To Serena's comfort, the ride back to the city is a quiet one. As Sawyer drives through the roads, she can't help but wonder just how much of the city Ash owns. When they arrive to her place on the outskirts of town, the sea of buildings and billboards; the whole atmosphere in general, is breathtaking once again. It's surreal to think of how far Ash's reach goes, the heart of Lumiose City in his capable hands, and the fact that it could fall with a snap of his fingers. It's kind of exhilarating to know that she walked on the streets that belonged to him.
"Hello, Earth to Serena," someone says who Serena knew far too short to already be irritated with the sound of their voice. "Are you coming or just standing there like a frog on a log?"
Smartass.
Serena rolls her eyes and pushes away from the railing across the street and meets Miette, sharing the same irritated look as one another. Serena notices a large black case in Miette's hands and she raises an eyebrow with a question on her tongue.
"So, what's up with the case?"
"I'll be covering for you." Miette huffs and she speaks out a warning with a grin, a salacious wink coming after. "Try not to get hit in the crossfire, will you?"
"The hell? Crossfire?" Serena repeats incredulously, holding back the urge to sock that look off Miette's face.
The black case gets slung over Miette's shoulder as she then makes a finger gun, her thumb mocking a safety lock, pointing at Serena's face. This woman was giving her many reasons as to why the palm of her hand, itching to slap it away, should do just that.
"Cuzzo doesn't want to take any chances, but just because you're his new pet, don't think I'll keep my eyes off you," Miette threatens, a sneer on her lips. Her hand falls away and shifts to settling on her hip. "If you cause the boss any trouble, you'll be dealing with me. Got it?"
Serena can feel her jaw grind and she won't admit that she understands. They're close, after all. But this particular cousin has a way of rubbing her the wrong way. She turns swiftly on her heels to join Sawyer and calls back to a retreating Miette.
"Shiver me timbers," she says boredly.
Miette makes a 'tch' sound and Sawyer watches the whole exchange with a nervous smile as Serena closes the distance between them. He bows to her and reports. "Cilan and Dawn will be along shortly."
Serena tilts her head. "With what exactly?"
Her question is answered when an unmarked moving van parks just behind the escort car she arrived in. The passenger door springs open and there's an excited shout that fills the clear air.
"Hey, Serena! It's me, Dawn!"
The woman perks up at the voice and smiles once she turns to the one it belonged to. "How could I forget? It's great to see you. You'll be the one helping me out, I'm assuming?"
Dawn nods earnestly with an easy smile on her face. "Of course! No need to worry. Me and Cilan will make sure you get back safely."
"Who's this Cilan person?" Serena wonders out loud.
"Everyone's favorite connoisseur at your service, ma'am," a cheerful voice says and Serena is greeted with the sight of a tall man with neatly kept green hair, skin that looks as smooth as marble floor. She had to get his facial routine as soon as possible. At first sight it may not seem as such, but his whole presence is swirled in the hold of a flavorable, unshakable strength.
Cilan stands dressed above — his black suit ironed to the precise crease, his green bow that matches his lettuce hair, sitting perfectly in the center. To top off his formality, he bows deep in front of Serena and she feels quite nervous somehow.
"How could I ever forget his dramatic entrances," Dawn sighs.
"It's great to meet you, Serena. As you've already heard, I'm Cilan. I'm an advisor to Ash and his family," he gives off a lovely wink and messes with the ends of his sleeves. "I've been tasked with your safety and frankly, I do not take my work lightly. That said, lets begin with the main dish. Ready when you are, Dawn."
"Guess that's my que." She tucks an out of place strand of her hair back in place before she playfully salutes and unloads several empty boxes out of the van with Sawyer pitching in.
Cilan beckons Serena to follow, allowing him to escort her to her place's door. Nine times out of ten, the feeling would be embarrassing and to say the least, it only amplifies because she knows it's Ash's fault, putting his so called cousin and a trusted advisor as her guards. There's a part of her that wonders what she's truly in for and who's more dangerous. Giovanni and the threat he poses or Ash if his orders aren't carried out as intended.
