//------------------------------//
// Smart vs. Pure Evil 
// Story: Peace Porridge Hot 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//

The preparations took all afternoon.  Redstone was gathered, trick candles were strung together, and Needles trained harder than she had ever done before.  All the while, Ember flew around, helping where she could and bringing everyone up to speed.  By the time the golden sun became a gorgeous red and began to descend, everything was in place.

Ember stood in the middle of the canyon, scepter in her claws.  Standing behind her were her friends, Dragoons and diplomats alike.  Needles walked right next to her, and the two exchanged smiles.

"Y'ready for this, Your Lordship?" she asked.

Ember giggled. "For once, I think I can say 'yes' to that question.  You?"

"As I'll ever be," said Needles, taking in a deep breath. "What about you, Ocard?"

"The two of us are linked, young Needles," said Ocard. "If you're ready, I'm ready."

"Then let's get this show on the road," said Needles, tossing away her parasol.

Ember nodded and flew into the air, pointing with her scepter. "Seth!  I know you can hear me!  I am ready to face you!"

In a flash of light, Seth appeared with his fire elemental.  He observed the small army Ember brought with her and frowned.

"I was under the impression that I would fight you alone," he snarled. "This is not what we agreed upon."

"Actually, you never said that," said Steel.

Seth blinked at Steel. "What?"

"You never said Lord Ember had to be alone," Steel reiterated.

"It was implied.  By the fact that dragons don't do friendship?"

"Well, we're dragons, and we've got plenty of friends," Steel said with a shrug. "I don't know where you're getting this from."

Flint chortled. "If you think he's annoying now, try living with the guy."

"Hey!" Steel said indignantly.

Seth snorted. "Well, I suppose you have me there.  But I also didn't say I couldn't have an army of my own.  Temhkas!"

The grey fire elemental let out a loud roar.  Straight away, teenage dragons flanked Seth from all sides and Diamond Dogs emerged from underground.  Even with the insurmountable odds, Ember stood firm.

"I won this scepter by conquering the Gauntlet of Fire," she stated.  In one swift motion, she stabbed it into the ground. "If you want it, you'll have to take it from me."

Seth sneered. "Such an easy task, Princess Ember.  This battle was over before it even began.  Allow me to demonstrate!"

A blur of black darted at Ember, smacking her into the cliffs.  Before she impacted against the stone structure, Needles threw a star at her.  An eruption of stone burst from the cliffside as Ember plowed into it.  Seth cackled wickedly, but his smile soon faded when Ember emerged unscathed.

"I-impossible!  That should've broken every bone in your body!" Seth roared.

"That right?  Well, good thing she has a friend like me to save her!"

Seth turned to see Needles, sitting cross-legged and levitating in the air.  With a snarl, he breathed his flame at her.  However, it was intercepted by a large amber dragon made of fire.  While he was distracted further, Ember slashed his face with her claw.

"Hey, pay attention, buddy!" she said with a cocky smirk. "I'm the one you want!"

Seth growled. "Then fight me alone!  Don't hide behind others like a coward!"

He snapped at Ember, but she darted out of the way of his powerful jaws.  Temhkas hissed and descended upon Ember, hoping to flank her.  Needles was quick to notice.

"No, ya don't!"

Needles hovered around the battlefield, peppering Temhkas with throwing stars while Ocard charged and wrestled with it.  Meanwhile, Ember continued her hit-and-run tactics; swooping in and getting in a few licks, and then darting away before Seth could retaliate.  There were times when she got hurt, but Needles was quick to heal her with her own magic.  Seth growled in frustration.

"You are trying my patience, whelp!" he bellowed. "Garble!  Take your vengeance!  Seize her!"

"With pleasure," said Garble. "Let's get her, boys!"

"I'm afraid you're not going anywhere."

Garble blinked.  In a flash of light, Princess Celestia, Gilda, and Little Strongheart were blocking the path to Ember.  Garble scoffed.

