Chapter 14

Attack on the Cottage

Morning came in the Dragon Temple, as Raymond had turned sixteen. Around that morning, Raymond had a reunion with Cyril, Volteer and Terrador, expressing sympathy for Ignitus' death.

"It's good to see you again after all these years, Raymond," said Terrador.

"Yes, those seven years were a while," Cyril said. "We appreciate your condolences after hearing about Ignitus' fate."

"Yes," Volteer said, "a lot had happened with Malefor's reign of terror, the invasion of Warfang, Spyro and Cynder's return thanks to Hunter, the coming of the golem, the Destroyer, Spyro's efforts to restore the world..."

"Alright, enough gossiping, Volteer," Cyril said, annoyed.

Sanji had placed a cake on the table. "Your cake's all set, Raymond," he said. "I baked it myself, with dragonberries."

"Wow, thanks," Raymond said.

Spyro licked his lips. "Dragonberry cake. I could use a bite," he said. He reached out for the cake, but Cynder stopped him.

"Easy, Spyro," Cynder said. "This is for Raymond, after all."

"Sorry, Cynder. I could use a slice still."

Raymond grabbed himself a slice of cake. He passed a few slices of cake to Spyro and Cynder. He didn't notice Hunter sitting next to him, but Hunter soon saw him.

"Oh, you seem to be around here," Hunter said. "Who might you be?"

Raymond looked at Hunter, as he noticed. "Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Raymond Dragonfang. I'm from the human world, but I have a home here."

"A human? I guess they're not the only ones here then."

"He used to be an orphan, but he's got me, as his father," Spyro smiled.

Hunter was having a sip of tea, but as soon as he heard Spyro, he did a sudden spittake. "What?! He's your human son?!"

"It's a long story, but I'll explain it," Raymond said, and he did just that, explaining to Hunter about how he met Spyro, the adventure they had, and how Barlin's alchemy artifacts helped them return home to the Dragon Realms, and how he became Spyro's son.

"I see. That's quite an adventure," Hunter said.

With the Straw Hat Pirates, they were having a buffet Sanji had cooked for everyone, and some Dragonberry pastries.

Luffy had literally eaten lots of food, as he patted his overstuffed belly and said, "Ah, I'm so stuffed!"

"I bet you are; you literally had, like, forty plates of food!" Zoro said.

"I'll just have more than forty."

"Like hell you will!" Usopp said. "You're not the only one who can eat!"

Sanji lit a cigarette and puffed out some smoke. "Well, with what how this adventure began, I just wonder how we'll get back to the New World," he said.

Luffy started stretching his arms out to steal more food, when Nami whacked him on the head.

"Enough with the food snatching, you jerk!" Nami yelled.

"Are they always like that?" Hunter asked.

"Welcome to my world," Zoro said.

Raymond had finished his slice of cake. Spyro ate his slice as he rubbed his belly. Cynder ate her slice as well.

"Sanji, that was the best cake I ever tasted," Raymond said. "You must've spent a lot of time on your hands."

"Well, I am a chef. I'm glad you like the cake," Sanji grinned. He sensed Luffy stretching for the cake and heelkicked his hand as Luffy screamed and held his hand, repeatedly blowing on it. "I was getting to learn how to bake things with Dragonberries, so I had to improvise with what I can make."

"Thanks for the cake," Spyro smiled.

After a meal and a reunion, Terrador, Cyril and Volteer decided to head to the Pool of Vision to check for any new threats. When they checked the pool, they started seeing an image of the Rat Tribe.

"It seems we have a threat rising from the shadows," Terrador said sternly.

"So it would seem," Cyril said. "I imagine it's about as awful as Malefor's evil was."

"What are the rats up to, I wonder?" Volteer asked.

They checked the pool, and they saw the rats in the forest.

"The Enchanted Forest," Terrador said, his eyes widen. "Barlin had moved to his home there. I fear he may be in danger."

"We shall inform Spyro about this," Cyril said.

The Guardian Dragons informed Spyro, as Spyro checked the Pool of Vision. He saw the Rat Tribe in the Enchanted Forest.

"It's those rats again," Spyro said. "We fought them when they attacked the cheetahs. Why are they in the forest?"

"You probably didn't know, Spyro," said Cyril, "but after you and Sparx returned with the human boy, Barlin had managed to build his home in the Enchanted Forest, where he had been training Raymond."

"Barlin has a new home there? But that would mean he might be in trouble if I don't head over there!"

"I'm afraid so, Spyro," Terrador said.

Spyro looked at the pool, as he remembered the adventure in the human world, meeting Barlin, and taking Raymond in as his son. "I will be heading over, to help Barlin," he said. "But I'm gonna need all the help I can get, just in case."

Spyro had gathered Cynder, Hunter, and the Straw Hat Pirates as soon as he told them about the rats and the Enchanted Forest. He told them about Barlin and how his alchemy artifacts helped him return home to the Dragon Realms from the human world Raymond came from.

"I'm gonna need your help to protect Barlin from the rats," Spyro said. "He's the reason I came home with Raymond and Sparx."