Serena owns just enough to get by and nothing else, but her room would be a pain in the ass. Dawn packs up the living room and kitchen items quickly, and it's a little frightening to Serena just how fast she moves. The boxes are stacked quickly by the door as Sawyer hauls them into the truck outside. She packs up her room, leaving the furniture to which she believes there's no point in taking it.
She slides one box into the hallway and turns back around to address the wardrobe in her closet. Her eyes narrow and she freezes when she hears one of the doors rattle just slightly. From behind her, a calm, yet alarmed voice filters through.
"Serena, get down for a second, please."
Serena's eyes widen and immediately takes cover as the doors slam open, two masked figures jumping out and charging with guns equipped with silencers. Cilan jumps into the fray with a spinning kick, the heel of his shoe landing solidly on one of their jaws, sending them to the floor.
The other aims his weapon and Cilan catches him by his wrist, thwarting the shot that fires into the wall and Serena flinches in her spot in the hallway. In a burst of speed, Cilan twists into the enemy's space and lands an elbow jab into his throat, stealing his gun as he gasps for air. The trigger is pulled twice and two rounds are put into his kneecaps as he cries in pain, soon crumbling to the ground.
Serena sees the first attacker rise with a bruise on his jaw from behind the advisor and she can see the victorious look in his eyes.
"Cilan, behind you!" Serena shouts, her face blanching at the sight of his finger on the trigger and Cilan's back turned.
Her warning is paired with a shatter of glass and in the sunlight that filters through the broken window, she sees blood spatter and the man falls in a heap, a bullet wound through the side of his skull. Serena lets out a shaky breath, in a mix of relief and the fall from shock. On the roof of a building across the street, Miette smirks as she pulls her face away from the scope of her gun, satisfied at the shot.
"Shit," Serena curses aloud, not registering Cilan approaching her, not until his hand comes into view that pulls her eyes away from the bloody sight.
"How are you, Serena?" He asks gently. "Are you alright? Hurt anywhere, perhaps?"
Serena breathes through her nose and exhales through her lips, and nods, putting her hand into his own to let herself be pulled up. "No, I'm fine." She breathes deeply again. "Thank you, Cilan."
"Think nothing of it. An exquisite job well done I'd say," he jokes fondly to lift the mood and she smiles softly. "The authorities should be on their way in a moment."
The smile on her lips quickly changes to going agape. "The cops? Wouldn't that get us-"
They're soon interrupted and Cilan's calm, yet focused expression doesn't move, even as two officers stroll in uniform. He turns and greets them while Serena observes the scene, frozen in place.
"Captain, we got the call from Sawyer. What seems to have happened here?" one of the officers asks.
"Attempted robbery and homicidal intent. Unfortunately, I couldn't avoid the casualty. Please clear this out as soon as possible, and have a report on my desk by this afternoon."
"Sir."
The two officers salute and one splits to arrest the man who had fallen unconscious, while the other departs to the squad car outside, no doubt to get supplies to retrieve the other body. They move in and out of the place without so much as a second glance to anybody else or anything that could be considered as evidence. It's then Serena realizes what's happening.
Ash owns Lumiose City, and thus, the police force itself. Not only that, Cilan, holds a seat in their ranks as well as his own as Ash's voice of reason.
In light of that realization, Serena knows how miniscule her life is on the scale of power that Ash holds. That from the moment she arrived in Lumiose City, her life wasn't her own, without any semblance of control to defend herself or turn the tides in her favor. While she is grateful that Ash spared her on a whim and took her in, it feels bitter in her throat knowing where her heart hangs; on a noose, on a puppet string, swaying in an air of uncertainty.
Cilan saved her. Miette saved her. Ash saved her.
Her fists clenches tightly at her side, bare-knuckled and white. She wants to learn how to save herself, in fact, she needs to. If she doesn't, there's no place for her to sit in a menial world or this world of Ash's.
