Chapter 9: Subzero Ice Punch!

Joe: Thanks to that creep, Devimon, File Island broke up and all us kids got separated. Now, he’s up there in his castle on Infinity Mountain, and I hate to think what horrible things he’s planning next!

[DEVIMON is in a dark, gothic-looking room in his castle, laughing. LEOMON and OGREMON are in the room as well.]

Devimon: Now that they’re on their own, those little intruders will meet their doom. Nothing can stand in my way. The DigiDestined don’t have a chance. Now fly, my Black Gears, fly!

[JOE and AGUMON are floating on a sheet of ice in the middle of a seemingly endless sea.]

Agumon: Joe, it’s cold, I’m hungry, and I wish we were on solid ground.

Joe: It looks like you’re about to get your wish. But next time, be careful of what you wish for! You just might get it!

[Their ice raft plows into an iceberg, and the two are sent flying into the snow. They’re both buried headfirst, and JOE is the first one to work his way out, shivering in his underwear.]

Joe: Okay, so Mom was right, I should have worn a sweater. Take it easy, Agumon, I’ll pull you out.

[Joe grabs hold of AGUMON’s legs, and pulls him out of the snow. JOE’s clothes emerge as well, frozen solid.]

Joe: Hey, look! I found my clothes! Except they’re even too cool for me now.

Agumon: Don’t worry; I can give you the latest hot look.

[AGUMON fires a Pepper Breath, and steam rises from the thawed shirt.]

Joe: Hey, Agumon, that’s smokin’! Now can you hook up my pants?

[AGUMON does it again, but JOE’s pants catch fire. JOE shakes them frantically, trying to put out the flames.]

Agumon: Oops, nuked ‘em a little too long. But look on the bright side, Joe.

Joe: What bright side?

Agumon: You won’t be cold anymore.

[JOE notices a row of red mailboxes standing in the snow.]

Joe: What? Mailboxes? Agumon, maybe people really lived here at one time.

[JOE looks out across the water with his telescope.]

Joe: I wish we could mail ourselves home, but it looks like the only way we’ll ever leave freeze land is to take a real long, cold swim back to Infinity Mountain. And I have a feeling that if the mountain is drifting farther and farther away, then our friends are, too. They must all be out there on those other islands.

Agumon: Where will we end up if we just keep on drifting around like this, Joe?

Joe: Why would I know that?

Agumon: Because you’re from another world, Joe. I’ve never left File Island.

Joe: But Agumon, I’ve never left my world, either.

Agumon: Well, I guess it could be worse. There could be evil Digimon attacking us. It’s too quiet here.

[As if on cue, the ground shakes, and FRIGIMON, a DIGIMON that looks like a huge snowman emerges from the snow-covered ground.]

Frigimon: Arghhh, Frigimon!

Agumon: It’s Frigimon! Frigimon is a food friendly snowman. But don’t worry, Joe. He’s a good Digimon.

[FRIGIMON tosses a giant snowball up at the pair, and they dive down the cliff to escape it. They slide right past FRIGIMON, and skid to a stop behind him. There’s a Black Gear embedded in his back.]

Agumon: Oh no, my belly’s freezing! It’s a Black Gear!

Joe and Agumon: The Black Gear’s controlling him! Ahh!

Frigimon: Subzero Ice Punch!

[They jump out of the way to avoid the fist, which hits a mailbox behind them. The mailbox freezes into a block of ice.]

Agumon: Hey, did you see that?

Joe: Did I? His punch froze that mailbox solid!

Agumon: I guess I’d better heat things up. Pepper Breath!

[FRIGIMON easily blocks the ball of fire.]

Frigimon: Frigimon!

Joe: I really hope you have a backup plan.

Frigimon: Subzero Ice Punch!

[The two run out of the way, and another mailbox is frozen.]

Joe: If he touches us, we’re gonna be ice cubes!

Agumon: You’re right. And I’m so hungry, I don’t have\ the strength to Digivolve!

[They run and avoid another punch. FRIGIMON chases them.]

Frigimon: Come back here and fight Frigimon!

[JOE and AGUMON find themselves stuck at a dead end.]

Agumon and Joe: Uh oh!

Frigimon: Going somewhere?

Joe: We’re trapped like ice mice! There’s nowhere else to run!

Frigimon: Frigimon!

Agumon: I’ve got an idea, Joe. Pick me up and throw me at him. If I can land right on his back, I can vaporize that Black Gear with my Pepper Breath.

