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[center][color=E38AAE][b]MENTIONS:[/b] [color=FFE6E8]everyone[/color][/color][/center]
[color=FFE6E8]A limoncello lemon drop sounded pretty damn good right now. Hestia allowed herself to smile as Charles presented the drink to her, eagerly lifting the glass to her lips. Just as the sweet liquid hit her lips, her brief moment of respite was ruthlessly shattered as a heavy palm smacked against her back. The force of the blow had caught her so off guard that the liquid nearly splashed over her face. For a moment, she didn’t move, but it was quite obvious that the rosy-haired gym leader’s demeanor had soured in the other woman’s presence. How had she not heard the door open?

[color=E38AAE][b]“Fiona,”[/b][/color] Hestia muttered, voice dripping with poison. [color=E38AAE][b]“You almost made me spill my Arceus-damned drink.”[/b][/color]

Damn, she was loud. Sure, Hestia was too– not only did it suit her persona as a Fire-type gym leader, but she had always been rather boisterous even when she was little. But now that Fiona had shown her face so soon after the opening ceremony, with a grating voice that nearly made her want to drink at least fifteen more of those limoncellos… hell. She wasn’t going to drive Charles crazy tonight. The last time she had too much to drink, Ryker himself had dragged her out of the bar and dumped her on the curb. Ultimately, Hestia relented in Fiona’s presence, and she sighed as she tossed back the rest of the limoncello. 

Everyone else filtered in, one by one, save for Briar who almost always seemed to be late. Luca and Vivi wandered in, bickering about the former’s little sister. The sight of Vivi finally caused Hestia to lower her hackles a little bit, but Leander’s presence earned him a glare in his direction. Hestia liked the man; he was admirable and someone to look up to, especially among the younger trainers, but there was something about him that she couldn’t stand. Finally came Niall with a white lab coat much like Beryl’s and the usual donning of his easy-going smile. That made nearly everyone, save for the aforementioned Ice-type gym leader. And Ryker, of course. 

Beryl was too busy nursing her glass of whiskey to give Niall, but she raised a hand to wave the younger leader off for the time being. After relishing in her liquor’s nutty undertones, she gave him a grumble of disagreement. [color=6F4E37][b]“I wore this before it was cool, Niall. Who’s copying who?”[/b][/color] she sighed before tilting her head in his direction. Her eyes glimmered over the ridge of her glasses. [color=6F4E37][b]“Ryker always takes his time getting here. It’s like he wants us to wait on him. Guy thinks he’s real funny.”[/b][/color]

Hestia pouted in disappointment. [color=E38AAE][b]“Sure hope he isn’t as late as last time. By the time he got here, I could hardly stand straight…”[/b][/color]

[color=6F4E37][b]“Oh, trust me,” the corner of Beryl’s lip twisted upward, “after what you pulled last time, I don’t think he’ll be [i]that[/i] late ever again.”[/b][/color][/color]