Mom Business

"I don't remember reading that in the rulebook." Junko said quickly. "I've been in this business longer than you've been alive and not once have been told I'm supposed to be robotic when it comes to my clients opponents."

Junko didn't really care forAdrian's attitude on the matter. "The competition happens between the clang of the bells. Beyond that, this business is a lot like a sorority. The way you speak, I should have disdain for you or no emotion at all. Well, my daughter doesn't. I'm not going to either. That match made me an Adrian Kytes fan. Are you telling me the only wrestler I can root for is Taylor-chan? I don't think so. It's in my own best interest to make sure as many girls succeed as possible. Of course I'll never root against Taylor-chan but it's not like you'll only ever face her again. I'll be cheering you on and watching your matches for sure." Junko smiled brightly. "And if there's anything I can help you do to succeed, I'll do that too."

Junko couldn't understand Adrian's pessimism one bit. It had to have been exhausting. And when Adrian muttered her response, the elder Higurashi furrowed her brow.

"That's it? Weren't they at the match?" She asked, and felt stupid for doing it. Of course they would be!

"That still doesn't change the fact that the first two pieces of interaction we had was me knocking Taylor into you, and then you kissing me." Adrian pointed out "That's still a really weird thing, I may be just waking up after being knocked the fuck out, but still have personal space even before we get into the fact that we don't know each other, I have pride dammit! I don't want a strangers sympathy after losing a match." She really wasn't in the mood for unceasing optimism, the former cosplayer needed time to think about what happened, and she didn't need Junko butting in on her solo time. "Not everyone's into wrestling." Adrian said coldly, sulking on the bed. The brunette hadn't been in the best of moods all day, and thinking about family was just making it worse. "We can get to know each other better later, but before then, don't instantly assume that everyone's going to be cool if you hug, kiss them or call them family."

"I just need some space right now. Okay? Give me a bit of breathing room, time to think hard on what happened, what it all means and stuff. I'm not the kind of person who can just go 'well I lost, but I did well' straight after the fact. Even when it was really close. I mean, I'm really happy that Taylor thinks I'm cool and all now, and I'm not gonna hold this match against her or anything but, it still sucks losing on such a big stage after giving it everything I had."

"You're the only one who thinks it's weird, Adrian-chan." Junko said with a smile as she looked down at the girl. "And I know you plenty. Our personal interactions aren't the only things that make our relationships. Taylor talks about you and from that a lone, i feel like I've gotten to know you well enough. Plus, you can tell a lot from someone just by watching them wrestle. Maybe it's hard to understand..." Junko paused and lifted up her hand, extending her pinky finger. "But there IS a connection between us, Adrian-chan." She wiggled her pinky and smiled. "Sometimes my OWN family 'isn't cool with it.' It's never stopped me before, fufu." Junko was obviously not taking no for an answer no matter how surly Adrian got.

Junko didn't budge even though Adrian said she needed some space. "Well, I don't really expect you to be sunshine and rainbows, Adrian-chan. If I can improve your mood, that's great but if you want to stew, then i understand that much as well." Juno reached over and ruffled Adrian's hair and grinned at the former cosplayer.

Junko got off the bed and eased over to a chair to 'give Adrian space.' She relaxed and pulled her fan out and waved it at herself. "Warrior Amazon was in a bitter feud with Hyena Matsumoto when she signed on with me. The two had competed in pretty hellacious matches and I think there was genuine disdain for each other. Warrior Amazon lost their final match and it wasn't pretty being on the losing end with her. She was angry and after she was angry, she was brooding. She shut herself in and didn't want to see anyone at all. She was even contemplating retirement but it was a silly notion all of it. It was rough but I stuck by her because it was my duty and because I cared for her."

Junko tilted her head, silent in thought for a moment before smiling. "Well, she got back into things and eventually won a lightweight title but after that short run she didn't do much. Sometimes I wonder if she would have traded in the belt for beating Hyena that last time." Junko pondered aloud as she crossed her legs.

"It's hard to say." Junko said finally. "Maybe I'll give her a call when I get back to Japan and really ask her directly." She pondered. "The point is, it's perfectly fine to be upset about the loss. I'd be upset too, but it's also ok to have support at the same time." Junko encouraged. "Just don't fall into a pit about what could have been. I hope you'll do that much at least, dear."

"I am totally not the only one who thinks that." Adrian said defensively. It did feel at times like she was the only wrestler who still wasn't totally comfortable with public displays of affection with anyone and everyone, and that she was the only one who wanted to keep her sex life private. "I don't... I'm not mad at Taylor," she said eventually "And I don't want to retire, I mean I thought bout it last year when my leg was messed up. I know I belong in AFW, hopefully going for world titles and the like, it's just... kinda sucky going on a 4 pay per view losing streak."

"My parents didn't see that match. They probably haven't seen any of them, or they haven't let me know if they have." The former cosplayer admitted.

Junko furrowed her brow in concern at Adrian's words. Her next question was easy. And difficult.

"Why?"

"Because I never told them." Adrian replied, an easy but still difficult answer.

"What..." Junko breathed in disbelief. "Why not?"

Yeah, this was going to be very awkward to explain, with how Junko seemed to feel about family, cutting them out of the loop for 4 years was a bit much. It was a bit much even for Adrian. "Well I didn't want to get in a shouting match with my mom when I was packing to leave for Japan." Adrian sighed "She'd always hoped I'd just grow out of wrestling, like my brother did and my dad hoped I'd grow out of nerdy stuff. Even when it was just like going over to another town to wrestle on a show, I'd have to think of an excuse to go out or I wouldn't have been allowed and boom, never would have gotten started."

"The only reason I got to go to Japan at all was because I lied to them what I was going out there for. I said it was to study so I could become like an English teacher in Tokyo, then I told them I got a job as a translator and that for now I was staying and couldn't really go back unless I needed to renew my visa or something." The former cosplayer explained "So yeah... didn't exactly want to think of how my mom would feel right after the toughest match of my career, or family in general. So thanks for reminding me."

Junko listened to Adrian and frowned. She could completely understand how Adrian felt. She couldn't understand how her parents could be that way though.

"Adrian-chan." Junko said lowering her head and speaking softly. "You have to tell them."

"How?" Adrian asked in return. "I mean, I lied to them for years about what I was doing, that's not exactly easy to tell them." She said, pulling her knees up as she sat down, curling up on the bed "I can't just say 'Oh hey, remember that thing you told me not to do? I've been doing it for years instead of, pretty much everything I told you I was doing.' Can I?"