“All right It’ finally time for that last match in are qualifying tournament. This is the last match of the day. Lets play some Vanguard.” announced Pinkie Pie
‘I almost didn’t stick around.’ thought Apple Bloom remembering what happened earlier.
‘I know I’ll just get up and walk out. That way Sweetie Belle will have to take my place.’ thought past Apple Bloom
“Ponies that run from cardfights aren't worthy of face off against me.” said past Spike
"Final Turn!" said past Spike
“Final turn you say.” said past Pipsqueak.
“Ride the Blazing Flare Dragon. I activate Blazing Flare Dragon’s skill. Whenever one of your rear guards is sent to the drop zone he gain 3000 power until the end of the turn.”
“No way.”
“Conroe supports Blazing Flare Dragon’s attack.”
“No I can't defend myself.”
“Now I check the twin drive. First (Critical), second (Critical). That a critical trigger times two.”
‘But while watching Spike’s fight it all became clear. I want to be as strong as Spike someday. So I can face him as an equal and here I was thinking of running away from a battle like a coward.What good would that do?’
They but there decks own down.
“Third match of the tournament final begin.” said the Judge
“Stand Up, Vanguard!”
“Barcgal”
“Guiding Zombie”
“And here we are at the final match of Ponyville’s Regional Qualifier Tournament. It’s Team Handsome vs Team Crusaders. The last battle has begun. With the winning team moving on to the National Tournament. So far both teams have but have but up an amazing display. But now everything comes down to this.” announced Pinkie Pie
“Do your best Apple Bloom.” said Applejack and Rarity
“Please win this Apple Bloom. I don’t want to marry Rumble.” pleaded Scootaloo
“Really you do know you two are too young to get married right.” said Sweetie Belle
“Lets recap what has happened. First was a nova grappler battle with one of the fighters in love and not knowing when take a hint even if they are saying it to them. Then next we had match filtering Granblue and Kagero decks. With the the Granblue deck getting totally destroyed. So looking back over all that has happened here. I think this last match will not be a disappointment.” announced Pinkie Pie
“I’m going first so I draw. I ride the Little Sage Marron. Barcgal moves to the rear guard then I activate Barcgal’s skill to call Flogal from my deck.That’s my turn.” said Apple Bloom ‘I got to make sure this game does not end up like the last one.’ she thought remembering what happened during their first fight.
(RG) (Marron) (RG)
(Flogal) (Barcgal) (RG)
“Hoping for a different result. You now history repeats itself Apple Bloom. It’s my turn I draw. I ride the Dandy Guy, Romario I activate Guiding Zombie’s skill to move him to the rear guard. Then I call the Samurai Spirit next Rough Seas Banshee. Now I activate here skill. If there is a Granblue unit in my vanguard circle I can send her to the soul and draw one card.”
(GZ) (Romario) (RG)
(SS) (RG) (RG)
“Why would he make a useless move?” asked Diamond Tiara
“We will have to wait and see.” said Silver Spoon
“I mean why he call the unit if all he was going to do was send it to the soul?”
“It may be useless to you. Using that skill didn’t cost him anything because he drew a card to replace the one he just played. If his increasing the soul this early means he is planning to do something big later.” said Rainbow Dash
“With support for Samurai Spirit my Guiding Zombie will attack Marron.” He lift up his lantern and shot a beam from it hitting Apple Bloom.
“Damage trigger check.”(no trigger)
“Next I’ll have Remario attack Marron. Drive trigger check.” (no trigger) He lit up his horn and shot lighting from it.
“Damage trigger check.” (not trigger) ‘Two damage already.’
“That ends my turn.”
“Big brother go, go, go. Just a little more and then I’ll get to marry Scootaloo.” said Rumble
“Apple Bloom I’m begging you please win. My future is in you hoofs. said Scootaloo
‘Thunderlane plays like a champion. But I have to be strong and stand my ground. Even if I get scared I won’t run away. Now I’ll show you my true strength.’ thought Apple Bloom “With Barcgal’s skill I search my deck for Future Knight Llew and call. Now I activate Llew’s counterblast. Llew go to the soul as well as Bargal and Flogal. Then I search for Blaster Blade in deck. Now stand up my avatar superior ride Blaster Blade.”
“So she used Barcgal and Llew’s skills to bring out Blaster Blade. Isn’t this the first time she done this combo before.” said Rarity
“There is something different about her.” said Sweetie Belle
‘Apple Bloom has gotten better.’ thought Thunderlane
“I call the Knight of Silence Gallatin, Wingal, and Marron.”
