Sakura's late getting home again, and so a frantic rollerblading run is on. She manages to avoid slamming into moving men holding up a couch, but a cat causes her to lose balance! She's saved from falling by a mysterious woman in shades, remarking about how cats are such troublemakers. She doesn't stop to talk, but merely says she'll see Sakura again tomorrow.
That next day, she still hasn't learned her lesson about keeping time, but maybe that woman could give her some pointers. After all, she's the new math teacher.
Layla McKenzie
- Japanese Name: Kaho Mizuki
- Age: not given (I'd guess in her 30's)
- Voice Actor: Linda Rae
Oh, yes, Ms. McKenzie. As a kid, she creeped me out a lot, She, along with the Harry Potter professors and other such characters, was the reason why I used to believe my teachers had hidden magical powers involving some dark school conspiracy. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Li instantly distrusts the woman, as he senses something strange. While discussing matters with the crew, Ms. Mckenzie suddenly shows up out of nowhere, snooping in on the conversation and going into a math derail. She tells Li he's a great math student, so she doesn't know why he has to be on guard. Proceeding on to the girls, she then recognizes Madison's aptitude, Meilin's struggle, and Sakura's commendable performance. Sakura thanks her teacher for yesterday. "Destiny, I guess."
Nikki tells the girls about good luck amulets, which instantly catches Sakura's attention, though not as much as Meilin's. Trying to save face, she badly attempts to feign disinterest, but that doesn't stop her from dragging Li over to the vendor. Sakura senses something wicked this way come, and at the sound of a bell, the fearless foursome are transported into a giant labyrinth. Okay, technically, it should be called a maze, since labyrinths are defined as only having one path
, but whatever.
I'm puzzled as to why the show still displays her using her Clow senses, since it's not like the other mystical obstacles were anything else. Li informs the team that it will only vanish when they find the exit, so they should work together. Meilin is suspicious of Sakura's intentions, but she's at the point where she tells her to give it a rest.
They try following a single wall, but that only leads them back to the beginning. The next plan: the Lasin Board, but its magnetic field (?) gets neutralized. So how about flying over the entire structure? Nope, the maze has countermeasures against such cheating. Meilin gets increasingly frustrated and kicks her foot against the wall, which doesn't help according to Li. Sakura, however, gets some inspiration yet again. Cutting through the wall should do the trick...or not. The wall merely regenerates quickly, and, in response to Sakura's attempted "cheating", it shifts the dimensions from 2-D to 3-D. Li manages to rescue Madison in the transition, and they find out that there's more to it than the 3-D Leap. The labyrinth has now become something like one of those abstract paintings, with an assortment stairs and passageways that seem to have no rhyme or reason. Further complicating the madness, it has taken on Super Mario Galaxy physics, as they find Meilin trapped and sideways. Li's Element: Wind spell has no effect on the Gravity Screw, so they resort to a different plan: taking the stairs.
It's getting late and the Avalon family is getting worried. Tori goes off looking for her. The team continues to make their way through the twisted dimensions as Meilin cries for help, saying she's sideways. Wait, how would she know? From her view, it would be everyone else who is sideways, unless it's the gravitational pull, but then wouldn't it still be felt under her direction, unless it's the Earth's, and...why am I trying to make sense of this? Anyways, to progress further, the trio has to go inside a dark passageway, so they tell Meilin to count so they can figure out her relative direction. Within the tunnel, her voice suddenly goes silent and outside, they can no longer see her. Sakura gets the genius, unexpected idea of going back the way they came, but before they can do that, a bell sounds and a shadow approaches. No need to fear, it's Meilin! But before the happy reunion can go on long, yet another shadow approaches. Ms. Mckenzie shows up in front of the class to teach them the subject of life. It turns out she was trying to warn them of the impending maze with her magic bell, but it was already too late. She tells them the solutions don't always appear as they expect. In other words, she cheats by blasting away the wall. Though I guess it's only fair. The maze strongly hinted at cheating itself. And that's the lesson for today.
Sakura is prepared to seal away The Maze
◊, but she's nervous about doing it around Ms. Mckenzie. Understanding her cue, she turns around so she can finish the job. It goes over to Ms. Mckenzie, but she has no apparent need for it as she gives it to Sakura. Tori shows up to reprimand her sister for staying out this late, but as Sakura tries to wildly justify the situation, Ms. Mckenzie apologizes on her behalf. Suddenly, another crisis strikes! Meilin and Sakura realize that the amulet shop is closed, but Ms. Mckenzie has them covered.
Parting ways, Li admits to being mildly impressed by Sakura, and he then has to deal with Meilin, who is so eager to show him her new amulet. Ms. Mckenzie too has to go, but it's been a pleasure meeting Tori. The episode ends with her almost vanishing off into the distance.
