Keiko's Importance

It was morning when Keiko finally opened her eyes. She was next to a stream and nobody was around. A wave of confusion ran over her. "Was that just a huge nightmare or did it really happen?"

Keiko rubbed her eyes and noticed the bandages on her arms.

"Well, that rules out the optimistic idea of it being a dream."

Keiko got to her feet and walked over to the stream to get a drink. After drinking several handfuls of water, she stopped to actually look at her hands. Keiko didn't notice that her skin looked old earlier. She ran her hand through her hair and saw grey strands mixed in with the black.

Keiko got down on her hands and knees and looked at her reflection in the stream. She had deep wrinkles in her face and crow's feet at her eyes. She was shocked. Keiko was only 23-years-old and she already lost her youth.

The elements were very important. Without them existing within her essence, she knew she wouldn't live much longer.

"Oh, you're finally awake."

Keiko turned around in surprise.

The brunette walked out of the tree line, and the other three girls were following her. They all had a handfull of apples in their arms.

"How long have I been out?" asked Keiko.

"A couple days," answered the red-head.

The girls knelt down and put their collection in a pile. The red-head took one of the apples, walked over to Keiko, and gave it to her.

Keiko ate the whole apple before saying, "You don't have names do you?"

"No. We thought that maybe you would know," said the brunette.

"Do you even know how to control your elements?" asked Keiko, a little worried.

The four girls just stared at Keiko with quizzical expressions on their faces.

"Fine. First, I'll give you names, and I will begin teaching you how to manipulate your elements," replied Keiko.

"You were created from my elemental energy. I don't know exactly how, I just know that's how you came to be. It would be a good reason why all of you look exactly like me with the exception of your hair."

Keiko looked at the red-head and put her hand on the girl's bare shoulder.

"You formed from earth. I think I'll name you Rose. It's my favorite flower."

Rose turned her face away and began to blush.

Keiko looked at the blue-haired girl. "You were in the water chamber. I'm going to name you Aki. It sort of sounds like aqua."

Now Keiko focused her attention on the girl of fire. "I think you're name should be Sonny. After all, the sun is the most powerful source of fire there is."

When Keiko turned to the brunette, she found it to be a challenge to name her. She couldn't think of anything exceptional that was wind related. Finally, Keiko said, "I know you'll be upset with this name, but it's the best I can come up with. Odin."

"Odin. Isn't that a man's name?" asked Aki. She put her arms over her stomach and began to laugh histarically.

"Yes, but it's a strong name. Odin is a Nordic god. His domain is wisdom, among other things. I have a good feeling you'll follow in his footsteps," said Keiko.

Keiko sat down and started to eat more apples with the girls. It seemed like the perfect time for Keiko to tell them about the history of the elements, of Lord Oromashi, and of the incident with Lee Wong.

"So this dragon, have you ever seen it?" asked Odin.

"No," replied Keiko. "I've never witnessed its power. I only heard rumors."

"What kind of rumors?" asked Aki.

"That it can breathe fire as hot as the sun itself. It's skin is impenitrable, weapons are useless against it. I remind you though, they're only rumors," said Keiko.

"Since Lee Wong took away your abilities, you'll no longer be able to bring down this dragon yourself?" asked Rose, upset.

"I'm afraid that's correct."

"Let me guess, you expect us to kill this dragon in your place," said Sonny.

That dampened Keiko's hopes. There was no doubt that Keiko thought about these four girls succeeding in her goal of freeing the Japanese of Lord Oromashi's cluches. She looked down and replied almost painfully, "That's your choice. I want you to do what you want to do." Keiko stood up, walked over to the stream, sat down, and watched as the water flowed by.

The four girls just looked at each other. They didn't know what to say. After a while, Sonny got up and walked over to Keiko. "I'll fight the dragon."

Keiko looked at the girl in amazement. "Why?"

"Mostly for the simple fact that you gave me the choice."

"Yeah, besides I owe you one because after all, we exist because of you," exclaimed Aki with a huge smile. Aki looked at Rose and Odin. "Are you in?"

Rose said, "Using beautiful plants and the earth itself to fight bad guys to help the people, count me in."

Aki shouted for joy and hugged Rose. Keiko and Sonny laughed and turned their attention to Odin.

"It's dangerous and we'll find ourselves in difficult situations," said Odin. She shrugged her shoulders and continued, "I guess that's a good reason I should tag along."

The four girls laughed, and Sonny walked back to join the group.

Keiko simply stayed where she was. She let out a breath of relief.


The next day, Rose began her training. Keiko was astonished because what took her seven months to learn, Rose comprehended in only one day.

