Twilight sighed once the eight girls reconvened that night. After their practice the girls got to work on preparing the celebration and also get their costumes made. So far Trixie was already with a costume that for the moment was part of her. Pinkie was the closest to be finished having found a spandex mask with steam punk goggles to cover the eyes. Rarity with Pinkie's help built web shooters and web fluid for the girls unable to shoot webs like Twilight and Trixie. Rarity had worked on her own suit knowing it had to be fitting her new alias. She was already inputting the spell matrix the four unicorns of the group developed to hide their natural hair color. Trixie was the exception to this.
"So Fluttershy, Rarity is using nanotech for your suit" asked Twilight.
"Yes these nanites are said to be easy to keep on me at all times. They are going to be hidden in a watch Rarity is building" said Fluttershy.
"My own suit is definitely going to be taking the longest to make due to the fact I have to forge the parts myself by the way Spike was a huge help there his dragon fire was able to help melt the ore to metal" said Rarity.
"I find it a bit ironic that Spike a dragon seems the most nice out of his kind" said Rainbow.
"That's because I raised him since he was hatched. His magic resistance and the responsibility Celestia told me of went a long way in helping me learn control. I probably know the most about raising dragons than any other pony. And that's from first hand experience" said Twilight.
"So Spike is like a mix of little brother and son to you" said Fluttershy.
"To be honest we don't know what we see each other as. My own parents didn't raise me most of my life and the only family I recognise is my brother and Spike plus Sunset here" said Twilight.
"So you have no clue how to view Spike because you don't have any example to follow. And Celestia has been ruling the kingdom for over a thousand years she has seen ponies grow and die and has experience raising them in her own way" said Rainbow.
"Right anyway I got the materials for my costume all I need is for Rarity to stitch it and enchant it" said Twilight pulling out red and blue fabric with black thread. "Why red and blue dear" asked Rarity.
"The colors of my aspect's mane red with blue highlights" said Twilight as if it was obvious.
"Anyway mine is coming along well" said Sunset.
"I got the design ready but I'm no good at actually putting it together I'm the weather manager I got no skill in sewing" said Rainbow handing a sketch to Rarity.
"Well this is definitely inspired Rainbow Dash" said Rarity.
"Where are we going to hide the matrix" asked Applejack.
"Easy the small of the back one of the hardest places to hit" said Rarity.
"Well with that out of the way if our suits are ready we better spend the remainder of the week preparing the place for the celebration" said Twilight.
"I find that we should also plan for Nightmare Moon. The day of the celebration we pretend we don't know each other. If she is getting freed in five days she might spy on us after her reveal as we locate the elements" said Trixie.
"And set up appropriate traps to slow us down" said Sunset.
"Well girls what are we waiting for let's get planning" said Pinkie as she and the girls nodded.
_------------
(Web of bonds - by Geo hikari)
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We see darkness before eight colored lights matching the fur of the eight heroines shot past sketching out the title:
A League Of Spiders!
Webs suddenly cover the screen cueing the sound of a electric guitar and a violin as the webs dissolve to reveal a blue sky.
(After all this time we were separate never knowing what was going on around us)
Rainbow was seen napping on a cloud before suddenly waking up to see Spitfire and Gilda looking at her amused to her embarassment.
She suddenly flew off in a rainbow streak as her alter ego appeared next to her transparent before fusing with her making the costume solid as her name and alias appeared next to her.
(We never considered just how much the world changes, to the sudden realization that nothing is as it seems)
Suddenly piano and drums joined the guitar and violin as we see Fluttershy tending her animals before she looked up to see Sonata playing with some puppies while a shadowed figure watches from the side of the house before Rainbow zipped by and Fluttershy flew after her before her alter ego replaced her as her own name and alias appeared.
(But with this coming darkness we got no choice but to band together to fight back)
Now flute and trumpet joined the music as we see Twilight and Sunset with Spike and Shining Armor reading some books while a shadowed figure appeared and seemed to nuzzle Twilight making her blush before she and Sunset spotted their pegasi friends flying by and ran to catch up to them with Spike.
Twilight and Sunset were both replaced by their alter ego's while Spike was replaced by his own alter ego as their names and alias appeared.
(Now let us unite our skills to bring back the bonds we have lost, revive that spark hidden in the webs of our connection to release our true potential)
Now base guitar and bass guitar joined the music as we see Applejack and Pinkie with their families doing their jobs before their five friends shot by and they ran after them waving to their confused relatives as their own alter egos replaced them as their names appeared.
(Our hope will shine brighter as we face through the challenges ahead and bring out the truth of our hearts in this never ending battle)
Trixie and Rarity were seen doing their jobs before their friends waved them over as they passed by and they ran after them revealing Adagio and Aria were helping set up Trixie's show leaving them confused as the two joined their friends as they were replaced by their alter egos as their names came up.