[JOE picks AGUMON up, but struggles to even lift him off the ground.]

Joe: I don’t know if this is gonna work, dude. I can barely lift you, much less throw you, Tubbymon!

Agumon: It has to work, Joe. It’s our only chance!

Frigimon: Ha! Subzero Ice Punch!

[JOE and AGUMON slip and slide right between FRIGIMON’s legs. The punch lands in the side of the ice cliff, and a wall of snow falls, covering FRIGIMON.]

Joe: He really likes to bury himself in his work. Alright, now’s our shot. Roll up into a ball!

[AGUMON does so, covering his head with his paws.]

Agumon: You mean like this?

Joe: Yeah. Now I’ll show you why I’m my soccer team’s best striker!

[FRIGIMON escapes the pile of snow, and JOE kicks AGUMON through the air. He lands FRIGIMON’s back and does a Pepper Breath. FRIGIMON dances around, yelling as the Gear burns. Finally, both AGUMON and the Gear are thrown off his back and the Gear is destroyed. FRIGIMON lays on the ground.]

Agumon: Woo hoo! We did it!

Joe: Yeah!

Frigimon: What am I doing laying here? What happened?

Agumon: A Black Gear was on you and you almost turned us into ice sculptures!

Frigimon: Oh, I’m so sorry. I just hate when I do that. But thank you for destroying the Gear. I’m glad you’re both alright.

Joe: Have you seen anyone else here? Some more kids like me?

Frigimon: Hmmm. Come to think of it, I did see another boy like you. He was with a Gabumon. They fell onto that other island over there.

Agumon: You saw Gabumon?

Joe: And Jaren! Perfect, Jaren would land that far away. It’s too cold to swim, and we’re drifting at one hundred miles a year!

Frigimon: You’re a weird kid. But since you got that Black Gear out of my aching back, I’ll help you get across the water. Subzero Ice Punch!

[FRIGIMON punches the surface of the water by the shore, freezing it instantly.]

Joe: Hey, it’s an ice bridge! Now we can walk to the island! I hope your punches don’t uh, you know, freeze up?

Frigimon: Don’t worry, as long as it’s cold, I’m full of punch. Yeah, baby!

Agumon: What if the ice breaks while we’re out there? We could be Seadramon bait.

[FRIGIMON jumps up and down, pounding the ice surface with his full weight and knocking AGUMON down.]

Joe: Alright, alright, we get it! Quit shaking up the whole isalnd! Man, does everybody in the Digital World always have to be so noisy? Come on guys, let’s start walking!

[On the other island, JAREN and GABUMON are walking through a fierce snowstorm.]

Jaren: Rylan! Rylan! Rylan, can you hear me?

[JAREN coughs, but continues walking against the wind.]

Gabumon: Jaren, don’t.

Jaren: Where are you, Rylan?

[JAREN collapses in the snow.]

Gabumon: Jaren, you must save your strength. Wait! Look, Jaren. There’s a cave, right over there. Let’s go in and get warm until the storm’s over.

Jaren: A cave. Of course! That’s where Rylan is! Yes! Rylan!

[JAREN rushes into the cave, but finds it empty.]

Gabumon: I’m sorry, Jaren. Don’t give up hope.

Jaren: I was so sure he’d be in here. But then again, Rylan never liked caves that much.

[GABUMON fires a Blue Blaster at a pile of sticks, creating a roaring fire.]

Gabumon: There now, come and sit by the fire. You can’t help Rylan nor anyone for that matter if you get sick. You must rest to stay strong.

Jaren: No, I gotta go back out there and find him. I feel fine!

[JAREN’s declaration is ended by another round of harsh coughing.]

Gabumon: Ah! Sit down. You’re not leaving this cave. I’ll go look for Rylan.

Jaren: Huh?

Gabumon: Hey, come on, Jaren. I’m your Digimon, remember? I’m here to help you through thick and thin, whether it’s hot or cold. Besides, I’ve got a built-in warm fur coat, which you haven’t.

[GABUMON laughs and pushes JAREN down to sit by the fire.]

Gabumon: Come on. Just sit right here and get warm, I mean it. I’ll be back in two shakes of a Digi-tail!

[GABUMON leaves, and JAREN sits by the fire, coughing.]

Jaren: Poor little Rylan. It’s just not right. He’s my little brother, I should be the one out there looking for him. Rylan!

[JAREN gets up and leaves the fire. Meanwhile, FRIGIMON, JOE, and AGUMON are walking along the ice bridge.]

