Hi-gu Do-jo!

Junko had been meandering around the house, thinking. She had a lot to do while Taylor and Alaina trained but she had been sort of waiting as well. There was a new recruit to the dojo and with everything that was happening in the house and in her life, she barely had any time to get things done. She was excited at the prospect of more members and when the bell rang, she eagerly jumped and dashed towards the door like she was a five year old child wanting to see who might be arriving.

She passed Taylor on the way and snagged her arm and pulled her to the door. She had a gleam in her eyes and let go of Taylor when she stopped at her little Japanese foyer. She then cleared her throat and then put on a serious face, trying to hide her excitement at getting to see a new prospect.

"Put your game face on, Taylor-chan. This one has come with some expectations as well. She's done good as a rookie, but we'll make her think that her good start was a fluke after we put her through the shredder, fufu~"

Junko pulled out her fan from her sleeve and after a few waves, she covered her mouth as she opened the door and looked over the woman. "Fufu, come in, dear." She said. "We have been expecting you." She said smoothly behind her fan so that her gleeful smile would be hidden and only her hungry eyes would be seen behind her glasses.

Julia was ecstatic to say the least when she found out she’d been invited to train at the legendary Higurashi dojo as one of its students. The reputation of this place had spread even to her ears when she had been competing in the United States. To be thought of highly enough to be invited to a place like this, it meant she was doing something right. And even more importantly, it meant she could very well be on track to getting even better.

So as she stood at the front door of the dojo and rang the doorbell, Julia couldn’t help but take a deep breath to try to calm a few nerves running through her. But when the door opened and she was now face to face with Junko Higurashi and the Friction World Champion, Taylor Parker herself, a bright smile formed on her features. “Thanks!” she replied as she entered through the door.

She was starting to regret not learning more about Japanese customs before coming over here. How should she introduce herself? Well, even though Taylor wasn’t Japanese, she felt a bow would be a good start. So, albeit a tad awkwardly, she gave a polite bow to the two women in front of her, before standing back up to face them again. “I’m Julia Rogers. Thanks for havin’ me. I can’t tell ya how honored I am to be here.” she said, hoping that would suffice as a good enough self-introduction.

Taylor quickly sized up the busty blonde in the doorway. She'd never seen her before, but she seemed to make a good first impression.

"Hey," she said with a sharp smile, and ushered the girl inside. "C'mon in, just take off your shoes. Get used to doing that." She noted that Julia didn't seem to be used to the routine of entering someone's house in Japan, and figured she was new to the country. "Don't worry too much about manners, I'll protect you. For now."

She turned and walked off toward the kitchen. "Mom, I'll go start the tea, or something, okay?"

“Oh, right!” She should’ve guessed that shoes were supposed to be taken off. Fortunately it seemed Taylor was going to be forgiving for the moment about that, and Julia quickly pulled off her cowboy boots and set them aside before moving into the building.

Once inside, she looked around at the place and observed the decorations. And as Taylor walked toward the kitchen, Julia almost started to follow after her, but chose to stay put. She wasn’t sure, but she guessed it’d probably be better manners not to go roaming through the place just after arriving. So she just turned to Junko and gave a bright, friendly smile.

“You’ve got quite a lovely house, ma’am.”

Junko looked at Taylor and smiled behind her fan, shaking her head. "Oh, you can't protect her forever, fufu~" She chuckled and turned her attention to Julia, returning the bow with one of her own.

She let her fan slip from her face and then slipped it back into her sleeve. "Higurashi Junko." She corrected. "Higurashi-san when you're not training. Sensei, when you are. Though... perhaps a few colorful American expressions as well, fufu~"

Junko then began inspecting Julia, stepping around her and looking at her. "We'll have to get a better look at you when we're ready to begin. I'll give you the tour in a moment. I hope you're ready to train today, though. I don't suffer slackers. I'll give you a few moments of respite for tea but then it's right to changing into your training gear."

