[center][h1][COLOR=#31EAFE]Fiona[/COLOR] and [color=#d9837c]Iris[/color][/h1][/center]

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Iriiiiiiis!"[/b][/COLOR] Fiona sauntered into the Wedgehurst Gym's office at noon, a takeaway bag clutched in her left hand as she pushed the door open with her right. [COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Getcher arse over here, I brought lunch. Sushi an' desserts!"[/b][/COLOR]

Today had been so boring... Trainers came and went, but all of them had A) quit the challenge because they were too afraid or B) failed to beat her. These things become uninteresting if too many people lost... Even her Pokemon were bored to the point that one of them had snatched Iris's headband and made her give chase.

The ghosts within the haunted house gym heard the voice and recognized the gym leader. They knew better not to challenge Iris's friends and colleagues, so they sauntered off back to their original positions, letting Fiona through easily.
 
[color=#d9837c][b]"Give it back or you're in so much trouble!"[/b][/color] Fiona would hear calling through the hallways. 

The ghost had led her straight into Fiona, which made it pause and give Iris the moment she needed to catch the Pokemon into its pokeball then put the headband back on.

[color=#d9837c][b]"Hello Fiona, it's nice to see you."[/b][/color] Iris had heard her friend's call about sushi and desserts. [color=#d9837c][b]"Next time I'll bring lunch and desserts. We can take that to the porch or the balcony so my Pokemon don't disturb us."[/b][/color] She left that decision to Fiona, though the option of "neither" was always present if the other woman wanted to eat somewhere else.

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Balcony sounds good."[/b][/COLOR] Fiona replied easily, gesturing for Iris to lead the way. As they walked, she glanced around, taking in the sights of the haunted house. It seemed the layout had changed from the version she'd seen last year. Different spooks, maze wasn't the same. 

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"So how's th' Challenge been going so far? From what I've seen, ain't no one's made it tae Isaiah yet, so yer keepin' our workload light."[/b][/COLOR]

At that, Iris led her friend through the correct doors of the haunted mansion that would eventually lead them to the stairs up the balcony. Iris had made sure to remodel the gym a bit so that she would have a place to stay and no one would be able to accidentally get into her room.

As they walked to the balcony, Fiona would see that since Iris didn't have employees she was able to dress the haunted house up a little more. Old yet polished dining tables, paint purposely messed up to look older than it was, large paintings, dim lighting, cobwebs, statues made to look like their eyes were following you, and the door maze that had been redone; Iris just felt the first one was much too easy. Then there were her Pokemon who haunted various different things. Each one made sounds or messed up something to try and spook Fiona along the way. Iris, of course, saw each spook coming from a mile away.

[color=#d9837c][b]"Well, everyone today has either left because the maze was too scary, or they couldn't beat me. One trainer even insisted his Fighting type team could win... Well, you can imagine how that went."[/b][/color] Iris shrugged. [color=#d9837c][b]"But it means they'll be faces I have to see over and over again until they win or they stop showing up. I don't know which one is more bittersweet."[/b][/color] She smiled.

[color=#d9837c][b]"How about you? What have you been up to if you're not getting challengers?"[/b][/color]

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"I mean, he probably coulda if he had half a brain. Pretty sure a good amount of Fighting types learn Foresight. But, well, Fighting type and brain's a fuckin' oxymoron."[/b][/COLOR] Fiona guffawed before thinking about Iris question. What had she been doing? Oh, wait, that's right. Jack shit. Most of her contacts regarding the Ryker investigation hadn't gotten back to her yet or were still investigating. So for the moment, she was just spinning her wheels. But there was no point in worrying Iris about any of that yet. 

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Eh, same ol', same ol'. Led th' paparazzi on a chase yesterday. Better th' fucking media hounds keep tryin' tae track me down than bother any of ya."[/b][/COLOR]

Iris nodded in agreement. Any trainer could win with Pokemon weaker against another if they had plenty of potions and played their cards right, but her gym also worked to weed out who had a brain and who didn't. At least the other gym leaders could rest easy knowing that Iris would make sure only people who knew what they were doing made it through.

As they made it to the balcony, Iris was intrigued by Fiona's activities.

[color=#d9837c][b]"Oh, I'm not surprised they haven't caught you. Are they trying to get information about Ryker? Or perhaps some sort of gossip to sell their tabloids?"[/b][/COLOR] It wouldn't surprise her. Iris still remembered the magazine they published regarding the rumor floating around about her. Anything to sell copies.