Frigimon: Hey Dad, are we there yet?

Agumon: Huh?

Frigimon: Sorry, I just had to say that. Subzero Ice Punch!

[FRIGIMON extends the ice bridge further into the water.]

Joe: Man, that island’s just as far away as ever! Let’s take five you guys, then we’ll keep on going.

Frigimon: The island’s still moving. If we stop, we may not be able to catch up with it.

Joe: Hmm. Agumon, if you could fly like Birdramon we’d be there already.

[AGUMON huffs and turns away.]

Agumon: Well, I can’t.

Joe: Birdramon probably can’t fly in the cold, anyway. No one toasts my clothes like you. Come on, laugh!

Agumon: No way.

Frigimon: Oh, I hate to see friends fight. I’ll carry you both across, like this. There, nice and comfy?

[From his perch on FRIGIMON’s shoulder, JOE’s face turns slightly blue.]

Joe: Yeah, comfy as a mackerel on ice. But at least we’ll still be nice and fresh when we get there.

Frigimon: Hey, did I ever tell you about the party I went to that the Numemon crashed? Huh, now that’s a party that no one will forget!

[The three continue along the ice bridge, while on the island, GABUMON searches for RYLAN.]

Gabumon: Well, no sign of Rylan out here anywhere. Poor Jaren will be so disappointed. Ah, Jaren!

[Half buried in the falling snow, JAREN is lying unconscious on the ground.]

Gabumon: What are you doing out? I told you not to leave! Can you hear me? Jaren!

[Back at the cave, GABUMON hovers worriedly over his friend, now lying by the fire.]

Gabumon: He’s frozen. I have got to warm him up or else…or else he will never make it. But how? All I have is my own fur and—hey, that’s it!

[GABUMON slips off his fur coat and places it over JAREN.]

Gabumon: Why not? Hee hee. Naked Digimon. Here you go, my friend. You will feel better in no time. Good thing we’re alone here.

[The next morning, FRIGIMON, with a sleeping JOE and AGUMON still riding on his shoulders, crosses the last section of the ice bridge and arrives at the island.]

Frigimon: This one Numemon kept following my sister. But I handled it. A little Subzero Ice Punch show and tell. Hey, wake up, you two. We’re here.

Joe and Agumon: Huh? Hooray!

[They jump down, and JOE looks through his telescope.]

Joe: I wonder where Gabumon and Jaren landed. Hmm.

Frigimon: Right in the middle, I think. So they must be up there somewhere, in that forest.

[The three trudge through the snowy forest.]

Joe: Sure, let’s go for a hike. Then after that we’ll hike. And then we can hike some more. Sheesh!

Agumon: Hey, there’s a bed!

[AGUMON points to a bed, partially covered in snow. JOE runs up to it.]

Joe: Jaren must be around here somewhere! Jaren!

Joe: Jaren! Can you hear me, Jaren?

Agumon: Oh, Gabumon!

Joe: Jaren, I’m here! Jaren!

Agumon: Gabumon!

Joe: Jaren! Are you out there?

[In the cave, JAREN wakes up, teeth chattering, and GABUMON pulls his fur off of him and runs behind a rock.]

Jaren: Huh? Gabumon. You—you took off your fur for—uh, thanks.

Gabumon: Yeah, uhh… It’s good to see you’re up and feeling [He sneezes] …better.

Jaren: Hey, you kept me all warm and now you have my cold. Bet you look pretty funny with no fur on, Gabumon. Thanks.

Gabumon: It’s okay.

[A voice echoes into the cave.]

Joe: Jaren! Gabumon!

Jaren: Hey!

Gabumon: It’s Joe and Agumon! They’re her—ahghh!

[GABUMON sneezes messily. JOE and AGUMON run to JAREN and GABUMON, who emerge from their cave.]

Joe: Jaren!

Agumon: Hi!

Jaren: Joe!

Gabumon: Hey!

[The boys meet and clasp hands, as do their DIGIMON.]

Joe: I thought we’d never find you guys! It sure is lucky that we met up with Frigimon.

Jaren: Frosty the Snowmon here?

Joe: Yep. This is him. He happened to see you two fall on this island, and then he got us here in no time.

Frigimon: Ahh, Subzero Ice Punch, you know?

Jaren: Did you see anyone else?

Frigimon: No. When it rains kids I usually notice. You were the only two who fell here. If there are more of you, they must be on the other islands.

Jaren: Poor Rylan.