"Well, would you look at that?  A namby-pamby pony princess wants to stop me," he said, wringing his claws. "Now I can really stick it to that runt Spike!  I'll take you down and become Dragon Lord!"

Celestia arched an eyebrow. "You're kidding.  You're kidding, right?"

Garble laughed. "Aren't you cute?  You think I'm kidding?  Here, let me show you how much I'm kidding!"

He charged at Celestia at full speed, ready to bathe her in his flame.  Celestia, however, barely flinched.  She simply powered up her horn and formed a barrier around herself.  Garble flew straight into it, pressing against the magical construct like a bird flying into a screen door.

"Oh dear.  It appears you are serious," said Celestia, half-feigning concern. "Well, I think it's fair to warn you that we ponies are a lot tougher than you think we are."

"I'd listen to her," said Gilda. "Once upon a time, I thought most ponies were lame, too.  Turns out they're all pretty awesome."

"Shut up, birdbrain!  As if you'd know anything!" roared Fume.  He charged in, only to be intercepted by Gilda and tackled to the ground.  She quickly clamped her talon around his slender jaw.

"Call me a birdbrain again, and I'll be wearing your scales into battle," she warned, narrowing her eyes. "You got that, punk?"

Clump was very frightened by Gilda's aggressive display.  He immediately turned to Little Strongheart. "H-hey, you!  Buffalo!  You respect us dragons, right?  Th-this is for the good of our kind!  Help us out!"

Little Strongheart snorted and pawed the ground. "Respect is earned, my friend.  Dragon Lord Ember has earned my respect.  Needles has earned my respect.  You have not."

With a powerful war cry, she charged right for Clump and rammed him in the gut.  Garble snarled as he shook himself.

"Useless, the whole lot of you," he muttered, turning back to Celestia. "Why don't you come out of that fancy shield and fight me?!"

Celestia simply gave Garble a look. "You don't want me to do that."

"I think I do!"

"I think you don't."

"What's the matter?  Chicken?"

"No, I'm a pony."

"Same diff!"

"It really isn't."

With a frustrated roar, Garble swooped down, only to implant himself on Celestia's barrier again.  Celestia looked Garble right in the eye.

"Let me put it this way," she said darkly. "If I were to fight you at my full power, you would cease to be.  I've had my share of defeats, sure.  Everyone has.  But I suffered those defeats at the hands of creatures more powerful than you could ever imagine.  What's more, they were never able to finish the job.  So tell me, young dragon.  What makes you think that out of all the threats to my nation that I had to contend with over my thousand-year reign, you'll be the one to take me down and make me stay down?"

Garble didn't want to admit it, but Celestia's tone made his spines stand on end.  Even so, he refused to give her the satisfaction.

"'Cause you ponies can never measure up to us dragons!" he proclaimed.  He flew back, soaring high into the sky.  Once he had Celestia in his sights, he swooped down at an alarming speed.  Celestia smirked.

"Should I or shouldn't I?" she mused. "Too late; I did."

Far behind Garble, a beam of light shot out from the setting sun.  The beam rocketed across the sky, cooking the atmosphere.  Garble noticed the beam out of his peripheral view and tried to swerve.  But it was too late.  The beam intercepted him right above Celestia's head.  When the beam dissipated, every inch of Garble was bright red.  He tried to move, but even the slightest twitch made him wince in pain.  Unable to flap his wings, he fell to the ground and landed on his badly burned stomach.  His agonized roar echoed across the canyon.

"Let this be a lesson to you," said Celestia calmly. "Never underestimate a pony."

With that, she dove back into battle, supporting Gilda and Little Strongheart wherever she could.  Garble snorted.

"This, isn't, over," he grunted, crawling along the ground.


***


Seth scowled as the teenage dragons were occupied by Celestia and the others. "You got lucky, Princess Ember.  But your luck is about to run out!"

He stretched out his claws and pointed at Ember.  Above him, the sky opened up, revealing meteors raining down on her head.  Ember smirked.

