Once they had reached the port at the very edge of Canterlot, overlooking Equestria all the way to the distant mountains, it was actually Derpy who had insisted that they kept going. Now having told the guards about being pursued by a group of criminals (while carefully not disclosing as to why), Derpy only wanted one thing: to keep going.
"A- are you sure, Derpy?" asked Geld. "I mean, maybe it's not worth the risk anymore?"
"Geld, how can you say that? You know what's on the line here for both of us!" said Derpy. "They want the package, but if I hand it over to the authorities, I'll have to hand over both to be sure. I'm not giving up, and neither should you."
Rainbow Dash, who for once kept her hooves on the ground, looked like she was having fun. "That's the spirit! Let's win first!"
None of them having the sense to call it quits, they gently started the slow descent towards their next goal: Baltimare.
"But, what do you think is in the actual box?" asked Rainbow Dash.
***
'What's in the box?' was a very, very good question, and it was the recurring point of conversation for the descent, the swift run over the hills away from Canterlot, and further and further beyond. Hours upon hours passed while sprinting across Equestria at their great speed, yet one could feel curiosity rising minute by minute.
Was it some magical artifact? Was it a priceless treasure? Was it a pair of socks? Every possible item went through Derpy's head, yet every time she stopped herself from wondering too much. She had spent years respecting the privacy of every customer she had ever served, never even once having so much as a peek inside whatever she was carrying. However, the same could not be said for Rainbow Dash and Geld.
Derpy constantly felt their eyes wander over to her bag, curious as a pair of cats.
Still, it wasn't until the sun had set, and they had set up a small camp, that someone finally popped the question.
"Maaaybe we should take a peek?" It had been Rainbow Dash.
"Maybe? I mean, what if it's dangerous?" asked Geld as he hesitantly reached for the bag. "Or, what if it's valuable?"
Almost like a mother protecting her child, Derpy grabbed it and held it firmly away from both of them. She didn't even say no; all that was needed was her look of rejecting their proposal. "We are all going to sleep, and if I catch one of you even looking at my bag the wrong way, then I'd rather try to finish the race on my own. I don't know about either of you, but I take this very seriously."
"Fine, Derpy," said Rainbow Dash. "You can't fault a mare for being curious."
Then, in the warm glow of the campfire, they all slowly went to sleep.
***
During that night, while Derpy and her group were sleeping soundly before they would continue the race, another group still in Canterlot were not allowed a moment of respite.
It was the griffons that had chased after the package. Some griffons and ponies had already been arrested by the guards, while the few remaining had to stay vigilant, moving from hideout to hideout under the cover of darkness.
They were lead by the griffon Brick, and their current hideout was in a closed bar, owned by some random pony in debt. The moonlight shone in through the windows, and they kept as quiet as possible. Other than having some pony indebted to them, they also picked the bar since it had an exit in the back. If any guards spotted them in the darkness, they'd at least be able to quickly leave.
"So, what should we do next, Brick?" asked a griffon.
"Lay low for another few hours, one of us will make a distraction to the west. He or she will set one of the sky ships on fire, and while the pegasi guards are busy putting it out, we'll exit the town to the east by air.
"And those of us that can't fly?" asked a unicorn mare.
Brick looked over to her. "You ponies stay in the bar, have breakfast in the morning, and then just walk home. They won't be able to stop everyone in the street once morning comes. None of the ones captured knows who you really are."
The griffon that had asked the question followed up. "But, what about Canterlot?"
"It's going to be harder to do business here, that's for sure," said Brick. "We might have to stay out for a few months."
"Bosses won't be happy."
"No, we won't be," said someone who just waltzed in through the front door.
In any other circumstance, Brick would have rushed over to the stranger and hit them so hard they'd pass out, but he instantly recognized who it was. The white dress glistened so much in the moonlight one was surprised they hadn't spotted her coming down the street.
"Boss!" said Brick. "Why are you here?!"
"Because I heard, or rather suspected there'd be trouble. I came to check up on our Canterlot branch," the griffon said. Her eyes were cold. "I am not happy."
"Our orders were clear, get the package at any price," said Brick.
"And did you?" she asked.
Brick didn't bother to answer, because just the biting tone of her voice made it clear it wasn't necessary.
"Let's get some lights in here," she said, walking over to the bar to light a lantern sitting on the counter. Instantly the dark bar was lit up with a warm glow, yet one that made a chill run down everyone's spine. In the light, one could see the dressed griffon clearly. Slim, her white dress reaching almost to the floor, contrasting starkly with her feathers, claws and beak, all jet black. She might as well have been a raven.
"What are you doing?" asked a pony, almost panicking.
"Ordering a drink. Do any of you know how to mix drinks?" she asked nonchalantly and sat down on a bar stool. During normal business hours, it would have been a lovely bar, the red brick walls managed to mesh nicely with the black wooden floor, but none of the usual atmosphere filled the place. "Is any of you the owner?"
"He's upstairs," said Brick. "I doubt he can sleep knowing we're down here."
"Well, get him, then."
