Cardfight!! Vanguard - Equestria Arc

by Arthur Derpmanson

First published 24th of April, 2013

Cardfight!! Vanguard and ponies. What else could you want?

This story takes place in Equestria, in the near future, where technology has improved and card games are part of daily life. However, none have been as successful as Cardfight!! Vanguard. What is Vanguard you ask? Let's see as three fillies answer that question...

AU Side Story - My Little Enigman: The Silver Hope (by KamenWriter, my badass editor.)

Now with a TV Tropes Page. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/CardfightVanguardEquestriaArc
(My first fic, this is. I DO NOT OWN THE COVER ART, MMKAY?)
(EDIT#2: Added Teen tag for a little violence and blood later on.)

Ride 000 - Prologue

Picture it in your mind. A world just like our own!... Except that there are dragons, dinosaurs, aliens, robots, walking plants, demons and angels, among others. Now, imagine a castle in the middle of nowhere. Done? Good. Now take a peek inside.

There seems to be some sort of meeting. You see a hulking dinosaur that has a toaster-like head, a red dragon with a sword, a pony clad in white armor, another clad in black, and a few oddities like mermaids and vampires. You see the black knight-pony stand up.

“Serve the Shadow Paladins! We offer you victory!” he says. ”There will be sacrifices, but that is inevitable in war!!”

“No sacrifices must be made. We can all work together to banish the Void.” All eyes in the room turn to the white knight.

“Ha! Your petty bonds of ‘friendship’ amuse me, Blaster Blade!” says the black knight. “This is war! ‘Friendship’ has no place in the battlefield!”

"You may think so, but remember, that was the same ideology that prevented you from wielding the sword of li-“

"Silence! How dare you mention that?!" yelled the black knight of shadows.

"I only state what is true." says the knight that was called 'Blaster Blade'. " The sword of light and courage does not pick cowards and traitors."

"BUUUURRRRNNN!" yelled the red dragon. Everpony glared at him. "What?"

"As I was saying earlier, I offer you victory in exchange for servitude." says the black knight. "Any objections?"

The white pony-knight and a multitude of others raise their hooves, claws, well, you get it.

The black pony-knight looks genuinely angry now. " You... Royal Paladin scum..... You dare oppose me!?" The group called 'Royal Paladin' is about to retort, but is cut off by the dark knight. "Let us settle this on the battlefield, scum!" And with that, the black knight storms out, and a group of creatures that also have black armor go with him.

Everypony in the room looked at the white knight. He then stands up and clears his throat.

"I assure you I will knock sense into that knight's head, everypony." he states. "Royal Paladins! Prepare yourselves for war!"

"... And that's how Canterlot was founded." said a magenta earth pony. "Any questions, class?"

Nopony raised their hooves.

"Ok then. Announcements! Congratulations, Sweetie Belle! You got an A+ on the math test! Keep up the good work!" said the magenta pony. "I'm sure your sister would be proud!"

"Thanks Miss Cheerilee!" squeaked the filly known as Sweetie Belle. She was a white unicorn with a purple and pink mane styled in curls.

"Anyway, Silver Spoon, you got an A-! Good work! said Cheerilee. "Study harder, and maybe next time, you can pass Sweetie!"

The gray earth pony filly called Silver Spoon simply pouted and glared at Sweetie Belle.

"Anyway, most of the class passed! Except for a few. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, you have detention."

A certain orange pegasus and a yellow earth pony groaned. At the opposite side of the class, a pink filly was smiling maliciously at them. The bell rung afterwards.

"That's all! Class dismissed! Scootaloo, Apple Bloom you will stay behind." said Cheerilee.

Most of the class packed their stuff and went home, except for three certain fillies.

"See you later, blank-flanks!" said the pink filly "You deserved it!"

"Yeah! What DT said!" yelled Silver Spoon. "You get that for not studying!"

"Girls!! That's a very mean thing to say!" scolded Cheerilee. "Honestly, why can't you all get along..."

"Let's bail, Silvy." said 'DT'. "These blank-flanks aren't worth our time."

"Yeah, you got that right." said Silver Spoon, as both walked out of the classroom.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom just sat on their chairs, facing their desks with a look of anger and frustration. Cheerilee just sighed, and said, "Girls, I'll be getting your supplementary tests. Stay here." She then left the room, shaking her head and mumbling something.

"Uhh... Hey Scoots, AB." Both turned to look at the forgotten filly.

"Hey Sweetie! Aren't you supposed to be out now?" asked Apple Bloom, the yellow filly with a bow.

"Yeah, but I wanna play with you guys!" said Sweetie Belle. "Why'd you fail the exam anyway?"

"It's 'cos me and Scoots here stayed up all night crusading!" said Apple Bloom. "Ain't that right, Scoots?"

"Yeah, I really thought we'd get our cutie marks in spying..." said the orange filly known as Scootaloo. "But we'll probably get it next time, right?"

"You guys! You went crusading without me again?" squeaked Sweetie.

"Sorry, but you never have the time to anymore!" retorted Scootaloo. "You're always too busy studying!"

"It's because I want to impress Rarity!" replied Sweetie anxiously. "And besides, we've tried everything, and we still haven't gotten them!"

"Okay, okay. Yeesh. How about we meet up at the playground later? Deal?" asked Scootaloo.

"Deal!" said the two other fillies.

"Well, see you later guys!" she said as she picked up her saddlebags and left. Once she was in the hallway, she felt a sudden blast of cold air, even though the windows were closed. Dissmissing it, she went outside and immediately ran home, leaving her saddlebags near the door and yelling a bunch of stuff about waiting at the playground for her friends. She immediately got scolded by her sister for yelling, but let she her back out eventually.

She ran to the playground as fast as she could, but when she got there, she saw nopony but the two bullies, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

"Hey DT, look! It's the blank-flank again!" said Silver Spoon. "What are you doing here, huh?

"Yeah, don't tell me you *gasp* live here!" sneered Diamond Tiara. "Oh, is the little blank-flank also a homeless pony? Here, have some bits!" she said as threw a few of the golden coins at Sweetie.

"Just leave me alone!" shouted Sweetie Belle. "Stop bullying me, please!"

"Bullying? You call this bullying? THIS is bullying!" said Silver as she swung her hoof at Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie closed her eyes, anticipating the blow, but it never came. Slowly opening her eyes, she sees (much to her shock) an older colt with a green mane and white coat holding Silver Spoon's hoof.

"What do you think you're doing?" the mystery colt asks them coldly. "I won't tolerate bullying in this playground!"

"W-why do you c-care anyway? It's n-none of your b-business!" stammered Diamond Tiara.

"Yes, yes it is. Now get out of here before I call your parents on you, Diamond Tiara was it? I'm sure your father, Filthy Rich, won't be proud of the fact that his daughter became a delinquent!" said the mystery colt, smirking.

"Y-you wouldn't d-dare!" she said, her eyes widening in horror.

The mystery colt turns around for a bit, and then he turns around with a cellphone in hoof. "Hello? Is this the Rich residence?"

"S-Silver Spoon, w-we're totally o-out of here!" she stammered.

"But DT-" she began, but was interrupted by Diamond.

"No buts! Let's get out of here!" she says, and they ran away faster than you can say 'Twilight Sparkle'.

"Hey, you alright there?" says the mystery colt. Sweetie nods.

"T-thanks for your help." said Sweetie Belle. "Why'd you help me anyway?"

"Ummm... that's confidential... anyway, let me tell you something." said the colt as he brought out a card with an illustration of a white pony-knight. "See this card?"

Sweetie nods. "This guy is a knight of justice and bravery. He's the defender of the weak. A knight in shining armor.

"He has power, but he uses it for good." he said. "Now, I want you to be like him. If you have power, don't abuse it, unlike those two fillies a while ago. Take this card as a reminder of that. See you in the Vanguard Fight Championships! Hope I get to cardfight you!"

Sweetie took the card in her hooves and looked at it. The knight was wielding a sword that she could've swore saw somewhere.

"Hey, thanks for every-" she began, but when she looked up, the colt wasn't there anymore.

"Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle!" she turned and saw the rest of the Crusaders galloping towards her.

She hid the card from view in her saddlebags. "Uh... Hey girls!"

"Let's go build a fort!" said Apple Bloom. "Maybe we can get our cutie marks in building!"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FORT BUILDERS YAY!!!" said the two fillies, one of them with a little bit less enthusiasm, though. "Let's go!"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo immediately ran towards the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, but Sweetie stayed behind.

She took out the card and saw a bunch of text and wierd purple symbols. She looked down to see the name of the card.

"Sweetie Belle! Are you coming or not!?" yelled Scootaloo from somewhere.

"I'm coming!" she yelled. She took one last look at the card, put it in her saddlebags, and ran after her friends.

That card's name was pretty weird though. she thought. What kind of a name is Blaster Blade?

Ride 001 - Stand up, my Avatar!

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

Three years later...

“Miss Belle, are you listening?”

“Huh?” She looked pretty much the same, albeit taller and having a pink heart with an eighth note on her flank(s). “Oops, sorry about that, Professor Star.”

The teacher raised her eyebrow. “Miss Belle, is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class?”

"No ma'am." said Sweetie Belle, rather unenthusiastically.

"Ok then. Continuing in our lesson, class, please turn to page 231 in the Encyclopedia of..."

Sweetie Belle just looked out the window, which was right next to her seat. She didn't know why, but it seemed her brain refused to listen to a middle-aged mare ramble on about Celestia knows what. Not that it mattered of course. Sweetie still got decent marks.

"... And the reason the earth pony slaves decided to revolt was because-" the teacher began.

"They were sick and tired of not being treated equally, and the fact that they were sold around like objects." Sweetie unknowingly continued.

Everypony looked at her in surprised.

"I-I did some advanced r-reading ok?" stuttered Sweetie nervously. She hated being the focus of everypony.

The teacher smiled a bit. "Like Miss Belle said, the slaves revolted due to inequality and the absence of their rights..." the teacher continued.

Sweetie then looked out the window again. She spaced out, and stayed that way until the bell rung.

"Ok then, class dismissed!" hollered Professor Star.

Sweetie sighed. Finally. She thought. Class is over.

She packed her saddlebags quickly, and went for the door, but two colts blocked her way, also knocking her down.

“Hey! Watch it!” said one of the colts. He was pretty buff unicorn, and his cutie mark’s a fireball. “What the buck do you think you’re doing?”

“Uhh… I’m sorry, I’ll just get my saddleba- what are you doing!?” Sweetie said, annoyed, as one of the colts poked through her saddlebags.

“Huh? What’s this- Oh look! A card! Recognize this, Heat?” said the skinny one with a drum for a cutie mark.

“Pfffft. Of course I do. I’m the strongest cardfighter out there.” said the red unicorn colt called ‘Heat’.

“Hey! Give that back! That card’s mine!” said an anxious Sweetie. The colts realized that this card was important to her.

