A/n: sorry for the short chapter

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Pokemon: 4 Years After

Chapter 4. Fires Burn for Ash

"Wha-" Gary looked at the scene, first at the Rocket then at Ash. "Is that you…Ash?"

"Gary?" Ash asked.

Suddenly, both Brock and Ash's mother came running from inside.

"We heard a few noises out here. Is there-" Brock stopped when he saw the fallen Rocket on the ground.

"What happened?" Delia asked, still wearing her apron. Gary was standing next to the ninja. Ash put away the pokeball he had taken out.

"Where have you been?" Gary asked almost emotionlessly.

"Does it matter?" Ash replied.

"Maybe it does…" Gary stared at him, showing some anger in his eyes. "Why did you come back?"

"I heard of the attack."

"So you decided to be the hero again?" Gary asked not expecting an answer. "When you left I didn't expect you to ever come back, but," he lifted a hand, "here you are…" he looked down at the fallen trainer, "and in top form too."

"What are you getting at?" Ash asked.

"When you left I had to come back to Pokemon training. Team Rocket had always feared you, but when they heard that you had left they went all out. It's always intrigued me why they've always had a liking to you and your Pikachu. But here you were, battling a member of Team Rocket, and yet you didn't even use Pikachu. You've peaked my curiosity Ash," Gary smiled. He threw his cloak over his shoulder and took a pokeball into his hand. "I want to battle you. I want to see what you've been doing all this time."

"Fine by me," Ash grabbed and enlarged a pokeball.

"Sneasel!" The Rocket called out from the ground. Her pokemon, who was behind Ash, tore through the webs that held its arms together at the sound of its master. With everyone's attention drawn to that, the ninja got away from the group and gave another command. Sneasel then ran smoothly through Brock and Ash's mom, and then jumped up and threw its arm and claw behind Misty's neck.

"No!" Ash yelled out.

"Haha," the Rocket laughed manically from atop a tree branch behind Gary. "What are you going to do about it?"

Ash gritted his teeth, dropping his arm with the pokeball.

"So you're from Team Rocket?" Brock stepped up.

"That's right," she smiled. The letter R on her cheek seemed to glow in the night.

"Ash…" Misty whispered beneath Sneasel's claws looking directly at him. He turned to the ninja.

"If you hurt her then I'll-"

"-You'll what?" She asked with a smile. "I was sent to kill you, but to see you suffer would be just as good."

"Kill me?" Ash asked. "Is that what you're here to do?"

The ninja nodded slowly.

"Then if you're here for me then why are you wasting your time on her?" Ash demanded.

"I was ordered to kill you, but things have seemed to have gotten…a bit complicated."

" Just do what you came here to do!" Ash stood in front of Misty unafraid.

"Oh I'd love to…but as I said things have gotten complicated and -"

"You didn't expect him to be this strong," Gary said, interrupting the two.

"What?" The ninja turned her head to him. Gary took a step towards the tree.

"You heard me!" Gary snapped back.

"Why you-"

"Let me ask you this first though, before you go on…What's your name?"

"W-why do you want to know?"

"Because I want to tell your bosses your name when you go back empty handed"

"I'm afraid that won't happen, but I will tell you who I am before I kill this girl," she looked very angry now. Sneasel held its claw closer to Misty's neck almost mimicking her master's anger. Ash held his breath. Brock and Delia didn't move an inch in fear if they did the ninja would get mad.

"Very well. My name is Ura… a Team Rocket assassin."

"An assassin huh?"

"That's right," she said proudly.

"Then if you were to go back and not have the job done then I'm sure you'd be punished. Am I right?" Gary asked, wearing a grin. This made her uneasy.

"I'm sure I would be…" Ura looked back to Ash, raising one eyebrow, "assuming I didn't leave here without doing some kind of damage heh heh heh," she laughed.

"Mimey, Psychic!" Delia called out quickly. Everyone turned their head to her. Mr. Mime jumped out of the window from behind and used its attack.

"No!" Ura yelled. Sneasel flew backwards, being hit hard by a strong pink energy beam. Ash took Misty into his arms and stood to the side. Sneasel slid across the ground and rolled around lifelessly before coming to a stop. Immediately, both Gary and Ash, in unison took out a pokeball each from their belts and pelted them forward.

"Scizor!"

"Absol!"

Ura looked around. The table's had turned and her odds were looking bad now. She turned to her fallen pokemon and recalled it.

"Hmph!" She smiled and shrugged. "Time for Plan B…" Ura turned her back to them. Gary and Ash took a step forward, standing next to their pokemon. Then after a loud silence, a defeaning BANG filled the air. Before anyone had realized it Ash's houses' windows blew out and a large explosion followed. Brock jumped out in time to shield both Delia and Mr. Mime from the flying debris and roaring flames. Ash was in such an awe that he didn't know what to do or say. But when Gary called out an attack for Scizor he came back to his senses.

"Later Ash Ketchum," Ura said, turning her head back to him. Ash looked up at her but then focused on Gary's Scizor who was now charging towards the tree. He looked back up at her. She jumped higher onto the top branches and then disappeared amongst the leaves.

"Scizor, False Swipe!" Gary ordered. Scizor swung its massive right claw and sliced the tree in two. But when the tree came tumbling down nothing or no one fell out. Ash began to walk towards it, but Misty stopped him. Gary went over to the log and saw nothing. But suddenly, he turned his head up and then climbed over the tree, jumped the fence, and ran into the fields.

"Ash, no," she tugged on his arm. He looked back to her. "Just let him go alone. We need you here," Ash saw the orange flames reflect off the side of her face. She was sad, knowing he would go anyway no matter what she said. He looked back to the house and his mother crying over it. Brock had called out his Swampert and was trying to douse out the fire. Ash turned back to Misty and then kissed her quickly on the lips. It took her a few seconds to realize what happened.

"Absol, let's go!" Ash jumped over the fallen tree and followed Gary. Misty watched him as he disappeared into the darkness. She turned around back to the fire.

"Politoad, go!"

Ash looked into the distance and saw Gary's cloak deep in the fields. He ran at a fast pace through the tall grass, his Absol alongside him. Ash searched around but then lost sight of Gary.

"W-where did he go? Where did THEY go?" He stopped and looked all around. "Do you see them?" Absol threw its nose in the air and tried to find a scent. "Anything?" Absol shook its head in return. "Damn it! Where the hell could he have-"

"Ash!" A voice from behind called. Ash turned his head and saw Gary.

"Gary!" He was walking slowly toward Ash, alone. Scizor apparently back in its pokeball.

"Did you find her?" Ash asked.

"Ura? No…I lost her. She practically disappeared right in front of me."

"Damn…" Ash clenched his fists. "I have to find her!" He was furious. She had destroyed his house and almost hurt Misty, and he couldn't get back at her for it.

"Listen Ash." Gary said in a calm voice. Ash looked up at him. "Take your Mom and the others to Viridian City for the night. I'll be there tomorrow morning to meet with you."

"Why? What for?"

"I have to talk to you about Team Rocket."

"What about them?" Ash asked anxiously.

"I think I know what they're up to," Gary revealed.