After convincing Ami and Usagi to let them in, Chibiusa and Pluto manage to break through some of the illusion and remind the other senshi of who they are. Despite no longer believing they are children, they are still stuck as their younger selves until they completely escape Queen Badiane's power. And so they decide to try and locate the other senshi and find a way to permanently escape the dream.

_____________________________________________________

Makoto still couldn't believe how easily they had fallen under that flute's musical spell. She was happy that Pluto and Sailor Chibi Moon had found a way to contact them, but now she was stuck in a body that couldn't fight back. Being so helpless was difficult for her to swallow, since she was so used to taking care of others.

"So how do we even know where to look for the others?" she asked as they stepped back out of the gingerbread house. Who knew where Haruka, Michiru, Rei, Minako, and Mamoru were in this strange dream? And then a pond seemed to fade into existence, previously hidden from their view. The sounds of splashing and laughing carried over, and two small figures could be seen.

Ami felt a little bit wistful at being reminded that this was a plot by one of their enemies. Her own childhood always seemed just a bit lacking. By comparison, this fake one had been enjoyable. Unfortunately, it was not real. That was the most important part, as she well knew. There wasn't time to miss it, either. They had to find the others and escape.

"I think those are our friends," Ami commented, staring at the pond in the distance. She couldn't tell just who, but it looked like their small group would be growing in size rather quickly.

Chibi Moon was more than happy to give Makoto, Ami, and Usagi a demonstration of her super awesome powers, and after some more convincing, they finally managed to remind the girls of who they really were. Now they just had to find the other four senshi and get out of here.

That wouldn't be so hard...right?

It took a bit of time, but they eventually spotted two figures in the distance. Judging by the fact that they hadn't run into any other creature in this dream world, Chibi Moon had a strong feeling that the two figures had to be two of the senshi. She ran towards them, surprised to find Haruka and Michiru in a pond together. 

"Uh...hi girls! I'm Sailor Chibi Moon, and this is my partner, Sailor Pluto! We're super heroes. Would you mind coming over here for a minute? We have something important to tell you!" she called, trying to convey the urgency in her voice. She felt a little nervous, not sure how Child!Ruka and Child!Michi would react to her in this world.

Haruka could tell that Michiru was agitated with her, but she ignored it. She knew Michiru couldn't stay mad at her for long. "Just watch, I'll make it an Olympic sport!" she said, in regards to cannonballing. 

She twirled a piece of Michiru's wet hair around her finger before dropping it back into the water. "Well, you were starting to get smelly anyway. I did you a favor," Haruka teased. "Really though, I like it when your hair's wet. It looks like seaweed!" 

Haruka splashed in the water to show her excitement, but paused when she heard another, unfamiliar voice speaking to her. Instinctively, Haruka swam in front of Michiru, staring at the group of intruders. "You can't tell us what to do!" Haruka quipped. She wasn't about to be bossed around but walking cotton candy, no way.

Makoto's temper got the best of her as she heard Haruka blow off Chibiusa. They should have expected her and Michiru to be stubborn, considering how focused they were when fully grown... "Come on Haruka, this isn't a joke," she said, though she wasn't very intimidating at all in her current state. The sky started to darken above them, and the dream shifted.

Just then, the pond Haruka and Michiru were in started to bubble. Waves made the water's surface choppy as something large moved beneath them. And in the center, a wormlike creature emerged, towering over the children. The huge sea cucumber screeched and slowly moved towards Michiru, ignoring the others.

Here's the picture of one.:

Ami instinctively raised her hand to the sky, attempting to call upon her powers as Sailor Mercury, only to realize within a few seconds that she could not currently transform. She felt the lack of her abilities strongly in that moment. It was disorienting and upsetting, but her only choice now was to do what she could do.

"Look out!" Ami called to Michiru, seeing that the beast was quickly approaching the teal-haired child.

Ami jumped into the water and started swimming towards the girl and the monster. She didn't know if she'd reach them in time, but maybe she could distract it!

Their good fortune at being able to remind the senshi who they were only seemed to last so long. She frowned when Haruka ignored Chibiusa. It wasn't like the other to do so. Then again, they weren't really themselves right now, were they?