"This again?  No problem," she said. "Needles!  Back me up!"

"That's what we Dragon Magi do best!" Needles replied.

She threw another star at Ember, which caused her to glow.  She charged right into the meteor storm, weaving through the projectiles with the agility of a hummingbird.  Seth was so dumbfounded, he didn't even have time to block Ember's flame as she reached him.  With a growl, he let loose his own fiery breath, only for Ember to fly out of reach.

"There's no way you're this skilled!" Seth barked. "You're not big and strong!  You didn't even properly win the Gauntlet of Fire!  You are not worthy of the Bloodstone Scepter!"

"Well, I say otherwise!" Ember retorted. "Wanna make something of it?  Come and get me!"

Seth glowered at Ember. "You will burn for this, Princess Ember!  Cortez!  Shoot her out of the sky!"

"Oh, so it's fine for you to have help, but not her?" asked Needles. "Someone's a bit of a hypocrite."

"Silence, Dragon Mage!" Seth bellowed, sending a pulse of dark magic towards her.  Before Ocard could intercept, a piercing whistle was heard.

"Fetch, Khamshin!  Ehheh..."

A cloud of dust coated the area in front of Needles, petrifying the spell and rendering it useless.  Standing on Khamshin's back were the Dragoons, all ready for combat.

"No one hurts the friends of Toro the Bulldog and gets away with it," said Toro, aiming his cannon.

Cortez looked up at Isabelle. "This is your chance to prove your loyalty, Isabelle!  Destroy that lizard-loving traitor!"

Isabelle scowled. "Destroy my brother?  Are you mad?  I would never destroy my own flesh and blood, Cortez."

Cortez's face darkened. "So, you turn on me as well.  Diamond Dogs don't leave the pack, Isabelle!  Not without facing the consequences!  ¡Hombres!  ¡Traiga mi repetidor del redstone!"

The Diamond Dogs immediately jumped to his request.  Cortez took off his vest, revealing criss-crossing bandoliers full of redstone.  Soon enough, the rapid-fire rifle was placed in his paws.

"Last chance, you ungrateful mutts!  Either return to the pack, or perish!" he barked.

Isabelle looked over at Toro. "¿Junto?"

"Junto," Toro said with a nod. "Señor Trigger!  Fire!"

A blast erupted from Toro's cannon while Isabelle tossed her lasso.  Several Diamond Dogs were scattered; many more were snared.  Cortez scoffed.

"Very well, lizard lovers.  I'll destroy you long before Seth does!  ¡Hasta luego!"

He fired his rifle at a rapid rate, pelting Khamshin with redstone.  The mighty antlion stood his ground, snapping his mandibles and petrifying any bullets he could.  Isabelle turned to Pepito.

"Vaya lo consiguen, mi amigo," she said.

Pepito blinked. "¿Qué?"

Isabelle deadpanned. "Seriously?"

"No, no serious.  Is joke," Pepito chuckled. "But next time, say in English.  I try to learn."

Isabelle smiled. "Very well.  Go get him, Pepito."

Pepito nodded and brandished his staple traps.  With a piercing shriek, he leapt from Khamshin's back and tossed one at Cortez.  The trap came down on Cortez's rifle, pinning it to the ground and jamming the mechanism.  Cortez grunted as he tried to pull his weapon loose.

"Flint, Steel!  Now!" Trigger called out.

"With pleasure," Flint said with a sneer.  He and Steel descended upon Cortez, breathing their flame.  Cortez flinched as the intense heat lapped at his fur, but strangely enough, he wasn't set alight.  He let out a laugh.

"Ha!  You missed!" he barked.

Trigger grinned and wrung his claws. "I'd look again, Diamond Dog.  Ehheh...  Ehheh..."

Confused, Cortez looked down upon his person.  Each piece of redstone in his bandoleers was glowing red hot.  His ears drooped, and all color drained from his face.

