Chapter 8
The Dragon City
"Whoa, look at this!" Luffy said, his jaw dropped. "This is Warfang?!"
"Yes, it is," Hunter said. "The city of dragons."
"I can't believe how cool it looks!" Chopper said, his eyes sparkling.
"I see it, but I don't believe it," said Zoro. "I was expecting people here."
"It might be all dragons, if you ask me," said Usopp.
"I can't believe how super this city looks!" Franky said. He put his arms together, making a star. "Super sight I'm seeing!"
"I gotta warn you all," Hunter said. "Nobody in the Dragon Realms has seen a human in years."
"I told you, Zoro," said Usopp.
"You don't have to rub it in," Zoro frowned.
At the square, Kane set some flowers at the Ignitus statue.
"After those four years," said Kane. "Four years ago you sacrificed yourself to help Spyro through the belt. Spyro might still be thinking about you. I'm sorry it has ended that way. Thank you for everything, Ignitus." He then walked away from the statue and looked up at the sky. "Spyro. It must've been painful for you, considering how Ignitus meant so much to you. It's okay to be sad, as long as you overcome it. Just be happy you saved everyone, especially Cynder."
The Straw Hat Pirates followed Hunter toward Warfang and entered the city. Some of the moles noticed the pirates and hid in the buildings, closing their doors and windows.
"It looks like they're not keen on strangers these days," Chopper said.
"Well, hey, we're the only pirates here," said Usopp.
"Nobody said you can talk to strangers," said Sparx. "You're all strangers here, you know?"
"Don't bring that up," said Zoro, threatening Sparx with his sword he drew. "Or this blade will clip your wings."
"Whoa! Let's not get deadly here."
"I think we can have a look around," said Robin.
"Hey, not a bad idea!" Franky said.
"Just don't cause any trouble," Hunter advised.
The Straw Hat Pirates went around Warfang. Up on the rooftops, they were being watched by Ratsono's rats, and they snuck away.
The Straw Hat Pirates walked across the buildings and arrived at the square to see the Ignitus statue, which left them surprised.
"Hey, look!" Chopper said. "Is that...?"
"That's Ignitus," Robin said. She took out the book and opened it to see the Ignitus page, looking up the history of the legendary fire Guardian Dragon. "It feels ironic that I saw his skeleton at the catacombs."
"You mean the same skeleton you had found?" Nami asked. "But why is the statue here?"
"Maybe it's supposed to be a memorial statue," Usopp said.
Robin turned from page to page and then closed the book, having thoughts about Spyro's emotion about Ignitus back at the village. "Spyro must've felt so bad after what happened to him that day." She took out a flower from her bag. "I guess I would leave this flower as an honor to his story." She knelt down and put the flower near the statue.
"Where did you get that flower?" Zoro asked.
"Just picked it up on the way here. I wish I could've met that dragon."
Luffy chuckled. "I bet you would've been good friends," he said.
"I think we might wanna look around the place, since we're here," Franky said.
"Franky's right," Brook said. "After all, it was our first time seeing this statue."
"Yes," Robin said. "We should go."
The Straw Hat Pirates left the statue and exit the square.
Spyro and Cynder returned to the Dragon Temple with Sparx, but when they walked in, the Guardian Dragons weren't anywhere in sight.
"Cyril? Terrador? Volteer?" Spyro called out. "Where have they gone?"
"I don't know," Cynder asked. "I thought they'd be home."
"They're gone to the lake," said Kane.
Kane's voice startled Spyro and Cynder, and they turned around.
"Kane," Spyro panted, his paw on his chest. "You scared us."
"Hello, Spyro," said Kane. "Glad to see you home. I just thought I would drop by to see how you're doing."
Cynder set her wing on Spyro's back. "He's doing fine. I'm just worried about him, after what has happened to Ignitus."
"I see. It was rather a shock when you both came back without him."
Spyro sighed. "It really was."
"You should know that he's not really gone as long as you remember him."
Spyro then remembered something. "I appreciate you and your tribe building that Ignitus statue at the square. That's one way to remember him."
Kane chuckled. "Stone carving is a clever thing."