Joe: Hey. Don’t worry, we’ll find him.

Gabumon: Ahhhchoo!

Agumon: Hey, watch it, dude.

Gabumon: Sorry about that. I am not used to having a cold.

Frigimon: A cold, huh? I have an idea.

[FRIGIMON turns and walks away.]

Joe: Don’t go, Frigimon. You can’t catch his cold, you already are!

Gabumon: Achoo!

Joe: How’d you get sick? You’re the one with the fur around here. Huh?

[JAREN grabs JOE by the elbow.]

Jaren: Stop making fun of him! Leave him alone, Joe!

Joe: Hey, why don’t you chill out, Jaren. I was only trying to see how we could help him!

Gabumon: Achoo, achoo!

Agumon: Gabumon, I think you ought to go take a rest for a little while.

Gabumon: I think you’re right.

[AGUMON and GABUMON walk away, leaving JAREN and JOE alone.]

Joe: We have to figure out what we’re going to do next.

Jaren: Well, isn’t it obvious? We have to go search for all the others.

Joe: Yeah, right, but how are we supposed to do that? You heard what Frigimon said. Everyone landed on different islands. Unless you’ve got an airplane stashed around here someplace I think we’re stuck.

[JAREN crosses his arms with an ‘hmph.’]

Jaren: So I guess we’ll ask Frigimon for help.

Joe: Weren’t you listening to me? He said they’re scattered all over the place. He only has two arms, he’s not an octopus.

Jaren: Then I’ll have to make a raft out of some of these trees, okay?!

[JOE places his hands on JAREN’s shoulders.]

Joe: Jaren, calm down. Wow, what’s eating you, dude? I’m on your side. I’ll help you get off this island if we have to build surfboards, okay? Look, the others will be fine without us for now. We gotta focus on the real deal.

Jaren: Real deal?

Joe: What, I gotta spell it out for you? We gotta know if this island’s moving toward that place Devimon talked about.

Jaren: That’s not the real deal!

[JAREN grabs JOE by his shirt and gives him a shake. GABUMON and AGUMON look on worriedly.]

Jaren: You dufus, there’s nothing more real than our friends, and finding them, and getting us all back home safe and don’t you ever forget it! You wanna ditch your friends to go look for some faraway land, go ahead, but I’m not coming! I’ll find Rylan! I’ll find all of them. By myself!

[JAREN turns and runs off in the other direction.]

Joe: But Jaren! Hey, come on, don’t freak out on me! You’re not getting away that easy!

[JOE runs after JAREN, and tackles him from behind. The two boys slam to the ground.]

Joe: Nobody runs away while I’m still talking, now listen! Maybe there’s something across the ocean to help us find the others. Why do you have to get so bent out of shape? I know how you feel, Jaren.

[JAREN punches JOE, knocking JOE off of him. JOE lands hard a few steps away. The DIGIMON run up to them.]

Jaren: You haven’t got a clue how I feel, Joe. You’re acting like such a jerk!

Joe: Who’re you calling a jerk, jerk?

[JOE lunges at JAREN, and the two are sent flying. They land, and JOE straddles JAREN, fist raised.]

Agumon: Joe, stop that!

Gabumon: You have to work together, guys! Stop fighting!

[The boys struggle, rolling down a snow covered slope.]

Agumon: Jaren, Joe, quit it!

Gabumon: What do we do? We have to stop them someway.

[Finally, the boys stop rolling, and land at the edge of a cliff. JOE lands on JAREN, and pulls his fist back. Just as JOE is about to throw the punch, JAREN speaks, tears falling down his cheeks.]

Jaren: It’s Rylan. He’s out there on some strange island, and he’s all alone…

Joe: That’s it. Wow…

Agumon: Jaren, Joe, get away from that cliff!

Jaren and Joe: Huh?

[The edge of the cliff crumbles, sending the boys falling. JOE grabs a branch growing from the cliff face, and holds onto JAREN with his other hand.]

Joe: I got ya! Whatever you do, just don’t let go of my hand!

[GABUMON and AGUMON start carefully down the cliff to their friends.]

Agumon: Don’t give up, guys! Hold on! Ah, it’s hopeless. I’m so tired and hungry now, I don’t have any strength left at all.

Gabumon: We’d be okay if I could just Digivolve into Garurumon! Achoo!

[Suddenly, MOJYAMON, a furry white DIGIMON, leaps toward them, holding a huge icicle as a weapon.]

