Hello, dragonlets! Mayflower here, clearly not forgetting that today was update day! :D; Hey, look, boss fight, let's get on with the show!

You found a disclaimer!
Spyro the Dragon, both the game and all related characters (c) Insomniac. They own the Spyro that's in this story, so nyeh.
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage / Gateway to Glimmer, as well as all related characters (c) blah-blah, same copyright.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: Gulp's Outlook

Elora couldn't help but pace nervously. She hadn't seen Spyro since the party in Fracture Hills, and now she had news from the fairies that Zoe had been kidnapped by Ripto, who was hiding out in the throne room with Gulp at this exact moment! Where on earth is a dragon when you need one?

Luckily, her prayers were quickly answered when Spyro slid around the corner, an ornate lamp dangling from his jaw as he rushed over. It was the Mystic Lamp, the fourteenth Avalari talisman. "Wookin' fer dis?" Spyro slurred, speech impaired by the talisman in his teeth.

Before Elora could react, the Lamp vanished into the guidebook, which emerged from its hiding place in the safe hands of Sparx and shot towards the door. Lighting up with a flash, the sudden burst of magical energy blew open the door that Ripto had enchanted shut; the door leading to the upper corridors, where he and Gulp were currently calling home.

"Alright, time to end this!" Spyro said, scratching his claws against the marble once for good measure before heading through the newly-opened passage.

"Spyro, wait!" Elora bit her lip nervously as Spyro turned in response to her halt. "Uhm...just...good luck in there, okay? And be careful?"

The dragon laughed. "You worry too much, Elora. Relax, I'll be fine. Ripto didn't get me last time, he won't get me this time."

Still, the faun couldn't help but feel a heavy heart as she watched Spyro rush into the dark corridor. He was so confident, so sure of himself and his abilities - through attitude alone, he could take on the world. And what was she? A faun, barely able to twirl a yoyo like her sister and friends in the Fracture Hills, relying on a dragon from another part of the world to save her home.

That's when inspiration struck, and Elora finally decided that she was going to start taking action in this fight. And she knew just the pterodactyls for the job.

oo00oo00oo

Ripto cackled to himself as he approached the Autumn throne room, wriggling prisoner in hand. With the Autumn Plains homeworlds at war amongst themselves, his takeover was easy. Wizards occupied the Glacier, lizards in the Badlands, swordstocs in Scorch, Earthshapers in the Hills and the Cone...add that with the birdblubber war between Zephyr and the Harbor and the thief infestation of Shady Oasis, and the Plains didn't stand a chance. With the war-torn mess as his new base, conquering the rest of Avalar would be a piece of cake!

"Oh, Gulp?" Noting his master's arrival, the green beast spun around with a growl. "You've been a very good boy, Gulp!" Ripto applauded. He held out the small fairy thrashing to escape his grasp. "I think you've earned a special treat!"

"I'm a fairy, not dino-chow!" Zoe protested, smashing at Ripto's hand as hard as she could. "Now let me go!"

"I don't think so, fairy!" Ripto laughed. "You've been a pain in my tail for too long now! I'll show you and that goat and that dragon who REALLY rules Avalar now!"

The sorcerer held out the fairy, but Gulp's attention was diverted elsewhere. (Gulp was much too distracted by the purple dragon making funny faces behind his master.) "Gulp? Gulp, the fairy's right here! What are you looking a-AAUGH!"

Ripto dropped Zoe as the scorching heat and pain struck his back, flailing as he ran behind Gulp's girth for protection and allowing the captive fairy to fly off. Spyro couldn't help but laugh (especially after Zoe gave Gulp a zap on the head for snapping at her). "What's the matter, Ripto? Wasn't expecting us this time?"

Although plenty frustrated with the dragon's meddling, Ripto had a matter much more pressing to bother him: the black scorch marks on his cape. "Dragon, you SINGED my CAPE! AUGH! You are really starting to get on my last nerve!"

With a blast of his magic, Ripto tossed Spyro into the lower arena. "Say good-bye, flame-breath! We're going to end this once and for all!" The sorcerer then turned to his bulky minion. "Gulp? Lunchtime!"

Hearing the call of food, Gulp rushed into the center arena, shaking the entire castle as he crashed to the ground with a mighty roar.

At first, the beast tried the obvious approach of just chasing the dragon around the arena, but similar to his comrade before him, Spyro could easily outrun the monster. It wasn't the Artisan's first go-around with something big, green and ugly that had twice his size and half his brain, and he guessed it wouldn't be the last. "What's the matter, Gulp? Can't keep up either?"

Expecting this fight to be just as simple as his clash with Crush, Spyro was a bit surprised when Gulp decided to diverge from the chase and ran to the center of the room. And couldn't help but be warily curious about the lasers on Gulp's sides that he only noticed when they surged and moved into position. And struggled greatly to avoid the sudden bolts of static energy that rained from the sky, only having a split-second to find their shadows and anticipate the attack.

Shaken, yes, but the dragon kept on a tough face. "Oh, is that the best you can do? Come on, I could dodge those all day! Come up with something clever, huh?"