Just then, Hunter came in the temple, holding a pie. "I'm back," he said. "Just have to bring a dragonberry pie."
Spyro smelled the pie. "Mm, I know why dragons love their dragonberries," he smiled.
The Straw Hat Pirates went across the city of Warfang, as some decide to split up. As always, Zoro got lost wandering around.
Nami walked down the streets, and she frowned at her Log Pose's frozen arrows. "Maybe I should find a compass around here," she said. She noticed a small building, and when she walked in, she saw the navigation tools such as compasses and maps. "Just what I needed!" she cried. But then she looked around. "But it looks like nobody's home. Guess I'll just take some stuff." She took some maps and a compass before exiting the store, leaving some gold on a table.
Luffy walked around the city. "Where am I gonna get some food?" he groaned. His nose caught the scent of a dragonberry. "Dragonberry!" He followed his nose toward a small building, and inside the building is a bakery with food products made with dragonberries. Food products such as bread, cupcakes, pies, all made with dragonberries as their ingredient. "Whoa, look at all this stuff! Now I can eat!" He started grabbing dragonberry food products to eat them, but Sanji arrived and kicked him on the head.
"Let me take care of the food we'll need on our journey," Sanji said. "And don't even think of gobbling them down!"
"I'm sorry..." Luffy said dizzily.
Robin walked toward a building and entered what appears to be a place full of artifacts, such as staffs and medallions, some with jewels, and ancient weapons. "What an archaeological place," she said. She walked and looked around. She noticed a gold medallion shaped like a dragon's head with two white jewels for eyes. She had to pick it up, and while inspecting it, she looked at the back and noticed the heiroglyphics. "One who activates this dragon will know the dragon's will within," she read. "How curious." She put the medallion in the bag.
Usopp and Chopper arrived at a fountain and looked at it.
"Is this supposed to be a fountain?" Chopper asked.
"Well, it's not like it's a wishing well or anything," Usopp said.
"What's a wishing well?"
"Well, let's just say you drop a coin in, and you make a wish. Wishes don't really come true, unless you believe, of course."
"My last wish didn't work for me. Nobody ever wanted to be my friend because I have a blue nose. That was before Luffy came."
"And I made that wish come true!" Usopp lied.
"Wow, really?"
Franky and Brook walk down the city, as Brook played his violin, which got some moles looking out the windows in curiosity.
"Well, I gotta say, it look deserted the moment we came here," Franky said.
"And I'm so astonished by the structure of this city," Brook said. "Oh, how this place makes my eyes very sore. Or I would be if skeletons have any eyes! Yohohohoho!"
The two kept walking across the city.
Up on the rooftops, the two rats were watching.
"Say, we found those pirates," the fat rat said. "Shall we crush them?"
"We're here for the one with the straw hat, stupid," the muscular rat said. "The one who beat us with his stretching and whatnot."
"But where are we gonna find him in this city?"
"How should I know?! Let's go!"
The Straw Hat Pirates regrouped after their adventure around the city.
"Well, I gotta say, we did some good around the city," Usopp said. "Have we forgotten something?"
Robin checked the book. "There is one thing," she said. "The Dragon Temple, home of the Guardian Dragons. I wonder if we would meet Spyro there."
"We probably might," Nami said.
"Let's go!" Luffy shouted.
But the pirates heard footsteps, and jumping off the rooftops were the rats of the Rat Tribe.
"Those bastards again?" Zoro asked.
"You with the straw hat!" the fat rat said. "You're coming with us!"
"So just come quietly, and your crew will be spared," the muscular rat said.
But Luffy just cracked his knuckles. "Why would I? You can fight all you want, but I can kick your asses again!" he said.
"You're all talk. Now come with us!" said the fat rat.
"Second Gear!" Luffy pumped his legs, and his skin turned pink while steaming. "I won't be coming with you guys without a fight! Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!" He threw rapid, multiple punching at the rats, knocking them backwards.
"Get that pirate!" barked the muscular rat.
The Straw Hat Pirates fought the rats with their abilities.
The noise outside alerted Spyro, as he looked out the balcony.
"Spyro, what's going on?" Cynder asked.
"Sounds like a battle out there," Spyro said. "We should check it out."
