Ranko did a double-take as she finally realized who this man must be. Saffron. The hoity-toity swordsman her brother and the generals couldn't stop yapping about.

Still, she understood why Akane was getting so emotional over the sight of him. It'd been almost two years since they'd last met, and according to her, HE was the key to defeating Hinako.

So of course, Ranko instantly despised him.

Why did he have to show up now, now after she'd finally gotten her friend back?! What if he managed to teach her that super-special-technique and she DID run off to challenge Hinako and got herself killed in the process?

What if their days together really were numbered?

With all those worries flooding her mind, Ranko couldn't help but sound abrasive when she scowled at him and demanded: "What the heck are YOU doing here?"

Her brother and Akane stared at her in open-mouthed shock, speechless.

Well, almost.

"Ranko!" Akane admonished, mortified. Then, turning to her Master, began to apologize profusely on behalf of her friend. "I'm sorry, Master. She didn't mean that."

Ranko scoffed. "Yeah, I did."

Saffron didn't acknowledge her at all. Instead, he wordlessly tossed the bag he had slung over his shoulder to his protege. Akane clumsily caught it, and then hugged the old worn sack close to her chest, like it was something precious.

Ranko wrinkled her nose.

Gross. It was probably underwear.

"I'll be staying a few days," he told Akane, barely sparing the others a glance. "I believe it may be time to fulfill my end of our bargain."

"Do-do you really mean it?" Akane asked, literal stars in her eyes.

Which was a silly thing to ask. This guy didn't exactly look like the life of the party; she doubted he knew what a joke even was.

But humoring her, maybe, the weirdo nodded his head and slowly began making his way over to Ranko, looking Yoiko over with an appraising eye. "This one will do," he said, and grabbing Ranko by the hem of her dress, yanked her off her own damn horse, and swung himself onto the saddle himself.

"Hey!" Ranko protested after righting herself and glaring up at him—the bastard could've broken her neck! "What do you think you're doing, you jerk?"

Yoiko, the traitor, chuffed happily, as if thrilled to be carrying a star on his back.

"Returning to the castle, are we not?" He asked as Akane hurried to her side, eager to play peacemaker.

"I'm so sorry," she told her, pathetically steepling her fingers in apology. "Would you mind riding with Ranma just this once? Pleassse?"

Ranko glared at the interloper who looked right at home on her stolen horse, ignoring her with practiced ease. "Like I have a choice," she grumbled, scowling at Saffron one last time before marching over to join Ukyo instead.

"You alright, hon?"

"Peachy," she muttered as Ukyo helped her onto her mare.

Left alone with no other option—Ryoga's pony was too small to fit two, and Saffron didn't look willing to share—Akane lowered her head and sadly made her way over to Ranma and Snowflake.

"Sorry," she mumbled, awkwardly toeing the ground. "Looks like we'll need to share a horse. Unless, I could walk?" She suggested, and lifting her head, had the gall to look hopeful, as if she'd actually prefer that option.

Ranma narrowed his eyes at her. "Just get on," he said, grumbling, as he reached down and helped her swing onto his horse. Then, he grabbed her master's bag and tied it beside his own.

Once situated in front, Akane sat ramrod straight, as if afraid to touch him.

It made Ranko feel a little better.

Finally, Ryoga had managed to catch up with his miniature pony and was doing his best to make it move forward. "This way, you stupid runt," he commanded, pulling the reins in the wrong direction.

Instead of going west, he started drifting south.

Whelp, hopefully, he made it back too.

Before they set off though, Ranko gave her horse one final probing look, trying to convey mentally how helpful it would be if he managed to throw his rider off.

Yoiko seemed to understand.

Looking serious, girl and horse nodded their heads in solidarity, sharing a moment. Heck, maybe Saffron would hit his head in the fall and forget everything!

Wouldn't that be neat?

"Alright, let's go, everyone!" Ukyo announced, more than happy to take the lead as she lightly kicked her horse, propelling her forward.

And just like that, they were off.

...

Yoiko never did buck him off.

The stupid horse.

...

Ranma was on pins and needles.

It was a little over an hour's ride back to the castle, but with Akane sitting so close, it definitely felt longer. It was torture.

Not the bad kind though.

Every time she dropped her guard and relaxed against him, something in his stomach fluttered pleasantly, making him hyper-aware of every part of them that touched.

However, it never lasted.