Caw! Caw! Caw! Gulp and Spyro both looked up at the sudden invasion of Badlands pterodactyls, which dropped a trio of blue eggs onto the battlefield. Spyro took a few steps back, not sure how welcome a sudden attack of lava lizards would be mid-fight. Gulp, however, approached the egg. The shell fell away to reveal a small bomb, which Gulp inevitably mistook for food and swallowed in one bite.

Still confounded by the appearance of the pterodactyls, Spyro was nearly struck by Gulp's sudden explosion, as the bomb went off and sent out a line of fireballs. The dragon cursed, clumsily tumbling out of the way of the attack; as if Gulp weren't sturdy enough, Ripto had called in his birds to make Gulp more powerful. Indeed, more eggs were brought in every few moments, and Spyro watched as the battlefield became dotted with bombs, barrels, and rockets - all sure to be deadly weapons in Gulp's incapable paws.

Thrown from his feet by the fireballs, Spyro scurried to avoid the second round of laser-blasts. However, he simply wasn't fast enough, and convulsed in pain as one struck down, sending an electric shock of magic through his legs and wings. It paralyzed him before tossing him down the arena, giving him only a second to stumble out of the way as Gulp leapt into the air, crashing his mighty bulk down in hopes of crushing his draconic foe.

However, though the jump missed Spyro, it did shake loose one of the eggs dropped by the pterodactyl. This shell fell away to reveal a small, bouncing chicken, which realized where it had been hatched and immediately ran in circles shrieking.

Dragon fodder. Suddenly, it all made sense; the eggs weren't for Gulp. They were for HIM.

oo00oo00oo

The titanic battle was long and arduous. Spyro's legs and wings ached from being overcharged with Gulp's magical electricity, and his horns felt warped from bashing around the science barrels into Gulp's face. Ripto's pet, however, showed little signs of slowing (and even seemed to perk up after stealing one of Spyro's chickens, which didn't bode well for his grassy-green dragonfly). Gulp's cannons seemed to fire indefinitely, and it didn't help that he continually mistook the pterodactyls' aid for food, making Spyro's job inherently more difficult by the virtue of his own stupidity.

The dragon's eyes darted around the arena, trying to find something that could turn the tides. He needed something to help him out, something to light a fire under his tail.

Then he spotted it: instead of lighting a fire under his tail, why not under Gulp's?

Dodging another round of laser-fire, Spyro rammed another barrel into his opponent's face, which mildly distracted and irritated the brute, just long enough for Spyro to rush around and circle the few bombs that still scattered the field. Gulp gave a shake and a groan as he recovered from the attack, roaring as his lasers began to charge for another barrage.

He stopped, though, when suddenly surrounded by a series of hissing noises. And stopped to sniff at the black sparkly ball that the dragon had just pushed in front of him.

"Hey, Gulp? Lunchtime!"

All of the bombs went off at once, sending Gulp skyrocketing, much higher than any creature his size should be allowed to go. The brute went flipping through the air, leaving a dent in the floor and shaking Autumn Manor to its core as he landed with a titanic THUD.

Ripto gave a squeal, nearly falling off of his throne from the aftershock. "Gulp, you idiot, be more careful! Now get up and smash this dragon into pieces!"

Spyro looked about nervously. He was in no condition to go any more rounds with Gulp; after all of those electric blasts, his legs were getting slower and slower, to the point where he might not be able to dodge the fight much longer. He was tired and starting to lose his orientation, and those would only get worse as things dragged on. The pterodactyls were so focused on providing ammunition that their fodder provisions were low - Gulp would only get stronger while he had no fuel to run on.

There was no option: this ended now.

Rushing to strike before Gulp or Ripto could react, Spyro grabbed one of the spare rockets and fired it straight for Ripto's throne. The elaborate chair shook from its hold, falling backwards and toppling from the highest window...and taking the screaming sorcerer with it. Spyro and Sparx both winced as they heard the deafening crash on the ground below.

Finally, the almighty Ripto had been defeated.

oo00oo00oo

Spyro made his way back outside, almost a little saddened to think that his adventures in Avalar were over. As soon as he returned to the main chambers, he was met by a crushing faun-hug. "Spyro, you did it!" Elora cheered. "A bunch of us were outside, and we all saw Ripto take that huge fall. There's no WAY he's getting up from that!"

"A simple thank-you would do it," Spyro laughed, wriggling to escape the death-hug.

"Spyro, a thank-you wouldn't cover it in a million years. Autumn Plains is totally Ripto-free now, and...well, since you've come around...the locals are getting along now, better than they have in ages! It's amazing how much you've done for Avalar in the short time you've been here."

"Not short enough," Sparx buzzed, earning him a swift swipe from Spyro. "What? I'm just saying! Come on, I wanna hit the beach! Which way to Dragon Shores?"

"Now that Ripto's out of the way, the Professor and I can start working on the super-portal to send you guys home," Elora said, trying to mask the melancholy in her voice. If it were up to her, they'd never leave, but she had to remember that this DID ruin their vacation. "You guys should be in Dragon Shores by tomorrow."