“Oh? This is yours?” said ‘Heat’. “Well too bad. This thing’s mine now!” and with that, both colts proceeded to run away.

Sweetie went after them, of course. She tailed them without a hitch. Perfect. She thought as she hid behind a tree. They don’t even know I’m here.

She saw them go near some sort of shop, and of course, she followed them inside.

She wasn’t expecting what she saw.

There were posters of dragons, robots and some rather unidentifiable stuff around her, tables, and boxes that seemed to be full of small plastic packets.

“Welcome to Card Capital!” said an unfamiliar, cheerful voice. Sweetie turned to look at a stallion that had dark green hair. “My name’s Card Keeper and I’m the manager here!

“Uh... Hi! My name’s Sweetie Belle! Have you seen two colts, one with a fireball for a cutie mark, and one with a drum for a cutie mark?” she asked.

“They’re over there!” said the manager cheerfully, pointing toward a table where, sure enough, the two thieves were playing a game with a green-maned earth pony colt with a white coat, and three yellow-orange stars as his cutie mark.

“My vanguard attacks.” Said the mystery colt as he flipped the top card of his deck and added it to his hand. “Drive check. Nothing there.”

“Darn it!” said the other colt angrily as he revealed the top card of his deck and put it to the lower left side of the table. “Nothing there. I lose.” He gave Sweetie’s card to the stranger.

“Hey! Give me back my card!” yelled Sweetie, annoyed as she turned to the green-maned colt. “Sorry, but that’s mi-“

“No.”

“What?” said Sweetie, shocked. “But that’s my-“

“No. What’s lost in a cardfight can only be regained through a cardfight.” Said the colt unenthusiatically.

"O-Ok then…. Will you fight me?” Sweetie asked. This left the two colts from earlier stunned. How did this teenage mare know how to cardfight?

“Ok then. I assume you know the rules?” said the colt with a hint of disinterest. “Or do I have to teach you?”

“I-I know how to play the game, even if a little, thank you very much.” stammered Sweetie as she sat down. She was pretty nervous since it was actually her first fight. “ But I’ll need that card back to make my deck 50 cards.”

“Ok then. Bring out your Starting Vanguard.” He said as he threw her the card, which she put in her deck, and both of them put a card face down on both their respective play mats and shuffled their decks.

“Draw five.” Both said, surprisingly in sync.

“I’ll redraw two.” said the colt as he put two cards from his hoof on the top of his deck, shuffled it, and drew two more cards.

“I redraw three.” said Sweetie Belle as she put three cards from her hoof to the-well, you get it.

“Ready?” the colt asked. Sweetie nodded.

“Stand up…” both began

“…the…” the colt added.

“…Vanguard!” both said in unison as they flipped the two card on their mats.

“Stardust Trumpeter!” said Sweetie as a pegasus filly with a red mane holding a trumpet appeared.

(RC) (Stardust Trumpeter) (RC)

(RC) (RC) (RC)

Hand: 5 Damage: 0

“Lizard Runner, Undeux!” said the colt, as a small red dragon with twin laser swords appeared.

(RC) (Lizard Runner, Undeux) (RC)

(RC) (RC) (RC)

Hand: 5 Damage: 0

“My turn! I draw!” he said as he drew a card. “I ride Embodiment of Armor, Bahr! (G1/Power 8000) he said as he place a card in the Vanguard Circle, making the dragon change into a demon clad in blood-red armor wielding a sword. “Turn end.”

Hand: 5 Damage: 0

“My turn! Draw!” Sweetie said, as she drew a card. “I ride, Little Sage, Marron, (G1/Power 8000) and I call Knight Squire, Alen behind him! (G1/Power 7000)” As if on cue, the filly changed into a blonde unicorn holding a tome, and behind him appeared a colt with a glowing sword.

(RC) (Marron) (RC)

(RC) (Alen) (RC)

“Alen boosts! Marron attacks Bahr!” she said as she rested both cards.

“No guard.”

“Drive check! Nothing there.” she said as she revealed a card that had the illustration of a blue dog with wings for ears and added it to her hand.

“Checking the damage. Draw trigger!” he said as he revealed a picture of a red mare dancing. “Power +5000 to Bahr and I draw a card!” (Hand: 6)

“Turn end.” (H: 4 D: 0)

“My turn. Draw.” He said as he drew a card (H: 7). “Ride, the vanguard! Dragon Knight, Nehalem! (G2/Power 10000)” as he said this, ‘Bahr’ turned into a knight in navy blue, who jumped on top of a humongous dragon. “I call.” Three cards fell on the mat.

(Nehalem) (Nehalem) (Nehalem)

(RC) (Bahr) (RC)

H: 3 D: 1

“My rear-guard Nehalem attacks your vanguard!”

“I guard with Wingal (Shield: 5000)!” said Sweetie as she placed a card that had the blue dog on the circle between both their mats, AKA the Guardian Circle, then to the drop zone beneath her deck.(H: 3)

“My vanguard attacks! Checking the drive trigger!” he said as he pulled a card that had a weird dragon-pony thing with a yellow mark on the top left. “Critical get! Power +5000 to my rear-guard, and the extra critical to the vanguard!”

“Damage check, first, no trigger. Second, no trigger.” Sweetie said as she sent the top two cards of her deck to the left side, AKA the Damage Zone. (D: 2)

“My rear-guard attacks at 15000 power!” the colt said, eyes blazing.

“I guard with Epona (Shield: 10000).” said Sweetie calmly as she placed a card with an elven filly on a gold beetle on it in the drop zone. (H: 2)

“Turn end.” (H: 4 D: 1)

“My turn. I stand and draw. (H: 3) I ride Knight of Silence, Gallatin! (G2/ Power 10000)” Sweetie said, and ‘Marron’ suddenly changed into a purple pony with a spiky mane and a bandanna that covered his eyes holding a sword. ”I call! Gallatin! Marron! Wingal! (H: 0)

(Gallatin) (Gallatin) (RC)

(Marron) (Wingal) (RC)

“Marron boosts, and my rear-guard Gallatin swings at you for 18000 power!”

“I don’t guard. Checking the damage, no trigger. (D: 2)

“Wingal boosts, and Gallatin attacks at 16000!”

“No guard.”

“Drive check! Critical trigger! All effects to the vanguard! (Power 21000, Critical 2)” (H: 1)

“Checking the damage once. No trigger. Twice. No trigger.” he said as he sent the top two cards of his deck to the damage zone. (Hand: 4 Damage: 4)

“Turn end.” (H: 1 D: 2)

“My turn. Stand and draw. (Hand: 5)” He said. He looked at the card he drew and grinned. “Ride the vanguard! Crimson reaper of the apocalypse, reduce all to ashes, my avatar!! DRAGONIC OVERLORD (G3/11000)!!!"

At the same time he said these words, he slammed a card down on Nehalem. The knight was enveloped in a maelstrom of flames, which was slashed in two by a giant flaming saber, giving full view to the hellish red dragon that wielded it. (Hand: 4)

“D-Dragonic O-Overlord!?” stammered Sweetie Belle as she looked at the ace of the clan she was facing against, ‘The Heat Haze’, usually known as Kagero.

“Dragonic Overlord’s Counterblast! Give rise to the crimson wind of the apocalypse! ETERNAL FLAME!” he yelled as he flipped three cards face down in his damage zone. “Overlord gains Power +5000!”

Overlord’s wing suddenly burst into flame, sparks shooting everywhere. His sword also started to glow, albeit in magenta. “Call! Bahr!”

(Nehalem) (DO) (Nehalem)

(Bahr) (Bahr) (RC)

Hand: 3 Damage: 3 flipped, 1 unflipped.

“Dragonic Overlord attacks your rear-guard Gallatin at 16000!”

“N-No guard!” says Sweetie Belle, still shaken a bit since, after all, this card was pretty strong.

“I lose Twin Drive!! since I used Eternal Flame, so, drive check! Draw trigger! Power to Overlord! (Power 21000)” (Hand: 5)

“Huh? Why’d you give the power to Overlord?" asked Sweetie Belle as she put Gallatin into the drop zone, puzzled. Overlord was done attacking, so why’d he give it to him? Unless-

Sweetie’s eyes widened in realization as the colt gave her a look of amusement.

“You guessed it. Dragonic Overlord, Eternal Flame!” he called, and Overlord moved back to the Stand position. “Dragonic Overlord attacks the vanguard with a boost from Bahr! (Power 29000)"

“I-I don’t guard!”

“Drive check! Critical! Power to my Nehalem on the left, and extra critical to Overlord!” (Hand: 6)

Sweetie looked in horror as Overlord unleashed a torrent of fire from its maw directed at Gallatin. To her horror, the flames hit Gallatin and cause an explosion.

“I-I d-damage check…” she says, sending the top card of her deck to the drop zone, and when she’s about to put the second one, a red sign on its top left glows red. “I got a draw trigger! Power to Gallatin! (Power 15000)” (Hand: 1 Damage: 4)

“Bahr boosts, Nehalem attacks at 23000 with the help of a trigger!”

“No guard.” As she calmly places the top card of her deck into the damage zone. (D: 5)

“I can’t attack with my other Nehalem, so that’s the end of my turn.” he sighed.

“M-My turn! Stand and draw!” she stammered. This is the end she thought. I’m going to lose that card now… “Huh?” She looked at the card she drew. Her eyes widened, she looked up, smiled and said, “Looks like I win.”

“Hmmm?” the colt says, amused.

“Stand up, my avatar! The light that defends the weak! Ride, BLASTER BLADE!!!” she yelled, as she slammed down a card with an illustration of a white pony-knight, making the colt’s eyes widen. (H: 1 Damage: 5)

“Blaster Blade’s Counterblast! Pinpoint Burst!” she said as she flipped 2 cards in her damage zone face down, and one of the colt’s Nehalems (the one on the right) was sent to the drop zone. “I call, Knight of Loyalty, Bedivere!”

(Bedivere) (BB) (RC)

(Marron) (Wingal) (RC)

“I attack with Bedivere, boosted by Marron! Bedivere’s skill gives him an extra Power +3000, making the total Power at 21000!” Sweetie says.

“I guard with Tahr and Monica! (Shield + Overlord’s power: 26000)” he says. (Hand: 3)

“I attack with Blaster Blade with a boost from Wingal! Wingal’s skill activates! Blaster Blade gains Power +4000!!” she squeaks, something that hasn’t happened for a while.

“I guard with Gojo and Aermo!" (Shield + Overlord’s power: 21000)

“I believe that this deck will lead me to victory! Drive check!” she said, feeling a lot more confident. She drew the top card and her eyes widened. She just smiles and reveals the card. The card’s name is Future Knight, Llew. “Critical GET!!! ALL EFFECTS TO BLASTER BLADE!!” she squeals in delight.

“Wait, there’s still a possibility of me pulling a heal trigger, don’t forget.” The colt says rather calmly.