"Hey, you okay, Serena?"
She blinks and her daze clears, the sight of Dawn coming into her vision and Cilan is nowhere to be seen.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I must've been thinking too much," Serena sighs, shaking her head and fixing her hair.
"It can hurt sometimes," Dawn agrees with a nod. Serena huffs a tiny laugh. "Cilan wants me to take you back home. Him and Sawyer will take care of the rest of your things."
Serena doesn't fight it as Dawn puts a gentle hand on her back and guides her out. She's exhausted, anyway. Dawn takes the driver's seat and Serena settles into the passenger side, watching the squad car and a body bag being carried out disappear in the rearview mirror. The drive goes on in silence between them, safe for the radio playing a soft tune.
"Dawn?"
The silence is broken and she raises a brow at Serena. "What's up?"
"I want to know..." Serena pauses and she tilts her head towards the window, watching the clouds drift. "Have you ever killed anyone?"
There's another pause and Serena slides her gaze over to her, a pensive look on her face. A smile comes out on her face but it's more like a wince.
"Yeah. To save Misty, actually. I didn't know it at the time, but Misty had gotten into a bad spot with Giovanni's guys. She was really beat up," she says quietly, her eyes on the road. "I didn't have a choice."
Serena nods and looks away again, not wanting to press the details. "I see and that's why you're being protected by Ash."
Dawn nods. "After that, I was afraid what would happen to my mother. She's the only family I have left and it's not like she could just live at headquarters with us. But, Misty spoke up for me and Ash paid for my mom's expenses to move to the countryside. She'll be safe there. I know she is too. She even has a caretaker, so she's probably living a better life now than we were before."
Dawn is grinning now and Serena can't help the small smile on her face. With a brighter smile, Dawn continues. "I owe Ash my life for what he did, so I'll fight with him and Misty."
"Even if it means being a criminal?" Serena questions.
Dawn doesn't seem as bothered by it as she thought she would be. She shrugs instead. "Nothing too much to worry about. Life was boring anyway, and without them, I wouldn't have lived it much longer. This is a little more exciting, right?"
"Wow, you're insane." Serena throws out, but she knows it's hypocritical, and for all her casual demeanor, she sees right through it.
"And I bet you are too, Serena!" Dawn throws back.
"I bet you're right about that." They share matching grins but she punches her in her shoulder for good measure. She knows she's right, so she admits that.
"What's insane is how slow you drive. Your mother could drive a tractor faster than you in this," she says with a teasing, sing-song tone. Dawn doesn't argue with her, but her grin turns a little mischievous. She barely has a chance to narrows her eyes before she sees her foot slam on the acceleration pedal and her body jolts back into her seat as the lines of the highway blur.
"What the hell, Dawn!"
She laughs at her exasperated expression as Serena lets out a string of curses and straightens her seatbelt, muttering about how crazy she is and how she should be more careful. In her mind, she knows for certain that they're not so different.
When they return to the manor, there are guards stationed at the gates for their arrival. They duly take care of the things in the truck, assuring Serena that these were their orders. She shrugs and makes her way to the front doors, being greeted by Misty who looks even more serious than usual. Dawn is the first to speak up, resting a hand on her hip.
"Is something wrong?"
Misty nods and her sharp gazes cuts to Serena. "You should come with me. It's something you need to see."
Dawn and Serena share a look before they follow after her. Towards the end of one of the halls, Misty opens one of the doors to a room that looks similar to a conference room. There's an array of screens on the walls, from camera surveillance of different parts of the city that she doesn't recognize, and within the manor. However, it's the center screen that catches her eye, a newscast with a flashing red banner panning across the screen in bold white letters.
Serena's jaw drops at the haunting sight.
