Day 2, Lumiose City, Unnamed Cafe

Ash's car parks onto the street side next to a cafe. Ash steps out of the car followed closely by Serena. She looks around before Ash gestures to her to follow him.

"Where are we going?"

Ash replies without turning around, instead scanning the crowd "To see a friend of mine."

"Who is he?"

"We've been working together in your father's business for about 3 years, before that he used to be a researcher in another region. Look for a dark skinned man with black hair and red highlights."

Serena looks around and sees a man seated at a table with his hands clasped together like he's anticipating someone. The man looks about her and Ash's age and fits Ash's description. Ash notices him as well, and starts walking over.

"Goh!" Ash calls out, and the man, Goh,perks up and stands from his seat, a big smile plastered on his face. "Ash!"

"You son of a bitch!" the two said in unison, and hand hugs each other. The gesture quickly turns into an arm wrestling match, with both men about equal in strength. Ash eventually won out in the end.

"Alright, I win this time, that means you're buying us breakfast." Ash said laughing

Goh laughs as well. "Alright, deals a deal. Oh, and is this lovely lady the escort you've been assigned?" He offers his hand to Serena, which she nervously shook.

Ash smacks Goh on the back of his head. "Shut up, besides, you're already in a relationship."

Goh raises both hands and walks towards the counter, but not before saying "Alright, man. She's all yours then."

"Hey!"

Serena watches the relationship between the two guys with curiosity. She never made friends, her father was way overprotective. From what she's been told friends are suppose to act like family, but Ash and Goh seemed to be at each other's throats constantly, insulting each other, physical violence, rude remarks, but they both just laugh it off and went on their way. 'Maybe guys are just different.' she thought and sits down next to Ash. Moments later, Goh comes back with croissants, bagels, and coffee and distributes it to everyone. "So, how's your first day? I'm guessing by the fact that you called me to clean some corpses it didn't go very well."

Ash takes a big bite of bagel. "Really that was the only downside. We ate at the diner and spent the rest of the day at my apartment."

Goh smirks "Oh, I see…"

Ash blushes "We just read books you dirty minded idiot!"

"Yeah, whatever you say, buddy."

Serena decided to speak up. "So um, Mr. Goh-"

"Just call me Goh"

"Sorry, but how did you and Ash meet? He said that you've been working together for 3 years?"

"You ain't gonna believe this, but back then I was a researcher for this Professor Cerise guy in Kanto. Never liked him. Sending me out on dangerous missions, never crediting me for my work, hell, he seemed more invested in the research than caring for his own daughter!"

Goh takes a sip of coffee and continues "One day, I was out in the woods doing some research, and some crazy guy with a sword and terrible fashion sense leaped out and attacked me! Then Ash came by, beat the crap out of the guy, and we've been friends since!"

"But you said you worked for this Professor guy, did you quit or something?"

"Yeah, something like that. Actually, Ash is responsible. He'll tell you."

Ash dusted some bagel crumbs off his shirt "So the reason I was in Kanto was because your father wanted me to steal some of that Professor's research. Hearing that Goh was his researcher, I thought I could use him to infiltrate the lab. So at night I hacked into their computer and started downloading the files till this guy stumbled upon me. After a bit of awkward staring, I offered him to leave the lab job and join the gang. I guess Goh really did hate that professor, cuz he took the offer almost instantly. We even convinced the Professor's daughter Chloe to come along!"

Serena listened to the story. She couldn't imagine anyone leaving their own father. Even if that Professor had been neglectful, there's no way this Chloe girl would have just said yes, right?

"Anyways, after a bit of work, I got promoted to the enforcer rank and got Ash assigned as my partner, we've had a perfect track record ever sin-"

Bzzzz Bzzzz

Goh's story was interrupted by a ringing cell phone. Goh picked up "Hello? Oh hey Chloe, how are you doing?" Goh's face quickly turns into one of confusion. "Those two? Cleanup? How the fuck did they- Okay, okay, I'll get on with it."

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

"We got a 5-514 for a goddamned car!"

"I got nothing to do, I'll help. Uh, Serena, you want to say here or?"

"I guess I'll go. I have nothing to do, and I want to see a job in person."

The trio walked towards Ash's car and drove towards the destination

10 minutes later, Suburban Lumiose

The car screeches to a stop across the street of a suburban house. Ash, Goh, and Serena walk towards the house and see 3 people and a car in the garage. A woman with maroon hair and green eyes, a tall man with black hair and a blue scarf, and another man with lemon-blonde hair and glasses. Interestingly, the two men looked like they were hanging out with vampires all night, because they were splattered in blood. Goh walks over to the woman to give her a hug, but is given the hand. "Not now, Goh. Business first." Goh looks down in disappointment but introduces everyone. "Alright, so I've brought Ash here to help, and he brought the boss's daughter Serena, who is his escort. Serena, this is Chloe, this (pointing at the black haired man) is Alain, and this (pointing at the blonde man) is Clemont." Serena shook each of their hands before going back to Ash. Chloe speaks up "So, you guys know what happened?" The trio shook their heads. "I think I'll let these two explain."