Every time, the tomboy would catch herself and scoot forward, as far as she could go, and then sit lower to avoid brushing against his arms as he held the reins; like touching him was some sort of crime.

It was frustrating and a little insulting, but Ranma tried to chalk it up to the tomboy feeling guilty. Like, maybe she felt that fluttering sensation too but was trying to stay loyal to her lame-ass fiancé?

That helped a little. Sorta.

Still, he knew if she didn't start talking or loosen up a bit, this was gonna be one painfully slow horse ride. So Ranma was eager for some sort of distraction.

As far as Saffron went, he was trying super hard not to be too star-struck, but man, was it hard. Ranma could hardly believe that the man, the legend, was trotting two paces ahead of him.

What should he say to him?

Would "hi" be too forward? What about "How's it hanging?" Too casual?

He hardly knew where to begin, but that's where Akane came in. The tomboy knew Saffron well, so maybe if he got her talking, she'd loosen up, spill some secrets, and some of that awkwardness between them would disappear too.

It was loads better than suffering the rest of the ride in silence. So Ranma gathered his courage and mentally prepared himself to be shot down. Or ignored. You never could know with Akane.

"Hey," he whispered, keeping his voice intentionally low so Saffron couldn't hear him. "Hey, Akane?"

He knew she heard him because she immediately tensed up. "Yeah?" She whispered as she turned her head to try and look at him.

"So. I was just, um, wondering . . . are-are you and Saffron really close?"

Akane paused as if thrown off by his question. "What? Why do you ask?"

"'Cause," he tried again, speaking louder, just enough not to be overheard. "If I wanted to ask him to train me too, nothing big, you know, just a couple techniques here or there, how would I go about it?"

"It-it's not that simple, Ranma," she told him, and then turned back around, essentially cutting him off.

"Okay," he allowed, getting the slightest bit irritated. "Then how did you do it? How did you convince him to train you?"

"I didn't do anything," she answered stiffly, purposely vague. "It just sort of happened."

"What? By like, accident?"

"Kind of," she admitted, but he could see the way her hands gripped Shussemaru's mane, strangling it. There was clearly a story there. "Anyway, can we just drop it, please? I don't want to talk about it."

Ranma frowned, frustrated at being cut off again. "Fine. Consider it dropped," he muttered, a touch more petulantly than intended.

He just didn't understand. Was the story seriously that traumatizing or was she simply trying to hog Saffron all to herself? She didn't seem that petty, but why else would she refuse to answer such a simple question?

Unless . . .

Ranma swallowed hard as a much more dangerous possibility occurred to him.

Could Akane be engaged to Saffron?!

Could HE be her mysterious fiancé?!

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Maybe that's the real reason he was so willing to train her. Maybe the swordsman was secretly a pervert who demanded her hand in marriage—maybe he defeated her in combat!—or maybe her deadbeat parents sold her to the wandering letch in exchange for potatoes or something!

How old was he anyway? A hundred and fifty? Did Akane prefer older guys?

"It's him, isn't it?" Ranma angrily blurted, unable to keep his suspicions to himself. "I should have guessed. It all makes sense now."

Again, Akane turned to try and look at him, seeming genuinely confused. "I'm sorry?" She questioned, sounding more puzzled by his declaration than anything.

That made him hesitate a little.

"Your fiancé," he explained slowly, carefully, finally remembering to keep his voice down. "It's Saffron, isn't it?"

It took a second, but Akane's shoulders slowly began to shake, then she laughed out loud, the sound unrestrained and honest. "Ranma! Did you hit your head on your way here? What in the world are you talking about?"

Ranma blushed, suddenly feeling stupid. "Never mind," he muttered, deciding silence was golden after all. They didn't have to talk the entire way home.

"Of course, he's not," she confirmed, even though she'd already implied as much. "He's my sensei. That's all."

"Cool. Good to know," Ranma told her, trying to subtly drop the subject. "I was just kidding anyway."

Sounding amused, she said, "I'm sure."

Now that she wasn't shutting him down though, Ranma couldn't help but feel emboldened: "I mean, not that you can blame me for wondering, right? You're not exactly an open book, you know."

"Yeah," she said with a soft, resigned sigh. "I know."

The silence that settled between them after that was much more comfortable, and Ranma would have been content to let their trip pass by like that the entire way home.

But that's not what happened.

Instead, Akane abruptly leaned forward and kneeled, and with only her arms for balance, STOOD UP while they were still moving.

Ranma's heart jumped into his damn throat.

