Gunned | SatoSere

Chapter 8 - First Kill

It occurs to Serena that it isn't like Misty to greet her first in the morning either. Serena looks at her as Misty sets her glass down. "I'm assuming, I'm going with you on a job, aren't I?"

Misty sips the last of her drink down before answering with a nod. "Yeah. Will you be ready in about an hour?"

Serena hears the other question. Will you be okay?

She fights to roll her eyes, but more so in annoyance of herself. She gulps down the rest of her coffee and places the mug against the marble counter, feeling invigorated at the thought. She nods and pumps a fist. She may not know Ash as well as she would like to, need to, yet, but there is one thing Serena knows about herself — she won't back down from a fight.

"The real question is, will Lumiose City be ready for me?" Serena replies smugly, and the sudden shift in her mood makes Misty expression rise into surprise and then a mirrored grin. Serena hears Misty huff out a laugh as she always did with her more expressive, ridiculous antics.

"I'll meet you out front."

Time goes on and they're currently taking a cab down to the city while the clouds are grey, the scent of rain carrying on the wind. Serena sees her reflection off the plastic divider that separates them from the driver, dressed in a uniform left on her bedroom door. The fabric of the white button up is ironed and creased to the precise line, nestling a sleek black tie around the collar. The collar is pinned by a gold chain, the fasteners glinting in the shape of a small hexagon that has the character of 'demon' engraved into the surface.

Misty notices the way Serena observes the chain between her fingertips, wearing a matching one as just a pin on the lapel of her suit coat.

"This lets people know what group — family we're in," Misty states beside her, answering the unasked question.

"If anything, a warning, you mean," Serena replies, letting the chain drop from her hands.

The answer doesn't need to be said as the cab comes to a stop. They exit onto the drizzling streets, the sidewalks shining in splotches of silver as passerbys begin to duck underneath the shadows of their umbrellas. Misty pulls out her phone beneath the cover of an awning from a shop, scrolling through what seems to be a report.

"There should be a few areas to stop by to pick up protection costs," Misty informs as she leads the way.

"Protection costs?" Serena echoes.

Misty tucks her phone back into her coat pocket. "Ash owns these streets and not all of them are safe. People pay the Demons to keep thugs and wannabe gangbangers away from their businesses."

"Seems a little backwards to pay criminals to keep criminals away," Serena thinks aloud, quite boldly. Misty isn't offended by the statement, replying to hers with an easy shrug.

"Well, I'm sure you know by now we're not ordinary people. Our reach is far and even further than that," Misty says. "Criminals, yeah, but better than Giovanni's dogs, at least."

"So what's that asshole's deal anyway?" Serena huffs, sinking further into her coat from the cold breeze.

"Son of a bitch is Ash's step-father. They're from the same family, the Ketchums. He owns most of the streets in Kanto. That's where Ash is from, as well as me, Gary, and Brock. Ever since Ash came to Kalos, he's been wanting the cities here as well."