Chrys had to get out of there. Maybe it didn't matter that she hadn't found the treasury's contents. Maybe Dan had been right AGAIN about invading the country. The griffons were building their own Magic Gear. No, check that... Chrys put her claw up to the mold. There was no metal or material in the mold itself, but the outside was coated in a faint layer of ashy, chalky dust. It had already been used.
As if to confirm her fears, the platform shuddered. The loud sound of metal clanging against metal echoed with a dull resonance through the ring.
"Alpha-One docking has recommenced. Delta Team, report to primary intake."
Chrys bolted. Her heart was now beating in her chest. She didn't know what she was going to see and didn't take time to wonder. She raced from the enormous storage ring down to the intake ring two levels below it.
She tried to stick to the shadows but she was more exposed on this level than ever. The intake level was a series of platforms, more rails and pods, all leading either up into the ring above or to another processing station. A lot more griffons flew about and worked on this ring, mostly larger griffons and laborers. An airship in the center was being lowered, its hold recently emptied.
Some of the airships had large insects clinging to the sides- moths. Glitter moths were a species known for their sturdy wings. They regularly drank from mineral-rich resources and ate mineral-rich leaves making their bodies and wings incredibly tough. They were friendly to ponies and griffons, who used them to find precious stones and gold, though also a favorite prey animal of the Ursa Major, Star Serpent and Cosmic Octopus. A similar species, the glamour moth spun silk in its larval form that pony fashion designers often used and only cocooned itself after finding a suitable pattern that would become its wings.
"Watch it, watch it now, watch-watch it! HEY!!"
Before the airship was clear of the ring, something slammed into it from behind. The platforms and rails shook. Several of the moths took flight, fleeing to the upper levels. Some of the moths were the size of the fighters Chrys had just seen, yet they'd been startled by something even larger.
"Careful! Careful!"
"Delta Team, move in! Move in!"
Black-suited griffons flew into the center. Several of the beams bent and boke, cargo was sent tumbling. The team of griffons took cables from the platforms and hooked them onto something, and the moment they did, Chrys realized what she was looking at.
The Griffon Gear appeared out of thin air. Its massive lower legs swung and kicked into the top of an airship below it. Another pair of platforms were quickly raised into place to support it. Its wings still beat to keep it in aloft, along with thrusters along its body. The cables secured its claws to a pair of the sorting platforms. It was clear the stations and supports weren't designed for a Gear.
"It's invisible," Chrys muttered to herself. "It can turn invisible."
As she watched it, the Gear opened its massive beak. Like a bird regurgitating food for its young, a pile of treasure disgorged from its innards and onto the platform. And another. And another. The platform was weighed down heavily by the piles of gold and jewels the metallic creature upheaved. So they got another one.
When the contents of its metal stomach were finally emptied, the creature looked around. Its eyes glowed eerily, like Songbird from Bioshock: Infinite and yeah, that's not the first time I've referenced that game but I have my grievances with it. So I'm taking the eyes from the iconic bird, because fan service works like that, but not much else.
"Delta Team, stand clear. All intake crews, stand clear!"
"We really need a better way of doing this."
"We're working on it. Trudy?"
"Intake deck is clear. Proceed normal traffic."
The giant metal griffon pushed itself off the platforms, nearly knocking them back up and into the ring above. It flew away without another thought and vanished from sight in more ways than one.
"Impressive, isn't it?"
Chrys spun around. A blue griffon with a gray head floated near her, forearms folded.
"I-w-what?"
"Well, obviously it's a bit under-utilized just to use it for plundering, but the griffons like treasure. It at least shows you we honor agreements," the griffon said.
She backed away from him. "I... I don't understand."
"You don't have to, your majesty."
A massive group of griffons appeared out of thin air. They surrounded Chrys, aiming too many types of weapons than she cared to count. The closest ones had swords that were sharp enough to the point. Even a pair of smaller airships floated up with griffons manning harpoon turrets aiming them at her.