"You idiot!" He yelled, panicking, as he dropped the reins and threw his arms in the air instead, unsure where to grab, or if he even should. "Are you TRYING TO FALL?!"

The klutz ignored him of course. Instead, she turned around and plopped back down, legs askew, suddenly facing him now.

Ranma blinked slowly at her.

"Sorry for worrying you, I just, I had to talk to you face to face," she explained, staring at him with quiet resolve, her hands braced between them on the horse; not that there was much space to begin with. "First of all, I wanted to say sorry about before, for letting myself be taken so easily and making you worry about me… I promise, I'll train to get better so that never happens again."

"Oh-okay." He was all set to protest, but that last part didn't sound bad at all.

"And also," she continued shyly, "what you did back there with Kuno, what you said—Ranma, nobody's ever stood up for me like that before. Thank you."

Ranma's heart was thumping like a brass drum, wild and chaotic, and though he knew words were a thing, he couldn't seem to recall how to say any of them.

But Akane didn't seem to notice.

"As for Saffron," she continued again, quiet and thoughtful. "I can't tell you much, but if you want him to train you, I think you should just be honest and ask him outright. I'm not sure if he'll say yes, of course, but he does appreciate people who are forthright, so if you're serious, I think that might be your best bet."

Ranma's throat was bone dry by the time she was done, and then, when she gave him a reassuring smile, it was so blinding that for a second he was awestruck.

Before he could reply, though, she began to stand up.

"Akane, wait!" He yelled, panicked, as he grabbed her arm to stop her.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she quickly sat back down. "What is it? Was there something else?"

"No! No!" he hastened to assure her, dropping her arm like it was on fire. "I-I just meant, there's no need to kill yourself turning back can stay this way for a little longer… if you want," he finished lamely, even though he knew it was probably uncomfortable.

Heck, it was definitely uncomfortable, and he felt dumb for even suggesting it.

But Akane surprised him again; she was always doing that. "Oh. O-okay then," she allowed, smiling shyly at him. "Maybe for a little bit. It's easier to talk this way anyway, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he agreed with a grin.

And then she started talking.

She told him all about her older brother, a renowned doctor, and how she used to help him forage for mushrooms and herbs in the forest. She told him all about her other master, Master Happosai, and how little he'd taught her compared to Saffron. Somehow, he was an even bigger pervert than Kuno!

Ranma had questioned her on that point, of course—because who could be worse than Kuno?

But the tomboy had insisted.

And as she spoke, Ranma had plenty of time to observe her too—to trace the shape of her jawline with his eyes, to watch the subtle way the wind caressed her skin, or how her short hair lightly brushed her cheek. And he loved the way her eyes brightened when she was excited, how she wrinkled her nose and talked with her hands. Even while balancing bareback on a horse.

(ESPECIALLY when balancing bareback on a horse.)

And he only had to stop her from tumbling off twice!

He was so enchanted as he watched her, that by the time they'd arrived back at the castle, the stables having come into view, Ranma wasn't nowhere near ready for it to end.

Although Akane apparently was.

The tomboy took her time stretching and then patted his horse affectionately on the side. "Thanks for the ride, Shussemaru," she told him as the pleased stallion neighed and stood taller. "And honestly, thanks again for everything, Ranma. As I said before, it-it really meant a lot to me."

Ranma found himself blushing under the force of her gaze. "It-it was nothing."

She smiled sincerely for him one last time, then swung her leg over the side, dismounted, and rushed over to rejoin her Master.

As he watched her, Ranma knew one thing for certain: His heart was completely, utterly, bound to that girl.

Somehow, it felt like she'd owned it forever.

…

With Master Saffron's sudden arrival, everything passed by like a whirlwind. As usual, Akane was caught in the heart of the storm, buffeted by its winds, yet all she felt was exhilaration and hope.

After showing Master Saffron to his room last night—with Ranko's help since she insisted "he couldn't be trusted"—he'd given her strict instructions to meet him again at sunrise the very next day when training would begin in earnest.

Akane couldn't wait!

Even after the tiring ordeal with Kuno, she'd barely slept at all from the excitement!

So when the appointed time finally arrived, Akane quickly opened eyes that had barely closed, threw off her blanket, and hopped around her room in a hurry to dress. She threw on a light training blouse with black leggings, and then ran, making it to his room with several minutes left to spare.

Only to find Ranko was there too.

Akane narrowed her eyes, suspicious.