"Well, if you need our help, you got it," Sanji said. "Those rats were no match for us before."

"Yeah! We faced tough guys before, we can do more!" Franky said, as he slammed his arms together, making the star. "Super together!"

"I wonder what the rats want with Barlin," Sparx said.

"I think it's something to do with his alchemy," Cynder said. "We must head over there."

"You know where to find it, Spyro?" Nami asked.

"Yes, it's where the Twilight Falls are," Spyro said. "Hunter can take us there."

"That I will," Hunter said.

"I will be there too," Raymond said. "I was there for years when Barlin trained me to be a dragon warrior, always thinking about you."

Spyro blinked and smiled. "No problem, Raymond," he said. "We all will go."

Luffy made a toothy grin, and he raised his fists. "Alright, let's go, to adventure!"

"Aye!" The Straw Hat Pirates cheered.

Raymond, Spyro, Sparx, Cynder, Hunter and the Straw Hat Pirates had made their way to the Enchanted Forest. Nami used the map she had brought from Warfang, as she was using the compass that did the rotating.

"Huh, sure takes us back to how we got here from Twilight Falls," Cynder said.

"Yeah, along with getting ambushed by the cheetahs," Sparx said. "Unexpected, really."

Spyro looked around the forest as he wondered. "Raymond," he said, "how do we find Barlin?"

"He had built himself a stone cottage," Raymond said.

"Do you know where it is?" Usopp asked.

"Yeah, just up ahead," Raymond said.

The group went walking to search for Barlin. Then they saw it. Up ahead was cottage built from stone, with a wooden door. The roof was built out of sticks, branches from trees, and the chimney was built from stone too.

"Is that the stone house?" Franky asked.

"I think so," Robin said.

Raymond walked to the stone house and knocked on the door. "Barlin? Are you home?" There was no answer. He opened the door, as it was unlocked. "Barlin? It's me, Raymond."

The group walked inside, as they were amazed at the large room. It has a dining table, which Raymond remembered as where he would have meals with Barlin during his years of training, and a fireplace. It also has a small room, a bed where Barlin would sleep in.

"Wow, it's huge but only has two or three rooms," Usopp said.

"I guess this Barlin fellow had a lot of time on his hands," Zoro said.

Usopp went to a door, as he approached it. "I wonder if there's anything behind this door," he said. He turned the knob, but the door was locked. "Hey, it's locked."

"That's the door to his basement," Raymond said.

"Barlin, are you down there?" Spyro asked, knocking on the door. No answer.

"Hello? Barlin?" Cynder called as she knocked on the door. Again, no answer.

"Oh, you guys aren't knocking hard enough," Luffy scowled. "Let me do the banging. Gum-Gum Knock, Knock!" He started banging on the door rapidly with his fists in a barrage of multiple punches, as the others freak out.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Zoro yelled.

"Luffy, stop it, it's not gonna work!" Usopp yelled as he grabbed Luffy.

But Luffy kept pounding the door until the door broke off the hinges, as it went down the stairs. "Hahahaha! Nothing to it!" He laughed with a big toothy grin.

Nami angrily bashed Luffy on the head with her Clima-Tact. "You didn't have to break down the door, you stupid idiot!" She yelled.

Hunter looked down the stairs. "I wonder where these stairs go," he said.

"They probably go down," Sparx said, "but it looks dark and spooky down there."

"You're not getting cold wings, are you?" Cynder asked.

"Me? No way."

The group went downstairs and entered a dark basement, as they past by the door Luffy had broken off.

"It sure is dark," Sparx said. "Anybody got a torch?"

"Why need a torch when I can do this?" Franky said, and his nipples light up. "Franky Nipple Lights!"

"I really hate that, Franky!" Usopp yelled.

They looked around the basement. It was large, and it was filled with bookshelves, containing books of alchemy, a large cauldron, bottles of potions, alchemy related instruments. On the floor is the alchemy symbol.

"Whoa, nice! Look at this basement!" Luffy exclaimed.

"It's filled with alchemy products and potions," Chopper added.

"What a strange basement," Robin said.

"Who's there?" A voice called out.

The group saw a shadowy figure emerge from the shadows, as Chopper and Usopp freaked out. But soon he stepped into the light, revealing to be Barlin.

"I never expected anyone to find my cottage," Barlin said. He soon noticed the three. "Oh, Raymond, Spyro and Sparx. This is a surprise to see you here."

"Are you Barlin?" Chopper asked.

"Yes. I am the alchemist from Dante's Freezer, the last of the snow leopard tribe. I see you're all new here."

"Yep, we're the Straw Hat Pirates," Luffy smiled. "How would you like to join my crew?"

"Pirates, you say? Not something I see all the time," Barlin said. "Wait, how did you all get here?"

"We haven't got a lot to explain," Spyro said. "There's trouble coming for you, and we're here to get you out."

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?"

The group soon heard a loud sound from upstairs.

"That kind of trouble," Spyro said. "The rats must've arrived."

They heard footsteps and saw the rats running down the stairs to the basement. "Get them!" They yelled.

Barlin quickly used his scepter to cast iron spikes as they hit the rats.

