New Earth: Part 5
By Tisha

	Chibi-Usa came to a dead-end in the hall she had been walking. She clicked onto her 
communicator. "This is a dead-end. I'll go back to the last fork and go the other way."

	Takara's voice came out in response. "This is getting ridiculous. We've been walking this place 
for three hours and none of us have gotten anywhere. And we have no idea what they've done to Rei 
and Michiko by now."

	"Apparently this person can't be found unless they want to be." This time it was Naomi's voice.

	Kita came on as well and said, "I'm getting worried. Why have they only taken Michiko?"

	Chibi-Usa walked back as she listened to the others and she turned down the other direction 
that she had passed earlier. "I'm really starting to think we should have told my mom."
	
•••••••••••••••••••

	Rei pulled on her restraints but they were just as strong, if not stronger than they had been 
before Michiko had melted them away. She sighed heavily and let herself relax on the floor. She 
looked at Michiko, who was looking at the restraints in frustration.

	"I can't do anything to them. She did something to my power."

	Rei looked at her. "If you find some way to get out, anything at all, please just run. She doesn't 
want you, she wants me. And you five girls need to get together and go home. Tell Usagi about this."	

	"Mom, I'm not leaving you here."

	"Michi, just do what I tell you to." Michiko looked at her and bit her lip. "Please." Michiko 
nodded and looked back at the restraints.

	Toshi came in and looked at Michiko. "Can't get out, can you?" She turned to Rei and smiled 
wickedly. She hurled a ball of energy that slammed her into the wall. Rei cried out and tried to sit back 
up but there was a throbbing pain in her side. She glared at Toshi, trying to ignore Michiko's cries.

	"I hate you. You were the one prettier and more enchanting than I was and you stole him. I've 
always hated you. And now you're tied up in *my* palace and I want to have some fun with you." She 
threw another energy ball and turned to leave the room. 	

	"Mom, are you okay?"

	Rei struggled with the pain. The tiniest movement made pain shoot through her entire body. 
She looked at her daughter. "Just try to get out of here Michi."

	Michiko pulled hard with her hands and feet. "How? My powers can't get through these things 
this time."

	Rei tried to take tiny breaths because if she took in too much air her chest would hurt severely. 
"I don't know. But you *need* to leave this place."

•••••••••••••••••••

	Takara was wandering through the dark halls, convinced that they had all been walking in 
circles and there was no way out of this maze, when she finally saw something different. It was a 
three-way intersection that she hadn't come upon before. Very carefully, she went in the direction 
that seemed more hidden and unnoticeable. Sure enough, she found herself in a very big room with 
Rei and Michiko secured to separate walls. 

	"You guys!"

	They both looked up at her. "Takara! Great, can you get these chains off?" Michiko asked the 
other girl. Takara went to the restraints and tried to focus her energy to breaking them off, but 
nothing happened.

	"I can't budge them. I think they withstand our powers." She stood and looked around the 
room, searching for any objects that would be helpful in freeing her friend. She looked at Rei for a 
minute, noticing she looked rather weak. "Are you okay?"

	Rei smiled at the girl. "Just hurry up before she comes back."

	Takara did as she was asked and went to the other side of the room. In a crevice of the wall 
she found a small ax. "I can probably use this." She came toward Michiko first, who pulled her hand 
forward to give the chain a little bit of slack for Takara to aim for. She very carefully swung the ax, 
releasing Michiko's hand. She did the same thing on the other side as well as with both of her feet 
before Takara headed to Rei.

	But Rei didn't try to give any slack to the chain. "You don't have time. Just go." Takara looked at 
her. "We're not going to leave you. My mother would kill me." Rei groaned a little as the movement 
sent pain up her side. She looked at Michiko instead. "Michi, you need to leave."

	Michiko swallowed, looking into her mother's pleading eyes and then at Takara. It would be 
taking a big risk to try and get Rei out in her current state with only two of them. However, if they left 
her behind and she were killed, Michiko could never forgive herself. "Mom...I can't just leave you 
here."

	A noise came from somewhere behind the walls. Rei tried to put on a stern face. "Leave. She'll 
be here soon."

	Michiko could tell that her mother was incredibly serious about the whole thing. She finally 
nodded, leaning down to kiss her mother. "We'll be right back." Takara reluctantly followed Michiko 
out of the room before leading the way back out into the maze-like hallways.

To be continued...