"What?" The redhead complained, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall, waiting for her. "I told you, Akane, I don't trust this jerk as far as I can throw him!"

Akane rolled her eyes. She'd heard this same speech the entire way back to her room last night. "You're being silly," she told her again. "He's not going to hurt me, dummy."

Well. Not much. Maybe.

Honestly, it all depended on the training.

Akane ignored her friend's silly protests as she knocked on Saffron's door, her body buzzing with anticipation.

The door swung open before she'd even finished knocking. Master Saffron stood before her, holding a GIANT stalk of bamboo.

"Let's go," he said as he angled the bamboo through the door and briskly brushed past her.

"What the hell," Ranko muttered under her breath, still following them.

Akane had no idea where they were headed, and honestly, she was more curious about what he planned to do with that bamboo pole—not to mention where he got it.

Was there a bamboo forest nearby she didn't know about?

Maybe he'd break it in half and they'd start with a light spar?

Akane knew her master wouldn't answer even if she asked, so she stayed quiet and followed at a distance, giving him plenty of room for his strange weapon. She couldn't even guess where they were headed, but they didn't go very far.

At the back of the castle, there was a wide natural pool located in the center of a clearing surrounded by shrubs, trees, and aquatic plants. Akane had no idea how he even discovered it.

But now, she couldn't help feeling apprehensive. Were they going to train in that murky water?

Before she could ask, Saffron leaped high into the air, and on the way down, plunged the bamboo stalk directly into the middle of the pool, ramrod straight, leaving only about a meter above the water. Then, pushing off the top, Saffron propelled himself back into the air and after flipping, landed perfectly on top of the stalk. There, he balanced easily on one foot, staring down at her.

Akane stared back uneasily, not liking how much of the pole was submerged. The depth must be over her head.

If she fell. . .

"All you have to do, little one, is stay on that pole," Master Saffron told her.

"Heh. That doesn't look so hard," Ranko replied. "You mean to tell me this is the kind of crap he's had you doing? No wonder you had to go and seek out the generals!"

But Akane knew it wasn't that simple.

As far as balancing exercises went, this one seemed too easy: There had to be a catch. Her master would never waste time on something so simple.

Before she could figure it out though, Saffron jumped off his perch and touched down lightly beside her.

"You may begin," he told her.

"Right!" Afraid of overthinking things, or worse, of disappointing him, Akane moved without thought and leaped.

Her foot settled easily upon the stalk, and she quickly found her center. But once that was done and she was staring down at him expectantly, Akane finally realized what had been bugging her about this task all along.

"Um? And how long do I need to stand up here for, exactly. . .?"

Saffron settled down on the grass beside the pool, sitting seiza. "That's entirely up to you, Akane."

And there it was.

In an instant, Akane understood exactly what kind of training test this was to be. This wasn't about balance at all.

It was an endurance test.

"Okay," she replied, taking a slow, nervous breath as she glanced down at the deceptively calm water below.

She couldn't afford to fall.

And she couldn't afford to fail either.

This was her chance to prove herself. To show Master Saffron once and for all that she was ready, that he hadn't put his faith in her for nothing, that all his time and training had paid off.

This was her final test.

"I can do this," Akane told herself as she breathed deeply, trying to calm herself, to enter a state of zen.

But Ranko wasn't helping. "You know, that means you could just come down now, right? Because honest, Akane, this seems like a colossal waste of time."

"It's not. Honest. But you don't have to stick around," she told her, secretly hoping Ranko would leave so she could fully concentrate. "I'm sure you have better things to do with your time."

"Nope," her friend told her as she plopped down on the ground too, right next to Saffron who she gave the evil eye. "I'm right where I need to be, thank you very much."

Great, Akane thought to herself as she tried again to calm her mind.

But it was hard. NOW all she could think about was Saffron getting fed up with Ranko and throwing her headfirst into the pool. Or her Master losing interest and wandering off, never to be seen or heard from again. Or what if she lost her balance after falling asleep, and shattered his belief in her forever by barely lasting ten minutes?!

Finally, Akane was regretting her lack of foresight and sleep. How in the world was she supposed to concentrate like this?!

As it turns out, Akane was so distracted by all her doomsday scenarios, that when a strong breeze did blow and try to knock her down, it nearly upset her balance. Surprised, her arms pinwheeled wildly for a second, while Akane fought to catch herself and re-secure her footing.

