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 Punishment

A Changing of the Guard

Luna's POV

Have you ever experienced something that throws everything you know into question? It's not a pleasant experience, let me tell you. I mean, one minute I'm a political adviser to the queen of a solar system spanning empire. The next thing I know I'm waking up who knows how much time later. My memory is swiss cheese, at best. And I'm in charge of training a lazy crybaby to save the world.

My life sucks.

Then my charge ups and vanishes. Not just Sailor Moon, but all the senshi. They're just gone. No one knows where they went. No one sees them at all. The only hint they are still alive being a letter that arrives with no return address or stamp. On top of that, but without her around, I end up getting spayed and sold to a pet store over in the Nerima district.

My life really sucks.

They tried removing my claws. Five times. Even I'm not entirely sure how they keep regrowing. Guess after five attempts they realized the futility of it. Now here's a human girl with short brown hair looking at me. She is holding her chin, must be thinking about something important. But why is she staring at me like I'm tuna? That look is giving me the heebie jeebies.

"So, if I buy you will I be granted a wish?" The human girl asks me.

Her tone makes it sound like she's expecting an answer. Which is rather weird to tell you the truth. I've given no indication I can speak human languages. Only Usagi and her friends had known about me. So what makes this girl think I can talk? I'd ask her, but that would give away the fact I'm not normal. Not that she believes I am anyway, apparently.

"Answer me, are you a magic cat that grants wishes? Or do you have an animal curse? I don't have all day."

Imagine my surprise when a tabby in the cage next to mine speaks up. "You may as well tell her. They have enough magic animals and cursed humans in animal form come through the store that it's almost expected. Take that Hibiki boy for instance. He ends up on sale at least once a month in his cursed form. Haven't seen that pink furred cutie lately. Hope she's all right."

I can feel a large drop of sweat form on the back of my head. And the thought crosses my mind, just when did I wake up in the twilight zone? And just what is a twilight zone anyway? Who knows? Certainly not me. I refuse to answer the girl, hoping she'll believe that I'm just a 'normal' cat. I figure if I can hold out till night, then I can make my escape. From there it shouldn't be too hard to find Usagi.

As the girl carries me to her home in a pet carrier dark thoughts are flowing. If ever I find that Murphy person he will pay. Something about the girl feels off to me. It takes me a moment to figure it out. She stinks of magic. Powerful magic at that. She takes me to a house with a dojo attached, and drags me up to a room on the second floor.

"And what wish would you make, assuming I could grant one?" I finally ask.

The girl smiles, and it isn't a nice smile. "I need a couple faerie curses removed. I'm not going back there. Not if I can help it."

XxXxX

Ranma's POV

It takes a while for my body to mend. While I heal I visit two of my guests. Akane, her I can't help any more. But Kasumi, her I think I can. I couldn't before. But I've figured out how I had summoned forth Akane during that battle. It would mean giving up part of my power. But that's a trade I'll gladly make. I want Kasumi to be happy. But I want her to find happiness in the real world. The surface is fast approaching.

As my body emerges from the koi pond I can't help but wonder how I got here. My hand reaches beneath the surface as I focus on Kasumi. Finally I can feel something. There's a lot of resistance, but it eventually falls away. Then the woman emerges. She looks so serene. Her eyes however hold a longing to return. It takes a great deal of willpower to resist.

"No Kasumi, you can't go back. It's time to live you're life for real. I refuse to take more away from you're family. After all, with Nabiki... taken... Wait a minute, isn't Nabiki suppose to be a baby in the care of the queen?"

It's strange, but I'd completely forgotten about that. When Nabiki first confronted me about Kasumi, it didn't occur to me to question it. But she was fed the last age reducing mushroom and taken to the faerie realm. So what happened to bring her back? And what about the baby? On no, the baby! Jane had left a 'changling' in exchange for Nabiki. So where is it?

My stomach grows cold. The crib in Kasumi's room is empty, and looks like it hadn't been used in a while. My senses stretch out in search of the child. What I find is horrifying. I can sense the baby in Nabiki's old room. But it's not alone. I can also sense something familiar in there. Something familiar, and evil. Oh, and I sense a demon from the depths of hell. But no time to freak out now.

