http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV25QVdVAZE

"Brutal Jack attacks!" Apple Bloom was fighting a cyan colt with glasses and a bowl haircut. She rested Jack, whoin turn shot a beam at a golden bug-centaur.

"I guard with Paralyze Madonna!" The colt, who was named Spice Dice, put a card with the same bug-centaur in the drop zone as he put another card on the Guardian Circle, making an insectoid pony appear and use its reflective spores to nullify the attack.

Sweetie Belle ignored the match as Apple Bloom sent a giant blue robot out to shoot the centaur with multiple lasers, sending a sixth card to the damage zone.

"And with that, Team Crusader wins their second round!"

"Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo! Did ya see me win!?" said her ecstatic teammate as she galloped to her friends.

"Yeah! It was awesome! And now, we get to advance to the semi-finals! Right, Sweets?" Scootaloo looked expectantly at he filly, who had a hollow look in her eyes.

"... What? Sorry, I didn't watch it." she said, shocking both of her teammates.

"WHAT!? How could you not watch it!?" Scootaloo continued to scold her, but she just blanked it all out.

Picture it in my mind, huh... How'd that colt do that? And what was that about me falling into the shadows...? And my friends think I'm strong... Right?

"SWEETIE BELLE!!!" Scootaloo yelled, only to be responded to by the filly blankly staring at her. "Are you even listening!?"

"Don't worry Scoot! It's okay that she didn't see mah win." Apple Bloom looked concerned. "Sweetie Belle, are ya feelin' off today? If you are, that's not a prob-"

"I'm fine! Do you ponies really think I'm that weak!?" she suddenly yelled, catching both her friends and Spark off guard. "... Sorry. That just came out."

"S-sweetie Belle, are ya sure yer okay!?" Apple Bloom said, even more worried.

"Yeah! We could always y-you know... Sub?" Scootaloo offered.

"... I'm fine. I just need a walk." Sweetie left the area, leaving two worried mares and an interested colt behind.

Somewhere back in Ponyville...

Twilight Sparkle had just finished ordering her sla- I mean, number one assisstant to go out and fetch some quills, when she heard the door knocking.

"Hello, who is it- Oh! Rarity, what brings you here?" she asked the mare, who's eye was twitching.

"Darling... Have you seen Sweetie Belle!? She isn't in the boutique,or at Sweet Apple Acres! What if she was kidnapped!. THIS IS THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!" Rarity pulled a couch from Celestia knows where, and pretend-fainted as Twilight just rolled her eyes.

"Applejack said she and the other Crusaders went to Canterlot. With a colt." Twilight said. Suddenly, thoughts of Canterlot burning and The Crusaders doing sketchy things crossed both their minds. "Oh buck."

"WHAT!? WHAT IF-"

"Applejack also said something about her sister competing in the VF Regionals, whatever that is."

"VF Regionals!? What sort of game is this!?"

Rainbow Dash suddenly burst through the library ceiling and said, "Anyone say VF Regionals!?"

"Rainbow Dash! Use the door!" Twilight scolded. "And what do you know about the "VF Regionals"!?"

"Well, let me explain the game first; Vanguard is a TCG created by Bushipone, which also created Weiß Schwarz and other games. Vanguard is the game where YOU, as the 'Vanguard', command an army of units to try and bring down the enemy's forces." Rarity and Twilight's jaws dropped at the detailed explanation, provided by the team's 'arrogant jock with a heart of gold' kind of pony. "The Vanguard himself only has two powers; One, to call allies to battlefield, as the Vanguard is useless without them. The second is to perform 'Drive' or 'Damage' checks, which can change the fate of the battle itself."

"H-how'd you know so much about a trading card game?" Twilight asked. "And since when did you use words like that!?"

"Read the manual." Rainbow Dash shrugged, causing Twilight to groan and facehoof.

"Anyways, what does this all have to do with Sweetie Belle!? And that dirty colt!?"

"She's competing in the tournament, and that 'dirty colt' who actually doesn't give a buck about her, or socializing at all, is her teammate." Rainbow Dash explained.

"Then what the hay are we waiting for!? Let's go to Canterlot! I already have the tickets!" Rarity said, levitating three tickets.

"Huh. Well that was a Deus Ex Machina." muttered Rainbow.

"What?"

