DRAYDEN

simple: iris is very close to drayden, as both her master who she has now surpassed and her adopted grandfather. she's never had parents, since they both died in an accident when she was very little, and she was raised by the village elders-- so drayden is the closest to a familial bond that she can get. though she can be headstrong and reckless, she greatly appreciates drayden's advice, and they're both very fond of each other.

ALDER

gee, iris, why'd the narrative let you have TWO grandfathers?

alder is the second of iris's mentors! though no longer champion, she very much looks up to him, even if she also sometimes needles him and teases him. she's appreciative of him particularly because he taught her more about the ways of the world, not just battling.

BLACK

at first, iris and black didn't get along. black often belittled her and wrote her off as someone unimportant, and iris was determined to prove herself to him. as they trained together, though, they became close companions, and now iris considers him her closest friend. she was devastated when he disappeared, and now that he's been freed, she's been hoping to spend more time with him. she'll DEFINITELY brag about being champion, though, and continue to tease him.

(given the two years black remained stagnant in the light stone, i think it's likely that iris at this point always wins when they battle, because she's had a lot more time to train. doesn't mean black can't catch up to her, though!)

whether black views iris as his closest friend, a sister, or something else is entirely up to you.

(all of these characters will likely play a part in something i have planned for iris in the future)