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

Scootaloo kept flying east.

She had heard of the kidnapping incident with Sweetie Belle. Yet she chose not to turn back, for the sake of her friend. She was currently somewhere near Manehattan. This would be a good place to hide. To hide from those she hurt because of her decisions. From her friends.

"Ah! Back in Ponyville! Ah wonder how cuz and the others are doin'?"

A brown mare trotted off the train, and onto the platform. She had a reddish-pink mane, and an apple core for a cutie mark. "Huh, what's that?"

She saw an old newspaper, with the illustration of a white mare with curly pink and purple locks for hair. Reading it, her eyes widened.

"Oh shoot." She immediately ran into Ponyville Plaza, bringing a small box of some sort.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had just bought a box of the new Expansion Set 04: Eclipse of Illusionary Shadows. Apple Bloom had been at first apprehensive due to the astonishing number of Shadow Paladin units, but Sweetie assured her that she wasn't scared of the Shadow Paladin units in the set.

Tearing the top of a pack off using her hooves, Apple Bloom said; "Hey Sweetie Belle, got any luck finding some rare cards?"

"Not yet, so far." Sweetie Belle said before tearing off the top of a booster pack using her magic. Flipping through the contents, she saw something that shocked her. "WHAT!?"

"Sweetie, what's the prob-Oh. Mah. Stars." Apple Bloom stared at the mint SP-Rarity unit, glowing with a crystalline shard design as the foil type.

Blaster Dark (G2/9000)

"No matter how many enemies I face, my determination will not waver! Thunder forth, Blaster Dark!"

"H-Hah..." Sweetie stuttered. "S-Should I k-keep him?"

"Ah... Don't know. It's yer card. And it's pretty dang rare..." Apple Bloom pondered, but was interrupted by the shop's doors opening, also making her flinch.

Sweetie felt a sudden surge of energy go through her. It felt uncomfortable, yet... So right. She shuddered.

"I..." She looked at the other Shadow Paladin cards she got. "... I t-think I'm want to try them out."

Apple Bloom's eyes widened, and then she yelled. "OH HELL NO!!! You aren't using those things on my watch!"

"But..."

"No buts! You know these things can cause pain to the opposing fighter-" Apple Bloom's rant was cut off by her... Earpiece beeping. When the beeping was done, she looked pissed. "Dammit! Ah have ta go get Babs at the train station! Do not touch those damned Shaladins 'til Ah get back!"

After saying this, Apple Bloom raced out of the shop. Sweetie Belle looked once more to the ever-increasing pile of Shadow Paladins.

"S-Should I...?" But... Apple Bloom said not to! the little pony in her head nickered.

I sAy Go FoR iT... said a demonic, rumbling voice. ThEy ArE tHe StRoNgEsT pAlAdInS...

But... Apple Bloom... My friends...

WhO tHe FrIcK cArEs AbOuT yOuR fRiEnDs!? screeched the other voice.

You do! She's your friend! She obviously wants what's good for you! the little pony in her head said, before suddenly disappearing.

But you said you wanted to get stronger, am I correct? said a new, masculine voice. If so, we are your ultimate salvation.

Sweetie felt a surge of power flow through, making her eyes glow deep violet. Her surroundings melted around her, leaving not even a speck of light in the ethereal mist surrounding her. She stared at the figures coming out of the mist, and one by one, kneeling before her.

We have the power you are seeking. One of the figures stepped forward, revealing himself to be Blaster Dark, making Sweetie Belle gasp. Dark hardened his gaze. Well? Are you willing to put behind past... Ah, squabbles, Mistress?

Sweetie Belle gulped. But... My Royal Paladins...

Dark smiled curtly before bowing. They shall be well taken care of. Are you willing to do it?

Will... Will I get stronger...?

Dark snorted. Of course, Mistress. Who do you think we are? We are, obviously, the darkness of the light, serving a far superior purpose. We. Are. Shadow. Paladin.

I'll... Do it. Sweetie extended her hoof, rather hesitantly. Blaster Dark accepted it, and gently put his hoof on hers. Her surroundings started to fade, with everything, including Blaster Dark slowly disappearing. Before he totally vanished, however, Sweetie Belle thought she saw a smirk on Blaster Dark's face.

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes, finding herself in possession of a deck of cards. Gulping, she looked at the top card. It was Blaster Dark. She turned to see her Royal Paladin deck, broken down into its key components, neatly in her card binder.

"W-What... Happened?" She was going to switch back to her Royals, but a hoof grabbed her from behind. Turning, she saw someone she didn't expect to see. Not until later.

"Hey, Sweets." Babs Seed greeted, with a grin on her face.

"Babs!" She hugged the Manehattan Crusader, before promptly letting go. "Wait, isn't Apple Bloom supposed to pick you up?"

Babs waved it off. "Meh. Anyways, what's this Ah hear 'bout yous getting kidnapped? You want me to go teach those fools a lesson?"

