//------------------------------//
// Pride Before Pragmatism 
// Story: Peace Porridge Hot 
// by Metool Bard 
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Little Strongheart led Gilda and Celestia across the desert for quite some time.  Though Celestia was used to the rays of the sun beating down on her, Gilda wanted desperately to take off her own uniform.  Seeing Gilda struggle against the heat, Celestia shielded her with her enormous wing.

"Wh-what's the big idea?" Gilda growled, tugging at her collar.

"You look like you could use a bit of shade, Gilda," Celestia replied frankly. "And I don't think the griffons would approve if you returned to the conference without your uniform."

Gilda blushed. "I-I'm not looking for their approval.  Again, I'm not ambassador material."

"Neither was Prince Rutherford when he first visited Equestria," said Celestia. "And Lord Ember herself is trying to forge a new identity for dragonkind.  There's a first time for everything, and yes, it can be daunting.  It doesn't mean we don't try."

Gilda let out a groan. "You sound like my Grandpa Gruff."

"Just think about it," said Celestia, turning to Little Strongheart. "How goes the search?"

Little Strongheart didn't respond right away.  She kept her face to the ground, scanning for tracks.  Finally, her eyes lit up.

"Ah-ha.  Antlion tracks," she said. "The Dragoons were here recently."

"I take it one of these Dragoons is an antlion?" Celestia asked with a knowing smirk.

"Um, yes," said Little Strongheart, tapping her chin. "Though this is strange.  Antlions are usually most adept at traveling underground.  Why are they traveling above ground?"

"Who cares?" Gilda said with a shrug. "It makes it easier for us to shadow 'em, doesn't it?"

"It could also mean that something's dreadfully wrong," Celestia said gravely. "Let's keep moving and see what we can find."

Little Strongheart nodded and followed the trail, with Gilda and Celestia flying close behind.  It wasn't long before Gilda spotted something in the distance.

"I think I know why they're above ground," she said, pointing with her talon.

Little Strongheart looked up.  Sure enough, there was a mound of sand shifting through the ground.

"Diamond Dogs," she growled, pawing the ground.

"You think it's that Isabelle punk?" Gilda inquired.

Little Strongheart squinted. "Doubtful.  There's more than one of them."

"Meaning Isabelle might not be the only one hunting for the Dragon Lord," Celestia mused. "We should move to intercept."

"Yeah, I don't think that'll be a problem," said Gilda.

"What do you mean?"

"It looks like they're coming to see us."

Celestia took another look.  Sure enough, the mound of sand was traveling towards Little Strongheart.  Just as they were below her feet, they sprung from the ground.  The leader, a small chihuahua, narrowed his eyes at them.

"Well well well.  You chicas are quite a long way from home," he said. "This here is Cobaltvest territory.  You're trespassing."

Celestia bowed her head. "Lo siento si éste es el caso, señor."

The chihuahua glowered at Celestia. "You making fun of me?  Me, the great Cortez Cobaltvest?"

Celestia blinked. "I was under the impression that speaking in your native tongue was a sign of respect."

"Don't play that game with me, chica," Cortez snarled. "This is our turf.  You're not getting a free pass just because you apologize."

"Then, how exactly can I make it up to you?"

Cortez drew his pistol. "You can die."

Gilda snorted. "Why you good-for-nothing low-down—"

"Gilda, watch it!" Little Strongheart hissed. "The guy has a gun!"

"So?  That little peashooter doesn't scare m— hey!"

A shot fired from the pistol and clipped Gilda's wing.  Cortez snickered.

"I assure you, chica.  The Cobaltvest pack doesn't use peashooters," he said.

Celestia, however, was quite unfazed. "I don't think you realize just what powers you're dabbling with."

Cortez spat at Celestia. "Please.  Not a pony alive can match the might of Cortez Cobaltvest.  You're as good as dead."

"Cortez?"

A sharp voice called Cortez to spin around.  There stood Isabelle, with Pepito right by her side.  He smirked.

"Ah, Isabelle.  Crawling back to me with your tail between your legs, are you?" he said.

The other Diamond Dogs started laughing.  Isabelle snorted.

"Laugh now, Cortez," she proclaimed. "Because very soon, I will make a name for myself; just like my big brother."

"Your big brother is a joke, and you're a fool for following in his footsteps," Cortez barked.

Pepito snapped his claws. "This your former boss, señorita?"

Before Isabelle could respond, Cortez spoke up.

"Isabelle was my best and brightest.  She promised me she could bring Toro back to me," he said. "She ended up abandoning me and formed her own gang.  One which fell apart quite spectacularly, as I recall."

"Sí, that true," said Pepito.

Isabelle smacked Pepito upside the head. "Idiot!  Do you want me to look bad in front of him?!"

"¿Qué?"

Cortez roared with laughter, and the other Diamond Dogs joined him.

"Is this really the best you can do, Isabelle?" Cortez guffawed. "No wonder you lost everything!"

"Sh-shut up!" Isabelle snapped. "I'll get it back!  And I'll be more powerful than you once I get my paws on the Dragon Lord!"

Cortez suddenly stopped laughing. "The Dragon Lord, you say?"

Little Strongheart's eyes narrowed. "I don't like where this is going."

"Yeah, you heard me.  I'm on a mission to capture the Dragon Lord," said Isabelle. "And Pepito and I are gonna sell her to Sykes Silvervest himself and become the most famous mercenaries in the Mild West!"

Pepito pinched the bridge of his nose. "Señorita, why you tell him that?  Now he gonna want Dragon Lord, too."

"Actually, this is quite a coincidence," said Cortez, putting away his gun. "See, my pack has also been tasked with capturing the Dragon Lord.  There's a massive bounty on her head, and I'll be the one to claim it."

