The Usual Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor do I own any of its characters. The story, however, is my own original work. Please note that this story may be posted on other websites under the pen name KFSevenSoviet, which is also mine, though I no longer use it.

Last time:

"Wait, Ash," Misty called after him, "where are you going?"

Ash turned back, a look of fierce determination in his eyes.

"To get some fireworks."

Brock and Misty looked at each other, then hurriedly packed up the camping gear, grabbed the bodies of Team Rocket, and ran into the forest after Ash.

Chapter 4

Misty and Brock had to walk quickly to keep up with Ash. It only took them about half an hour to reach the outskirts of a city, and Ash just kept on marching straight towards the market square. Brock and Misty hid in a dumpster with the bodies of the late Jessie, James and Meowth while Ash searched for fireworks.

"He's been gone a long time," Misty whispered while she and Brock crouched in the dumpster. "I hope he's okay…"

"I'm sure he's fine," Brock replied, "he's probably just haggling over the price."

Just then there was a knock on the side of the dumpster. Brock and Misty carefully lifted the lid and peeked out. There stood Ash, wearing a malicious grin. He held up a box. Inside were cherry bombs, firecrackers, M-80s, and several large, dangerous looking cylinders Brock and Misty had never seen before.

Brock and Misty scrambled out of the dumpster, then reached back in and pulled out the bodies of their former enemies.

"Let's do this," Ash said. He stuck an M-80 in Jessie's mouth.

"Wait, Ash," Misty said, holding out her arm. "Not here, people will see us."

"Not to mention," Brock added, "this is the middle of a city. We could kill hundreds of innocent people."

"Let's find an abandoned parking lot or something out of the way and do it there," Misty suggested.

Ash sighed. "Fine, fine, you win. We'll find an old shopping mall or something, and then we'll blow these bastards to kingdom come."

Ash picked up the box of explosives, Brock and Misty picked up the bodies, and

together they set off in search of a suitable detonation site.

An abandoned airstrip at the edge of town looked to be the perfect location for a fireworks display. Ash, Misty and Brock piled the bodies together in the middle of the airstrip and began stuffing and covering them with explosives. Misty looked up as she was stuffing a cherry bomb up James' nose. Brock was doing something with Jessie and an M-80.

"Brock, what the hell?! Don't put one there!"

It took the trio a bit longer to rig Team Rocket to explode than they had anticipated, due mostly to Misty having to frequently yell at Brock when he tried to stuff fireworks into questionable places, some in Jessie but most in James. When at last the task was complete, Brock wired all the fuses together, and then he and Misty stood back as struck a match and lit the master fuse. It began to burn down rapidly, much more rapidly than it should.

"Oh god, the jet fuel!" Brock said in a panic. "It must be accelerating the fire!"

"We've got to get the hell away from here!" Misty screamed. She, Ash and Brock took off for the edge of the airstrip at a sprint.

In the middle of the city people were going about business as usual. Young children crowded the markets, purchasing pokeballs and antidotes. An elderly gentleman strolled down the sidewalk with his faithful Growlithe by his side. Several Rattata played a sort of game with an empty soda can in the sewers.

The explosion took only an instant. For a few seconds, the entire city was engulfed in a bright white light. The sound was deafening. The people in the streets screamed in terror, afraid they were under attack. Then, as soon as it began, the light faded and the sound began a diminuendo into nothingness. Citizens picked themselves up from the streets and looked around in confusion, as if they were expecting to be dead. A thick black cloud of smoke hovered over the horizon to the north.

That's it for chapter 4! Once again, reviews are welcome.