Chapter 5: Trapping the Thieves
The plan was simple. One of the ponies would leave a box of 'precious belongings' out in the open. Then they'd leave the area and wait for the three thieves to arrive. Once they got close enough to the box, Rainbow Dash, Gilda, and Lightning Dust would strike. The trio had been able to design guns that would launch nets to trap their targets. Twilight Sparkle had cast some spells on the nets to make them immune to any sort of magical damage. Another spell that the purple alicorn had added was one that made the net grow tighter the more its victim struggled to escape. They nine friends were certain that this plan would work.
The group set off into Ponyville to put their plan into action. It had taken a few days to prepare the net guns and in that space of time there had been more robberies. The trio of thieves had struck at different locations. The go kart track had their fuel for their go karts stolen. The paintball arena had a huge amount of ammunition taken from them. Many restaurants had been robbed of vital ingredients and equipment. Even the homes of everyday residents weren't safe. Many objects had been stolen from various houses. The objects had high value to the owners, be it sentimental or in terms of money. The signature mark had been left at the scene of every single attack. The group of nine knew that they needed to put a stop to this before it got any worse.
Twilight Sparkle stood in the center of town with a box tied to her back. Pretty much every resident had barricaded themselves in their homes. They refused to leave out of fear for the safety of their treasured belongings. The purple alicorn was waiting for the right moment. Soon enough a cloud overhead was in its position. On top of this cloud sat the trio of fliers. Rainbow Dash, Gilda, and Lightning Dust were in position with all of their net guns locked and loaded. Rainbow Dash gave a signal to Pinkie Pie who had been standing on a nearby rooftop. The pink pony then signaled to Fluttershy who then signaled to Rarity and Applejack that it was now time to get their plan started. The cowgirl and the fashionista nodded at each other and they walked over to Twilight Sparkle.
"Well hello Twilight!" Rarity said. "How are you doing on this fine day?"
"Oh I'm all right Rarity." the alicorn responded casually. They needed to sound convincing. "How are things with you?"
"They are going just fine." Rarity said. "My boutique is back on its hooves after that dreadful incident."
"That's good to hear." Twilight Sparkle said. She knew that Rarity's boutique was not doing well but she played along for the sake of the plan. "How are things at Sweet Apple Acres Applejack?"
"Ah'm doing fine over there." the cowgirl replied. "We may not have our apples but we still have some left over from last season so we should do all right."
"That's great news." Twilight Sparkle said happily.
"So how are thing with ya Twi?" Applejack asked. "Ah know that some books had been stolen from ya."
"Oh it's okay." Twilight Sparkle said. "I have plenty more. Besides those thieves didn't get the important book." She placed the box down and opened it up. Rarity and Applejack gazed inside the perfectly empty cardboard container and pretended to be astounded by what they were seeing.
"Twilight dear how did you ever get a hold of a book like that?" Rarity asked in a tone of fake astonishment.
"My parents." Twilight Sparkled answered simply. "They gave it to me when I was a filly and I treasured it ever since."
"Say Twi could ya do me a favor?" Applejack asked.
"What do you need?" the alicorn asked her friend.
"Ah need some help getting the new wall for the barn." the cowgirl replied. "Had to get rid of the one with that mark."
"That sounds fine to me." Twilight Sparkle told her. "But where can I put my book? I don't want it to get in the way of the rebuilding."
"Ah'm sure that Rarity can hold on to it." Applejack said.
"Oh no I can't." the unicorn replied. "I have too much shopping to do and I'll be carrying too much as is. I can't possibly hold another package. Especially when it is a treasured possession of a dear friend."
"Do you think I should leave it here?" Twilight Sparkle asked. "If nopony is around I doubt anypony would steal it."
"Ah think that's a good idea." Applejack said. "Besides we can get this work done quickly."
"Then let's get started." the alicorn said as she placed the cardboard box down in plain view from the cloud above them. "Bye Rarity."
"Take care Twilight dear." Rarity replied. "And you too Applejack."
