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 Magic

Endings and Beginnings

The sound of metal striking metal reverberated through the valley. It was punctuated by hundreds of birds taking flight at the same time. Resistance had not been entirely unexpected. Over the past months he had sent scouting parties seeking specific people, and killing them. He'd also sent others with orders to cause as much chaos as possible. Very few of the distractions had returned. That had made it clear someone was defending humanity, again.

Who that someone was, he wasn't entirely sure yet. He'd struck a fatal blow at the end of the War long ago. He knew the queen had died that day, and with her those accursed Knights. And yet during this year's Hunt five girls had shown up. Who they were, he didn't know. What he did know was that one was dressed like his long dead wife would have been.

"MIDNIGHT SLASH!"

The cry echoed through the valley. Then came the pained screams of his forward troops. He'd not heard that battle cry since the War. In truth he had thought it'd never be used again. After all, Knight Carnation was dead. And without a queen, there could be no flower knights. So the question remained, just how was the Knight of Dreams here?

"If she's here, the others might also be revived somehow. I want that girl dead!" He shouted.

XxXxX

She recklessly charged into their ranks. Caution was a think of the past. After all, she was all that stood between the vast forces before her and Tokyo. Twin daggers were drawn and held at the ready with the blade of one held facing towards her back. While Jane had already discovered a magic attack, Garnet and the others still didn't know any. A fact which proved dangerous at times in battle.

If she had any final thoughts before her blades clashed with those held by a red cap, it was one. I wish I could see Grandfather one last time. Then she was too busy ducking and weaving around her enemies. The nocturne daggers sang as they cleaved through the air. She was good, damn good. But it wasn't enough. Not against such odds. Every now and then she'd get nicked. And those minor cuts would soon be taking their toll.

The problem was more then that however. No matter how many she took out of the fight, there were more waiting. Not that Garnet had really thinned the herd much. Because she was so badly out numbered defense was taking most of her concentration. I need a better way, I have to buy time for the others to get here. It's not enough, there's got to be something. Jane has a magic attack, why don't we... have...

"MIDNIGHT SLASH!"

Garnet found herself spinning in place as she slashed at her numerous foes. From her twin daggers thirty energy blades shot out in all directions. The blades only traveled fifteen feat before dissipating, but where they struck redcaps and banshees were slain. It was extremely indiscriminate. And yet right now that was just what Garnet needed.

Instinctively the knight of dreams knew she could only use the midnight slash once per minute safely. Any more often, and she risked draining too much magic and detransforming. Not right away maybe, but it was a real danger. Clearing the space immediately around her didn't give much time to catch breath though. Almost immediately her enemies filled the gaps.

Duck, thrust, spin, slash, lean backwards to avoid the return slash. It wasn't ending. There didn't seem to be an end in sight. Where is everyone? Garnet thought to herself frantically. She leaned back, narrowly avoiding being eviscerated by a wicked looking knife. A desperate lunge embedded one of Garnet's daggers in the chest of a banshee just as it had prepared to rake it's talons across the youth's chest.

Garnet wasn't fast enough to avoid the claws of another banshee however. Razor sharp claws tore into her side. Her magic was already trying to seal the wound, but it was just one among many. She looked up and noticed a flight of arrows heading her way. It was doubtful she could completely avoid them all, but the attempt had to be made. At least Oberon's forces will suffer too.

She jumped with all her strength in the only direction that might offer marginal safety; deeper into the enemy lines. While this tactic was mostly sucsessful, two arrows still managed to find their intended target. One pierced Garnet's left calf, the other impaled her right bicep. The pain was immense. So great that the youthful combatant struggled to remain standing.

This is it, I'll sell myself dearly. "In the name of the Queen I will strike down all that threaten nature's balance. MIDNIGHT SLASH!"

Once more Garnet began to twirl. Her daggers flashed in their circular dance as bolts of pure magic were launched in all directions. Unlike before, she didn't stop after just one rotation. Instead Garnet continued to spin and fire mystic projectiles. They began to travel farther and farther. I hope the others get here soon, she thought as her body began to tire.