"Hijo de—"

Before he could finish his thought, a massive explosion propelled him skyward.

"¡Recordaré esto!" he howled, sailing over the horizon.

Flint snickered and dusted off his claws. "And that's why you never tell an angry dragon that you've got explosives on your person."


***


Seth let out an angry snort. "You haven't won yet, Lord Ember!  I can still crush you!"

He lunged right for Ember, who quickly sidestepped the charge.  The two fought back and forth, with Needles and Ocard keeping Temhkas busy.  In the middle of the fray, a weak, raspy laugh was heard.

"Got, it."

Ember turned towards the laugh, and her eyes widened.  Garble had crawled his way over to the scepter, and now held it within his claw.  In her moment of hesitation, Seth knocked her to the ground.  While Needles went over to heal her, Garble picked himself up, fighting against the pain from his burns.

"Now, I'm the Dragon Lord!" he rasped, holding the scepter over his head. "This is how it's meant to be, Princess Ember!  No ponies, no runts, no Magi!  Nothing can save you now!"  He pointed the scepter at her. "So, what should I make you do?  I know.  Kill that runt helping you!  Show her that dragons don't do friendsh—"

He was cut off by a string of explosions.  When the dust cleared, his entire body was covered in soot, and the scepter was gone.  Garble coughed.

"Ow," he moaned, falling back on his face.

Seth turned wildly towards Ember. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Ember smiled and shrugged. "You never said I had to bring the real scepter to the battle."

Seth sputtered. "Th-that's ludicrous!  That's the entire reason we're fighting, you whelp!  Where's the real one?!"

"Oh, I hid it," said Ember nonchalantly. "Somewhere where you will never—"

"Hey, Seth!  Look at this!"

One of the remaining Diamond Dogs emerged from the ground, brandishing another scepter.  Seth cackled and snatched it from his paws.

"Well well.  Looks like I'm victorious after all," he said.  He held the staff aloft and charged it with his dark magic. "All dragons, hear me!  It is time we abandon the weak and uphold the strong!  Anyone who stands against us will suffer!  Use your power to strike fear into the hearts of all creat—"

His command was interrupted by a series of explosions.  Once again, the staff in his claws had vanished in a burst of flame.  Seth clenched his fist in anger.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?!" he snarled.

"Yes, I do think that," said Ember. "It's amazing what you can put together with a bunch of redstone and some trick candles."

Seth towered over Ember. "I am losing my patience, Princess Ember!  Where is the real Bloodstone Scepter?!"

"Again, I hid it," said Ember, folding her arms. "You want it so bad?  Find it."

Seth snorted. "Diamond Dogs!  Dig through the area!"

Without Cortez to tell them otherwise, the remaining Diamond Dogs complied.  What they found astonished Seth.  There was an entire sea of scepters, buried just inches below the sand.  All of them had the same burning red stone at the head.  Ember gave Seth a smug grin.

"Well?  Go ahead," she said. "Just try not to destroy the real one, will you?"

Seth huffed. "If that's the way you wish to play it, fine!"

He took in a deep breath and coated all the scepters with his flame.  A veritable firework display was obscured by his fire breath, putting the rest of the Diamond Dogs out of commission.  When the smoke cleared, there wasn't one scepter left.

"There.  Now no one is Dragon Lord," he panted.

Ember raised an eyebrow. "Wow.  I didn't count on you being that petty.  Princess Celestia?"

"Yes?"

"Hand me my real scepter, would you?"

Celestia smiled. "Of course, Your Lordship."

Seth's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as he watched Celestia reach into her trunk and pull out the genuine Bloodstone Scepter.  His shock soon gave way to rage.

"Entrusting our sacred treasure, to a pony?!  You've gone too far, Princess Ember!" he boomed. "Temhkas!  Bring the scepter to me!"

Temhkas flew at Celestia, who held the staff with her magic.

"Time for a little game of keep away," she said. "Gilda!"