Once she was stable again, she breathed sharply and decided another approach was definitely in order. She needed to clear her mind of everything. So, making peace with the task at hand, Akane pretended that the peaceful state of mind she was striving for was a tangible thing, something she could wrap around herself like a warm cloak, snug and firm.

Failure wasn't an option this time. She would conquer this challenge and show Master Saffron once and for all how serious she could be!

If he thought he could intimidate her, he had another thing coming; she was determined now.

AKANE WAS NEVER COMING DOWN!

...

Ranma sat before the gross, dirty pool, his eyes never wavering from Akane as she stood shivering but steady on top of that crummy old bamboo pole.

She'd been up there thirteen hours already, and in solidarity, Ranma had vowed not to move from this spot until she was back on solid ground.

Or in the water.

Whichever came first.

But news traveled fast in Wistalia. So he wasn't alone.

(Though he wished he were.)

Everyone in the castle had heard the news about Saffron's surprise visit and how Akane was busy undergoing special training. So in no time at all, the generals and trainees had wandered to the back of the castle, excited to watch the spectacle and see the legend for themselves.

If their expectations were high though, it wasn't long before they plummeted back to earth.

Saffron sat stiffly before the natural pond, painfully aloof, quietly observing his student and ignoring everyone who dared come too close. Anyone who tried to sidle up next to him or get his attention was snubbed or sent away with a look.

Mint had tried and ran off crying.

So choosing to leave him alone, the interlopers had collectively shifted their attention back to Akane.

For a hot minute, anyway.

As it turns out, watching somebody stand still was incredibly boring. Ranma wasn't surprised at all when food and drinks gradually began to trickle in—soon, even Ukyo had opened up a small okonomiyaki stand to sell her famous snack—followed by games and even a betting pool, creating a picnic-like atmosphere they all could enjoy.

Everyone except Akane, that is, who had stopped asking them to leave five hours ago. The only other person who didn't seem to be celebrating was Ranko.

Ranma had no clue why, but his sister had taken an instant dislike to Saffron. The dummy kept trying to get a rise out of him—to no avail. But it wasn't from lack of trying. She belittled his training ideas, his hair, clothes, and breath. And kept encouraging Akane to quit.

"You can come down now, Akane!" She yelled again, ignoring the party going on behind her. "You've proven your point!"

Eyes closed in concentration, Akane continued to ignore her. But the tick of her jaw showed she'd heard her.

"Seriously. What is your deal?" Ranma finally asked after the third time she taunted her. "It's like you WANT her to fail!"

"Maybe Ido," she muttered. "This whole thing is stupid."

"I'm sure Saffron knows what he's doing," Ranma said, turning his gaze back on Akane.

"I doubt that. I don't like the jerk. Trust me, the guy's trouble."

Getting her to explain more than that was like pulling teeth.

Yet, the longer Akane remained up there, the more Ranma started to suspect that maybe Ranko was on to something . . . because seriously, what was even the point of this stunt?

What the hell was she supposed to learn?

If Saffron was trying to test how stubborn she could be, or how well she could balance, Ranma didn't need a dumb bamboo pole to tell him that.

(VERY stubborn. A LONG time.)

And the longer she was up there, the more he began to worry. So much could go wrong, especially with a klutz like Akane. If she wasn't breathing correctly, she could hurt herself standing like that for so long. And what if she fell and hit her head? Or her foot gets caught in the seaweed? Or her legs give out and she drowns?

Actually, this exercise could've easily been done on land. Why make her stand overwater?

Ranko appeared to be thinking the same thing. "You know, Akane," she yelled again, cupping her hands over her mouth to be better heard this time. "There's no shame in giving up! Dying proves nothing."

"Yeah!" Pantyhose slurred, already sloshed and half slumped against Ukyo's stand. "It's getting (hic) cold, Liplock. Let's (hic) call it a day!"

"Yeah. I'm hot!" Ryu added, also drunk. And then began tearing his shirt off.

If it went too far, Ranma was prepared to punt him into the pool.

"See?" Ranko shouted, pointing at them both. "Even those two idiots agree. Come! Down!"

Tsubasa, dressed as a giant bamboo shoot, started jumping around while waving flags in the air. "Don't listen to them, Akane-san! Never give up! NEVER SURRENDER!"

Ranko pushed the weirdo to the ground and held him there as he struggled to get free. "Don't listen to him, Akane! He's only saying that because he bet you'd last fifteen hours in the betting pool!"