The old job of her fashion designs is in view from different camera angles, and reporters speaking frantically into their microphones. The glass from the windows is blown and the walls on the inside of the shop are covered in ash while clothes and jewelry are out of proportion. There's a chaotic scramble of fire trucks, ambulances, and squad cars, personnel running back and forth. Serena zeroes in on the stretchers being carried out, body bags of victims, and the bloody limbs of bare survivors.
She sees the pictures of the victims being identified grid across the screen and her knees shake, and her hand covers her mouth in unadulterated shock.
Unfortunately, these individuals that worked at this fashion designing store did not survive the explosion. Police are still leading the investigation for the source of the bomb and the criminal at large. There are no further developments at-
"Serena?" Ash calls out, softly.
"Let me guess." Serena doesn't look at him, and her voice comes out quiet, teetering on the edge of a dangerous beginning. "It's them, isn't it?"
There's a gentle touch on her jaw as Ash turns her face to look away from the blank screen. He fills her vision and his expression is a hardened one, as if he's angry and brimming but holding the tide back for Serena's sake.
"It is. I should've killed those damned bastards when I had the chance," Ash curses, his hand dropping away and clenching into a fist at his side. "Giovanni's ruthless. A monster even. He'll play with people's lives if he thinks It'll piss me off. He'll spill blood to try and force my hand, and even if it doesn't, he enjoys watching people suffer."
The next words out of Serena's mouth are what neither of them expect.
"Teach me how to fight."
The frustrated expression is traded for a surprised one, as Ash regards her with an arched brow. "Listen, you don't have to do anything, Serena. I don't want you to think this is your battle-"
"Seriously, you of all people should know it is now!" Serena voices out, seething, and Ash doesn't move away from the sound.
There's hot tears spilling and she should be pissed off that it's even happening, that Ash is seeing her be so weak like this. But to wander aimlessly into the city, and to still be this way is enough for the dam to rush right open. He listens to every word, listens to her let it all out.
"I don't want to be helpless, having to be saved over and over. If anything, I could've died today if Cilan and Miette didn't save me! Hell, I could've died with the others if you didn't protect me!" Serena points at the empty screen, the ghosts passing through her mind. "And then what? What if something happens? Honestly, am I just supposed to watch people die because of me?"
Ash stays silent, his copper brown eyes softening with a glint of gold when Serena rubs at her tears with the back of her sleeve and the heel of her palms. He feels his fingertips twitch at his side at the sight. Her eyes are red rimmed and she sniffles, huffing indignantly and squaring her shoulders.
"If you won't teach me, I'll ask Dawn or Misty, for god's sake. I bet Gary would love to help me, even."
Serena turns away on her heel and Ash feels the pull in his fingertips move to his heart, and he gives into the feeling in his palms, catching her hand before she can move too far away. She doesn't turn around, but doesn't fight it, either.
Ash sighs deeply. "I understand. Have it your way. I'll teach you starting tomorrow."
Serena pauses for a moment before she looks back. The tears are gone, a new determination settling in. "You mean it?"
He grins. "It won't be easy, Serena. I'm warning you."
She rolls her eyes in response. She hardly needed a reminder of what Ash was capable of.
"I never said I wanted easy," Serena replies simply with a wink and squeezes their joined hands, a bit trodden but resolved. She flashes Ash a half-hearted smile she can muster and slips away. Before she exits through the doors, Ash calls out to her again and Serena knows he's wearing that familiar smirk on his face.
"You're insane."
Serena waves him off and tucks her hands into the pockets of the jacket Ash gave her.
"It's what you like about me, isn't it?" She delivers cooly, and then she's gone.
Ash is left alone in the conference room, staring at the spot where Serena once was. There's a puff of laughter that escapes his lips as he flexes his hand, then tucks it into his pocket. He shakes his head out of exasperation, and rubs at his jaw like he had been struck. He may as well have been, because Serena is a force, a gravity that could bend the universe to its knees.
It's an unfathomable idea because Ash bows to no one, but in the insanity they share, in the similar souls molded to jagged edges, he wonders just how long it will take for that force to reach him, and duly ignores the fact that he would let it.