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Bit of column A, bit of column B."[/b][/COLOR] Fiona replied easily, setting the bag full of lunch down on a table. [COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Good thing they ain't found out yet that I'm workin' wit' my ex. Probably never hear th' fuckin' end of it, tae say nothing of Nordy's response. Anyways,"[/b][/COLOR] She started pulling packages out of the bag.

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"I got a nigiri set an' a spicy tuna roll. Which one ya want?"[/b][/COLOR]

As Fiona spoke, Iris took a seat in one of the open chairs, gesturing to one for her friend to take. Though, the other's information did make Iris perk up a bit. [color=#d9837c][b]"I still find it incredible that you and Nordrin ended up working for the same league. But yes, I can't imagine how much more annoying they'd be if they found that out... It's good you're such an expert avoiding them."[/b][/color] 

Hearing the food options, Iris thought about it for a second. [color=#d9837c][b]"The nigiri set, please. Let me know what you want to eat the next time we have lunch together."[/b][/color]

Iris, once Fiona got situated, decided to ask her. [color=#d9837c][b]"How have you been since finding out about Ryker? Bianca might have taken it worse than all of us."[/b][/color]

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"What, me?"[/b][/COLOR] Fiona tilted her head as she reached for the container with the spicy tuna roll, not bothering to grab chopsticks as she started to pop sushi into her mouth. 

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Mnf. Mnf."[/b][/COLOR] She chewed and swallowed one piece before speaking again. [COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Already took it upon meself tae cheer Bianca up, probably dinnae need to worry about her. As fer me, well..."[/b][/COLOR] Fiona trailed off, shoveling more sushi into her food hole. 

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Ah, don't worry about lil' old me. I'm doing fine. Sucks about Ryker, but we cannae do shite about that until some kinda lead pops up. No point worryin' my head off until we get more info."[/b][/COLOR] Fiona paused for a moment, as if considering her next words, before speaking again. [COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"I'm askin' around about it, alright? No one's gotten back tae me yet with anything useful, but I'll share it when I get something."[/b][/COLOR]

Iris had broken her chopsticks and opened her packet of soy sauce to dip her nigiri into; enjoying pieces while Fiona talked. She was glad Bianca was a little happier now, and a little more happy that Fiona was asking around. It was the most Iris could do as well, though she wished she traveled out of the region more to be able to ask people outside of it.

[color=#d9837c][b]"I just find it very strange. Ryker was gone and so was his Pokemon... The only thing that makes sense to me is that they wanted his help with something illegal and Ryker refused, hence the kidnapping. Then again, how can they force Ryker to do anything if Ryker has his team with him?"[/b][/color] So many questions that she probably wouldn't get the answers to any time soon. But it was fun to theorize nonetheless.

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Depends,"[/b][/COLOR] Fiona shrugged, idly chewing on a piece of ginger between pieces of sushi. [COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"If he keeps his Pokemon in balls overnight, it ain't like he can get 'em out if his kidnappers got even half a brain cell between 'em. I've been thinkin' about this too. If it were me, I'd have hit any mons left out wit' Sleep Powder or Spore before gettin' Ryker. Most of th' ones that can do those moves ain't exactly big or loud."[/b][/COLOR]

[color=#d9837c][b]"That is true... It's possible the kidnappers got to his Pokemon first, took them away, then fought with Ryker. But without any evidence, I suppose our theories are just that..."[/b][/color] It would make sense if Ryker's Pokemon were being held hostage; she would be as compliant as possible if she were in Ryker's shoes, but there was some other things about this that didn't sit right with her. [color=#d9837c][b]"I wonder why they needed him specifically, and if they'll be coming for Hestia next."[/b][/color]

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Way I figure it, probably not Hestia. Gettin' yer hands on th' Champ's already huge. Plus, if ya start with something as high-profile as this, nae fuckin' shot yer gonna be able tae get anyone else, increased security an' all."[/b][/COLOR] Fiona sighed, finishing her sushi. 

[COLOR=#31EAFE][b]"Anyways, enough about all that. Think I might stick around after lunch, see what this batch of challengers're like. Ya still got that observer's box in th' stadium?"[/b][/COLOR]

Fiona did have a point, which made Iris feel better. She was just worrying too much over something that would be resolved soon enough. 

Iris finished her meal soon after Fiona, hearing her question. [color=#d9837c][b]"Of course."[/b][/color] She smiled. [color=#d9837c][b]"If you want to be part of the experience, I can give you a spooky masquerade mask. It's not necessary, but it makes things more fun for me."[/b][/color]