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw the water creature head towards Michiru. Ami, unable to transform and still stuck in the body of a child had already jumped in the water in an attempt to help Michiru in some way. Was she trying to distract it? Would she even make it in time? 

"Dead Scream," she used her staff, her body flowing through the motions of her attack.  Hopefully it would be strong enough to destroy the creature or send it off course to buy Michiru some time. 

OOC:

Michiru loved Haruka very much, but she sincerely doubted cannonballing would ever become an Olympic sport.

When Haruka dared to say that she was smelly, Michiru punched her in the arm with her tiny fist. “How dare you! I am a proper lady and I am never smelly!” Her face reddened in embarrassment and annoyance. Such rude words! She pouted at Haruka’s next remark, not liking her hair being compared to seaweed any more than being accused of having a foul odor. “My hair is beautiful, thank you very much.”

At the sound of someone else’s voice, Michiru turned, squinting to the distance. Sailor Chibi Moon? What kind of ridiculous superhero name was that? And why should she believe they were superheroes just because they said so?

As per usual, Haruka had shown her bravado first, refusing to do what these strangers said. Michiru agreed with her, but then she heard another person in the group say Haruka’s name. Her eyes narrowed. How did that tall brunette know Haruka’s name?

She didn’t have enough time to ponder this, however. Shadow fell over her as the sky darkened, and the previously calm pond started to bubble. It felt more like an ocean now, and though Michiru usually loved the ocean, something about this made her feel uneasy. What was causing these waves? There was nothing in this pond… right?

“Haruka—” she started, but then it appeared.

The most hideous, terrifying creature in the world surfaced from the water and towered above them. As it let out a monstrous screech, Michiru opened her mouth and matched it with her own shrill scream. The creature was moving directly toward her! It was going to eat her!

“HARUKA! HELP! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

She clambered onto Haruka, effectively climbing on top of the blonde in her panic. What was going on and why was she going to die eaten by this terrifying monster why was this happening?!?!?!?!

Usagi was just about to take a big bite out of another chocolate chip cookie when she heard the voices. She wondered where this Sailor Chibi Moon and Sailor Pluto had come from. She wanted to go back to her eating and playing, but as Chibi Moon spoke the memories began to come back.

Usagi would be lying if she said she didn't want to stay a kid forever. If she were a kid, she wouldn't have to be Sailor Moon. She realized that would not be good in that she would not be able to fulfil her duty as a superhero.

Usagi followed the others. She saw Haruka and Michiru, who were also in kid form. Usagi was confused, why were they all still in child form? Who would do this? When Usagi saw the monster attacking Michiru, she reached for her brooch, and called out "Moon Crisis, make up". When she didn't transform, Usagi couldn't help but feel a sadness and frustration all at the same time. She felt tears brimming in her eyes as she clenched her fists.

Usagi had to do something to help the others, she ran toward the sea monster. She jumped in the air and yelled "sailor kick" as she kicked the monster and then fell into the pond.

Usagi's attack was far weaker since she was transformed, and the sea monster barely acknowledged it before going back towards Michiru. Pluto's Dead Scream, stopped it for only a moment, and then it turned its attention on the other children, screeching again. If anything, the hit had just upset it more...

"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!" Makoto gasped when she couldn't transform either, and then braced herself to face the creature anyway. They couldn't allow Michiru to be hurt here!

Read this:

Her attacked had done nothing but make the monster pause for a short moment before it returned it's attention to Haruka and Michiru. What was going on? Pluto noted out of the corner of her eye that Makoto wasn't able to transform. Was it because this was a dream and the only reason she and Chibi Moon were transformed was because they came into the dream like this?

The awful monster completely ignored Ami's attempts. Michiru was still screaming for Haruka, and the beast was still rushing at them. Ami took another deep breath and swam forward, but the sea cucumbeast remained focused on the dual target. It didn't look like there was anything the blue-haired girl could do! She cringed, stopping and treading water, watching with horror. If only they could do something!

A tiny blonde in pigtails dove into the pool, and then one of the adults called something out that created some kind of energy that stopped the monster for a moment. Michiru was just about to sigh in relief when it started moving toward her again, looking even more pissed.