(But with our guiding light we shall never give in the fight)
Scenes of each girl's adventures were seen before it was cut to Oscorp where Soul and Celestia plus Luna with Tsuki was seen before it cut to Filthy Rich before he was replaced by a demonic entity.
(We shall never surrender as long as we make it together)
The CMC were shown in their clubhouse before being replaced by their alter egos as their names appeared before the scene rotated around to show Diamond Tiara before she donned a demonic costume.
(Never surrender and keep that spirit from ever dying, just never give in to the doubt plaguing at your heart)
Scenes of the girls and Spike fighting many villains as they each stretched out a hand to their respective friends before a web shot out from their wrist or in Spike's case green fire targeted at the shadows around their friends.
(Now unleash that inner strength that unlocks the power of the miraculous bond as a new dawn has come)
The scene showed the eight heroines use the elements of harmony before the scene warped to the group hanging out with their friends and family as the song ended.
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Four days went by and Twilight stretched as she and Sunset got ready for the day. They had worked hard to get everything ready for this moment. The next day was the celebration and Twilight was getting her checklist ready before she left.
"Okay first up is the food provided by Applejack's family" said Twilight as the trio of the sisters and Spike walked down to the farm. Twilight gapped at how many family members Applejack had.
"Now that is a Clan there must be enough to cover the whole kingdom. Plus if I am reading this right the Apple family practically founded the town. Their crops are practically the main reason the town exists. Whew this means Applejack is considered the Duchess running this part of the kingdom for Celestia. That explains that empty seat in the council Celestia has I thought I recognized the Apple symbol" said Twilight.
"Yep the Apples are one of the oldest families around and still going strong they make up 30 percent of the kingdom's population which when scattered does cover the space of the kingdom" said Sunset impressed.
"Agricultural seat of the council you two though to be honest Octavia is supposed to be our representative in Canterlot" said Granny Smith from right next to them. Sunset and Twilight both jumped with a yelp. Even now after nearly a week for Twilight and a year for Sunset that Granny Smith still tends to surprise a person by sneaking up on them and by the sound of things she over heard them.
"Granny Smith you sure you weren't a Ninja in a past life that makes the sixteenth time this week you snuck up on us" asked Spike who was hard to startle visually because of his facial structure but if you took a close look at his eyes they did seem to have widened.
"Sure as the seasons but than again I'm old and forgetful my youth is recently starting to blur in my memory so it might be possible" said Granny Smith with a smile.
"Hey there you three came to check on the food also let me introduce mah clan" asked Applejack and before Twilight could react she found herself seated at a table sampling each dish and meeting Applejack's relatives simultaneously with one to two relatives per dish.
Sunset and Spike could only watch slack jawed as Twilight managed to eat and get to know the family quickly and Applejack was impressed by the way Twilight handled the pressure.
"Twilight you just ate enough to tie you over until the day after tomorrow and get to know the clan in record time considering how fast paced that was! That is definitely going down to the world records I think we just have enough witnesses to validate the record" said Spike slowly in disbelief.
"Well Twilight sounds like you earned a place as a honorary Apple Clan member not many manage what you just did and if they do they tend to puke from the speed eating" giggled Applejack.
"With my mentor I had to learn to greet and get to know nobles during meals with Celestia and I guess I subconsciously did what I do in those situations and by the looks of things I kept up my manners as well that and with the princess' cake obsession I had to learn to eat my weight quickly. I later learned cake was her comfort food due to missing her sister and over time it got out of control. Sometimes I am glad for those nobles at canterlot. They keep her so busy she can only eat that on the rare time she is free. Though currently I got a restraining order on Blueblood, my brother caught him stalking me for a full two years. Sometimes having a overprotective brother that's the Captain of the Royal Guard is a plus in deterring threats to my person. Remember my position has made me targeted by the Nobles to try and get closer to the Princess so I find them as annoying as the princess. If it wasn't for Shining I would have been forced into marriage at a very young age. I may be a Noble myself but those in Canterlot are a disgrace to their titles. Good thing I'm not the heir of my family but my brother is or it would have been worse" said Twilight making everyone but Sunset and Spike drop their jaw at what they heard.
"Yep it's one of the reasons Twilight has a hard time trusting others besides us, her brother and the princess herself there were so many incidents from jealous mares, to scheming Nobles that Twilight normally has a squad of Guards nearby when she's with the princess during these kind of events. The only Nobles around this area is the Rich family and they know not to mess with the princess and those close to her" said Sunset.
"Filthy Rich owns Oscorp seemed filthy is a pun on how wealthy he is. his real name is Osborn Rich. He paid our medical bill because of that incident" said Applejack.
"Well while good to get that off my chest we still have the other girls to see" said Twilight.
They left the farm leaving Applejack and her Clan to wonder just how hard was Twilight's life as the Student of the Princess.
(End chapter)