DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Ranma ½, Sailor Moon, Oh! My Goddess, or any other property which might show up. What I do own is the idea for this story, the concept of the Flower Knights (but not the individual characters who become one), and story elements unique to this tale.
That Old Time Renewal
by Faerie Knight
Chapter One
From the diaries of Usagi August 12th, 1995
Dear Diary,
I returned home today for the first time in who knows how long. Haven't seen Mom and Dad in what feels like ages. It's hard to tell how much time has passed in the forest. I could swear the war lasted decades, but I'm told it was only a little over a year and a half. I'm not the same person I use to be. None of us are. At least, those who are left are changed. We lost too many that day, and the Queen wouldn't let me bring them back.
I know I haven't written here in a while. Things got real crazy after training with that girl. Things were real close there at the end, I know. Still not sure how I feel about it all. But I really miss Rei and Mina-chan. I hear Ami is even more withdrawn now then when we first met. And no one's seen Mako-chan since that day. I really miss my friends. Even Luna's gone now. And no one will tell me where she went.
Mom and Dad nearly crushed me when they opened the door. Even my brother was actually less of a pain. Guess I can understand why though. I'm worried about the future however. I didn't quit, but what if what I saw still comes to pass? So many lost, and all my fault. Can I really handle this? I don't know, but I have to try. I can't let that happen. I wont let everything be taken away. Kami, it hurts so much.
From the diaries of Ami August 13th, 1995
Dear Diary,
I keep going over that day. Wondering if there was a way to save everyone. In my mind I've come up with dozens of different plans. If only we'd done something differently. If everyone had been there from the start. If we'd ignored the foot soldiers and concentrated on Oberon. If we'd discovered our attacks sooner. Something, anything. I'm suppose to be a genius. So why didn't I realize the army wasn't real? There were so many clues. So why didn't I pick up on them?
I can't help but feel we could have done better. Of course I'd felt the same after Beryl too. But after that we all recovered. Most of us died then, but we were brought back. Somehow I thought we'd always come back. But that's not true anymore, is it? They're gone and not coming back. Why did this have to happen? We're the good guys, aren't we? Good guys always win. Everything always turns out all right... So why not this time?
Huh, the mercury computer is beeping. Guess I better check that.
XxXxX
In a small apartment within the Juuban ward there lives a heartbroken woman. She'd been a doctor, but that had ended months ago. After her daughter had vanished it was hard to focus on work. Eventually the doctor had went on sabbatical for safety reasons. After all, it wasn't good to lose focus during surgery. And a mistake when making a diagnosis could be equally bad. But maybe now healing could finally begin.
Her daughter had been returned to her the day before. Her precious Ami was back safe and sound. But the teen was changed. There was a sorrow that hadn't been there before. The child's eyes had a haunted look. Her daughter must have seen something horrible, but refused to talk about it. Possibly something to do with her friends. But what? Was it related to that letter?
At the time the letter had seemed like a bad joke. And the girl who had delivered it wasn't one of Ami's friends. Which made the claim that Ami was in another dimension or something fighting a war even harder to believe. But what if it had been true? Could her little girl have been fighting a war? It would explain why she'd vanished. Why her friends had vanished too. But why Ami? That was one question she was afraid to have answered.
The answer she knew would probably break her heart. And yet, not knowing was almost as bad. I've barely been there for her in the past. But I can't do that again. I can't abandon my baby again. The heartsick mother crept up the stairs. At her daughter's bedroom door she paused. Indecision struck her just before turning the knob. She'll tell me when ready. But why didn't she tell me before? Finally she opened Ami's door.
The teen was doing something on her oddly shaped laptop. Her mother had no idea where Ami got it, or when. In the past she'd barely even noticed it. Now that I think about it, didn't Sailor Mercury carry something like it for a while? The senshi disappeared about the same time Ami and her friends did. And then those 'flower knights' started appearing... Could it be? Did they do something to the senshi? As the realization hit her, Ami's mother developed a large drop of sweat on the back of her head.
XxXxX
Harvest Season, 1390 P.M. midnight
The town was on fire. It had been burning for several days already. Just one side effect of an ongoing war. A war which was not going well. Queen Jane surveyed the damage with obvious disgust. At her side stood a friend she'd not seen in nine hundred years. Not since the end of the third faerie war. The realm's knights had been trying their hardest. And yet it seemed hopeless. The enemy seemed immune to everything her warriors could do. The kingdom wasn't under attack by anything connected with nature. Not this time.
