Sakura lost track of time and is rollerblading like the wind to get home, dodging various obstacles until she stumbles past a cat, when a helping hand stops her from falling. A lady removes her sunglasses as she greets Sakura and remarks that they'll meet again tomorrow. Sakura finds her both puzzling and endearing at the same time.
The next day Sakura's later than usual and only just makes it to class on time. Mr Terada announces that their maths teacher, Ms Tsutsumi, will be taking extended leave and introduces them to Ms Mizuki as the substitute. Sakura's stunned to see it's the same lady she met the day before. Ms Mizuki is met with a generally warm reception from the class, except for Syaoran. During a break he advises Sakura to beware their new teacher as she radiates an aura of great power; adding to his suspicion they suddenly hear her voice, giving advice on the impact of stress when studying, having got so close without any of them noticing. She identifies each of them by name before leaving.
As the school day ends playground gossip spreads of the lucky charms available at the Tsukimine Shine. Sakura, Syaoran and Meilin all take an interest although Meilin tries to cover her interest as being superfluous. Later on Sakura heads down to the shrine to acquire a love charm with Tomoyo and catches sight of Meilin dragging Syaoran in. As they discuss their mutual arrival a strange gong is heard and, all of a sudden, a mass of green walls and a green floor surround them. A Clow card known as The Maze has ensnared them and the only way to beat it is to find the exit.
After some time the quartet find themselves back where they started, defeating Tomoyo's assumption that, like all mazes, you can find your way out by keeping one hand on the wall. Sakura now attempts to fly up and scout for the exit, but Maze is very strict and raises the walls to stop her from looking over them. Meilin kicks the wall in frustration, giving Sakura the idea of hacking their way through but the walls just close up again before the gap can be exploited. Then things get very awkward as the maze shifts around them, posing a notable risk; once it settles down again Sakura, Tomoyo and Syaoran find themselves in a maze that looks as though it came straight out of an M.C. Escher catalogue. Syaoran notices Meilin's absence but her shouts can be heard; she's stranded in another part of the maze clearly visible from their position but, due to the reshaping of the maze, is hard to reach.
Following the maze as best they can they find that they'll have to pass through a tunnel. Syaoran tells Meilin to start counting up slowly and loudly so they can keep tabs on her position. Meilin just gets to nine when she's cut-off, prompting the three of them to run for the far end of the tunnel, only to see she's no longer where they last saw her. Footsteps are now heard from around a corner, when Meilin pops up to their surprise. Meilin explains someone helped her find her way to them and more footsteps are heard. Sakura and Tomoyo are particularly surprised when Ms Mizuki appears, who tells them that the appearance of the maze was a surprise to her. The gong they heard earlier was a bell she was carrying to alert them to the possibility of supernatural danger. Sakura's stomach growls at this point, prompting Ms Mizuki to remark that they'd better find the exit soon, whereupon they explain that their efforts to find the way out have been proving futile.
Ms Mizuki then taps her bell against the wall, causing great breaches to form in several walls from there onwards. Sakura starts to recall how the walls would just re-seal but is stunned upon seeing Ms Mizuki just walk right through. Tomoyo cheerfully remarks on the benefit of this but Syaoran once again tells Sakura to beware their new teacher, after such a demonstration.
The prolonged delay has led to Touya getting on his bike to scout for his sister and he's managed to reach the entrance to the Tsukimine Shine, which attracts his attention.
By now Ms Mizuki's bell has broke down so many walls that they now have a clear run at the exit. Shortly after exiting the maze begins to curl into a new form to start the whole thing again; Syaoran prompts Sakura to seal it before they get caught but she's reluctant to perform magic in front of her teacher. Recognising her unease Ms Mizuki resolves to turn her back, but Sakura's still uncertain until a shout brings out her resolve. Upon sealing the card it flies over into Ms Mizuki's hands; before Sakura can form an explanation she just hands it over to her.
Just then Touya appears, worried and annoyed. Sakura tries to explain what she can but Ms Mizuki intervenes, with Touya stunned at the sight of her, having had previous dealings with her. At this point Sakura and Meilin remember what they came here for in the first place and realise the charm stall has closed for the evening. As it happens Ms Mizuki had anticipated their intentions and got them a couple of charms earlier.
As everyone prepares to depart Syaoran again affirms that Sakura should beware Ms Mizuki, but she's preoccupied by the look of recognition her brother gave Ms Mizuki. The two of them look on as she withdraws back into the shrine.
This episode provides examples of:
- Cool Teacher: Kaho Mizuki. Mr Terada to a lesser extent.
- Cutting the Knot: Mizuki's bell ends up smashing the maze walls so everyone can escape and Sakura can seal the cards.
- Honor Before Reason: The Maze card's modus operandi. It refuses to allow any leeway in terms of reaching the exit, making it even harder should anyone try to cheat, not even when nature says otherwise.
- Reality Is Out to Lunch: The Maze card's responsible for reality clocking out.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Common at Tomoeda Elementary, but Kaho Mizuki takes it to the next level.
- Stating the Simple Solution:
- Tomoyo tries to put her hand on the Maze wall to find the exit. The maze cheats.
- Sakura tries to slice an opening with the Sword card. The wall grows back before they can go through.
- Sakura then tries to fly to see where the exit is. The walls then grow.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Meilin's response to the gossip about Tsukimine Shrine's charms.
- The Maze: Obviously.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Syaoran Li has burning suspicions that Kaho Mizuki's going to be a serious threat.