I'm almost at the door when I hear her voice. A voice I hadn't thought I'd hear again for a while yet. "I need a couple faerie curses removed," she says. That's when I kick open the door. I take a moment to assess the situation. C-c-c-furry demon? Check. It's in a pet carrier, so that's good. Changeling baby? Check. Although the baby doesn't look very good. Teenage girl who should still be serving her punishment? Check. How she's here I have no clue. Don't care either. Dark magic radiating from the girl? Check, check, and triple check.

That dark magic feels familiar. Too familiar. It takes a moment to recognize it. The last time I felt that type of power had been a few months meeting Jane and her knights. A weird female monster had shown up and started draining people of their chi. The girls told me they'd killed the source, a woman named Beryl and her demon master. Obviously they didn't do a good enough job killing the demon.

"So Nabs, you couldn't handle regaining you're innocence I take it. But why did you merge with a demon? Step away from the baby, and I wont have to take you down."

If anyone asks me, I can't say how I did what I just did. Nabiki wasn't backing down. And somehow I knew she was stealing something from the baby. Something the baby needs to survive. So I push, that's the best I can describe it anyway. I've been starting to realize the energy inside me isn't exactly chi any more. It feels different. It's heavier, yet lighter at the same time.

The result of my action is immediate. There is a soft pop as the link between the baby and Nabiki is severed. With a scream of rage the teenager flees. I'm not sure how I know, but somehow I do know. Within the hour Nabiki will be reverting to her true age. But somehow I suspect she'll be back. The queen will want to know what happened here today.

XxXxX

Queen Jane's POV

Now that's something I thought I'd never feel again. I was sure Ranma was dead. Yet it seems he needs to speak with me. But where? Ah yes, that home. Guess it has been a year. Maybe he's willing to make a decision now. I hope he'll agree to come help out here. I have the feeling another war is coming entirely too soon. Really, I had hoped for some peace and quiet for the next few decades at least. Is that too much to ask for?

Emerging from the ring is a bit disorienting still. The building looks in good repair. Or at least as if no new damage has been incurred in the last year. My gown makes me feel overdressed. It's not like this is a formal visit or anything. But the forest decides how I'm dressed, not me. Unfortunately. Hey, there's an idea. While I'm in the mortal realm I could visit my family again. I haven't seen them since this whole mess really got started.

"I wouldn't go into the pond if I was you. Although it might be safe if I'm not in it."

There he, or rather she is. And that nice woman is here too. It's funny, but other then at the battle I've never seen Ranma as a guy. Uh oh, she looks serious. And is that the baby I left in exchange for the Tendo girl? She looks really sickly. Something must be very wrong. I really wish trouble would wait a while before showing up again.

"This isn't about my offer, is it?" I ask.

Ranma shakes her head side to side. "No, it isn't. It's about Nabiki. She's merged with some sort of demon. And going after magic creatures. I found several dead pixies and faeries in her old room, drained completely. As well as a talking c-c-c-furry demon she'd apparently just acquired. Figured you'd want to know. It says it's looking for Usagi."

That doesn't sound very good. Hopefully things wont get bad enough to need my interference for a while. I doubt it will though. Maybe a few months at most, then back to the front lines. But I can't keep fighting myself. I gather I'm too important. Not to mention that I'm worried soon I wont be an effective fighter. More and more I find myself getting distracted by the most trivial of thing.

And according to that voice when I asked, this is natural. I can't be a queen and flower knight. The two roles are mutually exclusive. Already I find it harder to access those powers. And the rose whip has vanished. There's an idea! I can't help but giggle as the thought occurs to me. Seeing Ranma's reaction just makes me giggle even more. Yes, it's perfect! Oh this will be so much fun, I can't wait.

"How about instead of being the captain of the guard, I offer you another job? One which will let you help others? It wont get boring, and the hours are very flexible."

He doesn't even think about it. That's so great! This is why I love Ranma so much. So impulsive, so willing to do anything at moment's notice. He doesn't even ask me what the job is before accepting. Just insists that he has to be able to protect Kasumi and the baby when needed. When I reach into Ranma's chest I find a handle. Pulling it, a whip emerges from the youth's chest. This I hand to my newest knight.

"Welcome to my service (snicker) Knight Rose. I'm sure you'll do fine. Along with the rest of the girls."

Author Notes:

Well, this wraps up the side stories for Old Time Magic. I realized recently that the 3rd installment of Old Time Punishment created a continuity error that I had to address. As well as questions from the main story of "What ever happened to Luna". And this sets up for a possible sequel to Old Time Magic too.