Master Archer

After another week of traveling across the main island of earth, the Element Warriors reached the bridge to the wind territory.

"You'd think we'd figure out a way to get by these guards without a fight," said Sonny.

"And what? We'd miss out on all the fun," said Aki.

"Fighting these soldiers might be easy enough, but it will be a real fight to take down that dragon," said Odin.

The girls walked up to the soldiers. The fire soldier held up his hand.

"Hault. We have a warrant for your arrest. Yes, we know. We've been through this routine before," said Sonny unenthusiastically.

The water soldier thrusted out his palm, and a blast of water flew at Sonny. Aki jumped in front of the Fire Warrior. She formed water around her right hand, and Aki slapped the water blast back at the soldier. The water soldier fell to the ground. Meanwhile, Sonny ran towards the fire soldier. To dodge a fire punch, she jumped onto the railing. The soldier threw another fire punch at Sonny, and she jumped into the air and the flames missed her. It seemed like slow motion to the Fire Warrior, but she took out her sword and sliced the soldier's right shoulder. When Sonny made a nice landing, the water soldier was back on his feet. Before he could successfully launch a water blast at Sonny, he was hit by Rose's earth sphere. It didn't keep him down because the water soldier got back up.

Odin ran up to Sonny. "I have an idea."

"Really? Why am I not surprised," said Sonny sarcastically.

Odin ignored it as she moved her hands in a circular motion, and the air in front of her started moving over her and to Odin's sides. Sonny had to fight the wind to get behind her sister. Odin yelled, "Stay right behind me." She even added a little wink.

Sonny smiled and nodded because she figured out what her sister was up to. Like Aki's earlier technique, Sonny formed fire around both of her hands. Odin started running towards the soldier with Sonny practically at her heels. The soldier brased himself. Just before Odin reached him, she cleared up her air drafting move and stepped to the right. With his eyes on the Wind Warrior, Sonny rammed her fire palms right into the soldier's abdomin. He flew back about four yards, and this time he didn't get back up. Rose left her flower, and they traveled along the bridge.

After many days of walking and dealing with the soldiers at the end of the bridge, the Element Warriors found themselves in Matsue.

"So we have to find Ryou Yamamoto?" asked Sonny. She looked around the village with her sisters. "Uncle said he's lean and has barely any hair. he remembered him wearing light blue clothes a lot," said Odin.

"Well that really helps," said Sonny.

"Yes, especially when you look around," said a voice.

The girls turned around and saw a man fitting Uncle Kagen's description. He chuckled at their reaction. "There's no way you're Ryou Yamamoto," said Aki.

"Why not?" asked the man.

"Because that was way too easy. You found us when we're supposed to find you," replied Aki. After laughing, he said, "Come."

The girls followed, but instead of leading them to a house in the village, the man took the Element Warriors outside of the village towards a cave. "Uncle told us you lived in the village of Matsue," said Rose.

"Um, I had to find someplace to hide from the soldiers," answered the man. Odin stopped her sisters, and the man turned to look at them. "What is it, miss?"

"You're not the man we're looking for," said Odin.

"Now why would you say something like that?" said the man.

"One, you wouldn't have to come up with something to explain why we're coming out here instead of staying in the village. Two, you're nervous," said Odin. The man interrupted her, "There's nothing wrong with being nervous."

"Ryou Yamamoto is always calm," replied Odin.

The man looked back at the cave, and twenty soldiers started running out of the cave. The girls started running away, but the soldiers were gaining on them.

"Odin, we'll have to fight," yelled Sonny.

Rose looked over her shoulder and yelled, "Aki, cover me."

"Alright," said Aki excitedly. She stopped running and quickly turned around. Aki didn't have time for what she was planning because the soldiers already grabbed her. "Hey," yelled the Water Warrior. She kicked and shoved, but Aki couldn't get the soldiers off of her. When Sonny heard her sister yell, she looked back and saw the perdicament the water girl was in. Sonny unbuckled her sword and held the handle and sheath in her hands. The Fire Warrior turned around and started running towards Aki. She smached a couple of soldiers with her weapon, but Sonny was quickly surrounded by soldiers. Rose looked back and yelled, "Sonny, Aki."

