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The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win

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Yuuki was not sure how long he had been out, it could have been seconds, minutes or hours as ones sense of time while incapacitated is limited at best. He slowly began to regain consciousness only to realize he was not where he was when he blacked out and was now resting against a hard but cool surface, he kept his head down as he tried to process what had happened prior to blacking out, he remembered a beautiful woman with swords saying things like "A blade should never harm a woman? How idealistic..." and "I'm unsure if you've noticed, but this is a new world."; but he also remembered the predatory smile that graced the woman's pretty face and that chilled him to the bone as he could feel the blood lust oozing out from that smile even in his memories.
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When Yuuki finally decided to look around and get his bearings his eyes went wide in both shock and embarrassment as the woman was sitting no more than three feet from him and he was in no position to defend himself or react with speed like that. "Uh... err.. where am I?" he asked while keep his eyes low in a seemingly confused tone. He had decided he could probably handle talking to her provided he didnt make eye contact, not that he had any other choice as he would not make it two steps if she decided to cut him down here and now "Also, why did you not kill me?" he asked curiously his eyes still staring at the floor still slightly unsure why he was even alive at this point considering the best time to take down threat is when they are defenseless; maybe she was waiting for him to run so she could give chase and toy with him like a cat toys with a mouse before killing it, He swallowed hard at the thought of being treated like nothing more than prey. He had one final question to ask her "What do you want with me?" he asked looking up to meet her gaze just briefly before looking away as he could feel his cheeks flushing.
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The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win

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Yuuki Listened to the woman whose name he did not yet know speak, her voice and speech had an elegance about her as if she was descendant of royal family. Yuuki had briefly zoned out enamored by her voice alone until something she said brought him back to reality "This is my home. Well, my ancestral home. It is now the headquarters of ANTHEM. My guild."Yuuki not normally one to be disrespectful while someone was speaking interrupted her "What's a guild? What is its purpose?" he asked as his eye met hers not shying away this time which was some progress at least.








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After she answered his question she went back answering his other questions like why she had not killed him and simply put she had no reason to unless he wished to bring harm again her or her guild; which Yuuki thought was fair considering the teachings of bushido clearly state that a man should not dishonor himself by picking on the weak or un armed. Yuuki was starting to respect this women though only slightly as she had not fully earned enough his trust to warrant anymore respect as that was something that was earned and she had not earned it quite yet.



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The woman further explained that she wanted nothing with him she simply wanted to make sure that he was ok and did not die out there. This caused Yuuki to blush and briefly break eye contact, he cursed himself in his head letting something a simple as human decency make him blush. This troubled him was it simply the fact that she was a woman or was it the fact that he had never had a woman care for him once in his entire life. His feelings on this were mixed on the one hand she was pretty and on the other she was kind almost motherly.






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Yuuki was still pondering with his feelings when she finally said "The question now is your next steps. What are you going to do now? The world is your oyster, after all. This is an opportunity." Yuuki paused and looked at the ground on hearing this, he had not given much thought on his future or what his next steps should be as he was still confused about ending up on this strange new earth with what amounted to super powers. He sat quiet for a long while as he thought and pondered; this was quite a thought provoking question one he had not expected at all, before long he stood up brushed himself off and looked the woman in her eyes " Well, How about we start with names and go from there?" he asked giving the woman a warm smile "I'm Yuki, Yuki Hashimoto, and it is a pleasure to meet you!" he said full or warmth and mirth?

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The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win

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"Names have power. I wouldn't be so carefree when it comes to giving them away, Hashimoto Yuuki."  Yuuki blinked, had she just used Japanese formatting for his name he wondered in shock as his eyes darted back and forth in confusion, was this girl, no not girl, woman Japanese he wondered even more in the brief moments after her saying this. Yuuki now had more questions than he did answers but there was one thing he needed to do right now, Yuuki bent over at a perfect 45 degree and said "My apologies Miss, I had no idea you were Japanese." he said in a respectful tone as his eyes gazed at the floor in the awkward silence following; before he slowly stood up straight looking at her but not into her eyes.












