Starting Over 2: Returning Home

Spectra stared at the princess for a few seconds before coming up with his response.

"What."

Luna shakes her head. "I know you're going to be married soon, and that I shouldn't push this onto you, but I had to say it."

Spectra looks up to the sky. "Luna, I hope you understand that I cannot possibly love you back, right?"

Luna's eyes were tearing up. "Yes, I realize this."

Spectra nods. "Good. We can still be friends though, Luna."

Luna looks up to the stallion with a smile. "Yes, I would like to stay friends with you."

Spectra lies back and stares at the night sky. "Good. You're the best friend I've ever had, Luna."

Luna giggles. "I'm the ONLY friend you've ever had."

Spectra punches her in the shoulder lightly.

"It sounds like your teasing me."

Luna laughs. "I'm merely stating a fact."

Spectra laughs, and so does Luna. The two ponies just lie back and enjoy each others company for a while.

-----Cloud House-----

Spectra woke up to some voices shouting from down on the hill below the house.

"Oi! Oi, Spectra! Heeeeeey, mate!"

Spectra looks to his left and sees Rainbow waking up. She sits up in bed and rubs her eyes.

"Whajubuhza? Spectra, go see who it is."

Rainbow flops back down onto the bed. Spectra flies out the window and looks down to see Shadow. Spectra rolls his eyes.

"Not again."

He flies down to the ground and gets into a fighting stance.

"Look, mate, I can go Dark-Red again and have a repeat of what happened earlier."

Shadow shakes his head. "No, mate! I want to apologize."

Spectra was surprised to hear he had a similar accent to him.

"Kaor told me what he did, and I felt bad about it. Could ya follow me to my house? I wanna talk to ya."

Spectra drops out of his fighting stance and nods. "Sure, mate. Let me go tell Rainbow though."

Spectra flies up to the window and sticks his head in.

"Rainbow, I'm going out to a strange unicorns house who tried to kill me. You okay with that?"

Rainbow waves a hoof in the air.

"Sure, whatever. Go have fun."

Spectra rolls his eyes.

"Thanks for caring."

Spectra flies back down to Shadow.

"Lead the way."

-----Shadow's House, Everfree Forest-----

Spectra walked inside Shadows house. It was more of a cave, really. Spectra decided to go sit on the couch. Shadow went over to the fire pit. Hanging over it, was a pot boiling. It was filled with green goop. Spectra pointed to it.

"Ummm, what's that?"

Shadow took a spoon, dunked it in, and ate it. He turned to Spectra.

"A Changeling Queen."

Spectra was about to puke. "What!? You're...eating Chrysalis?! Why don't you eat normal stuff, like an apple or something?"

Shadow put the spoon down and sat next to Spectra.

"I grew up in this forest. Most of the plants or fruits in here are lethal. So, I had to grow up eating anything else I could find. Ever tried manticore before?"

Spectra shakes his head. Shadow points to an icebox.

"Do you want to try it?"

Spectra was going green. Shadow laughed.

"Mate, I'm joking!"

Spectra sighed.

"You don't have to eat the manticore, I will later."

Spectra ran outside and threw up on a nearby bush. He walked back inside and sat back down on the couch. Spectra looked to Shadow's flank.

"So, why don't you have a cutie mark?"

Shadow looks to his flank and back to Spectra.

"I do. My special talent is stealth."

Spectra rolls his eyes.

"Oh, yeah? Prove it."

Shadow grins. "Alright then. Blink."

Spectra blinks. Shadow was gone. Spectra rubbed his eyes and when he opened them, Shadow was back to where he was.

"Woah. Wish my talent was as cool as yours."

Shadow looks at Spectra's flank. "What's that supposed to be, anyway?"

"Arguing. I am great at debates or arguments. When I win, the issue is solved, and creates a balance of harmony. That's what my cutie mark represents."

Shadow shakes his head and gives Spectra a confused look.

"Wow. Now I'm jealous of you."

Spectra and Shadow share a laugh, before an idea strikes Spectra.

"Hey, Shadow, It's been fun and all, but can you show me the way outta here?"

Shadow stands up. "Sure, follow me."

Spectra stands up and follows Shadow out of the Everfree Forest.

Spectra doesn't return home, he instead continues on towards Vinyl's Club. He remembered a saying Rainbow once said two years ago when they were going out.

=====FLASHBACK=====

Spectra was playing a new song he threw together on Vinyl's turntable. Rainbow was listening with great interest. When the song finished, Rainbow put her hoof to her chin.

"That was alright. It needs to be cooler. About 20% cooler."

Spectra shrugged. "Alright. Vinyl! We need to amp this up! Drop the bass!"

=====Present=====

Spectra smiled and walked into Vinyl's Club.

"Yo, Vinyl! We need a mix to make!"

-----Cloud House-----

Rainbow Dash woke up and looked around. Spectra was gone, but he left a note;

'Rainbow, meet me at Vinyl's Club. Love, Spectra.'