There was something about it, just as it loomed right in front of her about to eat her and Haruka that reminded Michiru of something.

Of another creature, just as monstrous, with a long body and many legs like a centipede. It wasn’t a water creature, but it was threatening Haruka…

If she must die here, that was fine. But if this monster was going to kill Haruka too…

She couldn’t have that.

A flash of memory about an item appeared in her mind, and Michiru found herself instinctively reaching for it. It reminded her of power.

As if summoned by the memory, a slim object appeared in her hand, its top shaped like a crescent moon, but blue…

In the next second, the words came to her mouth. “Neptune Planet Power, Make Up!”

A flash, and suddenly she was transformed. Neptune jumped off of Haruka and stood in front of her to face the monster head-on. Being in her element helped boosted her confidence, even if she realized her figure was still smaller than it was supposed to be.

“DEEP SUBMERGE!” she cried, sending the waves crashing against the terrifying creature.

Even in senshi form, even with her memories back, it still gave her the chills.

When the aqua-haired girl suddenly transformed into a uniform like that of the two who accompanied their group, Ami became more convinced that what the tall dark-haired one said was true. She felt a tug of recognition to see the uniform and hear the words of power cried out. It was something she had heard before. More and more she understood that the memories returned to her were real. At least the terrible thing that attacked had been defeated by Sailor Neptune.

This place... this was not where they belonged. How were they going to get out of here?

The massive sea cucumber let out a final screech as Sailor Neptune's Deep Submerge made contact. It writhed and glowed white with a mysterious energy before evaporating from existence. The dark clouds disappeared, and the lake was calm again. 

Makoto had to blink a few times to clear her vision, but then she noticed that the monster was gone. 

"You did it!" she said, running up to the lake excitedly. "Um...I'm not sure how though." How could Michiru transform when the rest of them failed?

Neptune watched with relief as the monster was vanquished, returning the calm to its previous calm state.

She turned to Makoto, who was cheering for her. Now that she remembered everything, seeing the other girls as their children selves sure looked weird, even if she knew she herself was the same way. This is most embarrassing, she thought as she inspected her short legs and chubbier hands.

“What is going on here?” she demanded. “Why are we like this?”

Finally, Michiru was back to her usual self!

"We were fighting Queen Badiane, and her fairies overwhelmed everyone with their flutes," Chibi Moon explained. "This is a dream. Pluto and I, we're trying to figure out how to get you all back to normal."

Now that she had regained her ability to transform into Sailor Neptune, that brought them a little bit closer to their goal!

Usage was happy that Michiru was safe now and the crisis was over, but she also suddenly felt a bit off. This was a dream, it didn't make sense. Usagi had plenty of dreams where she was Sailor Moon, so why couldn't she transform in this dream.

She looked to Chibimoon and Pluto as she spoke.

"you mean this whole time we were in a dream because of those flutes..." she trailed off as she tried to piece everything together.

"you mean all that yummy food I was eating wasn't even real?" she asked as tears welled in her eyes. Usagi loved to eat and learning that this food was not real crushed her small child heart. 

Though she was more concerned with not being able to transform, but she was too scared to say it, even if it were a dream. Usagi never wanted to trouble others with her worries or fears.

Michiru had been able to transform when she had been in danger. Looking at the senshi they gathered so far, Pluto couldn't help but wonder if that was the key for them to be able to transform in this dream; the need to defend themselves or someone. She had nothing to prove her ideas at the moment, so she decided to keep it to herself. 

"We should continue to move and try and find a way to leave this dream," Pluto suggested.

She walked over to place a comforting hand on Usagi's shoulder.

"You were able to enjoy it even if it wasn't real, Usagi-chan," Ami commented, in response to the blonde's distress about the existence of the treats from earlier.

Pluto's suggestion was right. They needed to keep moving.

Queen Badiane. Chibi Moon’s words brought the memories back into Neptune’s mind, and she remembered. They were in a dream?

If only she had had her… perspicacity earlier, she would have been able to see the truth through her mirror easily. She turned toward Pluto, the one she was used to turning to find answers. “Do you know how to get out of here?”

