered as she looked ahead. Barely making out the last of the fighting, she did a double take. Of course that woman from before was here. Why the fuck wouldn't she be? It just made too much sense. That didn't explain the centaur she was taking on, or the blue armored figure helping out that woman. "Kudaranai. (Crap.)"

Shooting off, the rest of the group did their best to follow right behind. Easier said than done with the speed difference. Yet, they managed to the best of their abilities.

"Kantoku, setsumei sa sete itadakimasu! (Director, we can explain!" Yoshino announced, her former boss looking their way for just a moment. Then it's back to the fight occurring.

"Kore ni tsukimashiteha mōshiwakegozaimasen! (Sorry about this!)" Cure Cookie announced, ignoring Sleipmon in favor of the attacking pair. Splitting her gaze between them, a sigh escaped her lips. "Sore de. Koko de gutaitekini nani o tassei shiyou to shite iru no ka oshietekudasai. (So. Care to tell me what exactly you're trying to accomplish here?)"

The woman rolled her eyes.

"Kuzamon, kanojo o koroshite kudasai. (Kuzhamon, kill her.)" the woman announced, her partner making a beeline for Cure Cookie. Swinging her khakkhara at the magical girl, Cure Cookie stepped back. Getting out of the way in time, she countered with a punch to the stomach. Knocking Kuzhamon back, that was the woman's cue to close the distance and swing for the head. All that accomplished was getting thrown away from Cure Cookie.

"Kore ga darena no ka oshiete moraemasu ka? (Care to fill me in on who this is?)" Cure Cookie announced and looked over to the director. A sigh escaped his lips, just in time for the sound of a bird to echo through.

"Arekkusu wa, sukoshi mae ni watashitachi ga hirotta hitodeshita. Watashitachi ni wa karada ga tarinakattanode, sukunakutomo dejimon no koto o shitte iru hito ga hitsuyōdeshita. Watashitachi no sentaku ga warukatta koto ga hanmei shimashita. (Alex was someone we picked up not that long ago. We were lacking bodies and needed someone who was at least aware of digimon. Turns out we picked badly.)" Commander Sampson announced and Cure Cookie nodded. Looking for the bird, she didn't need to look far for them. Taking the form of Chika on a Haouhoumon, her gaze was firmly fixed to Cure Cookie.

"Ani? Iya, ojichan? (Big brother? No, big sister?)" Chika called out and watched Cure Cookie look her way. Clearly not certain what to make of this new arrival, she chose to flash a smile her way. That felt like the best move to be made in this uncertain situation. Even as Alex jumped into the air in the hopes of grabbing the teenage girl. Getting cut off by Cure Cookie, the magical girl swatted her down with ease. Holding her down for a second, she met her opponent's gaze.

"Dewa, naze kono yōna kon'nan o keiken shita no ka oshiete itadakemasu ka? (Now are you willing to tell why you went through all this trouble?)" Cure Cookie inquired, only for Alex to spit on the ground. Because of course she did that. No honor among thieves, after all.

"Poriasu jishin no imēji nimotozuite kōchiku sa reta, machigai de mitasa rete inai yoriyoi sekai no tame ni. Anata ni wa rikai dekinaideshou. (For the sake of a better world - one not filled with mistakes, built in Polias's own image. You wouldn't understand.)" Alex announced as Kuzhamon floated down and scooped her up. Shooting Cure Cookie a look, that was the perfect opportunity to flip her off for good measure. Just in case the point didn't get across as she and her partner were whisked away somewhere else.

"Fū. (Phew.)" Cure Cookie announced, reverting back to Masako right after saying that. Looking over to the digimon, they too did the same. With the added bonus of their gazes being locked onto the pastry princess here. Of course they were, this whole mess had brought with it a fair share of questions. Some easier to answer than others. "Shitsumon suru tame ni torishirabe-shitsu ni modoru hitsuyō ga aru to omoimasu. (I'm going to assume that I'm going to need to go back to the interrogation room for que-)"

Masako's question was cut off by Chika running over and giving her a jump hug. While Masako accepted the gesture, a feeling of confusion hung tightly over her mind. All these people felt so familiar and yet, the reason why was paradoxically out of reach. Was some entity taunting her or was there something else at play? The pastry princess honestly couldn't say. Made it somehow worse in her mind.

Yet, her arms carefully wrapped her possible sister for an embrace. For now, she would just roll with the punches. Sooner or later, something was bound to happen that would either clear things up or point her in the right direction for answers to said question. Either way, a win-win in her book.

Trinity's Notes:

Well, that was a dow-

Welcome back. How was your visit with the boss? How do I know? He texted me that you showed up. Can't wait to see you in 3D. ;)

Wait. IT got married? Good for her. Who's the lucky person?

A robot by the name of ASH? Huh. Good to know. Though, I trust you want your role back?

Well, here you go.

Narrator Switch: Trinity to Harlequin