"Take your time." Genkai reminded me, and I paused, trying to keep my balance and take a breath simultaneously. This was oddly the most fun thing she had had me do in a long while.

Tight-rope walking was hell in a handbasket, but it was rewarding after a few falls and some bruises. I'd fallen six times already, but I had made it further with each attempt and was about halfway down the rope. It was terrifying to fall the first time, but I had made my peace with the fact that I would not be getting out of this exercise without at least a fractured rib or a broken ankle.

I leaned too far to the right, hissing as I tried to stabilize myself and fell hard, managing to roll myself at the last minute so the blow didn't completely take me out. It still hurt but it wouldn't be anything permanent. What was a few more bruises?

"If you're going to fall, at least you fall right." Genkai smirked, sipping her tea again.

"I think I'm done for now." I admitted, tempted to climb up again despite that I would probably break my neck. I had never given credit to tight-rope walkers before; they were some pretty impressive people. "Can we try again later?"

"I'll tell you what kiddo; if you pass your exam tomorrow I'll keep the rope up the rest of the time you're here."

"Deal!" I laughed, easing myself up and stretching. This was a fantastic change of pace to the usual, intensive training that took place, and I couldn't keep myself from smiling. "What's next on the agenda?"

"We will be following the theme of balance today. We're going to the bridge by the river."

I nodded, walking beside her with a lazy stride. Today was a good day. I hadn't felt this... good... in a long time. I felt relaxed, rejuvenated. Maybe being out here in the middle of nowhere without any distractions was good for my state of mind afterall.

She led me to the bridge down the way from the compound, silent as ever, and motioned for me to get up on the railing. I hoisted myself up, as the railing was maybe three inches shorter than my head height, and rolled my shoulders.

"Walk across." She ordered, nodding once. I did as I was told, not trusting how simple this task was. "Now close your eyes and walk across again."

I closed my eyes, going slower and feeling my way along with the tips of my toes to make sure I wasn't going to fall off, but it was once again a relatively easy task that I didn't trust.

"Now I want you to walk across in a handstand."

Okay, that was a little more difficult. I went into a handstand, gripping the sides of the rail tightly, and making my slow way over to the end. Handstands were not my favorite thing in the world, but I could do them relatively well. It took a few minutes, but I made it and touched my feet back down.

I did a handstand with my eyes closed, did front tucks and cartwheels and back hand springs down the rail, almost slipping a few times and finding myself grinning at the ridiculous tasks she was making me do. Balancing exercises were definitely my favorite of every exercise she'd thrown my way, and had been my favorite exercises since I had begun dancing. This to me, while hard work, was fun.

Then she brought out the rocks.

The first one sailed by me, barely missing my face while I ducked out of the way.

"Really?" I flipped over one handed to stand on my feet again as another one was aimed directly where my legs had just been. Those rocks were flying fast. All she was doing was flicking them, but they were almost too fast to keep up with.

"Yes, really. You should have the reflexes to avoid faster paced attacks, now quit whining and get moving." She emphasized her point by flicking yet another rock at my knees. I jumped up to avoid it, but slipped on my landing. It was very unfortunate timing, as another rock was flying my way. It made contact with my knuckle, and I released my grip on the rail out of reflex, holding tight with my other arm and cradling my now bleeding hand.

"I yield!"

She smirked, flicking two more rocks in quick succession, one grazing my leg and the other missing my head when I ducked.

"Better think quick; you won't be able to yield in real life."

I glanced at the water below me, panic setting in just listening to the waves crashing below.

"Please, the water-"

"Won't hurt you." She finished for me, whipping another rock my way. I lifted my bad hand to deflect it, yelping at the pain and shifting to get a better grip so I could roll up on the rail. The blood from my injury had gotten everywhere, however, and my arm slid in the mess. I couldn't grip onto the slippery rail as my body tumbled backwards, and I couldn't even scream as my body made impact.

I couldn't breathe. That much was to be expected, but I couldn't move either. I was rolling, the water invading my nose and mouth as I tried to right myself, flailing my arms and legs awkwardly in my attempts. I crashed into a rock in the river as it pulled me along, yelping and feeling the burn tear it's way up my side and up my arm to my shoulder.