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she started speaking again moments later only once again to shock him to the core 'It is good to meet you, Hashimoto Yuuki. I am Uesugi Hikari, of the Uesugi clan. First daughter and master of the Uesugi clan." when he heard her name he immediately began breaking it down 'Hikari, meaning light and Uesugi meaning above cedar.' he thought in his head his eyes yet again going wide with shock 'Uesugi!? As in Uesugi Kenshin!?' he screamed internally as he came to the realization that not only was this woman Japanese she was also royalty. Yuuki was not sure how much more he of these mind blowing realizations he could take as he had already had a day and then some up to this point; he did fall to one knee and would no longer meet her gaze, while he was not exactly a commoner he was most certainly not of royal blood and most certainly not worthy of meeting her gaze as he knew what his station was, and even in modern Japan it was not wise to seek above ones own station.







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If she noticed that Yuuki was now down on one knee he could not tell as he refused to look her in the eye now knowing her station was leagues above his own, and the fact that she kept talking likely meant she had not noticed or was not concerned with it. She went on to explain what a guild was and specifically mentioned to him that it was a community of people working towards the same goal; however she did iterate that not all guilds were the same. Some focused on the community and social aspects while others might have a variety of goals they wished to achieve. She further explained that her guild ANTHEM was a mixture of the two as their focus was the restoration of the Japanese Renaissance, here in Neo-Tokyo but also for the betterment of others as well which Yuuki found to be a noble goal; finally she reiterated his newness to the world here a theme she had kept up for most the conversation thus far.












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Yuuki was unsure of what to say or do next, he knew he was at least for the moment on his own and there really was not anything he thought would potentially change that currently. All of this was a lot of information to process in a short period of time his brain was nearly fried. Yuuki knew there were potentially multiple options available to him, option1: was to return from whence he came. That option was not likely an avenue Yuuk wished to explore at all. Option2: was for him to make a break for it, this option was also not a very good option either for a few reasons, for one he would be exposing his back to a potential enemy; as no matter how sweet the words she had kept the conversation theme of he should not trust so easily, which would make him a fool to do. The other reason was really a matter of honor, since both were Japanese there was no greater dishonor than to flee in fear. The third and final option would be to ask about joining, which was an idea that Yuuki actually liked and preferred, even if they were of different stations she was still Japanese and with that came a bit of familiarity and comfort. He was still unbelievably nervous around her and women and in general but there was still comfort in knowing he was not alone.
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Yuuki firm in his resolve made up his mind his mind that he would ask Uesugi-San if she would permit him to join and if so what he would need to do to earn her trust and gain admittance to ANTHEM. Yuuki was still on his knees not making eye contact but he spoke up firmly and with resolve "It may seem imprudent of me to impose, but would Hime-Sama allow one so below your station to join you in this endeavor." he said pausing for effect " The only thing I have to offer you is my ability with the sword and loyalty." he said firmly still not making eye contact and now awaiting a hopefully positive response.

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The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win

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Hikari's words bit deep, she may not have said them with malice but it hurt Yuuki a bit 'Honeyed words?' how were those honeyed or hollow for that matter.' he wondered as he started to despair a bit. Yuuki had been raised to believe that loyalty and a sword were all anyone needed, they did not need friends , or lovers just a sword and loyalty. Yuuki also was hurt that she basically called something he did not even want to train but was forced to do all his life useless, all that forced hard work to be called useless which to him meant he had wasted his life pursuing a goal he did not even want to be called useless. "Ah, yes that would be me, useless Yuuki." he said softly as he came to the realization that this woman did not need him and did not seem to want him there it was a impertinent request after all, asking a stranger out of the blue to let you into their home.