Sweetie’s mood instantly deflated. “G-Go on, d-damage check.”

“Checking the damage, first, none.” he says as he bites his lip. “Second. None.”

The white knight known as a Blaster Blade swung his sword and slashed Overlord in a wide arc, causing the flame dragon to stagger and fall, eventually dissolving into a bunch of red sparkles.

Everypony in the vicinity was stunned speechless at the intense cardfight’s conclusion.

“I-I won… I actually won...” Sweetie mutters to herself, shocked.

The colt packs up his deck turns to leave and says, “Keep the card. Next time though, the outcome will be different.”

“Wait! At least give me your name so we can fight again sometime!” Sweetie yells almost desperately, to her own surprise.

“My name is…” the colt says. “Spark Light.”

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

Ride 002 - A Visit

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

Three days. It had been three days since that cardfight. Sweetie couldn’t help but feel concerned since Spark Light hadn’t come back to the shop since the fight. Could he be angry that he lost to a filly? Nah, that would be way out of character for him. Not that Sweetie knows that, of course. To take her mind off things, she decided to pay her dear friend Apple Bloom a visit. They hadn’t seen each other for months, so this was a good time for that.

“Rarity! I’m going to Sweet Apple Acres to visit Apple Bloom, okay?” she said as she got her deck.

“Okay! Just come back before dark- AAAGH!” screamed her sister as Sweetie heard a loud crash. Sweetie shuddered and ran outside, heading for Sweet Apple Acres.

Twenty minutes later…

Sweetie was gasping for breath. She had finally reached her destination. Who knew that Raindrops could get that mad? she thought. Well, at least I’m here.

She saw an orange pony wearing a cowmare hat buck a tree, making the apples fall into a bucket.

“Hi there, Applejack!” she said to the orange mare.

“Oh, hi tah you too, sugarcube!” said the Applejack smiling, but panting a bit.

“Where’s Apple Bloom?” Sweetie asked.

"She’s in the barn, making all kinds of doohickeys.” said the farmer. “Anyway, why’d ya take long to visit, Sweetie?”

“You know… my studies and…. Stuff.” says Sweetie, rather dismissively and started running towards the barn. “Ok, gotta run, bye Applejack!”

“Ah swear, fillies these days…” she muttered, shaking her head, as she continued her work.

Meanwhile, inside the barn…

There was a yellow mare with a mane braided with red ribbons inside; fixing what looked like a mechanical table of some sort. She fell on her haunches, revealing her cutie mark to be an apple with two gears inside.

“Hi, Apple Bloom.” said Sweetie softly.

“Oh, hi Sweetie. I didn’t see ya there.” said the mare nonchalantly. “How’s life?”

“Ok, I guess. Did Scootaloo send you any letters?” asked Sweetie Belle anxiously.

“Sorry, no letters.” said Apple Bloom sadly. Sweetie Belle sighed. When Scootaloo learned how to fly, she was immediately sent to Cloudsdale for further schooling. She promised to write to them, but after six months, the letters didn’t come anymore.

“Oh. Anyway, what’s that?” she said, pointing her hoof at the table-thing, desperate to change the subject.

“Oh. That’s a Motion Figure System Ah made from scratch.” Apple Bloom chuckled as she looked at the bewildered look on Sweetie’s face.

“How’d you make this!? There are supposed to be magic crystals that you have to import from Neighpo-“she started, but Apple Bloom cut her off.

“Let’s just say, Ah have mah ways.” she said, smiling mysteriously.

Sweetie just shrugged. “Anyway, can I try it out?”

“Sure, just let me get mah deck.” said Apple Bloom as she turned and bolted out of the barn. A few minutes later, she came back with a deck.

Both of them placed a card face down on their respective Vanguard Circles.

“Ready?” Sweetie nodded.

“Stand up, Vanguard!” both said simultaneously, flipping over the cards they put down earlier. The Motion Figure System suddenly glows, and projects a hologram of a valley from the Planet Cray.

“Stardust Trumpeter (G0/ Power 6000)!” A pegasus filly with a red mane and a trumpet appears.

“Beast Deity, White Tiger (G0/ Power 5000)!” A robotic white tiger with glowing claws teleports beside Apple Bloom, roaring.

“Mah turn. I draw. (Hand: 6)” said Apple Bloom. “Ah ride, Tough Boy (G1/ Power 8000)! (Hand: 5)” The robot tiger suddenly roars, and is enveloped by a white light. When the light fades away, a grey robot with green-lined saucers on its back took its place.

“White Tiger moves!” she says, as White Tiger suddenly teleports behind Tough Boy.

(RC) (Tough Boy) (RC)

(RC) (White Tiger) (RC)s

Hand: 5 Damage: 0

“Ah end mah turn.” She says, tapping her hoof on the table.

“My turn. I draw (Hand: 6).” Sweetie chose a card and slammed it down on Stardust Trumpeter. “Ride, Little Sage, Marron (G1/ Power 8000)!” The instant the card touched the table, the filly glowed with blue light, turning into the scholar-mage pony. “I call! Alen! Wingal! Kay!” (Hand: 2)

(Kay) (Marron) (RC)

(Alen) (Wingal) (RC)

Hand: 5 Damage: 0

“Alen boosts, Kay attacks at 14000!” The gray knight swings his sword at the robot.

“Ah don’t guard.” The sword cuts one of the plates in half, causing an explosion.

“Ah damage check.” Apple Bloom said as she revealed the top card of her deck and sending it to the damage zone. “No trigger.” (Hand: 5 Damage: 1)

“Wingal boosts, Marron attacks at 14000 Power!”

“I guard with Grapple Mania. (Shield + Power= 18000)” Apple Bloom says as she shows the card and puts it in the drop zone. (Hand: 4)

“Drive check! No trigger.” Sweetie sighs as she reveals the top card of her deck and adds it to her hand. “I end my turn.” (Hand: 3 Damage: 0)

The mage’s horn glows a bright blue, eventually shooting a beam of pure magical energy at the saucer-bot, who was frantically trying to get away, causing an explosion.

“Mah turn. I draw.” Apple Bloom adds the top card of her deck to her ‘hand’ and smiles.

“Ah ride, Brutal Jack (G2/ Power 11000)!” She slams a card depicting a robotic dragon on top of Tough Boy. The saucer-wielding robot glows and transforms into a robotic dragon with green fins on its back, roaring. (Hand: 4)

“Brutal Jack’s skill! Counterblast! He loses ‘Restraint’ until the end of mah turn!” she says as she flips the single card in her damage zone. The robot suddenly glows a bright green, with blades popping out of its arms. “Call! King of Sword! Queen of Heart! (Hand: 2)

(King) (Jack) (RC)

(Queen) (White Tiger) (RC)

Hand: 2 Damage: 1 flipped, 0 unflipped

“Queen boosts! King attacks! Queen’s skill activates, and King of Sword gets an extra Power +4000!” she says, as she rests the two cards.

“Hmmm…. I don’t guard.” Sweetie says, rather mysteriously. (Hand: 3 Damage: 0)

The chess-piece robot swung its sword at the mage, causing an explosion.

“Yeesh, with all these explosions, you’d think Michael Bray made this Motion Figure System…” mumbled Sweetie as she put the top card of her deck, a blue dog with wing-ears, in the damage zone. (Damage: 1)

“Tiger boosts Jack’s assault!”

“I don’t guard.”

“Well, get a load of this! If Jack’s boosted by a Nova Grappler, he gets Power +5000 (Power 21000)! Brutal Blaster!” she says, as the robotic dragon charges up his mouth, then shooting Marron with a barrage of lasers. “Drive check! Draw trigger! All to Jack!” (Hand: 4)

“Damage check.” Sweetie says calmly, as she puts the top card of her deck in the damage zone. (Hand: 3 Damage: 2)

“Ah end mah turn.” she says. (Hand: 4 Damage: 1 flipped, 0 unflipped)

“My turn. I stand and draw.” Sweetie picks up the top card of her deck and smiles.

“Stand up, my avatar! Ride, Blaster Blade!!” she slams the card on the table and in an instant, replacing the mage is a knight clad in white, holding a sword of light. “I don’t activate his skill.”

(Kay) (BB) (RC)

(Alen) (Wingal) (RC)

Hand: 3 Damage: 2

“Alen boosts Kay’s attack! Kay gets an extra Power +3000 since the vanguard’s a Blaster (Power: 17000)!”

“Ah don’t guard. Damage check, no trigger.” (Damage: 1 flipped, 1 unflipped)

“Wingal boosts Blade’s onslaught (Power: 19000)!”

“No guard.”

“Drive check!” Sweetie says, revealing the top card of her deck. “Critical trigger! All effects to the vanguard!” (Power: 24000 Critical: 2)

Blaster Blade attacks the robotic dragon with his sword, hitting it in the head, causing yet another explosion.

“What is with these dang explosions? Ah damage check, draw trigger.” Apple Bloom sighs as she the card in the damage zone. (Hand: 5 Damage: 1 flipped, 3 unflipped)

“I end my turn.” (Hand: 3 Damage: 2)

“Mah turn. Ah stand and draw.” Apple Bloom sees the card she draws, and smiles. “Final turn.” (Hand: 6)

“Huh!?” Sweetie responds to the phrase, puzzled. ‘Final Turn’ was usually only said when a fighter is certain that he/she would win. Sweetie gulped.

“Dragon of the east, hear my call! Rise up and destroy! Beast Deity, Azure DRAGON!!!” Apple Bloom slams a card onto Jack, which disintegrates and turns into a robotic dragon warrior wielding a sword of fire and a shield of lightning, heavily influenced by the Orient.

Sweetie freezes. Beast Deity, Azure Dragon? Was that the new unit mentioned from the new expansion pack? She’d never seen Apple Bloom use this unit before, so it must have been.

“Ah can see ya didn’t buy the new expansion set yet, by the look on yer face.” Apple Bloom chuckles. This was going to be fun, since Sweetie didn’t know how to counter this unit…yet.

“Anyways, Ah call! Beast Deity, Golden Anglet! Beast Deity, Blank Marsh!” (Hand: 1)

A golden robot pony-dragon thing and a silver robotic fox with tufts of red fur around its neck.

(King) (BD, AD) (BD, GA)

(Queen) (White Tiger) (BD, Blank Marsh)

Hand: 3 Damage: 1 flipped, 3 unflipped

“King attacks with a boost from Queen (Power: 20000)”

“No guard!” (Hand: 3 Damage: 3)

“Blank Marsh boosts, Anglet attacks (Power: 16000)!”

“No guard.” (Damage: 4)

“Blank Marsh’s skill! I put him in the soul, (Soul: 3) and Ah get to stand another ‘Beast Deity’! Ah stand Golden Anglet! His skill gives him a boost of Power +3000!”

Sweetie fidgeted a little. She was close to six damage now, and she was against a deck that could attack multiple times.

