A New day

The birds chirped happily outside as Yumi's eyes fluttered open as she stared at the wooden ceiling of her room, eyes devoid of life. 

The moment she entered her room, her legs gave out underneath her and she fell headfirst to the ground, her body convulsing with a pent up cough. Her throbbing head felt like it was gonna burst and her lungs didn't seem to register the air she had gulped down, her throat burned as if she had swallowed the fire itself.

"Pills, I need my pills..." The girl thought in the midst of waning consciousness. Her hand blindly swept the floor around her, searching for the bottle where she usually stored them. She had knocked it over when she fell. 

Her slender fingers touched the familiar coolness of the container as she desperately pulled it toward her, shakily poured out three pills before she downed them in. Three pills, that's her dose and no more. She feared the day where she would have to take more than that. 

The effect was instant.

She could feel the pain subsided immediately and her cough stopped as air began to pour back into her lungs, the black spots dancing around her eyes lightened up. 

It took her awhile to regain her breathing, chest heaving up and down to savor the air. Cold sweat matted her hair down, strands of them stuck themselves to her clammy skin as she laid motionlessly on the floor.

Hadn't she casted a silencing charm around her room, the commotion she caused would have alerted the people in the manor. The last thing she wanted is to have Lancer barging into her room.

Yumi winced as she sat up from her futon, her body felt sore all over. She put a hand on her bow and decided that she couldn't take on vigorous training today, settling to research about the Servants in the manor's library. 

She stood up, slipped the bottle of pills to a hidden pocket she had secretly sewn inside and slid open her door, only to find Lancer leaning on the wall right across her room as if he was waiting for her, his spear being propped up next to him. His wounds had miraculously healed up and his arm was back right where it is.

When he noticed her coming out, he frowned. "Master," he began, looking at the dishevelled hair and the dark bags under her eyes, "are you okay?"

Yumi put on a smile and began walking. "Oh, I'm fine, just staying up late to read about Servants."

Lancer wasn't convinced by her answer and pushed himself from the wall, grabbing his spear and walking beside her. "Hmm, really? Ya seemed to look awfully tired from that." 

Yumi rolled her eyes and made her way to the library. "Who wouldn't be tired after reading tons of books in a single night?" 

"Anyway, I'm going to the library, do you want to come?" 

"Ya gonna read again?" He said, blinking his eyes. 

"Well, I need to learn more, the ones I read weren't enough," the girl said smoothly. "I need to learn more about you." She gave him a smile. 

Lancer scratched the back of his head, ears tinted pink, looking away. Wait, why was he the one who got flustered when it's supposed to be his job to cause so. "Ya coulda just ask me, Master." 

"Oh where's the fun in that?" She giggled as they continued to make their way to the library. Her eyes spotted the burly build of Rider from afar. 

She patted his shoulder and tilted her head in his direction. "Didn't he say that he wanted to spar with you once you're healed?" 

Lancer looked at where she was gesturing and grinned. "Oho, he did. I need my warmups."

"Well then go for it," the girl said as the male immediately approached the bigger male. 

Yumi watched his retreating figure for a while before she turned back to the direction of the library. At least without him there, she wouldn't have to hide anything for a while. 

Before the sunlight could even wake him up, Rodrick already had his eyes wide open. He stared at the ceiling with weary eyes. He had a decent sleep, the futons were soft, fluffy, and especially clean. But he could not stand Rider's complaints last night.

"Why is everything so small,"

He tried to explain that Rider's size wasn't something that common here.

"Have you heard the story of how i had defeated the northern blue giant?"

Rodrick didn't bother replying but Rider went on to finish it which lasted for an hour. 

Please just stop.

Eventually he did but his loud snoring penetrated Rodrick's eardrum.

The only time that he could rest was when Rider stormed outside to do his daily training. When he left Rodrick could do nothing but gape open his mouth in annoyance. It was a mess compared to his side that's well arranged

With nothing else to do, he stared and admired the red markings on the back of his right hand.

 "I really have to fight huh?" he said to himself while worrying for what will come in the future.

He raised his upper body and took a deep breath, taking and expelling the air in a rhythmic pattern. "I'm not a fighter but a survivor." 

Upon saying those words, he got up and fixed whatever he could inside the room and that included his rider's mess.

He quickly wore his clothes from before and slipped outside of his room to go and see what the others were up to. 

Outside, the wolves circled around Rider who's sweating immensely, drops trickling down from his well built body. He moved like a feral beast, weaving and dancing with strength and elegance.

With sharp footwork, he drove his fist into the open air and created a gust of wind as it came out from his fist. Then he weaved and unleashed a torrent of powerful kicks.

His thick legs were capable enough of snapping a giant's body in half or better yet even a god. 

Rider smirked and dropped his weight on to the earth doing multiple push ups one each finger. 

Time passed and Rider gave out a manly shout and  the veins all over his muscles, neck and legs popped out

Wearing nothing but his shorts and hand wraps, he struck a pose and let the morning light shine on his well chiseled body.

He turned around and saw Lancer walking towards him. "Hey blue boy, I'm done with my warm-ups." Rider takes a seat to pet his wolves, "I'll wait until you're ready." he said with a smile on his face.