"Don't tell me," Sparx said. "Luffy and the others are in trouble again."
"Luffy?" Kane asked.
"We got no time for questions," Spyro said. "Come on, Cynder!" He and Cynder exit the temple.
"Cien Fleur! Wing!" Robin said as arms sprouted from her back, making wings, and she flew up from the rats.
Zoro blocked a rat's sword with his swords and crossed them. "Three Sword Style! 108 Caliber Phoenix!" He unleashed the compressed attack on the rat, knocking it away.
Chopper used Horn Point and ran around, hitting the rats. The fat rat had climbed to the rooftop using pickaxes, and he jumped off, falling toward Chopper.
"Heavy Point!" Chopper grew muscles and caught the fat rat, but he flinched from the weight. "He's so heavy!" He grunted and threw the fat rat to the ground.
"Diable Jambe!" Sanji's leg engulfed in flames, and he kicked the muscular rat in the stomach. "Flanchet Strike!" The kick sent the rat straight to a building with a crash.
"Gum-Gum Whip!" Luffy shouted, kicking the rats. He saw Spyro and Cynder flying in, as Cynder used wind. "Awesome, you guys came!"
"We're here to help," Cynder said, "even if you guys are pirates."
"Gum-Gum Stamp Gatling!" Luffy threw multiple stamping at the rats.
"Thunderstorm Tempo!" Nami said as heat and cool bubbles emerge from her Clima-Tact, forming a thunderstorm cloud, which struck lightning on the rats.
A rat aimed his bow at Luffy, but Hunter fired his arrow from another building where he stands, and the arrow hit the rat in the shoulder. The rat growled at the cheetah. "Where did you come from?!"
"These rats aren't giving up!" Franky said. "Strong Right!" He threw a punch at the rats, and the chain reeled the fist back onto his arm.
The muscular rat managed to stand up and ran to Luffy. "You're coming with me!" he said, holding his fist out to punch him.
Brook appeared and held his Soul Solid backhand. "Soul Parade!"
The rat punched the sword, and his eyes widen when his fist froze upon impact. "It's freezing!"
Usopp aimed his Kuro Kabuto. "Shuriken Shooting Star!" He shot various shurikens at the rats.
Spyro breathed fire at the rats, and Cynder used poison on them. The rats then ran away from Warfang, shrieking.
"They're retreating," Chopper said.
"Good," said Zoro, sheathing his swords. "Those guys are a lot of trouble."
"Are you guys alright?" Spyro asked.
"Yeah, we're okay," Chopper said. "How'd you guys get here so fast?"
"We heard the noises, and we wanted to see if you were alright. What happened?"
"Just those stupid rats from earlier," said Nami. "Thanks for the help."
The group heard panting sounds and saw Kane arriving.
"What happened here?" Kane panted.
"A llama?" Luffy asked.
"Sorry about that, Kane," said Spyro. "Just a recent invasion."
Kane panted. "My tribe is coming to fix things up anyway." He noticed the Straw Hat Pirates. "What's this?!"
"That llama can talk?!" Usopp gasped.
"What? We've met talking cheetahs," Nami frowned.
The Straw Hat Pirates heard flapping sounds and saw the Guardian Dragons arriving, and they landed on the ground.
"Oh, my! Look at them!" Brook said.
"The Guardian Dragons," Robin said.
"Young dragon," Cyril said, "why are these strangers here in Warfang?"
"Everyone," said Spyro. "I can explain everything."
"We're sure you can, Spyro," said Terrador.
"I'd rather you guys blame us than Spyro," Zoro said, crossing his arms.
"Zoro, what are you doing?!" Usopp and Chopper cried.
"Hey, we were the ones who sailed to this world! Luffy wouldn't let anyone blame Spyro for our existence, would he?!"
"But nobody's gonna believe if any of us told them!" Usopp argued.
"Knock it off, you two," Nami said. "Can we just explain everything instead of just arguing?"
"I'm sure you all will," Cyril said as Sanji lit his cigarette. "Why don't we hear everything in the Dragon Temple?"
"Indeed," said Terrador, nodding. "Come with us."
The group followed the dragons to the Dragon Temple, as Luffy put on his hat.