“Golden Anglet attacks (Power: 12000)!”

“I don’t guard.” Sweetie sends the top card of her deck to the damage zone, revealing itself to be a heal trigger. “Alright! I heal a bit, and I give Power +5000 to Blaster Blade (Power: 14000)!”

The robot pony-dragon shoots a laser at Blade, causing another, albeit small, explosion.

“White Tiger boosts, Azure Dragon attacks (Power: 16000)!”

“I guard with Wingal and Alen (Blaster Blade’s Power + Shield = 24000)!!”

“Two tah pass, huh? Twin Drive! First check, heal trigger! Power to Azure Dragon! Second check…” Sweetie bit her lip. Please don’t pull another trigger. she thought. Celestia, please no…

Apple Bloom revealed the top card of her deck. Its name was Ring Girl, Clara. “HEAL TRIGGER! All effects to the vanguard!”

“D-Damage check, no trigger.” Sweetie stutters as she sends a copy of Wingal to the damage zone. (Hand: 1 Damage: 5)

“White Tiger’s skill activates! I put him in the soul (Soul: 4), and Ah counterblast! Golden Anglet stands again!” she says, as the pony-dragon powers up once more.

“O-Oh Celestia…” Sweetie mutters.

“That’s right! Golden Anglet gains another Power +3000! Now, attack (Power: 15000)!”

“I don’t guard.” Sweetie looked at her hand. It was a single copy of a new card she had come across, Solitary Knight, Gancelot. It was a Grade 3, meaning it didn’t have any Shield. She sighed.

Gold Anglet shot a bolt of lightning at Blaster Blade, causing an explosion, which made the knight dissolve into blue sparkles scattered by the wind.

“Damage check, no trigger.” Sweetie says as she puts the top card of her deck, a Marron, in the damage zone. “I lose.”

“Well, it looks like Ah’m still good to go, right?” jokes Apple Bloom. Sweetie smiles.

“Hey girls, long time no see.” says an unknown, yet familiar voice. Both mares turn to the entrance of the barn, and are shocked to see an orange pegasus filly with a purple mane styled in a ponytail, with a cutie mark of a flaming wheel on her flank.

“Remember me?” said the teenage mare, grinning. “It’s your old buddy, Scoots.”

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

Ride 003 - Gathering Clouds, Rising Darkness

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

"Hey girls, it's me, Scoots."

Sweetie Belle stood there, speechless. Apple Bloom, however, had already recovered from the shock.

"Scoots! How are ya!? Why haven't y'all been sending letters!?" Apple Bloom said. "We haven't heard from ya in six months!"

"Hehe... Sorry about that. I wanted to make this visit a surprise." replied the pegasus, rubbing the back of her head with her hoof.

"Well, all that matters is that you're here now, right?" said Sweetie,finally recovering from the shock. "And also, do you know about a card game called 'Cardfight!! Vanguard'?"

"Yeah, duh. Anyway, where's Rainbow Dash? I really want to see her!"

"You lookin' for me, squirt?" said an all-too familiar voice which made Scootaloo turn and see a certain cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane.

"Rainbow Dash!! Oh my gosh, you look as awesome as ever!" squeed Scootaloo, letting her fangirl side come out and runs towards Dash.

"Heck yeah! How ya doin' in flight school, anyway? Does it suck..."

"Hey Rainbow, why were you at the orchard, anyway?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Rainbow Dash's cheeks reddened and she looked away, blushing furiously. "Uh, I was bu- helping Applejack! Yeah! I was helping AJ!"

"Right..." said Apple Bloom, rolling her eyes. "How'd you know we were here, anyways?"

"Well, duh. Those dragons and crud of yours were exploding left and right! Were you thinking nopony would notice? I went here as fast as I could, in ten seconds flat, of course!" said Rainbow Dash with a grin plastered on her face. "Anyway, wanna go catch up at the Sugarcube Corner, squirt?"

"BUCK YEAH!" yelled the orange mare, obviously excited.

"Can I come with you?" asked Sweetie, interested.

"Sure! What 'bout you, AB?"

Apple Bloom chuckled a bit. "Sorry, but Ah have to fix up this here Motion Figure System!"

Scootaloo stuck her tongue out. "Aw... You're no fun, AB."

"Well, what're we waiting for!? Let's go!!!" huffed Dash impatiently, as the three mares made their way to the bakery.

[br]

40 minutes later...

"OOOOOHHH!!! THEN, WE PUT STREAMERS, AND CUPCAKES, MILKSHAKES, AND OO-"

"Pinkie!!!"

"- and then we put my party cannon-"

"PINKIE!!!!!"

"What?" Said the hyperactive pink pony.

"Two chocolate milkshakes, please." sighed Scootaloo, as she handed over a few gold coins to Pinkie. Sweetie Belle was her only companion now, since Dash left earlier for weather duties.

"Okie Dokie Loki!" Said the hyper pink pony, bouncing off.

"Continuing, my stay in Cloudsdale was as boring as hay. Ughh..." groaned the orange mare as two mares, one pink and the other gray, walked in and sat next to them.

"Oh look, it's that weak chicken, Scootalooser. Miss us?" sneered the pink mare. "Couldn't take it at Cloudsdale?"

"Diamond Tiara is like, totally right. Did you get expelled or something?" asked the gray mare, nudging the now teenage Diamond.

"None of your business, buckheads." said Scoots impatiently. Ugh... Not these two again. I thought I got rid of them years ago!

"Ooh! Such language! Didn't your parents- Oh wait, they DIED!" said Tiara as the two bullies burst into laughter.

Scootaloo could feel the heat rising to her face and was about to smack her in the face, when Sweetie held her hoof and said: "Don't let them get to you, Scoots. They're trying to tick you off. These two are just jealous of your prowess in Vanguard!"

"Me? Jealous of her? You must be joking right? Ugh, let's get outta here Silvy. These losers are wasting out time." said Tiara as she and Silver Spoon turned and tried to walk out.

"Scared?"

That made Tiara stop in her tracks. "Me? Afraid of you? Don't make me laugh!

"Then cardfight me." said Scootaloo calmly.

"Hey!!! Losers like you can't orde-"

"Shut up, Silvy. I'm about to show this chicken who's boss." snapped Diamond Tiara angrily, prompting Silver to shut her mouth.

The both went to a nearby table and put a card face down on opposite sides and drew 5 cards, not caring to redraw.

"I'm gonna kick your flank, loser!!"

"Let's see, ya prissy, stuck-up daddy's girl!"

"Stand up, Vanguard!!" Both said, as they flipped the cards set down earlier.

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!!" said Tiara as she imagined a green dragon-warrior standing next to her.

"Stealth Beast, Evil Ferret!" Scootaloo imagined a ferret-like being, coated in darkness.

Everypony that knew anything about Vanguard was stunned. This was a new clan that was highly anticipated these past few months.

"My turn. I draw!" Said Scoots (Hand:6). "I ride Stealth Rogue of Silence, Shijimamaru!!!"

The ferret suddenly teleported to a back row, being replaced by a pony in bandages as the Vanguard.

"Turn end." (Hand: 6 Damage: 0)

"That's all you got!? My turn! Draw!" said Tiara as she added the top card of her deck to her hand. "I ride, Iron Tail Dragon (G1/ Power 7000)!!! Conroe moves!"

(RC) (ITD) (RC)

(RC) (Conroe) (RC)

Hand: 5 Damage: 0

"Iron Tail attacks with a boost from Conroe (Power: 12000)!!! Drive check, no trigger!" (Hand: 6)

"No guard!! Damage check, draw trigger!" (Hand: 6)

Sweetie watched as the battle went back and forth, pitting ninjas against flame beasts that could incinerate through every tactic any other pony had. Sweetie hated to admit it, but Diamond Tiara was a VERY strong fighter. On the other side, Silver Spoon was cheering Tiara on.

Current field

Diamond Tiara (current turn)

(Nehalem) (Blazing Flare Dragon) (Berserk Dragon)

(Bahr) (Mahoraga at 15000 Power) (RC)

Hand: 2 Damage: 2 flipped, 2 unflipped (4)

Scootaloo

(Left Arrester) (Mandala Lord) (Right Arrester)

(RC) (Leaf Raccoon) (RC)

Hand: 6 Damage: 1 flipped, 3 unflipped (4)

"Mahoraga boosts Blazing Flare Dragon! Immortal Flame: Death Tendril! (Power 31000)" said Tiara, as the hellish dragon's revolver shot out dark red serpents of fire and magma. "Twin Drive!! activates! No triggers!" (Hand: 4)

"Perfect guard." said Scoots as she dropped two cards in the drop zone, one of them with a golden shield sign. (Hand: 4)

"Berserk attacks the vanguard!"

"No guard. Damage check, draw trigger!" (Hand: 5)

"Nehalem attacks with a boost from Bahr!" said Diamond Tiara, with an edge of malice. (Power: 18000)

"Mandala Lord's skill!"

"Huh!?"

"Persona Blast! (Hand: 4 Damage: 2/4 since used/unflipped) The six worlds of never-ending darkness, break free! MANDALA JAIL!!!" As she said this, chains shot from behind the sinister Covert Demonic Dragon, impaling Nehalem.

(Nehalem: 18000 ---> 8000)

Diamond Tiara stood there, mouth hanging wide open as a fly went in and flew back out.

"I-I end my turn." (Hand: 4 Damage: 2/4)

"My turn. I draw. Look's like it's FINAL TURN!" yelled Scootaloo, shocking everypony. (Hand: 5 Damage: 2/4). "I call Stealth Beast, Million Rat! Counterblast to superior call!"

"Million Rat boosts! Leftie here attacks! Death Trap Chain!"

"No guard! Damage check, no trigger!" (Damage: 2/5)

"Leaf boosts, Mandala Lord attacks, Raccoon's skill! Extra power (Power 21000)!"

"I guard with Tahr and Genjo!" near-yelled the snobby, pink pony. Two ponies, one a monk, one a warrior with a flaming spear, appeared in front of the demonic fire-dragon.

"Twin Drive!! Activates! First check; critical trigger, get! Power to Mandala, Critical to Right Arrester! Second check..." said Scootaloo rather nervously. She checked the top card. It was..... "STEALTH BEAST, MOON EDGE!!! ALL EFFECTS TO THE VANGUARD!!!"

Mandala Lord let loose witha volley of purple fireballs and chains, instantly killing Blazing Flare Dragon.

"Damage check; no trigger... (Damage: 6)" said Diamond Tiara dejectedly. She packed up her cards as quick as hay and ran outside before you could say 'Rainbow Dash'.

"Tiara! WAIT FOR ME!" said Silver Spoon, running out as fast as she could go, chasing after her BFF.

"I sure taught them a lesson, didn't I?" chuckled Scootaloo. "That'll teach daddy's girl not to mess with us."

