Chapter 5:

They entered the archery area which was a dirt field with numerous targets at different distances from where a good dozen students were milling about in their club's uniform. Sayuri already felt out of place as she hadn't received one yet. There were already students at the line stretching their bows, a blonde boy and a short girl with long brown hair that Sayuri recognized from her homeroom class, and two others that she was sure were in her grade. She surmised that they were testing out the new recruits and quickly stuffed her backpack in a corner, where Umiko obediently stood out of the way. Sayuri waited to speak though, not wanting to disturb the archers' concentration and noticed that the best one was the blonde boy with crimson eyes that smiled cockily at his dead center marksmanship. Smiling at the archers, she ducked her head and hurried over to what she assumed was the club head as he looked the oldest.

Bowing, Sayuri spoke in demure tones, "Hello Konuza-senpai, I apologize that I am late, it took me a little while to find the archery field."

The orange haired senior shook his head with a polite smile. "Not at all Nitta-san, I know it's a little hidden away. We're glad you could make it. But I'm afraid we've already started the first year's practice. Would you like to join them?"

"Ah! Yes of course, thank you Captain."

"Hey! But don't think we don't punish tardiness. Be late next time and you'll find out. For now go take out the arrows and put up new target paper before taking your place." A thin junior snapped at her, snapping her long black pigtails while the Captain simply shrugged nervously. She surmised that the other raven haired girl was the Vice Captain.

Either way she hurried to do as the junior said, trying to ignore the smirks and murmurs of the rest of the team as she slipped on her three fingered glove on her right hand and readied the bow quiver that was provided her. She notched her arrow on the string and stood at ease until the captain spoke.

"Bows up. Check your postures, don't forget to breathe. Aim carefully… Now let it fly!"

Sayuri had been doing this for years and so it was with utmost confidence that she would make her mark that she let her arrow go. As far as she could tell she made it within the center ring, though just barely, she was a little rusty. Biting her lip in nervousness she notched another arrow and waited for word on what to do next. She felt all wrong without her own equipment, not to mention clothes. Stupid ugly, itchy, yellow, puffy dress.

"Alright Kaede-san, don't forget to take steady breaths, you're letting it go a bit too soon. Ferio-san don't be too stiff, relax the shoulders. Same for you Nitta-san and don't pull it too much. De-Da- er, Ephriham-san, good job." The poor senior ended lamely, giving up on how to pronounce the boy's surname.

Then the Vice Captain called out, "Volley two! Shoot five arrows in as quick succession as you can and as always, as accurately as you can. Draw… Bows up now, quickly, quickly. Ferio-san relax your arms for god's sake, you look like a chicken. Inhale… And exhale!" The last word meaning of course to shoot.

Sayuri did all right on her first shot, but absolutely fumbled notching her second arrow, almost dropping the thing before managing to fire it off into the second ring, the third one wasn't much better but by the fourth and fifth one she had made it closer and into the bull's eye.

Cursing inwardly she went to get her paper along with the rest of the freshmen and was glad to see she wasn't the worst of the group, but nowhere near the best. Ferio had missed the target completely the first two tries and his other three shots varied greatly on his board. The brunette named Kaede did marginally worse than herself, while the blonde boy Ephriham had made the center every single time.

"Hmm, all right let's pair you up for now. I'll help Ferio-san and could you help Kaede-san Hanazawa?" The orange haired captain asked of his younger vice captain. The junior simply sniffed and went over to the brunette to help her aiming.

Sweat dropping, Konuza then turned to the blonde boy and asked, "Do you think you could show Nitta-san a few pointers Ephriham-san?"

"Of course Captain Konuza." Said blonde replied with a friendly smile directed at her. Sayuri ducked her head in respectfulness of his superior talent and introduced herself, "I'm Sayuri Nitta, pleased to meet you."

"Ephriham Delacroix." He gave a small head bow back. She couldn't blame the Captain for not being able to pronounce the boy's last name. It was something impossible and French sounding and sadly French was not one of the three languages she knew.

"Let's work on your form okay? It looks like you're really tense with that posture, so just relax, no reason to be nervous. Don't leave your feet too wide apart and let's turn your torso a little more to the right, if you try and face forward like you were doing, then your shots will go too far left."

Ephriham had taken up a position just behind her and lightly touched her shoulders or arms to correct her positioning, which made her feel a tad uncomfortable, but nothing she wasn't used to, especially in archery. She did as she was told and then slowly drew her bow and string taut.

"Mn, lessen up a little, you're not trying to shoot the next school's target, just the one in front of you. Too much power and your shot'll go haywire. Yes, that's it. Remember, inhale as you draw your string and exhale as you fire." He stood back a foot or so to give her room and she did as he said. Inhale…and she let it go with a puff of air.

The arrow soared straight and true…directly into the ring just outside the bull's eye. Sayuri grimaced at her failure and shook her head. How did she get so far off her game? She glanced at Ephriham and he seemed to look thoughtfully at the target but then motioned for her to go again, watching her carefully before inputting, "Don't hold it so close to your chest."

She notched her arrow carefully and aligned her position before inhaling as she drew her string back with the correct force, the arrow parallel to the ground and just the height of her mouth. She exhaled sharply as she released the arrow and this time it managed to hit just inside the second ring if only just barely. Worst than the first shot.

"No, you're holding it too close again. You need to sight it on your own, don't rely on the arrow. Try again."

Sayuri looked at him in confusion but tried to hold the bow correctly this time and her shot was worse if anything.

"Look… It's not that hard. Just hold it properly; you aren't shooting Indians for god sake. You have to be able to see where your pointing without staring right down the line. You're shooting an arrow, not a bullet."

She simply scowled and held it a bit higher and farther away from her torso, but it felt awkward and she had no idea where she was aiming when she let it go. It did hit the target though…but not her own target.

"Hey!" Kaede complained, as she was about to take a shot of her own.

Sayuri positively glowered at Ephriham, blaming him completely for his bogus advice. 'Hold it right' he said, what the hell was that supposed to mean?

"Don't glare at me, you're the one who can't aim." Ephriham pointed out as he crossed his arms.

"Well we can't all be as perfect as you." Sayuri quipped snidely under her breath, but he still heard and smirked. "No, you can't."

Her expression contorted into one of loathing and she was just saved by the Captain calling it a day and welcoming them back tomorrow. She dropped the borrowed equipment and grabbed her bag, dashing out of the area with Umiko at her heels, looking confused. Looking back, Sayuri could still see him smirking, his arms crossed with confidence and she vowed to beat him and wipe that smile off of his face one day.