Yuki's Pledge

[CaptainL]

Yuki Kazikura cleared her throat, looking out over at the crowd gathered before her at an event to promote the upcoming pay per view. She stood behind a wall of LAW sponsors, facing a gathering of reporters as well as fans who had come to cheer her on, or just to get the latest news about what was happening with the company. It was a calm afternoon, one where - rarely, for her - she didn't have too much in the way of commitments, so she had the opportunity to dress in a simple but professional blouse and skirt, looking as though she was any other businesswoman - and she bit the inside of her cheek just thinking about it. Yuki knew what she had to say was important, and she'd prepared accordingly, but she didn't know if what she had prepared would be enough. She wasn't used to dealing with this many people in front of her, no less when they were all waiting for her to give the word, and the thought of disappointing her put the metaphorical butterflies in her stomach. But there was no turning back now. As she approached the podium, turning to the microphone, Yuki took in a deep breath, and began to address the crowd.

"You know...I almost didn't come here today," she said. "When I was preparing to come out to the We Are LAW conference, I wasn't ready to feel this...important. I'm standing here, dressed up, behind a podium, and with so many faces on me, and I have to think to myself...shouldn't it be someone older, or more experienced, or with more of a say in the industry? I mean, people still call me Dynamite Schoolgirl. And they aren't wrong. I'm lucky I didn't have so much studying to do that I couldn't come out here tonight." The crowd chuckled a little at Yuki's joke - and a few people she recognized as her classmates waved to her, which made her smile. Nevertheless, she kept going.

"It's true. When I was 16, I started going to the gym and training to be a wrestler after school, and it wasn't long before the first of my matches happened. I lost a lot, back then; I was still learning. But...I won a lot, too. Because the passion and the dedication was there, and I put my mind to it and never gave up. I started getting people to flock to the ring whenever I was in it, just to cheer me on. I moved on to bigger shows, and bigger leagues, and I proved to everyone that I had what it took to earn my place there. I was never drawing the sorts of crowds I see before me now, of course. Not until I went to LAW. I signed up on my 18th birthday, wanting to be a part of something bigger than ever. And even though I was excited for it...it was intimidating, too. All this time, I've still felt like I was a rookie, and I was still hitting my stride.

But the truth is...I'm not a rookie any more. It's been almost a year since I joined this company. In a few months, I'm going to be 19, and I'll have graduated from high school by then. I'll be out on my own. I don't have anywhere I plan on going but back in the ring, though. Because the last few weeks have proved to me, once and for all, that I've already taken the next step in my career. Since I've come to LAW, I've been in the main event on a few cards. I made a strong showing, and the people backstage took note. I ended up becoming the number-one contender for the Lightweight Championship - and even if I didn't win it, I came close. Fukiwara-san herself told me that I was worthy of being the champion, and that if luck wasn't on her side, I could be standing here now, in front of all of you, with the belt around my waist.

Even though I didn't win, though...I'm still here today. Because, disappointed as I was by the loss, I wasn't going to let it hold me back. I've seen, too, in my time here, that my supporters have only grown. When I started wrestling, I only had my friends and classmates to support me. Many of those have stuck around, all the way through - and I thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, because I know you believe in me. But I've seen that the more I've wrestled here, the more people turned up to cheer me on. That whatever I'm doing, it's good enough to win over those of you I've never even met. A while ago, I met a new friend, one who truly believed in me. When I was challenging for the belt, she was there to watch me do my best. And I know that she's going to come out to see me again...because with all the support you've given me, and how much you truly believe in me, I'm not going to let this be my last time in the spotlight."

Yuki looked up, with a smile crossing her face. And then, she made the news official. "Because I, Yuki Kazikura, am going to be competing at We Are LAW!" A cheer went up as she made the announcement. From the time she came up to the stage at such an event, it was reasonable enough to expect she'd be on the card - but to hear her say it with the conviction she did, and the heart she put into her speech, they all knew how much it meant to her to be confirming such a match! She pounded her fist against the podium, leaning in closer to face the crowd.

"I don't know who my opponent will be. But whoever it is, I will be prepared! For all my fans, and for myself - I'm going to prove that I've gone beyond where I was when I began. That, champion or no champion, I can contend with the best!"

As the fans cheered and applauded, chanting her name, and the now-familiar cry of "GANBARE YUKI!", Yuki took a step back, with a smile spreading across her face. She thought back on all the people she had met in her climb to the top, and how they had led her to where she was now. Hayleigh, Aoi, Mayori, Kelsea. She hoped they were all listening. Because she was going to make them proud.