"Yeah..." said Sweetie Belle, rather disturbed. She had felt a cold tingling in her bones that had gone away as fast as it came.

"HERE ARE THE MILKSHAKES, SILLY FILLIES!" said a loud voice from behind them.

Meanwhile, somewhere in an alley near Sugarcube Corner...

Diamond Tiara was pissed, so she went to an alley to vent. How could she lose to those low-class scum? Had she not been the strongest cardfighter? Heck, even Apple Bloom lost to her. Badly. "I need to get stronger..."

"ARGGGHHH!!!! I NEED TO GET STRONGER!!! I need to destroy those losers!!!" she yelled to nopony in particular, kicking a can, which landed in front of a dark gray pegasus colt with a messy red mane. She immediately noticed his cutie mark, which was a small eclipse with a star in the middle.

"I couldn't help but hear what you said. Do you want true power? Then follow me." said the colt, rather directly.

"How can I trust you? And prove it to me, this so called 'power'." said Tiara, rather surprised and interested.

"Picture it in your mind." the colt says, as his eyes suddenly glow a deep purple.

Diamond Tiara closes her eyes and feels herself merging with her surroundings, then, with a flash of purple light, what she sees amazes her. There was a grassy field, with what looked like a circus tent, with manticores, three-headed dogs and more. Wow... she thought. So this is true power...

Diamond opens her eyes, seeing the colt standing there, smiling, with Silver Spoon beside him, having walked in on them earlier, looking at him with an amazed look on her face.

"Will you take this power?" the colt asks, grinning. "My name's Midnight Storm, by the way."

".... Yes... Yes, I will."

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

Author's Notes:

I did this on my IPad. Please point out any mistakes XD sorry if it took so long.
I also wanted to say thanks to all the viewers.
Edited. Thanks to the guy who pointed out the mistake.

Ride 004 - Enter, King of the Holy Knights!

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

Sweetie Belle groaned. She'd just woken up to a broken alarm clock, beeping non-stop. She had to destroy it with her magic to make the accursed beeping go away. However, due to being inexperienced at magic (even if she was already a teen), she was suffering a short headache.

"Aaaagh....." she said, rubbing her horn a bit to release some of the stress.

She suddenly smelled something bad. After a bit of sniffing around, she found out that it was her who smelled like garbage. She made a break for the shower.

One desperately needed shower later...

Sweetie was drying herself, feeling refreshed. Her mind was on a different train of thought, though, as her eyes wandered to a deck of cards on top of her study table.

"Hmmmmm..." Her deck's Grade 3 list was pitiful, really. She used 2 copies of Stardrive Dragon, 2 Gancelot, 2 Marhaus, and 2 Bors. She desperately needed to upgrade her deck.

Her eyes then wandered to a note on the table and sighed. Rarity was going to Canterlot for the month because of fashion business, and her month's worth of allowance was managed by Twilight Sparkle, the local librarian and Element of Magic.

When she finally finished drying her coat and mane, she remembered a meeting she was supposed to have with the other Crusaders.

She immediately packed her saddlebags, went outside, locked the door, and ran towards a certain shop nearby.

When she finally got her destination, she nearly bucked the door down due to excitement.

"Welcome to Card Capita-" began the clerk, but Sweetie Belle galloped by so fast he was sent spinning.

"Hi girls!" she said as an orange pegasus and a yellow earth pony looked at her.

"Y'all are late again. Right, Scoots?"

"AB, ya don't buckin' say!?"

Just as the two were about to squabble, Sweetie inquired, "When are we gonna open that box we ordered?"

"Here it is." said Apple Bloom as she took out a blue box depicting a white pony-knight in regal armor.

"I'll take the first pack!" huffed Scootaloo impatiently, getting a Booster Pack and ripping the plastic off. "Aw, man. I got a Wyvern Guard Barri. Does anypony want this?"

Everypony except Sweetie and Apple Bloom (who were tearing through boosters) looked at her and raised their hooves.

"Well, too bad. Ya have to buy this from me for 28 bits."

Everypony who had wanted the Kagero RR Perfect Guard groaned.

Apple Bloom gave a shriek of delight as she pulled a crimson robo-pony with axes for appendages. "Ah finally got it!!! Standspam, here Ah come!"

Sweetie Belle sighed as she put a robotic dog wielding a knife to her ever-growing pile of shiny cards. She immediately noticed a card with a different kind of foil, the same knight who had been used as an illustration for the Booster Box.

"Hey girls, why's this card's foil different?"

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo's jaws dropped and their eyes widened.

"Sweets! How could you NOT know what that thing is!?"

"Sweetie, that thing y'all are holding is the rarest card of this dang Booster Set! That's an SP unit!!!!"

Sweetie looked at it. The card read:

King of Knights, Alfred (G3/10000)

"I command you under the name of the King of Knights! Warriors, heed my call!"

The white unicorn mare the proceeded to immediately replace some of her cards with the shinier ones, Alfred included, in her deck, leaving a pile of Kagero units which she forked over to Card Keeper, the manager, for some credit.

As she finished fixing her deck, the doors of the shop swung open, revealing a white colt with a green mane, with flaming stars as his cutie mark.

He then proceeded to go to a table, put a card there face down, and waited, until...

"Hey Spark!" yelled Sweetie Belle, waving her hooves.

"Sweetie Belle, do you know this guy!?"

"Do y'all know him, Sweets?"

"Yeah. He was that awesome cardfighter I was talking about." said Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo snorted. "Yeah right. I bet this guy's insanely weak."

Right then, the doors were blasted open by a burst of magic, revealing three colts wearing black.

"ALRIGHT EVERYPONY!!! SHUT UP OR I'M GONNA DESTROY Y'ALL!" their leader yelled, but three mares and a colt were ignoring him. "HEY, YOU THERE! I SAID SHUT UP!!!!"

"Trash." said Spark, rather loudly.

"WHAT THE BUCK DID YOU CALL ME!?"

"Trash. Scum. Dirt. Didn't you hear me?" said Spark, coldly. "Or is your stupidity reaching the point where you can't even process a simple sentence?"

Angered, the thug put a card face down on the table where Spark was at. The Crusaders backed away. "LET'S SETTLE THIS ON THE BATTLEFIELD, LOSER!!!!"

Spark smirked and rolled his eyes. This is gonna be fun. he thought.

"Stand up..." they began.

"....the...."

"...Vanguard!!!!!" both of them yelled, flipping over their Starting Vanguards.

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" said Spark, as a green dragon-warrior wielding a nagitana* appeared right next to him.

"Mecha Trainer!!!" the bully said, as a pony-bot decked out in coaching equipment appeared.

As the Crusaders watched the tense cardfight continue, they were all shocked at Spark's playstyle and advantage.

Dang, this guy... He's insanely strong... thought Apple Bloom as a navy blue pony knight riding a dragon shot a bolt of lightning at a demonic Amareican hoofball player.

Maybe I was wrong about him... Scootaloo thought, eyes wide as Spark rested a blue dragon with a red sword.

Was... Was he even serious when he fought me? Sweetie Belle asked herself as an azure dragon lunged at the hoofball player with a blood-red sword coated with fire and water.

"Dragonic Waterfall attacks at 31000 Power!!" Spark said, discarding a copy of a reddish-orange pony wielding a staff while riding on a cloud.

The bully sent a sixth card to the damage. He suddenly faced Sweetie Belle and angrily said, "Fight me with my new deck! If I win, this shop is mine! If I lose, I get outta here and never return."

Everypony except Spark stared at her, until she said, "I'll do it."

They both prepped their Starting Vanguards and hand cards, boh now placing their hooves on their respective Vanguards.

"Stand up..." both chanted.

"..... my...."

"...Vanguard!!!" both sid flipping over their SVs. Sweetie had a greying robo-dog named Barcgal (G0/Power 4000), while the thug had Madame Mirage (G0/Power 6000), a butterfly-pony hybrid.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at Spark, who refused to look them in the eye.

"We're mighty sorry tah say you were weak..." Apple Bloom trailed off.

"Me too." said Scootaloo, with both mares raising heir hooves. "Truce?"

Spark glared at them for a minute and then proceeded to ignore them for the rest of the cardfight.

"Ummm... Rude much?" both fillies muttered, taking back their hooves.

They both turned their attention back to the cardfight, looking at the stats.

Sweetie Belle

(RC) (Blaster Blade) (Gallatin)

(Alen) (RC) (Marron)

Hand: 5 Damage: 3 Soul: 4

Thug (Current turn)

(Water Gang) (Violent Vesper) (Vesper)

(Toxic Soldier) (Phantom Black) (Black)

Hand: 3 Damage: 4 Soul: 3

"Black boosts, my rear-guard Vesper attacks!" (Power 17000)

"I guard with Epona." (Hand: 4)

"I attack with my vanguard at 17000 Power!"

"No guard."

"Drive check! First, none! Second, Sharp Nail Scorpio, CRITICAL GET!!! Power to Gang, critical to the vanguard!"

"Damage check. No triggers." (Damage: 5)

"With a boost from Toxic, Gang attacks!"

"Sacred shield of light, defend me! Perfect Guard, Flash Shield, Iseult!" (Hand: 2)

"Dammit.... Turn end."

"My turn. Stand and draw." Sweetie drew the top card of her deck, which made her squeak in delight. Her expressin became serious. "Stand up and enter the fray, Lord of the Holy Knights! Ride, King of Knights, ALFRED!!!!!!!!"

The white pony knight suddenly morphed into a recognizable knight clad in white armor, cape bellowing behind him, wielding a thick blade.**

"Rise, leader of the sanctuary! Royal Energy... BOOST!!!" (KoK, Alfred Power: 16000)

The thug was getting scared now, seeing the king of the sanctuary clothed in a veil of shining blue energy. The others just stared wide-eyed at the King, whilst Spark just... smiled a bit.

"Alfred's Counterblast! Come forth, servants of the sanctuary! Superior Call, Gallatin(G2/Power 10000)!!" Sweetie suddenly called forth a pony with a purple mane and twin laser-swords. "I call, Marron!"

(Gallatin) (KoK Alfred) (Gallatin)

(Alen) (Marron) (Marron)

Hand: 1 Damage: 3 flipped, 2 unflipped Soul: 5

"Alen boosts! Gallatin attacks at 17000!"

"I guard with Sharp Nail Scorpio and Phantom Black!" (Hand: 3)

"The King of Knights attacks at 20000!!!"

The thug looked at his hand. His only units were Grade 3s. "No g-guard."

"Twin drive, first check; no trigger. Second check; CRITICAL GET!!!!" Sweetie yelled as she revealed Bringer of Good Luck, Epona. "All effects to the vanguard!"

"I lose." the gangster says as he put the top two cards of his deck, Machining Stag Beetle and Violent Vesper, in the damage zone. "Let's go, guys."

After the thugs left, she was tackle-hugged by the rest of the Crusaders, giggling.