"Nah. They learned their lesson in the end." Sweetie said, voice dangerously monotone. She turned to Babs, with a blank expression. "Are you a strong cardfighter?"

"Duh! Ya dang well know Ah am!"

"Then prove it." Sweetie Belle levitated her her deck, showcasing Blaster Dark as the front card.

"Woah! Ya use a Shaladin deck now? What happened to yer Royals? Ah haven't hear from them since the tournament." said Babs, as blunt as can be.

"They're in my binder. I'll reassemble them later." Sweetie shrugged. "I kinda want to test this deck out. Wanna cardfight?"

"Hay yeah!" Babs said, a little too enthusiastically. They made their way over to the fight table, and put their Starting Vanguards faced down while doing the draws.

"Let's do this! Stand up..." Babs began.

"Stand up..."

"... my..."

"... the..."

"... VANGUARD!!!" They flipped their Vanguards over, letting a flare of light make their surroundings change into a rocky terrain, with no trees, at night.

"Dragon Egg!" A small, red dinosaur in an egg appeared. (G0/4000)

"Zappbau!" A blue dog with a dual cannon on its back appeared, growling. (G0/6000)

"Dang it, where the heck is Babs?" Apple Bloom muttered, before seeing the clerk with her bags. "Hey, you! Ya know where the owner of those bags is?"

"Are you Miss Apple Bloom? Babs described a mare of your details."

"Yeah. Unless this is a parallel universe of some sort."

"Then your cousin is at the local card shop. She said she had some business to attend to."

Apple Bloom pondered for a moment. Why would she need to go to a card shop? She found her answer, and old newspaper, on the floor. She saw the article about Sweetie's kidnapping on the front page. She made a realization.

"Oh shoot." Was all she could say before galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her back to Card Capital. It would be a long shot, but it was all she had.

Babs Seed's field (Current, attacking)

(Gigarex) (Deathrex) (RC)

(Dragon Egg) (Sonic Noa) (RC)

Hand: 3, Damage: 0/3

Sweetie Belle (Defending)

(Dordona) (Rugos) (RC)

(Charon) (Doranbau) (RC)

Hand: 4, Damage: 0/3

"With a boost from Noa, Deathrex attacks!" Deathrex charged at a black knight, who was wielding two swords. (POW: 23000)

"No guard." (Hand: 4, Damage: 0/3)

"Checking muh drive trigger! First check... Critical get! Power to Gigarex, and the extra Critical to mah Vanguard!" Deathrex's eyes glowed red, and one of his companions, a spike-armored golden dinodragon, roared. "Second check... No trigger."

"I damage check, first;" Sweetie Belle revealed Abyss Freezer. "Draw trigger! Power to vanguard, and I draw. Second, no trigger."

"Deathrex's skill! Ah retire Dragon Egg!" Babs grinned. "Ah'm sure ya know what happens next. Counterblast, and Dragon Egg is in mah hand! Also, Gigarex gets an extra 1000 Power!"

Sweetie Belle gritted her teeth. Damn, these Tachikaze units... I need to take her out as soon as possible...

"Now, Ravenous Dragon, Gigarex attacks at 16000 Power!" The lumbering beast shot a barrage of large, metal needles at Rugos.

"I guard with Freezer and Dordona intercepts!" A black pegasus pony and a green-haired knight took the attacks, both vanishing in a purple mist.

"Turn end!"

"My turn, stand and draw." Sweetie Belle grinned. "Final Turn."

"Say what now!?"

"I ride, the vanguard! Crashing through the darkness, bringing pain and despair!" Sweetie Belle said, levitating a card into the air.

"HOLD UP!!!" Apple Bloom burst through the shop doors, making Babs turn her head. "What's happenin'!?"

"Stand, DARK METAL DRAGON!!!" Sweetie Belle continued, eyes flashing a light lavender, slamming the card into the Vanguard Circle.

"WHAT!?" Apple Bloom yelled. "Yer usin' a dang Shadow Paladin deck!? Ah told you not to!"

"Oh chill, cuz." Babs waved her off. "It's just a deck. Nothin' wrong with it."

"At least Babs understands." Sweetie snorted, catching the two's attention. "After all, you use the same philosophy, right? Glory befits only those with power."

Apple Bloom and Babs' jaws dropped in shock. "Wait, what!?"

Sweetie Belle smiled. "What? It's true. Tachikaze units 'eat' their allies for power. Shadow Paladins use their worthless allies as a stepping stone to victory. Small difference, really."

"Sweetie Belle, what the hay are yous sayin'!?" Babs said.

"And you, of all ponies, callin' units worthless!?" Apple Bloom added.

"Well, let's finish this." Sweetie Belle's expression turned serious. "Shadow, the opposite of light. The power of Tartarus runs through you! CALL! MY AVATAR!!! "

"Your avatar!?" Apple Bloom yelled. "Ah've had enough of this crud! Ah'm takin' that deck!!!"