"That's right! Gamblers should never be rewarded," Lime shouted in agreement because he'd already lost.

So far, only Tsubasa and Konatsu were still in the running.

Finally, though, Akane must've had enough. For the first time in hours, she spoke. "Would all of you just shut up and leave? I promise I'll tell you all about how long I lasted once you all go."

Ranma had no intention of going anywhere, but he could tell by the lack of venom in the tomboy's voice that the pressure was finally taking its toll.

"As if!" Ranko shouted back. "I was just about to hire a dancing panda! 'Course, if you quit now, maybe I'll change my mind."

Akane sighed deeply, and muttered, "I'll get you back for this. I swear I will."

"Not if you drown, you won't!"

"For the last time, I'M NOT GOING TO—"

Just then, Akane began to teeter on the pole, and Ranma's entire body tensed as he watched her sway dangerously to the side, thrown off-kilter by the wind.

Or her anger.

But again, with gut-wrenching slowness, she managed to right herself. But only just barely.

Once it was safe, Akane released a sigh, but Ranma wasn't relieved at all. From now on, it was only gonna get worse. Sunset was almost here, and with it, the wind would pick up, becoming colder, and fiercer, and the golden streaks painting the surface of the water would soon darken to black.

Then what would she do?

What if she fell and they couldn't even see her anymore?!

Yet, despite the dangers, the dummy didn't look ready to jump down anytime soon. And even Saffron showed no signs of putting an end to it.

And the more this dragged on, the more worried he became.

At this point, there was no "winning."Akane wouldn't be able to jump down safely even if she wanted to; her legs would give out the moment she tried, and then she'd sink like a stone.

Dammit. What was even the point of all this?!

"So. How long's she been up there now?"

Ranma turned his head to see Shinnosuke settling beside him, his voice full of worry. He'd been sent to fetch more food and drinks with Ryoga hours ago but was only returning now.

He shrugged. "Thirteen hours, give or take," he told him, even though he knew the answer down to the exact minute.

According to Ranko, it was thirteen hours and forty-six minutes, but broom boy didn't need to know how closely he was tracking it.

Shinnosuke whistled low. "Wow. She truly is amazing. I'm not sure I could've lasted three hours, let alone thirteen."

"If by amazing you mean stubborn and gullible, then yeah, I guess." Of course, it went without saying, but Ranma could've easily lasted all day. His old man had put him through way worse stunts than this.

Shinnosuke looked at him curiously. "Gullible? What do you mean?"

Ranma gestured to where she stood shivering on the pole. The temperature was beginning to drop again, and it was only going to get colder. "Only a gullible idiot would stay up there this long with no payoff. She could've accomplished the same thing just standing on a dumb stump."

"Is that right?" Shinnosuke replied thoughtfully, not quite as willing to insult Akane as he was. "Well, I still think she's amazing."

"If you say so," Ranma grunted, though what he really wanted to say was,Sorry, pal, she's already spoken for.

"Riiiight?" His sister agreed as she came over to their side of the puddle, thrilled to find someone else on her side. "That's what I've been trying to tell her! But will she listen? Nooooo."

"Perhaps her master has another purpose for this training? One we're not privy to," Shinnosuke suggested.

Ranko scoffed. "As if. Seriously, that jerk's nothing special. He probably just wants to bore her to death! And if all you morons weren't so busy licking the ground he walks on, you'd see it too."

"Never! It tastes like cherry!" Lime protested as Mint giggled and licked the ground too.

Gross.

"You do realize she can hear us, right?" Shinnosuke pointed out, glancing nervously up at Akane who had started glowering at them. "Perhaps we should be supportive."

"Nah. I'm good," Ranko replied flippantly.

"Ah, I see," Herb observed sagely, nodding his head. "Hearing everything—every insult and platitude—this too is a means of training. Interesting."

The rest of the trainees swallowed nervously as they regarded the bamboo pole with fresh, frightened eyes; as if fearing a similar exercise would be in their future.

Which, knowing Herb, it likely would be. He was the king of copying.

"To be honest, I don't understand the point of this either," Ukyo admitted, resting her cheek on her palm as she took a break from cooking. "Balance and endurance are both pretty basic. And clearly, she's already mastered them both."

"I concur," Mousse said, adjusting his glasses. "In practice, it would make much more sense to give her something to dodge while she's up there. Rocks, sticks, or cans, for example. That would make for a far superior balancing exercise."