She tossed the scepter over to Gilda, who snagged it in her claws.  Temhkas immediately changed direction, setting its sights on the griffon ambassador.

"All yours, Little Strongheart!"

Gilda threw the scepter like a javelin, and Little Strongheart caught it in her mouth.  As Temhkas locked onto her, she tossed it into the air. "Flint!"

Flint snatched the scepter out of the sky, getting a quick rush of power from the staff's magic.  Despite his temptation, he looked over at Steel.

"Hey, Steel!  Catch!"

Steel caught the scepter and gave a whistle.  Before Temhkas could reach him, he threw it at Khamshin.  Khamshin caught the scepter in his mandibles and flung it skyward.  It was then Pepito who caught the staff.

"Señorita!"

He wasted no time passing the scepter to Isabelle.

"Big brother!"

She in turn passed it to Toro.

"Señor Trigger!"

Toro placed the scepter in Trigger's waiting claws.  He narrowed his eyes and took careful aim.

"Needles, my love!  This is for you!"

He chucked the scepter with all his might, and Needles managed to pluck it out of the air.  Both Seth and Temhkas shrank away from her.  Already, Needles could feel the power coursing through her veins.  Her own magic seemed to amplify the staff's power.  Seth backed away from her.

"N-no.  Please.  Don't make any orders," he begged. "Y-you can be Dragon Lord.  Your power far surpasses my own."

Needles stared down at Seth, as if thinking for a moment.  She then shrugged.

"Nah.  This ain't my bag," she said, turning to Ember. "Here, Your Lordship.  This belongs to you."

Ember smiled. "Thank you, my friend."

She accepted the scepter from Needles's claws.  Seth blinked, stunned by this exchange.  He then let out a sharp laugh.

"You fools!  Victory was right in your grasp, and you threw it away!" he jeered. "You could've ruled all of dragonkind with that power, yet you entrust it to this soft little whelp!  Now all I have to do is crush her, and I will become Dragon Lord!"

Needles smirked. "It ain't only strength that determines the victor, Seth.  Like it or not, you're still up a creek."

She then sat cross-legged and closed her eyes.  Golden light enveloped her body, and Ocard descended upon Temhkas.  It opened its claw to the darker fire elemental and whispered something in its ear.  Temhkas seemed to think for a moment.  It then nodded its head and took Ocard's claw.  Ocard turned to Seth and scowled.

"As I suspected.  This elemental you conjured was enslaved to your will through dark magic," it said. "But thanks to my conjurer Needles, I will free it from your spell."

Seth growled. "Impossible.  You're bluffing!  You still can't command me!"

"Wanna bet?" said Ember, holding her staff aloft. "Seth, Black Dragon of the Desert!  I command you to go back to the dark cavern from whence you came!  Stay there, and reflect on the pain you've caused to so many!  You are not to reemerge until you learned to accept change!"

Seth scoffed. "I refuse, Princess Ember.  And I will continue to refuse until the end of time!  You will never have any control over m—"

"You are free from his spell, Temhkas.  Do as you wish."

Seth cast his gaze skyward.  Temhkas looked down at him, its eyes full of righteous fury.  But it didn't roar or strike.  Instead, it calmly descended and wrapped itself around Seth's wrists and ankles.  Seth gasped.

"Wh-what's going on?!" he demanded. "Temhkas!  Stop this foolishness!"

But Temhkas paid him no heed.  It instead firmly held Seth's legs in place.  A pulse of fire radiated through Seth's body.  Before Seth could react, he found himself backing away.

"Wh-what is this magic?!  Wh-where am I going?!" he boomed. "I-I just said I will not obey you!"

"You heard my command, Seth!  Go back to your nest and don't come out until you can accept the reality of this world!" Ember bellowed.

Seth struggled and squirmed, trying to fight against the Dragon Lord's orders.  But Temhkas yanked him back, preventing him from rebelling fully.

