Ritsuka Fujimaru sighed heavily, slumped on the floor of Chaldea's training grounds. The plan for a peaceful, relaxing day off had quickly spiraled into something much more... intense, thanks to the ever-watchful eyes of Scáthach, the Warrior Queen of the Land of Shadows. Any hope for relaxation was dashed when Scáthach decided that "taking a day off" was an unacceptable waste of time.
"Master," Scáthach had said that morning, with her usual commanding tone. "If you're going to lead us into battle, it's important to keep your body in top shape. Laziness will only dull your skills. Today, we train."
And so, Ritsuka found themselves alongside Cú Chulainn, who had been dragged into the ordeal as well. Cú, ever the sarcastic student, looked just as unenthusiastic about the extreme training regime.
"Why am I even here?" Cú muttered as they stretched. "It's your day off, not mine, Master. I didn't sign up for this. Besides, I know the drill with Scáthach. She's just gonna use me as a punching bag."
Ritsuka chuckled nervously. "Yeah, but I'm sure it won't be that bad, right?"
Cú raised an eyebrow at Ritsuka's optimism. "You have no idea."
And that was how the day had begun—with Scáthach's announcement that they'd be running fifty laps around the entirety of Chaldea. Not the grounds. Not the training room. The whole facility.
"Fifty laps?!" Ritsuka had exclaimed, already feeling their legs protest just from the thought of it.
Scáthach gave her Master a stern look. "You heard me, Master. Fifty laps. It's a basic endurance exercise."
Cú groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, basic. Sure."
The laps had been brutal. Ritsuka pushed themselves as hard as they could, running side by side with Cú, who, despite his usual laid-back demeanor, was handling the task with relative ease. Every time Ritsuka began to lag behind, Scáthach was right there, offering "encouraging" words—though her idea of encouragement was more like a drill sergeant barking at their recruits.
"Pick up the pace, Master!" Scáthach shouted, her sharp crimson eyes watching their every move. "You're not going to get stronger by dragging your feet!"
Ritsuka gasped for air, pushing their body harder with each step. "I'm... trying!"
Cú, jogging beside them with his usual casual stride, shot Ritsuka a sympathetic glance. "She's always like this. Don't feel bad. She's merciless, but at least she's not using her spear on you."
"I heard that, Cú," Scáthach said, her voice icy. She suddenly appeared next to him, keeping pace without breaking a sweat. "Perhaps you'd prefer to do double the laps?"
"Ah, nope, nope!" Cú quickly straightened up, running faster. "Fifty laps it is!"
By the time they finished the laps, Ritsuka was utterly exhausted, their legs like jelly. They collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.
"Good effort, Master," Scáthach said, standing over them. "But we're not done yet."
"Not... done?" Ritsuka panted, eyes wide. "I can barely feel my legs..."
Cú groaned and lay on the ground beside them, arms stretched out. "Told ya... this is just the start. Scáthach's got a whole regime planned for us."
Scáthach crossed her arms, an amused glint in her eyes. "Indeed. Now, push-ups. Three hundred. And to make sure you're giving it your all—" she took a seat on Cú's back, her weight somehow managing to feel even heavier than Ritsuka imagined, despite her lean figure.
"Oof—seriously?!" Cú grunted, his arms trembling as he started the first push-up. "Old hag, you never change..."
"I heard that, Cú," Scáthach replied calmly, though her voice carried an edge of warning. "I could always increase the count."
"Nope, nope, three hundred's just fine!"
Ritsuka couldn't help but chuckle, though their amusement quickly faded when it was their turn. Cú had finished his push-ups, sweat dripping from his brow but otherwise unfazed. Then, Scáthach shifted to Ritsuka's back.
Ritsuka felt an immense weight press down on their shoulders. "Y-You're heavier than you look, Scáthach...!"
Scáthach raised an eyebrow, amused. "Focus, Master. Push-ups. I expect proper form."
Ritsuka tried, really tried, to push up with Scáthach sitting atop them, but their arms were already trembling, and the weight was almost unbearable. After managing a handful of push-ups, their arms gave out, and they collapsed under Scáthach's weight, gasping.
Cú leaned down toward them, grinning sympathetically. "I warned you, Master. She's ruthless."
Ritsuka looked up at him, eyes half-closed from exhaustion. "Thanks for the... heads-up."
To their surprise, Scáthach didn't scold them as harshly as expected. Instead, she gave Ritsuka a nod of approval. "Not bad, Master. You lasted longer than I thought."
Ritsuka was too tired to respond, but the praise was... nice, in a strange way.
Scáthach stood up and looked down at them with a calculating expression. "However, you need to commit yourself more to training. You've grown stronger, but you must push past your limits. Slacking off will only hinder your progress. A warrior cannot afford complacency."
Ritsuka, still catching their breath, nodded weakly. "I understand... I'll keep training."
Cú, who had been lounging nearby, raised an eyebrow at Scáthach's unexpectedly soft tone. "Wait... is that... praise? From you? What's the catch?"
Scáthach shot him a sharp glare. "Cú. You're as insufferable as ever."
Cú chuckled, waving off her scolding. "Come on, I know you too well. You never just praise someone without a lesson attached."
Scáthach ignored his jabs and knelt beside Ritsuka, gently placing a hand on their shoulder. "You've done well today, Master. Take pride in that. But always remember, true strength comes from constant effort."
Then, much to Ritsuka's surprise, Scáthach leaned forward and wrapped her arms around them in a soft, warm embrace. Ritsuka's eyes widened in shock—they had never expected this from their usually stern teacher. The embrace was firm but gentle, an odd mix of affection and authority.
Ritsuka blinked, feeling a sense of comfort, though Cú's earlier warning echoed in their mind.
"Uh... thanks?" Ritsuka said, not entirely sure how to react.
Cú, watching the scene, couldn't help but snicker. "Don't fall for it, Master. She's probably setting you up for something."
Scáthach's eyes flicked toward Cú with a cold, piercing gaze. "You've been rather cheeky today, Cú. Perhaps you'd like to spar with me next?"
Cú's face paled slightly, and he quickly shook his head. "N-No thanks! I'm good. You and I both know how that ends."
Ritsuka, despite their exhaustion, smiled faintly at the banter. As brutal as the training had been, moments like these made it all worth it—the strange, almost familial bond they shared with their Servants. Even if it meant enduring Scáthach's grueling training sessions, they wouldn't trade it for anything.
"Well, Master," Scáthach said, standing up and offering her hand to help them to their feet. "You've earned a brief rest. But tomorrow... we begin again."
Ritsuka let out a tired laugh, taking her hand and standing up. "Of course we do."
As they left the training grounds, Cú sighed and muttered, "Next time, you can deal with her training all by yourself."
Ritsuka smiled at him. "We'll take turns."
Cú snorted. "Fair enough. Just try not to die before it's your turn again."