"H-hey now, let's not give General Herb any more ideas, please?" Konatsu protested, envisioning flying projectiles in his future.

Grinning evilly, Ranko stooped down to pick up a rock. "Nonono! I think Mousse is on to something!"

Ranma snatched it she started tossing it menacingly in the air. So much for not moving. "NOW who's being stupid?"

"Hey, you jerk!" Ranko protested, jumping up and down as she reached for the stolen rock.

"Ha! Ha! Someone's too short," Ranma teased, cackling, as he lifted it above his head, dancing around his sister.

Now this was a party!

…

Akane tuned everyone out as best she could, trying her best to concentrate on her breathing. It wasn't as easy as it had been hours before when she was still mostly conscious and desperate for any distraction.

Now, it was getting to the point where even the smallest sound pulled her attention right back to the party below.

And was it any wonder?

Her stamina was very nearly gone.

The muscles in her legs were taut and strained and she doubted she could bend her knees even if she wanted to. And the constant fight to keep her eyes open and alert was another battle she was bound to lose.

She was going to fall.

The only question was when.

But if Master Saffron was so determined to test her resolve, then fine, she'd show him it hadn't waned one bit! She'd do anything to prove just how resolved she could be, even if it meant nearly drowning or standing on this stupid pole forever!

So once more, Akane straightened her back and set her jaw as she focused on a point in the horizon, clearing her mind of everything until all she could feel was the sole of her foot resting securely on the upper stem of the bamboo.

If she stared hard enough, she could almost make out Hinako in the distance, taunting her, challenging her . . . telling her she'd never succeed.

It was probably Ranko's voice, honestly, but hearing those words only made her resolve grow that much stronger.

Hinako should be afraid!

After today, Akane would be that much closer to reaching her goal, to having the upper hand after eight years of waiting and suffering. Before long, her stepmother would pay for every wrongdoing her family suffered under her hand!

She had A LOT to answer for.

And Akane wasn't about to lose to a stick.

Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes and imagined a box, and after forcing all those negative thoughts and feelings inside, slammed the lid down tightly, and pushed them far, far away. She couldn't afford distractions. Instead, she focused inward, concentrating on the here and now, on her breathing, and the thick stalk of bamboo beneath her feet.

The real test began now.

She was just getting started.

…

"Huh. I think she's lost her mind," Ranko observed, shielding her eyes.

Ranma followed her gaze to find that Akane did look a little different. Her expression was serene, and she seemed more relaxed, somehow, more confident, despite her precarious position.

She looked at peace.

Sensing movement behind him, Ranma glanced back, surprised to find that after all these hours of silence, Saffron was finally standing, his gaze fixed intently on the eerie, golden pool stretched out before them.

The others must have sensed a change too. Even Mint and Lime had paused in their game to turn and look. Time was suspended as everyone wondered what he would do next.

For a minute, the answer was nothing.

But while every head was turned towards Saffron, abuzz with whispers and speculation, that's when Ranma heard what sounded like a small splash from the pool. It was almost indiscernible in the din, but when he turned back to check on Akane, she was gone.

But by the base of the stalk, water was violently churning where she must have fallen in.

Ranma waited impatiently for her head to break the surface… but she wasn't coming up. Feeling on edge, he took a hesitant step forward.

Had her leg cramped after all?

"Hey! Where the heck's Akane?" Ranko shouted, finally catching up, and that's all it took to snap him out of his panic. The fear in her voice alone had him moving.

Ranma didn't waste another second. He raced towards the water, cursing the tomboy and her stupidity right up until the freezing water hit him and his brain short-circuited. After that, thought was impossible. So instead, forcing his eyes open, he tried to spot the bamboo, to find the place where she'd gone under.

Not that he could see it.

The water was cloudy and dark with algae. Straining his eyes, Ranma pushed aside seaweed and flora, growing frustrated with every wasted second as he searched for a hint of green or white in the murk.

Finally, he saw her; a splash of white that didn't belong. The tomboy's weightless body was drifting to the bottom like a dead weight.

His heart went with it.

Pushing his worst fears aside, Ranma swam as fast as he could, pulled her body into his arms, and shot for the surface.

The pond wasn't that big, but every second felt like an hour as—Dummy! Idiot!Moron!—replayed in his head like a damn symphony until he reached the bank.

Thankfully, Ryoga was waiting, so he passed her to him and then followed as quickly as he could.

