"This is the card I'm going to defeat you with."

"What!?" Multiple voices yelled, others too overcome by shock to respond.

"What!? Sweetie Belle, what the hay are ya thinkin'!?" Apple Bloom said. Babs was still in shock, and Spark's eyes widened.

No... Is it happening again... !? he thought, trying to get a rational explanation for this. Wait... It might be a bluff... I need to observe...

Sweetie Belle, however, smiled. Ha. Now i'll show them just how tough I can be!

"Wow!" Doctor O said. "Will the Crusaders' leader be able to actually pull this off!?"

"I don't think so." replied Mia, shaking her head. "She's either trying to psych him out or just really, really brave. She must have a damn lot of confidence to say that."

Rumble gulped. "O-Okay. Let's start this up!"

"Sure. Whatever. Can we stand up now?" Sweetie spat back, impatient. Rumble's eyes widened, before nodding and placing his hoof on his Starting Vanguard. His opponent did the same.

"Stand up..."

"Stand up-"

"-The-"

"-My-"

"-VANGUARD!!!"

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

"Stand up the vanguard!"

"Stand up my vanguard!"

The field burst into a bright glow, flooding Sweetie and Rumble's vision. They felt their surroundings melt around them, as they assumed the forms of their Vanguards. The area around them was a lush valley, illuminated by the night sky.

"Clawdia!" A silver High Beast wearing purple and pink armor purred like a cat. (G0/4000)

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" A green Dragonman wielding an axe appeared. (G0/5000)

Huh!? Where'd she get that card!? Spark thought, surprised. The set that unit in was discontinued before she even started playing... There were news of a reprint, but...

"And Sweetie Belle pulls out one of the rarest cards in the game!" Moondancer/Doctor O yelled, making Mia cover her ears. "As you all probably know, Clawdia is one of the oldest cards in the game! Its' set number is VZ/001EN, coming from the first-ever Trial Deck, which is out of print!"

"Huh? Nice!" Rumble said, smiling. "Now, you go first, right?"

"Right. Stand and draw." Sweetie Belle placed a card on top of Clawdia. "Ride! Knight Squire, Allen!"

Clawdia jumped back, and Sweetie Belle, in white armor and holding a glowing plasma blade, stepped forward. (G1/7000)

"I end." (Hand: 5)

"My turn, draw!" Rumble appeared on the battlefield. "Ride, Iron Tail Dragon (G1/7000)! Now, call! Demonic Dragon Mage, Kimnara (G1/6000)!"

Conroe jumped back, and Rumble suddenly erupted into flames, and was replaced by a small, red dragon. A purple dragon wearing a hood and multiple skulls appeared, holding a similarly-adorned staff.

(Kimnara) (IronTail) (RC)

(RC) (Conroe) (RC)

Hand: 4, Damage: 0

"Iron Tail attacks Allen!" The red dragon shot a small fireball at Allen. (POW: 7000)

"No guard." (Hand: 5, Damage: 0)

"Check! Gattling Claw Dragon, Draw Trigger! All to Kimnara, and I draw!" The fireball hit Allen, causing an explosion.

"Damage trigger... No trigger." Sweetie Belle winced as a copy of Soul Saver Dragon (G3/10000) flew to the damage zone.

"Kimnara attacks!" (POW: 11000)

"I guard with Epona!" Sweetie Belle placed a card on the Guardian Circle, blocking the attack. (Hand: 4, SLD: 17000)

"I end my turn." (Hand: 6, Damage: 0)

"My turn, stand and draw." Sweetie Belle slammed a card onto the Vanguard Circle. "STAND UP MY AVATAR! RIDE! BLASTER BLADE THE VANGUARD!!!"

A white pony-knight replaced the squire, causing a blue light to erupt from the ground surrounding him. (G2/9000)

"Oh yeah!" Rumble said, smiling. "This is where the real fun begins!"

"Whatever." Sweetie spat. "Clawdia's skill! I put her into the soul, and Blade gets 3000 Power! Now calling Marron behind!"

(RC) (BB) (RC)

(RC) (Marron) (RC)

Hand: 3, Damage: 0/1

"Boosted by Marron, Blaster Blade attacks!" Sweetie Belle assumed the form of the knight, and charged towards her opponent. (POW: 20000)

"Tch... No guard!" (Hand: 6, Damage: 0)

"Checking the drive trigger..." Sweetie muttered, unwittingly copying Spark's quirk. "Critical get! Future Knight, Llew! All to Blaster Blade!"

Sweetie/Blaster Blade stared the red dragon down, before jumping upwards. She landed on a runic circle, which propelled her towards Iron tail Dragon. In a flash, the fiery marauder was almost cut in half by the sheer power exuding from the blade as Sweetie Belle swung it. (POW: 25000, CRIT: 2)

"Damage checks..." Dragon Knight, Nehalem and Crouching Dragon, Striken (Both: G2/10000) flew to the Damage Zone.