As if reacting to Michiru's question, the ground shone, and a simple cobblestone road appeared in front of them. The road continued on across the grassy plain and over a far off hill. And in the far distance, what looked like a twisted castle sat on a mountain top. 

The sky around the mountains was grey and thunderous, but it was the only new destination in sight. As if luring them in, the faint sound of flute music could be heard in the air.

Sailor Chibi Moon tensed to hear the flute music. She thought of Queen Badiane and her fairy henchmen, their flutes the entire reason the group had wound up here, like this. She glanced up at Pluto and the others, wondering if they had the same thoughts.

"Well, I guess we should go this way," the pink-haired sailor soldier said with a shrug, stepping towards the tower. It could be a trap, but with the way the landscape had shifted there seemed little way to avoid it anyway.

If she was the type of person to do so, Pluto would have faced palmed when the dream suddenly reacted to Neptune's question and showed them the way to get out of here. Sure, it may be the way out, but the Guardian of Time had a feeling that it was a trap. 

What choice did they have though? Sometimes it was best to take the enemy head on and all they could do was be as prepared as they could. At least Neptune could transform now. Perhaps the others will figure out how to transform as well on the way. 

"I agree with Small Lady, however, be on your guard, this is most likely a trap."

Ami nodded at the comment from Sailor Pluto, already moving forward to follow Sailor Chibi Moon. She glanced over her shoulder and gave a supportive smile to Usagi.

"Come on, Usagi-chan," she said. "Let's go home."

It wouldn't be as simple as walking through a door—obviously some kind of trial awaited them—but the group had to keep going if they were ever going to escape for this dream.

Maybe all we had to do was ask…

Neptune looked at the castle atop the mountain, surrounded by a darkening sky. Most certainly a trap, but the only way they could go for now. If it was a challenge that needed to be beaten, better to face it directly.

She was beginning to really hate the sound of that flute.

“Following the yellow brick road it is,” she mumbled as she followed the others toward their new destination.

Michiru never did like The Wizard of Oz.

It was less than half an hour of walking through the rolling, grass covered plains, following the simple road to the mountains, until they saw something new. Just down the hill was an airplane. It wasn't a small one, but a large commercial passenger jet, and it was parked right in the middle of the road they were taking, tail end facing the group.

The jet looked abandoned, with cracked windows, rusted metal parts, and chipped paint. The logo on the side was barely legible, but it looked like Japanese writing.

Makoto stopped at the top of the hill, as if her legs had frozen in place. They didn't have to walk near that thing, right? The cargo hatch opened up with a creak, and she flinched back as it lowered to the ground. The inside of it was dark, but it was a clear sign.

This was the way they needed to go.

"An... airplane?" Chibi Moon said, confused to see the thing. The battered craft seemed like such a clear piece of "normal" reality amid the fever-dream fantasies of this strange world. She glanced around the group, noticing then that Makoto had come to a stop. The brunette's bright green eyes looked terrified, and it was then that Chibi Moon remembered the other girl's traumatic past.

She paused for a minute, unable to leave anyone behind but not sure of exactly what to say. Perhaps this was better addressed by some of Makoto's peers.

Usagi smiled at Ami's words. 

"I am definitely okay with that Ami-chan." 

Usagi followed close to her peers, hoping they could find a way out of this dream turned nightmare. Sh stopped with the others when they saw the plane. She wasn't sure if it was their ticket out of this dream, but she sensed Makoto's fear.

Usagi walked over to Makoto and squeezed her hand, "it's going to be okay Mako-chan. We will get out of this dream. I know this is scary, but we are all here with you and we won't let anything bad happen." Usagi hoped she sounded confident, because right now, if she were honest...she was scared too, but she had to be strong for her friends.

"Let us continue," Pluto said when she noticed that most of the group was pushing on but seemed scared to continue on, especially Makoto. "Makoto-san, you are a strong senshi, remember that. Do not let your fears control you. Your friends are by your side and together, you have accomplished many great things and will continue to do so in the future." She hoped that she sounded encouraging, her only experience with young children being Hotaru, who was a unique child in many ways.