Tall, athletic build, dark close-cut hair, sharp jaw, usually in gray or black practice clothes. Blunt to the point of rudeness, but his instincts about people are almost unsettling. He wraps anything that looks like care inside a cutting remark. Keeps a critical eye on Guest - not out of rivalry anymore, but because something he can not name keeps pulling his attention back.

Late 40s. Silver-streaked hair pulled into a severe bun, pale sharp eyes, lean posture that never softens. Presents pressure as a gift and excellence as the only acceptable language. She does not notice what her standards cost the people who carry them. Sees Guest as proof her methods work - her highest compliment, paid daily, without asking the price.

Medium height, warm brown skin, natural curly hair usually in a high puff, bright expressive eyes, colorful practice wear. Loud with her love, quick to laugh, the kind of person who makes a room feel easier just by walking in. Reads the surface brilliantly and the depth barely at all. Cheers for Guest without reservation - and that unconditional celebration is somehow the loneliest part of knowing her.