Not a romance fic. Dear God, No.

Please review.

Lack of Magic

The canyon's lave sizzled dully in the night; bright, smoky vapours rising up from smouldering ashes around the banks at the edges of the river-like trails of it. The sky above was black and starless; thick clouds blocking any moonlight.

A small pterodactyl-like creature scuttled hesitantly along the heated rocks, sniffing at the ground like a greyhound. It screwed its yes to a narrowed pair of slits and pattered over to a brownish shrub poking out from between two rocks.

Just as its beak touched the withered leaves, something bright and sparking slammed into the ground beside it. With a squawk of surprised the creature took off and flew away from it.

A growl echoed through the canyon accompanied only by the bubbling lava.

"Stupid pest..."

Standing nearby was a decidedly smallish figure clad in purple and white; a red jewel hanging simply from around his neck; orange skinned clutching a sceptre. A glistening gem glinted in the faint light as he turned, growling with the ferocity of a rhino, and stormed a little away from the lava banks.

There were times when Ripto was so peeved he'd attack anything for no real reason; hence the near barbecued flying runt he'd shot at. Snarling to himself, he turned around again and fired another ball of sparks at a nearby rock.

He watched with grim satisfaction as it burst into many pieces; a tiny smidge of his frustration ebbing away.

"Hm, So you're the cause of all this racket. I shouldn't be surprised."

A snide, slightly feminine voice sounded behind him. Ripto whirled around, ready to blast whoever it was to pieces until he actually saw who it was. His eyes narrowed and he lowered his sceptre with a slight growl.

The female dinosaur (quite taller than him, much to his chagrin) bearing a sceptre not unlike his own (only he could have sworn it looked like some kind of egg sometimes...) bearing a crown and a daft-looking neck piece over her blue scales scowled down at him. Her arms where folded and she was flanked by two brown, rhino-like henchman at her sides.

Ripto had met the Sorcerer more times than he'd like; first time being after her own defeat when he'd rammed into her while turning a corner. She'd despised his ill manners ever since.

How the two hadn't killed each other yet was a mystery.

"I'd appreciate t if the places near MY dwellings were occupied by your temperamental tantrums." She said, gesturing at him with her sceptre. Ripto sneered.

"You're one to talk, you bloated toad. Leave me be."

He turned away from her and fired at yet another rock- only to miss miserably. He clenched his small fists and fumed as her cackle rang behind him.

"Oh, what hilarity! Are you sure you wouldn't made a good Jester, Ripto?"

She spate his name with venom. He glared sourly over his shoulder as she continued. "MY magic wouldn't have missed so easily, runt. In fact-"

"YOU would have hit your OWN TOE." He hollered back, pointing a finger at her in fury, "Don't get me started on how many times YOU failed, Lady!"

She snorted indignantly, looking far beyond insulted. "How DARE you speak to me like that! I'll have you thrown into the lava for that!"

Ripto stepped back a little as her minions ever-so-slightly began shuffling towards him. He scowled and shot a fireball, knocking one of them over. He snorted.

"At least my idiotic henchman don't fall over like twigs..."

There was a silence, the two dinosaur magic-users glaring heated at the other. Finally the Sorceress turned away and huffed, glaring at a nearby rock. Ripto sneered and looked away as well.

This is stupid.

Anyway those lousy dragons could blast us both quicker than we ever could. Even a stupid BRAT like the purple one could do it better...

His grip on his sceptre tightened to the point where his orange knuckles turned white. Rage boiled within him once again and he shot at another rock, exploding it. The Soreness's henchman blinked at him in bewilderment.

"Would you stop it, you runt?!"

"NO!"

She fired a lightning blast at him. Eyes wide, he narrowly stepped out of the way; the bright light barely missing his nostrils. He glared at the other dinosaur venomously.

There was another pause. Then, with a growl, Ripto decided he didn't care who heard he reason for his boiling temper this evening. If she couldn't buzz off then so be it.

He turned his back on her and clenched his fists again, growling, "Why is it that PESKY, MEDDLING, EASY-GOING SAPS LIKE DRAGONS, are the ONLY reptiles capable of performing magic so easily?! WHAT MAKES THEM SO DARN SPECIAL?!"

Another innocent rock exploded.

"I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH THAT PURPLE PEST! GARGH!"

The henchman dived for cover as another blast sounded. The Sorceress rubbed her temples almost wearily. With a narrowed gaze she watched the other dinosaur by the banks, shoulders heaving; panting with rage.

"Don't get ME started We'll be here for the whole wretched night."

"SHUT UP."

"HMPH- Your just JEALOUS because my magic is stronger than yours, you pompous little ingrate!"

"Your magic is NOT stronger! Face it, you lack it just as much as ME."

The blue dino thrust her sceptre right between his eyes; nearly knocking him over as she thundered down at him:

"Never COMPARE Yourself to ME, Runt! I ruled the Forgotten lands for years while you barley had anything to BEGIN with!"

"That's only because I'm not LAZY like you are...overgrown hog..." He muttered this part to himself. Lucky for the smaller being she didn't hear.

She stormed a few yards away, fiddling with the end of her sceptre, glaring furiously at it.

As much as both would hate to admit it, they were stuck in the same situation. Maybe it was some cruel twist of fate rather than a blessing that they were capable of magic; that is, only a little. Barley any is worse than none at all in these cases.

Ripto had worked for years to muster up what magic he had and it was still not much of a match to even a child dragon- the species all dinosaurs despised above all else. Dragons were a tree to the shrub they were; carelessly throwing magic around like confetti.

WHY they had a smidge of magic in them was anyone's guess.

"I hate dragons." The Sorceress hissed. Ripto rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't have guessed. Thanks for filling me in. Now go away..."

"These are MY lands now, Runt." The Sorceress glared at him darkly, "You should be the one leaving!"

Ripto snorted as he looked around the bare-lava-stricken domain he was currently in. Lava was a natural sight for dinosaurs but it was nothing spectacular. A little bit of home, but that was about it. What she really meant was that these places were the only kind she and her minions could dwell without bothering heroic dragons anymore.

He crossed his arms and huffed to himself, glaring at the lava nearby. "You know I'd LOVE it if all the dragons just disappeared..."

"I tried that once. It Only made things worse."

Ripto allowed a small amount of questioning into his glaring look. She gave a sneer-like smirk.

When she didn't explain he shook his head and began storming away. He was about to turn the corner in the canyon before he looked back at the blue female and shouted:

"I'LL Be the FIRST to destroy them all- mark my words, Warthog!"

Her furious shout followed him as he stormed off.

"I'll take that as a BET, You runty little pipsqueak of a dinosaur!"

Whatever the outcome, maybe at least one of them would pull the dragons down a peg...