"But that doesn't mean you can't start your vacation early!" Dragon and dragonfly both looked up to find Zoe and a few fairy friends, carrying a beach chair and umbrella, which they set up outside the castle.

Spyro had to laugh at the makeshift set-up. "You guys are kidding, right?"

"It was the best we could do," Elora shrugged shyly. "You've done all this stuff for us, even though we ruined your vacation, so we decided to try and do something nice to make it up to you. I-It's not much, but...do you like it?"

The Artisan tested the beach-chair with his paw, finally realizing how long he had been on his feet when he sat and stretched his paws. As much as the young dragon loved charging around, the occasional break was always welcome. He shot Elora a smile. "Yeah, this is great! Thanks!"

An awkward moment of silence passed as Spyro got comfortable, so the Artisan spoke up. "Uhm...do you...want to join me?"

Elora bit her lip, heart skipping a beat at the idea of getting to spend a Ripto-free afternoon with their heroic dragon. But the longer she stayed from the Tundra, the longer it would take to fix the super-portal. "I, uh...I'd really like to, Spyro, but...the Professor needs me in Winter Tundra. We've...gotta get you to Dragon Shores, right? I'm sure you miss the Dragon Realms and can't wait to get home."

Spyro closed his eyes to keep from rolling them. "Oh, right. Sounds like exciting work." With a stretch and a yawn, Spyro curled up his tail and put his head on his paws. "Alright, you go do that. I'll be here, soaking up a few rays." Although he didn't see her smile, he could hear her hooves trotting off through the Plains.

Typical Elora. Now that Ripto was gone, there was no need to kiss up to the dragon-hero; he had done his duty, and now the Avalari were going to ship him out and have nothing to do with him. And honestly? Dragon Shores was the last thing on his mind during the adventure. Why would he be so eager to return to the Dragon Realms when there was so much excitement to be had right here in Avalar? He had only left because of the rain; if he avoided the storm-system in Hurricos, Dragon Shores was no better an escape than Summer Forest.

Up until now, Spyro had been brushing it off, but now the Artisan's temper was truly agitated. He had saved Avalar from the Ripto menace - TWICE. He had as much right to be there as anyone else, and if they had a problem with it, they'd have to bring in something even scarier to torch him out of town. With a frustrated shake of his head, the dragon hopped to his feet and ran off. He had to find Elora and follow her to the Tundra if he was going to settle this.

oo00oo00oo

"If my coordinates are correct, I think the superportal can reach the Dragon Realms now." The Professor adjusted his glasses, looking up to ensure that the glimmering ruby at the portal's keystone was in place. "This power crystal we got from Glimmer should give us the boost we need to safely connect into Dragon Shores. We'll need to track down a few more orbs for energy, but I think we can get this thing running!"

Before Hunter or Elora could offer their congratulations, all three turned to watch the metal sphere bounce into their circle. And before any of them could identify it, the fuse ran out, causing the bomb to explode, which scattered the orbs and sent the Avalari reeling.

Ripto laughed, juggling another bomb in his hand as he approached the dizzied locals. "Did you REALLY think you had gotten rid of me that easily?"

Hunter, the first to recover from the blast, bit his lip. "Uh...yeah, we kind of did."

"Well, you didn't!" He sneered. "And that fat bear of yours was kind enough to sell me a few bombs for a bag of dragon treasure, so I'll be taking this castle of yours!"

Elora's concerns laid more at the top of the portal than the crumbling Winter Palace. "Professor," she hissed, "can you shut down the pow-?"

"Quit your whispering, goat-girl!" Ripto snapped, holding out the bomb threateningly. "Unless you want ol' book-boy there to be the world's smartest pile of ashes!"

The sorcerer shoved the portal, knocking the crystal loose and dropping it into his free hand. "If you all recall, my idiot assistant Gulp ATE my last sceptre, so I've been shopping for a new one." He paused to examine the gem, admiring his fractal reflection in its edges. "And I think this is JUST what I need to make one!"

In a panic, Elora turned to Hunter. "Hunter, quick, do something!"

Realizing that his moment had arrived, the cheetah jumped to his feet. "HEY! You...give that back!"

Ripto ignored the threat and simply climbed up to the head of the Palace. Elora gave Hunter the dirtiest glare she could muster. "Really? That was the best you could do?"

Hunter shrugged. "I tried, didn't I?"

"Forget it, Avalari!" Ripto taunted. "Once my sceptre's complete, you'll be powerless to stop me! I'm going to destroy every one of you, then name this place RIPTONIA!"

Everyone's heart sank as the sorcerer rushed inside the Palace, watching the Avalari flags be stripped once again in favor of Ripto's sneering face. Were they EVER going to be rid of him? Or was Avalar simply doomed to become Riptonia?

Yeah, sorry, couldn't fish for much to do in the Shady Oasis. Anyone who's disappointed is requested to get over it, 'cause the next chapter's not gonna be friendly for ya. :( Anyway, thanks for reading, guys! Hope you enjoyed, remember to check out my profile and all the cool stuff over there, and I'll see you next week!

§ Tucker's Mayflower, signing off! §