Alain steps forward "So, there was this guy called Marvin who apparently pissed the boss off, so we were sent to capture him and bring him back to base. On the way, however, this motherfucker (pointing at Clemont) shot Marvin in the face!"

Serena looks at Clemont and Alain's car, and sure enough, the back window is stained in a red liquid, presumably blood.

Ash: "Why the fuck would you do that?"

"I didn't mean to do it! It was an accident!"

Ash: "I've been working for the gang for 7 years. I saw some crazy things in my time but THIS?"

"Chill out, man. I said it was an accident. We drove over a speed bump and my finger slipped!"

This time it was Alain's turn to shout "The car ain't hit no motherfucking speed bump! We were on a goddamned highway! Because you forgot the first thing about gun safety, we were driving around a major highway with a dead body in broad daylight! You were lucky it was past rush hour, or we would've gotten more people looking at us than people trying to peek up Aria's dress!"

Goh snorted at the joke.

"Well I said to take it to a friendly place!"

"Well you were lucky Chloe was home or I wouldn't have known what we would have done!"

"Alright, both of you, shut the fuck up! Let's get this shit over and done with!" Ash yelled.

Everyone save for Serena walks over to the car and looks inside. Goh looked at the backseat and whistled "Whew, look at this mess, man. Yo, Clem, did you shoot him with a cannon or something? He's all over the place."

"I said I didn't know what happened. The round went off, I didn't know why."

Alain: "Really? You had a round in the chamber, the safety was off, your finger was on the trigger, and the gun was pointed at Marvin's face! For someone who calls themselves a scientist, you really lack some common sense!"

Ash: "Look, both of you stop arguing, let's get this over with. Chloe, call Mairin and tell her to get a change of clothes for these two, can't have them walking around looking like that." Chloe nods and takes out her phone. "Alain, Clemont, go get cleaning supplies and towels and clean this mess up. Blood, bone, the gooey stuff, everything. Goh and I will dispose of the body." The criminals nod and get to work. Ash and Goh pull a headless corpse out of the back while Clemont and Alain came back with towels and spray bottles and got to work.

Serena watches the men do the work, when suddenly Chloe stood next to her. "So, what do you make of all this?" she asks. Serena sighs. "I occasionally overhear my father talking about 'this deal' and 'this hit' but to see this happen in person. This looks like really gross and dangerous work. Are there really no other jobs for you guys to take?"

"Well, not really. Clemont's a smart guy and an inventor, but he never got the funding he needed, so his ideas floundered. Our boss took him in and gave Clemont the money he needed. Now we use his inventions in our work. Goh used to be a researcher but he never liked his employer so he ran away. And from what I heard Ash and Alain lived on the streets, finding work where they can. I was the only one that you can kinda consider normal. I was a student, and I actually did pretty well in academics."

"So why did you pick up this life? Aren't you in danger of being arrested for working for a mob? Wouldn't it be smarter to get a degree?"

"Well, I actually had no idea what I wanted to do. I was really just living the day. My father was neglectful, my brother was troublesome and annoying, the only person I really felt attached to was my mother. She would always tell me to follow your heart, try new things. So when I was offered to start anew, I took that chance. Look where I am now. I have a good paying job that doesn't require some college degree, a new family, and a boyfriend. I mean, Goh's kinda an idiot and he's reckless, but I guess that's what I love about him."

Serena considered those words. She doesn't have a job yet, despite having her own college degree. All the gang members look like ordinary, good people on the outside. You wouldn't expect them to be hardened criminals, yet despite this, there they are. Ash and Goh in the distance, dumping bags into a dumpster, Alain and Clemont scrubbing the inside of the car, and Chloe simply watching. To any passing civilian, this would look like a typical Tuesday. She wondered at what point in their lives caused them to pick these life-deciding decisions.

About 10 minutes later, the work was done. Alain and Clemont had left. Ash and Goh walked over to Serena. "So, what do you guys want to do now?"

"Well, all this work is making me a bit hungry."

"Tssk. You're always hungry, Ash."

"Cmon, it's about lunchtime anyways. I know this diner that serves some great food. Cmon!, we can bring Chloe along as well."

Goh looks at Chloe and sees her nodding. "Alright, but you're paying the bill this time."

"Fine, I'll- wait, you're nagging all this time so you can get me to pay for your lunch ain't you?!"

"Umm, no!" Goh starts backing away "Why would I do that?"

"Why you little, get back here!" Ash chases Goh down the street as the girls laugh to themselves.