“Ashford, I’m really glad you’re willing to join my club. I believe that with you joining, our club will definitely become even stronger.”
“…Huh?”
“Aren’t you here to join my club?”
“I just wanted to come and check it out; whether I’ll join the club is another matter.”
“Oh, I see.”
At Canterlot High School, Ashford and Rainbow Dash began the club introduction activity in Rainbow Dash’s club.
Ever since the Maud Pie told Ashford about Rainbow Dash’s club, Ashford felt like he should come and take a look.
Even though Adagio’s search for magic was unreliable, Ashford didn’t know why he always found himself thinking about it, intentionally or not.
It was as if he were under a spell; even while sleeping, his mind was filled with it.
There was no moment of peace for his brain.
“Ashford, first of all, our club can be said to be the most famous club in the entire school.”
“Yeah, ‘Rainbow Sonic Boom’. Those who know think it’s a sports club; those who don’t would think it’s a group of astronomy enthusiasts.”
“…Cough, cough. A catchy name is needed to attract everyone’s attention. If the name isn’t good, how can it attract people?”
“…”
Ashford silently looked at the group photo of the Rainbow Sonic Boom Club and fell into deep thought.
Even counting Rainbow Dash, there were only six people in the club.
For a club, this number was indeed a bit too small.
A club like the Drama Club had more than four times as many members.
Rainbow Dash even talked about forming a soccer team…
with just these six people?
“Cough, cough. Ashford, although our club has few members, we strive for excellence.”
“…”
In the end, Ashford still didn’t join Rainbow Dash’s Rainbow Sonic Boom Club.
He didn’t know why, but he always felt like this club didn’t belong to him.
There was no reason; it was just a feeling.
At noon, while Ashford was eating, he saw that girl with red and yellow hair again.
Sunset Shimmer?
She was a bit different from his impression; now, there was an unusual temperament in Sunset Shimmer’s eyes.
“Hey! What are you looking at? Just eat your food, you jerk.”
Sunset Shimmer glared fiercely at a student, who was so frightened that they couldn’t even hold their fork and knife steady.
Next to her, there seemed to be a pair of guys who looked like brothers, acting tough on the side.
“That’s right, just eat your food.”
“Exactly, don’t let your eyes wander.”
Ha, that actually rhymed.
Ashford watched this school bullying behavior but didn’t step forward to stop it.
He still remembered what his father had said: don’t always try to be the hero, don’t overreach, and always be cautious.
“Hey, look, the Oriental kid is actually eating pig tails.”
“…This is zhajiangmian.”
“Huh? zhajiangmian? It looks just like worms.”
Sunset Shimmer looked down at Ashford.
He had seen people like her before, but right now, he didn’t want to cause trouble.
Right now, Ashford just wanted to eat his meal in peace.
To be honest, he didn’t want to have anything to do with this psycho.
Ever since he was mysteriously tied to a chair and forced to watch the amateurish magic duel between Trixie and Sunset Shimmer, Shangguan Jingxing had decided that as long as he didn’t become famous or attract too much attention in this school, he’d be fine.
If the academic atmosphere of this school weren’t so relaxed, Shangguan Jingxing would have already wanted his Aunt Cadance to transfer him.
When Sunset Shimmer saw Shangguan Jingxing pick up his chopsticks to eat his noodles again, she felt insulted.
Ever since she decided to become the School Tyrant of this school, this was the first student after Trixie who dared to challenge her authority.
“Still eating!”
In a fit of rage, Sunset Shimmer reached out and slammed the bowl of noodles onto Ashford’s face.
This sudden scene left everyone in the cafeteria stunned.
Just when Sunset Shimmer thought Ashford would run away in fear like the other students she had encountered, he punched her in the chin.
The force was so great that Sunset Shimmer almost bit her own tongue off.
“It seems your family never taught you the virtue of cherishing food. But that’s okay, I can teach you properly now.”
At the same time, the two lackeys beside Sunset Shimmer also reacted and joined the fray.
Ashford didn’t think his fighting skills were particularly great, but he really didn’t believe he couldn’t even beat a girl.
However, the outcome was not as Ashford had imagined.
One of the lackeys was tall and thin, and the other was short and fat; Ashford didn’t think much of them based on their physique.
But he was surprised to find that Sunset Shimmer was so tough; her physical constitution was simply not like that of a normal person.
Although Sunset Shimmer’s limb coordination was as if she had never experienced standing or walking, her physical fitness was truly strong, and she just wouldn’t go down.
A back kick almost made Ashford throw up the noodles he had just eaten.
This time, he was also amazed by the different physical constitutions of different places; girls in this place were actually this capable of fighting?
After an unknown amount of time fighting, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna arrived late and pulled the two apart.
Unsurprisingly, Sunset Shimmer was punished.
After leaving the Principal’s office, Ashford went to the water tank to wash his face, where he then saw Fluttershy.
“Hello.”
“Uh… hello. I remember you. Your name is Fluttershy, right?”
“Yes, it’s nice to meet you, Ashford… Does it still hurt?”
“Uh… I’m okay, but I got hit with a stool on my back. Can you help me apply some medicine?”
“Uh… okay.”
Ashford naturally took off his shirt and entrusted his back to Fluttershy.
After pouring the medicine onto her hand, Fluttershy began to apply it to the wound on his back.
Meanwhile, the two of them had a conversation without any outsiders present.
“Ashford, I think you’re really amazing.”
“Why do you say that? Because you’re the first person besides Trixie who dared to resist Sunset Shimmer.”
“What exactly is her deal? Why is every student afraid of her?”
“Ah? You don’t know?”
“Do I… have to know?”
Ashford was a bit confused by the current situation.
Every student was afraid of Sunset Shimmer; was she some kind of School Tyrant?
“Your social skills are truly even worse than those of Pinkie Pie’s sister, the Maud Pie.”