As Apple Bloom was about to take the deck, she got pushed away by... Sweetie Belle!?

"Don't you ever. Take. My. Deck." Sweeie Belle growled, eyes flashing a brilliant mix of violet and red. She turned back to Babs, who looked absolutely stunned. "My avatar rises!"

Sweetie Belle placed a unit on her Rear-guard, enveloping the card in a dark blue glow. "BLASTER DARK, THE REAR-GUARD!!!"

"Blaster D-Dark..." AB stuttered.

Babs snorted. "Your avatar? Fine. Let's see if this guy can finish me. Lemme tell you, Blaster Blade is the only thing that fits yous."

"Boosted by Doranbau, Dark Metal Dragon attacks!" (POW: 16000)

"Ah guard with Shieldon!" A dinosaur in a yellow barrier appeared in front of Deathrex. (SLD: 20000)

"Twin Drive check! First!" Sweetie revealed a copy of Abyss Freezer. "Draw trigger get! power to Dark, and activating Dark Metal Dragon's skill! Whenever I drive check a Shadow Paladin, he gets 2000 Power!" (POW: 18000)

"Say what now!?"

"Yep. It means that extra 10000 Shield is useless." Sweetie Belle revealed the second card. "Second check is a Critical Trigger! Critical to my vanguard and the power to Blaster Dark! Dark Metal's skill, by the way! He gets an extra 2000 Power since Grim Reaper is a Shadow Paladin! Feel the depths of despair, DARK METAL BREAKTHROUGH!!!"

Dark Metal Dragon slammed its sword on Deathrex, sending two damage at once to Babs' damage zone. (Damage: 5)

"Boosted by Charon, Blaster Dark attacks!" The black mage passed on his energy to Blaster Dark, with the knight gripping his weapon and charging towards the Tyrant Dinodragon. (POW: 27000)

Babs looked at her hand. She had Dragon Egg and Megarex as the only two cards with shield. Even then, it wouldn't be enough. "Dammit! No guard. Damage check, no trigger..."

"Looks like I win." Sweetie Belle said haughtily, but suddenly interrupted by an insanely painful headache. "Argh!!!"

The pain quickly became unbearable, to the point where she was going to black out. Before fading into unconsciousness, she saw the two other Crusaders yelling her name while holding her.

They were back at the place that started it all. What used to be a dingy clubhouse, now a futuristic living room, complete with a CV. It was Apple Bloom's pride and joy, aside from her custom-made MF Systems. She had also, built a medical bay, for the more dangerous Cutie mark quests. It had never been used, until now.

She was staring at an unconscious Sweetie Belle. "Dangit... Why'd you have to use that deck, Sweetie Belle?"

Having been told a rehash of what happened during the tournament, Babs was struggling to comprehend it. "Ah still can't believe it... That card she called her avatar... It was the one who hurt her! And why the hell did Scoots leave!?"

"Ah don't know the answer to all yer questions, but one thing's fer sure. We-" Apple Bloom was cut off by a groan coming from Sweetie Belle.

"Agh... Where am I? What the hay just happened?" Sweetie said groggily, rubbing her eyes. "Oh! Hi, Babs."

"Sweetie Belle! Are ya okay!?" Babs asked, shaking her.

"Whoa Babs!" Apple Bloom interjected, prying the two apart. "Let her rest."

"What happened, guys? Where's my Royal Paladin deck?" Sweetie asked, surprising the two.

"Huh!? Ah though you liked them Shala-" Babs was cut off by AB's hoof.

"They're over there." Bloom pointed to a neatly assembled Royal Paladin deck, with Blaster Blade as the front card.

Sweetie mumbled a 'thank you' and proceeded towards the deck, grabbing it and examining its contents. It was a little different from her deckbuild, but she wouldn't want to question Apple Bloom's deckbuilding skills. She had actually made the deck recipes for all of the Crusaders, based on their clans.

As Apple Bloom and Babs watched Sweetie go through her deck, Babs whispered. "What'd ya do with her Shaladin deck?"

"Ah hid it near the cabinet."

"Good."

"Uh, guys? Are we going back to the shop?" interrupted Sweetie Belle.

"Uh, yeah. Sure, let me just call mah family's butler guy." Babs rushed off to a corner, calling the same guy who carried her bags earlier using her iCrystalCom.

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle, worried. She didn't hear the white unicorn filly mutter something.

"I need to get stronger." Sweetie Belle whispered unknowingly, eyes glowing a deep violet. "Then Spark will finally respect me."

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

Author's Notes:

CrystalCom - Crystal Communication

Babs' family owns a company called "Apple Inc.", with AB's family owning 1/4 of the shares, since Apple Bloom helps design computers from time to time. Now you know where she got the needed magical crystals from in one of the earlier chapters. Why am I discussing this in a TCG fic? Meh.

EDIT: OHMYCELLY THE TITLE FAILS. I'M SORRY.