I decided it was time to reveal who I was to my opponent, I gently removed my mask, and managed to painfully walk over to him. I helped him up and into the tunnel.

"Thank you for the help." He said.

"No problem, I know how you're feeling right now." I told him. "I've never faced someone so evenly matched to me."

"Neither have I." He replied. Then after he stopped walking and turned around to face me, taking off his mask.

I gasped. "I do know you! You were my first instructor's daughter, you're Sara!"

She gave me a half smile. "Correct. I must say, you've come a long way since our young sparing days."

"As have you." I replied. "We all change as time rolls by."

"Correct again." Sara said.

"Since when are girls allowed to fight?" I asked.

"They're not, you must promise to never tell a soul. If they found out, my family would be banished and/or killed." She told me in a grave tone.

"Then why are you doing this? If you were to be knocked out, or if that mask had come off, they'd know." I replied, genuinely concerned.

She looked me dead in the eye. "I know what I'm doing, you have to hold up your side though."

Her eyes were so beautiful, so full, so understanding, so knowing, that for a moment I felt as if the world stopped spinning and everything would be all right. "As you wish."

"Thank you." Her eyes showed her gratitude. She was counting on me, I could never let her down, especially after what her father had done for me.

"Would you mind if I take you to a place where no one will be able to find us, and you will not have to worry about being caught?" I asked, I wanted to get some more time with her, I had missed our childish days of playing and sparing.

She slid her jaguar mask back on. "I would like that. Thank you."  

Short, but just you wait.