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Yuuki sat in silence as she listed off why he was useless to her, stating she had plenty of blades and plenty of loyal friends only furthering his shame and embarrassment. Yuuki was not sure if she was intentionally trying to shame or embarrass him or if this was just her personality, but it definitely hurt him in more ways than one, it made him realize just how much hatred he harbored for his father in that moment, how much that man had forced his way of life on Yuuki despite his protests and having other goals and wants, Sadly those were beat out of him long ago. Was he just a shell of his fathers will and not his own person, was it right for Yuuki to have wants and needs and to be selfish about his dreams, pursuits, and goals? Yuuki was unsure, he had never felt so insecure by hearing a few sentences. During his fight with the crabs he had been so confident and happy that his training had not gone to waste and now this woman was telling him they were meaningless and useless to her. Yuuki did not know what to do, should he run, should he commit seppuku right, here should he just curl up in a ball and die, after all this woman basically just told him his life was meaningless.







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Yuuki had been so focused on his own internal struggles he was not sure if the woman was still talking or if she had left, he felt utterly and hopelessly defeated and by mere words at that. What happened next Yuuki did not quite understand, as he felt warm tears start rolling down his face as he reached up to wipe them away he heard the woman ask him what he wanted out of this and what his place in the Japanese Renaissance. Yuuki was not sure of anything anymore, what did he want out of this , and did he even have place in life let alone Neo-Tokyo. Yuuki was quiet for a long while, could of been minutes maybe even hours as he pondered her words while also dealing with his own struggles. "Ya know, I do not know, being allowed to have my own thoughts was not something afforded to me back in Japan." he said softly wiping away another tear " I've been forced all my life to train in swordsmanship by my father, I was not allowed friends, to go to school, or to even leave the compound." he said softly as he wiped away more tears "I've been a slave to a sword style, which I know am told is useless, and makes me feel like I have wasted my life." he said wiping away more tears "Do you know what its like to be a prisoner in your own mind, not being allowed to have ambition or dreams, or goals for that matter, and then you ask me this question what do I want out of this, and what is my place." he said wiping away more tears "What I want is for my life to having meaning and purpose, I wanna experience things and have friends, I wanna experience love and hardships, that is what I want." He said as more tears came "As for my place, I want some place to call home, and people to potentially call good friends or family, I wanna work towards a common goal with them and and build something far grander than I alone could achieve, what that grand something is I do not know yet." he said softly as he wiped away more tears and for the first time in 15 years Yuuki felt free.












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The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is to win

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Yuuki let his head droop back towards the ground in the silence following his response he was unsure of how Hikari would react if she reacted at all, as she appeared as someone who kept her thoughts and feelings close to the chest. To Yuuki she gave off an aura of silent superiority, she did not have to say she was superior you could just tell by looking at her and her body language; even now she sat with posture that indicated superiority. This woman left Yuuki in awe but terrified him at the same time, Beauty and death wrapped into one package.



































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There hung a awkward silence as Yuuki still had tears flowing down his face, unsure if he had conveyed his feelings to her properly and if she had even heard him, Yuuki did not have to wait long for his answer though, as the words left her lips Yuuki's face still wet with streams of tears snapped up to meet here gaze in shock only for a moment before his eyes began darting around in confusion his heart pounding in his chest as more tears came. This was all happening so fast he wanted to run and flee but couldn't find the strength in his legs to stand, weather it was fear or shock holding him place Yuuki would never know.










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Yuuki's face felt hot and sticky as he did his best to wipe his face of tears, his head and eyes throbbed from all the emotions he had kept hidden and bottled up for years, until like a bomb it exploded. Slightly more composed though some tears still graced his face he pondered her words in silence, she had offered him a place an offer Yuuki didn't take lightly, but more than that she had offered his swordsmanship a place and gave it meaning again.






















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Yuuki wiped his hand dry as best as he could on his clothes to shakily reach out and take her hand "T-thank you." he said softly his voice still shaky "I wont betray this trust or fail to meet the expectations you have for me." he said softly still not entirely over his little episode combined with shock and awe, it was a safe to say Yuuki's emotions were all over the place and at present he was completely vulnerable. Vulnerability was something Yuuki had never experienced not once in his life and it left him feeling raw and exposed, something he did not take lightly.




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