Spark watched from he sideline, smiling. His expression suddenly hardened as if he had remembered something.

"Wish you were here," he muttered to himself darkly. "Midnight."

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

Author's Notes:

*Nagitana - A sword with a handle,longer than the blade, looking like a spear.
** Didn't put Lion Mane Stallion 'cos a pony riding on another pony is awkward.
Point out any grammatical errors, spelling errors, etc, please! XD

Ride 005 - Shop Qualifiers! Oracle Think Thank, Advance!

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

"Wish you were here," muttered Spark Light darkly. "Midnight."

"Uhhh... Spark? What're you talking about?" questioned Sweetie Belle, breaking free from her friends' hugs. The colt stayed silent and ignored her.

"Hey bud!! Answer Sweetie Belle's question!!" said Scootaloo, pissed off. "She saved the darn card shop you ungratefu-"

"Fillies and gentlecolts! May I have your attention?" yelled Card Keeper, amplified by a microphone. "The Shop Qualifiers are about to begin!!!"

"SHOP QUALIFIERS!?" yelled our three main mares in surprise. They didn't even know that this shop even held them in the first place.

"Anypony may join." Card Keeper continued. "The only requirement is to have a legal Vanguard deck and passes that record your wins, which are being handed out right now."

A brown mare gave the trio of Crusaders a piece of enchanted paper. "That paper will automatically record all of your legitimate wins, and it will take 4 wins to advance to the next stage, but if anypony gets 10 or more wins, the top 3 get picked to be Ponyville's representative team, and the fourth member is chosen by the team by choosing three fighters, one of them at random, and making them fight each other in a free-for-all battle royale!"

Sweetie Belle gulped. A minute ago, she was just saving the card shop. Now, she was competing in the Qualifiers, which would lead her to an all-expenses-paid trip to Canterlot, and a pass to the regionals if she/her team won that.

"And now, LET THE QUALIFIERS BEGIN!!!"

At the instant these words were uttered, Tartarus broke loose. After a few (6) fights, which she all won, Sweetie Belle found herself looking for a familiar face or someone to fight, and that's when she saw her. A face she hadn't seen in a few years. An orchid unicorn mare with a shiny golden mane, with six crystalline bubbles as her cutie mark.

"Hey Dinky Doo!" squeaked Sweetie Belle. "Long time no see!"

Dinky Doo turned to see her former classmate standing behind her. "Hi, Sweetie Belle! I just got here!"

"I thought you were at that private school?"

Dinky shrugged. "Oh. That. The girls there are all snobs and bullies."

"Oh... Then how do you co-"

"Excuse me! NEW SUDDEN DEATH RULE!!! TAKE TOO LONG TO FIND ANOTHER FIGHTER AND YOU'RE OUT!!!"

Sweetie Belle tensed. She had to find another fighter and she was about to run away to find another fighter, when Dinky placed her hoof on Sweetie's shoulder.

"Uh, Sweetie? Can I cardfight you?" said Dinky nervously. "I haven't... tested out my deck yet... if that helps."

"Sure!" said the white unicorn mare. "Let me set us up."

Sweetie found an unoccupied table, and both of them took opposite sides, with Sweetie Belle taking the left, and Dinky the right.

"Stand up..."

"... my..."

"Vanguard!!" both said, as they flipped their First Vanguards.

"Picture it in your mind... You are the vanguard on Planet Cray..." said Sweetie as she closed her eyes, glimpsing Dinky do the same. Sweetie imagined herself as an astral being, floating on the surface of Cray, near a valley where the battle was happening.

"Barcgal!!!" A silver robot dog wielding a dagger suddenly appeared on left perimeter of the battlefield.

"Lozenge Magus!!!" Dinky suddenly manifested herself in the valley as a snow-white mare, wearing a pink, diamond-patterned set of clothes, while holding a staff with rubies in it.

"My turn! I draw!" Dinky said, picking up the top card of her deck. "Ride! Oracle Guardian, Gemini! Lozenge Magus moves! Turn end."

(RC) (Gemini) (RC)

(RC) (Lozenge) (RC)

Hand: 5 Damage: 0 Soul: 0

"My turn!! Draw, and I ride Little Sage Marron!!! Barcgal moves!" said Sweetie Belle as she took form on Planet Cray as herself, albeit clad in blue robes and wearing glasses. (Hand: 5) "Barcgal's skill! I rest him, and I call Flogal! Call, Future Knight, Llew!!"

(RC) (Marron) (RC)

(Llew) (Barcgal) (Flogal)

Hand: 4 Damage: 0 Soul: 0

"Marron attacks!" (Power: 8000)

"No guard!"

"Drive check! No trigger!" Sweetie Belle added a card with the illustration of a white and blue dragon to her hand.

"Damage check! No trigger." A copy of Battle Sister, Maple was sent to the damage zone. (Damage: 1)

"Turn end." (Hand: 5 Damage: 0)

Dinky drew the top card of her deck. "I ride, Oracle Guardian, Wiseman!!! (Power: 10000)" The cybernetic peach-colored filly robot turned into a coal-black statue of a stallion with glowing eyes. "I call! Dark Cat! Sword Dancer Angel!"

(Sword Dancer Angel) (Wiseman) (RC)

(Dark Cat) (Lozenge Magus) (RC)

Hand: 2 Damage: 1 Soul: 1

"Dark Cat's skill! I draw!" (Hand: 3)

"Me too!" (Hand: 6)

"Sword Dancer Angel's skill! She gets Power +1000 (Power: 9000)! Call, Psychic Bird! Skill, put into the soul for a draw (Soul: 2)! Sword Dancer's skill! (Power:10000) and I call! Luck Bird! Soulblast! I draw (Hand: 4)! Sword Dancer gains Power +1000!" said Dinky, panting. "Dark Cat boosts, Sword Dancer attacks (Power: 18000)!"

"Tsk... No guard." (Damage: 1)

"Lozenge boosts, Wiseman attacks!!" Wiseman's eyes start glowing, and shoot a golden beam of energy towards Marron/Sweetie. "Lozenge's skill! Wiseman gains Power +3000! (Power: 16000)!!"

"I guard with Epona (Hand: 5)!!!" A red-maned filly riding on a golden beetle takes the attack for Marron and dissolves into golden spakles.

"Drive check, Dream Eater! Draw Trigger!!!" (Hand: 6)

"Damage check. No trigger." A copy of Knight of Silence, Gallatin ended up in the damage zone. (Damage: 2)

"Turn end. Lozenge Magus returns to my deck and I shuffle."

"My turn! Stand and draw (Hand: 6)!!!" Sweetie Belle flipped a card of damage. "Llew's skill! All to the soul! Superior ride, my avatar! BLASTER BLADE (Soul: 4)! Call! Gallatin! Marron! Gallatin! (Hand: 2)"

(Gallatin) (BB) (Gallatin)

(Marron) (RC) (RC)

Hand: 3 Damage: 1(flipped)/2(total)

SP Counter - Soul: 4

"Gallatin attacks!"

"No guard! Damage check, draw trigger!" (Hand: 8 Damage: 2)

"Blaster Blade attacks! Drive check, critical trigger get!!" (Hand: 4)

"Damage check, once; no trigger. Second check; Critical get!! All effects to the vanguard (Power: 15000)!!" (Damage: 4)

"End turn."

"My turn. Stand and draw (Hand: 9)." Dinky looked at the card she drew and smiled. "Shining goddess of divination, the ancient petal storms you create shall change the destiny of Cray! Bloom, Goddess of Flower Divination, Sakuya!!"

Dinky suddenly appears on the surface of Cray, wearing a pink kimono tied with a blue ribbon, while her some of her mane are in loops. "Her- no, my skill! ANCIENT CHERRY BLOSSOMS!!! I return all rear-guards to the hand (Hand: 11)!" Dink said, before pausing to breathe.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Continuing, I call, Wiseman!! Dark Cat! Her skill! I draw (Hand: 10)! Call, Battle Sister, Cocoa! I check the top card of my deck. I place it back. I also call Maiden of Libra and Gemini. Sakuya's skill, too! She gets Power +4000!!!"

(Wiseman) (Sakuya) (Libra)

(Dark Cat) (Gemini) (Cocoa)

Hand: 7 Damage: 4 Soul: 1

Sweetie Belle tensed. Even if she was able to survive this turn, Dinky had an INSANE hand advantage. She needed to destroy that hand, but how? Oh wait, she had that card...

"Cat boosts, Wiseman attacks!!!"

"No guard. Damage check, no trigger." (Damage: 3)

"Gemini boosts, Sakuya attacks!" (Power: 22000)

"Hmmm..." She kept the top card there... Should I? Sweetie thought. Dang it, I'll take a risk!

"No guard!"

"Oh?" Dinky asked, amused. "Think it was a bluff? Let's see... First check,-"

Moment if truth. Sweetie gulped.

"- CRITICAL GET!! All effects to the vanguard!"

Buck.

"Second check,-"

Well, at least it couldn't get any worse.

"- Critical get!!! (Power: 32000 Critical: 3)

Uhh.......

"I d-damage check... First.. No trigger... Second, draw trigger! I draw.... Third.."

Well, there's still some hope for a heal-

"... King of Knights, Alfred."

Or not.

Sweetie Belle sighed and smiled. "Well, I lose."

"Yay!! First cardfight in real life and I WIN!!!"

"Wait, WHAT!?"

"Umm.. I usually play online instead.. Hehe..." chuckled the orchid mare, rubbing the back of her head.

Sweetie was going to reply, but she was interrupted by Card Keeper's announcement. "OKAY!!! THE PRELIMS ARE DONE!! First place with his fiery destroyers, we have SPARK LIGHT!!!"

Most ponies clapped in applause, but some gritted their teeth and muttered obscenities.

"Second, with her Murakumo, we have Scootaloo!!"

Now, most ponies cheered, save for a certain duo of pink and silver watching from outside, who vanished from sight quickly.

"And third, we have Apple Bloom!"

The audience had the same response as earlier with Scootaloo.

"Now choose the fourth-"

"Sweetie Belle!" said the two ex-Crusaders, and Spark grumbling the same thing.

"And then-"

Scootaloo pointed at Sweetie Belle's right, which caused a pegasus colt with a red mane and golden coat to flinch. "Uhhhh....."

"Name!"

"Err... Rocket Blaze, ma'am!"

"You have the next largest amount of wins to Sweetie! You're in!!"

"O-Ok!!"

"And finally, the random one is-" Card picked up an envelope, tore it open and read what was inside. "Rumble."

A certain gray pegasus with a dark mane in the crowd did a brohoof with his companion, a pink unicorn with a blue mane.

"And now..." Card began, as the three competitors began advancing towards an illuminated table with 3 ports. "Let's take a break!"

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

Author's Notes:

Pardon my OTT playstyle. Like Dinky, it's my first time using/writing Oracle Think Thank! XD
For that certain somepony who requested OTT. Here. ya happy? She broke Sweets' current 6-win streak. And this is her first time using cards in real life, since Dinky usually cardfights online instead.