To his relief, Akane had started to sputter and gasp for air soon after they'd reached land. "Is she okay?" Ranko asked as her hands hovered uncertainly over her friend, unsure how to help.

"Yeah," Ranma said as he fought to catch his breath, relieved to see that in all the chaos Ukyo and Herb had kept everybody back, leaving them a wide berth. No thanks to that bastard Saffron who hadn't done shit. "Just give her a minute. She probably drank a ton of the stuff."

As if on command, Akane's body was wracked with another coughing fit and she turned to her side, continuously expelling all the water she'd swallowed.

"Geez," Ranko said, pounding her on the back to help. "Didn't anyone ever tell you you're supposed to breathe out? Not drink it all in!"

When her coughing had lessened, Akane managed a small, pained laugh. "I-I guess I f-forgot that p-part."

In Ranma's opinion, she'd forgotten a lot of things—common sense, self-preservation, how to fucking swim.

"Here," said Ukyo, handing him a blanket one of the partiers had been using. "This oughta warm her up."

"Thanks," Ranma said as he wrapped it around the shivering tomboy, relieved to see her coughing had subsided a lot. She wasn't yakking up water anymore too which was a plus. "You okay?" he asked, as he gently looked her over. "You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?"

Akane shook her head and flushed. "N-no, I think it w-was a pretty clean f-fall, all things c-considered."

Ranma scoffed at that, even as his eyes drifted over the rest of her, well aware that if she had hurt herself, she'd be too stubborn and stupid to admit it. So giving her a more thorough once-over, Ranma ensured that her hands and arms were indeed fine before his eyes drifted to the hollow of her throat where he spotted the chain of her necklace.

Following it down, he froze, staring at it with bated breath.

At some point during one of her coughing fits it must have come free from her tunic. And it wasn't a necklace at all, but an old worn-out medallion.

Not just any old medallion.

He was staring at the Tendo family crest.

Not realizing what had happened, Akane looked to her master with wide, nervous eyes, and finally closed the blanket more tightly around herself, concealing the medallion once again.

Ranma had to forcefully stop himself from snatching it back. Too many thoughts were running through his head…

"So, d-did I pass?" she asked, hesitant, and just a tad bit fearful. A look he couldn't decipher passed between them, and then Saffron gave her a silent nod of approval.

Akane smiled, but for once, Ranma barely noticed. His gaze was hyper-focused on her blanket where the familiar medallion remained safely hidden. For now, anyway.

Somehow, instinctively, he knew he couldn't let anyone else see it.

Still, he could barely process that he was staring atAkane-chan. She really had been right in front of him this entire time. All the suspicions, the strange similarities, suddenly, all of it made sense.

How the hell hadn't he noticed?!

"The real training begins tomorrow," Saffron explained as Akane nodded eagerly in reply, like a pathetic, whipped puppy seeking approval. And like the arrogant jerk he was, the swordsman stalked off, heading towards the castle without a backward glance.

Ranma watched him go with a hateful scowl. He wouldn't forget anytime soon how he chose to sit back and do nothing while Akane-Chan drowned.

He would've gladly punched him in the face as thanks too, but the asshole got lucky because the sound of Ranko gasping in horror stopped him. Turning his head, Ranma saw her quickly stuffing Akane's medallion back beneath her tunic after her blanket had shifted. "You better hope no one saw," she hissed, just low enough for Akane to hear.

But Ranma heard. And now, Saffron wasn't the only one he wanted to punch.

Ranko had known Akane's identity all this time too!?

What. The. Fuck.

Clutching the newly hidden medallion, Akane's face paled as she began to look around, fearful she'd been found out—only to meet Ranma's eyes, and the look of dread deepened when she realized he'd been watching her this entire time.

"W-what?" she questioned defensively, going on the defensive.

Ranma's lips were tightly pressed, not trusting himself to speak here, now, in front of everyone. Instead, he climbed to his feet, keeping what he knew to himself for now. "Come on," he deflected. "I think you've trained enough. You should be getting inside where it's warm."

Now that Akane was safe and her training was over, the party was beginning to break up anyway. People were picking up their blankets, food, and drinks, and heading back inside the castle.

"O-okay," she replied, sensing something was off, but faithfully following anyway.

Little did she know Ranma had no intention of taking her back to the barracks. Oh no. He had LOTS of questions for the sneaky liar, and THIS time she wasn't going anywhere until he got some answers.

This conversation was long overdue.

End of Chapter 16