"M-my magic!  I-I can't use my magic!" Seth cried. "This can't be happening!  I-I won't listen to you, Ember!  You can't make me!  I refuse!  You're not the boss of me, and you never will be!"

His mouth said one thing, but his body said another and he sank into the sand.  Ember gave Seth a firm glare.

"This is for your own good, Seth!" she barked. "Agree with me!"

"I-I must!  No!  Dragons won't be feared if I obey her, but...  I obey!  S-stop!  You can't do this to me!  You can't—"

The last of Seth's tantrum was drowned out by him sinking beneath the sand and vanishing into the shadows.  Ember let out a sigh and brushed some sweat from her brow.  Gilda blinked.

"D-did you just give that guy a time out?" she asked.

Ember shrugged. "He has to learn somehow.  Granted, I probably could've forced him to see things my way, but that wouldn't be fair."

"A wise decision," said Celestia sagely. "You are indeed fit to be Dragon Lord."

"You said it, Celestia!" said Gilda.  She flew up to Ember and socked her in the arm. "Way to go, Ember!  You did it!"

Ember rubbed her arm and chuckled. "Now that's a gesture I understand," she said, socking Gilda back. "And I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for all of you."

"Just doin' what the Dragon Magi do best," said Needles.

"Indeed."

Zin and Nova descended upon the others, smiling at Needles.

"The parable of the Delta Stream states that all perspectives have merit," Zin quipped. "In our efforts to repel Seth, we have lost sight of that.  Needles, you are indeed a great Dragon Mage.  We are both very proud of you."

Needles blushed. "Shucks, Pa.  Th-that's mighty sweet of ya."

"It's the truth," said Nova sweetly. "There is nothing more your father or I can teach you."

Needles sniffled and brushed a tear from her eye. "It was Lord Ember who came up with the whole plan, though.  I can't have all the credit."

"Maybe not," said Little Strongheart. "But you knew there had to be another way.  You helped Lord Ember when the Dragon Magi felt that they couldn't.  Be proud of that."

Needles smiled and nodded. "Y-yeah.  Guess I should start recognizin' my own worth."

"So, what now?" asked Steel.

"Well, we sent those teenage dragons packing," said Gilda.

"And Cortez's pack will have to focus on recovering their alpha," Toro added.

Ember surveyed the battlefield.  Indeed, all who once opposed her had fled.  The only one remaining was Garble.  She looked down upon him and smiled.

"I think it's time I show the Inter-Speices Conference what kind of leader I really am," she said. "Needles, think you can heal Garble up?"

"Sure thing, Your Lordship," said Needles.  She threw a star at him, which bathed his body in a healing glow.  Garble coughed and sputtered.

"Wh-what's going on?  What happened?"  It didn't take long for him to realize Seth was gone and Ember still held the Bloodstone Scepter.  He gulped. "Um, h-hey, Your Lordship!  I-I guess you managed to beat Seth!  Who would've thought you could do it, huh?  And, uh, that whole thing with me trying to scare you into giving me the Bloodstone Scepter, uh...  You know that was a joke, right?  Just, one of my little jokes?"

Ember deadpanned. "I'm not nearly as dumb as you, Garble.  You're coming with me to Canterlot.  There's something I need you to do for me."

Garble couldn't help but feel a sense of overwhelming dread. "Uh-oh..."

Celestia smirked and powered up her horn.  In a flash, most of the group disappeared.  The only ones left behind were Toro, Isabelle, Pepito, and Khamshin.  Zin and Nova turned to Toro.

"Thank you.  For looking after our daughter all this time," said Zin.

Toro smirked. "She's my partner, and she always will be, señor."

"What about me?" Isabelle asked with a pout.

Toro chuckled and placed an arm around his sister. "You're my partner too, Isabelle.  And you as well, Pepito."

"I very, um..."  Pepito flipped through his dictionary. "Hone-ard?  Wait, that no sound right..."

Isabelle and Toro shared a laugh as the sun completely disappeared over the horizon.