"Uhh... Nothing!"

"Hiya guys!" said a random pink pony behind Dash.

"GAH! Pinkie!? Are comi-"

"Silly Dashie, of course! Let's go get Fluttershy now!" The hyper pink pony bounced off. "And don't worry, I'm paying for me and Flutters' tickets!"

"This day just keeps getting better and better..." Rarity mumbled.

Meanwhile, back to our heroine, who's wandering in the lobby...

"Hey Sweetie Belle!" A familiar voice chimed.

Sweetie turned to see a certain orchid filly, who was trotting towards her. "Dinky!? What are you doing here!?"

"Oh! We're competing." Dinky just smiled at Sweetie's shock.

"But I thought you didn't make it!" Dinky shook her head.

"There were last minute qualifiers. Too bad, you couldn't see my match since you were busy with yours." Dinky pointed at the screen. "Well, at least you can watch our team leader's match."

Sweetie Belle turned and saw a shocking sight. Rocket Blaze and Midnight Storm were fighting, with Midnight using a black knight with twin swords as his vanguard, and Rocket having a giant blue robot with a golden and red shield in one hand, sword on the other.

"Daiyusha attacks at 22000 Power and 2 Critical, boosted by Daisy!" The Robot charged, its sword gathering energy.

"This is boring." Midnight sighed. "I guard with Dark Shield, Mac Lir."

"Grrr... Turn end."

"My turn, stand and draw!" Midnight smiled at Rocket and said. "Final Turn."

"What!?" said Dinky, Sweetie Belle and Rocket at the same time.

"Cleave everything, darkness that is the rightful ruler of the Sanctuary! Ride the vanguard! The Dark Dictator!" A blast of darkness covered the knight, leaving nothing as it dissipated. Suddenly, a shadow rose to its feet. And it was... KING ALFRED!?

"WHA!? Isn't that the King of Knights!?" Sweetie said, shocked at the armor's dark gray color and lifeless eyes.

"No. That's The Dark Dictator, a mere copy of the King." Dinky explained. "He was created through black magic, by some sort of demonic dragon."

"Also, his skill activates! Open the gates of Tartarus, and release the souls of the damned! CHAOS ENERGY BREAK!!!"

"My front row rear-guards get Power +5000, and The Dictator himself gets Power +2000 for every Shadow Paladin rearguard!" The Dark Dictator's power went up to 20000, signifying his extreme similarity to the King.

Shadow Paladins... Sweetie Belle pondered. ... They look strong...

"Now, The Dark Dictator attacks!" The demonic pony-king swung its dark blade at the root.

"Guard, Diamond Ace!"

"Trigger check..." Midnight revealed a card with a black eagle. "Death Feather Eagle. All effects to my Avatar."

This surprised Sweetie Belle, as there were no units on the field, only pitch black.

"Charon boosts Rugos, attack Daiyusha." Midnight was pointing at the blue robot.

"Tch... Guard with Justice Cobalt!"

"Finally... Crush light into nothingness, my avatar! Awaken from the shadows, Blaster Dark." As these words were uttered, a totally black version of Blaster Blade appeared, wielding a different sword.

"WHAT!?" Sweetie Belle yelled, startling Dinky. "They even have their own Blaster!?"

T-this clan... the similarities to my own Royal Paladins... Even a Blaster... Could it be...?

"Blaster Dark attacks."

"N-no guard." The top two cards of his deck were sent to the damage, none of them a Heal Trigger, completing the set of six.

"Well, you lose. Ta-ta, weakling!" And with that Midnight returned to his teammates, the annoying bully duo.

"And with that, Team Foo Fighter PSY crushes Team Justice!"

Rocket came out of the room, and seeing Sweetie and Dinky, "Hey there! Long time no see. I've seen you've learned how to control Garmore?"

"Hehe... Well, not yet."

"Okay! Anyways, what to do next?"

"Well, you can start by getting stronger." said a filly behind him. It was a light yellow pegasus with a bright lavender mane.

"Alula!?" Dinky said, surprised. "Why are you here!?"

"You know it, and it's none of your concern. And you," she glared at Sweetie Belle. "I won't forgive anyone who calls Diamond-neechan those mean things."

As the filly turned away, she gulped.

I think I just made a very bad enemy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BO5dGJlhuL8