"I end my turn."

"My turn, stand and draw." Rumble closed his eyes. "Ride! Prowling Dragon, Striken!"

A red light consumed the small wyrm, replacing it with a larger, black and red dragon that seemed to be asleep. (G2/10000)

"Now, Kimnara moves back, and call! Stand up in the face of adversity! Dragon Armored Knight!!!"

A blue knight wearing dragon-themed armor appeared, using a short sword. (G2/10000)

(DAK) (PD,S) (RC)

(Kimnara) (Conroe) (RC)

Hand: 5, Damage: 0/2

"Image it! Dragon Armored Knight attacks, boosted by Kimnara!" (POW: 16000)

"Epona guards." A filly riding on a giant golden beetle blocks the attack. (SLD: 19000)

"I end." Rumble muttered, gritting his teeth. (Hand: 5, Damage: 0/2)

All is proceeding as planned.

"My turn. Stand and draw." Sweetie Belle was suddenly surrounded by a blue aura, shocking everyone in the vicinity. "Enter the fray, King of Knights, and give me the strength to lead! RIDE! KING OF KNIGHTS, ALFRED!!!"

That aura... Spark thought, gulping. It's just as I feared...

A blue symbol resembling the Vanguard Circle appeard underneath Sweetie/Blade, and enveloped her with a bright light. Replacing the knight was the King himself, albeit also merged with his user. (G3/10000)

"Now, call! Margal, and..." Sweetie Belle grinned before revealing a card in her hand. "Palamedes."

"What!?" Rumble said, shocked.

"Sweets... What the...?" Apple bloom stuttered. Babs and Spark could only watch as their teammate placed it on a Rear-Guard Circle.

"WHAT!?" Scootaloo yelled, banging her hoof on the counter and catching passers-by's attention. Crud, is she really going to try and pull this off!? The idiot!

"Margal's skill. I put him in the soul, and give 3000 power to Palamedes. Then, I call Marron behind him, and Gallatin."

(RC) (KoK,Alfred) (Palamedes)

(RC) (LS,Marron) (LS, Marron)

Hand: 0, Damage: 0/1

"Alfred attacks!" Sweetie/Alfred lifted her sword using her magic, and charged towards Striken. (POW: 16000)

"Striken's skill! If an attack is unboosted, he gets 5000 Power! Also, I guard with Gattling Claw Dragon!" (SLD: 20000)

"One to pass, huh? First check..." Sweetie Belle revealed a card with a white and blue dragon."Second... Critical trigger! All to Alfred!" [POW: 21000 =GUARD BREAK= SLD: 21000]

"Tch... Damage checks..." Two units, Kimnara and Blazing Flare Dragon, were sent to the damage zone. (Damage: 0/4)

"Palamedes attacks, boosted by Marron." The red pegasus in dragonscale armor charged, his twin blades cloaked in fire.(POW: 21000)

"Damage check, draw trigger! I draw."

"I end."

"Wow, Sweetie Belle. You've improved. Not attitude-wise, but you've improved." Rumble said, grinning.

"Tell me something I don't kno-" Sweetie's retort was cut off by Rumble raising his hoof.

"But still not good enough to beat me. Final turn."

"What!?" Sweetie Belle yelped, surprised. The audience also had a similar reaction.

"I draw." Rumble smirked. "Burning dragon of Tartarus, descend onto this mortal plane once more! RIDE THE VANGUARD!!! SEAL DRAGON, BLOCKADE!!!"

A torrent of fire suddenly surrounded Striken. The small wyrm was suddenly replaced by a hulking, demonic beast covered in fabric that had magic runes imprinted on them. (G3/10000)

"Striken's skill, Blockade gets 5000 Power and an extra Critical!" The crowd gasped.

"Damn it... She doesn't have any cards left in her hand..." muttered Babs.

Sweetie, however, grinned to herself.

Just as planned. Now, my friends, show me the image of victory!

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

Author's Notes:

OOC Note: It can also be either Claudia or Cloudia, etc., since we don't have an official translation. We're going to be using Clawdia. I will also elaborate on the first ever Trial Deck's story sometime. Temporary name: VG-TD00: Evolving Sanctuary Swordsmen. Also, I changed 'Alen' to 'Allen', based on the EN translation, kay? Point out any further mistakes.

Apple Bloom: Sweets... What are you planning?

Babs Seed: W-What's happening!? Did she just... !?

Spark Light: ... Oh Celestia... Not again, please...

Apple Bloom: Oh mah stars, what the hell is happenin'!?

Sweetie Belle: Yay! I'm going to finish this next time! Next time on CFV - EA; Angeli ceciderunt, a gratia! This is my true power.

Scootaloo: Oh crud... What the hell have I done... !?