Ride 006 - Battle Royale! Justice Kick! Enigman Buster!

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

"And let's take a break!"

Sweetie sighed and slumped on a chair. She looked around the room and saw Scootaloo and Apple Bloom chatting animatedly with Dinky Doo, while Spark was in a corner, looking through his deck. She saw Rumble and that other colt chatting about colt stuff.

"And then I was all like 'Buck that!' And then I left."

"Mmhm."

"Uhh.. Hey guys." said Sweetie, dragging both colts attention to the cute white mare. "H-hi, I'm Sweetie Belle!"

"Wassup." said Rocket absentmindedly, looking at his deck.

"Hey, weren't you one of those fillies that caused a lot of trouble?" Rumble said, deep in thought. "Cutie Mark Whats-its?"

"Crusaders." Sweetie corrected. "And weren't you the colt Scootaloo had a crush-"

"BREAK'S OVER! To the card port!"

All of them went to the three tables marked with their names on it, and placed a card facedown, and put on special gloves connected to the table.

"The rules are simple! It's everypony for himself! The last one who goes gets the first attack at the start of the fight! You can direct an attack at anypony, but if a skill allows a unit to attack multiple units all at once, you may only select one fighter to use the skill on! Heal triggers work as long as at least one pony has less damage than you do! Damage checked triggers' effects last until your turn is up!"

"Now, let the cardfight, BEGIN!!!" said Card Keeper as all three competitors flipped their starters, causing a pulse of white light to envelop the entire room. A green and white alien, a red dragon with four laser swords and a robotic dog appeared in the room, with the background simulating a valley.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" All three yelled, with a subtle 'my' heard in the background noise.

"Barcgal!"

"Lizard Runner, Undeux!"

"Enigman Flow!"

"My turn! I draw! Ride, Wyver Strike, Jarran!" Rumble suddenly manifested where Undeux was as himself in orange armor whilst riding on a robotic red dragon. "Turn end. (Hand: 5)"

"My turn! Draw!" Sweetie Belle placed a card on the Vanguard Circle, making her appear on the battlefield as Little Sage, Marron. She moved Barcgal to behind the vanguard. "I end my turn."

"My turn, so I draw." said Rocket, his eyes glinting. "I ride, Enigman Ripple! Skill! I search for a copy of Enigman Wave!" The green and white alien's green parts suddenly glowed and turned blue and red, whilst sending out a beam to the skies. The beam eventually landed on Rocket's 'hand', manifesting itself as a new card. "I call! Stand up, Karenroid, Daisy!"

(RC) (Ripple) (RC)

(RC) (Daisy) (RC)

Hand: 5 Damage: 0 Soul: 1

"Daisy boosts, Ripple attacks Jarran! Ripple Wave! (Power: 16000)!!!" Ripple waved his hooves in a cross position and shot out a red beam, charged with electricity.

"No guard."

"Drive check! Draw trigger, get!" he said as he revealed a card with the illustration of a penguin holding a laser knife. (Hand: 7)

"Damage check, no trigger." A card with a silver knight and a blue dragon on it was sent o the damage zone. (Damage: 1)

"Turn end."

"My turn, and I draw." Rumble suddenly broke into a smile and placed a card on the Vanguard Circle. "Ride, Dragon Knight Nehalem!" The knight was suddenly enveloped in a maelstrom of fire, leaving an indigo knight riding on a crimson dragon. "And I call! Bahr! Nehalem!" (Hand: 3)

(Nehalem) (Nehalem) (RC)

(RC) (Bahr) (RC)

Hand: 3 Damage: 1 Soul: 2

"Bahr boosts, Nehalem attacks Marron!" Rumble said as he, as the dragon-rider, shot a bolt of lightning from his spear at Marron. (Power: 18000)

"No guard."

"Drive check! Critical trigger!" he said as he revealed a copy of Embodiment of Armor, Tahr, adding that card to his hand. "Critical to the vanguard, power to the rear!"

"Damage check! Once, no trigger, second, no trigger." (Damage: 2)

"Nehalem attacks at 15000 Power!!!"

"No guard. Damage check, Draw trigger! All effects to the vanguard!" (Hand: 6 Damage: 3)

"Turn end." (Hand: 4)

"My turn! Draw!" Sweetie Belle raised the card in the air, she herself glowing a bright blue, noticeable by all but her. "Stand up, my avatar! A white knight with the sword of courage! Shine forth, Blaster Blade (G2/ Power: 9000)!" Sweetie took form on the battlefield, clad in a white-and-blue armor covering most of her body, with a lock of her mane peeking out from her helmet's front, holding a sword with a similar color scheme to her armor. "No skill. I call, Gallatin! Marron! I rest Barcgal to call Flogal!" (Hand: 4)

(Gallatin) (BB) (Flogal)

(Marron) (Barcgal) (RC)

Hand: 4 Damage: 3 Soul: 1

"Marron boosts! Gallatin attacks Rumble's vanguard!" The ninja pony readied his sword and pounced at the vanguard Nehalem.

"No guard. I damage check; no trigger." (Hand: 4 Damage: 2)

"Blaster Blade attacks!"

"No guard."

"Drive check! Flogal! Stand trigger! All effects to Gallatin!" (Gallatin: Stands, Power: 15000)

"I damage check! No trigger." (Damage: 3)

"Gallatin swings in at 15000!" Gallatin once more pounced on vanguard Nehalem, only to be blocked by a yellow pony wielding a flaming spear. (Power: 15000 < Shield: 20000)

"Tahr guards." (Hand: 3)

"Turn end!" (Hand: 5)

"My turn. Stand and draw." Rocket smiled manically and had some sort of glint in his eye. "Ride, enforce justice and smite evil with a never-ending torrent of light! Ride, Enigman Wave (G2/ Power: 10000)! I'm getting all fired up! PERFECT! BLAZE THROUGH THE BATTLEFIELD! CALL! MASKED POLICE, GRANDER! SPEEDSTER! POWER TO WAVE!"

Sweetie and Rumble flinched at the sudden, abrupt change in tone. One minute ago, he was as meek as Fluttershy. Okay, not that much, but you get it. Now, he was getting louder as the minutes passed.

(Grander) (EWave) (RC)

(Speedster) (Daisy) (RC)

Hand: 3 Damage: 0 Soul: 2

"SPEEDSTER BOOSTS, GRANDER ATTACKS BLASTER BLADE, WHICH ACTIVATES GRANDER'S SKILL! POWER TO WAVE! JUSTICE KICK!!!" Grander suddenly hopped on the motorcycle known as 'Speedster', charging at full speed towards Sweetie/Blade, after shooting a plasma bolt towards Enigman Wave, with the light indigo alien absorbing it.

"No guard." (Hand: 5 Damage: 3)

During the last minute before crashing into Blaster Blade, Grander jumped off the motorcycle, landing a few meters in front of the warrior, who got hit in the stomach by the rogue motorcycle. Grander suddenly jumped in the air, and did a photon-charged flying kick, causing Blaster Blade to explode.

"Damage check, no trigger." (Damage: 4)

"WAVE ATTACKS WITH A BOOST FROM DAISY! ENIGMAN WAVE'S SKILL! IF HIS POWER'S 14000 BEFORE BOOSTING, IF THIS HITS, I DRAW!" yelled Rocket crossing his hooves, striking a wierd pose "WAVE BURNER!!!"

"I guard with Epona and Gallatin!!!" (Hand: 3, Power: 22000 < Shield: 24000)

"DRIVE CHECK!" Rocket said, revealing the top card of his deck. "MY SOUL WILL BURN THROUGH THAT SHIELD! DRAW TRIGGER! BURN THROUGH, FLAMES OF JUSTICE!!!" (Hand: 5)

Enigman Wave suddenly glowed a bright orange, getting wings of golden fire as he shot a beam towards the sky. "SPECIAL MOVE! WAVE BUUURRRRNNNEEERRR!!!" he said, as it started raining orange blasts of fire and light, razing the battlefield.

"Damage check; heal trigger! All effects to the vanguard!!!" (Damage: 4, Blaster Blade's Power: 14000)

"WAVE'S SKILL!!! I GET TO DRAW!!!" he yelled, as a card teleported in a flash of green light to his 'hand', making everypony's eyes widen.

"MY TURN ENDS!! NEXT TURN, I'LL FINISH YOU!!!" (Hand: 6 Damage: 0)

"... My turn. Stand and draw." Rumble smiled as he placed a card on his Vanguard Circle. "Ride, Seal Dragon, Blockade (G3/ 10000)!!!" Nehalem suddenly summoned flames atound him, changing into a volcanic dragon covered in purple seal bandages which had an aura of cursed magic heavy in the air. "Vanishing Field! I call, Iron Tail Dragon!!!"

(Nehalem) (Blockade) (RC)

(Iron Tail) (Bahr) (RC)

Hand: 3 Damage: 3 Soul: 3

"Iron Tail boosts! Nehalem attacks Wave!" Rumble said, resting the two units.

"Huh!?" The entire audience was stunned. Sweetie Belle would be the easiest target, since she had the most damage.

"Do you really think I'd guard that!? A real stallion takes an attack head-on! NO GUARD! Damage check; NO TRIGGER!!!" (Hand: 6 Damage: 1)

"Bahr boosts, and Blockade attacks! Volcanic Blast!!!" Blockade's arm bandages loosened, allowing a spike of fire on each heat vent of his arm to jut out as the cursed dragon sent a volley of hellfire from between his claws at the mysterious light indigo alien.

"I'll take the assault! NO GUARD!!!"

"Twin Drive check! First; no trigger! Second check," Rumble checked the top card of her deck, and smiled. "Critical GET!!!"

"Damage check!!! Once, no trigger, second, no trigger!" (Hand: 6 Damage: 3)

This guy's as wierd as hay... Rumble thought. "Turn end." (Hand: 5 Damage: 3)

"My turn! Stand and draw!" Sweetie Belle. I'll show you all I'm no pushover. she thought. "Enter the fray, Lord of the Holy Knights!!! Stand up, King of Knights, Alfred (G3/ 10000)!!!" Blaster Blade was engulfed in a beam of white light, which dissipated rather quickly and left a white pony-knight/king with white and gold armor. "I move Flogal, and I counterblast to call my avatar! Rise once more, Blaster Blade!"

(Gallatin) (KoK, Alfred) (Blaster Blade)

(Marron) (Barcgal) (Flogal)

Hand: 3 Damage: 3/4 Soul: 1

"Marron boosts, Gallatin attacks Enigman Wave!"

"I guard with Justice Cobalt!" (Hand: 5, Damage: 3)

"Alfred attacks at 20000 Power!"

"No guard!"