She was moving the earth and created so many plants. It was almost like second nature to Rose, and barely needed Keiko's help. When Keiko instructed Rose how to manipulate the earth or even create plants, Rose continued on and made her imagionation come to life. She made sakura blossom trees, different size vines, and even different colored roses.

To help the others for dinner, Rose made spears so Odin, Sonny, and Aki could fish with them. She also made an assortment of fruit, which was a delicious addition.

As Keiko ate her dinner, she couldn't help but think about the day. It made her proud that Rose mastered earth so quickly. Perhaps training these girls would be easier than she initially thought.

Rose was so happy when she was influencing the earth, and it made Keiko realize something. Rose enjoyed the beauty of her ablilties, just like every earth manipulator before her.

Keiko ran her eyes across all the girls. Her wind master was right about peaceful winds, they're calm. From being around Odin, it seemed like that was a huge fctor in her personality. She caught the most fish today because she was extremely patient.

Sonny was the complete opposite. She got upset everytime a fish got away from her, yet she never took this anger out on the others.

Aki loved to laugh and enjoy herself. Free flowing can be a way to describe her.

The elements deeply influenced these girls.

Hopefully, the other three girls would learn their abilities as quickly as Rose did. If they didn't, Keiko feared she wouldn't be around long enought to teach them.


The next day, Aki learned the ways of water in not time at all. Keiko made Aki start out by manipulating the water running through the stream, and by the end she was generating water on her own. Aki could turn water into ice and back. She even made spheres of water to catch fish for dinner.

The following day was Odin's day to train. She followed the learning pattern of the other girls. Odin could send out powerful gusts of wind and even made a tornado.

Keiko saved Sonny's training for last because she knew it would be the toughest.


"Now try to focus and do a fire punch," said Keiko.

Sonny tried but nothig came out of her fist. She tried again and nothing. The more Sonny tried, the more frustrated she became. When fire finally emerged from her fist, it was a huge eruption. Odin, Rose, and Aki jumped back with astonishment, but Keiko remained unimpressed.

"Sonny," said Keiko. She walked over and placed her hand on Sonny's shoulder. "I know anger is a very powerful source for your fire abilities, but you shouldn't rely on anger. Fire masters before you didn't use anger. Fire is strong and it's what burns in your heart. Anger comes and goes, but your heart will always remain strong. When manipulating fire, you must look deep inside yourself."

Sonny closed her eyes while Keiko walked back to her original spot.

Sonny took a deep breath before doing another fire punch. Like her first attempts, no fire appeared from her fist. She tried again, and still nothing.

"Master, I don't get this," yelled Sonny.

Keiko closed her eyes and tried to think of something to tell this frustrated girl.

Finally, Keiko said, "Sonny, you remember what I named you after?"

The stupid question made Sonny even more frustrated, but she still answered, "Of course."

"The sun has absolutely no emotion, yet its the most powerful source of fire. The energy inside the sun is very much like the energy inside you. Sonny, just do what the sun does," replied Keiko.

Sonny just looked at Keiko, "And what's that?"

"Just let your energy out. Forget that I told you to concentrate. Don't think about it and let it out," said Keiko.

Still irritated, Sonny closed her eyes again and tried to clear her thoughts. "Just let it out," she keep thinking.

Sonny tried a fire punch, and to her relief and joy, it finally worked. She was all excited, she did a whole series of fire punches.

To Keiko's approval and achievement on Sonny's part, the rest of the training was a huge success.

When the girls were preparing dinner, Keiko checked her reflection in the stream. Her hair was completely grey now and her skin looked even older. Judging by her appearence, Keiko only had tomorrow left. For the fight against Lord Oromashi, she planned to make the best of it.


The next morning, Keiko woke up before the rest of the girls. She walked over to the stream, took a drink, and washed her face. Keiko remembered the tonfa blasters at her waist and took one out of her holster. Everytime she looked at them, she thought of Toshio and the day he gave her these weapons. Any other time, Keiko would have tears in her eyes, but none were there.

She looked over at the girls. Keiko knew the horrible truth that would surround them. People would shut them out because they were different. Whether or not they would have chosen to defeat this dragon, they would most likely be imprisoned for suspision of being herself. Nobody would accept them.

Keiko's thoughts wondered back to Toshio. She knew deep in her heart that he would be different. Odin and the rest will be able to trust him just like she did. To take her mind off such things, Keiko focused on the day.

"Today is the most important day," Keiko said to herself.

From fighting experience and time, Keiko thought of three techniques. Powerful moves that would be essential to their success.

Keiko heard a noise and realized that Aki woke up. It brought a smile to Keiko's face, the day officially began.


After they all finished their breakfast, the girls washed up in the stream. When Sonny was done, she noticed Keiko was standing firm with ther hands crossed.

"Another day of training! I thought you said I learned well," exclaimed Sonny.