Agumon: Wow, I think it’s Mojyamon.

Gabumon: That’s him, but he has a Black Gear inside him!

Agumon: Mojyamon is a peaceful mountain Digimon that doesn’t like fighting.

Gabumon: You’d better tell him that. He doesn’t look very peaceful right now!

Mojyamon: Ice Cloud!

[MOJYAMON rams the icicle into the end of the cliff, breaking the edge off. AGUMON and GABUMON slip, and JOE’s branch breaks away, sending all four tumbling. The two DIGIMON hold onto each other for dear life, and JAREN and JOE hold onto each other’s hands all the way down. Fortunately, their fall is broken by FRIGIMON’s head.]

Frigimon: It’s raining kids and Digimon again. I’m gonna have to start carrying an umbrella.

Gabumon and Agumon: Thank you, Frigimon.

Jaren: Great timing!

Joe: Without you, we’d be flat as pancakes!

Frigimon: Ha. Well, next time try not to land on my head. Here, I brought some food.

Joe: Excellent! Let’s eat!

[JOE jumps up and grabs the fruit, and begins wolfing it down.]

Agumon: And it’s good and tasty, just the way I like it!

Frigimon: An old cold remedy.

[GABUMON sneezes, and accepts the offered grasses. After a bite, his eyes water and he yelps. A growl sounds through the valley and MOJYAMON lands behind FRIGIMON.]

Frigimon: I’ll take care of Mojyamon. Frigimon!

[The two DIGIMON run at each other, and FRIGIMON pushes MOJYAMON into the cliff. The force knocks out some of the rocks, revealing spinning Black Gears.]

Frigimon: Subzero Ice Punch!

[The attack misses, and MOJYAMON tosses FRIGIMON over his shoulder.]

Mojyamon: Boomerang Bone!

[The others duck to miss the flying bone, and it returns to its owner.]

Joe: Nice trick, Mojyamon. Now watch ours!

Agumon: Agumon, Digivolve to…

Greymon: Greymon!

Gabumon: Gabumon, Digivolve to…

Garurumon: Garurumon!

[GARURUMON runs toward MOJYAMON, who throws his Boomerang Bone. The bone is crushed between GARURUMON’s powerful jaws.]

Jaren: That’s it, Garurumon!

Joe: Go, Greymon!

Greymon: Nova Blast!

[MOJYAMON leaps out of the way and kicks GREYMON to the ground.]

Garurumon: You’re not playing nice! Grraa!

[FRIGIMON holds MOJYAMON’s arms immobile.]

Frigimon: Now, Greymon, aim for the Black Gear!

Joe: Right!

Greymon: Nova Blast!

[The attack hits MOJYAMON square in the chest, and the Gear is driven out.]

Joe: You did it, Greymon!

[As the Gear disintegrates, MOJYAMON shrinks in size.]

Frigimon: Now, that’s more like it. Back to standard Mojyamon size. Garurumon, what are you looking at?

[GARURUMON is looking at the cliff face, where many Black Gears are turning together. He fires a Howling Blaster at them, which breaks them all.]

Joe: Wow, just look at all those Black Gears! There’s a mountain of ‘em!

[With a few flashes of electricity, the Gears repair themselves. GARURUMON and GREYMON de-Digivolve.]

Mojyamon: Whoa! I feel like I was just run over by a Monochromon!

Agumon: A Black Gear was controlling you, Mojyamon.

Gabumon: That’s right, the fight wasn’t your fault.

Mojyamon: Whoa.

Frigimon: The same thing happened to me. It’s okay, though. No one got hurt.

Jaren: This doesn’t change anything, Joe. We still have to go find the others.

[Sparks fly from the Gears, and they continue turning.]

Agumon: Look, the Gears have fixed themselves.

Gabumon: It must be Devimon!

Jaren: And the island’s moving again!

[JOE runs off and looks through his telescope.]

Joe: We’re moving alright. The other way! Back toward Infinity Mountain!

Jaren: And Devimon.

Joe: If that’s true, then this is no time for us to be fighting.

[JAREN nods, and the two clasp hands.]

Joe: No stinking Gears are gonna stop us!

Jaren: Yeah. Together we’re gonna be alright!

[They look out across the water.]

Jaren: And now I know my little brother will be alright, because he has Patamon to take care of him when I can’t be there. And I think as long as we can all trust each other, together it’s a sure bet that we’ll be able to fight, and beat Devimon!

Chapter 10: A Clue From The Digi-Past