(Gallatin) (Blaster Blade) (Marron)
(Wingal) (RG) (RG)
“See sometimes useless moves turn into a wicked combo.” said Rainbow Dash
“What ever she doesn’t even have a grade three.” said Diamond Tiara
“Your expectations are too high.” said Silver Spoon
“First I’ll have Marron attack your vanguard.” said Apple Bloom as he lit up his horn and shot lighting from it hitting him.
“Checking for a damage trigger.” (No trigger)
“Now Blaster Blade attacks Romario. Drive trigger check, heal trigger. Thats 5000 power to Gallatin and I recover one damage.” She swung her sword firing blue fire at him.
“Damage trigger check, critical trigger. I give all effects to Romario.”
“I attack Romario with Gallatin with support from Wingal.”
21000 to 13000
“I guard with Rick the Ghostie.”
21000 to 23000
Gallatin ran up when a ghost appeared he slashed the ghost and returned.
“I end my turn.”
“It looks like you have gotten better Apple Bloom. But is it going to be enough? Deep in the granblue is where the sunlight doesn't reach is where the pirates are. I ride Captain Nightmist.”
‘Oh no, thats the unit who gave me so much trouble before.’
“Now I call Ruin Shade and Evil Shade.” A black stallion with a dagger appeared. “Ruin Shade attacks Blaster Blade. I activate her skill by dropping the top two card to give her +2000 power. I also activate Nightmist skill.”
“When did he get into the dropzone?”
“Ruin Shade’s skill but a copy of him in the drop zone. Now he gains 3000 on my turn.”
“You use this strategy on me last time.” ‘He combined Ruin Shades skill with Nightmist to power him up.’
“Facing my undead pirates again was a big mistake on your part Apple Bloom.”
“Apple Bloom, Thunderlane seems like a very skilled player. I hope you will be ok.” said Applejack with a worried tone in her voice.
“She’ll be fine Applejack. Your sister is fighting for Scootaloo. There is no way she’ll lose.” said Snips
“Yeah no need to worry.” said Snails
“Are you sure she is fighting for Scootaloo?” asked Rainbow Dash
“She has a point.” Diamond Tiara
“Yeah she is fighting for the team….” said Silver Spoon
“Apple Bloom is fighting as my proxy.” interrupt Diamond Tiara
“Well anyways this is the most important cardfight that Apple Bloom’s ever had. No matter who wins or loses. The only thing we can do is cheer your sister on with all we got. And that’s how we can help.” said Rainbow Dash Snips and Snails nodded their heads in agreement. “You see.”
“Do your best Apple Bloom.” said Applejack
Scootaloo was very nervous on how the fight was going.
“Calm down it’s still early in the fight. with that being said I can see why Thunderlane made it to the Nationals last year.” said Rarity
“Wow this match is really getting interesting. With the undead pirates of Granblue are about to strike against the Royal Paladin’s.” announced Pinkie Pie
Ruin Shade ran up and slashed her sword against Apple Bloom.
“I check for a damage trigger.” (no trigger) said Apple Bloom
“Evil Shade gives a boost. Here I go.” He disappeared. “I activate Evile Shade’s skill by sending the top two cards of my deck to the drop zone. To boost for an extra 4000 power.” He appeared right behind Apple Bloom. “Drive trigger check.” (no trigger) He slash Apple Bloom’s back with his sword.
“Damage trigger check.” (no trigger) ‘He’s strong.”
“That Nightmist is sneaky he could be a ninja.” said Diamond Tiara
“We all know you love ninja’s. I bet you want one for your deck.” said Silver Spoon
“No way, I only care about getting grade three’s.”
“Of course.”
“The grade three fever is still raging.” said Rainbow Dash
“This is the level of play that gets you to nationals. Thunderlane is really good.” said Rarity
“Come on Apple Bloom you got to beat him. I don’t want to wind up with a box and stick.” said Scootaloo
“I think you were trying to say ball and chain.”
‘Thunderlane really is an incredibly strong player. But I have to beat this strong opponent.’ thought Apple Bloom. Then she looked at her units each one of them nodded their head when she looked at them. ‘That's right, the Royal Paladin’s are my clan. If we fight together and believe in ourselves. We can win this. All my friend’s in team Crusaders are counting on me. I’m not going to let them down.’
“Ok Apple Bloom is ready to fight back. It looks like she finally found the confidence she needed.” said Rainbow Dash
“It looks like you are enjoying this. So there is no reason to stop. With Samurai Spirit’s support Guiding Zombie attacks.” said Thunderlane
12000 to 9000
‘I won’t let him do anymore damage.’ thought Apple Bloom “I guard with Llew.” He fired a beam from his lantern but a armed earth pony appeared in the way stopping the attack.