"Of course you learned well, but you didn't honestly think I was done," replied Keiko. Keiko turned her back on Sonny and began to walk away. Sonny reluctantly followed.

As she continued to walk, Keiko said, "Odin, Aki, and Rose. This lesson is for you as well."

Throughout the day, Keiko taught her techniques as planned. The first move was the girls creating a foot diameter sphere of their element and launching it as a projectile. The next tactic was similar except the projectile was a meter in diameter disk. The final move was a defense mechanism; and elemental shield. After the training was over, the girls began to prepare for dinner.

When they began to eat, Rose noticed that Keiko appeared sad.

"Master, what's wrong?"

Keiko looked up at Rose and smiled. "Nothing is wrong." She paused for a moment and her original expression returned to her face.

"Master, we can see that something is wrong. There's no point in lying to us," said Odin.

Keiko looked at Odin and ran her eyes over the rest of the girls. "I guess you're right," she replied. After a moment of thinking, Keiko finally said, "I don't exactly know how to say it, but I'm going to die very soon."

"What?" said Rose. Tears started to spill over her eye lids and onto her beautiful cheeks.

All the girls had an expression of sadness on their face.

"Before you set off on your journey to slay Lord Oromashi's dragon," said Keiko. Keiko paused and looked downward. She couldn't bare to see the looks in their eyes. With much difficulty, Keiko continued, "you must see a man named Toshio Kurogane. He's been my friend for years, and you'll be able to trust him. He'll clothe you and provide shelter for you. Toshio lives among the rice fields in the mountains."

By this time, all the girls were in tears, even Sonny. Keiko looked at them and then looked away.

"I only have one favor to ask of you," said Keiko.

Rose wipped the tears away from her eyes and said, "What's that, Master?"

Keiko waited a second before saying, "When you bury my body. I want my tonfa blasters to be buried with me."

After that was said, nobody talked the rest of the night. When Keiko finally went to sleep, the girls didn't turn in like they did everytime Keiko fell asleep. They watched Keiko, watching her exhale, and hoping she'd inhale. After possibly half an hour, Odin finally broke the silence.

"If we're going to keep up our energy, we'd better go to sleep."

With that, they reluctantly turned in.


The next morning, the girls woke up to what they feared most. Keiko was lifeless. She was no longer breathing. Her eyes were closed and she looked so peaceful.

Rose said, "When should we bury her?" Her voice was cracking from her sobbing.

Odin looked away from Keiko's body. "We do it right now. It wouldn't be fair to push it off."

Rose turned away and walked a little distance from the others. With the movement of her hands, a sakura blossom tree grew from the ground.

"What are you doing?" asked Sonny, walking over.

"I wanted to make it special, so if we come back, we'll know where she is," replied Rose.

Next, Rose moved the earth down six feet to make a customary rectangular hole in front of the tree.

Odin picked up her master's body and walked over to the grave with Aki and Sonny.

When she reached it, Odin gently put Keiko's body down beside the grave, and jumped in. Sonny followed Odin's lead.

Rose and Aki picked up Keiko's body and carefully gave it to the two girls in the grave. Once they set the body down, Odin took the tonfa blasters out of Keiko's holster.

"Hey," said Sonny angryly. "Master asked to be buried with those."

Odin merely looked at Sonny. She then grabbed Keiko's hand and put one of the tonfa blasters in it. Odin did the same with the other hand. She stood up and said, "I just thought it would be better if she was holding them."

Rose and Aki pulled the other two out of the grave. They starred at Keiko's lifeless body in the hole.

"Shouldn't we say something?" asked Rose.

Aki took a step towards the grave and thought in silence for a moment.

Finally, she said, "This is a very sad day, but perhaps we should look at the bright side. Instead of our master living in pain, she's finally resting in peace. She was a great woman to us. Master could have done many things. She could have hated us for being created from her stolen energy. She could have even abandoned us, but she didn't do either of those things. Master cared about us and she taught us the ways of our elements. She gave us a purpose and tried to help in every way she was able. I will always be greatful to Master. I believe we all will."

Odin walked to Aki and put her hand on the water girl's shoulder. She said, "Master would have loved that speech."

After saying their last good-byes, Rose filled in the grave. To make a finishing touch, Rose grew a stem at the head of Keiko's grave. From the tip sprouted four more stems. At the end of these stems grew a rose bud. All four of them were different colors: red, blue, brown, and white.

"Why did you make that?" asked Sonny.

"I wanted it to be something unique," said Rose with a smile.

"Well, I love it!" exclaimed Aki. "A rose from each of us."

Sonny turned to Odin and asked, "What do we do now?"

Odin looked around. When she looked back at Sonny, she replied, "We'll rest today. When night comes, we'll set out to find this man named Toshio Kurogane."