“What’s with the weather?” Raine asked, blowing into her hands. “Man, it’s so cold.” Labramon looked up into the skies. “I take it this isn’t normal for Canada, right?” “Nope. Usually it’s plus twenty five or so.” Raine huddled into her winter jacket as the pair crossed the street where Lee stood with Sharmamon, both were wearing jackets and scarves. “What’s with the weather?” Lee asked curiously. “I have no clue,” Raine answered. “I have a really bad feeling about this,” Sharmamon said. “Remember that digimon we fought a while ago that abducted that classmate of yours?” “Ice Devimon,” Lee recalled. “He did say something about his legacy. Do you think this could be it?” “Not sure.” Raine paused as large white snowflakes started to come down, first lightly, then it began to come down hard. “Lets go to the museum. It’s warm there and Gina might know something.” <><><> Digital Diaries : Adventures 2003 written by Shaun Garin Disclaimer : All Hail Dork Tower for inspiration! Oh, and Toei owns Digimon, and Archive allowing me to write this. <><><> File 16 : Homefront Gina and Chibimon glared across the table at each other. Gina’s hand moved as she pulled a card from the deck and put it face up on the table. “Red Eyes, Black Dragon.” Chibimon seemed to consider the move before he put down five cards one by one, Gina wincing as he grinned impishly. “The Unstoppable Exodia. You’re dead.” The girl sighed as she scooped up the deck and started to shuffle it. “How is it possible that you get Exodia in every game? Most players haven’t even done it, and they’ve played longer than you have!” Chibimon shrugged. “I’m a Golden Armor Fate evolution. I KNOW these things.” Rick walked in as Chibimon pretended to be a stuffed animal, the cards fluttering to the table. He pulled off his ear muffs, scarf and heavy jacket. “Can you turn up the heat?” “It’s already twenty seven degrees in here,” Gina said. “Cold?” “Cold doesn’t begin to describe me,” Rick said, wrapping his hand around a hot mug of coffee. “I swear it’s getting colder by the minute.” He looked at the inside/outside thermometer and swore. “It’s minus twenty out there and still dropping!” The door swung open to the extremely warm workers lounge as Raine, Lee and their digimon walked in. Labramon shook herself free of water as the others shielded themselves from the spray. “Hi sis,” Gina greeted. “Did you have trouble with security?” “Nope. Hello Rick.” Raine sat down and grabbed a cup for hot water and plucked out a tea bag. “Do you have any idea why it’s so cold out? It’s blizzarding out there.” “Not a clue.” Gina paused. “It couldn’t be El Nido after effects. It’s not likely.” “My money is on a digimon causing this,” Lee said frankly. “This is too weird weather to be natural.” Rick looked back and forth as his mind spun. Then, he collapsed on the floor. Gina looked over and sighed. “Information Overload. Just wave a tea bag under his nose and he’ll be fine.” As Rick returned to normal, he staggered to a chair and sat down heavily. “You guys are digimon?” Rick sighed as he shook his head. “And I thought my life was wierd enough. You guys should tell me everything. If this is something weird, I should know who to call.” “I’ll tell you what we know,” Labramon said, walking over and sitting down. “It’s a long story.” Lee poured himself a cup of coffee and heaped enough sugar in it to give a Bug a buzz. “So, we may have a digimon doing this.” “But what kind of digimon could do this? We haven’t gotten a field since last week, and it was growing cold since May.” Raine frowned. “There are a few options of who could do it, and none of them are good.” Lee flipped open his Tricorder. “Lets see... Ice type digimon known are Frigimon, a Snow Bear Digimon, Mammothmon who has some ice type characteristics....” Lee paused. “And Ice Devimon, who’s proven he can freeze large areas.” “My money is on Ice Devimon,” Sharmamon said with a scowl. “The question is; is he the same one or is it another world conquer type?” “Not sure....” Lee punched in the scanner. After a few minutes, he said, “the cold front seems to be originating somewhere near Parliament Hill. I wish Carter was here, he’d probably know what was going on within a few hours.” “It’s wide open, and easily defended if it was ever sieged,” Gina pointed out. “You should check it out.” Lee nodded. Suddenly, his Tricorder beeped and he scowled. “Darn. There’s a field opening across town.” Raine downed her drink and said, “I’ll take Parliament Hill. Gina, can you take Lee in the rover to the field? It’s just to check out the place, I doubt there’s going to be any problems.” “You sure that’s a good idea?” Gina asked in concern. “I’ll have Rick drive you to Parliament Hill.” Raine nodded in agreement. “Lee, maybe you should keep your communicator on. Labramon, let’s go.” <><><> “It seems that the closer we get to the Hill, the colder it gets,” Labramon observed as she, Raine and Rick piled out of the jeep. “Are you going to be okay?” Rick asked. “No problem. We’re just checking out the place.” Raine flashed him a Victory sign. “Keep your radio on that frequency I gave you. I’ll keep you all updated. Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.” Raine and Labramon walked up to the building at the top of the hill and opened the door. <><><> “Lee, you should see this,” Raine said over the communicator. “Kind of busy right now,” Lee said as a blast of flames arced overhead. “I’ll give you to Gina.” He removed his watch and tossed it to Gina who caught it and tapped the microphone button. “Got it, go ahead Raine.” “The whole inside of the building is covered in a thin sheet of ice. Whatever has been making the weather change is definitely in here.” Raine’s voice was coming over clearly in the small speaker. “Anyone around?” Rick asked curiously on the same frequency. By now, Lee and Ninjamon had forced the Meramon back into the digital world as Raine continued her report. “I don’t see anyone here. I think they all left the building, or it’s closed today.” “There should be someone, a secretary or a security guard.” Gina suggested. A shriek came over the radio as Lee and Ninjamon were at Gina’s side in an instant. “Raine!” Lee called in concern. “are you okay?” “Yeah,” came the shaky reply. “I just slipped...” A pause followed. “And I found the security guard... frozen in a block of ice.” The pair exchanged glances. “We’ll be right there,” Gina said while digging out her keys for the rover. “Just keep safe, okay?” “Will do.” <><><> Raine lowered her arm as she took the keys to the higher levels from his hand. “I don’t like this, Raine,” Labramon said. “Should I evolve?” “Naw, it’s just cold in here. What could happen?” Raine asked. Raine and Labramon made it up the stairs. They then came across a door to the roof. Opening the door with one of the keys, she swung it open and a blast of cold air greeted her. Walking out into the cold air, the pair were surprised as the sky around her was calm but cold. All around the building was snow falling. “The eye of a storm,” Raine breathed. “It’s beautiful.” Labramon noticed something as she ran over. “Raine!” Raine joined her as Labramon said, “Isn’t this Jullie, that girl from your class?” Raine turned her over and shook her lightly. “Jullie?” She pulled out her Tricorder and played it across her body. “She’s not suffering from the cold... strange.” Jullie’s eyes flickered open as she sat up. “Where am I? Raine? How did I get up here?” “I found you here.” Raine took a quick peek at the Tricorder. ‘Pulse is normal...’ “What do you remember?” “Nothing....” Jullie staggered to her feet. “I don’t remember anything....” She started to shuffle for the door. “I can’t remember anything, please, believe me.” ‘Pulse is still normal... she’s telling the truth still.’ Raine looked up. “I’d better get you to the hospital.” “No, it’s okay. A shot from your Labramon’s Liquor Cure will help.” Jullie said as she gathered some snow into a ball. “Just something to drink will help.” “How do you know about Labramon?” Raine asked. “I don’t remember telling you about her.” Jullie turned around, a smirk on her face as she raised the snowball. “There isn’t anything I don’t know about you, Raine.” She threw the ball at the pair. “Raine! ARGH!” Labramon was struck on the side as she was instantly frozen in a block of ice. “Labramon!” Raine cried, looking up just in time to be knocked into a icy wall that had suddenly formed. Ice snaked around her left wrist and encircled it. Raine punched the alert button on the communicator seconds before a second tendril of ice snaked out and bound her other arm to the side. Jullie smirked. “Have a time out. I can’t have you spoil my plans too soon.” “Who are you?” Raine asked, straining against the surprisingly solid ice that bound her arms and legs to the wall. She yelped in shock as the ice wall grew until it created a huge spire hovering over the rooftop of the building. She stared in shock, the obligatory, ‘Boygonnadieboygonnadieboygonnadie... I’m in deep sludge.’ Jullie gestured as the ice seemed to flow as she walked to the edge of the building. She looked down and smirked. “Look at them,” the girl replied, not answering Raine’s question. “An icy peace settling over the city. Gradually, the ice will spread out from the city, and engulf the whole continent.” “You’re... you’re Ice Devimon, aren’t you?” Jullie made no reply save for laughing slowly. Her laugh started to become high pitched and maniacal as leather batwings sprung from her back, her arms lengthened and her skin turned a pallor white. With a final chorus of staccato laughing, Ice Devimon straightened up as he touched his skin and smirked, turning to the wide eyed Raine. “Oh, I do so love doing that!” “You’re sick!” Raine shouted, horrified and disgusted, “taking over poor Jullie like that!” “Feh. That stupid girl doesn’t even realize that I’m using her as a time share. Beneath this,” Ice Devimon looked down on his decidedly female form and smirked. “womanly figure, lies the mind of a child, trapped in an icy tomb. In the short few hours she was under my tutelage, I used her as my greatest experiment.” “You’re a scientist?” Raine gaped. “More or less.” Ice Devimon took flight as the ice spire flowed along with him, bringing Raine with him. “Using cutting edge techniques I had pinched here and there from the greatest scientists of Folder, I implanted my data into Jullie. All that I am has been sleeping within her until I take control.” “So you were the one opening the fields lately!” Raine shouted at him. Ice Devimon turned and scowled at her as he willed the ice spear to become a cross, Raine’s arms stretched out to the side. Raine’s eyes widened as she felt a razor sharp pinprick at the small of her back. She feared moving. “Me? No. But cross me again, and I will run you through.” Ice Devimon folded his long arms as he smirked. “At first, I had to limit my time in Jullie’s body as I was still gathering power. The changes now come at will. And soon I will be able to walk around freely.” “What do you want?” Raine asked in trepidation. “Moi? Simply the world of course! Too many villains are trying to take over the digital world. I figured that this world is as good as any.” His expression twisted into a sadistic smile as he leaned in to Raine’s ear. “Now be quiet or I may just spare your life,” he whispered into Raine’s ear as he floated away and activated the full extent of his powers, the temperature dropping severely. Raine started to cry, her tough facade breaking down. ‘Eric... Lee.... please help me...’ <><><> Gina slammed on the brakes as the rover crashed into a shimmering wall of pure ice. With a groan, she, Lee, Ninjamon and Chibimon got out of the rover, dazed. “A wall of ice?” Gina asked. “That alert came from inside,” Lee said as the ice seemed to crawl forwards. The four backed away as it covered the rover, continuing it’s relentless march out from the middle of the city. “Raine’s in there, and in trouble. Ninjamon, can you get us inside?” “Shurinkens aren’t going to cut it, but I’ll see what I can do.” Ninjamon set to work as Lee watched. “Maybe I can do something,” he said as he concentrated, running through the chi exercizes his grandfather had taught him. As Ninjamon hammered on the wall, Lee kept focused on the wall before him. He never noticed the large Ice Golem in the shape of a Greymon sneaking up on them. Chibimon’s ears perked up as he turned and yelped, “ICE GOLEM!” The Greymon opened its mouth and spat a long stream of freezing ice at the three. Lee turned and threw up his hands, vainly trying to shield himself from the attack as Ninjamon threw himself in front of the attack. The wires on Lee’s D3 began to pulse in time with Lee’s heartbeat as Ninjamon felt a power surge within him. “Ninjamon evolve!” He quickly resized into the smaller winged form. “Piximon! Fairytale!” A large shield appeared between him and the blast. The ice blast slammed into it as Piximon spun his staff, forcing the attack backwards. The ice beam slammed into the Greymon as it tumbled backwards. A megaton hammer then slammed into the Greymon as it shattered into pieces. “That was too close,” Piximon said, wiping his forehead. “Lee, did you cause his evolution?” Gina asked. “I think I did,” Lee said. “Piximon, can you work on the door?” Piximon nodded as he slammed the gates with a series of crushing blows from a huge hammer in his hands. “Whoever put this up has some serious power,” Chibimon said. “We need some major help.” Lee nodded as he pressed another button on his watch. “Carter, Hikaru, Sean, come in.” Static greeted him as Lee grunted angrily. “We’re on our own.” He looked up at the citadel as his expression turned worried. “I’m worried about Raine.” “If she’s in there, we’ll find her,” Gina said as she gazed at the immovable wall of ice. <><><> Authors notes : If you want a voice for Ice Devimon, it’s Mark Hammil doing the animated Joker. Now that I think about it, it’s almost half done! With luck, we’ll be seeing Dimensional Adventures before Archive decides to return to RDD and WD.