"Twin Drive check! First; no trigger! Second; no trigger!" (Hand: 5)

"Damage check! No trigger!" (Damage: 4)

When Sweetie saw the wierd colt was beginning to quiet down, she inwardly sighed. Finally. she thought. "Flogal boosts, Blaster Blade attacks!"

"I guard with Army Penguin!" (Hand: 4 Damage: 4)

"Turn end."

"My turn. Stand and draw." A golden aura was forming around Rocket, looking like a cloak of some sort. He raised his hoof in the air, holding a card that was glowing too bright for anypony to see. "Warrior of justice, descend on the battlefield and destroy all evil! HENSHIN!!! STOOOOOOORRRRRMMMMMM!!!!" as he said these words, his energy cloak was seemingly absorbed by the card, which he slammed onto the Vanguard Circle, making the indigo alien change into a white and gold palette swap of himself, albeit bigger and having fully developed wings. "Call! Commander Laurel and Cosmo Beak! Beak's skill! Counterblast, Power +4000 to Storm!"

(Grander) (EStorm) (Cosmo Beak)

(Speedster) (Daisy) (Laurel)

Hand: 3 Damage: 2/4 Soul: 3

Special Counter: Storm's Power - 15000

"Storm attacks Blockade! Since his power is 15000 before I even boost or anything, he gains Critical +1! SHINING RUSH!!!" Storm's hoof started to crackle with thunder, and the heroic alien lunged at the cursed dragon.

"I guard with Tahr and Bahr!" (Hand: 3, Damage: 3, Power: 15000 < Shield and Power: 25000)

"TWIN DRIVE CHECK! First; draw trigger! All effects to Storm and I draw. Second check." he said looking at the top card of his deck. "Heal trigger! Break through, Shining RUSH!!!" (Hand: 6 Damage: 1/3)

"GRAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Enigman Storm's hoof charged with more electricity, punching through the barrier created by the two Embodiment units, and connecting with Blockade's face.

"Darn it!!! Damage check, no triggers." Rumble sent a purple snake-pony and a grayish-blue dragon to the damage zone.

"Laurel's skill! MIRACLE WAVE!!!" The moment these words were uttered, Enigman Storm moved back to the Stand position, whilst four other rear-guards moved into the Rest position.

"WHAT!?"

"JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!? DID YOU THINK I WAS GONNA LET YOU SURVIVE THIS TURN!?" yelled Rocket as he pointed his hoof towards Rumble. "Daisy boosts, Storm attacks Blockade! My soul burns with the power of love and valor!!! SPECIAL MOVE!!!! ENIGMAN BUUSSSTTEEEERRRR!!!" (Power: 33000, Critical: 2)

"I-I can't g-guard against that!"

"Boo-hoo to you then! Twin Drive! First check; Stand Trigger! All effects to Grander (Grander stands, Power: 13000)! Second check; Critical trigger get! All effects to Grander!"

Enigman aimed his hoof at Seal Dragon, Blockade and started to accumulate multi-colored energy particles that formed a spinning ball of light. When it was as big as a soccer ball he pointed it at the dragon, and yelled, "ENIGMAN BUSTER!!!" A bolt of rainbow-colored energy sprouted from the ball of light and split into multiple beams of energy that went for Blockade.

"I d-damage check! N-No trigger... I lose..." Rumble looked down while a card that had the illustration of a hellish dragon with four arms and a revolver floated over to the damage zone.

"And there you have it!!! Our Kagero user, Rumble, has been ELIMINATED!!!" Card Keeper announced as Rumble left the stage and disappeared into the audience.

A loud 'NOOOOOOOO!!!' was heard from most of the female audience.

"Now, the only competitors left are Sweetie Belle and Rocket!!!" announced the manager. "Let's see who'll move on to be Ponyville's representative for the regionals!!!"

Sweetie/Alfred looked on at the sight before her, a golden and white alien glowing with a rainbow hue, levitating overhead with its wings spread wide...

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

Author's Notes:

This continues next chapter. I thank Kamen Writer for Rocket. point out any mistakes etc. ok? XD
Anyways, comment what clan you'd like to see early! No GP, Angel Feather, Narukami, Genesis, or any plot-relevant and season 2 clans. No Shadow Paladin either.

Ride 007 - The Results, The Regionals and The Waiting Room

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

"Turn end." (Hand: 6, Damage: 1/3)

"My turn. Stand and draw." Sweetie Belle tensed as she drew the top card of her deck. Buck it., she thought. "ALL OR NOTHING! FINAL TURN!"

The shop suddenly became quiet after she yelled the phrase. Rocket raised his eyebrow.

(Gallatin) (KoK, Alfred) (Blaster Blade)

(Marron) (Barcgal) (Flogal)

Hand: 6 Damage: 3/4 Soul: 1

"Marron boosts! Gallatin attacks!" said Sweetie Belle as a purple ninja-pony with a spiky mane.

"I don't guard. Damage check; no trigger." Rocket placed a card named "Twin Order" in the damage zone. Gallatin's sword began glowing blue, and slashed Enigman Storm's left wing.

"The King attacks! Go forth, Lord of the United Sanctuary!" said Sweetie as she, as Alfred, swung his sword as Enigman Storm, shooting a wave of blue energy at the golden-white alien.

"I guard with Justice Cobalt, Karenroid, Daisy, and Enigman Wave! JUSTICE GUARD FORMATION!" The selection of units morphed into a giant green circle, blocking the attack. (Hand: 2)

"Twin Drive check! First; Critical trigger! All effects to my avatar! Second check," Sweetie checked the top card of her deck. "ALABASTER OWL! CRITICAL GET! ALL EFFECTS TO BLASTER BLADE!"

Rocket's eyes widened at the sight of the triple-critical Blaster Blade.

"Flogal boosts, Blaster Blade attacks at 24000 Power and 3 Critical!"

"I'LL TAKE THE ASSAULT! I damage che-" Rocket was interrupted by the sound of a cellphone ringing. He pulled it out from nowhere (much to everypony's shock) and answered the call. "Who is this? Oh! Twis- wait, I'M LATE FOR WHAT NOW!?" He immediately packed up his cards and ran into the crowd as fast as he could while yelling. "WELL, GOTTA GO! I FORFEIT! BYE!"

"Wimp. Couldn't accept he was about to lose." grumbled Scootaloo.

"B-b-but the cardfight! And the double crit-" Sweetie Belle was interrupted by a card landing in front of her, glowing.

"Hey, that's my- you know what? KEEP THAT!" Rocket said as he dashed outside faster than you can say "Rainbow Dash", leaving everypony bewildered.

"Well, uh... OUR WINNER IS SWEETIE BELLE!" announced Card Keeper, still confused as hay.

"Err... Yay?"

The audience slowly burst into applause for the new member of the team. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom galloped towards her, while Spark merely looked away. She sighed.

"Okay! The team selection is now done! Anyways, what do you think an appropriate name would be for Ponyville's representatives?"

The three former Crusaders yelled, "TEAM CRUSADER!"

"Are you okay with this?" Card asked the lone colt. Spark just shrugged and nodded. "Well, here's Ponyville's representative team! TEAM CRUSADER!!!!"

The croud cheered in applause as the three fillies looked at each other, smiling. Some of the ponies (specifically Spark) put their headphones on, as if to block whatever loud noise was coming up.

"Wanna do it?"

"Jus' like ol' times?

"Sure!"

All three mares inhaled, and yelled.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS VANGUARD FIGHTERS YAY!!!" they said, nearly deafening those who were unfortunate enough to be near them.

Sweetie Belle and her team stood in front of the stadium. The venue had apparently been moved to a small area in Canterlot, near the 'rich' ponies' homes.

She slowly went up the stairs, followed by her teammates, which led to a door. Sweetie gulped. This is it. Once I go in, there's no turning back.

She pushed the doors open.

"Sweet Celestia, why the hay is it taking so long!?"

Scootaloo was slumped on a couch, groaning. She was currently in the lobby room, which basically consisted of a large room with multiple couches, tables, Crystal Visions, and potted plants. Dang it, why does registration have to take so freakin' long? she thought. Well, might as well get a drink.

As she made her way towards a vending machine, she bumped into a earth pony colt with a blue mane, and light blue coat. "Aagh!"

"Ummm... I'm sorry 'bout that."

"N-no. It was my fault. Well, gotta go miss!" The colt said as he sped away, yelling something that sounded like, "Kamui!".

"Huh, what is it with ponies these days? They make it look like we're in some anime fic or something." she muttered to herself as she put a coin in the machine. She pressed a button for a purple can of cola, but it didn't come out. "Aargh! Darn machine! Give me my soda!"

She kicked the machine. No soda. She kicked it again. No soda. By the 23rd time, she bucked it, putting a small dent in the machine. There it is. "Finally!"

Grumbling, she went back to the waiting room, where Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Spark were waiting for her.

"There ya are! Where the hay have ya been?"

"Bought a soda, okay?"

"Well, we need your signature, decklist, and ..."

Spark looked at the screen as the three were filling out the paperwork. It was showing a purple ninja-dragon with red orbs around its body, who was shooting purple flame-arrows at a giant fly-thing that used the fire on two of its arms to consume and nullify the attack. The fly shot a web of sonic energy at the dragon, who quickly evaded. Finding an opening, the fly shot a fireball (yes, he can) at the dragon, causing an explosion and ending the match.

"Umm... Spark? We need your info here." Sweetie said as she offered a pen. Spark took it and started writing.

Somewhere nearby...

A pink filly with a purple and white mane and a tiara was watching them fill out the application forms.

"Soon." she muttered, as she gripped her pink deckbox. "I WILL get my revenge on you losers."

"HEY DT! DIAMOND TIARA! IT'S ME, ALULA!!!"

Diamond Tiara turned and saw, much to her horror, a light-yellow pegaus filly with a lavender mane galloping towards her. She immediately ran away as fast as her hooves could carry her. However, the filly shifted from running to flying, and soon managed to catch up and tackle her.

"Sweet Celestia, I'm, like, too pretty to die like this!" she groaned, as she was smothered in a bone-crushing hug, with Silver Spoon and Midnight nearby, laughing like maniacs. I am going to KILL those two...

And back to the team...

Sweetie Belle was looking at the card that Rocket had 'given' her, and sighed as she put it back in her binder. She hadn't mastered the card yet, so it'd be a while before she could actually use it.

"Fillies and gentlecolts!" the announcer's voice suddenly boomed. "The first round is about to begin in ten minutes!"

Sweetie Belle gulped as Apple Bloom ran towards them. "Guys, we're gonna have the first match!"

"What!?" Scootaloo yelled. "Then let's decide turn order already! Dibs on second!"

"Then Ah'm first."

"I'm going third."

"S-so that means I'm back-up?"

"OK! We got turn order down! Now let's go!" she said as she galloped to the west atrium.

"Scoots! Yer goin' the wrong way!"

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

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the short chapter. The cards they're using are meant to be a secret, as all will be revealed in the following rounds.