There was a moment of hesitation, yet in that moment while she wasn't looking, Brick gestured wildly and desperately at his subordinates to get up the stairs and do what she said.
Without further ado, a single blue mare got escorted down the stairs and took her place behind the bar.
"Wh- what c- can I get you?" asked the mare.
"Surprise me," said the griffon with a gentle smile. The mare was about to get to reach for a bottle before the griffon grabbed her by the hoof and held it firmly. "And, please, make it a very pleasant surprise."
"S-sure," said the mare.
"Boss- I mean- Miss Grau," said Brick, "I know we didn't handle this very well, but we can get Canterlot back!"
"Here you go," said the mare, handing Miss Grau a glass with some liquid in it.
"Brick, that's hardly the first thing you should be focusing on right now," said Grau. She took a sip, and turned to the mare to congratulate her on a good drink, before returning her attention to Brick. "We're not upset Canterlot realized we had set up a branch here. We're upset that you lost that package. Do you have any idea what it's worth to us?"
"I have an inkling," said Brick.
"It will change the history of the griffon kingdom, and maybe even Equestria and beyond. We've spent so much time and effort preparing, acquiring, planning, structuring, bribing, extorting, blessing and dooming that at this point, we need that final piece of the puzzle to really get going, or even to survive... and the western branch lost it... because some griffon thought it would be a good idea to hand that package over to a public competition... just to save on the delivery cost. And then, you couldn't even get it from a pony that, according to my sources, runs like a freaking idiot and can't see what's in front of her."
Brick, gently pointed his claw up in the air. "To be fair, I wasn't the griffon who gave her the package."
"We know. Be glad you weren't, because the griffon who did will never fly again... or walk. He should count himself lucky he's alive. My father was not happy."
"We're going to get it," said Brick. "We're going to leave soon, and head straight to Baltimare and help the Big Bills there with getting the box.
"What's important is that you're trying," said Grau and finished her drink. "You better come through, Garrick, or I suspect you'll never return to the griffon kingdom."
Brick looked at her, suddenly seeming to feel ill. "Yes, Miss Grau."
"Also, genuinely curious," said, Grau, pointing towards the mare behind the bar. "Did you not notice that isn't the owner?"
Suddenly the front and back door were flung open, and half a dozen guards were standing there, spears pointed at them and at the ready. Too late, Brick realized that far behind them, out in the alley, one could see a stallion, the actual owner of the bar.
"Let me guess," said Grau towards the mare, hardly showing surprise. "You're just the waitress? He told you to stay while he snuck out the window?"
"Y-yes."
"Didn't even offer to take you with him?"
The mare paused. "No."
"Just left you with a bunch of hardened criminals? Despite all the thankless years you've worked hard for him?"
"Y-yes!"
"Guards," said Grau, her voice dry. "That stallion is a menace, he broke into our place of business and threatened us."
"Is that right?" asked the guard in charge.
"No," said Grau, before giving the guard a friendly smile. "But that's what it's going to say on the report."
"Take him away! Nothing to see here," said the guard. Five of the guards turned towards the stallion, and despite protests carried him out of sight, out of mind.
The lone stallion guard walked over to Grau and gently gestured a kiss on her talon, like a gentleman.
"How are the kids, Fall Harvest?"
"Doing very well, thank you, Miss Grau."
She gestured with her head towards the door. "Go on, you've got work to do. Let's meet tomorrow, catch up. Business and pleasure."
With a friendly smile, the guard left, and closed the door behind him.
Brick, the rest of the Big Bills and the waitress all stared at her. Grau merely gestured for a second drink.
"H-how did you?" asked Brick.
"If you practically own a bar in the most important city in Equestria, and you can expect to run into trouble, it then pays to practically own the five-six guards patrolling the area around it as well," said Grau. Without patience to savor it, she quickly chugged the second drink. "You've got more talent with drinks than the last guy," she said to the mare. "Would you like a job?"
"W-what kind of job?" asked the young mare.
After putting the glass down, she looked deeply into the mare's eye "You might get into trouble having us as friends, we are criminals, but I'm not unfair, if you want to leave, then we won't stop you. That said, we could use someone of your talents, just keeping the bar open to any griffon or pony needing a break."
"But isn't this dangerous?" asked the young mare. "Working with the Big Bills?"
"No commitment, no debt, no danger, just a friendly face to serve us drinks and keep us safe against a harsh world we're trying to get a grip on. All we ask for you is to always be open for us, and 12% of profits. Importing the best drinks from the griffon kingdom would be a snap."
While the mare was careful, Grau, and even Brick, saw that glimmer of temptation in her eyes.
"Sweetie, there is a big difference between owning a business and being a waitress. Did you really want to be working under that guy for the rest of your life?" asked Grau, letting her hoof go and instead reaching out her talon.
"Alright, I'll do it," she said, reaching out.
They shook on it. "Congratulations, you now own a bar. Welcome to the Big Bills," said Grau, she then turned to Brick. "If you hadn't noticed, I don't like it when situations get out of control. Go to Baltimare. Find the gray pegasus. Get the box!"