On the other side of the battlefield three young women appeared. Each was dressed in an outfit similar to Garnet's. As one they entered the frey. Knight Clover swung her weighted chain in elegant circles, smashing through the enemy lines. A few feet to her right stood Knight Magnolia, her staff arcing back and forth, spinning to block and hammer into unseelie court fae that got in her path. To Clover's right stood their queen, Knight Rose at the moment. Her royal scepter had once more become a thorn covered whip.

"Clover, go cover Carnation. We'll hold them off while you get her to safety." The neo-queen ordered.

Putting action to word, Knight Rose cracked her whip. The action created a shockwave that bowled over a dozen redcaps and a bridge troll. Knight Magnolia leaped to the side. As she did so the youth twirled her staff and struck the ground. With a cry of "Vine Quake" ivy vines erupted from where the staff struck. The vines engulfed eight of the unseelie, strangling them as they hindered movement.

Why now? Why couldn't we remember these attacks before today? Knight Clover thought to herself as she fired off yet another 'Chain Gang'. This caused half of her weighted chain to briefly become twenty energy links which she launched in an conical arc into her foes, again. Her weapon reformed it's self in time to parry a meat cleaver. And why are they all indiscriminate area attacks? It's almost as if we're specifically intended to fight entire armies at once.

XxXxX

Awareness came slowly to Chiba Mamoru. Of course, the fact he even was aware came as a surprise. The pain the young man felt gave proof he was still alive. To say he was surprised would have been an understatement of near biblical proportions. Despite the healing magics of his transformation, he'd been woozy from blood loss when he'd been found by that woman.

When Mamoru had passed out, he'd known he wasn't long for the world. And yet he was still alive. There was something on top of him. Not sure what it was, he slowly opened his eyes. The object turned out to actually be a person. The youthful man almost didn't recognize her though. Usagi's changed. I wonder what happened?She seems almost grown up.

XxXxX

Knight Clover reached her friend just as Knight Carnation collapsed in exhaustion. All around the raven haired girl were the bodies of their enemies. And yet the tide of foes seemed unending. For every one that was slain, three more appeared to take their place. There's no way there can be this many, Clover thought to herself in panic. She took up a defensive position above her fallen friend.

She spun her weighted chain in a vicious arc to clear the area, again. Again it seemed the waves of unseelie were endless. A quick glance showed her that knights Rose and Magnolia were just barely holding the line. And that was only due to this valley acting as a natural choke point. Her memories of the first Faerie War were incomplete. Most of the final battle was a haze. But deep down Clover knew something was wrong this time. Oberon shouldn't have had this many soldiers left. So where were they coming from?

Whirling death stood there, but Clover realized it wasn't quite enough. She needed some breathing space. With a cry of "Chain Gang" she fired off an arc of lethal chain links once more. Almost immediately she realized her mistake. With half her weapon turned into projectiles the warrior had no way to effectively fend off attacks from behind. Her circle of threat was halved. Wickedly barbed daggers found their way into Clover's back, causing her to scream. As the flower knight sagged to her knees she knew this was the end.

XxXxX

It began to rain as the group neared the battlefield. Their reluctant leader sighed in frustration. "I'm not happy bout this either Kuno. But if we don't fight together... People. Will. Die. Do you understand that? Not 'people may suffer', not 'people may not respect you' (not that they do anyway). I'm talking 'end of the world and death of all humanity' type thing."

The man in question scowled at the thing running beside him. No longer did he try denying that Saotome and the pig-tailed girl were the same. A realization which had horrified him to no end. Some months ago however the fierce Akane had vanished. A fact which he was sure Saotome was responsible for. And when he learned what foul magics Saotome had used, he the Blue Thunder would free his beloved.

A metal object impacted Tatawaki's head with a loud clang. The self proclaimed samurai slowly turned and saw a brown haired chief re sheathing her oversized spatula. The sounds of combat brought his attention once more to the front. A leaf shaped shield on his left arm was raised in defense as a stray arrow came flying towards the group. Witnessing the apocalyptic war in front of him, Kuno blinked.

"How doth sword and bow wield them self? And why doth enchanted weapons seem not entirely corporeal?"

The pig tailed youth didn't correct him. After all, he did notice something off as well. Even so, he had a more important priority. Ahead of them stood two teenage girls desperately trying to hold back the unending tide. One of them, a red haired beauty wearing a forest green outfit staggered backwards as blood sprayed forth.

"JANE!" The pig tailed youth screamed as he jumped forward.