She then swatted Julia firmly on her behind and nudged her towards the kitchen while she giggled.

"Mom. Dude." Taylor heard the slap and called back to her mother-in-law. "Maybe leave the poor girl's ass out of this until we've at least made her dinner."

She bustled around the kitchen for a moment and put the kettle on, and then came back to fetch Julia. She pulled out a chair for her at the table and motioned for her to sit.

"Besides, I thought we'd get to know each other a little before we toss you in with Alaina. I've got so many questions! Like... who the hell are you?"

She hopped into a chair and slouched down in it, and propped her legs up on the table. It was a bad habit, one that had proved exceedingly difficult to break, no matter how Junko tried. "I mean, I know you're Julia, you're three-and-oh, and mom- er, Jun- er... Higurashi-san? Sensei?" She looked blankly at Junko. What the hell was she supposed to call her around the girls?

"Don't you call your mother dude." Junko said, wagging her finger as she came into the kitchen with Julia. "I don't let my son call me dude and he calls everyone dude, even you." Junko smirked and then looked coyly at Julia. "And her ass is mine, fufu~" She looked at Julia with an almost predatory look, though she didn't have any ill intentions beyond a pinch or whack every so often.

She took her own seat looked at Julia. "Oh, yes. You've already done so well. What training do you have? What's your pedigree? I've only started looking over your matches, but I love to hear things first hand." She said, suddenly becoming quite serious as she eyed Julia carefully.

“Think I got it. Nice to meet ya, Higurashi-san.” Julia replied. She wasn’t entirely sure why yet, but she already liked Junko. She just seemed so energetic and...fun, for lack of a better term. “Trust me, ma’am-- er, Higurashi-san, if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a slacker. I guarantee that.” she said, before suddenly yelping a bit in surprise as Junko swatted her rear and nudged her on, then walked into the kitchen.

She gave a slightly awkward chuckle after hearing the brief exchange between the two women, almost uncertain as to how serious Junko was about her comment. But the thought was quickly pushed aside as she sat in the chair Taylor pulled out for her and listened to both her and Junko, looking at each of them as they spoke.

“Well, my parents in New Mexico started up their own promotion about 25 years ago. So me, my brother and sister were pretty much born into the business. We were raised and groomed to be wrestlers since childhood. After high school I trained and competed for a couple years in Mexico, then spent the next four years wrestling in the States. I mostly competed there in New Mexico, but I toured around the country a some too.”

Taylor nodded along while she listened to Julia. She seemed like such a nice girl, like Alaina. They were going to have the most white-bread group of girls in the company. Taylor had to be the most ethnic, or whatever, just for coming from the city. She appreciated their good manners, but she really hoped they had some balls, too...

"Man, I like your accent," she commented, somewhat off-topic. "Like, usually southern people irritate me, but it's kinda relaxing listening to you. I like it."

The kettle chimed in with it's high-pitched whistle, and Taylor looked up at Junko. "Hey, could you get-" She stopped herself, and waved her hand in the air to dismiss whatever she was going to say. "Nevermind, I got it."

She hopped out of her chair and went back to the stove to make the tea.

Junko stared curiously at Julia as the girl recounted her experience in the industry. For someone who was normally so vibrant and full of life, she could put on a surprisingly good poker face. Once the girl was finished and Taylor was up to get the tea, Junko continued to look her over.

"Hmmm, hmmm, hmm. That certainly is quite the pedigree you have. My boys have grown up around the business their whole lives as well." SHe motioned around. "Two children raised right in this house. Most of the money I earned went into the gym you'll be training in that's attached to this modest home." She was quite proud of herself but wasn't trying to brag.

"And while my ex husband may have questioned my parenting decisions, I assure you that you will not come to regret them, fufu~" The twinkle in Junko's eye suddenly returned.

"That is, of course, if your experience and pedigree has led you astray. This is no small time New Mexico promotion, Julia-san. This is the big leagues. I hope you're ready, fufu~"