"Whoa, that's so cool!" Chopper cried, his eyes bugged out.

"Alchemy powers, my friend," Barlin said.

The entire group ran up the stairs as they fought the rats invading the cottage. Once outside, they saw a large rat with muscular arms and legs, but with a chubby belly, with steel cuffs on his wrists, a leather vest, and shorts. He wears sandals, and on his back is a swordstaff.

"Well, looky there," the rat said. "The alchemist and the pirate with the straw hat. This'll make things easy."

"What is it you want with them?" Spyro asked.

"Ratsono was being specific. First, he wanted that snow leopard for his alchemy, and second, he wanted him with the straw hat. Says he had a past from the last pirate who wore that hat. So just give up and come with me, unless you wanna fight me, Pounder of the Rat Tribe!"

"That's something, coming from a fat rat with muscles," Sparx said.

Luffy punched his hand and said, "We've beaten you guys before, we can do it again, because we will not surrender without a fight!"

"I figured you'd say that. It's time I show you my beefy power!" He flexed as his muscles bulged and lifted a big rock, laughing as he threw it at the group.

Franky quickly caught the rock. "You gotta do better than that!" he said, as he threw the rock back at Pounder.

Pounder shattered the rock when it hit his fat belly, much to everyone's shock.

"His fat belly broke the rock!?" Franky gasped.

"I may be fat and muscular, but I am much stronger," Pounder said. "Time to get smashed!" He jumped toward the group. "Rat Smash!" He slammed the ground with his fists, as the shockwave knocked them off their feet. "Had enough?"

Luffy got up. "It'll take more than that cheap shot to knock us down," he said. "Third Gear!" He bite his thumb and inflated his arm. "Gum-Gum Giant Pistol!" He threw a punch at Pounder, but Pounder kicked it away as it went the other direction and punched a tree, as his eyes bugged out. "Whaaat?!"

"Your Devil Fruit powers are strong, but Haki is on my side," Pounder smirked.

Spyro breathed fire at Pounder, as Cynder shot poison, but Pounder dodged the attacks. Hunter shot his arrow, but Pounder caught it with his teeth, as he tittered. Then he turned the arrow with his tongue and spat it at the group, but Hunter dodged as the arrow hit the door. Chopper used Heavy Point to attack, but Pounder just whipped him away with his tail, as Chopper flew and hit a bush. Franky yelled as he charged to throw a punch, but Pounder grabbed his fist.

"Smashing time!" Pounder laughed as he swung and slammed Franky around on the ground and threw him toward a tree.

"Franky!" Usopp cried. He aimed his Kuro Kabuto. "Alright, you're asking for it! Shuriken Shooting Star!" He shot shurikens at Pounder, but Pounder deflected the shurikens, spinning his Haki coated tail, as he shrieked.

Nami held her Clima-Tact as Robin crossed her arms for her powers, but Pounder stomped the ground, and the shockwave knocked them down to the ground.

"Nami, Robin!" Sanji cried. He got angry, and his leg flamed up as he charged. "I'm gonna hurt you for that! Diable Jambe: Premiere Hache!" He rapidly kicked Pounder's fat stomach as it rippled and jiggled, but Pounder just stood there, yawning, before bouncing him away with his belly, as he hit the cottage wall. "Damn it. He must've used Haki on his belly."

"Give it up, you lot," Pounder said.

Zoro drew his swords. "Not without a fight, as I can see your weapon."

Pounder drew his swordstaff as he said, "So you're a swordsman. This should be fun!"

Brook drew his sword as he said, "I shall take you on as well!"

"Just stay out of my way, Brook," said Zoro.

The three clashed with their swords, as Pounder blocked the attacks. Pounder smirked and held his swordstaff behind him, and then he struck the ground with it as a flaming trail appeared. "Fire Slice!" The flame hit Zoro and Brook before they could dodge.

Luffy charged in as he yelled, "I'm gonna kick your ass whatever it takes! Gum-Gum...!

But before Luffy can attack, Pounder punched and kicked him a lot. He grabbed him with his tail and pounded him more, his fists sometimes hitting his head. Barlin quickly tried to chain Pounder using steel from his scepter, but Pounder quickly broke the chain and threw Luffy at Barlin, knocking them out, as Luffy's hat flew into the sky. Spyro and Cynder flew in to attack, but Pounder punched their heads as they hit the ground, much to Raymond's shock.

"Definitely not good!" Sparx cried as he hid behind a rock.

"That was too easy," Pounder said, dusting his hands. "Time to take you in."

"No! I won't let you!" Raymond shouted as he jumped in and scratched Pounder with his gauntlet blades. He dodged Pounder's attacks and did some karate moves he had learned during his training, and he shot ice to trap Pounder's legs, before using electricity to shock him, and he shot fire at him. He then unleashed his Fire Fury, as the blast sent Pounder away in flames, as he flew while screaming.

"Wow, like father, like son," Sparx said. He realized and flew to the others. "Oh, right! Are you guys okay?! Spyro, speak to me!"

Raymond ran to the group and knelt to them. "Mom, dad, everyone, hang on! I'll get help!"