NOTE: Christian content.

Chapter 43: HE'S BLACK

"Misty, wake up!"

"Hmm…??"

"Misty, we're back! And it's a good thing we found you back, too." It was Ash's voice. Misty realized this, and that---before she had gone to sleep---there had been a good chance she wouldn't find him back easily. She jumped up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Misty…so, you really do have a thing for Ash!" Tracy thought aloud. He got a dark stare from both of them. "Ah…*cough!!*…I think I'll go talk to Cleaver, for a minute."

As Tracy excused himself, Ash and Misty looked at each other. "What all happened, Ash?"

"We were on seek patrol, basically, and we were passing by Cleaver's lab when we got attacked. But there was something else that we've gotta tell you about: Tracy caught a Raikou!"

"A what?"

"A Raikou! He's got the most powerful electric pokémon there is!"

Pikachu snorted in anger.

"Oh, c'mon, Pikachu! How would you like going one-on-one with Raikou?"

Pikachu ground his teeth and swallowed hard.

"That's what I thought. Anyhow, we just found him walking around, and he got in a fight with a cybertooth. We had to catch him to save him."

"Wow…just like I caught Suicune!"

"Except dryer," Ash chuckled…but he stopped chuckling when he saw Misty's expression. "Anyway…I'm not sure why, but we only seem to be running into really powerful pokémon when we find them."

"Then…maybe only powerful pokémon would survive at all, out here."

"Probably…so…how're you holding up?"

"How? …Well…I dunno. I guess it was fun being a mourner…"

"Mourner?"

"It was my part in the Easter pageant." Misty pulled the black poncho out of her backpack and put it over herself, also tying the black towel around her waist.

"Whoa…you really fit the part!"

"Thanks, Ash…that makes me feel a lot better…"

"…Misty, you're not…still…"

"Well…no, I guess not…I learned something new about what it means to be dead, and…the funny part is that there's still hope, even when you're dead."

"Huh?!"

"You should've been there for the Easter pageant, Ash…they showed the story about how God chose to die…for us, somehow…but He didn't stay dead. And we don't have to, either: at some point, everyone's going to rise from the dead."

"Whoa…but…how?"

"Pika…."

"Supernatural power of God, Ash."

"Wow...what a God. I've never heard of any other God who does anything like that. That's really different." There was a short pause. "So, has anything happened here, while we were gone?"

"Not much, no. Just that we know who that guy with the cloak is: his name is Terrance, and he was really the thief we saw talking to that one man with the blue shirt!"

"Awh!" Ash shouted, standing up.

"He knows where all our bases are, and I don't think he's going to keep a secret for us. That's why we're moving here."

"But what about the others? What about our base in the storm sewers?"

"Tai and Matt are going after those…I just hope they can make it…"

******

Wargreymon was clearly losing it: Tai felt a drop of water smack his face. He really didn't like the idea of having to stand up to Kamnadramon's attack, but he steeled himself for the approaching moment when Wargreymon's shield would give way.

Suddenly, they saw a red flash of energy explode around Kamnadramon. Kamnadramon was a surprised as everyone else.

"Was that Zudomon's work?" Tai asked.

"Zudomon doesn't have any red attacks…as far as I know," Joe answered.

"Then who…unless it's…"

"Blackwargreymon!" they all shouted.

They had made a perfect guess. Coming to a halt between the refugees and Kamnadramon, Blackwargreymon brandished his newly formed, clawed gauntlets. "I'm not sure who you are, but, if you're attacking these people, you're definitely my enemy! And that is not a good thing to be!"

"Blackwargreymon, you're back?"

"With a vengeance!" he answered. "Terra Destroyer!"

"Nova Force!"

"Metal Wolf Claw!"

"Energy Wedge!"

"Flower Salvo!"

The attacks smacked Kamnadramon and sent it skidding backwards.

Kamnadramon returned fire: "Crimson Laser!" But the beam wasn't aimed at the fighters: it was aimed at the refugees.

"Ho-hum!" Blackwargreymon spat. "Terra Screen!" He put his wing panels together into a shield and projected a force field around the refugees. The beam reflected harmlessly off into the sky.

"Hurricane force!" This attack was as effective against Blackwargreymon as it had been against Wargreymon.

"Aw, man! This same setup, again! Doesn't Kamnadramon ever get tired?" Matt asked.

"We can hope so," Tai answered.

"Digi-modify! Recovery, activate!"

"Nope," Matt sighed to himself. "This is pointless, Tai! We need to get these refugees out of here and back to the coll---I mean, back to our other base, before Kamnadramon gets a bead on where we're going!"

"I won't let him do that," Blackwargreymon said. "If it weren't for these human refugees, I'd tear open Kamnadramon's bridge and get that pilot out once-and-for-all!"

"That's it!" Tai shouted. "That's how we can defeat him! But we'll need another diversion…"

Zudomon was right on cue: he fired his Horn Taser at Kamnadramon, giving Blackwargreymon just enough time to drive at Kamnadramon's head and slash. He pulled Rainmyotismon out of the bridge, hurled it into the air, and then hurled a fireball after it. A tired and beaten-down Blackgatomon and Jaymon plummeted to the ground.

"That does it!" The Unnamed Figure shouted as Kamnadramon mode-changed back to its fighter mode. "Retreat!"

The three mega digimon began taking pot-shots after the huge Imperialdramon clone, but it was no use: it was just too quick. It was out of range before long.

"Now…how about we get everyone someplace where they won't get attacked?" Wargreymon asked.

"Not until the others catch up to us," Mimi answered. "As eager as I am to get out of the rain, we can't just go. They'll never find us back if we don't wait."

"They will if we look for them," Matt said, climbing back onto Metalgarurumon's back. "We know where the base entrance is from here, and we know where our new base is, so we can find them back and take them there."

"Good luck!" Joe yelled after them.

******

"…And why, do tell, didn't you obtain a sample of either of their DNA?"

"Because I was ill-equipped to do so! I was up against three mega digimon and several ultimates and some creature we've never identified. Kamnadramon was surrounded. It just wasn't enough. If I'd had Totemmon or a pair of super pokémon with me, then I'd be able to beat them. But my D-Gauntlet still doesn't have that kind of power! And, even if it did, no one ever provided me with a DNA sampling kit!"

"I shall have those responsible terminated---and I'll have you equipped with a sampling kit for your next mission."

"That being?"

"They have become aware of our clave-ator-d'dhor lately, and have been finding and destroying many of our ator factories. We are setting up a larger factory near the location of their former orphanage."

"The place where they had the Easter pageant?"

"Yes. We will put you in charge of supervising this operation."