Good Morning Beautiful

Mamouru lowered his head when he heard Taylor's words. "No. I think it's fine." He said simply. If the two of them started fighting for real, then it would only better simulate a real match for Aurora. If she could stand up to Taylor, then Cassie would be a cake walk.

Junko, on the other hand, tapped her foot and crossed her arms under her chest. "Well, I for one do not think it's alright. I surely don't want either girl to get hurt." She said, eying her son. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing, Mamouru-kun. I taught you everything you know. But I didn't teach you everything I know." Junko swung her head back tot he ring and bowed. "Ladies, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I won't have girls train together when they are out of sorts with one another. Sparring partners push each other, it's true, but there must be some cordiality and respect involved."

She looked from Aurora to Taylor. "I don't mind doing this again, but the next time it happens, it will happen on a proper schedule." She looked at Mamouru. "I still have my name on the deed, young man so there won't be any barging in and demanding." She looked back at the ring. "And the two of you aren't going to even step in that ring together unless you're on friendlier terms." She had clearly switched over to mom mode. "Is that understood? Both of you can learn something from the other but not if you're going to be catty about it. We're all professionals here."

Aurora fell to the mat after Taylor tackled her. She got ready to brawl before Junko told them to stop. Aurora immediately grabbed Taylor at the shoulders and tried to shove her off. "Get off me you bitch." She figured this girl was going to be like this. It made sense. She was Cassie's friend after all. They didn't deserve to be treated fairly. But this wasn't the time nor place to show them. She rolled her eyes at Taylor and made her way out of the ring. She didn't want to humor this person anymore.

"Ju- er, mm, Diao-chan! This is bullshit!" Taylor stomped over to the ropes and waved a hand at Aurora. "I'm giving up my time just to help this bitch out, making some casual conversation, and she flips out on me? Fuck that, man. You're right, we definitely can't train together. I haven't had someone snap that fast since Talia realized she couldn't have Johnny!"

She remained in the ring while Aurora left, and stabbed a finger in Junko's direction. "And you better help your boy get his head on straight! Do you see what he does? Say what you want about Cassie this and Cassie that, she didn't fuck anything up!"

Junko took Taylor's words stoically. And when the blonde was finished, she closed her eyes and raised her finger simply. "I think that.... You could definitely learn something from sparring with her." She said in a perfectly calm and rational tone. She felt like she was the only one not flying off the handle. As stoic as Mamouru was, he, too, was doing it in his own way. "I say we try this again tomorrow. In the afternoon." She added, almost as an afterthought.

Mamouru kept his head lowered while everyone else seemed to get hot tempered. He lifted his head and looked at Aurora. "She is exactly as I said. You can see that now. She likes to start fights and then complains when she doesn't like the outcome. It's simple but...." He said and turned to Junko who was slowly narrowing her eyes. "I also agree that training would be best." Precisely because of that reason. He thought. In his mind, Taylor was exactly what he needed to help Aurora out. Though he wondered just what that might mean. Was he REALLY trying to help Aurora beat Cassie? He didn't know. Did he want Cassie to lose? He didn't. Not in his heart of hearts. But, he DID like Aurora. He had feelings for her, or at least, they shared a bed together. And she was his client. Maybe if he produced a win over Cassie, she might actually listen to him again. Maybe she'd understand how foolish it was to reject him. He had to make her understand that much.

He turned and looked at Aurora. He reached out for her arm. At first for her hand but then grabbed her wrist. He leaned in close and whispered into her ear. "If you react to her, you've done what she wants." He said hoping only she could hear.

Aurora was perfectly ready to walk out of this place and never return. But then Taylor opened her mouth once more. She slowly turned around to look back at her in the ring. Was she actually justifying what Cassie did? How could anyone in their right state of mind say that what Cassie did was alright? Even her friends should have known killing people was wrong. She ground her teeth against each other with her mouth still closed. She didn't know how, but she was about to cut Taylor open. Maybe she'd break her jaw so she couldn't talk. That'd solve two problems at once.

Mamouru grabbed her wrist and she stopped. And she knew he was right. That was exactly what Taylor wanted. But she didn't care. She wanted to kill Taylor. That would teach her a lesson about provoking her. But somehow. Someway. "Whatever." Aurora pulled her wrist free from Mamouru and continued walking away. She'd definitely get another chance to hurt Taylor. Maybe a time when there's no one else around would be better.

Taylor scowled and shook her head. "But!" She began to object to Junko's suggestion of another attempt, but she closed her mouth again. Junko was her manager, and had decades of experience on her. And even though Taylor wasn't quite the hot head she used to be, she still needed someone around who stayed cool.

She sat down cross-legged in the ring. As usual, she had a strong urge to go throttle Mamouru. People always liked to talk about how Taylor just liked to push buttons. That wasn't totally true of her, but it definitely was for Mamouru. He knew what he was doing, but from where Taylor was sitting he sure looked like a punk kid throwing a temper tantrum.

She sighed heavily. Time to swallow some pride. "A'right, um... sorry. I guess I might get a little cranky when I'm hung over," she said, rubbing her jaw where it had hit Aurora's shoulder. "You can come back tomorrow, and I'll help. I'll be more careful, though..." She attempted a laugh.