12000 to 19000
“Well I still did two damage. I end my turn.”
Back in the waiting room the Princess were watching the fight.
“There is something different about Apple Bloom, she’s changed.” said Cadence
“You're right.” said Celestia
“Yeah”
“I guess you're on to something.” said Luna
Back in the arena.
“It’s my turn I draw, all right. Enter the fray, kneel before your king I ride the King of Knight Alfred.” said Apple Bloom
“Alright thats Apple Bloom’s best card. Now she has a chance to win the game.” said Scootaloo
Then a string came over and tied itself on one of Scootaloo’s feathers on her left wing. And on the other side of the arena Rumble tied the other end of the string on one of the feathers of his right wing and said. “With this string I they wed.”
“Please save me Alfred. Nothing but your holy sword can cut this string.”
“Hey look Apple Bloom’s about to start her attack.” said Rainbow Dash
“Marron move to the back row. Then I activate Alfred's counterblast, paying three I can search my deck for a grade two or lower Royal Paladin unit and call it to the rear guard. I suppercall Knight of Truth Gordon, now it’s time to attack.” said Apple Bloom
“It looks like the Paladins are about to bring the Pirates to justice.” said Silver Spoon
“Well she’s got a grade three out. That should do.” said Diamond Tiara
“That should do.”
“First I’ll have Wingal support Gallatin and attack Nightmist.” said Apple Bloom
16000 to 8000
“No guard” said Thunderlane Gallatin ran up and slashed him with his sword. “Damage trigger check.” (no trigger)
“Fellow Paladin lend me your strength, then I’ll attack.”
18000 to 8000
“No guard”
“Twin drive first check (no trigger), seconde check (no trigger). Now feel the power of the holy sword. Face your punishment.” said Apple Bloom running up to him and swing her sword at him.
“Damage trigger check.(heal trigger) Looks like the Pirates are the lucky ones to day. Because I just got a heal trigger. The power will go to Nightmist and I recover one damage.”
“With support from Marron, Gordon attacks your vanguard.”
16000 to 13000
“I guard that with Nightmist”
Gordon ran up stabbing one of the Pirates then retreating.
“I end my turn.” ‘I can’t believe I only dealt one damage to him.’
‘If it wasn’t for that heal trigger I would be in a pretty bad spot right now. I shouldn’t underestimate her. She different than last time.’
“Looks like Thunderlane is getting frustrated.” said Scootaloo try to untie the string.
“They both have three damage. Impressive Apple Bloom is really holding her own out there.” said Rarity
“Apple Bloom is playing a lot better. Don’t you think Spike?” asked Sweetie Belle
“Hardly.” said Spike
“What do you think Spike? Apple Bloom is playing a lot better. Right.” shouted Rainbow Dash as Snips and Snails nodded their heads.
Spike didn’t respond to her question.
“Wow the battle is even up to this point. This is the championship match we been waiting for. This has to be one of the most exciting vanguard matches I have ever seen in my life. I mean I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself.” announced Pinkie Pie
Back in the waiting room.
“This is really a fun match to watch, right.” said Cadence
But Celestia and Luna did not say a word they were watching the match.
Back in thee arena.
“You may have improved scenes last time Apple Bloom. But listen up, you're still not playing at the level of somepony ready for the National Tournament. You probably got my deck figured out. But I’m going to show you the true power of my undead pirate crew. Here I go, I call Knight Spirit.” A knight earth pony with fire for a head appeared. “Now I activate Spirit Exceed skill from the drop zone. I move Samurai Spirit and Knight Spirit to the soul. And because I have a grade two vanguard, Spirit Exceed can move from the drop zone the vanguard circle. Ghost of the captian return to the living world once more with a superior ride, Spirit Exceed.”
“A grade three came back from the drop zone.”
“I hope you didn’ think Captain Nightmist was the only unit you had to worry about. It’s like I told you before my pirates will keep coming back until they defeat you.”
“Oh no I’m not sure if Apple Bloom can deal with a resurrection at this level.” said Scootaloo in a worry tone.
“It looks like Thunderlane’s about to finish her off.” said Blossomforth
“Is it wrong for me to hope that Apple Bloom will win this thing.” said Pipsqueak
“Well you do have a crush on her. But if we don’t win this match we won’t go to the National Tournament.” said Rumble
“I move Guiding Zombie to the back row. Then I call another Spirit Exceed.” said Thunderlane
“He's got two grade three’s in the front row.” said Silver Spoon
“Thats a lot more power all of a sudden.” said Diamond Tiara
“Come on Apple Bloom I know you can do this.” said Rainbow Dash
Applejack and Scootaloo were worried for Apple Bloom.