"Have a nice day Rarity." Applejack said in farewell as the three ponies left the square. The cardboard box sat alone in the streets being watched by the three fliers. They waited for just the right moment.
Soon enough Pinkie Pie tossed a message to them that said that herself, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Spike, and Applejack were all ready to help them capture the thieves. Rainbow Dash looked around and she saw that the five ponies and one dragon were all in their positions. Suddenly Gilda nudged the rainbow maned pegasus and pointed at something in the distance. Rainbow Dash squinted and she saw what they were looking for. The three ponies that had been robbing them were slowly approaching the package.
"Can ya believe our luck?" the muscular one asked.
"Chunker my friend that was hardly luck." the bespectacled mare replied. "That pony must have been foolish to have left something so important out in the open."
"Yeah you gotta have brains like Chunker to do that." the red stallion said. The three ponies laughed before Chunker stopped suddenly.
"'Ey wait a minute." she said. This caused Psyke to laugh harder than before. His laugh was maniacal and creepy.
"Oh Chunker." he said. "You have more chunks in your brain than I thought."
"Why don't ya say that ta me face then?" Chunker asked as she glared at Psyke.
"Oh please." Psyke replied. "You could never take me."
"'Ow's 'bout provin' it then?" Chunker said. "Right here an' right now."
"Now now." Monochrome said. "I enjoy a fight as much as the next pony but we should be focused on getting our hard earned treasure first now shouldn't we?"
"Monochrome's right." Psyke said. "Let's grab this thing then we can settle this fight."
"Gladly." Chunker agreed.
The three ponies approached the box and were getting close to opening it.
"Now?" Lightning Dust asked.
"Not yet." Gilda replied.
"Just let them get a little bit closer." Rainbow Dash agreed.
The thieves opened the box and eagerly stared inside.
"It be empty." Chunker said in disbelief.
"Just like your head." Psyke mumbled.
"Well whatever." Monochrome snapped. "We might as well leave."
"Now!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
In an instant the three fliers fired their net guns at the thieves. The three shots were right on target and the three smug ponies were tangled up in nets and they all fell to the ground. Quick as a flash, the other five ponies as well as Spike rushed out from their hiding places and tied the nets securely around the thieves. Rainbow Dash, Gilda, and Lightning Dust flew down from their cloud and grinned at their friends.
"Nice work everypony." Lightning Dust said.
"We finally got 'em." Gilda said proudly.
"Can't believe we'd get caught like this." Psyke grumbled angrily as his fiery red eyes filled with anger.
"How dare you attack us!" Monochrome shouted as her steel gray eyes narrowed in fury. "Release us at once."
"Yeah." Chunker agreed as her mustard yellow eyes gave the ponies a glare. "We need ta get ta dat treasure."
"It's empty ya big numbskull!" Psyke shouted furiously. "These ponies tricked us."
"I can't break this net." Monochrome complained.
"Me either." Chunker said. "Psyke burn these nets off o' us will ya?"
"Thought you'd never ask." the alicorn replied. His horn glowed and he shot a bright flame at the net but to his surprise it had no effect. "What the?" he gasped in shock. "My fire. It's not working!"
"I wouldn't bother trying to escape." Twilight Sparkle said seriously. "Those nets are flame proof and magic proof. And the more you try to break them the stronger they get."
The rest of the group surrounded the captured thieves and glared down at them.
"Where'd you put all the stuff you stole?" Rainbow Dash demanded.
"Where is my fabric?" Rarity shrieked.
"And my apples?" Applejack growled.
"And my frosting?" Pinkie Pie yelled.
"And my books?" Twilight Sparkle said.
"And what about my cannon?" Lightning Dust shouted.
"And my eggs?" Fluttershy whispered dangerously. Her voice might have been quiet but that was the most threatening part of it all. The others knew that Fluttershy was extremely protective of her animal friends and that she did not take kindly to anypony who hurt them.
"I don't know what you haybrains are talking about." Psyke said.