Odin looked back too and saw her sisters trying to fight the soldiers. The Wind Warrior stopped and force a gust of wind at the incoming soldiers. Most of them were blown back, but they still kept coming. It bought enough time for Rose to stop and raise giant spikes of earth out of the ground. Most of the soldiers were dangling from the top of the spikes, but Odin and Rose still had to handle the soldiers engulfing Sonny and Aki. Odin ran to Sonny's aid while Rose went to help Aki. There were seven soldiers trying to keep the Fire Warrior under control while five were surrounding the Water Warrior. Odin succeeded in pulling a soldier off of Sonny. The soldier raised his hand to slap the Wind Warrior, but an arrow went through his forearm. Odin was shocked and couldn't believe her eyes. Arrows started going through the legs of the soldiers struggling with the Element Warriors. Since they were wounded, Sonny and Aki were able to free themselves. Sonny strapped her sword back on and withdrew her blade out of the sheath. Seeing this, the one soldier yelled, "Retreat!"

The soldiers on the ground started limpping away, while Rose released the soldiers on her spikes. Once they were out of sight, Sonny said, "Aki, what were you thinking?"

"Rose told me to cover her, so I was going to make a line of water on the ground to form a wave. The soldiers grabbed me the moment I turned around," said Aki in her defense.

"Well Rose's plan would have handled all those soldiers if you wouldn't have messed up in the first place," replied Sonny.

"Well if memory serves me right, I wasn't the only one struggling with a group of soldiers," shot back Aki.

"Why you ungreatful brat! The only reason I turned around to was to help you," yelled Sonny.

"What good that did," replied Aki.

In a fit of rage, Sonny lunged towards Aki. Rose stopped her sister of fire and said, "Sisters, please don't fight." Sonny let go of her anger and turned her back on her sisters. "Sorry, Aki. It just scared me, that's all." The anger receded from Aki's face, and she hugged Sonny. She said excitedly, "It okay, Sonny. I LOVE YOU TOO!"

Hearing her two sisters brought Odin back to her senses. She started visualizing how that soldiers was standing and how the arrow struck his arm. When Odin looked in the direction she hypothesized where the arrow came from, she could see a tree in the distance. Some of the leaves ruffled, and an old man climbed down. Odin called to her sisters, and they ran to meet the man. When the Element Warriors reached him, he was holding a bow and had a pack of arrows on his back.

"So you're Ryou Yamamoto. I told you that finding him right away was way too easy. How did you know we'd be out here?" asked Aki.

"Someone in the village informed me that you were following a man you assumed was me," said Ryou Yamamoto.

"Would you be willing to help us?" asked Rose.

Mr. Yamamoto put his arm and head through his bow, so he wouldn't have to hold it anymore. "I don't see why not. After all, I helped a woman much like you four a long time ago." He turned and started walking back towards the village. The girls were surprised and ran to catch up with him. "You mean you helped our master?" asked Rose.

"If your master is Keiko Kurogane, then yes," said Mr. Yamamoto.

"How did you help her? Master didn't have a bow," said Sonny.

"I taught her the way of the wind," answered Ryou.

"So you're the wind sensei that always said about being as calm as the gentle wind," said Sonny. Ryou Yamamoto smiled. "Yes. Now how can I help you?"

"I wanted to become an archer," said Odin.

"If you're anything like your Master, that's very possible. Judging by your appearence, it's a safe bet that you are," said Mr. Yamamoto.

They finally reached the village, and he lead them to his house. "Well, this is where I live. I'll make sure to set up bedding arrangements for you. Feel free to roam around the village," said Ryou Yamamoto.

Throughout the day, the girls walked around the village, helping out whenever it was needed. Rose even made fruit for the poor. When they came back, four futons were laid out on the floor. Mr. Yamamoto was in another room. A light could be seen underneath the door, and the girls could hear a noise that kept repeating itself. Odin listened closer to the door, and she figured Ryou Yamamoto was carving. The rest went to sleep, but Odin only laid down in her futon, listening to the noises coming from the lit room. After awhile, Odin finally fell asleep, but Mr. Yamamoto still worked into the night.

The next morning, Aki was shacking Odin awake. "Come on, Odin. You have to see this," said Aki. Odin rubbed her eyes and sat up in her futon. She looked around to see what Aki was so excited about. When the Wind Warrior saw it, she couldn't help but stare in disbelief. Next to the door, leaning against the wall was a bow and a pack full of arrows. Odin got up and walked over to the bow and picked it up. She looked over the bow very carefully. It had curving lines carved into it, symbolizing the wind. The grip of the bow was thinner than the rest of it. On the grip was a brown wind character. The Wind Warrior tested out the string.

Before leaving, Odin left a note for Ryou Yamamoto.

"Mr. Yamamoto, you made an extrodinary bow for me, and you saved us from the soldiers yesterday. I'm forever greatful to you. Thank you, Odin."