In fact, the creatures laying waste to mankind reminded her of something from long ago. An enemy she'd thought long dead. The first foe her original knights had fought. And the queen remembered how useless she'd felt every time she helped her friends fight back then too. The problem was that there were no senshi. And there hadn't been for centuries. If anyone was to survive, Jane knew they would need help.
"Guardian, are you sure about this?" The queen asked as she brushed her crimson hair out of her eyes.
The guardian said "It must be her, your highness. Although I wish there was another way. Don't worry, everything will be fine." I hope, the guardian mentally added. I've never done anything like this before.
"But she's just a child. Why can't someone else go?
"Because if anyone else is sent, they are doomed to fail." The guardian replied.
XxXxX
August 13th, 1995
Ranma sighed in relief. It had taken entirely too long, but she'd finally figured out how to negate the transformation. And there was no way she would go out in public dressed like that unless she absolutely had to. There was only one more minor problem to deal with. After that she could go meet the others. And boy was it a doozy. Ranma had no idea where the other flower knights were. That they'd left the forest she knew.
The voice had told her that much while it still was talking. Beyond that it had mostly had information on what exactly a flower knight is. Ranma had spent most of the night conversing with the voice. A conversation which had been most enlightening. She'd learned much about what her duties were. As well as on faerie in general. One thing she'd asked about the most was changelings. Ranma had wanted as much information as she could get on the subject.
Flower knights it seemed normally were recruited from among changelings. But not always. She'd learned that there is always a limit of five knights. And that what knight someone becomes depended upon their own nature. A pragmatic person for example couldn't become the flower knight of dreams. Ranma also learned that she herself was a unique exception. While normally a flower knight's weapon was a part of their soul, Ranma merely was using a shadow of the real rose whip. While it would function as the real one would, it lacked the raw power.
"Maybe the old ghoul can help."
She pocketed a rose shaped pen before leaving. On the pen was an odd symbol which Ranma didn't recognize. Not that she recognized too many symbols that aren't related to martial arts. So she put it out of her mind. After all, it probably wasn't important. Baka, didn't tell me anything. And when'll the other shoe drop? It's too calm today. Pop should have done something. Mister Tendo should have yelled at me. Something, anything.
The walk through Nerima was as calm as breakfast had been. A fact which was really worrying Ranma. No one was threatening her, or trying to glomp her. No shouts of 'prepare to die' either. Not even a random splash. Not that being splashed with water was a concern anymore. These days Ranma didn't change genders unless she wanted to. And right now the teenage fae was perfectly happy to be a girl. The only thing unusual that Ranma noticed was the number of sprites and pixies in the area.
Not that anyone else noticed them.
XxXxX
Reincarnation protocol? What's that? Ami thought as she checked her computer. It's beeping had interrupted writing in her diary. And when it beeped that usually meant something important needed her attention. Such as a yoma attack. But instead of the expected alert of an enemy, a file was finishing it's download. A file labeled 'reincarnation protocol'. When she tried opening the file a message stating she didn't have clearance appeared. Great, who does? Usagi maybe? Brr, that's scary.
"Oh, hello Windy. Am I needed for something?"
Only then did she notice her mother in the doorway. She also realized her mother was staring with a vacant expression. The finger pointing directly at Windy Day was a good indication of why the elder woman was 'out to lunch'. And the thud as a body hit the floor spoke volumes for how long it would last. Still, if Windy was here, was there trouble of some sort? Probably. Which made it a good thing the two new flower knights already had combat training. All they needed was to get use to their weapons.
"You know Windy, not everyone is use to seeing flower faeries hovering in the air."
Author Notes:
Sorry for the delays on this. As some may be aware, I'm currently working on two other stories besides this one. There's also a fourth story that I'm writing as well. Yes, I may be getting a bit ambitious. The fourth story isn't anywhere near being ready for release yet, but is a sequel to Ranma's Honor. I also found myself scrapping everything for this story multiple times and restarting the 2nd chapter.
Guess I should plot out the overall storyline for this one. I hate doing that