"I've never heard anything about such things in my life." Monochrome agreed.
"But we jus' stole all those things the other day." Chunker said causing her two fellow thieves to glare angrily at her. "Oh right." she muttered sheepishly.
"When we get out of this net I'm putting tape on her mouth." Psyke grumbled.
"Better put some glue on it to be safe." Monochrome said angrily.
"Enough." Gilda said. "Where'd you put all of that stuff?"
"Gilda Griffon is that you?" Monochrome asked in amazement.
"Blimey we 'aven't seen ya in ages." Chunker said.
"How many years has it been?" Psyke asked. "Four? Five?"
"How about not enough?" Gilda growled angrily. "I'm not into Flight School reunions that much. I'm more into catching thieves like you."
"We'll never tell you where we stashed our loot." Psyke growled.
"Chunker be a dear and keep your mouth shut will you?" Monochrome said as she glared at the muscular pony.
Chunker stayed silent under threatening glares from her fellow crooks.
"Then I guess we're gonna have to find that stuff ourselves." Gilda said.
"In the meantime." Twilight Sparkle said. "I think that my brother might take an interest in you. He is the Captain of the Royal Guard and you did rob a princess when you stole my books."
"Can't believe this." Psyke grumbled.
"If the boss finds out about this." Monochrome whispered urgently.
"I 'ope 'e doesn't." Chunker said. "Me tail still 'urts from the last time I was punished by 'im."
"And just who's your boss?" Rainbow Dash demanded angrily.
"Oh look girls." Psyke said. "Another familiar face."
"My my Rainbow Dash what a surprise." Monochrome gasped. "Haven't seen you since you dropped out. You were quite the talented flier. I'll never understand why you left."
"Shut up!" Gilda roared at them. "Don't even dare try to make fun of her!" The griffon gave the three thieves a glare of pure loathing. The three ponies were instantly silent.
It looked like everything was going according to plan. Just as the nine friends were about to drag the thieves to their fate they heard a noise. A thunderous roar rang out through the silent day air.
"What have you numbskulls gotten yourselves into this time?" a male voice growled.
"Boss you're here!" Psyke shouted.
"'Ey boss good ta see ya!" Chunker greeted.
"Shut up Chunks for Brains." Monochrome hissed. "We just got caught. Now is not the time to act like he's our friend."
The boss of the thieves landed in the center and stared at the nine friends that had captured his cronies. He was a large and powerful looking griffon. While Gilda had impressive strength, this griffon seemed larger and more muscular than her. His claws looked like they had been sharpened every day. His dark brown lion's body looked like that of a muscular hero from a fantasy book. His large jet black wings were impressive to anypony that actually cared. It was impossible to tell what color his feathers were since he wore a mask that covered them. He looked at the nine friends and when his gaze saw Gilda, his brown eyes widened in surprise underneath the mask he wore.
"Gilda Griffon." he said in a growl. "What an unpleasant surprise."
"You know this guy G?" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief.
"I've never met him Dash!" Gilda said indignantly "I don't hang out with thieves."
"Gilda. I'm hurt." the griffon said. "You don't recognize my voice?"
Gilda studied the body of the griffon and listened to his voice.
"Never met ya before and I'm glad I haven't." she said coolly.
"I guess you don't remember me." the griffon said. "But perhaps you will remember this?"
He lifted the mask off of his face and let it drop to the ground. Gilda stared at the dark black feathers that covered his head. She glanced at the red highlights that surrounded his eyes much like the purple feathers that surrounded Gilda's golden yellow eyes. This griffon even had feathers with red tips at the top of his head like Gilda did. Except that the tips of Gilda's feathers were purple instead of red. None of these traits seemed familiar to the brown and white griffon but then she saw the one feature that stood out. She glanced at the griffon's left eye and gasped. Her golden yellow eyes widened as they gazed at the scar that ran vertically down the left eye of the griffon she was looking at.
"Gio?" Gilda asked in shock.