Isabelle's eyes went wide. "Impossible!  How could you even know she's in the Mild West?!"

"I can tell you, Isabelle.  If you accept my proposition," said Cortez.

"I knew it," Little Strongheart snarled.

Pepito blinked and took out his dictionary. "What this, prop-o-zition, señor?"

"Simple.  Come back to the Cobaltvest pack, Isabelle," said Cortez, extending his paw. "You want fame and glory?  I can give it to you.  I'll even let you be the one to capture the Dragon Lord.  You must admit, we have a better chance at this if we do it together."

"This is bad," Celestia mused. "If they join forces, it'll make everyone's lives that much more difficult."

Gilda smirked. "Then we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen.  You wouldn't happen to have any cherry bombs, would you?"

"Sure," said Celestia, gesturing to her trunk. "But what do you plan on doing with them?"

"Watch this."

Gilda pulled out a few cherry bombs and darted behind a rock.  Meanwhile, Isabelle stroked her chin in thought.

"I don't know, Cortez.  How do I know you'll keep your promise?" she asked.

Cortez chuckled. "Why so skeptical?  You're not like that vagabond Toro.  You're just confused.  Well, I can clear up the confusion.  Just rejoin my pack and help me kill these three—"

He turned to gesture at the diplomats, only to discover that Gilda was missing.

"¿Dónde está el griffon?" he asked, sniffing around.

Little Strongheart shrugged. "What griffon?  I don't remember a griffon."

"I remember griffon," said Pepito, raising his claw. "She—"

"Shut your trap, Rock Lobster," Cortez barked. "No one cares about your opinion."

"And why not?" asked Celestia coyly. "Why should his species exclude him from this conversation?"

Cortez snorted and drew his pistol again. "You're rather cheeky for a pony who's about to—"

Just then, a cherry bomb went off at Isabelle's feet.  She scowled.

"Okay, who's the wise guy?!" she demanded.

Cortez was equally baffled. "Yeah, which one of you did that to her?!  She's one of us!"

"Stuff it, loser!  I decided that I want the bounty all for myself!" came an unfamiliar, scratchy voice.

Cortez waved his pistol around. "You're really trying my patience.  Come forward, and I may show you leniency."

"Why should I?" said the voice. "If I work for you, you're just gonna take all the reward for yourself, anyway!"

Something seemed to click in Isabelle's mind. "That's right!  Why should I listen to you, Cortez?!  You don't want to share the glory with me!  You want it all for yourself!"

"You honestly believe that punk?!" Cortez roared. "He's not even loyal to—"

Another cherry bomb went off, this time at Cortez's feet.  He snarled.

"Okay, Rock Lobster!  Cough up your weapons!" he commanded.

Pepito blinked. "I no have explosives, señor."

"Don't lie to me!  I know this is your doing!" Cortez snapped.

"I tell you, it not me," said Pepito. "It must be griffon!  She tricking you!"

"Oh, please.  As if griffons are that smart," said Isabelle bluntly.

This prompted a trio of cherry bombs to detonate at her feet.  She let out a low growl.

"That's it, Cortez!  I'm getting that Dragon Lord for myself!  You and the rest of your gang can rot!" she bellowed. "Pepito!"

"Sí?"

"Show them our true might."

"¿Qué?"

Isabelle gave Pepito a bemused look. "Seriously?"

"What serious?  I no understand."

Isabelle groaned. "Muéstrelos qué le hacen, langosta estúpida!"

Pepito sighed. "Sí, señorita."

He quickly spun around and took out what appeared to be gigantic staples.  With pinpoint accuracy, he tossed them at several Diamond Dogs, anchoring them to the ground.  Cortez growled and aimed his pistol.

"That bounty is mine, Isabelle!  Prepare to—"

He was interrupted by a loud war cry, followed by Little Strongheart tackling Cortez to the ground.  She then trampled over him while Celestia followed.  As she left, she gave Cortez a nod.

"We'd love to stay and chat, but we have a Dragon Lord to protect," she said. "Hasta luego."

She flew off after Little Strongheart, and Gilda emerged from her hiding place.  She pulled down her eyelid and stuck out her tongue.

"Seeya, losers!" she taunted, flying off after Little Strongheart and Celestia.

Isabelle's paws balled up into fists. "I will not be mocked like this.  Pepito, we're leaving!"

"¿Qué?"

Isabelle let out a groan and grabbed Pepito's eye stalks before escaping underground.  Cortez snarled as he got to his feet.

"So that's the way you wish to play, is it, Isabelle?" he said, cocking his gun. "Fine by me.  But that lizard will be mine."


***


Once they were a good distance away from the Diamond Dogs, Gilda roared with laughter.

"Oh man, that was the best!" she said. "Who knew being an ambassador could be so awesome?!"

"I don't think this is what ambassadors typically do," said Little Strongheart.

"Oh, let her have her fun," said Celestia. "I thought it was quite amusing.  Especially considering we prevented people from getting seriously hurt."

Little Strongheart sighed. "Even so, if what Cortez says is true, they aren't the only ones after Lord Ember's head.  We have to step up our game as well."

"No problem," said Gilda. "I'm sure we've got plenty of pranks for whatever bozos try to capture the Dragon Lord."

"That may be true," said Celestia, furrowing her brow. "But Little Strongheart does have a point.  Cortez was aiming to kill us, as if he wanted to get us out of the way.  But how did he know we were here?"

Gilda scoffed. "Who cares?  We can take 'em."

"We can take the poachers, yes," said Celestia, looking off into the distance. "But I fear there may be more sinister forces at play.  Let's keep moving."

Little Strongheart nodded and continued to follow the antlion trail.  While Gilda and Celestia kept close, the grey flame from before watched from afar before vanishing underground...