Hello fellow Bronies, this is Fire Gazer the Alchemist. Just wanted to say that this story came to me a long time ago, but I only just now managed to write the first chapter. Also, I can't update this one very often either [insert array of frowny faced emoticons here] because I'm placing top priority to my other story. [I'm not saying that you have to go to my profile and read the story, but yeah, do that.] Anyways, I hope everypony likes this story.

Chapter One – New Kid in Town

Applebloom flicked the pencil on her desk gently, so it rolled forward then back onto her hoof. She repeated this expression of boredom as she tried in vain to cancel out the rowdy noises that everypony in the classroom was making. Cheerilee was five minutes late to starting class, so naturally everypony in the schoolhouse had decided to do whatever they wanted.

She kicked the pencil forward again, but this time it decided to mutiny and slide over the edge of her desk. It dropped to the floor and rolled all the way to the empty desk beside of her, out of reach of her hooves. With an exasperated sigh, Applebloom resigned herself to the fact that she would have to get up to retrieve her only pencil. Before she could stand; however, the classroom around her quickly hushed into an eerie silence. Looking up, Applebloom saw the Cheerilee had walked back inside.

And she wasn't alone.

Beside her was a colt that Applebloom had never seen before. He had black hair with a single silver streak in it that curved back like a razor. His coat was white in contrast, and the lack of a horn or wings pegged him as an Earth pony. His eyes were the only splash of color; a leafy green hue that cut through the class, sizing up everypony in it. His mouth was not curved in a smile, but he certainly wasn't frowning either.

"Class," Cheerilee said, breaking the silence. "This is Obsidian Glass, he's new to Ponyville, and our newest student as well." Applebloom was surprised there weren't crickets chirping. Nopony in the class moved, or spoke. They just stared at the foreigner with mild curiosity.

"Well don't everypony welcome me at once." Obsidian said with a voice as smooth as, well… glass.

Laughter sprang from the back of the class, the unmistakable snorts came from Snips and Snails. "It's funny because we're not!" Snips managed through his uncontrollable fit.

Cheerilee sighed. "Well, Obsidian…"

"Glass. Just call me Glass." He interrupted. Cheerilee began again.

"Well, Glass just take an empty desk anywhere in the room."

The colt nonchalantly walked straight to the desk by Applebloom –probably because it was the one closest – and sat down. Cheerilee turned to the board and started writing down multiplication tables.

Easily ignoring the pony beside her, Applebloom prepared to copy down the problems on the board. Then she remembered her pencil shortage. The yellow filly turned her head back to where the pencil was. Right next to Glass's hoof.

"Psst." She directed toward him. He turned his head slightly, watching her from the corner of his eye. "Can you get my pencil?" She whispered, indicating where it was. His eyes lazily drifted down to where her hoof pointed. With disinterest, he flicked his hoof swiftly, sending the pencil into the air and landing it right on Applebloom's desk. It was so unexpected, that she verbally gasped. Cheerilee turned to face her.

"Is there something you'd like to add, Applebloom?" Her teacher asked, pointing at the board. Applebloom hadn't been paying attention, and was now lost in the labyrinth of equations that called itself a chalkboard.

"Uhhh… umm…" She sputtered.

"She was just reminding me that I would need a pencil to work out those problems." Glass said, coming to her rescue. "Thanks, Applebloom." He said to her, while producing a pencil from his saddlebag.

While Glass occupied himself with the math problems, Applebloom gave an uneasy smile to acknowledge he was right. Cheerilee was appeased, and turned back to the board.

Applebloom looked at Glass as he worked on the problems. The new kid definitely had her attention now. But it was also unnerving, the way he so easily lied to Cheerilee. Applebloom never got away with lying, ever. How had this colt managed to do it so casually, like it was the easiest thing in the world?

The yellow filly filed that question away for later, and returned her focus to the looming math problems that she had evaded for far too long. The bell for recess rang came by faster than expected.

Applebloom meant to ask Glass about his skill at lying, but as the class moved outdoors for recess, and blur of orange and white swept her away from him.

"Hey Applebloom!" Sweetie Belle's voice rang out as the trio walked onto the playground.

"Hey Sweetie Belle. Hey Scootaloo." She said. Not wanting to be rude, she let her best friends steer her away to the far side of the playground.

"I really wish we didn't have to do so many math problems." Scootaloo said, beginning a conversation that would likely not die down in time for Applebloom to talk to Glass. "Math stinks."

"With your luck, you'll get solving math problems for your Cutie Mark." Sweetie Belle said. Scootaloo made a face of disgust.

"There isn't a single pony in Equestria who would want a math Cutie Mark." She responded.

"So what are we going to try for our next crusading attempt?" Applebloom asked.

"I was thinking extreme sports." Scootaloo said, a fire in her eyes. "I know this one place where…"

"Can't we try something less… extreme… for our Cutie Marks?" Sweetie Belle said. "The last time you suggested a sport, a dodge ball knocked my tooth out." The purple-haired filly revealed a gaping hole in her mouth, where an adult tooth had yet to grow into. Scootaloo blushed, ashamed to be the guilty party in that story.

"Well then suggest somethin' else." Applebloom said. Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to respond, but never got the chance.

"Hey Blank Flank!" an all-too-familiar voice yelled from across the playground. The Crusaders cringed simultaneously, thinking it was directed at them. Applebloom peaked over her shoulder expecting to see Diamond Tiara for a daily dose of bullying. Only she wasn't there.

Instead, the pink bully and her silver sidekick had found a new victim. Obsidian Glass.

"Glass is a blank flank?" Applebloom said in shock. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other in confusion.

"You mean you didn't know?" The orange filly asked.

"You're usually the first to notice that kind of thing." Sweetie insisted. Applebloom bit her lip, realizing that she hadn't focused on that at all.

"We'd better go get Diamond Tiara off his back." Scootaloo said, as if defending fellow blanks was a chore. The three ran towards the two fillies, now taunting Glass. When they got close enough, they could hear the exact insults.

"Hey blank flank, she's talking to you!" Silver Spoon said to Glass.

"What?" He asked, not afraid but just slightly annoyed.

"How does it feel, to know you still don't have a Cutie Mark?" The pink filly asked.

Glass put on one of the cheesiest, fake-friendly smiles possible and said. "Fantastic. And how does it feel to be a brat?" Upon hearing this, Applebloom and her friends stopped in mid-run. Nopony talked to Diamond Tiara that way. In curiosity, the majority of the class swooped in around them.

Shocked for a moment by the question itself, Diamond was at a loss for words. Finally she managed a well thought out, "Excuse me?"

"No really, I am curious." He continued, fake smile ablaze. "What is it like, to have nothing to do but point out shortcomings of others when your own flaws are right out there for the world to see? What exactly do you do besides walk around calling ponies 'blank flank' because that is literally the most intelligent level that your brain can function at? In short, what is it like to be an undeniable, unquestionable brat?"

Diamond Tiara had no answer to that. Silver Spoon managed a half-hearted, "You can't talk to her like that." The bell for recess rang at that moment, sparing Diamond Tiara anymore humiliation. The ponies that had been listening dispersed. All except for three.

"Wow." Applebloom said. There wasn't much else to say. Nopony had ever stood up to Diamond Tiara like that, and the ones who tried normally ended up in the fetal position crying for their mothers. Glass trotted back inside, his victory secure.

"Did you girls see that?" Sweetie Belle said with amazement and excitement.

"Yeah." Applebloom said. "What do you think of it?"

"I think," Scootaloo said. "That Glass is Crusader material."