I should have taken swimming lessons as a kid to get over this.

I could feel my heart in my temples, my lungs burning to try and inhale oxygen. I could see reflections across the top of the water, light shining through on occasion, and then the darkness that I knew would be the floor below it. I reached my arms out and tried to kick my legs hard enough to lift me up, but with every movement my vision was narrowing. I should've listened more. I should've tried to call my mom. I should've... I should've...

"Take your time." Genkai scorned in my ear. How convenient, now of all times...

Black was starting to eat out the light shining through, and it wasn't like any book or any movie had said to comfort loved ones. Everything was burning and aching and my head was swimming. The pressure in the back of my head was unbearable, but I forced myself to look up regardless of how much it hurt. I pushed my arms up one last time and slammed them down as hard as I could, one last desperate attempt for momentum, and I sucked in air when the surface of the water was finally breached. I held my throat, coughing up the water that had made it's way to my lungs, and shaking with the effort that it took to keep myself up on my hands and knees. The dirt felt good in my hands, and I dug my fingers deep into it, trying to ground myself here. I was alive.

I glanced up to see where I was, and I felt another wave of panic soar through me.

The river was rushing around me. Literally. I turned around, pushing myself up to my feet and feeling my head spin. I was in the center of the river, the waves ten feet above my head at least and flowing exactly as a river should. What in the living hell...

I took a step forward, my body still adjusting to gravity, and inched toward the edge of whatever barrier was separating me from the elements. I raised my hand, heart in my throat, and the water darted from my hand, creating a perfect impression of where the appendage was. I jerked back, and the water swallowed the impression up, continuing to flow as if nothing had impeded it. I swallowed, taking a step forward and watching as once again the water shifted for me. The pressure in my head increased, my vision tunneling, and I made a run for it. I needed out of here and I needed out of here fast. The river parted for me like some biblical phenomenon, and keeping a circle around me at all times until I finally reached the shoreline. I felt the panic increase at the wall of sediment standing in my way of freedom, and screamed when the water started rising beneath my feet. Tears started falling as I started clawing at the sides with the rising water, lifting myself up somehow with the level at my neck, and grasped for the grass on the shore when it was in reach.

I was safe.

I was... safe.

What the fucking hell was going on?!

I flung my aching body to the side, away from approaching footsteps, and screamed again, unable to stop the shriek or the panic or anything else that was violating my comfort zone. Genkai stopped a healthy distance away and clasped her hands behind her back, her face unreadable.

I calmed my breathing down the best I could, watching her eyes flicker over me, gone from here and lost in her own thoughts, and rage started welling up in my chest. I was Moses in the water and she has nothing to say to me?!

"What just happened?" I demanded when she was silent for another minute. Her eyes snapped back to the present, and she made eye contact with me for about five seconds before she turned around.

"Come with me."

I stared at her while she walked, my vision tunneling again and that pressure coming right back to my head.

"No. No, you tell me whatever you need to tell me right here. I have no idea what just happened, Genkai, and I'm freaking out and I need answers right now. What did I just do?"

She paused, turning around to aim that same glare at me that had been sent my way several times when I'd disobeyed her the past two weeks.

"Why do you think I'm telling you to follow me? So we can sit soaking wet on the riverbed and braid each other's hair? Get your ass up and follow me and you just might get those answers you're stomping your foot over."

I glared, swallowing down the sarcasm and the anger the best that I could. It wasn't going to do me any good, I had to remind myself. I pushed myself to my feet, hissing at the protest my body was giving me, and made my way to her, albeit slowly. That rock did a number on my physical wellbeing.

I had to watch myself following her up the path back to the compound, and to make matters worse I had to follow her facing forwards. My balance was already questionable, but walking forwards threw everything for a loop. I tripped on every tree root and stray rock possible in my path and almost fell down twice, but I discovered that losing myself in my thoughts helped distract me away from all of this for a while. I swear something like this happened when I was a kid... a time when I was scared. I could hear myself calling out for my father, feel the water invading my nose...

I shook my head, thinking instead of whatever this might mean. I mean, seeing colors and now this thing with the water? What was happening to me?