She turned back to the blue griffon. "You think you know who I am... what you're dealing with. I think you may need educating." Her eyes glowed green.
"Don't try it. You won't find much love to use here, Chryssie. These birds only love gold."
Silent, Chrys allowed two of the griffons to subdue her claws, binding her. But then, a pair of nets were launched at her and fell upon her, and she rolled her eyes. These thugs were morons, clearly. She dropped the disguise and turned back into her regular changeling form. No point wasting magic or trying to hide now.
"How did you find me?"
"Security cameras caught you using magic."
"Oh," Chrys said. "I feel dumb now."
The griffon shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, you're in good company. These griffons aren't the brightest bulbs, that's for sure."
"You're not a griffon?" Chrys asked.
He smiled. His body transformed into that of a pegasus. "You're not the only one who can transform into others, Chrys."
Dan told Chrys about a pony, or some other creature that was a master of disguise. An entity that could be anyone or anything. "Visor?"
"Ah, good! She's a quick learner," Visor said, almost applauding her deduction. "We can charge extra for that. Take her to the dungeon."
"If you guys can hear me, I'm being captured. Captured by morons. Again," Chrys said, hoping that somehow the gang back at the library was receiving. The overlapping nets also captured several of the closer griffons, who attempted to use their swords and knives and claws to cut their way out. They were mostly unsuccessful, and Chrys didn't even bother resisting.
"Well," Chrys said, "at least it took like, the entire city to capture me. I think Dan will be proud of that." They hauled her off to the dungeons in the rings high above. "I really hope you guys are getting this and will send help!! Please? Where are you guys?!"
Sweet Apple Acres
"Who wants another apple kebab?"
"I'll take one!" shouted Dan. "Gimme an extra char on that, Jackie!"
"You got it," AJ said. Sweet Apple Acres was enjoying a beautiful, bright sunny day. Almost too bright. "Rainbow Dash, what's with the clouds today? Or, lack of clouds today?"
"Cloudsdale's counting them. All the records of the water vapor, the rainbow supplies, all that's gone."
"They're auditing the clouds?" Phoenix asked.
Rainbow nodded. "It's probably gonna be a while, too. There's a lot of clouds we still have to wrangle up there."
Rarity twisted her parasol in her hooves. It wasn't large enough to cover all of her; more of a fashion item than a functional one. "And why exactly aren't you up there? Doing that?"
"It's my day off," Rainbow said, leaning back and stretching with a kebab in her wing-grip. "Just relax in the shade for a while, it'll be fine."
"There's not a lot of shade to go around..." Fluttershy commented. She was busy trying to corral the squirrels so they weren't affected by the hot sun, to little avail.
Dan and friends were gathered under an apple tree while Applejack worked the grill. Dan had the foresight to bring a lounge chair with him. Several skewers were stabbed into the ground nearby.
Twilight finished her second apple kebab. "Things will be back to normal soon. Or... normal-ish. Whatever's normal for us."
"I... hope... so..." a deflated Pinkie Pie said. A lack of money meant a lack of parties. And a lack of Sugar Cube Corner meant a lack of Pinkie-ness in the Pinkie. She was sprawled out in front of the tree, acting more like her sisters than her usual self.
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS MUCH LONGER!!" Pinkie randomly shouted, into the grass. She could, in fact, take this much longer.
"Gals, gals, gals, and Nicky, you're doing this all wrong." He took off his sunglasses. "This is the perfect time for a day off. No money and no jewels means no one attacks us! We have nothing of value, the best defense of all!"
Phoenix nodded. "You say this, yet ALL the groups that attacked us were not interested in material wealth at all, minus the griffons. Who now have our material wealth."
Dan leaned back in his chair, acting like he was sunning himself even though he was clearly in the shade. "And we will be getting that back soon enough. I have full confidence in my Chryssie to get the job done. It'd probably take the entire city to capture her. I'd probably be proud of that, too."