"And you can hang out with your mom," she said to Mamouru. "That'd kill two birds with one stone, but I'll be happy as long as she keeps your dumb ass away from me."

Watching the children around her doing their respective things, Junko looked around coyly. They were young adults but the feisty mother had lived almost two of any of their lifetimes. To them, she could still see their youth fully on display. As each decided what to do next, the brought up her fan and unfolded it. As she waved it in front of her she beamed.

"Yes, tomorrow. There will be no sparring until tomorrow. I think that Taylor-san is right. It wouldn't do well to have her doing this while she's hungover. It's not like she was prepared. But that certainly does give us a lot of time to fill. And, I would also like to spend some time with my son both as his mother and as his senpai in a manager's capacity."

Junko turned around suddenly. "I'll call Junichi-kun and tell him he doesn't need to wait around. I'm sure he's worried sick but I'll let him know that his lovely wife is occupied... T... B... D. Fufufu~"

Junko closed her fan and clapped her hands together. "But don't think that just because you're not sparring that you're not out of the woods. I want the two of you to start planning a training regiment that allows the two of you to train together. Just because you're not fighting doesn't mean you can't sweat, ladies." Junko clapped her hands again and turned to walk out of the gym.

"Oh my, I haven't had training camps since the boys were little. I'll get the sleeping arrangements ready!"

Mamouru watched as his mother began to apparently plan for all three of them. He liked the idea of Taylor and Aurora training together. He didn't like... this. His fists clenched. "Mother, this is absurd. Are you suggesting that you're suddenly just going to decide that my client and your client will have some kind of training .... slumber party!?"

Junko turned her head and looked at Mamouru seriously. "I assure you there will be no pillow fights." Her smile then broke. "But if they're good, I might let them paint your nails, fufufu." Junko raised her hand in the air, pointing her fan to the ceiling. "I like to call it a boot camp. There's no wrestler alive, be it rookie or champion, who cannot benefit from the basics! It's our duty to push these girls to the brink so that when the time comes and their opponents do the same, they are not found wanting!"

Junko looked back at Mamouru. "Besides, didn't you decide to just show up at my doorstep? Maybe next time you'll call ahead. fufu." Junko then stepped out of the room, humming a tune as she disappeared.

Mamouru turned and looked at Taylor with a scowl. "This isn't going to work for any of us. Go tell her you don't want to train together. We'll just leave and find somewhere else to train." He said, practically ordering Taylor with his tone.

"But... I... What?" Taylor spluttered. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She sprung back to her feet and waved her hands in Aurora's direction as she walked out the door.

"THIS IS YOUR FUCKING INTERVIEW PROCESS?!" She flipped out a little. "Mamouru brings in whatever girl he's banging this week, and she fuckin' cheap shots me like a total douchenozzle, while I have a splitting goddamn headache I might add, and you just look at that and think 'that'll do'? Are you insane?" Taylor leaned over the ropes to watch Junko as she left. "And another thing, aren't you... I would totally paint the fuck out of Mamouru's nails, by the way. But!" She gestured with her finger. "I... You... I got nothin'."

She climbed through the ropes and sat down on the ring apron, swinging her feet back and forth a little with her palms resting on the edge. She felt a little better having vented some of her rage. She hoped Junko wouldn't ever get sick of her shit and tell her to hit the road, which, as far as she was concerned, was a real possibility. Anyway, if she could climb in the ring with the crazy bitches that filled out Friction, she could stand to workout with one crazy bitch for a day. No problem.

One sentence from Mamouru was more than enough to rouse Taylor's spiteful side. She put on a pretty smile. "What are you talking about? It's a great idea. And she's my manager, so..." She put a finger to her lips and looked up at the ceiling. "And I don't want to piss off the in-laws. Well, not the mother-in-law. You can be as pissed as you want, I don't even care. Where'd you find the skank, by the way?"

Aurora was already on her way out when Junko announced the whole boot camp plan. She stopped and turned towards the others. "Are you serious? Is she serious?" But she didn't have much time to complain. Taylor continued running her mouth like a spoiled brat. And Aurora really had enough of that. She ground her teeth together even further just to contain herself as Junko left. She walked up to Mamouru to voice her outrage at this. "Since when do people do shit like this to train? I mean, like, I respect that she's your mother but I'm not about to do this."

And then Taylor ran her mouth even further. And Aurora snapped. Again. She rolled into the ring and stomped towards Taylor with a furious look on her face. "Get the fuck up and say that directly to my face."

Taylor gave Aurora an incredulous grin and raised an eyebrow. "Really?" She said, and slid off the ring. She swaggered up to Aurora, planted her feet one at a time directly in front of her, and then looked her in the eye.

"Careful, honeybun, or his mom will get mad at you." She kept her grin, like the whole thing was a great, big joke, because as far as she was concerned that's exactly what it was.

She looked up toward the ceiling and began to halfheartedly recite her last few lines. "What are you talking about... She's my manager. I don't want to piss off the in-laws..." She glanced past Aurora at Mamouru with a gleam in her eye, and then looked back at the blonde. "How am I doin'?" She said, with a full NYC accent.