"What's he doing with Vinyl?"

She flies out the window and heads to Vinyl's Club. When she walked inside, it was pitch black.

"Spectra!? Spectra!"

The lights suddenly flash on. Spectra was holding a microphone, while Vinyl was behind her turntable.

Spectra leans forward. "Hit it, Vinyl!"

Some music turned on and the lights flashed different colours.

Spectra puts the microphone to his mouth and starts singing.

You can call me the king or the ruler

Felon on bass, getting hoarse at the mic

We're getting 20 percent cooler

We had a great day out

Calling my name like Ferris Bueller

It's time to wrap this up

We're getting 20 percent cooler

7 colors in your hair

Get your boots on dear 'cause we're going out there

Don't care 'bout the dress code

Put it on, let's go

Girls go wild 'cause we're going "al fresco"

Ha!

No need to perform

Hands on our bodies gonna keep our skills warm

We need social reform 'cause we're just so criminal

Linguist subliminal, damages minimal

Top percentile, largest fraction

Massive attraction, girl-on-girl action

Stop that, I'm gonna need a redaction

Drop that, you already got your reaction

Me? I'm gonna keep on smiling

You? You're gonna need restyling

I got the quote back

From the jeweler

You're getting twenty percent cooler

You can call me the king or the ruler

Felon on bass, getting hoarse at the mic

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We had a great day out

Calling my name like Ferris Bueller

It's time to wrap this up

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

Shhh

Reduce that treble

There's an 8 or 9 who think they're on my level

Like a rebel in a bunker getting shelled with a mortar

Bump up and down 'cause I think you oughta

Place your hand on my thigh

Don't be coy, I can hear you sigh

Grinding your hips, I'll be flashing my pink

And in ten seconds flat you'll be back with a drink

Wooo!

Bring out the Bacardi

Twilight Sparkle up in the party

Tap that, like a phone in the cold war

Room on the third floor, knocking at my front door

Me? I'm kind of a Rarity

You? Work that dexterity

Lean back now, here's what I meant

Getting cooler by twenty percent

Yeah I own this beat

You can call me the king or the ruler

Felon on bass, getting hoarse at the mic

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We had a great day out

Calling my name like Ferris Bueller

It's time to wrap this up

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We're getting twenty percent cooler

Yeah I own this beat

You can call me the king or the ruler

Felon on bass, getting hoarse at the mic

We're getting twenty percent cooler

We had a great day out

Calling my name like Ferris Bueller

It's time to wrap this up

We're getting twenty percent cooler

When the song finished, Spectra looked to Rainbow expectantly, her jaw was on the floor. Spectra frowned.

"That bad, huh?"

Rainbow flew up on stage, ran up to Spectra and kissed him.

"Are you kidding?! That was awesome!"

Spectra smiled and hugged her.

"Good to hear you liked it."

-----2 Weeks Later, Hill Below Cloud House-----

Spectra, Rainbow Dash and their friends were on a hill, enjoying a picnic. They were talking about how their jobs were doing, when everypony noticed Spike running up the hill with a scroll in his claw. He ran up to Twilight panting.

"Twilight...huh....the princess....huh.....sent you a letter!"

Twilight picks the letter up with her magic and reads it. She looks to everypony on the hill.

"The princess wants to give me a test? And she says to bring all of my friends with me to Canterlot!"

Spectra twitched. "Celestia damnnit! I thought that went away!"

Twilight and everypony else giggles.

"Come on, everypony. Let's get on the train."

-----Outside Of The Royal Castle-----

Twilight had gone inside the castle alone, leaving Spectra and everypony else outside. Luna walked up to Spectra and the group. Everypony bowed, except for Spectra.

"'Sup, Luna?"

AJ grabbed Spectra and bent him over.

"Show sum respect fer the Princess, Spectra!"

Spectra wrenches his way out of AJ's grip.

"I don't have to bow to my best friend."

Spectra runs up to Luna and gives her a hug. Everypony's jaws were on the ground.

Luna giggles at their reactions. "What brings you to Canterlot, Spectra?"

Spectra released his grip.

"Celestia said she wanted to see Twilight about some 'test' and to bring her friends with her."

Luna nods. "It would be best if I went inside to."

Spectra nods as well. "See ya later, Lulu!"

Luna walks up to the doors and giggles. "Bye, Spectra."

She opens the doors and walks in.

The group wait a long time before Twilight comes out of the castle. When she does, she springs out and lands with a thump on her hooves.

"Listen everypony, we've been given a mission!"

Spectra rolls his eyes. "I guess I'm coming along as a sort of bodyguard due to Dark-Red, right?"

Twilight shakes her head. "No, all of you are coming with me!"

Everypony looked to each other. Rarity stepped forward. "Darling, where are we going?"

Twilight puffed out her chest. "To The Crystal Empire!"